This Memorial Day we honor all that have served!
Our offices will be closed in observance.
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Please Welcome Fatima Herrera and Bere Rodriguez our YLAI Fellows!
These ladies will be with us for four weeks as they broaden their knowledge of entrepreneurship and growing their business. They are accompanied by several others who are placed at local businesses throughout Huntsville through a partnership with Global Ties Alabama and other cities across the United States. The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) is the Department of State’s flagship program to advance inclusive economic prosperity in the Western Hemisphere. YLAI empowers entrepreneurs, increases trade, and encourages job promotion throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. YLAI connects entrepreneurs across borders through an annual inbound fellowship program for 280 entrepreneurs from 37 countries; an outbound fellowship program for 70 U.S. participants; and an active digital YLAI network with more than 55,000 members. YLAI incorporates diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility best practices during implementation of program activities.
Fatima is an owner of Noted and Done, based in El Salvador. Her company offers SBOs and entrepreneurs highly qualified executive virtual assistants at competitive rates with continuous supervision and in-house training programs. Bere comes to us from Mexico and she is the co-owner of Oruss Rastreo Inteligente offering logistical and security solutions through satellite tracking and video surveillance in real time.
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Attention Ladies!
Junior League of Huntsville is sponsoring a $5,000 Ignition Scholarship for a Women-Owned Small Business!
Scholarship Requirements
- Intake Interview with Catalyst & registration as a Catalyst client
- Attend the Catalyst Engage in Entrepreneurship Workshop
- Submit a Business Model Canvas
- Attend the Catalyst Ignite Small Business Fundamental series of workshops to include:
- Developing a Business Plan
- Accounting & Taxes
- Choosing a Legal (Business) Structure
- Business License
- Marketing
- Banking Needs
- Attend 3 additional Catalyst workshops
- Attend minimum of 2 coaching sessions, one of which must be on Business Plan
- Attend 3 Catalyst networking events including Strong Coffee Strong Women
- Submit Business Plan to The Catalyst prior to Scholarship Application submission
Applications due July 14, 2023 at 11:59pm CDT
Business Pitches will be scheduled for July 20, 2023 & July 21, 2023; applicants must be available during one of those two days
Finalists will be selected and notified by August 1, 2023
3 Finalists will each receive a ticket to The Catalyst's Leading Ladies Business Conference where the winner will be announced live; Leading Ladies will take place on August 25, 2023
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The Catalyst is again proud to present the LEADING LADIES 9th Annual Women’s Business Conference to be held IN PERSON at the Westin Huntsville on August 24th and 25th 2023. The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship created this event to empower, encourage, and educate women in starting, running & growing a business, all while juggling the other roles they play in life. Come and fill your cup with like-minded women and build your entourage!!
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We will be back at the Westin for another great 2 day event.
Make your plans to attend!
Registration is OPEN!
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Want to be part of the action?
This is sure to be a blockbuster for all women, in business and beyond. We are excited to offer you the opportunity to play a major supporting role!
Become a sponsor!
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Doing Business with NASA event on June 14, 2023, Hybrid event ,
We are pleased to welcome you to a HYBRID "Doing Business with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)"
In person event will be held at YULISTA 8600 Advanced Gateway YUKON Bldg at Redstone Gateway at Gate 9 in Huntsville, AL. Zoom Link will be provided for those attending Virtually.
if you would like to SPONSOR for $500 and have your name listed in directory, in presentations, and have an exhibit table. Sponsor for $1000 and speak for two minutes at the event and name listed in directory, in presentations, and have an exhibit table.
Why you should attend:
Learn about Doing Business with NASA MSFC, upcoming contracting opportunities, Mentor Protege program, SBIR/STTR Overview, Micro-purchases, Calendar of events, and visit in person with NASA MSFC Primes and NASA personnel.
A few key takeaways from the event include:
Network with other inspired, resourceful, and highly productive business owners and industry/government experts from NASA or that are working with NASA MSFC.
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A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CATALYST CLIENTS
The federal contracting industry runs on relationships and connections are hard to come by!
Check out TeamingPro. This site is kind of like Facebook, but for the federal contracting market where companies can find and connect with other companies based on capabilities, past performance and other criteria that makes sense for their business.
Thier platform makes it easy to find new opportunities, new partners, new customers and more, while offering an efficient way to track and organize your business development activity.
