We at the D’aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) are excited to welcome 67 newly-selected AAPI, Black, Latinx, and female entrepreneurs from across the United States to the Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship Program (BBiE). These entrepreneurs are joining a community of passionate and innovative individuals who are facing systemic barriers and creating solutions to today’s business problems.
Entrepreneurship has always been a challenging and rewarding journey, but it can be even more difficult for members of underrepresented communities. BBiE provides resources, mentorship, and community to minority veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs so that they can support each other, share best practices, and ultimately grow their businesses, together.
Join us as we celebrate diversity, inclusion, and entrepreneurship, and welcome our last cohort of 2024! We are proud to present the newest members of Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship program cohort 24C.
AAPI Entrepreneur Cohort
Eddie Banks, Lead Giants, Army
Lou Luangxay, Residential Garage Door Services LLC, Marine Corps
John Paul Jebb, Cookingthai77, Army
Richard E Banks, Prefecture Go Academy, Air Force
Marguerita Maria Cheng, Blue Ocean Global Wealth,
Orlando Gonzalez, trailBlazer6, Army
Black Entrepreneur Cohort
Ali Nasser, Orali Logistics, LLC, Army
Allen Julius Edwards, AJ Edwards Consulting, Army
Andrea Briann Cennington, Bloomed Within, Army
Andrena Phillips, KeepMovinWithAndrena LLC, Military Spouse
Beverly Grandison, Infinity Empowerment Services, Army
Bonita Hilliard, Tru2youcoaching, LLC, Navy
Che A Alfred, Back2Basics Enterprises, Army
Christina Sledge, Sledge House Media, Military Spouse
Donel King, SeaMossNashville, Air Force
Dr. Denita Oyeka, Hammer & Nails-Valencia, Army
Eric Daniels, Compass SSA-VA, Army
Felicia Polk, Business Served, Army
James Mack Nash, Uncle J’s Coaching, Navy
Johnathon Ervin, Battle-Tested Foods, Air Force
Kristy Wiggins, Southern Hospitality Brands LLC, Navy
Latisha Michelle Proctor, A & A Custom Apparel, Army
Lisa Manganiello, Leesa Michelle LLC, Navy
Mareshah Dickens, Asher Amarise Gifting Co, Air Force
Nina Perdomo, NinaPilar 000, Navy
Odie Gray, Spotlight, Army
ShaLynn DeVaughn, Women Moving Forward, Navy
Tieron Spear, Next Level Ambitions, Marine Corps
Veronica Arnold, The Perfect Parfait, Military Spouse
Walter Blunt, Thinking Out Loud, Air Force
William B. Robinson Jr., Duffel Bag Massage and Bodywork, Army
Wendell White, Gourmet Fusion, Air Force
Female Entrepreneur Cohort
Basso Ghee, GD Resources, LLC, Navy
Britni Bardin, Toe Beans Transport, Army
Charlee Venable, Summit Growth Strategies, Air Force
Daria Basile, MyPrepPlus, Military Spouse
Dawn M Cater, Novel-T, LLC, Army
Debra Phelps, Steel Talon, LLC, Army
Diana Woods Riley, The Kitchen Table, Army
Heather Bergen, In The Meantime Unlimited, LLC, Navy
Jeannette Nichole Frashier, Relax 2 Rejoice, LLC, Air Force
Kenji Ono Mundy, TaraKenji Photography, Military Spouse
Kit Holden, Bookkeeping by Kit, Army
Kristy Cruz, The Succulent Studio, Military Spouse
Kylie Koskan, Gargoyle Queen Reptiles, Military Spouse
Lisa Maynes, Wellness Collaborative Campus, Army
Marie Ramos, 4 Chord, Army
Marina Johnson, MOST Programming, Inc., Military Spouse
Melanie Booth, Nectary Solutions
Michele Williams, Fuller Center for Housing of Delaware, Air Force
Natalie Worthan, Veterans Collaborative (Veterans Lab), Military Spouse
Nya Edward-Marsh, Caribbean Girls Properties, Army
Pat Thurmond, 365 Self-Defense, Army
Renee Butts, A Timely Manner Medical Transportation Ltd Co., Army
Sarah Armitage, Salon Echo LLC, Air Force
Shannon Waters Mitchell, Handle with Care Ranch and Holistic Center, LLC, Navy
Stephanie Gaston, Catalyst MedSpa, Inc., Military Spouse
Valerie J Maxsam, Dr Valerie Maxsam, Army
Latinx Entrepreneur Cohort
Allen L Wortham Jr., Wortham Armory LLC, Marine Corps
Ann Rebollar, Bienestar Counseling Services, Army
Chandler Blake Archuleta, Crooz Coaching, Air Force
Diana Penuela, Elite10 Solutions, Military Spouse
Diana Villa, Thriving as Designed, Army
Elena Prendergast, Tree of Life Health Consultant, LLC, Army
Heather A. Hathaway Miranda, Hathaway Miranda LLC, Military Spouse
James Espinoza, American Freedom Consulting LLC, Army
John Gonzalez, Task PMO, Army
Jorge Rodriguez, Casa Rustico Corp, Army
Justin Isaias Bustamante, Justin Bustamante LLC, Marine Corps
Karen Ojeda, Big Cookie House, Military Spouse
Lucila Villagran, Giants ZKT Homes Remodeling, Navy
Michelle Olmstead, Human Computing LLC, Army
Omar Hernandez, Global Urban Strategies, Inc., Marine Corps
William Gonzalez Jr., Sapper Technology, Army
Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship Program
Breaking Barriers in Entrepreneurship is an 8-week virtual program that facilitates business growth and support within AAPI, Black, Latinx, and female veteran and military spouse communities. The program is designed to create an immediate impact for early to growth-stage businesses by providing access to business tools, resources, capital opportunities, mentorship, and a stronger peer network. Learn more about the program or fill out an interest form to be considered for our next cohort.
This cohort is professionally facilitated by Latoya Clark – Maylon Media, Dr. Nicole Dhanraj – HND Consultancy, Valerie Lavin – Luminary Global, and Alejandra Amegin – Culturus Consulting Firm and Jax Natural Healing. A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this program cohort possible: PwC Charitable Foundation, General Motors, Macy’s, and Molson Coors.