The 24th annual Great Lakes Women’s Business Conference is being held this week in Novi.

Great Lakes Women’s Business Council Director Michelle Richards says the organization offers women the tools necessary to be successful. It’s been doing so for 40 years.

“We do direct financing, we provide business training and counseling, we provide mentorship, and we certify women-owned businesses so that they can do business with major corporations and also certify them to do business with the federal government,” Richards said.

Richards says women are starting businesses at three times the rate of men now, but problems continue to be access to capital and other resources.

More than 900 women are attending the conference, the largest women’s business conference in the Midwest.