I recently sold the bank regulatory compliance consulting practice that I started eleven years ago. It’s time to decide what my company’s next business venture will be. I’m leaning toward a more non-traditional business - like manufacturing or construction. But, so many choices – how to I narrow them down? I decided to make creative use of my NAWBO connections by calling the contacts I have made over the years with our NAWBO corporate partners to schedule appointments with their supplier diversity manager. Conducting informational interviews with supplier diversity managers at the major corporations in the Metroplex seems like a good way to identify existing needs. They should know what products or services their company buys but has difficulty finding minority or women-owned businesses to supply. What a way to expedite my market research! And, it’s a win for the corporate partners, too, if my new business venture can help them reach their minority and women-owned business purchasing goals.