U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

27–069 WASHINGTON : 2018

FOSTERING WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND 

TECHNOLOGY 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

UNITED STATES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

HEARING HELD 

OCTOBER 12, 2017 

Small Business Committee Document Number 115–040 

Available via the GPO Website: www.fdsys.gov 

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Congress.#13
(II) 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio, Chairman 

STEVE KING, Iowa 

BLAINE LUETKEMEYER, Missouri 

DAVE BRAT, Virginia 

AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN, American Samoa 

STEVE KNIGHT, California 

TRENT KELLY, Mississippi 

ROD BLUM, Iowa 

JAMES COMER, Kentucky 

JENNIFFER GONZA ́ LEZ-COLO ́ N, Puerto Rico 

DON BACON, Nebraska 

BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania 

ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas 

RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina 

NYDIA VELA ́ ZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member 

DWIGHT EVANS, Pennsylvania 

STEPHANIE MURPHY, Florida 

AL LAWSON, JR., Florida 

YVETTE CLARK, New York 

JUDY CHU, California 

ALMA ADAMS, North Carolina 

ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York 

BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois 

VACANT 

KEVIN FITZPATRICK, Majority Staff Director 

JAN OLIVER, Majority Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

ADAM MINEHARDT, Staff Director 

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C O N T E N T S 

OPENING STATEMENTS 

Page 

Hon. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen ............................................................ 1 

Hon. Al Lawson, Jr. ................................................................................................. 2 

WITNESSES 

Janice Green, RN, BSN, MBA, President & CEO, Jancare Private Health 

Service, Inc., Fishkill, NY .................................................................................... 4 

Ms. Antonella Pianalto, President and CEO, Association of Women’s Business 

Centers, Washington, DC .................................................................................... 5 

Ms. Hester Clark, President, Hester Group, Jacksonville, FL ............................ 7 

Ms. Jeannette King, President & CEO, Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc., 

Martinsburg, WV ................................................................................................. 8 

APPENDIX 

Prepared Statements: 

Janice Green, RN, BSN, MBA, President & CEO, Jancare Private Health 

Service, Inc., Fishkill, NY ............................................................................ 22 

Ms. Antonella Pianalto, President and CEO, Association of Women’s 

Business Centers, Washington, DC ............................................................. 24 

Ms. Hester Clark, President, Hester Group, Jacksonville, FL ..................... 34 

Ms. Jeannette King, President & CEO, Strategic Resolution Experts, 

Inc., Martinsburg, WV .................................................................................. 36 

Questions for the Record: 

None. 

Answers for the Record: 

None. 

Additional Material for the Record: 

None. 

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FOSTERING WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURIAL 

SUCCESS 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, DC. 

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 

2360, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen [chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Radewagen, Luetkemeyer, Brat, Marshall, and Lawson. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Talofa. Good morning. I call today’s 

Subcommittee on Health and Technology hearing to order. 

I would like to thank everyone for joining us today. As October 

is National Women’s Small Business Month, today, our Subcommittee will highlight the outstanding impact women entrepreneurs have made on the United States economy and the remarkable growth women-owned small businesses have generated 

over the last decade. 

It is estimated that, in 2016, there were 11.3 million womenowned businesses that employed nearly 9 million people and generated over 1.6 trillion dollars. Between 2007 and 2016, womenowned businesses increased by approximately 45 percent. This 

means that women-owned businesses grew roughly five times faster than the national average. 

Despite this remarkable increase, we continue to see a significant 

difference in the number of women- and men-owned businesses in 

the United States. Currently, women-owned businesses only represent roughly 38 percent of all businesses. 

Today, we ask, what factors are contributing to this gap? While 

women entrepreneurs face many challenges, one major issue 

women owners face is access to adequate financing opportunities. 

Men typically launch their businesses with twice the capital 

women do, and less than 10 percent of all venture funds are granted to women-led businesses. 

The matter of access to capital is of particular concern to me, as 

it is a persistent issue among my constituents in American Samoa. 

Numerous organizations, nonprofits, and companies are working 

to address the capital challenge women entrepreneurs face through 

advocacy, education, and outreach. 

The Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Centers 

and the SCORE are excellent examples of these types of programs. 

Despite the wonderful work of these organizations, women entreSBREP-219A with DISTILLER

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preneurs still face significant challenges when starting, growing, 

and scaling their businesses. 

Today, we will hear from an outstanding panel of witnesses who 

will shed light on the challenges women entrepreneurs face, the resources currently available, and the areas where existing resources 

could be expanded to benefit women’s businesses. The personal experiences of many of our panelists are stories of remarkable perseverance and strength that have resulted in success. I look forward 

to learning from each of you. 

I now yield to Ranking Member Lawson for his opening statement. 

Mr. LAWSON. Thank you, Madam Chair, and good morning. 

I am very happy and glad that we have taken the time today 

about a very important topic concerning the National Women’s 

Small Business Month. 

Fostering women entrepreneurs’ success is very critical to the 

prosperity of the United States. Women entrepreneurs play a significant role in U.S. economy. As our chairman said earlier, they 

own about 9 million firms, generating either $1.5 trillion or $1.6 

trillion in revenue, which employ over 8 or 9 million workers. 

Despite these impressive numbers, women-owned businesses still 

face those barriers, as we discussed earlier—is access to capital. In 

other hearings, we have heard about access to capital, how important it is to jump start these businesses. 

Just like many other businesses, this Committee has heard access to capital as a main topic challenging—challenge for women. 

As we talked about, on the average, men start their business with 

twice as much resources. So I won’t try to rehash that. And one of 

the reasons why I know is because I have been in business for 36 

years, and I remember going to the financial institution. 

Women also are one-third as likely to access financing through 

venture capital angel investment. In fact, only 10 percent of all 

global venture dollars between 2010 and 2015 went to startups 

with at least one woman founder. We must do better. And that is 

one of the reasons why we have this hearing. 

Not only must women worry about running business, many are 

more likely to take on caretaker’s responsibilities, for both children 

and relatives, creating an additional obstacle to entrepreneurship. 

Rather than ignoring the need for the individuals, we should embrace them and recognize how they sacrifice to contribute to our 

economy. 

Congress needs to consider how simple policies, policy changes, 

like paid family leave and affordable care, childcare, is so critical 

to creating jobs and spurring the economy. Women business owners 

offer a valuable contribution to our economy, but they need help. 

Today’s hearing offers the opportunity to discuss how Congress 

can help our Nation’s women’s entrepreneurship prosper. 

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. We have an outstanding group before us today. I want to thank the witnesses for 

being here and taking this most important role that is going to 

help many people in America. 

Thank you very much. And I yield back to our chairman. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you. 

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I would like to take a moment to explain the timing lights for 

you. You will each have 5 minutes to deliver your testimony. 

The light will start out as green. When you have 1 minute remaining, the light will turn yellow. Finally, at the end of your 5 

minutes, it will turn red, and I ask that you please try to adhere 

to that time limit. 

Our first witness is Ms. Janice Green. Ms. Green is the president 

and CEO of Jancare Private Health Services Inc., a private home 

healthcare provider in Fishkill, New York. 

After years of experiences as a registered nurse, Ms. Green decided to translate the knowledge and skill she had acquired into 

starting and running her own successful home care agency. 

Thank you, Ms. Green, for being here today. 

Our next witness is Ms. Antonella Pianalto. Ms. Pianalto serves 

as the president and CEO of the Association of Women’s Business 

Centers, working to provide leadership and support to a network 

of over 100 Women’s Business Centers nationwide. 

Prior to her time with AWBC, Ms. Pianalto has served as vice 

president of government affairs for American Express, and as a 

senior adviser to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, as 

a Deputy Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel, and 

as an Associate Administrator for Management and Administration 

for the Small Business Administration. 

Thank you for being here, Ms. Pianalto. 

I now yield to our ranking member for the introduction of the 

next witness. 

Mr. LAWSON. Thank you. It is my pleasure to introduce Ms. 

Hester Clark, the president and founder of Hester Group Headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, out of my district. 

Hester Group is a women-owned small business that provides 

professional service to Federal agencies. In 2011, Ms. Clark was 

recognized by American Express OPEN as the 2011 Women Government Contractor of the Year, and the Hester Group has been 

recognized as one of the top 50 women-owned businesses in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Welcome, Ms. Clark, and thank you for testifying today. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Our last witness is Ms. Jeannette 

King. Ms. King is held up in traffic but should be joining us momentarily. 

