100 Mesmerized SBA CNPP Small Business Clients Show Up For Daughters of Zion’s How To Become A Contractor With Shelby County Government MasterClass Event

Saturday April 15, 2023, Vincent Moody, Contract Compliance Officer with Shelby County government and Shelby County administrative assistant Carolyn Griffin spoke to 100 SBA CNPP small business owners on how to complete their vendor registration to receive their Equal Opportunity Compliance (EOC) number, how to gain certification as a Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB), and receive their Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification with Shelby County Government so they can start bidding for contracting jobs within the Shelby County government. This was the largest event of the year for Mr. Moody and for the Daughters of Zion – based upon the reviews, Mr. Moody rose to the occasion and exceeded all expectations.

Vincent Moody told the small business owners that $290,000,000 was awarded to businesses which contracted with Shelby County government last year. Of that number 20% or $58,000,000 is allocated to Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB) but only 7% or $20M was awarded last year chiefly through lack of participation by locally owned small business owners. When asked by Mr. Moody how many in attendance were already certified as vendors with Shelby County government, of the 100 small business owners present in person and via zoom only 5% indicated they were already certified as an LOSB and MBE.

Mr. Moody stated, “Shelby County government has been a mystery for small businesses and folks of color for a long time. Very few people crack that and get inside and figure out how to do business with Shelby County…. I’m here to change that.” Dr. Gerald Kiner, Ph.D. Executive Director of Daughters of Zion who invited Mr. Moody stated “ Our goal aligns with Isabella Casillas Guzman’s, Administrator of the SBA goal of ‘making sure that everybody has that opportunity to pursue their American dream.’ So it’s a dream come true for me to see our SBA CNPP business owners’ eyes light up when they heard $290,000,000 is available to them in contracting opportunities within their own local government. I wanted our SBA CNPP small business clients to know they don’t have to stay dependent on a small customer base which struggles to afford their products or services- they can expand into city, county, state, and federal contracting opportunities worth billions of dollars combined. After today’s event, I think they realize that now.”

Daughters of Zion Program Coordinator Natalee Peart added “ It was a momentous occasion and I was honored to be a part of a team that has opened not a window, but a portal of opportunities to the small business clients. Knowledge is money, so this meeting is part of our commitment in the DOZ SBA CNNP, under the direction of Dr. Kiner and the SBA team, to increase awareness of sources of finance for underserved entrepreneurs and to assist with accessing the finance.”

Daughters of Zion SBA CNPP small business client Darlene Willis, inventor of the EZNAILLIFTER commented that she “commends Mr. Moody and his associate on a job well done. The information Mr. Moody shared was so valuable on how to get a contract and get contract ready was key. The information he shared about the different departments that we as business owners could tap into. As long as you have all your paperwork together and their willingness to help to make sure you have what you need was phenomenal. Awesome workshop.”

Another Daughters of Zion SBA CNPP small business client Tameka Burnett, CEO of Allied Health Instructional Training, LLC added, “ The Saturday Masterclass put on by DOZ was nothing less than remarkable! The event on Saturday gave current entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs the valuable insight needed to bridge the divide between vision and visionary, from dreamer to dream-maker, from getting by to making the buy-in, by bringing in representatives from the Shelby County Government giving us information on how to become a contractor with our local government. This informational session met and exceeded my expectations, it was power-packed with so much valuable information. The representatives’ expertise and knowledge were excellent!… Exceptional!!!, Terrific!!!, Stimulating!”

When we asked Mr. Moody his thoughts on the event he added “ First let me say that I did not expect a turnout of that size. The event had potential vendors at various stages of entrepreneurship, all displaying that energy and drive necessary to be successful.” Mr. Moody continued to say that the work Daughters of Zion is doing with the small business owners is “ very impressive, I was very impressed.”