Charrita Jones is the owner of Senoj Clothing, a contemporary women’s boutique located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mission is to provide customers with a curated selection of apparel from the industry’s most promising labels, while creating a positive space where all women feel welcome and comfortable to shop. Senoj Clothing was founded in 2016 when Charrita decided to take a leap of faith and start an online boutique after years of working in the luxury retail industry. As founder and CEO of Senoj Clothing, Charrita oversees the curation of seasonal collections, creative direction, and the execution of providing a seamless effortless shopping experience online and in store. Charrita believes in the power of a good outfit and the feeling it can evoke. She aims to empower her customers to feel confident, happy, and comfortable in their skin. To date, Charrita has been recognized by Visit Philadelphia as one of the top 60 black owned places to shop in the city, and has been featured on Fox 29's Good Day Philadelphia

CHRISTINE ELEY

Christine Eley is the founder and CEO of Womb Intensive Systematic Holistic Care, a birth services company, founded in 2019, that offers educational workshops for expecting parents, and certification classes for birth educators. Through this work, Mrs. Eley is committed to advocating for mothers during labor & delivery; and providing information on labor positions, patients’ rights, and breastfeeding so that all women can birth confidently. When Mrs. Eley gave birth to her youngest, she fiercely advocated for herself when healthcare professionals tried to instill doubt in her ability to give birth naturally. Because of that situation, she founded the company to ensure that other women were equipped with the knowledge to give birth confidently too. Soon after, she became a certified doula, birth educator, and lactation counselor. The work that she and her collective provide are positively impacting birth outcomes, particularly for Black women and their families. To date, Mrs. Eley has been featured in Philadelphia’s 6ABC, Billy Penn, and WHYY News.

Nicol & Cory Varona

Nicol Varona Cancelmo and Cory Varona are the co-founders of DN Organics. A hair care company that helps Latinas like her love their curls and themselves, with luxe, clean and minimal ingredients from nuestra tierra to curly and la cultura. Its mission is to honor curly women in their real, most raw, authentic self to help them transform their life and claim confidence in their natural beauty with high-quality, safe, and effective ingredients. DN Organics’ was founded in 2021 when their own curl transformation journey led the sisters to love their natural texture and themselves as Latinas. As co-founder and CMO of DN Organics, Nicol oversees the marketing strategy and creative direction of the company. As co-founder and COO of DN Organics, Cory oversees the operations and research and development for the company. Nicol and Cory believe curly Latina women need to be represented with luxury products that help them love their curls. To date, DN Organics has been featured in PopSugar, Belatinanews, 21ninety, and other local publications.

Dominique Calhoun

ESSENCE IMAN

Essence Iman is the Founder of The Established, a minimalist personal care brand for overlooked skin gripes. Her mission is to improve the personal care experience through multifunctional skincare that gently addresses common skin gripes effortlessly and effectively. The Established was founded in 2019 when Essence was struggling to find relief from a life-long battle with keratosis pilaris -- a pesky skin condition that caused dry rough patches and tiny raised bumps behind her arms and legs. In response to a lack of options that successfully targeted body care gripes inclusive of her skin, Essence started researching and developing her own formulations and launched The Established with just $200 in startup capital. As founder & CEO of The Established I oversee product development, supply chain, manage our financial and executive decisions while managing brand identity and steering our social strategy through human-centered customer experiences that stick with our customers offline. Essence believes that your skincare journey doesn’t have to be a challenge. The Established aims to act as the antidote to the oversaturated world of beauty and help our customers capture the best version of their skin effortlessly and intentionally. The Established is a multi-award-winning skincare brand named best in beauty by Cosmopolitan, Into the Gloss, New Beauty and recognized by publications like Elle, Essence, Who What Wear, and Glossy. The Established is widely regarded by key beauty figures and celebrities alike such as Kourtney Kardashian who singled out the brand as one of her top product picks.

Georgette Luna

Georgette Luna is the Owner of Sea Philly, Philadelphia’s first luxury boat charter company running tours out of the Penns Landing waterfront. Her mission is to showcase Philadelphia’s rivers and the economic impact recreational maritime could provide in tourism for the city. Sea Philly was established in 2021 as the demands for outdoor recreation post-pandemic increased and in response to a record high interest in boating in the US. As the principal owner, she manages all business operations, from booking and scaling to marketing and website development. Georgette believes that people are ready to rediscover Philadelphia’s waterfront and hopes to be part of the rising tide that will bring that change. To date, Sea Philly has been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine in their 2022 Best of Philly and featured on Fox 29 and PHL 17 broadcasts. As well as many mentions and highlights for unique experiences in Philadelphia for the PHLCVB Tourism board and Visit Philly.