Ms. King is the president and CEO of Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc., a management consulting and IT governance firm located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Ms. King has been recognized 

numerous times for her success as a small business owner, including named the Small Business Administration’s 2015 Small Business Person of the Year for the State of West Virginia. 

With that, Ms. Green, you are now recognized for 5 minutes. 

You may begin. 

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STATEMENTS OF JANICE GREEN, RN, BSN, MBA, PRESIDENT & 

CEO, JANCARE PRIVATE HEALTH SERVICE, INC., FISHKILL, 

NEW YORK; ANTONELLA PIANALTO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, 

ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS, WASHINGTON, D.C.; HESTER CLARK, PRESIDENT, HESTER GROUP, 

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA; AND JEANNETTE KING, PRESIDENT & CEO, STRATEGIC RESOLUTION EXPERTS, INC., MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA 

STATEMENT OF JANICE GREEN, RN, BSN, MBA 

Ms. GREEN. Good morning. Thank you, Chairman Radewagen, 

Ranking Member Lawson, and distinguished members of the Committee for the opportunity to share this testimony with you. 

My name is Janice Green, and I am a registered nurse with more 

than 10 years of experience in medical and surgical care and the 

CEO at Jancare Private Health Service. 

As a nurse, I had the opportunity to take care of a female patient 

with stage IV cancer. After her death, her husband, a lawyer, was 

impressed by my care and approach and insisted that I started my 

own nursing care agency. I took his advice, and in 2014, I formed 

Jancare Private Health Service. 

Jancare is on the cutting edge as a nursing care agency. Our vision is to provide outstanding care with compassion and dignity to 

surgical patients and seniors in the privacy of their own home. 

My role as a clinical nurse care coordinator is to oversee the care 

of individuals who need medical or nonmedical care through a 

hands-on approach by implementing a strategic care plan specifically tailored to each client’s specific need. Jancare works with families, attorneys, geriatric care managers, doctors, and therapists 

that provide care and outcomes that improve patient quality of life 

at home. 

Jancare currently has approximately 28 full-time, 6 part-time 

employees, and 1 intern. We have a client base of 18. We service 

Dutchess County, Westchester County, Putnam County, and Manhattan. 

Jancare also believes in giving back to the community and provides free health services at community-based events, such as blood 

pressure screening, diabetes finger stick, and health awareness. 

One of the biggest challenges for female entrepreneurs is accessing funding: 58 percent of female entrepreneurs start their business with their own funds. Other studies show that companies with 

access to capital have grown at the rate of three times that of those 

who lack equity. Women experience a greater financial gap than 

their male counterparts. 

In the process of starting Jancare, I was part of the 58 percent. 

I was unable to get a loan from my bank, even though I had a 10- 

year relationship with them. I was fortunate to have a 401(k), 

which I borrowed $25,000 from at an interest rate of 6 percent. 

While completing my MBA, I realized that the business plan for 

Jancare that I worked on was not feasible. In my research to find 

an organization to assist me, I found Women Enterprise Development Center, WEDC, the WBC in White Plains. 

I enrolled in WEDC 60-hours Entrepreneurial Training Program 

to complete an effective business plan. During this course, I realSBREP-219A with DISTILLER

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ized that so many of my female entrepreneur classmates had great 

ideas yet lacked the funding to turn those ideas into reality. While 

the WEDC course provided the appropriate tools to start, without 

proper funding, it is next to impossible for these businesses to 

grow. 

The Jancare business plan that WEDC helped me to create was 

more feasible and attainable than my previous plan. 

As a female entrepreneur, we have made some progress over the 

past few decades, but we still have a long way to go, and we must 

continue on this journey. Mentorship is important to the success of 

entrepreneurs. Female entrepreneurs need guidance through the 

process of starting and growing their business. Someone who has 

the experience and the knowledge to show you how to reach your 

goal is a valuable resource. Anyone can open a business, but having the right tool is necessary for success. Running a business dayto-day can be challenging. Having a mentor to prevent you from 

making certain mistakes in the process is priceless. 

The WEDC community has allowed me to develop strong personal business relationships with my fellow WEDC graduates as 

well as with staff. This was an asset for me as it helped my selfconfidence to grow while allowing me to be part of an organization 

that fostered network and mentoring. WEDC support has helped 

Jancare to grow tremendously. 

Having an individual or group to exchange your idea without discrimination or judgment is a true asset. 

In closing, I appreciate the opportunity to share my story with 

this committee, and I strongly urge Congress to increase funding 

for organizations like WEDC, WBC, which help fund and mentor 

female entrepreneurs just like me. By opening the door to greater 

access to funding and mentorship for female business owners, we 

will unlock greater economic potential. 

Thank you. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you for your testimony, Ms. 

Green. 

Ms. Pianalto, you are now recognized for 5 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF ANTONELLA PIANALTO 

Ms. PIANALTO. Thank you, Chairman Radewagen, Ranking 

Member Lawson, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee 

for the opportunity to share this testimony. My name is Antonella 

Pianalto, and I serve as the president and CEO of the Association 

of Women’s Business Centers. 

We support Women’s Business Centers by providing training, 

programming, and advocacy to improve their services to women entrepreneurs. In fiscal year 2016, our centers served more than 

145,000 clients, leading to more than 17,000 new businesses and 

nearly 25,000 new jobs. We assisted with nearly $429 million in 

capital infusion and helped to secure nearly $40 million in government contracts. 

As the advocate for this critical program, it is an honor to be 

here today during National Women’s Small Business Month and 

with this distinguished panel of successful entrepreneurs. 

Fostering an environment where women can start and grow businesses has been a vital part of America’s economic security. Today, 

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that is truer than ever, with more women starting ventures at five 

times the rate of men. My testimony provides our perspective on 

women’s entrepreneurship, the role of WBCs, and policy recommendation. 

This statistic captures the impressive scope of women entrepreneurs. If American women business owners were their own 

country, they would have the 10th largest GDP in the world outperforming entire nations like Canada, Mexico, and even Russia. 

As already has been stated this morning, this footprint is made up 

of more than 11 million women business owners, a 45-percent increase since 2007 with $1.6 trillion in revenue. From 2007 to 2012, 

women started 1,143 businesses each day, and their revenues grew 

by double digits at all revenue levels. Notably, 8 out of every 10 

net new women-owned firms launched since 2007 were started by 

a woman of color. 

By any metric, the last decade truly has been an era of women’s 

business expansion, yet despite this growth, women still face barriers. Women start businesses with roughly half as much capital as 

men. Despite being 38 percent of all firms, women receive less than 

5 percent of conventional loan dollars and only 17 percent of SBA’s 

7(a) loans. 

Women fare no better seeking capital outside of banks. Women 

receive just 7 percent of venture capital. Limiting the flow of capital to women-owned businesses is a missed opportunity. First 

Round Capital found that their investments in companies which 

had at least one female founder performed 63 percent better than 

their investment in all-male teams. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary 

found the same. Of the 32 companies in his private portfolio, all of 

his returns were coming from companies either owned or run by 

women. 

There is vast economic potential in women-owned businesses. 

Economists speculate that if women started businesses with the 

same amount of capital as men, they could create 6 million jobs in 

5 years. They also found that, if women were fully engaged in their 

businesses, it would raise GDP by 7 percentage points. 

Sadly, stories of entrepreneurial success tend to be male dominated, incorrectly framing a narrative that men are better at growing businesses than women. Government leaders can help by highlighting stories of successful women entrepreneurs like these amazing women. 

Potential is not limited by capital alone. Women need entrepreneurial training. The Aspen Institute found that when business 

owners receive technical assistance, success rates skyrocket. Similarly, as SBA Administrator McMahon notes, more successful 

women business owners are needed as mentors. 

Women’s Business Centers spend each day unlocking this potential and addressing the challenges women face, as they have for 

each of the 2 million women who have walked through our doors. 

Women view their local WBC as a trusted adviser and partner over 

the lifetime of their company. Simply put, our role is the glue of 

the women’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing a supportive environment that builds competence, confidence, and connections. But 

our centers need more resources, and too many communities do not 

have access to this unique service provided by WBCs. 

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There are four policy recommendations that can help women entrepreneurs: improving access to capital, increasing resources for 

technical assistance, modernizing the WBC program, and expanding the certification options. 

We are grateful to Chairman Chabot, Ranking Member 

Vela ́zquez, Representative Knight, and Ranking Member Lawson 

for reauthorization of the program which was included in the 

House National Defense Authorization Act. 

