WEPOWER Accelerator

WHAT IS WEPOWER ACCELERATOR?

The WEPOWER Accelerator is a 10-week entrepreneurship development program for Black & Latinx entrepreneurs. Through the Accelerator, we support founders with curriculum, connections, community, and access to capital through grants. We also support founders with interest-free loans in partnership with Kiva and a founder-focused investment fund.

And how is our last cohort doing?

Seeing the incredible success and impact of our inaugural cohort has been rewarding and energized us to continue this work. The first cohort saw an average increase of 3.5x in their monthly revenue following the completion of the program. They’ve also retained 100 percent of their team members and accessed a total of $400,000 in seed capital! Supporting accomplished Black and Latinx entrepreneurs from within our own community to thrive is at the heart of WEPOWER, and we can’t wait to see the amazing work that the cohort undertakes in 2021. 

 

As always, thank you for your continued support. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support these talented community members through investment, mentorship or would like to become a guest expert for a workshop, please email [email protected]

 

Keep up with us on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Sign up here to become a mentor and invest in WEPOWER here.

FALL '22 Cohort

Jamila Boone

Jamila Boone owns Scene Event Space, a premier multi-functional private event space for your diverse social entertainment & corporate opportunities. Scene offers you over 2000 square feet of raw canvas, with fabulous details, allowing you to bring your event vision to life.

Jianna Fernandez

Jianna Fernandez owns Stride Therapy and Wellness, a mobile pediatric practice providing home and community based Occupational, Speech, and Physical therapies to children and families within the St. Louis area. Jianna was inspired to found Stride Therapy to increase access and ensure the provision of quality services to children and families from all walks of life.

Shaunessi Tucker

Shaunessi Tucker owns Skin Deep Hygienic Care, who formulates all natural hygiene and skin care products that are handmade and free of any toxic chemicals linked to cancer. Having developed a unique 3 step detoxifying system to help others transition to a healthier deodorant she is hoping to help fight cancer and educate the community on cleaner alternatives one stick of deodorant at a time.

Alberto Tello

Alberto Tello owns Precise, a construction firm providing a range of services and materials for siding, roofing, and remodeling. Precise conducts both commercial and residential projects.

Deborah James

Deborah James owns Freddie Lee’s Gourmet Sauces, a small batch food company that manufactures all-purpose gourmet sauces and co-packs sauces and dressings for other small businesses.

   

   

 

SPRING '22 Cohort

Shelby Farr

Shelby Farr owns Shelby Marie, a luxury fragrance bar in Ferguson where anyone and everyone can make their own personal fragrance blends and bath & body products with the help of a master formulator.

Robin Taylor

Robin Taylor owns Infinite Occasions LLC, a full service banquet hall offering both onsite and offsite catering with full-service packages that include food, decor and room rental for any budget.

Monique Richard

Monique Richard owns Monique Cherise Beauty Boutiques, an innovative private salon suite that offers beauty professionals and business owners private suites to service their clients in a one-on-one atmosphere where luxury, relaxation and a warm, welcoming atmosphere is priority.

Justin Harris

Justin Harris owns Saint Louis Hop Shop, a craft beer shop & bar with the best selection of craft beer in the St Louis area, offering a variety of speciality craft beers, small batch spirits and natural wines.

Edwin Ariza

Edwin Ariza is the CEO of Systemico, a software developer and service provider for startups that supports founders with the creation and development of their minimum viable products plus version releases, bug fixes and more.

   

Branden Griffin

Branden Griffin is the CEO of Juggernaut Syndicate Corporation, a virtual & automated logistics company training the next generation of CDL drivers and transportation business owners.

Timothy Eleby

Timothy Eleby owns Pure Catering STL, a hospitality & food company serving St Louis area childcare centers and government centers plus running the café at the St Louis History Museum and more.

   

Tony Davis

Tony Davis owns Pop Pop Hurray LLC, a premium gourmet popcorn shop offering a variety of flavor and topping options from St Louis staples like flaming hot buffalo to fun flavors like waltermelon, chili and banana pudding.

Patrice Johnson

Patrice Johnson owns Patrice J. Bridal, a full-service bridal studio offering ready to wear bridal, custom dressmaking and alterations for all women of all sizes. Ps...this is the 1st black-owned bridal retailer in the greater STL area.

 

Wydonna Sumpter

Wydonna Sumpter owns The Ultimate Cosmetology and Barber Academy, a community based cosmetic training & arts school with trades in esthetician, barber, cosmetology and nail technician.

Reginald Quarles

Reginald Quarles owns Teatopia®, a tearoom, restaurant and safe space for all with a curated selection of in-house tea mixes for tea lovers, tea beginners and everyone in between.

MEET OUR ALUM

Jessica Black

Jessica Black owns Jessie B’s Academy which is an early learning center for all children, including those with special needs. She hopes to open more academy locations throughout the St. Louis area to provide quality daycare to kids and parents in the community she considers to be family. Jessica was inspired to start Jessie B’s after the experiences she faced growing up with a learning disability and wanting to nurture St. Louis’s next generation of doctors and lawyers.

Melissa Douglass

Melissa Douglass owns Goal Driven Counseling which is a multi-state, virtual, mental health counseling group. In five years, she hopes GDC becomes a nationally licensed model to further destigmatize mental healthcare and decrease barriers while increasing access to Black, inclusive and culturally responsive providers. Melissa decided to follow her heart and start GDC to modernize therapy and make it more comfortable for minority communities to embrace their mental health journeys.

Patrick Clapp

Patrick Clapp owns Coffeestamp, a local coffee shop that uses ethically sourced coffee from Honduras. He hopes to open two more locations in the next 5 years, while having a lasting impact on supporting a self-sustaining coffee bean farm in Honduras. Patrick decided to start Coffeestamp to create economic opportunity in his home country of Honduras and in his new home city of St. Louis with a commitment to environmental sustainability.

Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns owns Bold Spoon Creamery, which makes small batch premium ice cream with fresh and local ingredients. Rachel dreams of growing Bold Spoon to have a staff to execute events, help with production and collaborate with local farmers to source ingredients; while continuing to promote STEM education through the science of ice cream making and entrepreneurship. Stemming from making mint ice cream as a hobby using mint from her backyard, Rachel decided to begin Bold Spoon when ice cream making turned into a passion.

Estie Cruz-Curoe

Estie Cruz-Curoe owns del Carmen which is a local vegan-certified manufacturer of frozen fresh black beans and sauces. She envisions del Carmen becoming a leader in the natural and healthy specialty food space with an emphasis on community involvement and sustainable crops. As a proud Cuban-American, Estie decided to start del Carmen when she saw the absence of authentic Cuban food in the midwest.

Shamel Robinson

Shamel Robinson owns Sonder Lush Nail Studio which is a nail care salon that uses chemical and acrylic free products. In five years, she hopes to effect legislative change in the nail industry and dreams of Sonder Lush becoming the go-to destination for clean beauty needs, equipped with a mobile nail salon truck and a medical spa. After being dissatisfied with the selection of nail shops in her community, Shamel decided to open Sonder Lush to build a culture of consciousness and wellness with local service and product options.

Reginald Jennings

Reginald Jennings owns Rooterman which is a locally-owned full service sewer and drain cleaning company. He dreams of providing his employees with a starting salary of $60,000 to better to support themselves and their families. Reginald decided to open Rooterman after seeing the lack of representation in the plumbing field and wanting to give his son a brighter future.

Jaquan Vassel

Jaquan Vassel owns Vassel’s Comfort Shoes & Custom Insoles which develops custom- fitted diabetic shoes and insoles. He hopes his business sets the expectation for other shoe providers to become properly trained in handling foot conditions to ensure quality service for all customers. He was moved to start Vassel’s when he saw too many people in his community that needed care being taken advantage of and wanted to support their health and comfort.

Tiffany Jones

Tiffany Jones owns Cheryl’s Herbs Group which provides handmade custom blend herbs and essential oils. She hopes to increase accessibility to aromatherapy and herbs as plant medicine for people across the country and hopes through education, customers can help their friends and family understand and trust the products they use. Tiffany became the owner of Cheryl’s to honor the legacy of her mother by helping others who need alternative forms of healthcare.

Chantelle Nickson-Clark

Chantelle Nickson-Clark owns A&C's Wine Boutique which is a Wine boutique with exclusive wines, beers, and more. She wants to be able to gainfully employ those within our community, add a second location, and mentor other budding business owners with the valuable information learned from WEPOWER Accelerator.

Whitney McClendon-Gregory

Eemerg allows users to pick the nearest available roadside assistance service provider with a budget in mind. The Eemerge platform connects users directly with those who are available and qualified to assist the user in real time.

Valeria Rodriguez

Shine In All Shades Adult Coloring Book Series + workshops addresses self care & the issue of colorism via hand drawn illustrations paired with positive affirmations - which help cultivate safe & fun spaces for our communities to shine unapologetically!

Fatimah Muhammad

Apiary @ The Park is a cultural Co-working space for creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, as well as new and established small businesses.

Tyrean Lewis

Heru transforms food desert areas into healthy and sustainable environments by acquiring and revitalizing land to provide quality organic foods and herbal goods and donates some produce to elderly and single parents.

Winnie Caldwell & Sidney Keys III

Books N Bros is a youth-led book club for boys, which is a subscription-based program to advocate for African American literacy.

David Cervantes

Designs, engineers and fabricates custom furnishings and interiors, using ethically sourced materials, with the aid of automated technology.

Brandon Original

Original Family Smoke House is a Plant-Based food company that provides 100% vegan comfort classic meals.

Julian Keaton

Dimensions is a mobile game designed to introduce college students & transplants to their new city and to foster community engagement through augmented reality experiences with longer-term residents and organizations.

La’Crassia Wilderness

Butter Love provides all natural skin care products that help to heal, soothe and moisturize the masses.

Tiffany Elise Wesley

Pure Vibes is a worker-owned company that creates essential wellness products, including artisan-made soaps and aromatherapy products, that elevate our customers and communities.

WEPOWER Launches $1.5 Million Fund to Invest in Black and Latinx Entrepreneurs in North St. Louis
Supporting the Soles of St. Louis
The Worlds We Invest In: Building Economy and Community in St. Louis and Honduras
Zero-Interest Loans via Kiva Hub
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“The stronger families are, the stronger their communities can and will be. Entrepreneurship can help build individual and community wealth, but only if we are intentional in our efforts.”

Lisa Hamilton, President & CEO of Annie E. Casey Foundation

ADVISORY BOARD

man stand up paddle boarding

Roo Yawitz

Daniela Velázquez

Daniela Velázquez

Chisom Uche

Chisom Uche

Dan Sills

Dan Sills

Emily Lohse Busch

Emily Lohse Busch

Lakesha Mathis

Lakesha Mathis

Dr. Cheryl Watkins Moore

Dr. Cheryl Watkins Moore

Barry Maciak

Barry Maciak

Phillip Sangokoya

Phillip Sangokoya

Tyler Kelley

Tyler Kelley

Rikki Henry

Rikki Henry

Heather Cameron

Heather Cameron

Chavelle Patterson

Chavelle Patterson

Eric Madkins

Eric Madkins

PARTNERS

SLAM! logo

SLAM!

Village Capital logo

Village Capital

OMiga logo

Omiga

Score logo

Score

Square One logo

Square One

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Questions? Reach Out