Humble beginnings often make the more endearing and lasting opportunities.
One such beginning that I had a chance to witness the heartfelt pride and sense of accomplishment from five individuals who are starting their own businesses based on a dream and encouragement from an organization seeking to inject economic stability in low-income areas of St. Louis city. These five people have a chance to do something that seems impossible.
Below is the beginning story I wrote about "Parents As Entrepreneurs."
The first students of the Parents As Entrepreneurs program enthusiastically talked about their dreams, aspirations and business plans during a well attended graduation ceremony April 28 at Clay School. The entrepreneur program is presented by Center for Acceleration of African American Business (CAAAB).
With family and friends looking on, and after eight weeks of two-day-a week “basic training,” the graduates proudly received certificates of achievement for their participation is phase 1 of the program.
Graduate Darniece Harris-Stallworth, who, after years of braiding hair in other shops and from her home is launching “Lavish,” her very own African braid shop. Harris-Stallworth described the entrepreneurial program as “so inspiring and fulfilling to the heart.”
“I was so encouraged by someone telling me that I could do it, and really mean it,” she said. “We were told to 'take the first step' – that's what we learned and we're doing just that.”
The entrepreneur program is the brainchild of the CAAAB, in collaboration with Clay School and the Epsilon Lambda Charitable Foundation, which was one of seven North St. Louis community-based collaborations awarded $5,000 in start-up grants for projects by the Incarnate Word Foundation. The funding is part of the foundation's push to encourage entrepreneurship as a way to spark economic development, growth and sustainability in distressed areas of the city.
The specific goal of Parents As Entrepreneurs program is to train and help parents/guardians of children attending Clay Elementary School in Hyde Park neighborhood of North St. Louis start and operate their own business. The outcome hoped from this program is economic independence for these families that will transcend into further social and academic growth for their children.
Margaret Smetana, program associate with the Incarnate Word Foundation, said CAAAB's Parents As Entrepreneurs program is a vivid demonstration of how “innovative ideas” can motivate North St. Louis residents to have a say in economic development in their neighborhoods.
“This is about community empowerment – people doing what they want to do and living out their own lives in a positive and productive way,” Smetana said.
Phase II of the Parents As Entrepreneurs program will be more detailed and is scheduled to commence in June. CAAAB, founded in 2006, is a non-profit civic organization established to support the growth and development of businesses owned by African Americans. The center’s goal is also to use entrepreneurship as a tool for fostering economic independence among at risk and impoverished populations.
CAAAB provides, among other operatives: one-on-one technical assistance; training and workshops in areas key for business growth and sustainability, partnership with schools and grass root organizations to foster social and economic development; and relationships with local corporations, faith based organizations and financial institutions to develop mentoring programs.
CAAAB's president and executive director, Eddie Davis, said the students showed attentiveness and dedication in each of the sessions.
“They all were faithful in their weekly attendance,” Davis said. “This is not the end, but the beginning.”
Most importantly, the children engaged in meaningful activities with the help of tutors and volunteers while their parents were in class. This arrangement was a deliberate effort on the part of the program design to harness positive outlook among children.
The other graduates of the inaugural Parents As Entrepreneur program are:
Pamela McLucas - Hope Tutors, a tutoring service for pre-kindergarten through grade 12, focusing on phonics, reading and math.
Mark and Betty Davis - Betty-MACC, a seasonal barbeque stand currently operating under a tent at Cass and Grand. Plans call a full-fledged restaurant at the same location that will also serve as a hub for community/youth development and networking location for general contractors.
Amanda Thomson – Amanda Childcare, for ages 6 week through 12 years old. The childcare will offer safe and loving care with lots of learning activities.
Marcia Johnson – Hair Care by Mickey, a hair salon focusing on cancer patients, specializing in wigs that match the styles that clients had before losing their hair to cancer treatments.
Mark Davis of Betty-MACC, said the Parents As Entrepreneurs training is giving he and his wife vital aspects of operating a business that they didn't know. The Davis' started their business selling hotdogs at their son's baseball game and evolved into them expanding the menu as clientele grew to a traveling van “with a bell like the bomb-pop man.”
“We have received the confidence to stand firm to be entrepreneurs,” said Davis. “We are receiving priceless information that will help us as we go along.”
Hair Care by Mickey came about after Amanda Thomson's mother lost her hair due to cancer treatments. The wig line, called “No Shame” will allow cancer patients to “express themselves and their styling desires freely without shame.”
“I have an inner motivation to do this,” she said.
For additional information on Parents As Entrepreneurs, call 314.533.2411 x109 or visit www.caaab.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment