BOSS Announce 35 Awardees of the 2022 Sage Grant
Sage and The BOSS Network announce 35 awardees of the
2022 Sage Invest in Progress grants
Program awards black women entrepreneurs across the U.S.
$10K in funding and yearlong mentorship
ATLANTA (March 31, 2022) – Cameka Smith, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of The BOSS Network, an online community of professional and entrepreneurial women, announced the 35 awardees of the 2022 Sage Invest in Progress grants to support black women entrepreneurs in their first five years of business.
The Sage Invest in Progress grant is a three-year, $1.5 million commitment by Sage (via the Sage Foundation) to support the newly announced BOSS Impact Fund, which is focused on investing in black women-led businesses and preparing entrepreneurs to build scalable, growth aggressive companies. The goal of the BOSS Impact Fund is to raise investment funding for 500+ black women entrepreneurs over the next three years.
Initially scoped to award 25 grants, the overwhelming response of more than 12,500 applicants nationwide encouraged Sage and The BOSS Network to expand the program with 10 additional grants in the Sage Invest in Progress program. These 35 awardees represent entrepreneurs from around the country and in various industries, including Beauty & Self-Care, Consumer Goods, Professional Services, Healthcare/Wellness, and Food and Beverage.
As part of the BOSS Impact Fund, the Sage Invest in Progress grant includes a 12-month program of entrepreneurial mentorship and education focused on knocking down barriers to business success and guiding these businesswomen to reach their full potential.
Each Sage Invest in Progress grant awardee receives:
·
$10,000 USD in
funding
·
Quarterly business
training courses through BOSS University sponsored by Sage, focusing on Marketing,
Finance, Customer Service, and Business Strategy
·
Access to The BOSS
Network online community
· Complimentary Sage Business Cloud Accounting software
“This is such an outstanding moment for The BOSS Network,” said Cameka Smith, Founder and CEO of The BOSS Network. “The launch of our first BOSS Impact Fund, as well as our incredible partnership with Sage, are not only a testament to the strength of The BOSS Network brand, but also the power of our community of entrepreneurs and business owners. We are ecstatic for the 35 awardees and look forward to guiding them on their road to success.”
“We are surprised by the overwhelming response to our inaugural Invest in Progress grant. It’s apparent there is immense need to remove the capital investment barrier for black businesswomen,” said Aziz Benmalek, interim president, Sage North America. “Sage is committed to supporting these women and continuing to invest in underrepresented communities for an equitable future.”
Invest in Progress Grant Awardees
Here is a listing of the 35 initial Invest in Progress
grant awardees, including their business and location:
·
Josie Santiago, Akili Well, based in Emeryville, CA
·
Iris Hoses, Festively, based in Hacienda Heights, CA
·
Tracey-Renee Hubbard,
Scotchbonnet!, based in Hayward, CA
·
Briantria Smocks, Levi&Toonk, based in Lakewood, CA
·
Aaliyah Nitoto, Free Range
Flower Winery, based in Livermore,
CA
·
Diondraya Taylor, Mindset &
Milestones, based in Los
Angeles, CA
·
La’Dayshia Hunt, Divinity Remedy, based in San Francisco, CA
·
Lydia-Carlie Tilus, SageFemme
Wellness, based in San Mateo,
CA
·
Kevnesha Boyd, Quality
Counseling, based in Hamden, CT
·
Naomi Dubissette, Urbanoire, based in Norwalk, CT
·
Janese Laster, Gut Theory Total
Digestive Care, based in Washington,
D.C.
·
Brianna Ross, Brown Rose
Essentials, based in Apopka, FL
·
Courtney Gavin, Xelda Company, based in Boca Raton, FL
·
Monique
Caradine-Kitchens, OverFlow Enterprises, based in Atlanta, GA
·
Beverly Iseghohi, SBR4Life, based in Atlanta, GA
·
Jaquacer Middlebrooks,
box it UP
designs, based in Conyers, GA
·
Dianna King, Eat UNrestricted, based in Lithonia, GA
·
Ja'Nique Blocker, Sconnet, based in Marietta, GA
·
Marnetia Amaning, Sincerely Tied, based in Snellville, GA
·
Janeen Harrell i, iJ DESIGN STUDIO, based in Chicago, IL
·
Yewande Odusanwo, Zora
Digital, based in Chicago, IL
·
Shanika Valcour-LeDuff,
Labor
and Love, based in New
Orleans, LA
·
Natasha
Brown-Wainwright, B'More
Made with Pride, based in Baltimore,
MD
·
Jessica Austin, Creative
Carvings, based in Grand
Rapids, MI
·
Mashell Lawson, Soul Stretch
Yoga & Wellness, based in Warren, MI
·
Nijalon
Jackson-Causey, Afredanz
Dance Center, based in Moss Point,
MS
·
Kiera Gardner, Blend of Soul, based in Chapel Hill, NC
·
Nancey Harris, Vontelle, based in Brooklyn, NY
·
Samantha Sinclair, Pathway to
Purpose, based in Brooklyn,
NY
·
Cathleen Trigg-Jones,
iWomanTV, based in New York, NY
·
Amber Hammond, Ciela Handmade, based in Columbus, OH
·
Nimilolu Fafowora, The Beem Box, based in Medford, OR
·
Shunta Grant, Best Today, based in Greer, SC
·
Janita Gilliam, Jabber Talk
Speech and Consulting, based in Prosper, TX
· Tosin Ojo, CITSAP Consulting, based in Richmond, TX
– ends –
Media
contact:
Monaca Davis
speak@thebossnetwork.org
About Sage
Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of small and mid-sized businesses served by us, our partners, and accountants. Customers trust our finance, HR, and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitizing business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology, and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality, and the climate crisis. Learn more at www.sage.com/en-us/ and www.sageintacct.com.
About The Boss Network
Founded by Cameka Smith,
BOSS™ is an acronym for "Bringing Out Successful Sisters," and the
network’s mission is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and
career development of women. The BOSS Network is an online community of
professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through
conversation, online, and event-based networking. Our current goal is to
provide educational resources and access to capital, for Black women led
businesses seeking long-term growth. To find out more about The BOSS Network,
please visit www.TheBOSSNetwork.org and www.bossimpactfund.com.
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