Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) Interim CEO Jill Seamon presented certificates of completion and $5,000 checks to the latest cohort of business owners to graduate from AAEDC’s Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP) on Friday, March 3, 2023.
Reflecting the geographic and sector diversity of Anne Arundel County’s businesses, participating business owners included:
- Arica Booker, Star Scholar Educational Services, Crofton
- Linda Davis, Kiss My Glass Window Cleaners of USA, LLC, Annapolis
- Loren Dlugos, Strides Therapy, Gambrills
- Elizabeth Elliot, Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center, Pasadena
- Elizabeth Farina, Clarity Riding, Davidsonville
- Kristina Flores, Homestead Provisions, Odenton
- Tanya Lyons, LTL Cleaning Services, LLC, Crofton
- Kimberly Murphy, Yama & Niyama, LLC, Crofton
- Lisa Consiglio Ryan, Whole Health Designs, Annapolis
- Nalini Singh, TotsVille, LLC, Glen Burnie
- Alicia Castillo Vigo, AAP Driving School, LLC, Annapolis
- Judy Welsch, J&N Yu Associates, PA, Pasadena
“Congratulations to each member of our January 2023 IVP cohort,” said Seamon. “We look forward to watching you apply the new knowledge that you’ve gained, along with your operating grant, to grow your businesses over the coming months and years. Furthermore, as not only the fifth cohort to complete IVP but also the first of many cohorts that will do so in 2023, we thank you for being a great representation of its success and growth.”
Including the latest cohort, 54 total business owners have completed the program.
Graduation requirements include attending weekly three-hour classes over the course of eight weeks and meeting with legal, human resources, and accounting mentors. The final session is Pitch Day, when each business owner presents his or her business growth plans to a panel of expert judges, including potential investors.
In 2022 AAEDC was awarded additional funds to expand the IVP over the next two years. BGE committed a $75,000 sponsorship, followed by an announcement of over a million dollars in ARP funding by Anne Arundel County. An additional $1.65 million in federal funding was secured by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin in December 2022.
To learn more, visit the Inclusive Ventures Program page.
We spoke with Keasha Haythe about the program last year. Have a listen:
