App. 5 Invitation & Pre -Focus Group Participant Profile

APPENDIX 5 – Invitation & Pre-Focus Group Participant Profile

The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) is sponsoring a research study focused on how women-owned businesses can grow through increased access to the corporate market and partnership with corporate supplier diversity programs. As part of the research for this study, you have been randomly selected to receive this invitation to participate in a focus group, with other women business owners, about issues that affect the participation of women business owners, like yourself, in corporate supplier diversity programs. Your participation in this focus group is completely voluntary, and you may decline to participate.

This research initiative is the first time the federal government has undertaken a study to recognize the vital role of the corporate market in supporting the growth of women-owned businesses. NWBC will use information gathered from this study to produce recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on policy and program initiatives to facilitate the growth of women-owned businesses. The information will also be used to provide practical guidance to women business owners on how corporate supplier diversity programs can be leveraged to increase opportunities for their companies to gain access to corporate markets.

NWBC is a non-partisan federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the SBA on economic issues of importance to women business owners. Its mission is to promote initiatives, policies, and programs designed to support women’s business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces—from start-up to success.

If you would like to participate in a focus group in your area, please complete and return the attached profile which is designed to provide some initial information about you, your business, and your experience with corporate supplier diversity programs. It will be used to help the focus group moderator get to know the mix of group members.

Your answers on the profile will be kept private to the extent permitted by law and will only be reviewed by consultants of NewPoint Strategies, LLC, the company conducting the research for the National Women’s Business Council. Reports will only contain aggregated findings, and the information you share will not be connected with your name in any way without your expressed permission.

This study has been reviewed and approved by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB); without OMB’s approval, the session could not be conducted.

OMB control number:

Expiration date:

Data collected on behalf of the National Women’s Business Council under contract number SBAHQ-14-M-0124.

Please submit your completed profile to [e-mail address] no later than _____________.

Pre-Focus Group Participant Profile

Name: ________________________________________________

1. Are you the principal owner (Chair, President or CEO) of a business?

___ Yes ___ No

2. When did you start/acquire this business (year)? __________________

3. What percentage of this business is woman-owned? (Combine all woman owners.)

___ 51% or more ___ 50% ___ Less than 50%

4. Is your business certified as a woman-owned business? ___ Yes ___ No

5. What is the legal structure of this business?

___ Sole proprietorship

___ General/limited partnership

___ Limited liability company

___ Subchapter S corporation

___ General corporation

___ Other (specify ______________________________________________)

6. In 2014, how many people (including you and other owners) worked for this business as:

full-time employees? _____ part-time employees? ______ contractors? _______

7. In 2014, what was the total gross revenue of this business?

□ $25,000–$49,999

□ $50,000–$99,999

□ $100,000–$249,999

□ $250,000–$999,999

□ $1 million - $5 million

□ $5 million – $10 million

□ Over $10 million

8. Have you used or attempted to use any corporate supplier diversity programs to grow your business? ___ Yes ___ No

9. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin? ___ Yes ___ No

10. What is your race? (Mark one or more.)

___ American Indian or Alaska Native

___ Asian

___ Black or African American

___ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

___ White

11. What is your age?

___ Under 25 years

___ 25–34

___ 35–44

___ 45–54

___ 55–64

___ 65 years or over

12. What was the highest level of school you completed?

___ Less than high school

___ High school diploma or GED

___ Technical, trade, or vocational school

___ Some college, but no degree

___ Associate degree

___ Bachelor’s degree

___ Master’s, doctorate, or professional (e.g., J.D. or M.D.) degree

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