Starting or growing a business can be extremely difficult without the experts know-how and the right network. Join us at the launching event of our new two mentorship programs and learn from our speakers how to leverage mentorship to grow your business and expand your network.

This event will feature a fireside chat between Melissa L. Bradley, Co-founder of venture-backed Ureeka, Founder and Managing Partner of 1863 Ventures, and a Georgetown University professor, and Malla Haridat, founder of New Designs for Life Training and a BE NYC and WE NYC Mentor.

After the fireside chat, attendees will have opportunities to connect with the below mentors, successful business owners in NYC who will help you launch or grow your business!

• Emelyn Stuart, Owner of Stuart Cinema, an independent movie theater in Brooklyn
• Kofi Kankam, CEO of Admit Me, a digital step-by-step admissions tool
• Mark Connell, Owner of Botanica Bar NYC, a bar in Manhattan
• Alain Leroy, Co-founder of The Gentlemen’s Factory, a social club, digital community, and incubator helping to advance men of color
• Carmen Ferreyra, Co-founder of Porteñas, a Yerba Mate and Empanadas Café
• Kalima Desuze, Owner of Cafe con Libros, an intersectional Feminist community bookstore and coffee shop
• Tim Contado, Business Expert and Certified SCORE mentor in the NYC

About the organizers:

Small Business Mentors NYC is a mentorship program provided by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) for existing storefront business owners who face systemic barriers seeking to grow their businesses. The program, introduced by the Mayor’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, connects operating storefront business owners to the specialized guidance and social networks they need to succeed.

BE NYC Mentors is New York City's inaugural mentorship program for Black entrepreneurs seeking to start a business. The program aims to increase the number of new Black-owned businesses in high-growth industries.

Women Entrepreneurs NYC (WE NYC) is an initiative of the NYC Department of Small Business Services that is dedicated to helping women start and grow their businesses.

About the partners:

Ureeka is a single platform where entrepreneurs have access to the people, programs and connections they need to grow.

SCORE New York City is a 50-year nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.