The Metropolitan Business League

Congratulations to this week's MBL Member Monday's feature, Dorian Cunion, ACC, MBA, Co-Founder & Executive Coach at Your Path Coaching and Consulting! ?? Read about Dorian on our Facebook page and join us in supporting the products and services of Your Path Coaching and Consulting! https://lnkd.in/efpRkJmc

Last week, we celebrated our latest 100 small businesses that received comprehensive grant packages through #ComcastRISE in Richmond, VA. ? It was an incredible evening that highlighted the strength and resilience of the Greater Richmond small business community. ? We were honored to be joined by Levar Stoney, Bridging Virginia, Diversity Richmond, YMCA of Greater Richmond, Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, City of Richmond Office of Minority Business Development, The Metropolitan Business League and other community partners who share our ongoing commitment to helping the small business community thrive in Richmond and beyond. ? I would like to thank our Chief Diversity Officer Loren Hudson for joining us to recognize our recipients and reinforce our longstanding commitment to digital equity in the communities Comcast serves. ? We know that by working together we can make a positive impact and that Richmond will continue to RISE. ? #IWorkForComcast #smallbusiness #RVA

We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with The Metropolitan Business League (MBL) and Project PEACE, which is part of the Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities, as they make disability awareness and inclusion a core part of their mission. Building on our previous work together, we’ve had the opportunity to certify two more small businesses through MBL’s 2024 Richmond Kauffman FastTrac? Program: Henry IV Helping Hands of Hope and Hollin Wright Enterprises, LLC are now VisitAble Advocate certified! Henry IV Helping Hands of Hope is a mission-driven organization focused on facilitating safe havens through the US for homeless Veterans and others where they receive needed care and resources. We truly enjoyed collaborating with them during the certification process. Their dedication highlights how organizations can make a real impact by creating inclusive spaces for everyone. Hollin Wright Enterprises, LLC is a social venture firm that works to put people before profit, ultimately building job and business options by teaming up with the government and private businesses. Their perseverance and dedication to training staff and contractors demonstrates their commitment to disability inclusion and we are incredibly proud to witness the ongoing efforts of this organization to foster inclusive environments for both their employees and clients. If you'd like to learn more about Henry IV Helping Hands of Hope and Hollin Wright Enterprises, LLC, click these links: https://lnkd.in/eXF6iyvs https://lnkd.in/eCZAJrU5 Image Description: A peach-colored background with the upper half of the image displaying the Metropolitan Business League (MBL) and VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities logos. The Hollin Wright Enterprises, LLC and Henry 4 Helping Hands of Hope logos are centered in the middle. The bottom half of the image is gray with VisitAble’s Advocate Certification badge on the right hand side. #VisitAble #VisitAbleCertification #disability #accessibility #promote #improve #empower #design #inclusion #DisabilityInclusion #MBLProjectPEACE #VCUPartnershipForPeopleWithDisabilities #RichmondKauffmanFastTrac #HenryIVHelpingHands #HollinWrightEnterprisesLLC

HOLIDAY SHOPPING ONLINE??? BE CAREFUL - Smart Shopping Tips Watch video below?? The holiday season is a prime time for online shopping, ??offering convenience and great deals right at your fingertips. However, it's essential to prioritize safety while making those purchases. ??Understanding Virtual Credit Cards ??Virtual credit cards are an excellent tool for enhancing your online shopping security. They are essentially temporary card numbers that you can use instead of your actual credit card number. This means: ??Protection Against Fraud: If a virtual card number is compromised, it cannot be used for other transactions. ??Controlled Spending: You can set spending limits and expiration dates on virtual cards. ??Privacy: Your real credit card information remains private, reducing the risk of identity theft. ??The Importance of Two-Factor Authentication ???Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a must-do for anyone shopping online. This security measure requires not only a password but also a second form of verification, such as a text message or authentication app. Here’s why it’s essential: ???Extra Layer of Security: Even if someone steals your password, they won't be able to access your accounts without the second verification step. ???Peace of Mind: Knowing that your personal and financial information is protected by 2FA can make your online shopping experience more secure. ???Most major retailers and financial institutions offer 2FA, so be sure to enable it on all your accounts. ??Avoiding Suspicious Links It's crucial to be cautious about clicking on links, especially during the holiday shopping frenzy. Here are some tips: ???Stick to Trusted Websites: Only shop from reputable and well-known online retailers. ???Check URLs: Before clicking on any links in emails or ads, hover over them to see where they lead. Ensure the URL matches the official website. ???Be Wary of Unsolicited Offers: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. ???Avoid clicking on links from unknown or suspicious sources. By staying vigilant and following these safety measures, you can enjoy a worry-free online shopping experience this holiday season. Happy shopping! ??? #OnlineShopping #SafetyFirst #virtualcard #HolidayDeals Good Morning America Women in IT Summit & Awards Series The Metropolitan Business League Richmond Technology Council - rvatech/ Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. https://lnkd.in/eqSyHPfz

