About Our Operator

Sharon Higgins is a results-oriented financial professional with demonstrated expertise in financial analysis, commercial financing, and risk management. She has more than fifteen years of commercial lending and underwriting experience with loan financing and with the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 Loan programs. She has made extensive contributions in the implementation and facilitation of several multi-million dollar federal, state, city, and local economic development small business expansion projects. Her experience includes working in various areas of financing, business development, procurement and contracting, reporting, and implementation processes. Sharon is the owner of OLIM Lifestyle Management Consulting LLC, and the Operator of the Brooklyn MBDA Business Center, funded by MBDA-US Department of Commerce.   

Accomplishments

• Created and implemented the strategic plans for the start-up and operations of the MBDA Minority Business Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, operated by South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO). 
• Made significant contributions in writing, submitting, and winning the MBDA, U.S. Department of Commerce grant/award application for the MBDA Minority Business Center in 2016.
• Since 2013, transacted over $4 billion in contracting, bonding, and financing transactions for minority-owned enterprises (MBEs), which impacted approximately 1,400 new jobs and 1,000 in jobs retention. 
• Led a nationally recognized “Top Performing” Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce, Business Development Center.
• Co-founded SoBRO Certified Development Company, Inc. in 2018, established to facilitate community development lending and technical services.
• Successfully developed and implemented strategies to sustain CDFI status of CREDIT Inc. at SoBRO. 
• Presented on the topic of Public Private Partnership (P3s), at the MBDA, U.S. Department of Commerce - 2018 National Training Conference in Philadelphia. 
• Served on the United Nations 68th Civil Society Conference Workshop Committee at the United Nations.
• Presented on the global platform at the United Nations 68th Civil Society Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah in August 2019, on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030: “ Economic Development”
• Served as a subject-matter panelist, Civil Society, United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65) Series Women and Girls: “Resilience and Strength for Gender Equality.”

Sharon is also a CDC Certified Lifestyle Coach, and a member of the National Associated Builders and Owners (NABO). She serves on the Board of Directors for the MARC Academy & Family Center (an early childhood educational organization).

She is also an experienced higher education administration professional, with a background in academic advising at graduate level. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree, Master of Science in Higher Education Administration degree, Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and an Associate Applied Science degree.