Culinary Afropreneurs Meet Laine's Bake Shop owner Rachel Bernier-Green at the Lunch and Learn panel at Take the Plunge Business Growth Panel

Find out some of the secrets of success - and growing pains - for Rachel Bernier-Green, co-owner and head baker at ‘Laine’s Bake Shop during the Lunch and Learn session of the Take the Plunge 

 ‘Laine’s is a family operated artisan baking company with a social mission.
‘Laine’s mission is to become a catalyst for revitalization of urban communities, beginning with the south side of Chicago. Rachel owns the company with her husband, Jaryd Bernier-Green. Rachel’s professional background is in the field of accounting and finance. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Accounting and a Master of Science degree in Taxation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While at the University of Illinois, Rachel spent a term in the Social Enterprise Summer Institute which piqued her interest in business as a tool for social change. Rachel is also an alumni of the prestigious Good Food Business Accelerator.

 Rachel grew up creating delicious treats in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother and always dreamed of turning her passion into a business. She was a serial teenpreneur but one of her first businesses was selling her baked goods at a stand in her grandmother’s yard. Over the years, Rachel continued to hone her craft even as she pursued a career in the intense field of public accounting. In April, 2013 Rachel decided to finally bring her dream to life by creating ‘Laine’s Bake Shop, an online bakery catering company. ‘Laine’s Bake Shop was founded to create delicious, scratch made treats with a focus on creativity, honest ingredients, and unparalleled customer service. Jaryd and Rachel began to work on ‘Laine’s Bake Shop full time in July of 2015. In July of 2016 the first ‘Laine’s Bake Shop store was opened . ‘Laine’s treats can also be found in Chicagoland Whole Foods stores, Starbucks, on Amazon Fresh, and at several local restaurants and retailers.

Tix for Take the Plunge Business Success Conference



About the Host

Project Forward is a business management consultancy specializing in economic development strategies and tactics for organizations that revitalize commercial corridors.  We partner with small businesses, chambers of commerce, real estate developers, business improvement districts or municipalities.

Take the Plunge Business Growth Conference Pros

Here are several of the featured hosts of Nov 9th's Take the Plunge business growth conference. 

Jason William Johnson - CEO and Co-Founder of Konveau™

 Jason is a subject matter expert in personality psychology and the CEO and Co-Founder of Konveau™, an app that uses personality type and personal interests to help people connect at social gatherings. He is also the Entrepreneurship Program Manager at the Chicago Urban League's Entrepreneurship Center. In his role at Chicago Urban League, he utilizes his knowledge of organizational leadership principles and branding to help clients launch new ventures through one on one coaching and training programs. Jason is a doctoral candidate in Organizational Leadership and holds a Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology. His dissertation will explore how personality type influences the professional networking styles of managers and executives. He also has over 5 years of experience as a web developer and graphic designer. Jason has served as Educational Advisory Board Secretary for IAEOU, an online entrepreneurship incubator and training program for small business owners in Chicago and Amman, Jordan. He is also the current Central Region Vice President for National Urban League Young Professionals and a Past President of the Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League, a chapter of the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP). Jason has also previously served as the Metropolitan Board’s Vice President and Personal & Professional Development Chair.


  Jim Harbin - Program Director at Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation

 Jim Harbin originally served as a board member for the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation (CDC) from November 2013. Jim’s background spans over two decades in building contracting and construction management. He is now charged assisting with the client intake process, workshops, trainings and the overall strategic planning for CDC operations. As a resident of Englewood, Jim joined the CDC because of his desire to make a difference and help create a new story for the community. He believes that the mission of the CDC can bring about needed change, revitalization and inspiration to Englewood businesses and to the local residents they serve.






 Dionne Baux - Director of Programs at National Main Street Center Inc.,

As Director of Urban Programs, Dionne leads the initiative to broaden the Center’s offerings and engagement in urban neighborhood commercial districts. Dionne has over a decade of experience in project coordination in the fields of urban economic development and commercial district revitalization. She has extensive expertise engaging community stakeholders, identifying and implementing projects in conjunction with community based organizations, government institutions, and real estate development, as well as supporting capacity building opportunities. Before joining the Center in 2016, Dionne served as Senior Program Officer for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago where she managed economic development initiatives for the Chicago office, developed and led the award winning Business District Leadership program and the nationally recognized Smart Communities demonstration. Previous to LISC Chicago, Dionne served as a Financial Planning Analyst for the City of Chicago’s Department of Community Development where she administered rehabilitation grant programs to eligible Chicagoan residents and small business owners. Dionne holds a master’s degree in public administration from Roosevelt University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Click here for tickets to Take the Plunge 

About the host  : Project Forward is a specialty business management consultancy specializing  in economic development strategies and tactics for organizations that revitalize commercial corridors.  We partner with small businesses, chambers of commerce, real estate developers, business improvement districts or municipalities.

