About The Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre
Mission
The SBA Designated Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre empowers entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale successful businesses by providing expert guidance, practical education, access to potential capital, and strategic connections. We are committed to strengthening our regional economy by increasing new business starts, supporting job creation, and expanding pathways to financial independence for individuals across Hillsborough, Hernando, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, and Manatee counties.
Vision
We envision a thriving Tampa Bay region where entrepreneurs are confident, well-resourced, and positioned as powerful drivers of economic growth and community impact. Through innovation, collaboration, and measurable results, we strive to be the leading catalyst for business success in West Central Florida.
Values
- Empowerment – We equip individuals with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to lead boldly and build sustainable businesses.
- Integrity – We operate with transparency, accountability, and ethical stewardship of the resources entrusted to us.
- Access – We champion inclusive access to potential capital, education, and opportunity for all entrepreneurs.
- Excellence – We deliver high-quality programming, coaching, and support grounded in expertise and measurable outcomes.
- Collaboration – We build strong partnerships with the SBA, community organizations, financial institutions, and educational institutions to expand opportunity.
- Impact – We focus on results: new business creation, job growth, revenue expansion, and long-term economic mobility.
Encouragement & Community – We foster a supportive, positive environment where business owners connect, learn, and thrive together.
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Our Impact
Since 2013, the TBWBC has served more than 8,000 clients. We helped over 300 entrepreneurs start a new business, created over 425 new jobs and helped over 350 entrepreneurs access financial capital to expand their business ventures.
Hours of Operation
We are open Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm. Evening and weekend appointments are also available with advance notice.
*** Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Please contact the Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre for more information: tbwbc@thecentre.org or (813) 251-8437.
Location
Our office is located in Tampa, FL which enables us to provide services to entrepreneurs in Hillsborough, Hernando, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco and Manatee counties.
The Tampa Bay Women’s Centre
Tampa Office
@ The Centre for Women
305 S. Hyde Park Ave.
Tampa, FL 33606
813-251-8437
tbwbc@thecentre.org
Accessibility Policy
All Tampa Bay WBC programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.
Meet Our Staff
Meet
DR. KIMBERLY RANKIN
Director, Women’s Business Centre
Dr. Kimberly Rankin is an accomplished entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Civilian Success Pathways, a training and consulting firm dedicated to empowering veterans and working adults through career transition programs, leadership development workshops, and skills-based coaching.
Her entrepreneurial mindset is matched by deep experience in organizational transformation. Most recently, Dr. Rankin served in a senior leadership role with a federal government contractor, where she was selected to restructure and lead a national IT training division supporting a large government agency.
In addition to leading her own company, Dr. Rankin has spent more than two decades as a professor and global business advisor, teaching entrepreneurship, management, and business strategy at universities nationwide. She has helped design curricula and training systems that support startups, public institutions, and private organizations, reinforcing her passion for developing confident, capable leaders.
Dr. Rankin holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, magna cum laude, from California Southern University, an MBA from the University of Redlands, and a B.A. in Organizational Leadership from Vanguard University. She is also the author of published work on hiring women in STEM environments and holds multiple certifications in agile project management, systems engineering, and leadership.
Meet
MARISOL ADKINS
Program Assistant
Marisol Adkins is the Program Assistant for the Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre, bringing more than 20 years of experience across finance, human resources, accounting, and executive administration. Her diverse background allows her to support programs, clients, and leadership with a strong understanding of both operational and administrative excellence.
Marisol began her career in accounts payable, where she spent over 13 years building a solid foundation in financial processes and organizational systems. She later transitioned into human resources and benefits administration, overseeing new hire onboarding, supporting executive leadership, and training administrative staff on SAP systems.
She continued her professional growth as an Executive Administrator to a Chief Financial Officer, working directly with C-suite leaders and Boards of Directors within a large organization. This role strengthened her expertise in executive coordination, confidential communications, and high-level operational support.
In addition to her corporate experience, Marisol is also an entrepreneur and former small business owner, having launched her own business as an independent sewing pattern designer. She holds an Associate of Science in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship from Hillsborough Community College and brings both professional and entrepreneurial insight to her role supporting women entrepreneurs across the Tampa Bay region.
Tampa Bay WBC is funded in part by a cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration. As with all of our programs at our host organization, The Centre for Women, we do not discriminate based on race or gender and our services are available to all.