We get to the heart and soul of entrepreneurs,
connect them with resources to grow their businesses and teach them how to balance work, life and play! 
Happy MWBE Monday  (Tuesday) Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. Family,

Let’s jump into Fall! Where did the summer go? We’re back from taking two weeks off to gear up for the rest of this year. We are glad to report that the Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) community is on the move! MWBEs are persevering to survive and thrive through this global pandemic! Please support MWBEs today and every day!
HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY to
Kecia and Kevin!

On September 16th, Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc’s. CEO Kecia Palmer-Cousins and COO Kevin Cousins celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary!  We would like to thank our village of family and friends for being part of our incredible journey. We truly appreciate each and every one of you! Teamwork makes the dreamwork! Our heart and soul, sons Kendall and Kyle, helped us celebrate our milestone anniversary!
Westchester County Business FIRST
Grant Program
APPLICATIONS OPEN!
The Westchester County Office of Economic Development is now accepting applications for the Westchester County Business FIRST grant program. This $10 million initiative is designed to support small businesses and nonprofits facing challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2020. Businesses and nonprofits with 99 or fewer employees may qualify for up to $49,000 to cover expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, employee salaries or benefits, working capital, equipment and other COVID-19-related expenses.

Eligible applications must meet certain criteria and will be scored on a number of factors. Support staff are available to assist with the application form, and team members involved with providing that assistance will not be part of the review team. Call 914-995-2900 and ask for help with your Business FIRST grant application, or email Business-FIRST@westchestergov.com. Telephone support is available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

They will be holding a webinar on September 23 at 10:00 a.m. to answer additional questions and walk through the application in detail. To register, click HERE for more information and to register.

As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration and cosponsors will host all virtual events September 22-24, 2020.

This year’s National Small Business Week activities will include numerous educational panels providing retooling and innovative practices for entrepreneurs as our nation’s small businesses look to pivot and recover, contributing to a stronger economy. The event will recognize the national award winners, including the naming of the National Small Business Person of the Year.

The National Small Business Week event schedule includes three days recognizing America’s outstanding entrepreneurs, shining a spotlight on the nation’s 30 million small businesses across the country.

Details and registration information will be posted on HERE as events are finalized. 

Tuesday, September 22, 1 p.m. EDT – “Pride in America’s Small Businesses”
Day’s events include:
  • National Small Business Week Welcome - SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza
  • Keynote Address
  • National Small Business Week Awards Presentations

Wednesday, September 23, 9 a.m. EDT– “Preparing for a stronger tomorrow: Recovery, Adaptation, and Innovation”
Day’s events include:
  • Panel Discussion Series - America’s Strength, Learning to Pivot and Innovate
  • Mid-day Sessions - SBA’s Veteran Resources and Veteran Success Story Videos

Thursday, September 24, 9 a.m. EDT – “Preparing for a stronger tomorrow: Recovery, Adaptation, and Innovation”
Day’s events include:
  • Panel Discussion Series - America’s Strength, Learning to Pivot and Innovate
  • Mid-day Sessions - The Business Landscape of today and Federal and Local Resources to Empower Small Businesses
Rest in Peace Ruth Bader Ginsburg!

Trailblazing Supreme Court justice
who advocated passionately for women’s rights.
Thank you for your service and legacy! You will never be forgotten!
Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has died aged 87, was the second woman to sit on the supreme court of the United States. Nominated to the court by Bill Clinton in 1993, she had already established a reputation as a champion of gender equality and women’s rights as advocate, academic and appeals court judge. Throughout her long career, she was firm in her twin convictions: there is discrimination against women in the US (and elsewhere), and that discrimination violates the American constitution. Click HERE to read the entire article.
Since 1993, the Competitive Edge Conference has linked the region’s small businesses, including Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses and Locally Based Enterprises, with leading decision-makers from the public and private sectors to explore new contract opportunities, new procurement practices and new strategies to expand and exceed statewide procurement goals.
This year’s Competitive Edge Conference has been re-imagined and refreshed with a new virtual format. Certified firms, prime companies and government agencies authorities and corporations will have the opportunity to connect, collaborate and share intelligence on how to become “Future Ready”. The Conference program will focus on helping firms enhance their business skills and obtain access to contracting opportunities throughout New York State.

