July 30, 2014
As a long-term financial supporter of Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO), PDC was pleased to host a “pitch gathering” in mid-July to culminate MESO’s six-month intensive pilot project, Learn & Launch. The pilot, led by Tory Campbell and Faye Burch, provided twenty aspiring African-American entrepreneurs with traditional business planning services coupled with the support of a peer group and mentorship. Business concepts deemed viable then progressed to the next stages of launching. The PDC-hosted gathering involved fourteen cohort participants who displayed their business concepts and encouraged attendees to interact with their products and services.
Participant Alisha Carter, owner of Rockin’ Naturals, a business offering an array of natural hair care products, said, “I am very grateful for the networking of people who have a vision to succeed. The coaching that I received was very beneficial and I am ready for the next steps.”
MESO seeks to improve the economic opportunities of underserved individuals through empowerment, education, and entrepreneurship for the benefit of the greater community. For a list of the Learn & Launch participants and more information, please visit www.mesopdx.org
