Written by Kim Zeuli and Kathleen Shea, ICIC. This blog was originally published on Governing. The structural challenges that entrepreneurs of color face are well-documented, and disparities in business ownership are stark: While minorities make up 38 percent of the U.S. population, only 19 percent of businesses are minority-owned. Minority-owned firms earn ... Read More

March is Women’s History Month, a time to commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the achievements of women throughout history. These achievements span disciplines; they are social, cultural, political, and of course, economic. Read More

Ivy Lawson, founder and CEO of Ivyees ‘Everything Honey’, is the first person of color to open a business in Boston’s historic North End neighborhood. Considered a pioneer by many, Ivy sees herself simply as a woman who “followed a sign” to create her business selling raw honey-based products. Read More

Bo Menkiti, Founder and CEO of the Washington, DC-based The Menkiti Group, is in the business of real estate. Others who witness Bo’s work first-hand would say he’s in the business of transformation. Not only an alumnus of the ICCC program, Bo was the 2017 recipient of the Marcia Lamb Inner City Innovation Award, which recognizes visionary leadership at the forefront of creating positive change in urban economic development and inner cities. He also serves on the advisory board of our newly launched Inner City Alumni Network (ICAN). Read More

Karen Fleshman is a master networker. She excels at connecting products to people and executives to the resources they need to lead successful businesses. As founder and CEO of Haskins Advisory Group, Karen has grown her business from a one-woman show to a hardworking team of five. Since her first participation in ICCC, the business has grown its revenue by 69%, and she credits the program with setting herself up for future success. Read More