SAM.GOV registered companies have a forever free account, just click the link below to join. “
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Have you checked out our
Government Contracting Credential Programs?
Join us for our next session June 13th at 3 PM EST.
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Government Contracting
FOCUS Sponsor
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REACH WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER |
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WE ARE LIVE!
We are pleased to welcome you to our second {SHE}EO Round Table Lunch & Learn!
This month we will be joined by Dr. Tammie McCurry and Brittney McCurry-Wingate!
We will open at 11:00 AM CT for this in-person event with the program starting at 11:30 AM CT. This event will ONLY be held LIVE & In-Person.
The {SHE}EO Round Table is designed for women aspiring to leadership or already in leadership. The roundtable event features a guest speaker who will go on to lead thought-provoking group conversations over a meal. This month's guest speakers Dr. Tammie McCurry, CEO of Confidential Consultants and Brittney McCurry-Wingate, CEO of The Region HR Consulting Firm.
About Dr. Tammie McCurry:
Dr. Tammie McCurry, an experienced mental health advocate, motivational speaker, and community leader, is best known for making a profound professional and personal impact on those she encounters. Her life’s work is focused on empowering others to live purpose-filled lives and break barriers to achieve new levels of success. Dr. McCurry proudly serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Confidential Consultants LLC, a professional development firm focused on equipping, educating, and empowering organizations and individuals with creative solutions for quality improvement. She is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tau Rho Mu Christian Sorority Inc., an organization that focuses on developing women into Proverbs 31 Women through education, empowerment, and mentorship.
Before stepping into her business full-time, Dr. McCurry served as the Associate Commissioner of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, where she spearheaded the planning, implementation, and management of several major mental health milestones for the state of Alabama, including the creation of the 988 Suicide Crisis Hotline and behavioral health crisis centers around the state.
Dr. McCurry also has a passion for writing and has authored a book entitled Building The Unbreakable Bond. She has also co-authored three books - Under the Shadow: Our Journey with Polycystic Kidney Disease; Silence; and Bruised But Not Broken. She and her husband are the founders of To Restore Multitudes Ministries, a ministry focused on transforming and restoring marriages and families. She and her husband also serve as Senior Pastors of Unity Worship Center in Montgomery, Alabama.
Dr. McCurry is a graduate of Jacksonville Theological Seminary where she received the Doctor of Ministry in Christian Counseling degree. She also holds an Associate Degree in
Criminal Justice, Bachelor's Degree in Social Science, and a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is licensed by the National Christian Counseling Association as a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor-Advanced Certified.
Dr. McCurry has been married to her husband and best friend Michael McCurry for thirty-four years. She is the proud mother of six daughters; the proud grandmother of seven
grandsons and three granddaughters; and the proud mother in love (law) to three sons.
About Brittney McCurry-Wingate:
Brittney Wingate, an experienced Human Resource advocate and change agent in the River Region, is passionate about helping organizations bridge gaps in the employee life cycle while recruiting, retaining, and growing their most valuable asset: their employees. Brittney established The Region: HR Consulting firm, the first minority and woman-owned full service Human Resource firm in the state of Alabama, after more than 10 years of HR service in the corporate sector. Before transitioning into owning her own firm, Brittney led HR management in several positions, including On-Premise Manager for a Fortune 500 Recruiting & Staffing Company, Team Relations Specialist for a Top Tier 1 Automotive company, and the first African American HR Manager for a Food & Beverage Company since 1906.
Throughout her time in the corporate sector, Brittney dealt with the constant hurdle of politics within organizations with the mindset of “because we have always done it this way” and felt more could be done. As a leader in every position she held, Brittney was born with the innate knack to relate to people on a level that brought a sense of understanding, respect, unity, and trust. She knew there was an opportunity in her city to help small business owners navigate through what can feel like the nuisances of HR. By training organizations on the importance of commitment to compliance, she can help businesses evolve from good to great organizations. Her firm believes in investing proactively in development to prevent reactively making concessions when a situation occurs.
Brittney obtained her Bachelor of Art in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from Huntingdon College. She also obtained her Master of Human Resource Management from Troy University and her Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification.
In addition to owning her own business, Brittney also positively impacts others as an author. She authored her first book in 2016 entitled, "The Real Deal: The Journey." Shortly after in 2019, she co-authored a book entitled, "Under the Shadow: Our Journey with Polycystic Kidney Disease." She also has her upcoming project set to be released at the end of 2023 entitled, "Layers of She: Understanding the Assignment: Womanhood, Marriage, & Infertility."