We urge the house to insist on its inclusion in conference. 

Thanks also to Representative Murphy, who championed an additional $1 million for the program in appropriations for fiscal year 

2018. 

In closing, I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the explosive 

growth of women-owned businesses and the tremendous impact 

they are having on our Nation’s economy, and to update this Subcommittee on the role WBCs play in ensuring women’s entrepreneurial success. We have only begun to tap the potential of this 

economic powerhouse. 

Thank you again for this opportunity. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you, Ms. Pianalto, for your 

testimony. 

Ms. Clark, you are recognized for 5 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF HESTER CLARK 

Ms. CLARK. Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to 

testify before you today to share my experiences and thoughts on 

fostering women’s entrepreneurial success. 

My name is Hester Clark. I am the founder and owner of Hester 

Group, a professional services firm located in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Hester Group has 28 employee positions, and we are located across 

the United States with an average of $2.5 million in revenue. And 

as I mentioned, we are located in Jacksonville, Florida. 

In preparing for this presentation today, I read a July 2017 report by the National Women’s Business Counsel entitled ‘‘Necessity 

as a Driver of Women’s Entrepreneurship.’’ The report explores and 

expands upon the concept of necessity as a driver of women’s entrepreneurship in the United States. 

Twenty years ago, I was a necessity entrepreneur. I was a young 

mother seeking work-life balance so that I could raise my then-12- 

year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. As a necessity entrepreneur, 

I needed the resources and support entrepreneurs like me need all 

over the place. And we are most successful when we have an entrepreneurial ecosystem within our own communities that provides access to human, financial, and professional resources. Thankfully, 

the Small Business Administration and resource partners, such as 

the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center in Jacksonville, Florida, 

are my entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

I am so humbled to share my journey with you today. For almost 

20 years, the SBA and Hester Group have traversed challenges and 

successes together. There is not one day since starting the Hester 

Group that I have not been without the support of the SBA and 

its resource partners. It is as if the SBA and the Women’s Business 

Center said to me, ‘‘Come on, Hester, I will show you the way.’’ 

Sometimes I held the hand tightly because I was fearful of taking 

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a big step. And sometimes I held it a bit loosely, knowing that they 

were there as my partner to provide strength. 

My entrepreneurial ecosystem in Jacksonville consists of the 

Jacksonville Women’s Business Center, Jacksonville SCORE, Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North 

Florida, and the North Florida District Office of the SBA. 

I have relied on these resources at every stage. When I did not 

know how to establish a financial accounting system, I participated 

in the Financial Matters Workshop. A mentor was assigned to me, 

helped me understand the financial basics, and, most importantly, 

taught me how to hire an expert to provide financial expertise to 

the company. 

When I did not know how to establish my human resources policies and procedures, the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center 

provided six mentors for 1 year through the ATHENA Link Program. They helped me to understand our corporate infrastructure 

and maintain compliance. 

When I needed ongoing support and advice, SCORE Jacksonville 

provided me with a patient and experienced retired executive. He 

guided me through the hiring of our vice president. He knew exactly what Hester Group needed to succeed, and our vice president, 

Ms. Roslyn Mixon-Phillips, continues with us today and is a vital 

member of our team. 

When I needed access to capital, I was able to receive an SBA 

7(a) loan with the support of the North Florida district office. The 

7(a) loan has been the foundation of our growth and expansion. 

The SBA and its resource partners in North Florida continue to 

extend a helping hand to Hester Group, as we have grown over the 

years, and I continue to hold on real tight. 

My journey as a women entrepreneur is not unusual, not at all. 

There are over 10 million women entrepreneurs in the United 

States, and we all share similar paths. Each of us are unsure, at 

times unknowing, and yet unafraid to become an entrepreneur. 

And each of us needs support and guidance along the way. 

I share my journey with you today as an example of the direct 

benefits. I recommend that the SBA continue to expand access to 

capital, expand community outreach in rural and underserved communities, expand funding, provide disaster assistance funding, and 

enhance online resources. 

In summary, I encourage this Committee to provide the SBA 

Women’s Business Centers and other organizations with the funding and support that we need to hold perhaps just one more or 1 

million more hands of women entrepreneurs. 

Thank you. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you, Ms. Clark. 

Ms. King, you are now recognized for 5 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF JEANNETTE KING 

Ms. KING. I have had the honor and privilege of serving my 

country since I was 19 years old. It began with my service in the 

U.S. Navy and has continued through my work with my small business with agencies within the Department of Defense, Department 

of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs and a number of Federal civilian agencies. 

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Good morning. I am Jeannette King, president and CEO of Strategic Resolution Experts, or SRE. I am both honored and humbled 

by the invitation to speak to this esteemed body and have the opportunity to not only represent women-owned small businesses but 

also service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, veteranowned small businesses, 8(a) small disadvantaged businesses, and 

HUBZone certified small businesses, all small business types of 

which I am certified. 

I would like to speak on the challenges and successes I have experienced since founding SRE in 2007. First, I will speak about access to capital. Second, I will speak on the small business programs 

and how they have positively influenced my business and some of 

the negatives. Third, I will speak about being a women-owned 

small business who also happens to be a service-disabled veteran. I started SRE in 2007 with $10,000. I was, and still am, a single 

mother with no access to any other capital. I have no husband. I 

have no family with money. So I left a job making over six figures 

per year to live at or below poverty for nearly 5 years. 

During this time, I cashed in all of my 401(k)’s, deferred all my 

student loans and prayed that I could feed my son, Cody, and keep 

our house. 

During this time, my mom and stepdad agreed to allow me to put 

a second mortgage on their home and property to try to keep me 

afloat. But by 2009, I had maxed out the line of credit, which was 

very small, and I was paying my mortgage with my credit card and 

my credit card with another credit card and so forth, until it got 

to the point where I was afraid I was not only going to lose my 

house, but my parents were going to be homeless as well. 

So, in 2009, I was offered a job, and I was ready to go. A few 

days before I took the job, they said, ‘‘Hey, we need a 1099 consultant.’’ So I said, ‘‘Will you subcontract to SRE?’’ They agreed. That 

contract saved my business. In 4 months, I made enough money to 

live for about 6 months. And then, shortly thereafter, I landed my 

8(a) designation through the Small Business Administration and 

then, 3 months later, got two small prime contracts with the IRS. 

Soon after that, I received a significant prime contract from Defense Threat Reduction Agency through my contacts and relationships I had been fostering for over 5 years. Once I received that 

contract, which was over $3 million, only then could I get a line 

of credit. I got it through the SBA under the backing of the Patriot 

Express Program, which I think is obsolete now, and the reason 

why I couldn’t get a loan is because, despite the SBA’s guarantee, 

small businesses still have to meet the bank’s underwriting guidelines, and I did not. 

So I was a single mother from West Virginia who had come from 

an economically disadvantaged background, who served in the military, and could really only pray for a miracle to find a way to start 

and keep my business. I don’t know the answer to this challenge, 

but I would be happy to work with any of you to find the answer. 

So I will talk about the small business programs. As I said, I possess every single small business designation that there is, and 

there are some challenges in the paperwork. The 8(a) program, my 

paperwork was over 1,000 pages. It got lost initially. Then it got 

rejected. Legal overturned it because I could clearly show social 

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and economic disadvantage, despite not being in one of the protected classes. 

Same with service-disabled veteran-owned and veteran-owned. 

While getting the designation through VIP and VetBiz is much better because it is now 2 years, it is very time-intensive. Same with 

women-owned small business. That program is okay for me now because I am 8(a), but once I am out of 8(a), these programs all together probably take about 80 hours, which is not a lot of time, but 

when you are a small business and time is money, they can be 

challenging. 

The HUBZone designation was by far the most challenging, 

which we can talk about that offline, but I want to talk more about 

my successes. 

Thanks to these various programs and the support and guidance 

I received from my West Virginia SBA office in Clarksburg, I have 

a line of credit. I have grown SRE into a multimillion dollar company, and I use the HUBZone program as it was intended: to help 

disadvantaged individuals in economically depressed areas to become trained and qualified to obtain sustainable jobs. Our 

HUBZone program employs 14 people across the country, and they 

have completed, in just last year, over 2,000 hours of training, 622 

courses, and 97 certifications. Four of those employees now go to 

college, and their family members, two of them are in the Job 

Corps training program. 

Being a woman-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small 

business is an opportunity to use our nurturing hearts and spirits 

to serve others, improve our communities, our States, our country, 

and the world in which we live. I do this by providing jobs across 

12 States and nearly a half a million dollars in charity and 1,000 

hours of paid volunteer time. 

In closing, I am thankful for this opportunity. I would like to 

thank you for your service and the time here. And just to let you 

know, last week, SRE won a $9 million contract and a $50 billion 

contract. 

Thank you. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you, Ms. King, for your testimony. 

I now recognize myself for 5 minutes of questions. My first question is for our three small business owner panelists. Each of your 

testimonies references the challenges you faced when starting and 

growing your businesses. Of those, what was the greatest challenge 

you experienced or continue to experience as a women entrepreneur? 

Ms. King? 

Ms. KING. The greatest challenge I experienced was access to 

capital. I had to self-finance my business, and again, I started with 

$10,000 and credit cards and, you know, a second mortgage on my 

parent’s property. 

That is not so much of a problem anymore because I do poor people financing; that is what I call that. I will find a way to make 

it work, and I have, again, by some small miracle, but I think that 

is a challenge for every business that starts out without capital. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Ms. Green? 

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Ms. GREEN. My greatest challenge would be mentorship. When 

I started my business, I had that issue, and WEDC came along. 

And even though, today, I still have that issue because, as you go 

to another level, you need higher mentorship. So that is my greatest challenge right now, to have someone to lead me to the next 

level. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Ms. Clark? 

Ms. CLARK. I think my greatest challenge now is support at the 

second stage of a business. As I mentioned, I used a lot of the resources early on, and as a founder of a business, there are a lot 

of resources there. But as the company has grown, I would love to 

see the Women’s Business Centers funded so that they can provide 

more enhanced programs for more mature companies in the second 

stage of business. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. My next question is for Ms. 

Pianalto. 

Unfortunately, the WBC previously located in American Samoa 

closed, limiting the access my constituents have to WBC resources. 

What is the AWBC doing to work with individual WBCs to increase 

their ability to remain open long term? 

Ms. PIANALTO. So thank you for that question. What we have 

been working on for the last couple of years—I have been at the 

helm of the AWBC for 3 years now—is more sharing of best practices, sharing of the experiences of some of the larger WBCs and 

the more experienced WBC directors. There was not a lot of that 

done prior, so we are actually working on a very big project right 

now where we will develop best practices, we will develop SOPs, 

templates that all WBCs can use. 

Some of our smaller ones—and American Samoa was one of 

those—it is challenging for them. As part of their grant application, 

they have to match the grant money that is provided by SBA. In 

the first couple of years, it is a 50-percent match, and then, after 

that, it is 100 percent match. 

For the centers that are in communities that don’t have large 

corporations or other sources of funding, it is a challenge. And I 

don’t know all the specifics of what happened with the WBC in 

American Samoa because SBA doesn’t share that, but I know raising funds is one of those. And so we are trying to provide training 

and support to those centers and helping them raise that funding. 

But it is a big issue. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you, Ms. Pianalto. 

As a follow-up, what is the AWBC doing to expand the resources 

available through WBCs to clients without access to brick-and-mortar training centers? 

Ms. PIANALTO. So I think the value of the Women’s Business 

Centers is their work within their communities. So it is a challenge 

for them to provide the services outside of that community that 

they—that perhaps might not have the physical access. I mean, we 

do hear that, frequently, that—and some of our panelists today 

talked about that—is that interaction with the centers and not only 

with the staff of the centers but the interaction with other women 

business owners. They create this community and build this network. So it is challenging for those communities that don’t have a 

center right there. 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

12 

We do have centers—I will use an example of our one in North 

Dakota—it is one center, and it covers the entire State. And they 

are on the road constantly, going into the communities and bringing the resources there. Not all of the centers have that capability. 

Many of our centers have one to one and a half staff people. It is 

very difficult for them to cover a large geographic territory with 

that kind of staffing. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you. 

I have a question for Ms. King. Your testimony discusses your 

journey to entrepreneurship. What made you decide to pursue creating SRE, despite the immense challenges you faced? 

Ms. KING. Thank you. As a single mother, it was very important 

for me to provide my son the opportunity to go to college and not 

struggle the way I did growing up. And so that was really my inspiration. And, quite honestly, failure was not an option. My son 

just left for college in August, and I was able to pay for his entire 

6 years of college, and he is going to be a doctor. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you. 

I now yield to Ranking Member Lawson. You are recognized for 

5 minutes. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. Thank you. This was a problem for me, and 

I just—because you all are women entrepreneurs, I would like to 

see how, maybe, whether you all was able to handle that a lot better than I was. And that centers around the financial burdens that 

is—by medical leave, particularly a challenge which makes it harder for you to attract, you know, employees because of medical leave. 

And the reason I ask this question is because I had a situation 

where it just seemed like it just kept coming up. One child birth 

after the next, you know, with a very talented individual. 

Do you think that nationally administrated programs could ease 

the financial burden and allow small businesses to ensure that all 

workers have access to paid family and medical leave regardless of 

employer size? 

And that is a question for everyone. I can start with Ms. Green. 

Ms. GREEN. Ideally, that sounds great, but for a small company 

to have family medical leave absence—that is what you are talking 

about, correct? 

Mr. LAWSON. Correct. 

Ms. GREEN. For instance, my company has 28 employees, and 

if someone goes out sick because of family leave of absence, it is 

very hard to get even coverage for that. So, for me, it is very hard 

to say something in regards to that because, as a small business, 

we have to have good staff to care for seniors in the home. So, if 

the government can take that part, alleviate small business on 

that, the family medical leave absence, that would be great for me 

as a company itself. 

Mr. LAWSON. And I know you have a lot of experience with 

this? 

Ms. PIANALTO. I am going to defer to the small businesses. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. Ms. Clark. 

Ms. CLARK. Yes. Personally, I, of course, support a family and 

having choices and being able to have the flexibility. That is why 

I started my company, which was because I needed work-life balance. 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

13 

But now, as a business owner, funding those types of programs 

in support for our employees is difficult. So, on one hand, I support 

it. And so what we have done—it is very hard to make up that 

amount if it is not embedded in your contract. What I would hope 

to see is that we are allowed to, of course, have those costs included, particularly in government contracting, so that we can then 

have those costs covered for our employees. 

What we have done in the interim is use work-life balance, using 

work from home, using work flexibility, telecommuting, those 

things—anything that I can do. And at times, probably when we 

were much smaller, bring the child to work, because that is what 

I had to do when I was first starting the company. 

But in terms of the actual making it mandatory, we would need 

to see the ability to have something offset those costs to our company. 

Mr. LAWSON. Ms. King, and you were talking about your son, 

so I know. 

Ms. KING. Yes, sir. So, as a small business, asking, at least my 

business, to provide paid time off under the Family and Medical 

Leave Act would potentially bankrupt me. But what I do is I offer 

short- and long-term disability. So, if we have anyone, women or 

men, who need to take off 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 20 weeks, we offer 

that insurance coverage for them that they can elect. And it is at 

a group rate so that they are covered under, you know, the disability insurance so that we don’t have to pay FMLA out of pocket. 

So it is an insurance policy. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. Thank you. May I continue? 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Yes. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. I heard earlier that most of you spoke that 

the SBA has been very helpful in holding your hand all through 

the process. And when SBA came before the full Committee, they 

talked about all of the new services and so forth that they provide 

for small business owners, and particularly, they recognized the 

fact that women-owned business are the fastest growing businesses 

in America. 

But making that statement, what improvements would you make 

to us as Congress people as we approach the SBA that can really 

help women-owned business more? 

And I guess I will start again down with Ms. King, and then we 

will move back the other way. 

Ms. KING. I think that is a great question. I think that our legislative bodies are cognizant of the challenges for small businesses, 

and you all pass great legislation and great policies. I think one 

thing to consider for the SBA is their staffing and their appropriations and their budget because they do a great job and they are 

very dedicated to us. They need more help. I think that is the biggest thing because they have the heart. You are giving them the 

tools. You give them the policies and the set-asides, but they do 

need more help. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. 

Ms. CLARK. Yes, I agree with what Ms. King has said. In addition, continuing to offer many of the resources online. I am real 

passionate about rural and underserved communities. And when 

you are running a business, it may be difficult to attend an activSBREP-219A with DISTILLER

14 

ity, although I love the flexibility of being able to go out. But making those resources available and then looking at nontraditional 

methods of communication so that people—in the beginning, you 

are afraid to go in and be among other people and to really admit 

what you don’t know. 

