Program to grow minority suppliers seeks next cohort
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The Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council in Indianapolis is looking for members for the next cohort of its Accelerate 100+ program. The initiative, which launched last year, aims to fill a gap between corporations and qualified minority suppliers.
The program is open to businesses owned and operated by ethnic minorities, women, service disabled veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The council says participants will receive greater access to education, capital, contract opportunities, new business, and coaching and mentoring services.
“Our major corporations’ challenges center around supply chain issues, and A100+ is about empowering diverse-owned businesses to grow and scale to fit those needs,” Daryle Johnson, interim president and CEO of Mid-States MSDC said in written remarks.
The program helped drive more than $19 billion to diverse owned businesses last year, according to the Accelerate 100+ website.
Terry Dove-Pittman, owner of Carmel-based national consulting firm The Gideon Group LLC, says the firm was able to scale up in a relatively short amount of time thanks to the program.
“Since being a part of A100+, my company has grown from just a bit over $100k to a quarter of a million in sales and rising,” Dove-Pittman said. “I personally have grown exponentially as a leader and now have the staff to strategically position our company to deliver to a wider range of clientele, while also setting realistic and attainable goals that will allow us to have a brand imprint regionally.”
The council is looking for participants for the next cohort through Oct. 27. You can learn more about the program by clicking here.