Brittney also serves in her community as a Montgomery Sunrise Rotarian, Junior Board Executive Member of Child Protect (Children Advocacy Center), Mayor’s Young Professional Council, Executive Board Member of the J. Walters Rites of Passage Youth Detention Center, and Executive Board Member of Tau Rho Mu Christian Sorority and Beta Alpha Gamma Christian Fraternity.
Brittney holds a few titles, such as wife, daughter, sister, aunt, Christian, and author, but she truly loves the title change agent. Brittney believes her divine purpose is to stand out and speak up to create a difference.
A few key takeaways from the event include:
- Learn from a local business leader who shares her story of how she launched her business, overcame a challenge, or how she climbed the corporate ladder to where she is today.
- Discuss real challenges female leaders face in the community in a roundtable conversation
- Network with other inspired, resourceful, and highly-productive female business owners and industry/government experts
So, join us and brew some new ideas for your business and sweeten your network.
Hosted at the Lab on Dexter:
150 Dexter Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104
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Take advantage of Verizon's Small Business Digital Ready program!
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Verizon's Small Business Digital Ready program is a FREE online curriculum that provides learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking and more. Whether you want to increase the financial health of your small business, or optimize your marketing, our new events will arm you with the tools and resources you need to take your business to new heights.
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What an amazing Strong Coffee Strong Women event held at Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC). Our featured speaker - STRONG WOMAN Venus Quates shared her story - so inspirational! Venus is a proud Air Force Veteran with a strong heart for service and an affinity for space and flight. She is also the President & CEO of LaunchTech, a minority, woman, and service-disabled veteran-owned company that provides cradle-to-grave innovative and emerging technology and engineering solutions to enterprise customers in the public and private sectors. Founded by Quates is 2016, LaunchTech was recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the top 50 fastest-growing companies and top 10 fastest-growing woman-owned companies in the country in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In addition to her visionary leadership and forward-thinking mindset, Quates is an accomplished technologist and consultant with over 26 years of domestic and international experience working with major Fortune 100/500 companies, global banking giants, and leaders in the Aerospace and Defense industries and leading portfolios and projects ranging from $1 million to $5 billion. Quates has also traveled the world, educating the masses on the benefits of utilizing technology for community and economic growth. As service is in her DNA, Quates faithfully serves on the National Board of the Girl Scouts of the USA and various technology, STEM, and veteran-focused boards. Her passion for STEM and mission to change the workforce composition in the industry drives Quates to create life- and game-changing opportunities and access for minorities, women, and girls. In January 2022, LaunchTech birthed the annual Launching Scholars initiative to provide girls 15-18, from diverse and income-challenged households, with the opportunity to attend cost-based STEM programs across the US. In July 2022, the initiative sent twelve girls from New York, Tennessee, and North and Central Alabama to space, cyber, and aviation camps in Huntsville, AL. Quates is also a member of the Forbes Business Council and Inc. Masters and has been featured in both publications. Thank you to AMIIC for serving as our host facility and Junior League for your support. |
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Join us on July 20 when we will hear from our Strong Coffee Strong Women Speaker Jessica Johnson, the President of Junior League Huntsville and Community Coordinator at Johnson Orthodontics.
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Thank you Junior League of Huntsville for sponsoring this Event!
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The Catalyst Women's Business Center is excited to announce a new partnership! We are excited to be a co-sponsor of Ladies Night for the Trash Pandas Minor League baseball 2023 season! Here is a list of the dates. Each night we will highlight a woman-owned small business by giving away a prize from each company. Put these dates on your calendar and we will see you there!
5/23- Sparrows Florist
6/6- Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship
6/20- Fleur de Lis Farm
7/4- Waterfall Yoga
7/25- Wine & Design
8/8- Good Company Cafe
8/22- Cate & Co.
9/5- Vujee Vegan
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Begin building your community of support and discover the importance of communicating your business effectively. Whether you are just starting or already established, this workshop provides you the assistance and resources you need to be successful at any stage of the business life cycle. Please join us for an interactive workshop, where we encourage your participation!
