Small Business Breakthroughs with Karen Wivell, CPP, Associate Director - Apex Accelerators

Join the Ohio Small Business Development Center at Columbus State Community College in partnership with the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center for a podcast-style discussion designed to dig into the topics that are impacting your business and keeping you up at night.

The APEX Accelerators, formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), under management of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), plays a critical role in the Department’s efforts to identify and helps a wide range of businesses enter and participate in the defense supply-chain. The program provides the education and training to ensure that all businesses become capable of participating in federal, state, and local government contracts.

What we will be talking about:

• Why, when and how to do business with the government?

• Why should a small business owner consider selling their products to the government?

• What is involved in doing business with the government?

• What is the difference between doing business with federal agencies, state agencies, and local governments?

• What are the key areas of one’s business that should be planned out before seeking government contracts?

• What is a Capabilities Statement and why should a business have one if they want to do business with government?

• What filings are typically required when selling to the government?

• And, of course, we'll answer your questions!

Guest: Karen Wivell, CPP - Associate Director, Apex Accelerators at Ohio University
Karen Wivell has been with the Apex Accelerator program (formerly PTAC) since 2013 and has served as Associate Director for the Central Ohio region since 2023. A graduate of Kent State University, prior to her work with Apex Accelerator she assisted businesses with Ohio’s Third Frontier Internship Program and received multiple marketing awards for her work with the Ohio Small Business Development Center. In the private sector, she has extensive experience in marketing and communications for such organizations as Clear Channel and American Greetings.

Moderator: Michael Bowers, MA, CBA - Director, Ohio Small Business Development Center at Columbus State Community College
Michael Bowers is a Certified Business Advisor and Director for the Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Columbus State Community College. The primary focus of the SBDC is to support prospective and existing entrepreneurs as they seek to start and grow businesses in Central Ohio.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Finance from the University of North Alabama and a Master’s in Public Administration from The Ohio State University. Michael is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in Public Administration from Liberty University.

Michael has worked with entrepreneurs and small business owners for over 30 years, 20 of which have been in Columbus leading the SBDC. He has a diverse business skill set with experience in banking, private equity, strategic planning, leadership, and public sector management.

Michael is the lead instructor for the Basis of A Successful Enterprise (B.A.S.E) business startup training, as well as the host of the Small Business Breakthroughs YouTube series.