The Sister Accord® Accelerator Announces $70K Funding and Leadership Development for Seven Women-Owned Businesses

Combining both funding and mentorship, the Accelerator's 2nd Cohort to include the guidance of global business leaders, including Janice Bryant Howroyd, Shelley Zalis, and James Rhee

CINCINNATI, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sister Accord^® Accelerator, spearheaded by The Sister Accord^® Foundation Founder Sonia Jackson Myles and advertising agency Principal and CEO Jean Freeman of Zambezi, announced today a second cohort of seven women-owned businesses across the U.S. who will each receive $10K in funding along with esteemed mentorship over the five-month long program. The 2024 Cohort includes the following women business owners:

• Natasha Broxton, Select Auto Parts & Sales, Milwaukee, WI
• Denise Healy, Streets2Schools, Placerville, CA
• Jilea Hemmings, Nourish + Bloom Market, Fayetteville, GA
• Trina House, The Prevention Center, Oklahoma City, OK
• Taren Kinebrew, Cream & Sugar Coffeehouse, Cincinnati, OH
• LaTonya Mark, Professional Response Agency, Hattiesburg, MS
• Tia Rochelle, Premier Lifestyle Concierge, Cincinnati, OH

In its second year, The Accelerator will have one of the most powerful mentorship teams to include influential global leaders Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO at The ActOne Group; Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO at The Female Quotient; James Rhee, Founder and National Bestselling Author of red helicopter, and Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University, and Jenn McCabe, Partner, Armanino LLP. The mentors will lead group sessions titled "Meet The Incredibles…Lessons From Successful World Leaders" to provide insight on sales, marketing, and operations designed to enable participants to strengthen their businesses and scale appropriately. 

The Sister Accord^® Accelerator saw a 400% increase in applicants this round, increasing from 200 in 2023 to over 1,000 in 2024. Founder Sonia Jackson Myles said, "This year's surge in applications shows an increased need for a program like this. We see the potential to expand our ability to serve more businesses, but we can only do that through further awareness and support."

An additional $10K grant received this year from accomplished business executive Marchoe D. Northern, SVP, NA Fabric Care, P&G, allowed The Accelerator to add a seventh business grant. Following its initial announcement to open applications and drawn to The Accelerator's unique ability to provide both grant monies and mentorship, Northern was inspired to personally contribute.

"We are incredibly grateful to this group of powerhouse advisors who have joined us this year," said Jean Freeman, Principal and CEO at Zambezi. "Not only have we created an easy application in a world where the grant process is arduous, but we are melding funding with expert counsel, while also building a sense of community for these women to rely on, to provide a very unique offering."

Cohort Two kicks off in July and will conclude in November with five virtual group sessions and individual mentoring from Jackson Myles and Freeman.

About The Sister Accord^®
The Sister Accord^® Foundation (https://thesisteraccordfoundation.org) is a 501c3 organization focused on enabling girls and women to establish and nurture positive, supportive, and loving relationships with each other. The Sister Accord^® LLC's 'Sisterhood & Brotherhood in The Workplace' Platform has made a significant, positive difference in corporate America and around the globe.

For questions, please contact:  Amanda Cosindas, Director of Communications, Zambezi, at [email protected].

SOURCE The Sister Accord Foundation