The Ripple Effect of Community: Meet the Entrepreneurs Who Welcomed Changemakers to Atlanta

By ICIC | July 14, 2026

Every entrepreneur can point to a moment when someone opened a door.

An introduction led to a new customer. A conversation sparked a fresh idea. A mentor offered encouragement at exactly the right time.

Those experiences may seem small, but they can change the direction of a business.

At ICIC’s 2026 Annual Conference, Changemakers Take Action, many of those connections were sparked by the Atlanta Steering Committee of ICIC’s Alumni Network (ICAN), a community of nearly 10,000 alumni who continue to learn, connect, and support one another long after completing an ICIC program.

For more than 30 years, ICIC has helped entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities grow through executive education, coaching, and access to opportunity. Through ICAN, alumni can continue that journey by building relationships, sharing expertise, and creating new opportunities for one another.

By welcoming entrepreneurs from across the country and helping shape the conference experience, the Atlanta Steering Committee showed something powerful: when business owners invest in one another, the impact reaches far beyond a single event.

Creating a Place Where Entrepreneurs Belong

When attendees arrived in Atlanta this spring, they found a city that embraced them.

For Greg Palmer, that sense of welcome was intentional.

“If you’ve never been to the ATL, this is one that you don’t want to miss,” Greg said before the conference. “This is a city that’s all about business and all about promoting small businesses. You just need to be here.”

Atlanta’s reputation as a center for entrepreneurship and opportunity made it the perfect setting for a gathering of changemakers.

The local steering committee embraced that responsibility. They didn’t simply welcome guests to a conference. They welcomed them into a community.

For many attendees, the first handshake, introduction, or conversation over coffee became the beginning of a new relationship. That’s the kind of connection ICAN was built to create.

The Power of Staying Engaged

For Milton Kirby, serving on the steering committee became a chance to reconnect with the community in a deeper way.

“I see some of the things that I have been missing all this time,” Milton said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it now.”

As preparations for the conference got underway, he found himself inviting other entrepreneurs to networking events and encouraging them to attend.

At one pre-conference gathering, he watched the room slowly fill with business owners meeting one another for the first time.

“I’ve been involved in several conversations here tonight that were interesting because business owners are looking for opportunities to connect with other like-minded individuals.”
– Milton Kirby, Allied Logistics

His observation speaks to something many entrepreneurs understand. Running a business can feel isolating. The challenges are real, and the decisions can be heavy.

Community changes that.

A conversation can spark an idea. A new relationship can lead to a partnership. A recommendation can open a door that might have remained closed.

Those moments happen regularly inside ICAN.

Relationships That Continue to Grow

Anita Davis has experienced the value of those connections firsthand.

As president of Praxis Strategic Solutions, Anita helps businesses integrate artificial intelligence through training, speaking, and consulting. Her company looks very different today than it did a few years ago, a result of her willingness to adapt and meet new needs in the market.

“I believe business owners have to be flexible and make sure their business is sustainable,” she said. She also credits her involvement with ICIC for helping her build meaningful relationships.

“The programs are at no cost to you, but they also allow you to develop relationships on another whole level and another scale,” Anita said. “Those relationships have grown and blossomed over the years.”

As a member of the Atlanta Steering Committee and a panelist during the conference’s Corporate Roundtable: Breaking Down Procurement Pipelines session, she saw firsthand how those relationships continue to create opportunities.

“Even though the program may have ended, the opportunity to stay connected with other people who have graduated from the program is still a really important piece of how you continue to grow.”
– Anita Davis, Praxis Strategic Solutions

For Anita, growth isn’t only about revenue or new clients. It’s also about being part of a community that continues to learn, share, and support one another.

Changemakers in Every Room

The relationships built through ICAN don’t stop at networking events. They often lead alumni to give back by sharing their knowledge, opening doors for others, and stepping into leadership roles.

The 2026 Atlanta Steering Committee included business leaders Barry Love of Get Real Time Feedback, Greg Palmer of Greg Palmer, Inc., Devotis Lee of D Cafe & Catering, Jeff Shirley of Brand Positioning Doctors, Anita Davis of Praxis Strategic Solutions, Briggette Green of Top Cat Masonry Contractors, Dr. Jada Moore Ruffin of REAL Wellness Enterprises, Ken Harris of neMarc Professional Services, Inc., Milton Kirby of Allied Logistics, and Omer Mutaqi of Buraq HR. 

The Committee did more than help welcome attendees. Its members also stepped onto the conference stage, volunteering their time and expertise to help create an experience rooted in connection, generosity, and community.

Anita shared her experience helping businesses prepare for procurement opportunities during the Corporate Roundtable: Breaking Down Procurement Pipelines session. Jeff Shirley co-led Branding & Selling for Results: Win MORE Faster!, offering practical advice on strengthening a company’s brand and communicating its value. Barry Love joined the session From Experimentation to Implementation: How Small Businesses Are Unlocking AI’s Impact Across Their Teams, exploring how entrepreneurs are putting artificial intelligence into practice.

Their participation reflected the heart of ICAN: entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs.

“One of the most powerful things about our alumni network is seeing business owners share what they’ve learned with others,” said Marynee Pontes, ICIC’s Director of Alumni Affairs. “They understand the challenges because they’ve lived them, and they genuinely want to help others succeed.”

That spirit is what made the Atlanta committee such a fitting example for the Year of Changemakers. The people creating change aren’t always standing in the spotlight. Sometimes they’re making introductions, volunteering their time, and creating spaces where others can succeed.

The Work Continues

The conference ended, but the work of community-building continues.

Across the country, thousands of ICIC alumni are staying connected through ICAN. They are gathering in local chapters, attending networking events and virtual educational programs, sharing opportunities, and supporting one another’s growth.

The Atlanta Steering Committee reminded everyone that a strong network doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens because people keep showing up. It happens because entrepreneurs choose to invest in one another. And it happens because communities are strongest when their members decide to build something together.

Stay Connected. Keep Growing.

Whether you’re an ICIC alum, a small business owner looking to build meaningful connections, or a partner interested in supporting entrepreneurship in under-resourced communities, ICAN is a reminder that growth doesn’t happen alone.

The strongest businesses are built in community.

Through ICAN, alumni can continue building relationships, expanding their knowledge, and discovering new opportunities through local networking events and virtual programming, including this fall’s webinar series on procurement, succession planning, and scaling your business.

If you’re an ICIC alum, now is the perfect time to reconnect. And if you’re new to ICIC, the Atlanta Steering Committee’s story is a reminder that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be a journey you take alone.

Learn more about ICIC’s Alumni Network (ICAN) and discover what can happen when a single connection opens a new door.