A three-year, $1 million grant from PNC will fund the PNC Entrepreneur Plaza at the Norton Health Care Sports and Learning Center. “This is a shining example of opportunity, opportunity here in Louisville and opportunity in West Louisville,” said Kristen Byrd, PNC regional president. The money will provide opportunities for black business owners to market their products and services to guests during events at the Sports and Learning Center so businesses can gain more exposure. The Louisville Urban League and PNC Bank worked together to bring resources to the community. “We’re allowing these businesses to have this pop-up space so people know where they are, who they are. We’ve seen significant increases in the number of sales that businesses have been able to have just because we’re located here in the West End, and we’ve been so intentional about highlighting black businesses,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO, Louisville Urban League. .PNC Bank says it’s a much-needed investment in the community. “We know that minority-owned businesses account for nearly 50 percent of all businesses started in the last 10 years, and yet minority-owned businesses account for only 18 percent of all of our small businesses,” Byrd said. rather, those businesses face disparities in access to capital, outsourcing opportunities, and simply other entrepreneurial support.” Business owners like Ausha Hilliman of Julee’s Mocha Coffee Shop say that without support from sources like this, she wouldn’t have been able to grow her business. “I didn’t grow up with someone who was into entrepreneurship, so I was able to learning skills,” Hilliman said, “Because of the pop-ups I was able to figure out what services I could get other than a loan.” Businesses interested in learning more can contact the Urban League of Louisville.
A three-year, $1 million grant from PNC will fund the PNC Entrepreneur Plaza at the Norton Health Care Sports and Learning Center.
“This is a shining example of opportunity, opportunity here in Louisville and opportunity in West Louisville,” said Kristen Byrd, PNC regional president.
The money will provide opportunities for black business owners to market their products and services to guests during events at the Sports and Learning Center so businesses can gain more exposure.
The Louisville Urban League and PNC Bank worked together to bring resources to the community.
“We’re allowing these businesses to have this pop-up space so people know where they are, who they are. We’ve seen significant increases in the number of sales that businesses have been able to have just because we’re located here in the West End, and we’ve been so intentional about highlighting black businesses,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO, Louisville Urban League. .
PNC Bank says it’s a much-needed investment in the community.
“We know that minority-owned businesses account for nearly 50 percent of all businesses started in the last 10 years, and yet minority-owned businesses account for only 18 percent of all small businesses in the US,” Byrd said. “Furthermore, those businesses face disparities in access to capital, outsourcing opportunities, and other entrepreneurial support alone.”
Business owners like Ausha Hilliman of Julee’s Mocha Coffee Shop say that without support from sources like this, she would not have been able to grow her business.
“I didn’t grow up with someone who was in business, so I was able to learn skills,” Hilliman said, “Because of the pop-ups I was able to figure out what services I can get other than a loan.”
Businesses interested in learning more can contact the Urban League of Louisville.