by Kori Andrews (koria@smithmanage.com)
SMG has been around 25 years and has been a Woman-owned Business Entity (WBE) since 2004. This designation allows us some special advantages in obtaining work from entities such as the federal government, municipalities and even private-sector business like Toyota. This week, Toyota hosted its annual Toyota Opportunity Exchange which allows Toyota’s direct suppliers to meet WBE and MBE businesses.
The two-day event includes speakers about how to grow your business and culminates with a huge trade show in which WBEs and MBEs are encouraged to introduce themselves to the Toyota Suppliers.
While SMG already helps many of the Toyota suppliers with their environmental and health and safety needs, it was nice to meet other suppliers (there were over 500 there!) and catch up with the companies for whom we already perform work.