Historically, women and minority business owners have struggled with acquiring capital more than other small businesses. Minority entrepreneurs in particular believe that banks are less inclined to give them loans. Many financial institutions are aware of this, and have developed programs to directly reach out to small businesses who would otherwise feel alienated or intimidated by the process of securing capital.

Wells Fargo calls itself the nation’s number one small business lender nationwide. The bank especially deems noteworthy its Diverse Business Services Programs, which provides outreach and education to form relationships with business owners to increase their access to capital and other financial services. Tim Rios, Senior Vice President in Wells Fargo’s Corporate Community Development Group and national spokesperson for Wells Fargo’s Latino Business Services program, says that “we were working with [MBWEs] long before it was fashionable.” In 1995, the bank conducted studies in which they learned women and minority _CBJ