EWDD administers five incubators in the City, including Grid110, a non-profit dedicated to creating pathways to success for early-stage entrepreneurs. Grid110 offers the PledgeLA Founders Fund, a program for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who face systemic barriers when seeking capital for their companies. The following are the success stories of two Hispanic business owners who completed the program.
Phephe Rose, founder of Brush Up Your Space, is part of the 1% of Latinas who are licensed architects. Brush Up Your Space is a creative design studio specializing in branding, visual marketing, and interior design services for real estate properties. Rose transforms spaces into captivating and marketable destinations, helping property investors stand out in competitive markets.
To continue growing her business, Rose joined Grid110’s PledgeLA Founders Fund cohort. “Over the years, I struggled with 'coaches' not understanding what I wanted to build with a creative business, and not giving the time to know my skill set and how to apply it to make a profitable business,” said Rose.
However, through this program’s services of access to capital, weekly curriculum with industry experts, and guidance from strategic advisors, Rose was prepared to be more confident in talking about her business and submitting to other grants. It also motivated her to move forward with items of her business that she had been putting off and helped dissect her business so she could rework some aspects of her business foundation.
In Fall 2023, Patty Flores and Iris Hosea, co-founders of Festively, joined the Founders Fund program. Festively is an event planning partner for businesses who want to create an outstanding experience and also want to invest in local, diverse small businesses.
Going into the program, the Festively team couldn’t clearly articulate who they were and what they offered. They were spending too much time focusing on “easier” tasks that gave them instant gratification such as social media, and not enough time on strategies that moved the needle of their business. Through the program services such as workshops and business curriculum, Flores and Hosea were able to better understand how to upscale their business by fleshing out their offerings, pinpointing a target audience, and updating the business model.
By being more strategic, Flores and Hosea will be in a position to make a strong economic impact and bring a steady income stream to many more minority business owners such as caterers, florists, and bartenders.
Grid110 Assists Latina Architect Refine Her Business Foundation
Phephe Rose, founder of Brush Up Your Space, is part of the 1% of Latinas who are licensed architects. Brush Up Your Space is a creative design studio specializing in branding, visual marketing, and interior design services for real estate properties. Rose transforms spaces into captivating and marketable destinations, helping property investors stand out in competitive markets.
To continue growing her business, Rose joined Grid110’s PledgeLA Founders Fund cohort. “Over the years, I struggled with 'coaches' not understanding what I wanted to build with a creative business, and not giving the time to know my skill set and how to apply it to make a profitable business,” said Rose.
However, through this program’s services of access to capital, weekly curriculum with industry experts, and guidance from strategic advisors, Rose was prepared to be more confident in talking about her business and submitting to other grants. It also motivated her to move forward with items of her business that she had been putting off and helped dissect her business so she could rework some aspects of her business foundation.
Grid110 Helps Event Planning Business Update Their Business Strategy
In Fall 2023, Patty Flores and Iris Hosea, co-founders of Festively, joined the Founders Fund program. Festively is an event planning partner for businesses who want to create an outstanding experience and also want to invest in local, diverse small businesses.
Going into the program, the Festively team couldn’t clearly articulate who they were and what they offered. They were spending too much time focusing on “easier” tasks that gave them instant gratification such as social media, and not enough time on strategies that moved the needle of their business. Through the program services such as workshops and business curriculum, Flores and Hosea were able to better understand how to upscale their business by fleshing out their offerings, pinpointing a target audience, and updating the business model.
By being more strategic, Flores and Hosea will be in a position to make a strong economic impact and bring a steady income stream to many more minority business owners such as caterers, florists, and bartenders.
EWDD administers and provides financial support to several incubator and accelerator programs in the City of Los Angeles. These programs contribute to the City's innovation landscape by supporting the creation and growth of start-ups. Learn more about how these programs can help your business, visit our Incubator and Accelerator Programs page.
This story is part of the EWDD UPDATES from September 2024. Read this issue and more.
