AARP, with more than 37 million members, and Black Enterprise, a small business resource for African Americans, has announced the launch of the Black Enterprise Small Business University. The four-week, online video course will offer expert advice to entrepreneurs looking to start and grow profitable small businesses.
Kicking off on Monday, October 7 with “Crowdfunding and the Future of Small Business,” Small Business University, sponsored by AARP, aims to assist entrepreneurs in three different stages of business development: the aspiring start-up, the part-time entrepreneur, and those with an already established enterprise.
“Many Americans dream of owning their own business, sometimes as a second or third career, and using their creative talents to do productive work that also helps them gain economic stability,” said Edna Kane-Williams, AARP Vice President, Multicultural Markets and Engagement. “AARP looks forwards to collaborating with Black Enterprise to provide valuable resources and information that will help strengthen small businesses and encourage more entrepreneurs to reimagine their careers.”
The Black Enterprise Small Business University will consist of three original video tutorials per week featuring a team of rotating business, marketing, branding and technology all-stars including ‘SmallBizLady’ Melinda Emerson; Vanguarde Consulting Group CEO Derrick Webster; Ramon Ray, Regional Development Director for InfusionSoft and Editor of Smallbiztechnology.com; and Alfred Edmond Jr., SVP/Multimedia Editor at Large of Black Enterprise.
In addition, Small Business University experts and the Black Enterprise editorial team will be available via Twitter chats to connect directly with participants, answer questions and provide additional resources.
“Over the past five years, Small Business University has become one of our most popular multimedia offerings at BlackEnterprise.com,” says Edmond, who produced the first series of Black Enterprise SBU videos in 2009 as Editor-in-Chief of BlackEnterprise.com. “Partnering with AARP to help new and aspiring entrepreneurs, including those who are pursuing business ownership as a new chapter of their work lives after a career of working for employers other than themselves, is a major opportunity for us to promote both entrepreneurial and financial success.”