Financial Motivator: Insights on Supporting and Scaling Black Businesses with Morehouse Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Founding Director Tiffany Bussey.

Strawberry Letter

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Dr. Tiffany Bussey. As the Morehouse Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (MIEC) Founding Director, Dr. Tiffany Bussey stands at the helm of profit-yielding partnerships bridging the gap between the supplier diversity initiatives at global brands and multi-million-dollar Black and brown businesses. An engaging dialogue with Dr. Bussey around the ways MIEC creates unique pathways to help minority businesses scale using what she calls the three Cs: Capital, Connections, and Contracts.

Here are some of the interview highlights:

MIEC's engagement with 400 scalable, mid-size minority-owned businesses has been instrumental in creating 850 new Atlanta-based jobs, granting access to $34 million in new capital, and generating nearly $82 million in new revenue growth.

MIEC's unique business education prepares minority business owners to obtain contracts with large firms seeking business-to-business partnerships with small to mid-size businesses.

Atlanta is one of four national accelerator locations for The Clean Tech Infrastructure Academy at Goodwill, a new 4-week program designed to grow the electric vehicle workforce. At the academy, student workers are paid $15 an hour to learn how to install and maintain EV chargers, heat pumps, and solar panels. This training equips them for jobs in the growing electric vehicle industry, where maintenance techs can start earning $30 per hour.

About MIEC:

· Since its inception, MIEC has garnered over $50 million in grants and contracts and positively impacted over 2,100 students.

· MIEC incorporates a holistic approach to supporting the business leaders it serves, providing education, access to capital, procurement opportunities, mentorship, and student involvement.

· 125 minority-owned businesses participating in Ascend Atlanta have experienced an increase in revenue of $13.5 million and have gained access to $5.5 million in capital funding.

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