And so some resources that would allow an entrepreneur, like 

myself, to really admit in a more private setting how I need the 

help, because it is very frightening to step out there the first time 

and say, you know, I need help with this. Online might be a way 

to do that because it provides resources and after-hour resources 

and midnight resources, and so I would encourage funding for 

after-hour resources to the SBA. 

Ms. PIANALTO. I will certainly concur on the increase of resources, especially funding, and I am obviously biased toward the 

Women Business Center program. But I will say we have to do— 

and SBA certainly can help with this—we have to do a better job 

of just educating small businesses out there about the resources 

available. I hear time and time again that people don’t know that 

there are Women’s Business Centers, even in their own communities, and that is just obviously one of the resources available. So 

we have to do a better job of getting the word out and making 

these services more accessible and just, again, informing small 

businesses of what is available to them. 

Ms. GREEN. I would say resource and funding. The WBC in 

White Plains, that is the center that I belong, I had to pitch quite 

a few times for them to get extra money because their office was 

so small and they were trying to get a bigger space. So I think resource and funding for SBA would be a great opportunity for them. 

Thank you. 

Mr. LAWSON. With that, I yield back, Madam Chair. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Ms. Green, access to adequate financing has been a key topic in today’s hearing. You mentioned 

that your business is self-funded. Had you had access to alternative 

funding, how do you anticipate your business experience would 

have changed? 

Ms. GREEN. If I had access to alternative funding, my business 

would have grown much more. I would have had marketing, someone to market my business. I would have all of the right tools— 

that a business run. And when I started my business, the $25,000 

didn’t go too far. So I actually had extra help, but not from the 

bank or any other funding. 

I grew, from being part of WEDC 2015 to 2016, I grew to $2 million. I figure if I had access, I would have been at $10 million by 

now, so I think if we have—because the plan that I have can allow 

me, but I don’t have the funding, is a problem for us. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. This question is for Ms. Pianalto. 

Your testimony cites a study which says that, if women started 

businesses with the same capital as men, they could create 6 million jobs in 5 years. 

What do you see as the reason or reasons that women are not 

currently able to gain access to that same level of funding that men 

do? 

Ms. PIANALTO. I wish I knew the exact answer, but I will cite 

a few things that I think contribute to it. 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

15 

I think one of the issues is, I think, it is over 40 percent of 

women-owned businesses are in professional and personal service 

businesses. 

And I hear stories all the time of women—just like the women 

at this table—it is much harder to get funding, traditional funding, 

especially through banks, if you are in a service industry because 

you don’t have the collateral, you don’t have the assets that another type of business might have. So I think, because more women 

are in that type of business, that is one of the issues. 

I think another issue is just the number of women actually asking for capital. We need to educate and train and help them 

through the process of applying for either a loan, a 7(a) loan, SBA 

loan, or a traditional loan. Some of those studies that I cited in 

terms of even the venture capital statistics, again, it is the number 

of women that are going and asking for that venture capital. We 

need to increase those numbers. So I think that will help. 

I will also say that we don’t have great statistics, especially from 

bank lending, on lending to women and minorities because banks 

aren’t required to keep those statistics and share them. So we don’t 

really know in some instances if a woman has gone to a bank, what 

the reason was that she didn’t—didn’t get that loan. 

So I know that CFPB is supposed to be writing rules that were 

included, provisions included in the Dodd-Frank Act for banks to 

collect that data, and it has been how many years now, and that 

hasn’t happened. Until we have better data about what women are 

going through in that, I am not sure we are going to know all of 

the answers. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Ms. Clark, your testimony mentions 

that you started your business out of necessity as a means of providing a better work-life balance for you and your family. In what 

ways do you believe that being an entrepreneur of necessity affected your business creation process? 

Ms. CLARK. That is a very good question. Being an entrepreneur 

of necessity, oftentimes you start with a little bit of knowledge because, you know, you are really fueled to do something different 

and to have what you need, which in my case was work-life balance. A 12- and a 9-year-old are busy ages to raise children, and 

I needed to be there and did not have the leave and the flexibility. 

So that sort of pushed me out there. Had I been fueled by another aspect, I probably would have had more preparation, certainly, would have had better technology, and would have received 

probably funding earlier because I would have asked for it. Just as 

you mentioned, I didn’t know to ask for it. 

So preparing to be an entrepreneur and being an entrepreneur 

of necessity are very different starting points. And I would encourage that, even women who are not sure or for women to begin to 

learn more about perhaps in middle or even high school and college, to just learn that entrepreneurship is a way that they can increase their family’s income. 

So, for me, I think had I been not an entrepreneur of necessity, 

I would have been more prepared to start my company. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. Thank you. 

I now yield to Ranking Member Lawson. 

You are recognized for 5 minutes. 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

16 

Mr. LAWSON. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. 

A diversity of studies show it is harder for minority- and womenowned small businesses to not only get the business started but 

also develop the business network needed to grow in these businesses. Have you found this to be true in your work with small 

business, Ms. King? 

Ms. KING. Unequivocally, yes. It is very true. When a women 

walks in the room, especially in government contracting, we are 

definitely a minority. There are usually 500 men at a conference 

and 2 women. And so we have to establish ourselves as, you know, 

real entrepreneurs and people with authority and so forth. And I 

had a mentor, a male mentor, who was a marine, tell me one time, 

he said: Being a woman is your secret woman. You walk into a 

room and they have no idea what is in your head until you start 

talking, and then they know. 

And so I have always used that, but it is difficult because, especially like I said, in government contracting, it is mostly a man’s 

world. 

Mr. LAWSON. Right. And as a followup, in many cases, in small 

businesses seeking government contract, a lot of the small business 

owners will hire lobbyists to approach these government agencies. 

How does that affect you when you are trying to get contracts on 

a Federal basis? 

Ms. KING. We don’t work with lobbyists because we don’t have 

the money for them. So we would have business development folks, 

or I would go and talk to small business representatives. I mean, 

really, it is boots on ground, being there, and almost stalking them 

to get business. We don’t have lobbyists so that is not even an option for us. 

Mr. LAWSON. Right. Could anyone else comment whether it has 

been an issue when you are trying to get government contracts 

when other firms, especially men-owned businesses, come in with 

lobbyists and you all don’t have the resources to do that? Does it 

affect you in any way? 

Ms. CLARK. I can’t speak specifically as to whether another company has a lobbyist, but I can speak to watching in an environment 

where perhaps men-owned—non-women-owned businesses were, either large businesses or smaller businesses owned by males, were 

able to have a larger set of resources because they had pooled together. And it is something that they had been at the game longer, 

and so they were pulling together or maybe members of associations that did have lobbyists. 

What I learned to do was to watch and to go where they were 

going. And having a lobbyist is not even an option for that. We 

have no funding for that, as you mentioned. But I would want to 

understand greater what impact that does have. I never really 

thought about it that way, as you mentioned it, but perhaps understanding if that is something that is available, making sure that 

it is available to everyone. 

Mr. LAWSON. And the reason why I asked that question is because I have seen it in State government trying to get State contracts when some firms come in with the resources and stuff, and 

other firms send in a lobbying group sometimes that have a little 

bit more input and influence on the process. There was an Indian 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

17 

group that came in when I was in there that was really, came in 

from Jacksonville, SGS Technology, and they were trying to get the 

government contract, but they were at a real disadvantage when 

they got to Tallahassee. And that is the reason why I asked you, 

because it is more of a government town. 

But I want to try to get this one in before my time runs out. We 

have heard again and again some serious accusations about discrimination in the lending space. What measures would you suggest to improve women’s ability to access capital? And that goes to 

Ms. Green. 

Ms. GREEN. So I am going to talk about someone that I know, 

a friend of mine who is trying to get venture capitalists, and it is 

the hardest thing for her to get. She said pitching before thousands 

of people is very hard to get as a female entrepreneur. For me, it 

is different because I am from a private sector. So the only time 

I feel I am not part of the room is when we have 15 guys run a 

home care agency and I am the only female there. So, when it 

comes to capital, now, for me, it is not like before, but my other 

female counter partners do have that issue going forward. 

Mr. LAWSON. Anyone else want to—I got 10 seconds. 

Okay. Ms. Clark. 

Ms. CLARK. For funding, our personal journey was that we went 

to a small community bank. I do believe those resources are available. And continuing to support community banking in a way that 

allows them to be able to provide lending, that was what was helpful to us. Although we banked with a very large bank, we were not 

able to navigate through their maze. But with the community level 

bank, we were able to go in, share our story. We had years of financing at that point, probably 12 years—I mean, years of 

records—12 years of successful—of running a successful business. 

