ASPIRE Chronicles: August 24th

The ASPIRE Chronicles is a biweekly series bringing you the latest updates from ASPIRE Community Capital’s team as we share our impact and engagement in Charlotte’s small business community.

Check out what the ASPIRE team has been up to the last few weeks!

Manuel Campbell & Wesley Head visit the new Washroom Laundry facility owned by Saichelle McNeill. 

Saichelle McNeill is the Owner and CEO of Washroom Laundry.  She’s a successful entrepreneur and a results-driven, self-motivated goal-oriented professional with more than 12 years of progressive experience in improving product health through leading teams that are focused on identifying and resolving problems associated with process efficiency, product quality and equipment reliability.

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The ASPIRE team attended the Power 98 Block Party!

Check out photos from the Power 98 Block Party Finale at Johnson C. Smith University! ASPIRE was delighted to sponsor a table at the great event, where we connected with NoLimit Larry, the Power98 Morning Show, Jessica Williams and Ricki Mitchell. The event also had great live performances from Trap Beckham, Juiicy 2xs, SoCandy, NX2, Kash Kyla, Jewels and Chinese Kitty!

ASPIRE’s CDFI Sub. committee met with Amol & Evan from Wake Forest University to conduct a study on CDFI featuring ASPIRE.

ASPIRE team and Board Members Laszlo Balassy, Ed Timberlake, Marcus Smith, Adam Holtzschue and Steven Cohen were joined by Amol Joshi and Evan Eugene from a Wake Forest University study. Evan and Amol are engaged in an academic research project on CDFIs, which will include ASPIRE Community Capital. Evan Eugene is Data Analytics Consultant, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Energy Policy Researcher, Teaching Assistant Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Amol Joshi is Bern Beatty Fellow and Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Wake Forest University School of Business.

Did you know that ASPIRE has the ability to provide micro-loans of up to $25,000 to small business owners through our MicroLoan program, Access to Capital? To address the needs for micro-lending services in our community, ASPIRE has received a $125,000 Technical Assistance Grant from CDFI Fund for our Micro-loans, as we move towards full CDFI status. Learn more about Access to Capital on our website, here.

Manuel Campbell at the YWCA’s Discussion on The 1619 Project Docuseries.

Manuel Campbell attended the another great session of The 1619 Project Docuseries and Discussion hosted by the YWCA of the Central Carolinas! Everyone was so grateful to all who came out to last Thursday’s session, and for the candid conversations around race, bias and their implications within maternal health that took place in the space. The event was attended by special guests Shavette Campbell, Tchernavia R. Montgomery and Dr. Stefanie Etienne, who help3e to facilitate these important discussions.

ASPIRE Team meets with City Council Member James Mitchell and Todd Collins, CEO of Red Hill Ventures, and other community leaders to discuss the plight of small businesses in the Eastside and University Center Corridor.

ASPIRE team attends the NAACP Minority Women Small Business Workshop.

Charlotte Mecklenburg NAACP Women in the NAACP presented Minority Women Small Business Workshop, a community talk discussing the steps to starting a small business, marketing strategies, funding, and networking. The ASPIRE team was grateful to attend, meet aspiring small business owners, and share what we know from our experience in small business learning.

ASPIRE attends the Women’s Innovator’s Circle hosted by Innovator’s Circle. 

Nate Robert Eze (cofounder of Innovators Circle Internal), Jordan Moorhead (team member of Innovators Circle Internal)

ASPIRE was delighted to attend the Women’s Innovator’s Circle hosted by Innovator’s Circle, a monthly entrepreneur’s accountability group so that you can take action in achieving your business’ success. Manuel was joined by Nate Robert Eze, the cofounder of Innovators Circle Internal, and Jordan Moorhead, a team member of Innovators Circle Internal.

ASPIRE Community Capital specializes in business training and access to capital resources that empower underestimated entrepreneurs. Our strategic wrap-around services include: Business Readiness Program, Community Business Academy, Business Accelerator Services and Access to Capital. Join us today in CHANGING THE WORLD one business at a time.