Afropreneur solutionist Christyn Henson business growth and Wed's Take the Plunge success conference!

FIVE QUICK QUESTIONS with Project Forward's Christyn Henson, a business solutionist responsible for nearly $5 million in small business capitalization and networking/social events drawing thousands!

1. What are the biggest barriers which businesses face? 

Register here> Take the Plunge Conference 

Biggest barriers for small business is working on their business, not in their business. Small business owners are often doing whatever it is they do, instead of being able to be above the weeds. We often get bogged down because roles and responsibilities seldom get defined, assigned and measured.

2. Whats the main difference between good and GREAT ENTREPRENEURS? 
Difference between good and great is coach-ability. Businesses and business owners that are unwilling to bend in will fail.
Most business owners are stubborn, which is required but being too stubborn can be death.
Coachability doesn't just mean blindly accepting what anyone tells you, but having enough discernment to know what advice to apply and when versus just letting that info pass.

3. What is REAL BUSINESS NETWORKING about? Real business networking is about understanding the value that you bring to the table.  Networking is about adding value,  not making a fake connection. What can you offer someone? What value do you bring? But in order to really do that, you need to understand your value. You need to be able to express your value. You also need to know what you need. Small businesses look at a lot of companies as competition, when in reality there should be more collaboration. Networking is about finding ways for collaboration, which should end up eventually in having a financial impact.

4. How is the way we do business changing? The way we're doing business is changing as businesses need to become more dynamic. Small businesses need to be nimble and ahead of trends so they can become more proactive, instead of reactive. What that means is systems need to be in place, a strong foundation is needed so the core of what is done doesn't completely change (or maybe it does) but the implimentation or service delivery modifies. This is nimbleness needs to be embraced by our businesses in order to survive. 

5. What tool will people leave your conference with? 
Tools to get your business in gear and moving forward. Most often two things stop entrepreneurs: what they don't know and what they think they know. What they don' t know can be fixed by increasing access to information. 
What they think they know, is harder. That's internal. That has to do most often with self imposed barriers. That's fear. Hopefully, the information, the people and the struggle of others will shed light on what they think they know, help them get out of their own way, project their thinking forward and take the plunge into success!


Itinerary 

Real pertinent and structured networking opportunities to grow your business. If you don't feel comfortable networking, don't worry, we'll show you how during our personality powered networking session, with Konveau.

Itinerary

8:30am  - Doors Open

9:00am - Welcome Address

9:15am - Personality Powered Networking, sponsored by Konveau

Many times, we have the opportunity to connect with someone but we don't always know how to break the ice. This skill is imperative in business. Enjoy a networking breakfast and meet some people who you can work with during your business growth.

10:15am - Money Talks Panel featuring various bankers, business owners and financial experts who will give the real deal regarding loans and other types of financing. Nothing is off limits here!

11:30am Lunch & Learn - Join us for an intimate conversation with Rachel Bernier - Green of 'Lane's Bake Shop. We'll talk the good, the bad and the ugly of entreprenuership.

12:45pm Contracts and Procurement - What would $100,000 contract do for your business? It could take you to the next level, right? Now you just need to meet these buyers and business and learn about how they not only have contracts, but can also work with you to build your business.

1:45pm Closing

_______________________________________________________________________________________

$25 early bird admission, and $35 in advance, $45 at the door.

Seedfolks shows us how we grow

Seedfolks Trailer from Chicago Children's Theatre on Vimeo.
She leads on a journey of transformations as she shows how us how planting seeds sows change....

Click here: Show ticket info

100s of craft beers; mouthwatering foods; live music and DJs at the Hyde Park Beer Fest

THIRD ANNUAL HYDE PARK BREW FEST 


TAKES PLACE JUNE 4-5, 2016 AT 53rd STREET’s HARPER COURT AND S. HARPER AVENUE Chicago, IL

Sponsored by the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and #EatDrinkandBe Events, the third Annual Hyde Park Brew Fest is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 45, 2016, at 53 rd Street’s Harper Court development, 5235 S. Harper Court, Chicago, and portions of S. Harper Avenue.







