Testimonials

LUHF Branded Environments, a woman - owned small business, is grateful for the expert guidance provided by DSLBD as we developed our business plan and marketing efforts. DSLBD’s keen knowledge and experience provided the pathway for LUHF’s certification as a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE). During the last five years, LUHF has experienced positive growth, awarded contracts with the District of Columbia government, worked with qualified partners, and hired District workers on several projects. DSLBD contin ues to be a supportive, valued partner to LUHF Branded Environments. The horizon looks bright for continued success Additionally, we must have strong community, customer, vendor and employee relationships. District government agencies (including DSLBD and Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie) have always made themselves available to discuss a wide variety of issues (the good, the bad and the ugly). This continued communication has been instrumental and extremely beneficial to the growth of our firm.”

Shauna Stallworth

LUHF Branded Environments

DSLBD has been a tremendous resource for Griffin LLC. We had the honor of being the first DC Certified Business E nterprise to be approved for a loan through the Kiva Hub. This success enabled us to hire a full - time Director of Operations to grow our emergency management consulting business. Director Kristi Whitfield worked closely with us to launch the campaign, whic h was funded within just three days by lenders all over the world. Our success with the Kiva Hub program was recently featured on NBC 4 Washington, which was a big help in promoting our business. The team at DSLBD is highly responsive to questions and the staff are always happy to meet with us or jump on a call. Griffin has benefited from the many webinars and events hosted by the department on topics including financial tools, marketing, and technical assistance. Their resources for finding and obtaining contracting opportunities have been quite valuable, as well. Our experience with DSLBD has been very positive and we know they are rooting for Griffin to succeed! After the devastating halt that the COVID-19 pandemic took on our hospitality business in 2020, we found ourselves immediately pivoting to provide and add other relevant services to keep our over 80% DC resident staff force employed. Previous positive and successful coaching that DSLBD and their technical arm PTAC provided our company helped lay the groundwork to launch these new services. We added services to our wheelhouse. Due to the relevant adjustments and innovative support programs that DSLBD has continued to cultivate, we have again successfully participated in the DC Government market with our current and pivoted services. We are looking forward to using the "Green Book" as we have done in the past to flush out opportunities that our current services can participate in and also inject our pivoted services. Family is important to us, as brothers, and the culture of our business. We definitely feel that the Mayor Muriel Bowser's Administration, Director Kristi Whitfield, and the DSLBD team, and the District business community that they support are all part of our true family. Thank you for all your continued hard work to make sure that our small businesses have the resources and the tools to participate in all DC opportunities."

Christine Garrard

Griffin LLC

DSLBD has been instrumental with the success of my catering co mpany, especially during the past year. Being CBE certified and working with the project managers, we were able to secure a few short - term contracts that helped us during the beginning of the pandemic. There were several informational Zoom meetings that p rovided invaluable information and helped connect my company with consulting advisors and marketing companies. Furthermore, the CBE and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) team helped guide me through the process on how best to strategically pos ition my business to be noticed and considered for different government contracts. During the pandemic, there were several grants administered by DSLBD that helped keep our doors open. DSLBD is by far the best advocate for small businesses in DC, whether that be helping with growing the business, securing financing, or helping guide businesses through the legal processes and nuances associated with the different DC government agencies.

Benjamin Lin

B. Lin Catering

Being a CBE has greatly benefited my b usiness. Through working with DSLBD, we have been able to provide financial education and bookkeeping services to other small businesses that would otherwise have a difficult time affording our services. Through contracts with the city, we were able to sti ll be compensated at a fair rate for our services. The opportunity for this type of collaboration - of small businesses helping other small businesses - is, in my opinion, one of the strongest benefits of a CBE program. Now we can assist each other without having to bear the financial burden of losing revenue that we desperately need while still helping our fellow community members. All this is made possible because we took the time to certify our business as a CBE. Plum Good is the only concession at the Arena where you can buy a salad. We are dedicated to providing healthy food alternatives in our community. Post COVID-19, we've made a pivot to expand our e-commerce platform at www.tasteplumgood.com. This strategy employs social media marketing tips from DSLBD's Innovation & Equitable Development Division series and is making a beneficial difference in our work to create new streams of income."

Manny Cosme

CFO Services Group

My name is An thony Foster and I’m CEO of CleanMyPlace Maintenance & Recycling LLC. We are a DC based property management company that is committed to employing Ward 7 & 8 residents and returning citizens. CMP has been in operation since 2006, earned CBE status from DSL BD in 2017, and was recertified in 2020. I would like to take this opportunity to express how grateful we are for the relentless efforts of Director Kristi C. Whitfield and the entire DSLBD team. They guided the 2021 Project Aspire cohort (that I am very proud to have been selected as a top winner of), with the strength of a military general and compassion of a nurse. DSLBD also presented the Kiva.org business funding opportunity in great depth while articulating its benefits clearly and concisely. Directo r Whitfield personally reached out to a general contractor to ensure that they were complying with contract terms when we had an unforeseen delay in payment. Aside from these specific examples of how much of an impact DSLBD has had on the growth of Clean MyPlace.net, I can sincerely say that this agency is filled with employees who take great pride in their jobs and push small and local businesses toward success

Anthony Foster

CleanMyPlace

Infinity Solutions, Inc. is a minority woman - owned business, established in 2002, and obtaining our certification as a CBE was an important component of our original business plan. It has allowed us to expand our business by winning multiple contracts with District government agencies, providing them with the state - of - the - art technology and professional services. Our business has even benefitted when it comes to private sector clients, most recently in our work with William Hill/Caesars, a global sports wagering company. We were welcomed to their project, in part, because of our past work on the DC Entertainment and Sports Arena. This allowed us to show the kind of quality services we could provide and, as a result, they ended up hiring us to do more than was included in the original scope of work. I would encourage all District businesses to go to DSBLD, implement this certification into their business plans, and take advantage of the other resources and technical assistance that DLSBD has to offer!

Gloria J. Harrison-Walker

Infinity Solutions, Inc

Telecommunications Development Corporation (TDC) is a District of Columbia resident owned and operated Certified Business Enterprise. TDC was established in 1995, and with the support of the District of Columbia and the Department of Small and Local Busin ess Development, TDC has successfully partnered with Fortune 500 companies, such as Accenture, Deloitte, IBM, and SAIC. As a result of these relationships, TDC has expanded our core business to state and local jurisdictions throughout the United States, in cluding New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Detroit. Additionally, this growth has allowed TDC to become a valued partner outside of the District government with WMATA, DC Water, WSSC, Maryland Aviation Authority, and Amtrak. DSLB D and the CBE program affords small businesses opportunities within the District of Columbia and its agencies, but also serves as a vehicle for broad based business development and expansion.

Roger Richmond

Telecommunications Development Corporation

For HRGM, being part of the District’s Certif ied Business Enterprise (CBE) Program has been smart business! We are proud to be part of the positive economic cycle that the CBE program creates, in which the District government deploys its purchasing power to CBE business like HRGM, that hire locally , pay taxes locally, and create opportunity locally. We appreciate that Mayor Bowser has worked hard to champion small and local businesses like ours through expansion and support of the CBE program, including supporting CBEs through COVID - 19. HRGM Corpo ration is a resident - owned, long - time and small CBE business with a rich 43 - year legacy in Ward 8’s Historic Anacostia neighborhood. Additionally, many of our workers are born and raised in the District of Columbia. We have had continuous CBE certification since the start of the program in the 1990’s. As a CBE construction company, we have built public facilities for the District government across all eight wards, and we are incredibly proud that our projects positively impact lives, communities, and live lihoods in the District. HRGM has always been focused on three core beliefs: that clients should be heard, that projects should be built to last, and that craftsmen are the heart of our industry. Our company self - performs commercial roofing, waterproofing , earthwork, site utilities, and on - call emergency services. The CBE program has opened many doors for HRGM, and it has given us the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities. Since proving ourselves in the District market, we have expanded to provide construction services in adjacent jurisdictions in Virginia and Maryland. Thanks to all of our agency partners who believe so strongly in local businesses like ours! And a huge thank you to Kristi Whitfield for her forward - thinking leadership and the staff of DSLBD for working tirelessly to ensure that fair opportunities exist for District busi nesses to thrive.

HRGM

Going through the CBE process was one of the best business development experiences I've had. The portal is seamless and makes every action item clear and accessible. The process gives you direc tion on which DC government office to go to in order to process each document, along with an understanding of why each document is needed. The staff at DSLBD were informative, supportive, and readily available to answer all of my questions. Gaining certifi cations can be a daunting process for a small business owner. However, the CBE process is worth it not only for the amazing benefits of support, opportunities, and set - asides, but also to gain a deeper understanding of who you are as a business owner and e nsuring your business practices are conducive to growth.

Shelly Omilâdé Bell

Black Girl Ventures Foundation

Having a CBE certification has been the best thing to ever happen to my business, not only for me, but for everyone in the community. Being a CBE allowed me to create more jobs in the community and even expand MLK Deli into the Mystics Arena and the Washington Convention Center; without being a CBE, none of those things would have been possible. It was so important that I was able to sustain t he business in a pandemic with government contracts that I was able to obtain by being a CBE.

Tyrone White

Capital Restaurant Group, LLC (DBA MLK Deli)

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