Jumpstart Your Small Business TODAY!!!!

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The WEI is excited to launch our 3rd Cohort of The WEI Incubator—a think tank style program designed to create peer-to-peer mentoring, small business development, a community of entrepreneurial support, and in-the-classroom training with today’s diverse woman entrepreneur in mind. We’re committed to providing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) women entrepreneurs access to meaningful networks, business training/coaching, business plan design, marketing/branding, product development/placement, and financial planning.  

The WEI Small Business Incubator is a six-month immersion program.  We meet bi-weekly on Thursdays (2 times per month) for 6 months (12 meetings) (5:30pm-8:30pm), followed by 6 months of networking and programming. Participants must attend all classes and participate in networking and peer-to-peer learning to maximize your program experience.   

To apply for membership in the Spring 2024 WEI Incubator you must be:

1. A woman owned company or a woman who owns more than 70% of the company; 

2. A woman of color; 

3. The founder, co-founder, owner or co-owner of your company;

4. A legally formed entity or desiring to form a legal entity (LLC, Corp, Enterprise, 501c3); and

5. Currently generating less than $250K annually in revenue

From barriers in education to a gender based pay gap that widens with race, women of color are significantly underrepresented in America's economic landscape.  That reality has become even more apparent with the onset of COVID-19.  

Despite their levels of education, BIPOC women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, starting businesses at six times the national average, with many earning less than $28,000 annually.  Wage differentials amongst African American, Latin, and Native American women persist across every level of education. In other words, education is not a conduit to fair pay.” Nor is it a conduit to equal access to capital or opportunity for women entrepreneurs. 

In addition to policy, advocacy and technical assistance, the WEI offers a one year-long and one six-month long mentoring program providing personal and leadership development training to cultivate, inspire, and empower BIPOC women entrepreneurs and girls ages 12-24.  The WEI also provides technical assistance and office sublet arrangements for women entrepreneurs.   

According to Black Enterprise, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the nation, starting businesses at six times the national average. However, access to capital, influential networks, mentoring and ancillary business, legal, and financial services are daunting challenges facing Black women entrepreneurs. The WEI is designed to encourage policy and a solutions-based approach to economic development training for women professionals and entrepreneurs of color. 

Join The Women's Economic Institute for our 2023 Spring YWMI Program.  6 weeks of amazing programming designed with young BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) women and girls in mind (ages 14-24). Are you looking for technical skills, job readiness, peer-to-peer learning, and mentoring? What about building meaningful relationships and having real dialogue about the issues that matter most to you? Well join us at The WEI and be a part of the Mentoring Initiative.   All programming to be held at 109 Otisco Street, 2nd Flr, Syracuse, NY 13204.  Call 315-551-2500 and register today.