Neighbor News
Wissen Inc. Named Homebased Business of the Year
Brookline-based company helps secure millions in funding for high impact projects that bring resources and jobs to the Commonwealth
MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT
Release Date: May 1, 2024
Contact: norman.eng@sba.gov, 617-565-8510
Release Number: 24-13
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BOSTON – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has named Wissen, Inc. the 2024 Homebased Business of the Year for Massachusetts.
Wissen helps nonprofits, higher education, hospitals, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations define fundable grant projects, match projects to funders, and write grant applications to secure funding.
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“Quietly through her work, Natasha has been making big plays and getting wins for her clients that bring high impact resources to the region,” said District Director Robert Nelson.
Natasha Goldman founded Wissen Inc. in 2018 with neither background in business nor connections to entrepreneurship resources. After attending SCORE workshops and meeting mentors Alan Milner and Sam Solomon, along with a team of counselors from the Greater Boston SCORE Chapter, Natasha built business acumen by learning vital skills, such as how to read profit and loss statements, using a three-year budget forecast, and finding new ways to network.
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“During my first SCORE meeting, my mentors asked me, “And how is your networking?” “Now what is that, exactly?” I asked. And that was just the beginning. I couldn’t have done it all without the help, dedication, and patience of my SCORE mentor Alan Milner.” said President Natasha Goldman.
Wissen received a Paycheck Protection Program loan in 2020, which was forgiven and helped the business survive during COVID. As a result, Goldman’s team grew from one contractor in 2019 to 13 in 2023. They fulfill a variety of roles, including helping clients write and review grant applications, as well as streamline project management.
Wissen assisted the City of Boston, a municipal client, by writing a grant application to secure over $26 million dollars in federal funding, which has positively impacted workforce development in the Greater Boston region. A $23.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration was awarded through the Good Jobs Challenge Grant program. In addition, as a result of WISSEN’s work, the City of Boston won a $3 million U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeships Building America grant.
Goldman is active in the Town of Brookline, volunteering regularly at Florida Ruffin Ridley School; serving on the Board of Advisors for the Brookline Innovation Fund and on the Board of Trustees at Temple Ohabei Shalom; and contributing financially to the public schools, Temple Ohabei Shalom, and Boston University. Goldman is a Visiting Researcher at the Eli Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies at Boston University, where she specializes in art and visual culture related to the Holocaust.
Goldman was nominated by Alan Milner, SCORE Mentor.
Goldman will be honored at the annual National Small Business Week Massachusetts Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 10th, 2024, at the Doubletree Andover.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
