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  • When – Explain when the discriminatory conduct occurred. Exact dates, if available, are preferred but are not necessary so long as the incident provides a specific time period. This discrimination can be from any period of your life; you do not need to be experiencing current discrimination to qualify.

  • Where – Explain where the discriminatory conduct occurred. The incident must have occurred in American society.

  • Who – Explain who committed the discriminatory action. This could include an individual, a group of individuals, or an institution. Individual names, where available, are preferred but not necessary so long as the incident provides a specific figure or organization.

  • What – Explain the discriminatory conduct.

  • Why – Explain the reason(s) that the conduct was more likely motivated by bias or discrimination than other non-discriminatory reasons. Without additional facts, a mere assertion that the action was the result of bias or discrimination is not enough to support a claim of social disadvantage.

  • How - Explain how each instance of discriminatory conduct impacted your entry into or advancement in the business world. Offensive comments or conduct, while reprehensible, will not support a claim of social disadvantage if there is no negative impact associated with the incident.

4a. Examples of When

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): Spring semester of my second year in college

  • Example 2 (Employment): November 25, 2020

  • Example 3 (Business History): Fall of 2012

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): In college

  • Example 2 (Employment): In my mid-20s

  • Example 3 (Business History): Within the first few years of starting my business

4b. Examples of Where

The following are examples that would provide the level of detailed required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): University of ABC in [City. State]

  • Example 2 (Employment): ABC Corporation in [City, State]

  • Example 3 (Business History): ABC Bank in [City, State]

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): At college

  • Example 2 (Employment): My first job

  • Example 3 (Business History): The bank

 

 4c. Examples of Who

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor, (whose name I do not recall); and Dr. John Doe, the Director the University of ABC School of Health Sciences

  • Example 2 (Employment): Jane Smith, VP for Human Resources, ABC Corporation

  • Example 3 (Business History): ABC Bank’s Senior Loan Officer  

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): My professors

  • Example 2 (Employment): One of the company executives

  • Example 3 (Business History): A bank employee

 4d. Examples of What ​

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): After attending three semesters in the nursing program, I decided to pursue a degree in business. Under university policies, selecting a new major outside the School of Health Sciences would have required approval from my faculty advisor. My faculty advisor declined my request to change my major from nursing to business administration.

  • Example 2 (Employment): I had been working for ABC Corporation for three years when a site manager position became available. I applied but my co-worker, Emily, got the job.

  • Example 3 (Business History): I applied for a $50k business line of credit with ABC Bank. My application was tentatively approved so the bank Senior Loan Officer asked me to come in-person to sign the final application documents. Without explanation, the application was denied the following week based on concerns related to my company’s ability to repay.

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor, Dr. Doe, refused to approve my request to change my major.

  • Example 2 (Employment): I applied for an internal promotion opportunity and didn’t get it.

  • Example 3 (Business History): The bank denied my company’s business line of credit application.

 

 4e. Examples of Why ​

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): I had completed the necessary pre-requisite classes and was otherwise eligible to declare a business administration major. During a meeting with my faculty advisor and Dr. Doe, Dr. Doe explained that I would have more career options as a woman in healthcare. I later learned that several male nursing students in my class were given approval to declare majors outside the School of Health Sciences. For these reasons, I believe my request was denied based on gender bias. 

  • Example 2 (Employment): I requested a debrief with Jane because I had more experience and a higher trade certification than Emily. Jane stated that the company needed someone who could inspect active and/or dangerous jobsites. I reiterated, just as I had during my interview, that I was capable of performing all aspects of the site manager role to include on-site inspections. Emily does not have a physical disability like I do. For these reasons, I believe Emily was selected over me due to unfounded stereotypes associated with my physical disability.

  • Example 3 (Business History): The line of credit was tentatively approved because my business met the minimal revenue and capital requirements for approval. Additionally, I had an excellent credit score of 790. Only after I met the loan officer in person did concerns arise over my ability to repay. A white former colleague, who started a business after I did, applied for the same line of credit with a lower credit score than I had and was successful. For these reasons, I believe my application was denied due to bias toward my race.

 

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor declined my request because he agreed with the Director that I would be better off seeking employment in a predominantly female profession.

  • Example 2 (Employment): It was clear that they saw my physical disability as a limitation and moved on to the next candidate despite demonstrating that I could perform the tasks required for the position.

  • Example 3 (Business History): Plenty of other white business owners were able to obtain lines of credit from ABC Bank. Thus, the bank and its employees must have arbitrarily set higher standards for business owners and borrowers of color.

 4f. Examples of How

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): Because my business major was not approved, I did not graduate with the education and experience necessary for an entry-level career in marketing. I spent the next 5 years completing my marketing degree as a part-time student, which delayed my entry into the marketing field.

  • Example 2 (Employment): Had I received the site manager promotion, I would have earned an additional $20,000 a year. This extra income would have allowed me to accumulate capital faster and start my business three years earlier than I did.

  • Example 3 (Business History): Because my line of credit application was declined, I was not able to purchase an additional truck to increase our company’s capacity. As a result, we bid on but lost a contract opportunity with the municipal government for facilities maintenance.

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required by SBA:

 

  • Example 1 (Education): The treatment towards me was upsetting and I oftentimes think of where I would be today had I not experienced this form of bias.

  • Example 2 (Employment): Being passed over for the promotion was demoralizing. It made me question why I should continue to work so hard if people would not be able to see beyond my disability. For this reason, I did not apply for several other promotion opportunities in the company.

  • Example 3 (Business History): The line of credit would have positioned my company to compete for larger contracts.