And so I think from getting funding standpoint, making sure that 

the community banks are aware and participating, and then it all 

goes back to education. 

Honestly, I didn’t know to ask. And when I went in to ask, it was 

out of necessity. I was at the eleventh hour, had a new contract, 

had employees, and needed the funding. And that is not the time 

you want to go in and ask for money. So starting earlier and empowering us, and then having other women like myself tell my 

peers: You can do this. Take your paperwork, go in there, and ask 

for the funding. 

There are programs. The 7(a) was our lifeline. And it has made 

all the difference in the growth of our company. 

Mr. LAWSON. Okay. 

Madam Chair, I yield back. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. I now yield to Mr. Blaine 

Luetkemeyer, vice chairman. You are recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Thank you, Madam Chair. 

And, welcome, ladies. 

I want to follow up on the previous questions with regards to 

funding because, basically, if you don’t have funding, you can’t get 

off the ground. And all of you have faced that problem, apparently. 

And I was kind of curious, you know, there are rules against discrimination based on sex. Do you believe that you are discriminated against because you are women versus the men? 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

18 

I know, Ms. Green, you made a statement, you know, you are 1 

out of 15, and the guys get first crack at everything, and you get 

left out. I mean, do you feel you get left out because you are a lady, 

or do you feel that they had—you know, and Ms. Clark just made 

mention of the fact that maybe you need a mentor to be able to 

help you prepare better to be able to qualify. 

I mean, can you explain your concern? 

Ms. GREEN. I do feel like I was left out because I was a female. 

That is true. 

In Fishkill, where I lived, I went to three banks to get a loan for 

$25,000. One of them was a credit union. And they told me that 

I didn’t have enough funds; even though I had $10,000 in the account, they did not want to lend me a loan. So I feel like because— 

and even when I present my business plan to say, ‘‘Here is a business plan. If I make this money, I am able to repay you back,’’ I 

was not able to get the loan. So I felt like because I was a female, 

they didn’t take me serious. 

And then the business that I was going into was nursing care 

agency. The banker says to me: There are like a thousand agencies 

out there. How do you think you are going to manage when you 

have all these big competitors? 

And I said: Well, they had to start small to get big. So if you give 

me a chance, then I will. 

So then I realized I couldn’t get it. I just had no choice but to 

go to my 401(k) to start the business process. So I did feel like as 

a female—and then they think I didn’t have the education. And 

even though I said I am in school going for my MBA, it didn’t mean 

anything. So, for me, I felt like I was discriminated as a female. 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. I can tell you: Your story is not different 

from a lot of men that try to get in. Small businesses are tough 

to start. I mean, regardless if you are a guy or gal, I mean, the criteria that you have to meet to be able to get started is just tough. 

And I was just curious of your concern there. 

Ms. King, in your testimony, you talked about having to spend 

or had to fill out roughly 1,000 pages to be able to qualify as a 

woman-owned business. Can you talk a little bit about that? Number one, I guess, is it really 1,000 pages, and is your designation 

really that important to filling one out? How cumbersome was it, 

and much did it cost? 

Ms. KING. So I was actually referencing my 8(a) SDB designation. That was 1,000 pages. So, essentially, there is an application, 

and then you have to provide supporting evidence. And that supporting evidence was 1,001 pages. The first one was 600 or 500, 

and the next one was 501. So that was for the 8(a). 

I have a streamlined process of women-owned now because I am 

an 8(a), but once that expires, I will have to go through the process 

of proving I am a woman, number one; number two, that I own and 

run my business and that I am not a front for a man, because that 

does happen, unfortunately; and then I have to provide all my financials, all my tax records, all my banks records. You know, there 

is a lot of paperwork because they want to make sure, first of all, 

if you say you are a small business, that you are, and if you try 

to get the disadvantaged designation, you have to prove that you 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

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are disadvantaged. So they ask for literally all of your financials, 

everything you own, and the kitchen sink, literally. 

So that is what I had to do for 8(a). 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. What was the cost of that? Do you know 

off the top of your head? Ms. KING. Well, I paid a lawyer $5,000 to do it the first time, 

and it got outright denied. And I said I am smart enough to figure 

this out on my own. So myself and one of my employees, we sat 

down and spent 3 days and got all this documentation together, 

and I did it myself. So it cost whatever that 3 days of time and 

labor were. 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Okay. Do you feel it was worth that to 

you, that designation, is it worth that much? 

Ms. KING. They are all worth it, yes, sir. All of the designations 

are worth it. I think there is a way to streamline. If you want to 

get a designation through VA, SBA, have one portal, put all your 

documents in it. I mean, we do IT. We can help you build an algorithm that will tell you, you know, they qualify for all of these 

things, boom, it is done. It—— 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. So, right now, you have to fill out this 

form to qualify for every single agency you deal with. 

Ms. KING. Every single designation. So there is 8(a). 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Okay, I see. 

Ms. KING. There is VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, woman-owned 

and EDWOSB. So there is like—what was that, six, seven? 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. More than a handful. 

Ms. KING. Different pieces of paperwork, yes, sir. 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Well, you know, this is a great place to 

talk about red tape because that is the only thing we know how 

to do well around here, add more red tape to everything. But I do 

appreciate your comments, and my time has expired. Thank you 

very much. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. I now yield to Dr. Roger Marshall. 

You are recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Thank you, Madam Chairman. 

Thank you, ladies, for being here. I apologize for being late. I left 

the floor, advocating for recognizing this as National Businesswomen’s Month. I am an OB/GYN, so I have got to be on the other 

side of that, listening to the story for literally 30 years. So I think 

I lived part of it as a man in a woman’s world; it is kind of upside 

down. You know, kind of get my thoughts together here. As I see 

the inequalities that still exist, I would say, number one, is that 

women’s pay for the same job in the management levels is not the 

same. I think that is still a huge problem. I think women’s access 

to the boardroom is still a problem. 

I think we have made great strides in getting women into medical school and law school and getting access to those things. Now 

it is time for the gap to be closed. 

But one thing it is hard to be prejudiced against women is starting their own business. So I think that is a great place to start 

here, is starting your own business and being small entrepreneurs. 

I want to relate one more story. Goodness, 20 years ago, Rotary 

started letting women into Rotary. We wouldn’t have Rotary Clubs 

today without women. They do 90 percent of the work and have 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

20 

great follow through. And I think the same thing also in small 

business. And I just encourage the small business woman to think 

about those types of service organizations, as they give you connection and open up the world. 

Tell me—and maybe each you take 30 seconds rather than 3 

minutes; I will let each of you answer the question—what do you 

wish Congress would do to help empower women to be successful 

small business women? 

Ms. Green, you want to start? 

Ms. GREEN. I would say mentorship and financing. Those are 

the two things I think would work. Those would be the two things 

I want to speak about: mentorship and financing. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Financing meaning access to capital? 

Ms. GREEN. Access to capital. Venture capital. Whatever it is in 

regards to funding that would be great for a female entrepreneur. 

I do run across a lot of female entrepreneurs who start a business 

and in no time are out of business because they don’t have the 

funds to continue the business itself. And they do have the passion 

and the idea, but not the funding. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Cashflow is always a challenge. It takes an inordinate amount of money to start it, but no one counts on the 

cashflow. 

Ms. Pianalto, what about you? What are your thoughts? 

Ms. PIANALTO. I am not an entrepreneur. I am with the Association of Women’s Business Centers. So my focus is getting more 

technical assistance to women. And that not only involves access to 

capital but also the mentorship that Ms. Green has talked about. 

But we just need—all these statistics, I mean, there is such potential with women-owned businesses. We just need to get them all in 

the growth mode. And they just need, many of them need assistance to do that. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Great. 

Ms. Clark? 

Ms. CLARK. I think the most important thing is to continue to 

ensure that we have a healthy workforce. The Affordable Care Act 

does that and also removes any penalties for preexisting conditions. 

As a mother of a child who has a preexisting—or an adult now who 

has a preexisting condition, I shudder to think what his life would 

be like if he was not able to get that coverage. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Flip that over. How did the Affordable Care 

Act help small business or access to workforce? What was that 

again? How? 

Ms. CLARK. It ensures a healthy workforce universally across 

the United States. So, therefore, I am able to hire individuals 

who—— 

Mr. MARSHALL. That is really interesting. The Small Business 

Association got together in February or March up here, and they 

said the number one concern they had was the cost of healthcare. 