HANIFAH SAMAD

Hanifah Samad is the founder of Fason De Viv Curated Marketplace which Sells Fashion, accessories, and beauty products made by Independent and International brands. Her mission Is To Provide An Innovative online & retail Platform For Makers To Thrive Despite The Rapidly Evolving Fashion Industry. Fason De Viv was founded in 2016 Hanifah was curious about exploring her buying journey while helping a friend run his t-shirt shop. As founder & CEO of Fason De Viv Curated Marketplace Hanifah oversees inventory purchases, marketing, creative director & Pr, etc. Hanifah believes that she can build a multi-channel eCommerce platform and retail store for SMB's to thrive without having to build the system themselves. Fason De Viv has been recognized for supporting/carrying Philly independent brands. Fason De Viv has been featured in Visit Philly blog and magazine, My New Philly, Fox29 Philly, HypeFresh, WWURD radio, etc.

Janet Davis

Janet Davis is the CEO of JADE Jamaican Grill, a food, special event, and media experience company serving both the corporate and private sectors. JADE (d/b/a JADE Grill & Café) is located inside RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center in Hamilton, New Jersey, and serves as caterer for the onsite conference center. Our mission is to serve consumers fresh and flavorful food and food experiences with excellence! JADE was founded in 2013 to meet the food needs of hungry consumers who neither have the time nor talent to prepare mouthwatering meals, as well as those seeking new culinary experiences. Janet’s vision is to grow JADE into a billion-dollar global food and media brand, flooding the marketplace with flavorful foods and food products spanning eateries, sauces and spices, cookbooks, and cooking shows! JADE has been featured on NBC TV, FOX TV, in the Philadelphia Tribune, and Catering Magazine.

Joelle Terranova

Joelle Terranova the CEO of Get House Ready, a company helping home buyers eliminate obstacles in the real estate buying process. Her mission is to provide solutions to common problems that prevent consumers from being able to buy a home. Get House Ready was founded in 2020 when the real estate market reached its prime during the covid pandemic. As founder & CEO of Get House Ready, Joelle oversees the general operations of the company as she and her staff strive to offer effective solutions with white glove customer service.

Kadidja Dosso

Kadidja Dosso is the CEO and Founder of Dosso Beauty, an e-commerce organic beauty supply company. Her mission is to build an organic beauty supply brand that offers affordable high-quality organic and clean products to my community where the owner is connected to the consumer. Dosso Beauty was founded in 2018 when her grandmother passed away a few months prior and she was always Kadidja’s biggest advocate, best friend and she knew that she would want her to pursue her dreams in her honor. She then decided to start the business after staying up for 72 hours of brainstorming, praying and conducting research on how to enter the market. As founder & CEO of Dosso Beauty, Kadidja handles all operations, administration, procurement, product creation/innovation, funding, and event coordination. She oversees the daily sales reports across platforms, applications for business grants/accelerator programs, and constant improvements of business growth. Kadidja believes that the everlasting imprint that Dosso Beauty is destined to make on the beauty industry and each person that interacts with the brand. Dosso Beauty’s mission is more than offering organic personal care and cosmetics to the market, it’s about providing a platform for people to reinforce the confidence that they have within themselves for them to succeed. Dosso Beauty motto is that confidence is the key to success. There’s no better feeling than to embody your most beautiful self, and the brand is committed to achieving that in a healthy and safe environment by providing affordable organic cosmetic and personal care products that does not compromise the quality. Dosso Beauty helps their clients navigate a highly saturated industry by offering tips on how to properly care for their skin, hair and so much more. Beauty should be fun, and they want to keep it that way! To date, Dosso Beauty has been recognized for the below awards: Who's Who of 2021 by Impact Magazine, 2021; Grand Prize Winner of Pharrell Williams Black Ambition Prize, 2021; Chris Paul x GoPuff 'Put Me On' Accelerator Program Finalist, 2021; Black Girl Venture's x Ulta Beauty Pitch Competition Finalist, 2022; Founder’s First CDC Grant Recipient, 2022; Boost Your Business Grant Recipient, 2022.

