NEWS & INSIGHTS

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has proposed significant changes to its small business size standards that could expand the number and size of companies eligible to compete for federal small business opportunities.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — August 14, 2026 — A new chapter began at McNaughten Centre Friday morning as Anything Bagel officially opened its doors, taking over the former Blocks Bagels location and bringing a fresh locally owned concept to the Columbus community. The grand opening kicked off at 8:00 a.m. on August 14, and the community showed up in a big way. Customers lined up out the door to be among the first to experience Anything Bagel in its new home. Aventi Enterprises was proud

August 17, 2026 - Aventi Enterprises is seeking qualified digital marketing professionals and firms to respond to its Digital Marketing Services Request for Proposals (RFP). Proposals are due Friday, September 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET.

While thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and technology leaders gathered in Cincinnati for Black Tech Week, Aventi Enterprises brought the experience to Columbus by hosting a three-day Black Tech Week Watch Party.

Aventi Enterprises CEO, Deonna Barnett, steps into leadership role supporting the advancement and development of women business owners in Central Ohio.

The updates, unveiled during the company's July 2026 Product Update webinar, represent the latest phase of Aventi's ongoing investment in technology to support businesses seeking sustainable contract growth.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the rulebook that governs how the federal government purchases goods and services, is undergoing its most significant overhaul in decades. The federal government spends more than $750 billion annually on contracts, and the FAR establishes the policies that agencies and contractors follow throughout the procurement process.

More than 100 local business owners, entrepreneurs, and community partners gathered for the Columbus City Schools (CCS) Summer Vendor Outreach Event to learn how to do business with one of Central Ohio's largest school districts.

Aventi's 2026 Supplier Insights Meeting brought together procurement professionals, supplier development leaders, and ecosystem partners to examine the current state of supplier readiness and identify opportunities to strengthen participation in government and corporate contracting.

Many growing businesses approach bidding reactively. They search random databases, rely on broad keyword alerts, or pursue opportunities simply because they are available. The objective is not to win just one contract, but to build a repeatable contract growth pipeline.

The strongest contracting businesses treat bidding like a strategic sales process, not a reactionary scramble. Here's how successful companies are building a smarter contracting pipeline.

Rachel’s Famous had the talent, product quality, and operational drive needed to grow, but like many emerging foodservice businesses, several barriers stood in the way of securing larger contracts.

At this stage, businesses are no longer small enough to operate informally, yet they are not large enough to have dedicated departments focused on business development, proposal management, finance, or operations. This creates significant execution gaps that make government contracting particularly difficult.

The “anti-DEI clause” has begun reshaping how businesses engage with the federal government

In recent months, the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program has undergone one of its most significant shifts in years. Increased scrutiny, enforcement actions, and tighter eligibility requirements have raised concerns among small businesses leading many to ask: Is the program still worth it?

While it does not result in an immediate contract award, an RFI plays a critical role in shaping future opportunities and positioning your business to win them.

Ashequka Lacey, Founder & Owner of Baby Bays Naturals Entrepreneurship often begins with a simple idea: solving a problem that affects everyday life. For the founders of Baby Bays Naturals, that problem was the lack of gentle, chemical-free skincare products designed specifically for infants and young children with sensitive skin. Today, that idea has grown into a promising Columbus-based skincare company that is expanding its reach while making an impact on families and comm

For the second consecutive year, Aventi Enterprises is partnering with EPiC Learning Today to support small business growth through the Smashing Your Sales Goals Velocity Accelerator. The continued collaboration equips entrepreneurs with the skills needed to strengthen their sales performance while expanding their access to government and corporate contracting opportunities.

In contract-driven markets, momentum is rarely lost because of a lack of opportunity. More often, it is lost because of the lack of preparation. As agencies release solicitations and corporations refresh supplier rosters, evaluators are reviewing materials that should clearly communicate capability, credibility, and capacity. When those documents are outdated, even strong companies appear unprepared. Each quarter presents a strategic checkpoint. Rather than waiting for an RFP

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that fundamentally alters the DBE program’s eligibility criteria. The key change removes the longstanding race- and gender-based presumptions previously used to classify individuals as socially and economically disadvantaged. As a result of the IFR, state UCPs are currently instructed to remove DBE participation goals from affected contracts until revisions under new standards are complete.