Business Roundtable (Virtual) : Jinal Contractor, Small and Minority Business Development Officer, Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA)

Learn about the many internal and external resources that Howard County offers to small and minority entrepreneurs at April's Business Roundtable.

Our featured guest is Jinal Contractor, Small and Minority Business Development Officer, Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA).

Each month HCLS co-hosts an online Roundtable focusing on a local business owned by a Person of Color in Howard County. The owner shares the experiences and challenges they face as a local business owner. Learn what it takes to start your own successful business. Ask questions of people who own a local business. Maybe it will inspire you to start your own! The discussion is moderated by Nat Alston, Chair and Founder of the Ujamaa Business Roundtable. The Business Roundtable normally meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month. Includes time for Q&A. 

About Jinal Contractor:

Jinal Contractor joined Howard County Economic Development Authority in Fall of 2022 as Small and Minority Business Officer.

Jinal is certified LEED AP and an experienced architect. During her tenure in architecture she worked for various small and large firms in India, Philadelphia and Baltimore. She worked on projects ranging from schools, healthcare, retail, restaurants and offices, locally as well as nationwide. This gave her insight into the collaborations essential to business development. In addition, she has gained experience in the small business sector before focusing her career with Howard County, Business Development team.

Starting a small business blends trial-and-error with hard-fought triumphs. Jinal Contractor, HCEDA’s new Small and Minority Business Development Officer, understands the challenge faced by business owners from her personal experiences as an entrepreneur. In her new position at HCEDA, she is eager to share what she learned and promote many internal and external resources that Howard County offers to small and minority entrepreneurs. While her role is focused on emphasizing the growth and development of small and minority businesses, she works with entrepreneurs across broad spectrum to ensure a truly diverse economic infrastructure for Howard County. Jinal hold Masters in Architecture from Drexel University, Philadelphia and a B.Arch from M.S. University, India.

In partnership with Ujamaa Business Roundtable, a roundtable of African-American business owners from the counties of Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Baltimore and Baltimore City.

If you have questions or if you are business owner that would like to be featured at one of our monthly Roundtable discussions, please email us: HCLS.BusinessRoundtable@hclibrary.org.

Register with an email address to receive the link to join the webinar and a class reminder.