In this program, you will:
- Gain insight on how The Catalyst can help you achieve your goals
- Learn how to think through the basic components of starting or growing your business
- Determine what areas you need to focus your attention
- Understand how to communicate your business effectively
- Begin building your community of resources and support
- Start your entrepreneurial roadmap to success
This workshop is offered bi-weekly, once you have completed Engage in Entrepreneurship, you will have unlimited access to subject matter experts through free one-on-one business coaching. Catalyst coaches will guide you through the right steps for you to achieve your goals. We want our clients to be empowered to continue their dream of business ownership. Your success is our success!
This class is offered bi-weekly
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Nonprofits! Check out this free Grantwriting seminar provided by The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville.
Click on this link and scroll down to Grantwriting Seminar get the passcode and click the link!
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Celebrate entrepreneurship and Small Business Month with us by applying to AMAZON Small Business Grants. They will give $250,000 in grants and services to 15 recipients, with a $25,000 cash grant and additional Amazon prizes for the Grand Prize.
To be eligible, you must be an Amazon Business customer based in the U.S. with annual revenue not exceeding $1 million. To apply, tell your small business story and how a Small Business Grant from Amazon Business would help your small business.
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Are you starting or growing a business and having trouble securing capital? Kiva may be able to help! Kiva is a non-profit that expands access to capital for entrepreneurs around the world. More than 2.5 million people have collectively raised over $1 billion through Kiva's crowdfunding loan. |
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Free Grants and Programs for Small Business
Whether you're starting a new small business or looking to grow the one you already own, finding funding can be a challenge for businesses of all sizes. If you're looking for a small business loan or grant, CO- is here to help.
Read more
www.uschamber.com
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Black women-owned businesses are vital to our economy yet receive less than one percent of venture capital funding. Fearless Fund is deepening its commitment to this community with the launch of the 2023 Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. With Mastercard prizing, we’ll be awarding four lucky small businesses across the country with $20,000 grants, digital tools to help them grow their business online, and mentorship so they can continue to bolster their business. There are four entry periods throughout the year. Don’t miss your opportunity, simply complete the entry form for your chance to win. |
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Fast Break for Small Business gives back
Together with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League, we're supporting small businesses with $6 million in grants and services. When applications reopen later this year, we'll be accepting them from small business owners across the country for $10,000 grants and up to $500 worth of LegalZoom products and services.
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THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS |
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GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING FOCUS AREA PARTNER
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ENTREPRENEUR AWARD SPONSORS
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INNOVATION SUMMIT
SPONSORS
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LEADING LADIES
2023 SPONSORS
Do you want to Join this list?
Contact us!
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Would you like to see YOUR name here and support the Economic Development and the success of Small Business? Contact us today! |
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SEASON TWO has been put on hold, but you still have season one to listen too! So, If you haven't joined in yet tune in today! The Catalyst Conversation can be found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. |
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¡Únete al emprendimiento empresarial!
(Spanish Edition)
May 23th | 7:00 PM CT
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Engage in Entrepreneurship In Person at Athens State Launchbox
May 23th | 11:30 AM CT
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GCC:A basic understanding of Cost Analysis and Price Analysis
May 23th | 3:00 PM CT
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IGNITE Small Business Series:Determine your Business Structure
May 24th | 1:00 PM CT
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Style your Business: How to Open your own Salon
May 24th | 10:00 AM CT
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GCC:Federal Government Source Selection
May 25th | 3:00 PM CT
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Launch your Business with Customer Faced Marketing
May 25th | 11:00 AM CT
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Engage in Entrepreneurship
May 26th | 10:00 AM CT
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Micro Purchases - how to get your first contract
May 30th | 3:00 PM CT
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In Quiet, Come Answers
In Person @ Wine and Design
June 1st | 4:30 P AM CT
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Opening the Doors for Sales - Marketing Tools for Federal Contractors
June 1st | 3:00 PM CT
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Cover your Assets: Business Insurance made simple
June 7th | 10:00 AM CT
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Greetings!
As we honor Asian American and Pacific Islanders this month, we recalled the celebration of the Chinese New year which occurred Jan 21-27th. and 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit!
Next week we honor those who served on Memorial day. What was the original name of this Holiday
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Copyright © 2022 The Catalyst, All rights reserved. |
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Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s).
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact info@catalystcenter.org for arrangements.
The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Huntsville, AL that serves entrepreneurs and small business owners in every stage of business. We aim to provide best-in-class coaching, in-demand services, and relevant programs to foster the success of small businesses.
You are receiving this email because you either subscribed to our email list, or you attended one of our workshops or events. We hope you enjoy it!
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