Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative

Photographed here is Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of Collective Courage, a definitive written work centered on the history, legacy, practice, and philosophy of African American cooperative economies. Historically, cooperatives have played a critical role in remedying racial inequities in the U.S. market. By emphasizing collective empowerment, cooperatives create and sustain regenerative wealth that circulates within communities. Cooperatives are also run democratically..., thus, abandoning the hierarchical system of power that is so prevalent in corporate American industries. In fact, the majority of these industries propagate, enforce, and perpetuate this power dynamic, a dynamic with strong ties to slavery. Fortunately, cooperatives have the potential to redefine the way we do business and treat workers. Despite cooperatives' long history in black communities, they are still not so well-known. But, the information and resources relating to cooperatives does exist. We encourage you to look for it. Here is one resource that we hope can spark your investigation into this centuries-old economic tradition: @repaired.nations is hosting an IG book club where they discuss Collective Courage by Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard. Follow them for more info! See more

Today is the final day to register to the Be Your Own Boss Course! Register here or via the link in our bio: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/be-your-own-boss-4-week-class- In our Be Your Own Boss class, you will take a deeper look at your personal goals and whether starting a business can help you achieve them. This is a 4-week online class that runs every Tuesday, 6-8pm from February 16 - March 9. Register today!

#CAReliefGrant Round 2 applications are now LIVE! If you're an entrepreneur and need support navigating the application process, message us here or email us at [email protected] Applications close 02/08 at 6:00pm PST. Link to apply: https://careliefgrant.com

"What Would It Look Like if the Economy Loved Black Entrepreneurs?" That is the question posed in this thoughtful piece by Oscar Perry Abello, @nextcityorg ‘s senior economics correspondent. It's an important and unsettling inquiry because it asserts that the very opposite must be true. Fortunately, there are organizations that are making real change to move the pendulum toward progress by building Black community wealth through early-stage funding and business support. Our partner, @runway.family is one organization doing just that and they are highlighted in this piece. RUNWAY is a financial innovation firm committed to dismantling systemic barriers and reimagining financial policies and practicesall in the name of Black liberation. Read more about them here: https://nextcity.org//what-would-it-look-like-if-the-econo

New Blog Post Alert! In this blog, Rani Langer-Croager, Founder and CEO at Uptima, discusses how critical it is for entrepreneurs to carefully prepare their personal finances before starting a new business. Check out the full blog here: https://blog.uptimacoop.com/starting-a-business-prepare-yo/