The popular festival will include 100+ craft beers and ciders to sample; food from local Hyde Park restaurants including A10, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Ja’ Grill, Kilwins, Native Foods, and Porkchop; live music and DJs; and an artist vendor area curated by the Hyde Park store, The Silver Room.

Wallace E. Goode, Jr., Executive Director of the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, stated, “The Hyde Park Brew Fest has quickly become a local tradition, and we’re looking forward to an even larger turnout this year.” Jonathan T. Swain, event codirector added, “With more local and national breweries participating in the event, the Hyde Park Brew Fest will be a weekend-long celebration you won’t want to miss. With food, music, and artist vendors, the event is perfect for the whole family – and not just beer aficionados.”

Some of the participating brewers include 51 st Ward Beer Company, Ale Syndicate, Blue Nose Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Deschutes Brewery, Forbidden Root, Lake Effect Brewing Company, Magic Hat, Revolution Brewing, Temperance Beer Co., and many others.


Brew Fest hours are 12-10 p.m. on Saturday and 12-8 p.m. on Sunday, with beer sampling available from 1-7 p.m. each day.
















General fest admission is free, but paid passes and tasting tickets are required for access to the sampling area for beer tasting, with pass prices ranging from $25 to $60.  Tickets only available for those 21 and over with valid ID. All sales are final; tickets are day specific, non-transferable, and cannot be shared. For more information and to purchase tickets online, go to  hpbrewfest.com . ###

Mother of slain 9 yr old #TyshawnLee allegedly uses funeral donations to purchase car

In a bizarre series of happenings which as further tragedy to the death of 9 years young Tyshawn Lee, it appears now that funds meant to be used for his funeral expenses have been instead used by his mother to purchase an automobile.

 Rumblings first appeared via on Instagram, where Lee apparently went back and forth with people over having been seen at a Nissan dealership. Accusations on fb eventually led CBC to the page labeled Help Me Lay My Child To Rest and made these accusatory posts:

As stated above, actual arguments about the purchase itself between donators and Lee's friends had already appeared on Instagram

Tyshawn's Lee's father, Pierre Stokes under his Instagram screen name Wooh Gotti, released this statement, ironically or perhaps tragically enough asking for more money....







































Finally after virus level posts concerning this story appeared on our Culture of Black Chicago Fb page, they attracted the attention of one page fan who led us to startling video of Karla Lee herself seeming to justify the purchase as something her NINE YEAR OLD child would have ordained...

If u not supporting leave me alone

A video posted by @karla_lee26 on Nov 6, 2015 at 10:33pm PST

RIP, #TyshawnLee, your peace seems well deserved.

Kyemah McEntyre and the statement behind her gorgeous self designed #afrocentric prom dress- an internet sensation

I'm Kyemah McEntyre, I am 18 years old and I am undoubtedly of African Descent. As an artist I have a completely different point of view compared to most individuals. I am extremely analytical and observant. Throughout the world, we have people who do not notice each others essence and humanity. We Stunt our collective spiritual growth by allowing assumptions and stereotypes to cloud our mind and thus our physical reality. We let these negative ideas get the best of us, and in turn a world of isolation is manifested by our lack of sensitivity and desire to sympathize with each other. This results in a world in which people live within the confines of their own space, isolated from each other and separated from the rest of the world.Sometimes we get trapped in our own prejudice ways. We don't notice how the idea of a particular type of person changes the way we live our lives. The most creative people are the ones who step out of their comfort zone and take advantage of the world around them. My abilities as an artist allows me to experience the benefits that versatility fosters. Being exposed to all kinds of people and cultures is the muse for my artwork. I am an aspiring artist who is very passionate about the connection between art and the world. I believe that in order for society to gain a wider horizon, we have to be willing to acknowledge other people from differences, beliefs, morals, and values. I would like to take this moment to say that you have to understand who you are because if you leave that space open, you leave your identity in the hands of society. Don't let anyone define you. Beautiful things happen when you take pride in yourself. #blackgirlsrock #kyebreaktheinternet

A photo posted by Kyemah McEntyre (@mindofkye) on Jun 6, 2015 at 2:32pm PDT