And nothing has done more to drive up the cost of healthcare than 

the Affordable Care Act. 

So you may have—I don’t think it has done anything to improve 

the health of the country. But to say it is going to increase your 

workforce, I disagree with you, respectfully. So anyway. 

Ms. King? 

SBREP-219A with DISTILLER

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Ms. KING. Yes, sir. 

So access to capital is important. I think one of the things that 

Congress could do is to strengthen the guarantee programs through 

the SBA. Right now, there are certain percentages that they will 

guarantee. If Congress could say, ‘‘We will guarantee 100 percent 

at different levels,’’ so maybe if they are very small, it is $25,000, 

and as their revenue goes up, increase those guarantees. Or maybe 

as their revenue goes up, the guarantees go down because the company has more cashflow. That would be one of my recommendations. Thank you. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Thank you. 

I will yield back, Chairman. 

Chairwoman RADEWAGEN. I would like to thank each of the 

witnesses for being here today, and I would like to congratulate 

Ms. King, Ms. Green, Ms. Clark for the outstanding success of each 

of your businesses. 

And thank you, Ms. Pianalto, for the important work the AWBC 

is doing to provide our Nation’s women entrepreneurs with the resources they need to be successful. 

It is clear that, while impressive growth has been seen in the 

number of women-owned small businesses over the last decade, 

there is still a great deal of work to be done. So, as we continue 

to work to address the challenges facing women entrepreneurs, 

such as access to adequate financing, this Committee applauds the 

success and dedication of both our Nation’s women business owners 

and those organizations seeking to help them succeed. 

Now I ask unanimous consent that members have 5 legislative 

days to submit statements and supporting materials for the record. 

Without objection, so ordered. We are adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 11:09 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.] 

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1Stengel, G ‘‘forget the Glass Ceiling: Build Your Business Without One’’, 2014 

A P P E N D I X 

‘‘Fostering Women’s Entrepreneurial Success’’ 

Thank you Chairman Radewagen, Ranking Member Lawson and 

distinguished Members of the Committee for the opportunity to 

share this testimony with you. My Name is Janice Green and I am 

a Registered Nurse with more than 10 years of experience in medical and surgical care and the Chief Executive Officer at Jancare 

Private Health Service. 

As a nurse, I had the opportunity to take care of a female patient 

with stage four cancer metastasized to her lung for a short period 

of time. After her death, her husband, a lawyer, was impressed by 

my caring approach and insisted that I start my own nursing care 

agency. I took his advice and in 2014, Jancare Private Health Service Inc. was formed as a Sub S corporation. 

Jancare is on the cutting edge as a nursing care agency. Our vision as a corporation is to go beyond caring in the healthcare sector 

and provide outstanding care, with compassion and dignity, to surgical patients and seniors in the privacy of their own home. 

My role as a clinical Nurse Care coordinator is to oversee the 

care of individuals or couples who need medical or non-medical 

care. This is done through a hands-on approach by implementing 

strategic care plans specially tailored to each client’s specific needs. 

Jancare works with families, attorneys, geriatrics care managers, 

doctors, and therapists to coordinate care and provide optimal outcomes that improve the patient’s quality of life at home. 

Jancare currently has approximately 28 full-time and 6 part-time 

employees, as well as one intern. We have a client base of 18. We 

render services in Dutchess County, Westchester County, and Manhattan, with the goal of providing exceptional nursing care in these 

areas. Jancare believes in giving back to the community and provides free health services to community based events, such as blood 

pressure screening, diabetes finger-stick testing, and health awareness. 

According to research by Geri Stengel in 2014, ‘‘Women own 34% 

of businesses under $100,000 in revenue and 6% of businesses over 

$10 million in revenue.’’ 1 One of the biggest challenges for female 

entrepreneurs is accessing funding. 58% of female entrepreneurs 

started their business with their own funds. While money is the 

chief ingredient to start and grow any company, females have notably less access to equal financing. Other studies show that companies with access to capital have grown at a rate of three times that 

of those who lack equity. Women experience a greater financing 

gap than their male counterparts. 

In the process of starting Jancare Private Health services, I was 

part of the 58% of females who lacked financing. According to the 

Urban Institute, 2008 only ‘‘4% to 5% of all small business loan 

from banks are given to female entrepreneurs’’. Fortunately, I had 

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the privilege of having a 401K, which I borrowed $25,000 from at 

an interest rate of 6% to initiate the process of corporation set-up. 

While completing my MBA, I realized that the business plan for 

Jancare that I had worked on was not feasible. In my research to 

find an organization to assist with my business plan, I found 

Women Enterprise Development Center Inc. (WEDC), which I 

found to be far more structured than SCORE, because WEDC addressed my specific needs. I enrolled in WEDC’s 60-hours Entrepreneurial Training Program to complete an effective business plan for 

Jancare. During this course, I realized that so many of my female 

entrepreneur classmates had great ideas, yet lacked the funding to 

turn those ideas into a reality. While the WEDC course provided 

the appropriate tools to start, without proper funding it is next to 

impossible for these business to grow. 

The Jancare Private Health Service business plan that was created with assistance from WEDC was more feasible and attainable 

than my previous plan. By participating in the WEDC course, I 

was able to see so many talented female entrepreneurs that experienced challenges with getting their business funded. Former president Barack Obama once said that when women succeed, American 

succeeds, and I believe this to be true. 

Even though female entrepreneurs hire 34% of the work force, 

they still face greater challenges than male entrepreneurs when it 

comes to funding their business ideas. As female entrepreneurs, we 

have made some progress over the past few decades, but we still 

have a long way to go and we must continue on this journey. 

Mentorship is important to the success of entrepreneurs. Female 

entrepreneurs need guidance through the process of starting and 

growing their business. Someone who has the experience and 

knowledge to show you how to reach your goal is a valuable resource. Anyone can open a business, but having the right tools is 

necessary for success. Writing an effective business plan, implementing, and updating that plan is the key to success. Running a 

business day to day can be challenging. Having a mentor to prevent you from making certain mistakes in the process is priceless. 

The WEDC community has allowed me to develop strong personal and business relationships with my fellow WEDC graduates 

as well as with staff. This was an asset for me as a female entrepreneur, as it helped my self-confidence to grow while allowing me 

to be part of an organization that fosters networking and mentoring. WEDC’s support has helped Jancare grow tremendously. 

Having an individual or group to exchange your ideas without discrimination or judgement is a true asset, and WEDC provided me 

with just that. 

In closing, I appreciate the opportunity to share my story with 

this Committee and I strongly urge Congress to increase funding 

for organizations like WEDC, which help fund and mentor female 

entrepreneurs just like me. By opening the door to greater access 

to funding and mentorship for female business owners, we will 

unlock greater economic potential. 

Thank you 

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Hester Taylor Clark October 12, 2017 

Statement to the Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Health 

and Technology 

Good Morning, 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today to 

share my experiences and thoughts on Fostering Women’s Entrepreneurial Success. 

My name is Hester Clark. I am the founder and owner of Hester 

Group, a professional services firm providing logistics, strategic 

communications and program management services. Hester Group 

has 28 employee positions across the United States and we average 

over $2.5 million in revenue. We are located in Jacksonville Florida. 

In preparing for this presentation today, I read the July 2017 report by the National Women’s Business Council, entitled, ‘‘Necessity 

as a Driver of Women’s Entrepreneurship’’. The report explores and 

expands upon the concept of necessity as a driver of women’s entrepreneurship in the United States. 

Twenty years ago I was a necessity entrepreneur, a mother seeking work-life balance so that I could raise my 12-year-old son and 

9-year-old daughter. As a necessity entrepreneur, I needed resources and ongoing support. Entrepreneurs like me are most successful when they have an entrepreneurial ecosystem, with access 

to human, financial and professional resources within their own 

community. 

Thankfully, the Small Business Administration and resource 

partners in Jacksonville Florida are my entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

I am humbled today to share my journey. 

For almost 20 years, the SBA and Hester Group have traversed 

challenges and successes together. There is not one day since starting Hester Group in 1998, that I have been without the support of 

the SBA and its resources partners. It is as if the SBA and its resource partners took my hand and said to me ‘‘Come on Hester, I’ll 

show you the way’’. 

Sometimes I held on tightly, fearful of taking a big step, and 

sometimes I held loosely, knowing with confidence and assurance 

that the support of the SBA and its resource partners was always 

nearby. 

