Presentation to Southside Entrepreneurs at Community Grounds in 2019. Photo courtesy of Start:ME.
A new year calls for new beginnings, and Start:ME is answering with its 2022 Southside Cohort launch! This new group of entrepreneurs, including about a dozen from the Southside, have just begun their virtual 14-week program. They’re tackling the fundamentals of goal-setting, business planning, and networking. It will be an exhilarating few weeks, even as the program rolls out in a hybrid format.
Nurturing small, local businesses has never been more important as we continue to build resilience and unlock opportunity in Historic South Atlanta. Research shows that about sixty-seven cents of every dollar spent on a small, local business will stay in the community, building wealth and unlocking more opportunities in employment.
The Southside cohort will strengthen the economic landscape of our neighborhood while providing a wide array of amenities! This dynamic group from the Southside is offering everything from culinary services to innovation in education. We know our neighbors will love these services and goods.
Start:ME’s impact speaks for itself: it has served over 300 small businesses, and 82% of them have people of color at the helm, with 72% led by women. From the beginning, Start:ME businesses have created 500 jobs and have generated over $10.4 million in annual revenue. These community entrepreneurs are creating jobs, strengthening the local economy, and serving their neighbors.
Our neighbors, board members, and staff have cheerfully joined Start:ME as mentors, cohort members, and alumni speakers. You can join in, too! Support one of our neighbors’ businesses by checking out the Start:ME shopping guide.
We are proud to partner with the Emory Goizueta School of Business and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta to add vitality and fuel to their visions. Seeing our neighbors’ dreams take off always brings us great joy and pride! It’s economic development for the community, by the community at its best. Your support paves the way for us to partner with high-impact programs like Start:ME.
