Jabian Consulting’s Project Amplify teamed up with the Chicago Urban League’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation which helps Black entrepreneurs launch, grow, and sustain business. The Center’s NextSTARTUP Business Launch Program is an intensive, 12-week program that combines classroom training and one-on-one coaching to help startups develop viable business models.

Jabian has partnered with the NextSTARTUP program as a mentor to three local Chicago businesses. Jabian mentors will help each entrepreneur with their defined business goals. The entrepreneurs were chosen based on the clarity of their business definitions, customer/consumer strategies, elements of the community, recent momentum, and relevance of coaching support.

The three entrepreneurs chosen by Project Amplify from the NextSTARTUP program are:

Bucketz Game Zone (Lauren Grinage)

https://bucketzgamezone.com/

An exclusive party venue and one-of-a-kind children’s activity space created to make children, especially boys, feel safe and welcomed in a fun environment designed just for them.

Business Goals and Coaching Objectives

  • Enhance marketing approach and tactics to increase brand and company awareness and drive consistency in bookings and reservations of the party space
  • Develop an expansion strategy for potentially creating unique experiences for new target audiences: toddlers (age 1-4) and children with disabilities

 

Burst Into Books (Jurema Nolan)

https://www.burstintobooks.org/

A nonprofit organization focused on rebuilding the community through advocacy, the arts, and educational and family programming. They envision a world that is transformed by cultural literacy through education.

Business Goals and Coaching Objectives

  • Enhance capabilities for definition and management of an operational budget
  • Strategic planning for the use of new commercial space
  • Approach to scaling the organization to surrounding communities

 

Agriculture (Milton Wordlow Jr.)

https://shopagriculture.com/

Agriculture is a custom clothier for the man who understands that investing in his image and wisely spending on a classic wardrobe will lead to a return on his investment. The wide range of collections, designs, and ideas presented in each season makes for a unique and forward-thinking equilibrium between style and trendsetting.

Business Goals and Coaching Objectives

  • Enhance marketing approach and capabilities to increase customer attraction, retention, and conversion
  • Advance company value proposition and sustainable growth strategy

 

If you would like more information on the Chicago Urban League’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation NextSTARTUP class, please contact:

Germika Anderson: Program Assistant, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

[email protected]

773-624-8810