The RISE Regional Innovation Summit for Entrepreneurs on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Danville, VA will include networking opportunities and breakout sessions featuring amazing speakers to support entrepreneurs at each stage of business, from ideation to starting, growing, and scaling.

45 MINUTE WORKSHOP

TRACK: ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Learning objectives for this workshop include:

• Identifying the eligibility requirements for SWaM certification
• Understanding the benefits and strategic advantages of certification
• Learning the step-by-step application process
• Recognizing how certification supports access to procurement opportunities

Description:

This session provides an overview of Virginia’s Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned (SWaM) Certification program, its benefits, and the application process so they can leverage certification to grow their business.

Workshop Presenter: Randy Brown, Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity (SBSD), Business Services Manager, Central – South

Prerequisites: None

Notes for Attendees: For current or prospective small, Women-Owned, and Minority-Owned businesses

Randolph (Randy) Brown, has worked as an internal market research consultant for several Fortune 50 companies. He began working at General Mills, assigned to some well-known established brands and developing new products. While there, he gained an excellent market research foundation of quantitative and qualitative research. In addition to General Mills, he has worked at General Foods and Colgate Palmolive. While at Colgate, Randy served as the Senior Market Research Manager for the Oral Care Division (Colgate Toothpaste, etc.). He was also the senior researcher assigned to the corporate ethnic marketing group.

Upon moving to Richmond, he worked as a consultant for a major market research consulting firm, then founded X-RAY Market Research Services, LLC (the firm is currently not pursuing public sector projects in Virginia).  He has served as a Certification Officer for SWaM and the federal Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) programs with the Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity (formerly — Department of Minority Business Enterprise). One of the primary goals of The Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity (SBSD) is to help small businesses within the Commonwealth to grow.

Randy now serves as the Business Services Manager for Central / South Virginia. His experiences at Fortune 50 companies, his own company, and his role with SBSD, share a common thread and underscore his passion to help businesses grow.