Free Incubator Program to Teach Black-Owned Businesses How to Grow in the Tourism Industry
Black Wall Street AVL, an Asheville, North Carolina-based non-profit that empowers Black entrepreneurs with scalability, expansion, and growth programs, has proudly introduced the launch of its Inaugural National Virtual Incubator, adding to its educational lineup in anticipation of the Fourth Annual Grind-Fest. This virtual program webinar series will be hosted on March 6th and 13th. The ninety-minute sessions are designed to empower Black-owned businesses by equipping them with crucial tools, language, and resources to access opportunities within the tourism industry.
Black Wall Street AVL National Virtual Incubator will offer participants entry-level assistance in accessing local tourism funding, locating decision-makers to access tourism dollars, and how they can be a part of Asheville, North Carolina’s biggest revenue-generating festival, the Grind-Fest, happening in May. Notably, Grind-Fest is renowned for celebrating black business and entrepreneurship. In addition, the incubator offers monthly meetings for members to learn and grow collaboratively and quarterly virtual sessions, expanding its national reach to support black-owned businesses in tourism education.
“By empowering entrepreneurs, we are using our local programming, by leveraging the E13 data tool and employing our dynamic logic model, we have cultivated resilient leaders who seize opportunities, mitigate risks, and create impactful ventures,” says Aisha Adams, Co-developer & Director of Black Wall Street AVL’s G.A.T.E. Program.
Nestled under the umbrella of Black Wall Street AVL, the Grindfest is a free, three-day event that celebrates the success of Black entrepreneurs + business owners in Asheville. Commencing May 24-26, attendees will enjoy music and live performances from national recording artists and entertainment such as games, food, local vendors + learning, employment, and partnership opportunities with the organization’s Duke Energy & Buncombe County.
Black Wall Street AVL partners include Explore Asheville, Mountain Bizworks, and Thrive Asheville plays a pivotal role in developing, contributing, and connecting participants with learning resources. In addition, this year’s program is funded by the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, Asheville Merchants Fund, Buncombe County, Community Foundation of W.N.C., Duke Energy, Mountain Bizworks, and Thrive Asheville.
To learn more about Black Wall Street AVL’s impact in shaping the future of BIPOC entrepreneurship in Asheville, visit the website at BlackWallStreetAVL.com.
To sign up for the Black Wall Street AVL Incubator Program, visit the registration link.
About the Founder
J Hackett, founder and board chair of Black Wall Street AVL, has over 20 years of community and economic development experience. He is an expert in social enterprise with work featured in NAADAC’s scholarly journal and the NC Bar Journal.
He is also the owner of GRIND, Asheville’s first Black-owned coffee shop, and has been recognized as the #1 fastest-growing startup in Asheville, the #1 minority-owned business in WNC, and the #3 best coffee shop in the state of North Carolina.
About Black Wall Street AVL
Black Wall Street (BWS) AVL is a Black business incubator with a mission to help people start, grow, and scale to turn their ideas into reality and build a supportive community for local Black entrepreneurs. This program is designed to scale their business to revitalize Black Wall Street.
For press inquiries, contact sarah@bthebuzzagency.com/ press@bthebuzzagency.com or 470-650-0571.