Kimberly McGlonn

Dr. Kimberly McGlonn is the CEO & Founder of Grant Blvd, a Philadelphia-based fashion brand committed to sustainable design and creating living wage employment opportunities. Her mission is to challenge not only the social issues exacerbated by mass incarceration but to more meaningfully address the climate catastrophe. Grant Blvd was founded in 2017 after Kimberly viewed Ava Duvernay’s “13th” and after the completion of global travel to study design, environmental activism, and responses to women’s economic challenges in Kenya. As Founder & CEO of the manufacturing start-up & first Black- owned B Corp in the fashion space, she oversees the creative direction and growth strategy of the brand, as well as their textiles division which designs for the hospitality sector. Kimberly believes that if we demand more if we think differently about not only what we buy, but who we buy from- we have the power to challenge not only the social issues exacerbated by mass incarceration but to more meaningfully address climate change. To date, Kimberly’s work has been featured by Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, WWD, and in 2022 she was honored with the Black Enterprise “Business Disruptor of the Year” award.

Mia Pratt

Mia Pratt is the founder of True Skincare, an all-natural skincare line that caters to black and brown skin. Her mission is to produce visible results that reflect and highlight your healthiest skin and beauty. Mia’s reinforced promise is to give you the honesty you deserve by knowing exactly what goes into her skincare products. Guaranteeing the benefits and rewards of flawless skin. True skincare was founded in 2019, created to treat a variety of skin conditions, which began as an idea following a healing journey that Mia underwent for her own skin. At 24, she developed adult acne and couldn’t find products in the market to properly nourish, and heal her skin. Although this impacted her self-esteem, Mia was determined to find a product that supported black and brown skin- even if that meant creating it. As founder & CEO of True Skincare, Mia oversees inventory, staff, order fulfillment and shipping, customer service, marketing, and product development. To date, True Skincare has been recognized in British Vogue.

Patricia Standford

Pat Sanford, CEO of Alexander Perry Inc, a Design-Build Company providing Technology and E- Commerce products to Fortune 500 Companies. Her mission is to provide a one-stop shop for the Infrastructure Industry. Alexander Perry Inc. was founded in 1992 when Pat Sanford left her Corporate job at Cigna Corporation to fill a gap in the Design Industry. As Founder & CEO of Alexander Perry Inc., Pat Sanford has responsibility for driving innovation, corporate growth, customer relations, and ROI for global and ESG goals. Pat Sanford believes that combining design, construction and technology creates a more efficient, sustainable, and innovative environment for the world and the global economy. To date, Pat Sanford has been recognized as the reason for Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator, Comcast Rise grant, Supplier of the Year Nominee by Comcast, and Best Minority Design Firm. Pat Sanford was featured in Small Biz Daily for Amazon twice and has appeared on Visions TV show and Home Delivery Design makeover.

TONI JOHNSON

Toni Lorraine Johnson is the founder of Dr. Brownies, the Original Plant-Based Brownie Company. Toni’s mission is to answer the need for flavor in plant-based, vegan, and flexitarian desserts. Dr. Brownies was founded in 2020, inspired by Toni’s son who asked, “Why are delicious vegan sweets so hard to find?” Toni responded by creating the first refrigerated, ready-to-pour plant- based browning mix. She bakes, markets, and sells the goodies whether wholesale, through vegan outlets, or from her food truck, The Island Girl Flex by Dr. Brownies. Toni believes how people eat is their choice and she makes both vegan and non-vegan recipes that impress the palate. Dr. Brownies has been featured on Fox morning news and several news specials covering foodie events and pop-ups around the city. Toni is working on completing her doctoral dissertation. She has been recognized by Gwynedd Mercy University, as an accomplished graduate and a member of their alumni board. She is certified as a certified Serve Safe Instructor and Proctor and is a favorite speaker for local food industry events. To date, she has received three grants totaling $12,500 from three organizations.

Brittany R. Gardner

Brittany R. Gardner, Esq is the Founder of Gardner Law Group located in Philadelphia. Gardner Law Group’s mission is to provide the community with adequate legal representation. They obtain favorable outcomes for clients and place an emphasis on client education, and exceptional customer service. Gardner Law Group was founded in 2017 when Brittany realized individuals in her community required legal assistance. In order to fill that void, she founded the firm. She oversees that the firm runs effectively. When approached by potential clients, she assists to the best of her ability because she believes everyone is entitled to legal representation and navigating the legal system without an attorney can be detrimental. She has been recognized as the Top 40 Under 40 by The National Black Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 by the Association of American Trial Lawyers, and the Top 10 Best Attorney four years in a row by the American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys.

