Introducing ELEVATE’s Inaugural Class!

Last week, ELEVATE, CNHED’s executive leadership curriculum for minority small businesses (MBEs) in D.C. officially launched with a kick-off event and student orientation. ELEVATE, which stands for Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs, aims to provide best-in-class training to MBEs located in DC to acquire new skills that will allow them to more effectively and efficiently manage their business’ products and services and increase revenue and employment.

ELEVATE will convene every other week on Saturdays through May 2021. The curriculum, developed by the George Washington University School of Business Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE) and led by faculty members, will prepare the MBEs to more effectively and efficiently manage their business’ products and services while increasing revenue and employment.

Upon completion of the curriculum, ELEVATE students will be able to:

1. Succinctly and critically analyze and evaluate various business opportunities
2. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset to help create a digital corporate strategy
3. Comprehend the complex roles of entrepreneurship, leadership, and management throughout the development of organizational strategies
4. Recognize new opportunities for introducing innovation in wide-ranging organizational settings
5. Develop a strategy for contracting and procurement with anchor institutions and corporations
6. Understand various financial valuations of their firm

ELEVATE Inaugural Class

	Participant	Business Name	Business Overview
	Genell Anderson	AMAR Group, LLC	AMAR Group LLC, a professional architecture design firm in the Greater Washington prides itself on finding affordable solutions on its projects ranging from designing residential homes to larger commercial projects.
	Madia Brown	Brandire	Brandire is a creative marketing studio based in Washington, DC that helps federal, state, and local government agencies communicate their message to the public in ways that support their goals.
	Chadwick Charles	Chad O’L Public Relations & Events, LLC	Chad O’L Public Relations & Events, LLC offers its clients a bundled approach with marketing, advertising, and branding included to maximize exposure and minimize costs.
	Robyn Holden	Emergency 911 Security	Robyn Holden, the founder of a women- and minority- owned company in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Emergency 911 Security offers service and supply in the areas of homeland security, medical, uniform, safety/industrial and recreation.
	Howard James	FASTSIGNS of Washington DC	FASTSIGNS® of Washington, DC is a locally and independently owned and operated sign, graphics and visual communications company that provides comprehensive visual marketing solutions to customers of all sizes and across all industries.
	Tyrone Jones	Prospectus Enterprises, Inc.	Prospectus Enterprises, Inc. specializes in supplying office, janitorial, and industrial supplies to businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
	Shinar Little	FogHill, Inc	FogHill Inc. is a full-service, facility maintenance company based in Washington, D.C focusing solely on commercial facilities and multi-family residential buildings, offering and array of services including: janitorial management and facility maintenance management.
	James (Jimi) Page	Page Global	James Page is the founder and CEO started Page After Page Business Systems Inc. in 1991 with just two employees in Washington, DC, focusing primarily on copiers and fax machines.  Over 27 years later, Page expanded the firm’s capabilities to include IT services, cyber security, and office automation.
	Sammi Nesbit	Momentum Health Development	Sammi is the CEO of a growing Tech Start-up based in Washington DC, with a presence in the southern United States. Momentum Health Development focuses on developing communities of color by creating innovative technology to eliminate hunger and homelessness for Youth of Color. Momentum Health Development exciting technology is based on meal-delivery apps such as UberEats, Grubhub, and Doordash.
	Pinkey  Reddick	Pinkes Eats LLC	Pinkey Eats LLC is a family-owned and run business providing catering, food delivery, and food services that offer healthy alternatives to traditional cuisines by integrating fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices into trending menu options that range from vegetarian to comfort and soul food.
	Evelyn Rodriquez	The Aquiline Group	The Aquiline Group is a full-service marketing and communications firm in Washington, DC with experience in health, education, and youth marketing; multicultural marketing; strategic communication; social marketing; community outreach; public relations; emergency management and many other areas.
	James Simpson	Continental Construction, Inc.	With over three decades of experience, Continental Construction, Inc. is a firmly established leading contractor in Washington, DC by providing a wide range of pre-construction and construction management services.
	Marcia  St. Hilaire-Finn	Bright Start Early Care & Preschool	Started as a home base daycare business in 2002, Bright Start Early Care & Preschool, an accredited program by the National Accreditation Commission (NAC), flourished into an inclusive, and diverse bilingual early care and learning center.
	Ricardo Villalba	Washington Digital Media LLC	Washington Digital Media was founded with the vision of becoming a movie production company in Washington DC. Over the course of a decade, Washington Digital Media evolved into a creative agency for many non-profits, businesses, and government organizations, helping amplify their voice through the power of storytelling and digital media.
	Marcus Williams	MW Consulting, LLC	Established in Ward 7 of Washington, DC, MW Consulting, LLC is a full-service boutique communications and Information Technology (IT) consulting firm supporting clients with creative services, digital strategy, media relations, public relations and strategic planning.