**Please note: Registration for the Competitive Edge Conference closed on Friday. However, you never know. Keep hope alive!

The Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. team was fortunate to register early and will definitely share what they are allowed to share with our MWBE Clients and Community.

This is a great annual MWBE Networking and Procurement event! If you’re not able to attend it this year, e-mail or call (212) 756-1236 ext. 106 to be added to the mailing list so that you don’t miss it next year!
10 Years of Creating Opportunities

For the last 10 years, New York State has been Building Businesses Better through its state-of-the-art capacity building programs designed to lead MWBEs to new contract opportunities with the State’s 97 agencies and authorities and the private sector. NYS Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has created transformative economic development achievements for the State across all market and service sectors including construction, architecture, engineering, transportation, healthcare, housing, telecommunications, financial and professional services, information technology, energy and more.

Moving forward, a new vision will unfold at the 10th Anniversary of the 2020 NYS MWBE Forum, through a new live, semi-live and on demand virtual platform that will offer you programs and strategies for Building Businesses Better than ever before.

Over a three-day virtual event experience, the 2020 NYS MWBE Forum will help you Prepare, Identify and Connect with new project opportunities.

Day 1: Wednesday, December 2, 2020: Prepare for Opportunities
Day 2: Thursday, December 3, 2020: Identify New Opportunities
Day 3: Friday, December 4, 2020: Connect with Opportunities

Visit HERE for specific program details.

SPECIAL INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC PROGRAM PLANNER
Use an Industry-Specific Program Planner to help you identify sessions based on your market focus.

AERO-BA-SOUL’s Kecia Palmer-Cousins, doing her civic duty as Peekskill NAACP’s Civic Engagement Chair, working with Peekskill NAACP Census 2020 Youth and Adults this month as they assist Peekskill residents to complete their Census 2020 Surveys. 

What Is the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census counts every person living in the United States and five U.S. territories.
 
Why We Conduct This Count
The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts. It's also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.

10 years ago, the Peekskill Census counted 24,000 residents. Peekskill could lose $2,750 X 10 years for each person not counted in the Census. YOU COUNT!  PEEKSKILL CENSUS RESPONSE RATE is currently 61.7%. Let’s work together to increase our response rate! Complete your CENSUS SURVEY to make sure that your neighborhood gets counted! CLICK HERE

Welcome to the 2020 Census
  • It's quick and easy. The 2020 Census questionnaire will take about 10 minutes to complete.
  • It's safe, secure, and confidential. Your information and privacy are protected.
  • Your response helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services.
  • Results from the 2020 Census will be used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and your political representation at all levels of government.
Getting started:
  • You must complete your questionnaire once you begin. If you leave the questionnaire and return later, you will have to start over.
  • Do not use the web browser buttons (back, forward, or close browser). Use the buttons within the questionnaire to navigate.
  • For best results, use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari. Enable cookies.
 
Thanks to everyone for your support! The Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. team truly appreciates it!

Have a safe and great week! Stay connected with us so you stay connected!

Sincerely,
Kecia and Kevin
Contact Kecia with questions about
starting or growing your business!

At Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. we build dreams to life with heart and a soul! Like a trusted friend and confidante, our personal project managers tap into their vivid imaginations, hearts and souls to analyze clients projects and engineer solutions through project completion. We are “imagineers”, igniting M/WBEs to refocus on themselves, their businesses and giving back to their communities.  Our one-on-one technical assistance sessions and training programs are designed to help entrepreneurs and MWBE’s project manage their lives and get to the heart and soul of their personal and professional development. 

We “motivate” and “collaborate” with our clients through project completion! 

Our services include:
  • Business Management Consulting Services
  • Life Coaching
  • MWBE Consulting/Prepare NYC/NYS MWBE Certification Applications
  • Public Speaking
  • Project Management
  • Training
  • Career Preparation
  • Customer Service
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership
  • Networking
Kecia Palmer-Cousins, MBA

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.

Office: 914.737.7237
Cell: 914.512.4373

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.