DJUAN SHORT

Djuan Short is the Founder of Dahlia Rose Wellness Center, a mental health and wellness counseling and consulting company offering a high-quality holistic approach to mental health coaching, counseling, and consulting services. Our mission is to address issues surrounding anxiety, depression, relationship problems and life transitions, work-related stress, and mental health concerns impacting workplaces. Djuan founded her company in 2019 based on the idea of promoting the concept of holistic living. This approach to wellness encompasses the mind (cognitive development), body (physical, emotional, and energetic), and spirit (including relationships and a sense of purpose). Djuan oversees the development and implementation of holistic mental health and wellness services focused on supporting the client’s journey to create a balanced and joyful life through wellness. Djuan believes in putting the power to develop a relationship with oneself by gaining confidence to be their most authentic self in the client's hands as the key to health, wellness, and happiness. Djuan is featured in NIKE, Thrive Global, Healthline, and more.

Christin Austin-Evans

Christin Austin-Evans and Annette Kennedy-Harris the Owners of PhillyShared & Buy Local, Buy Black, Vending Experiences, and Retail | Creative Spaces. Buy Local, Buy Black is the Tri-State's premier small business and vending resource. Collectively, these events have served as a Business Incubator for black businesses by offering access to commercial and retail spaces to help them expand to the next level. PhillySHARED Retail is Willow Grove Mall First Curated Showroom for Small & Minority Businesses. We offer monthly consignment+membership plans & FREE Vending for In-Store Members. PhillySHARED Creative Space is an Intimate Newly Renovate Event | Co-Space located 10 minutes from Center City. Let your creativity happen in our space! Established in 2021, BLBB & PhillyShared was created to support Small & BIPOC Entrepreneurs with opportunities to showcase their talents/services. As the Founders, our goals are to continue to create platforms that bring Small Business to the forefront! Our belief is, treating people how we want to be treated. Being transparent and finding value in the beauty of Black and Small Businesses. We were recently featured on 6ABC Good Business Initiative Segment. We are also members of the African American Chamber of Commerce.

Shannon Morales

Shannon Morales is the CEO and Founder of Tribaja; a workforce development platform that upskills underserved women in the US & Latam. Her mission is to increase economic mobility in Black & Latinx households by empowering women through new careers in the tech industry. Tribaja was founded in January 2020 after Shannon faced bias in the workplace yet again. She quit her job and set out to find a better way. As Founder and CEO, Shannon Morales drives the strategic vision of Tribaja including building new partnerships with intentional brands around the globe. Shannon believes that innovation has no borders and hopes to one day leave the world in a place where her 3 daughters can thrive in male-dominated industries because of the work she started at Tribaja.To date, Shannon has been recognized by AL DIA News as an emerging leader, by the City of Philadelphia as Hispanic Business of the Year, and by the University Science Center as the Convener of community. Shannon has been featured in multiple publications for her impact-driven work including Forbes, The Inquirer, and Interviewed on WHYY TV to name a few.

Sharon Y. Lewis-Gregg

Sharon Y. Lewis-Gregg is the Founder and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Association Management Group, (GPAMG) a management company. Her mission is to provide support to organizations to help them prosper and grow. GPAMG was founded in 2012 out of a necessity, when Sharon's boss, the owner of the company she worked for decided to retire and close her business. Their clients, at that time, asked if she could continue to work with them. With the help and support of her boss, Sharon launched her management company in one month. As founder & CEO of GPAMG, she oversees the strategy with her clients to provide a clear plan of direction. Understanding firsthand the unique challenges facing businesses, knowing that wearing many hats and being spread thin across many functions does not foster creativity or growth. Sharon brings a sense of relief knowing that all that stuff that you hate working on but know must get done....is getting done.

