News-Register invited to shadow minority/women entrepreneur
Leffie Crawford has helped women and minority business people in Dallas County build their profits for three decades.
As the county’s coordinator for Minority/Women Business Enterprise, or M/WBE, she helps match such small businesses with larger companies doing business with county government. She said enterprise-program participants can become subcontractors on big construction projects in some cases, serve as small suppliers of goods and services in others.
Crawford agreed in April to be shadowed one day by a reporter for the News-Register as part of the National Association of Counties’ observances for County Government Week.
The M/WBE are businesses that are at least 51 percent owned by certified minorities or women.
One mission of the program is to ensure the involvement of qualified minority-or-women-owned businesses to “the greatest extent feasible in the County’s procurement of goods, equipment, services and construction projects,” according to county records.
Crawford has been making a difference in people’s lives in the M/WBE industry for 30 years. Her duties include helping new business owners take part in all facets of the procurement process.
“To see the company you have nurtured and educated succeed is such a gratifying experience,” Crawford said with a smile. “My career is thoroughly [enjoyable] and brings a lot of happiness.” Helping minority-and-women owned business helps diverse communities, Crawford noted.
If more minority-and-women-owned businesses bid for projects, then there would be more competitive bids, and that possibly could lead to significant savings for taxpayers, she said.
“M/WBE helps the cycle of improving the entire economy,” Crawford added. “We are also putting money back in the pocket of these particular business owners.”
The M/WBE staff believes in equal opportunities, encouraging small companies and helping the economy take a step in the right direction, she said.