FOUNDER AND SENIOR ADVOCATE 

Patricia H. Wesson
FOUNDER AND SENIOR ADVOCATE
CONTRACTS FOR WOMEN, Inc.
www.contractsforwomen.com

Patricia H. Wesson is Senior Advocate and Founder of Contracts For Women, Inc. dba ContractsforWomen.com. 

Ms. Wesson received her first government contract in1994 and recalls the challenges she faced as a woman business owner after she resigned as a Bank Vice President.  Patricia H. Wesson, an entrepreneur, visionary, songwriter, singer, and author has spoken in various places and many settings which include Memphis Rotary Club, National Association of Women Business Owners, Various Women's Organizations, Churches and Private Settings; and tells her story
to motivate others to live their best life, and take the challenge of owning a business.  Ms. Wesson is the author of "Secrets Lenders Never Told You" , a practical guide to lending for small business owners, and she has designed and developed other business planning tools that have been used by many.


Ms. Wesson has hosted her own public community television program, "Women Business Owner's Spotlight". 
Ms. Wesson is listed among the founders and past chapter presidents of the Greater Memphis Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). In 2000, she was invited to Washington, D.C. by SBA's Chief of Advocacy and accepted recognition for the Women's Business Advisory Council.  Ms. Wesson is a recipient of many awards, including SBA's Business Advocate of the Year Award ,  the Minority Business Enterprise Business Advocate of the Year Award, and Woman of Wisdom Award.  Ms. Wesson was recognized as one of 50 women to make a difference and was featured in the Women's Magazine in Memphis, Tennessee.  Ms. Wesson is a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University and the American Institute of Banking. She is a member of the Women's Political Collaborative and serves on the Board of the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus. 

Ms. Wesson has over 21 years of bank experience and management experience, which includes serving as a bank vice president and lender of personal and business loans.  Ms. Wesson serve as West Tennessee board representative on the Tennessee Valley Investment Fund established to fund small and minority owned businesses seeking $100,000 up to $1,000,000.  Ms. Wesson has also assisted many in forming  501 c3 non-profit organizations, including one of which she is the founder, Entrepreneur Institute of America.  Ms. Wesson also served as a business development center director for several years. 


In 2005, Ms. Wesson was appointed as Director of Certification of the Governor's Office of Diversity in January 2005 for Women-Owned, Minority-Owned, and Small Business Enterprises. The office was established by Governor Phil Bredesen under Executive Order 14.   During this appointment, Ms. Wesson found that despite the State's initiative to increase state contract opportunities, a familiar barrier to women accessing government and corporate contracts existed. Today, Ms. Wesson's business, Contracts For Women, Inc. is helping women owned businesses break this barrier. Contracts For Women, Inc. helps women owned businessess increase their visibility with government and corporate entities by providing a service that helps them get certified and registered as vendors, thereby increasing their chances for contract opportunities.

Even though approximately 7.9 million women owned businesses exists today, according to the latest U. S. Census report,  4.1 million of these businesses receive $50,000 or less in annual revenues.  Ms. Wesson has met a lot of these business owners during the span of her career, and shares their concern.  Ms. Wesson started Contracts For Women, Inc. as a result of this concern, and after spending years working in business development with city and state government only to find that despite all the efforts of these agencies, and those of women owned businesses to secure contracts; women owned businesses are still missing out on billions of dollars in contract opportunities each year.  Today, she is Senior Advocate of  Contracts For Women, Inc.  

Ms. Wesson speaks on various topics which includes: 

"Get that Contract!  The Certification Game and How to Play It!"
"Living Your Best Life, TAKING UNPOPULAR CHANCES"
"Secrets Lenders Never Told You, Get Your Business Loan Approved!"

Contact  Patricia H. Wesson