Top Row, from Left: Starshemah Duncan, Velma Harris, Ty Allen, Curtis Brown, Nicole Hudson (IEE Director of Strategic Connections and Opportunities); Middle Row, from Left: Shanna Cochran, Rae Coleman, Kim Flurry, Vernon Chatman, Bob Stein (IEE Executive Director); Front Row, from Left: Rhonda Carson Leach (IEE Senior Program Director), Felicia Mull, Venasia Settles, Cherlyn Johnson.
The IEE’s Urban & Community Entrepreneurship Program (UCEP) graduated its 21st cohort of the Community Power to Prosper program on Wednesday, December 4 with a ceremony at the University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center in Homewood.
The program covered key topics integral to managing and growing a business such as financial analysis, human resources, marketing, legalities of small business management, business strategy, and more. The graduates of this year’s program are:
- Ty Allen, Ty Allen LLC
- Curtis Brown, Jireh Business Development
- Vernon Chaman, Chef Code Catering LLC
- Shanna Cochran, Salon SC
- Rae Coleman, Enhanced Creativity
- Starshemah Duncan, For My Good Counseling Services LLC
- Kim Flurry, AKLW Bone Broth
- Armando Gonzalez, Papelon Bistro
- Timiaya Griffin, The Dippn Pot
- Velma Harris, Velma’s Vittles
- Cherlyn Johnson, Spoiled Beauty
- Brianna McCoy, McCoy’s Learning Center
- Felicia Mull, Arlo’s Wicks
- Leonardo Peña, Papelon Bistro
- Venasia Settles, Hands in Reach LLC
At the ceremony, Tamara Bey, owner of ERG Financial Solutions and the ceremony’s keynote speaker, shared insights as a CP2P Alum, reflecting on the benefits she gained from the program. The graduates each delivered a presentation about their businesses detailing the value proposition and offerings their businesses provide for their Pittsburgh-based communities. They also spoke about the ways they’ve grown and benefited from participating in the Community Power to Prosper program.
Starshemah Duncan, Owner of For My Good Counseling Services, LLC reflected on what she gained from the program.
Kim Flurry, CEO of AKLW Bone Broth, LLC shared her next steps for staying engaged in her business development.
Rae Coleman, Owner of Enhanced Creativity shared how meaningful it was to receive professional support through the program’s sponsor resources.
The Community Power to Prosper program comes at no cost to the program’s participants and is funded through generous sponsorship from PNC Foundation, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott, J.P. Morgan Chase, Huntington Bank, UPMC, and Wilke & Associates CPAs.
More information about UCEP and the Community Power to Prosper program can be found at entrepreneur.pitt.edu/cp2p.