Women entrepreneurs typically have to balance community and
family service while maintaining their savviness as a businesswoman. To provide
support and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the Atlanta
area, Dr. Roshawnna Novellus recently launched the inaugural EnrichHER Business
Conference that engaged more than 250 participants.
“The main objective of the EnrichHER Conference was to bring
together women-led businesses from a variety of industries so that they could
obtain access to resources, education, inspiration and access to capital,” says
Dr. Novellus. “We highlighted women in technology, civic engagement, arts and entertainment
because women in different sectors often doing receive the same type of
resources.”
Held at Atlanta Tech Village, EnrichHER was co-hosted by the
City of Atlanta. One of the key goals is to create the space to empower women
entrepreneurs and plug them into a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem that
will yield business results. At EnrichHER, six women-led businesses participated
in a business pitch competition. The winner, Lalanya Abner of ImaginationBeyond Boundaries, was awarded $5,000 in funding.
“A business challenge unique to women being taken seriously, which perpetuates lack of confidence,” says Dr. Novellus. “EnrichHER gave six incredibly talented women a platform to confidently communicate their entrepreneurial passion to an audience of over 250 people. They received feedback and ideas from three subject matter experts and gained potential investors and supporters who believe in their vision.”
The event brought together women power players in Atlanta’s
business community, including Lisa Nicole Cloud, CEO of Elite Marketing
Strategies and star of BRAVO TV's “Married to Medicine,” who served as keynote
speaker. Rashan Ali, multi-media personality, was the master of ceremony. EnrichHER
speakers and panelists included Abigail Trembel, president of Randstad;
Kimberly Blackwell, advisor for PMM & NBWC; Susan Oh, managing partner of
Telemundo; Veronica Maldonado-Torres, program director for Georgia Protege
Project; Genevieve Bos, managing partner of Thought Capital.
Judges for the business pitch competition included: Grace
Fricks, president of Access to Capital For Entrepreneurs; Theia Washington,
executive director of Atlanta's Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative; and Dina Marto,
founder of Twelve Studios.
“We were able to have women starting in their
entrepreneurial journey connect to seasoned women entrepreneurs, who shared
their trials and triumphs,” says Dr. Novellus. “Also, networking to build
potential investors, suppliers, strategic partners creates an invaluable space
for those breaking into entrepreneurship.”
On the heels of the
successful inaugural event, Dr. Novellus is excited for the next phase of
providing much-needed support and resources for women entrepreneurs in the
Atlanta-metro area. She is preparing to launch a women-led business accelerator
program, which will be paired with an alternative funding platform so that
businesses have the startup capital necessary to launch their business.
EnrichHER welcomes partners who able to contribute monetary
donations, mentorship, planning and organization skills, please email hello@enrichher.com. Also continue the
conversation on social media with @RoshawnnaNovellus and follow the hashtag
#EnrichHER.