The Place Where Entrepreneurs Grow

Jacqueline Ward is organizing this fundraiser.

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We know working in distressed urban communities has its challenges. However, I know through the over three decades of community work I have done, that there are lots of opportunities to change our communities from challenging to thriving. But past approaches looks at our communities as liabilities. Where some may see a liability, I see lots of assets and possibilities. I believe that we must think and do differently on how to serve and approach the opportunities that are right in our own neighborhoods. After years of working in the non-profit sector, I saw how many agencies tried very hard to change the lives of individuals; this came with limited amounts of success. What I learned was, as helpful as the organizations were, they were not exposing or providing some of their customers with the tools they needed for success. Often times the people working in those agencies didn't have the tools themselves. More often than not they could not even relate to the person they were trying to help. Especially in the area of self-sufficiency, entrepreneurship and business development Many programs "did for" individuals, not letting them own their own growth through self-development, leaving them dependent on the organization. Research shows if a person can do one of the following well, 1. Increase their knowledge (through education, self development and mindset change) 2. Own real estate 3. Or can start and maintain a business, they increase their chances of moving out of poverty and contributing to the economic viability of the community they live in. Their opportunity for success also increases if they can connect on a more personal level with the people, organizations or programs that are serving them. But it starts with believing that it can be done, no matter what. So, I am raising funds for this campaign to get my business, Venus Consulting LLC, rebranded and write a 3-book trilogy, to motivate, create self-development tools and stimulate your entrepreneurial mindset to prepare Inner City Entrepreneurs for a success journey. I will help the talented, but underserved or forgotten entrepreneurs discover that it can and will be done. I will be a mentor/coach (as I have done for so many years in my non-profit work) and motivator. Through trial, errors, experience and connections, I know my company, Venus Consulting, LLC can help other entrepreneurs learn and grow. I have been through and experienced many challenges, but with support, mentoring, self- development and motivation, I am able to keep going and grow to the next phase of my business. I must do this work full time, so I can help others achieve their entrepreneurial goals. This work is not just about helping one person; this work is to help that person/s so that they can go out and help, encourage and be an example b for someone else. With that success they can also give back to the community. The people that is I helped by my services will be able to help others by, being a role model for their children, mentoring another fledgling entrepreneur, exchanging or bartering their services, hiring individuals in need of employment or even growing their business to the point that it contributes financially to causes that affect the larger or global community. This campaign will help me produce a professional website, create compelling teaching tools, write the book trilogy, develop workshop materials as well as develop a comprehensive marketing campaign.