The Independence Business Alliance (IBA) is hosting its first ever Supplier Diversity Fair — an event that will connect LGBTQ+ owned small businesses with corporations or other large organizations for possible partnership.
“It’s something that both corporations who are passionate about using LGBT businesses and our own LGBTQ+ owned businesses have been clamoring for,” said Zach Wilcha, CEO of the Independent Business Alliance — the region’s LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. “Our hope is that it turns into something that is at the very least annual.”
Small businesses can support larger entities in a variety of ways — such as providing print services and paper products, auditing cybersecurity and IT practices, teaching workshops, catering luncheons, photographing events, creating gift baskets or customized awards, and much more. Freelancers and solo practitioners in specialized fields — such as lawyers — could potentially find a new client at an event like this.
Large public and private business entities have specific goals — often monetary spending goals — to use on collaborations with minority-owned businesses. This is supplier diversity.
“We’re the largest city right now in the country that doesn’t include LGBTQ+ businesses in their definition of minority business enterprise,” explained Wilcha. “It’s sort of embarrassing at this point that Philadelphia is not doing this.”
Despite lack of recognition from the city, many of Philadelphia’s biggest companies consider LGBTQ+ business partners when they plan to use their “minority spend” allocations. But that doesn’t mean those entities know how to find one another so they can work together.
While larger companies hire people whose entire jobs are dedicated to networking with corporations and submitting proposals to earn contracts, the vast majority of IBA’s members are micro entrepreneurs and businesses with just one to five employees. They don’t have the time or resources to seek that information.
“The businesses in our constituencies are all minorities or double minorities or triple minorities and have traditionally had trouble getting capital to do business in ways that their straight, white, cis counterparts typically have not,” said Wilcha. This makes it especially challenging for them to make the connections they need to truly succeed or thrive and scale up. Events that put queer business owners directly in front of supplier diversity representatives can bolster their ability to land contracts.
Nick Lanzi, president and CEO of Direct Choice, a full-service marketing firm based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, said he’s been to events that share similar goals hosted by IBA’s national affiliate, NGLCC — the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. He described those events as speed-dating for businesses — where small business owners are offered 15 minutes to pitch to corporate reps.
“The way that the IBA is structuring [this event] is going to be a little more loose, and it’s going to be more interactive,” Lanzi explained. “They’re not doing it as structured as the NGLCC because they want to make sure everyone who attends has an opportunity to meet all the corporations participating.”
Lanzi’s goal for the year is to expand his company beyond healthcare marketing — which is his typical focus. He’s excited to meet potential clients from other industries — including the University of Pennsylvania, the University City Science Center and Vanguard. Other confirmed participants include PECO, Independence Blue Cross, Philadelphia Gas Works, Philadelphia International Airport, Amtrak, Rivers Casino Philadelphia, the 76ers and more.
Some of those companies will require that collaborating businesses be LGBTQ+ certified by NGLCC, but others will not. Owners who are interested in that designation should feel relieved that the process is easy — and free for IBA members.
“Getting certified is a great way to stand up and be counted,” said Wilcha, who noted that without these processes, it’s difficult to measure how many LGBTQ+ businesses even exist. It can also help small business owners stand out at events like the upcoming fair.
“We’ve received interest from one of the largest LGBTQ+ owned companies in the country all the way down to solo-owned companies,” he reassured, emphasizing that the event is truly “one-size-fits-all.”
Attendees do not have to be members of the IBA. They can visit tables to talk with company representatives about their skill sets, input their contact information into databases, and learn about upcoming needs and projects — or use the fair however they see fit.
“The first time I did it, I was very nervous,” said Lanzi — but business owners shouldn’t put so much pressure on themselves. “You just want to get the person to know you and build a relationship.” Lanzi said that could look less business-oriented. For instance, at one recent event, he talked with a rep about things to do around Philadelphia — and that wasn’t a missed opportunity. The two have been in touch almost monthly ever since.
Lanzi still advises attendees to come prepared. Bring a capability statement — a one-page or double-sized marketing explainer.
“It nicely summarizes information about your company — everything from your offerings, client testimonials, some case studies of work that you’ve done, and your awards that you’ve received, and so on,” he said.
Lanzi said some supplier diversity representatives might be able to connect a business owner with a different corporation if their own company isn’t a good fit. Wilcha added the fair could also be a good opportunity for small business owners who have struggled to land contracts to learn about what’s going wrong in that process.
“It’s the rare face time you get with decision-makers who can be candid with you about the kind of services they need,” said Wilcha. “Even in this digital world, that’s something that can make a difference when it comes to decision-makers remembering who you are and the work you do.”
“You’re also going to be in a room with a lot of other like-minded individuals who own companies,” he added, referring to other small business owners attending the fair. “You might be able to find business with them or make other kinds of connections with them.”
“We want to make sure that Philadelphia is much easier to do business in,” he underlined. In a 2020 study conducted by Arizona State University, Philadelphia ranked 71 out of 80 cities regarding ease of doing business. In the following years, the city has steadily improved and is now number 11.
“When we talk about ease of doing business, we’re not talking about the Comcasts of the world,” he said, highlighting the need to ensure business development is accessible to people who lack resources.
“We know that we have so many folks in our community who have been marginalized out of traditional workspaces and have turned to entrepreneurship,” he underlined. “Not just because they are creative and wonderful individuals, but because that’s how they need to work to survive.”
“We’re the first chamber of commerce in the country to have a program that prioritizes the economic uplift of trans individuals,” he explained. He hopes LGBTQ+ people who have been especially marginalized can utilize the fair as a way to share their ideas, network and self-advocate.
Independence Business Alliance’s Supplier Diversity Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 24 at Quorum at the Science Center, 3675 Market St. Suite 200. To learn more about attending as a small business vendor or corporate participant, visit thinkiba.com.