The Women´s Business Center, Inc. (WBCI) was founded in January 1998 by Joni Archer in order to provide services to entrepreneurial women who are exploring, starting or expanding their own businesses. WBCI provides classroom training (English & Spanish), seminars, business plans, financial programs, and long term support for our clients. Ms. Archer has been a business consultant for the last 16 years.

When Ms. Archer started the Women´s Business Center in 1998, and at that time, there were 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the United States, generating over $3.6 trillion dollars in sales. The National Foundation for Women Business Owners´ statistics showed that Iowa ranked 48th in the nation, with 103,000 women-owned businesses, generating $31 million sales annually. 13&% of Iowa women-owned businesses had employees and these businesses generated 86% of the total revenue. The remaining 87% of the businesses generated less than $11,000 each, annually, compared to the national average of $25,000.

A major stumbling block for women wanting to start or expand their businesses was financing. "Many women were borrowing from families, starting their businesses with credit cards, or investing their life savings. If she were married, and wanted to get bank loan, the husband or other male person, needed to go with her to talk with the lender, so the lender could address the male while the women sat in the same meeting virtually invisible," Ms. Archer reminisces.

Ms. Archer, Executive Director of the Women´s Business Center of Iowa, Inc. is dedicated to helping women take their rightful place in Iowa´s new economic development. During the last eight years, Ms. Archer has seen new attitudes with traditional lenders regarding women entrepreneurs. Also, very important, some of the local banks have hired female commercial lenders; very few, but it´s a start! WBCI is seeing more women playing a major role in Iowa´s economic development. Nationally, women are starting two businesses to every one male business, and banks are finally marketing to women business owners. These new statistics such as these that has Joni Archer excited.

As of December 2006, WBCI has consulted with 3,500 potential clients, started or expanding 353 businesses in Eastern Iowa, businesses in Eastern Iowa created 1,364  jobs, accessed  22,973,546 in loans and equity grants for WBCI's clients.

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