Ephrem reduces food waste and produces sustainable snacks made from authentic Brooklyn bagels. His delicious bagel chips are handcrafted in small batches daily, ensuring they are always fresh and of high quality. Ephrem decided to begin producing bagel chips after seeing the high levels of waste in the bagel industry during his earlier career. Ephrem focuses on making his authentic and sustainable bagel chips available nationwide.
Gift is the owner of a small business consultancy, helping individuals looking to advance their career and business owners looking to improve their businesses and build connections. She offers consulting services at different rates and gives clients custom-tailored services depending on their needs and goals.
Zulema and Andris are an entrepreneurial married couple running their own transport and logistics business in New Jersey. Priding themselves on being woman/POC-owned and operated, Zulema and Andris's ideal clients are other minority-owned small businesses. By working directly with these businesses, they strive to develop long-lasting relationships with their clients and give their customers a more affordable price point. Through their business, Zulema and Andris aspire to create financial freedom and generational wealth for their family.
Santiago is a Mexican-born entrepreneur who operates a flower/gift shop with his family in California. Since 2015, Santiago and his family have been committed to providing their community with quality fresh flowers and exceptional customer services. Their mission has always been to serve as the go-to source for all of their clients’ floral needs and related services. Santiago is committed to providing beautiful flowers all year long to his community. (Please note: This entrepreneur prefers to communicate in Spanish.)
Ivy makes and sells tropical fruit-infused teas, highlighting Caribbean and Latin American flavors. Growing up in both Ghana and the South Bronx in a predominantly immigrant community, Ivy often listened as diverse members of her community reminisced about tropical fruit teas they enjoyed back home. She knew and loved those teas herself but with nothing available in local markets, she set out to make them herself. Ivy is currently making all of the products on her own at a shared space in the Bronx and supplies to a few mom-and-pop stores in the area.
Johanna and her family came to the US as refugees in the late 1980s She understands the immigrant experience, can easily relate to clients and connect. Johanna has been working as a professional interpreter since 2011 in the fields of mental health, medicine, and the law, including workers compensation and immigration. She delivers great customer service.
Carine comes from a longstanding family tradition of providing doula services, and ultimately decided to launch her own business providing birthing services, as well as postpartum and lactation support. She meets families where they are, and provides guidance through the most challenging parts of the learning curve, offering overnight support and customized birthing plans which take into account cultural needs as well.
With over 15 years of experience in knitting, Jaynell transformed her long-time hobby into a business selling heirloom-quality, colorful and unique knitted fashion garments. Jaynell began creating pieces to sell during the pandemic, and was met by immense interest in her products, inspiring her to commit to her passion full time. The pieces she creates are of the utmost quality and intended to last a lifetime, making the perfect gift or addition to one’s wardrobe.
Edgar is the owner of a tax preparation service in San Jose. Edgar's children and leaving a legacy for them is what propelled him to start this business. Originally from Mexico, Edgar understands the value of having economic stability as well as upward mobility across generations. Edgar's business is uniquely positioned in that he provides tax preparation services to individuals just like him, where he hopes to explain the importance of tax preparation to individuals who may not understand.
Julissa is a licensed clinical social worker who aims to support people live the best version of their lives in an authentic and unapologetic way by looking at past experiences and traumas and understanding the limiting beliefs that get in the way of their greatest potential while learning to develop more compassion and love for what is. Julissa is passionate about bringing this mental health support and innovative approach to healing to communities of color, and she hopes to grow her team and further develop healing retreats as part of her business.