The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the launch of two new educational modules through its Ascent online digital learning platform.

The Administration's digital tool, which provides resources to women-owned small businesses, drives growth through business connections and strengthens the leadership skills of women entrepreneurs.

Today, @SBAMarkMadrid and I are in Baltimore with @SenatorCardin to highlight the Community Navigator Program, which helps organizations with deep community roots like @NatUrbanLeague and @GBULorg connect small businesses with critical resources they need to start and grow. pic.twitter.com/UBnmGFhKJs

— Isabel Guzman (@SBAIsabel) April 19, 2022

What is Ascent?

Composed with specific learning modules, known as “Journeys,” this digital financial education platform offers small business owners 24/7 access to critical, research-backed information, and addresses the unique needs of small business owners faced by women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

In addition to its valuable support in the economic recovery of businesses, Ascent helps young entrepreneurs write business plans, provides them with business legal education, and brings access to capital and transition into the contracting space.

The platform offers eight essential journeys, including Disaster & Economic Recovery, Strategic Marketing, Your People, Your Business Financial Strategy, Access to Capital, and Government Contracting.

New Courses

These are the two new courses presented by the SBA, focused on partnerships and business leadership:

1. Partnerships Journey: Explores the value of business partnerships, why they are important, and how they drive business growth. It has four components, including the value of business partnerships, opportunities, and strategic growth.
2. Entrepreneurial Leadership Journey: Guides small businesses to growth by developing and refining leadership skills. It has 11 components designed to build trust and improve decision management techniques and leadership style.

“With the strong vision and action of Administrator Guzman, we continue advancing our entrepreneurial education experience through technology forward and timely online learning systems such as Ascent,” said SBA Associate Administrator of the Office for Entrepreneurial Development Mark Madrid

Madrid also pointed:

We look forward to announcing more educational initiatives to position our diverse small business ecosystems to thrive.

In less than a year, Ascent has supported nearly 50,000 businesses and provided free advice to more than 800,000 business owners, bringing in billions of dollars in COVID relief, capital infusions and government contracting.

“We know that women entrepreneurs start and own nearly half of all businesses in the United States and generate $1.8 trillion in revenue. They need a self-paced digital tool like Ascent to help them scale up and thrive. As Administrator Guzman has reinforced, opportunities for every woman aspiring to lead and grow our economy should be afforded to the greatest extent of our reach,” stated SBA Assistant Administrator of the Office for Women’s Business Ownership, Natalie Madeira Cofield.

For more information on Ascent click here.