Vania Abdul-Badee

Vania Abdul-Badee is the CMO and co-founder of 360 Marketing and PR, a full-service minority and women-owned certified marketing and public relations agency located in the Philadelphia area. Their mission is to consistently deliver industry-leading communication offerings that flood the landscape with creative, innovative, edgy, unrivaled, beautiful, smart, and thoughtful multi-dimensional campaigns/designs highlighting the unique attributes of their clientele. The company was founded in 2016, by two long-time friends after working for other companies in the industry. Vania was laid off as a Marketing and PR Director in DC, and to make ends meet, took an entry-level teaching job at Friends School. Her business partner, Dania was in a healthcare customer service position, unrelated to her passion and expertise in Fashion Marketing. They decided they would step out on faith and follow their dreams to start their own agency. One day at a Starbucks, they created the name and logo of their new company. As CMO, Vania oversees the details and execution of all marketing campaigns. She also helps develop strategies for clients. Vania believes that no matter the size of the company, marketing is essential to the growth and longevity of a business. She loves what she does and is very passionate about marketing. To date, the company has been featured in local papers, blogs, national news (for winning contracts and grant awards), and conferences such as Nexus and the upcoming NMSDC conference, for businesses to watch out for.

Shaw Lewis

Shaw Lewis is the Owner of Expect Lace a Multi Brand Lingerie retailer that offers an array of styles, brands, and bra sizes from 30A to 42J. Expect Lace has been set out to offer an inclusive shopping experience for women who struggle to find the right size Bra. Expect Lace founded in 2018 opened its first store location in Philadelphia. Founder and CEO Shaw takes pride in requiring her team to spend at least 100 hours in training to become certified Bra Fitters. Shaw's mission is to create a safe and comfortable place for people to shop for Lingerie. Expect Lace has been recognized by Best of Intima as one of the best Lingerie shops in the country.

Callen Hunter

Callen Hunter is the owner of HNTR Beauty studio, A beauty studio in Fishtown, Philadelphia featuring a variety of beauty services. HNTR Beauty’s core focus is to uplift the everyday person. Encouraging them to have confidence, break down barriers, and stay true to self. The HNTR Beauty mission is more than a mission of external beauty. Providing a luxurious climate that nurtures the skin, body, and spirit of each client that enters our doors is our priority. We at HNTR Beauty, LLC. Value the time our clients spend on the outside- working, giving, donating, sharing, and we want to provide a place of renewal and replenishment. HNTR beauty was founded in 2019 when Callen was a 20-year-old new entrepreneur. Although she started her beauty business in 2015, as a 16-year-old high school student planning to pursue a career in nursing, Callen took a detour, and the vision of HNTR Beauty LLC was born. As a founder, CEO, master artist, and licensed esthetician at HNTR Beauty Callen not only services clients. She is involved in day-to-day operations, on-site management, and purchasing. Callen believes that the small investment that women make in their self-care goes a long way in fostering self-confidence, empowerment, and self-esteem. My contribution to being a vehicle for that and providing a regenerative space goes beyond just the external results. To date, Callen Hunter was featured in Bloomingdales Beauty Insider event. We are actively working towards building greater connections and gaining more exposure for HNTR Beauty LLC.

Arlene Felder

Arlene Felder is the owner of Glassy Brown Cookies, a specialty cookie boutique. Glassy Brown Cookies' goal is to create an experience in every bite that is reminiscent of baking in their grandma's kitchen. Glassy Brown Cookies was founded in 2015 when her love for baking became her passion. As founder & CEO of Glassy Brown Cookies, Arlene oversees the operation of the business. Arlene believes that no matter the type of day you are, having a bite of glassy brown cookies will make you smile. Glassy Brown Cookies has been featured in the Burlington County Times and Rover Magazine. Glassy Brown Cookies has been featured on CBS 3 Philly.

Michelle Snow

Michelle Snow is the President of Grow With Snow, LLC, a Business Technique & Resource Center. We help entrepreneurs and small businesses on the road to achieving their first $1M in income. Grow With Snow, LLC was established in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic. At a time when owners and gig workers were terrified, isolated, and discouraged, we created a platform for collaborative inclusive support and education. As the Owner & President, Michelle is responsible for the guidance, strategy, and profitability of the company. Her role is critical to creating and sustaining a culture that is highly stimulating and inclusive. The work and services of Grow With Snow, LLC is her life’s calling. Michelle is destined to help people find joy in peak performance. Her past work experience in the faith-based community (church), corporate training & organizational development was the recipe to create her ultimate dream job. Helping professionals reimage their lives is her motivation!