My entrepreneurial ecosystem includes: 

• Jacksonville Women’s Business Center 

• Jacksonville SCORE 

• Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida 

• The North Florida District Office of the SBA 

I have relied on the SBA and these resources partners at each 

stage of my journey. One of the first workshops I attended in 1998 

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was presented by the Florida SBDC at the University of North 

Florida. 

When I did not know how to establish a financial accounting system, I participated in the Financial Matters Business Mentoring 

Program of the Jacksonville Women Business Center. A mentor 

was assigned to help me understand financial basics, and most importantly he helped me to understand the importance of hiring a 

financial expert. 

When I did not know how to establish human resources policies 

and procedures, the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center provided six mentors of the Athena Link mentoring program. They 

helped me to understand and build our corporate infrastructure, 

and maintain compliance with HR requirements. 

When I needed ongoing support and advice, SCORE Jacksonville 

provided me with a patient and experienced retired executive who 

guided me through the hiring of our Vice President. He knew exactly what Hester Group needed to succeed, and our Vice President, Ms. Roslyn Mixon Phillips continues as a vital member of 

Hester Group today. 

When I needed access to capital, I was able to receive an SBA 

7(a) loan with the support of the North Florida District Office. The 

7(a) loan has been the foundation for our growth and expansion. 

The SBA and its resource partners in North Florida continue to 

extend a helping hand to Hester Group, and we continue to hold 

on tight! 

My journey as a woman entrepreneur is not unusual. There are 

over ten million women entrepreneurs in the United States. We 

share similar paths. Each of us are unsure, at times unknowing, 

yet we are unafraid to become an entrepreneur. And each of us 

need support and guidance. 

I have shared my journey with you today as an example of the 

direct benefits of SBA and its programs. I recommend the SBA continue to: 

• Expand Access to Capital 

• Expand Community Outreach in rural and underserved 

communities 

• Expand Funding to Resource Partners for mentoring and 

educational programs 

• Provide Disaster Assistance Funding and Support 

• Enhance Online Resources 

In summary, I encourage this committee to provide the SBA with 

the funding and support needed to hold, perhaps just one more or 

one million more, hands of woman entrepreneurs. 

Thank you. 

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Committee on Small Business 

Subcommittee on Health and Technology 

Testimony of Jeannette L. King 

Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc. 

President & CEO 

I have had the honor and privilege of serving my country since 

I was 19 years old. It began with my service in the U.S. Navy and 

has continued through my work with my small business with agencies within Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs, and a number of Federal civilian agencies. 

Good morning, I am Jeannette King, President & CEO of Strategic Resolution Experts incorporated, or SRE. I am both honored 

and humbled by the invitation to speak to this esteemed body and 

have the opportunity to not only represent Women owned businesses, but also Service Disabled Veteran owned, Veteran Owned, 

8a Small disadvantaged businesses and HUBZone Certified small 

businesses, all small business types for which I am certified. 

I would like to speak on the challenges and successes I have experienced since founding SRE in 2007. First, I will speak about access to capital. Second, I will speak on small business programs 

and how they have influenced my business both positively and negatively. Third, I will speak about being a Woman owned small business who also happens to be A Service Disabled Veteran. 

1. Access to Capital 

I started SRE in 2007, with $10,000, I was and still am, a single 

Mother with no access to any other capital. I have no husband or 

any family with money. I left a job making over $100,000 per year 

to live near or below poverty level for nearly 5 years. During this 

time, I cashed in all of my 401ks, deferred all of my student loans, 

and prayed I could feed my son Cody and keep our house. During 

this time my Mom and Stepdad agreed to put a second mortgage 

on their home to try and help me stay afloat. In 2009 I was ready 

to go back to work for a company as I could no longer pay my mortgage with one credit card and pay that credit card with another 

and on and on until I had maxed out several cards and the line 

of credit which used my disabled, retired parent’s home as collateral. I was offered and accepted a full-time job with a company but 

a few days before I was scheduled to start they asked if I would 

work as a 1099 consultant instead. I agreed as long as the contract 

was with SRE. I made enough money in four months to pay my 

bills for about six months. During that time, I submitted and received my 8a/small disadvantaged designation and that September 

landed 2 small prime contracts with the IRS. 

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Soon after that I received a significant prime contract with Defense Threat Reduction Agency through my contacts and relationships I had been fostering for 5 years. Once I received that contract—ONLY THEN—could I get a line of credit through the business with SBA backing under the Patriot Express Program (which 

I think is now obsolete). Only when I really didn’t need the line of 

credit could I get it, because even with all of the guaranty programs, small businesses still have to qualify under a bank’s underwriting guidelines. 

So, a poor, single mother from WV who served in the military 

can only rely on a miracle to find a way to start and finance a business. I don’t know the answer to this challenge, but would be 

happy to work with this body to work to find solutions. 

2. Small Business Programs 

I possess every small business designation available (with the exception of Alaskan Native) and here are my thoughts. 

Every program is designed to help people like me find the doors 

to open in Government contracting and they do. I’ll start with the 

challenges first and then provide the positives. 

Challenge 1: The Paperwork 

The amount of paperwork required to obtain my 8a designation 

was well over 1,000 pages and was initially denied first because my 

paperwork was misplaced and a second time because I don’t fit into 

one of the protected classes, despite overwhelming documentation 

and evidence. Lucky for me, SBA’s lawyers overturned the denial 

because I clearly demonstrated Social and Economic disadvantage. 

Challenge 2: My SDVOSB and VOSB 

Designations via the Vetbiz/VIP database are equally time and 

paperwork intensive and while extending verifications for 2 years 

has helped, it is still about 8-10 hours of time to complete and respond to questions throughout the process. That does not sound 

like a lot of time to most but as a small business owner, time is 

money. 

Challenge 3: Woman Owned Business 

Woman owned and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned 

designations require the same paperwork as 8a. It is somewhat 

streamlined because I am 8a, but once that expires in 2019 I will 

spend 20 hours gathering all of the information as required. 

Challenge 4: HUBZONE Designation 

This has by far been my most challenging experience and along 

with an enormous amount of paperwork, there are also policies in 

place at the SBA that don’t follow the legislation and made me 

have to have my employees work more than 40 hours a month 

(which is the law) in order to get the designation. This costs me 

approximately $360 per year per HUBZONE employee. Again, 

doesn’t sound like much until you have 35% of your workforce costing that and it is not legally required. I am happy to talk about 

this in more detail offline. 

4. My Successes 

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Thanks to these various programs and the support and guidance 

I receive from my WV SBA Office in Clarksburg WV, I have a line 

of credit, I have grown SRE to a multi-million dollar company and 

I use the HUBZone program as it was intended—to help disadvantaged individuals in economically depressed areas become trained 

and qualified to obtain sustainable jobs. 

Our HUBZone program employs 2 full-time employees in 2 states 

and 12 part-time employees in an additional 3 states and Washington DC. Our program focuses on three populations; Veterans, 

college students, and those people in economically depressed areas 

with dying industries, such as Southern WV where coal mines have 

left 10’s of thousands of families on the brink of financial ruin. We 

provide these people a job, 10 hours per week, and work with them 

to develop a comprehensive training plan that provides both soft 

skills, technical skills, and in many cases life skills. We test their 

aptitude, personality, and interests to determine what is best for 

them and their future. During FY 2016, our HUBZone employees 

took advantage of 2127 hours of training, successfully completed 

622 courses, and earned 97 certifications. Four (4) of our employees 

are currently in college and two (2) family members are joining Job 

Corps training as a result of our HUBZone development program. 

These individuals rely on our program for so much more than a 

paycheck, and that I am very proud of. We also employ Veterans 

who are in transitional housing and provide them training and support throughout their transition. 

Being a Woman owned and Service Disabled Veteran owned 

Small business is an opportunity to use our nurturing hearts and 

spirits to serve others and improve our communities, our states, 

our country, and the world in which we live. I do this by providing 

jobs across 12 states, providing training and educational opportunities to people who may not otherwise have them, by providing volunteer services across the globe in the form of over 1,000 hours of 

paid time for my employees and nearly 1/2 million dollars in charity. I believe I have an opportunity and an obligation to use SRE 

to make the world a better place. 

In closing, I am thankful for all of the work our legislators and 

our Small Business Administration advocates have done on my behalf and others like me. Last week SRE won a $9 million dollar 

prime contract award with one of our core agencies and a $25 Billion dollar multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity 

(IDIQ) with another core agency. Now my work really begins. 

Thank you for your service to our nation and your time today and 

God Bless America. 

Æ 

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