Happy Women’s Entrepreneurs Day! ? Today we celebrate all the ladies doing big things past and present breaking barriers and leading the way. ?? Feeling extra inspired today and grateful to be part of it all! ?? ??: Moment from the ChamberRVA ICON Awards. So proud I was able to attend and represent The Metropolitan Business League as Marketing Co-Chair of The Bridge. ?????? #womensentrepreneursday #iconawards

The Metropolitan Business League embodies the spirit of Women's Entrepreneurship Day! Their timeless efforts to support entrepreneurs are truly commendable.

Join Chesterfield Economic Development as we collaborate with?Growing Perspectives??CEO and Founder, Kaisha McCrea, MBA, ACC, CCTC, for the finale of our networking series on Wednesday, December 4th at 8:30am. Holiday Breakfast - Introduction to Chambers and Large Business Groups ATTENDING - Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce_Ervin Clarke - ChamberRVA_ Dasha Runyan, CGMP, CDME - Chester Business Association_Doug Robbins - Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce_Karen Webb - The Metropolitan Business League_Micah White

?? Celebrating Empowered Women Entrepreneurs! ?? The Women’s Business Center at Old Dominion University proudly announces the graduation of an incredible cohort of women-owned businesses from our Capital Readiness Program, hosted in collaboration with The Mustard Seed Place These women have shown exceptional dedication, resilience, and innovation as they prepared their businesses for growth and scalability. The Metropolitan Business League and Bridging Virginia are looking forward to working with these businesses to secure funding and scale their operations through strategic lending opportunities. Here’s to breaking barriers, creating opportunities, and driving success for women entrepreneurs in Hampton Roads and beyond! ?? #WBC #WomenEntrepreneurs #ODUInnovation #CapitalReadiness #EmpoweredWomen #SmallBusinessSuccess #HowardHesson #MustardseedCollaboration #FundingGrowth Angela D. Reddix, Ph.D. Erika Small-Sisco

After 6 weeks as a guest facilitator supporting The Metropolitan Business League’s VET Entrepreneur Program, I was thrilled and proud to attend today’s closing ceremony and pitch competition. The finalists - two veterans and an active-duty member — each presented fantastic business concepts across several industries and in various stages of conceptualization and/or operations. If you’re a fan of corn hole, please check out NES Corn Hole Lounge - Richmond, VA (www.nescornhole.com). This vet-owned business is fast becoming a premier location for both corporate team-building events and Friday nights with friends…wings, beer, burgers, and corn hole! Connection Point Services (https://lnkd.in/eSxN8u7W) is the *ONLY* home health care agency exclusively for disabled children, in the Hampton Roads region. A hallmark of their offerings is a training program that assists parents with becoming certified as ‘parent caregivers’, which allows the parent(s) to be paid for care they’re already providing their children. For many families in the region, where extended time off from work to care for their disabled children can create financial shortfalls, an opportunity such as this care certification can be a critical bridge to resiliency. If you or someone you know could benefit, please check them out. Connection Point Services is based in Virginia Beach. Last but certainly not least, SNAPIFY is the food management app intended to prevent food waste, that you didn’t know you needed. As this technology is still in development, I won’t give it away here. BUT, stay tuned…the young woman — a college student and active-duty MIL member, is working hard to bring this very creative technology to the marketplace. Once available, this could be a game changer for many of us! SO PROUD of all the entrepreneurs & what they’ve achieved; I look forward to seeing all the great things they’ll do with their businesses! #Business #Entrepreneurship #Military #Veterans

Congratulations to this week's MBL Member Monday's feature, Kai Walker, the 9 year old Founder of Kai Bears Popcorn! ?? Read about Kai on our Facebook page and join us in supporting the products and services of Kai Bears Popcorn! https://lnkd.in/gv6_655i