The 2024 Southside Cohort of Start:ME recently kicked off 14 weeks of intensive learning – with 19 small business owners and entrepreneurs along for the ride!
Start:ME is a free small business training program that connects local entrepreneurs to business know-how, supportive networks, and grants capital for participants to build and grow successful businesses. It’s our honor to offer it on the Southside in partnership with Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and Emory Goizueta Business School.
Nurturing small, local businesses has never been more important as we work to reweave the fabric of neighborhoods so that they become places of opportunity, access, and belonging. Local businesses play a vital role! Research shows that about sixty-seven cents of every dollar spent on a small, local business will stay in the community. This circulation of funds often goes on to draw in more neighbors, businesses, and investment.
The Southside cohort will strengthen the economic landscape of our neighborhood while providing a wide array of amenities! This dynamic group from the Southside is offering everything from culinary services to innovation in education. Access to services like these helps restore access to businesses tailored to the neighborhoods’ desires.
Our neighbors, board members, and staff have cheerfully joined Start:ME as mentors, cohort members, and alumni speakers. You can join in, too! Support one of our neighbors’ businesses by checking out the Start:ME shopping guide.
There’s also a variety of opportunities where you can cheer on these entrepreneurs! Here are some key dates of some of the events Start:ME is hosting:
- Neighborhood Feedback Night – Virtual – Thu 3/7 from 6:15-8:00PM
This is an opportunity to engage with and provide constructive feedback to microbusiness owners in this community.
RSVP link to register (and share)
- Small Business Resources Fair – In-Person in East Lake – Tue 3/26 from 6:30-8:30 PM
This is a networking event connecting organizations that support small and micro businesses with entrepreneurs enrolled in Start:ME and partner organizations, we welcome recommendations of other local small business resources and/or accelerator/incubator programs to engage. RSVP link to register
- Graduation Celebration – In-Person at Emory – Thu 5/16
More details to come!
Seeing our neighbors’ dreams take off always brings us great joy and pride! It’s economic development for the community, by the community at its best. Your support paves the way for us to partner with high-impact programs like Start:ME.
