NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hello Alice,
a free platform that guides business owners through the growth of
their company, is reigniting the Business for
All initiative. In partnership with Verizon,
#BusinessForAll is a nationwide movement led by entrepreneurs,
celebrities, business support organizations, and corporate
executives that provides the opportunity for mentorship and funding
to small business owners nationwide. Hello Alice pivoted efforts in
March to provide a dedicated resource center and over $2 million in emergency grants to support small
businesses affected by COVID-19. Now Hello Alice and Verizon will
provide new money for Business for All grants between $10,000 and $50,000, along with mentorship opportunities,
resources and more through the Hello Alice platform. Grants will be
open to all owners with a special focus on the New Majority --
women, people of color, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, military affiliated
business owners, and entrepreneurs with disabilities.
To raise awareness about the impact small businesses have on
their communities, Hello Alice will lead a social media small
business takeover on September 29th,
with over 10 mentors lending their highly influential social media
channels and millions of followers to small businesses owners to
share their stories. Additionally, select mentors will offer
exclusive virtual mentorship sessions for those who apply and are
selected through Hello Alice's community. Participating mentors
include:
- Kristen Bell, Actress, Author,
Mom, and Founder of Hello Bello;
- Jean Case, Author and CEO of The
Case Foundation;
- Tami Erwin, EVP & Group CEO
of Verizon Business;
- Guy Fieri, Restaurateur;
- Elizabeth Gore, Co-Founder &
President of Hello Alice;
- Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder
& CEO of Bumble;
- Jeff Hoffman, Chairman of Global
Entrepreneur Network;
- Lauren Maillian, CEO of Digital
Undivided;
- David Meltzer, Co-Founder of
Sports 1 Marketing;
- Rebecca Minkoff, Co-Founder of
Rebecca Minkoff;
- Phyllis Newhouse, Founder &
CEO of Xtreme Solutions, Inc. and Founder of ShoulderUp;
- Gwyneth Paltrow, CEO &
Founder of goop;
- Lisa Price, Founder of Carol's
Daughter;
- Rakia Reynolds, Founder &
Executive Officer of Skai Blue Media;
- Carolyn Rodz, Co-Founder &
CEO of Hello Alice;
- Zaw Thet, Co-Founder & CEO
of Exer; and
- Wende Zomnir, Founding Partner
of Urban Decay Cosmetics.
Within the last 10 years, New Majority entrepreneurs have
represented over 50% of new businesses started, creating 4.7
million new jobs, yet these owners are largely excluded in funding,
receiving only a 2% share of venture capital each year. Only 5.5%
of women-owned businesses in the U.S. access capital from banks or
other financial institutions compared to 11.4% of male-owned
companies.
"We 100% need to ensure that main street America survives," said
Elizabeth Gore, Co-Founder &
President of Hello Alice. "By ensuring #BusinessForAll, our entire
country benefits. At Hello Alice, we will lift the voices and needs
of business owners through this critical year in every way
possible."
All grant applicants are put forward into a peer-to-peer mentor
community and will have full access to resources available on
HelloAlice.com, from small business how-to guides and advice to
guided live video mentorship and digital support communities. Hello
Alice has established a grants council to guide the nomination and
vetting process with entrepreneur organizations, such as Verizon,
Aspen Institute, DivInc, NAWBO, Bunker Labs for Veterans,
digitalundivided, Black and Brown Founders, the Global Entrepreneur
Network, the USHCC, the NGLCC, Kashia
Band of Pomo Indians, and the Viscardi Network. Business for
All will also encourage entrepreneurs to nominate their own
companies.
With over 93% of small business owners voting in an election
year, Business for All will also engage small business owners and
policymakers on priority issues critical to small business growth
ahead of the 2020 presidential election. According to Verizon's
"Small Business Recovery Survey," 81% of small business owners
believe the outcome of the 2020 presidential election will affect
small businesses in the U.S. overall, regardless of owner's party
affiliation. Hello Alice will host nonpartisan Business for All
listening sessions with small business owners from across the
country. Additionally, Hello Alice and NAACP have
created Vote Small Biz Center to ensure small businesses
have the ability to vote on election day.
For more information or to apply or nominate a small business
owner for grants and mentorship opportunities visit
Businessforall.helloalice.com. Please direct media requests
to Christanna@skaibluemedia.com.
ABOUT HELLO ALICE
Hello Alice is a free, multichannel platform
that helps businesses launch and grow. With a community
of more than 220,000 business owners in all 50 states and
across the globe, Hello Alice is building the largest network of
owners in the country while tracking data and trends to increase
the success rate for entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise
business services, government agencies, and institutions looking to
serve small- and medium-business owners to ensure increased
revenues and promote scale. Co-headquartered in Houston and San
Francisco, and founded by Carolyn
Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we
believe in business for all by providing access to all owners
including women, people of color, veterans, and everyone with an
entrepreneurial spirit. To learn more, visit www.helloalice.com, as
well as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
ABOUT VERIZON
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on
June 30, 2000 and is celebrating its
20th year as one of the world's leading providers of
technology, communications, information and entertainment products
and services. Headquartered in New York
City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated
revenues of $131.9 billion in 2019.
The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on
its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers'
demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and
control.
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SOURCE Hello Alice