2021 REGIONAL BLACK BUSINESS CONFERENCE

For more than two decades The Presidents’ Council has served as An Engine for Black Business Growth and continues to undergird, support, and create opportunities for entrepreneurial and economic growth and success in Northeast Ohio through Capital Formation + Investments, Business Development + Entrepreneurial Support, Ecosystem Building, Championing + Thought Leadership, affecting influence and accountability at ALL levels that directly impact Black businesses and the communities we serve. 

Join us as we celebrate 25 Years of Creating Champions and share our vision for the next 25 years ahead, including tangible onsite resources, business to business connections, and access to funding opportunities. 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

MAGGIE ANDERSON

Author of Our Black Year & Founder of the Empowerment Experiment

In 2009, global media covered Maggie Anderson, Congressman John Lewis’ former aide, President Barack Obama’s former law student, and a successful corporate executive, as she lived out her public pledge to “buy Black” only for an entire year. Her family was threatened, and her mother was dying of pancreatic cancer. She took this stand raising two babies and with no Black-owned grocery store. Maggie’s historic year AKA “The Empowerment Experiment” (“EE”) resulted in an unprecedented amount of mainstream media, university, and corporate attention specifically on Black-owned businesses, Read More

Mayoral Panel

Conversation with the two candidates emerging from the primary election and running for mayor of the city of Cleveland

Presented by: Ideastream

 Hear from the final two Cleveland Mayoral candidates on topics like, removing barriers to success, ensuring ongoing engagement by championing organizations such as The Presidents’ Council, increasing diversity in government leadership roles, and increasing access to critical business resources like financial capital and development opportunities.

PANEL 1

Creating a Pandemic Business Plan

Presented by: Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Learn how to incorporate best practices from alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program who created a plan to grow, pivot, and survive despite the pandemic.

PANEL 2

Leveraging Banking Technology For A Post Pandemic World and Digital Disruption to Optimize Your Competitive Edge

Presented by: PNC Bank

Learn about financial solutions and resources PNC has to advance businesses forward during this post pandemic era.

PANEL 3

Never Write a Social Media Post Again!

Presented by: Inphlu

Learn how Jared saves 44 hours per month by automating their social with Inphlu

Powerful Yet Simple: Inphlu’s advanced content engine, powered by Artificial Intelligence, monitors global sources to find, curate, and publish relevant third-party content, specific to your industry.

PANEL 4

Access to Capital: Evaluating Sources of Funding for your Business

Presented by: Huntington Bank

Learn about Huntington’s various sources of capital that can be used to fund your business, as well as information on how to become application ready for a bank loan.

Minority Business Enterprise Panel

S.B. 105 Minority Business Economic Opportunity and Mobility

Presented by: Senator Sykes

 Senator Vernon Sykes will bring the meeting to order and provide an update on Senate Bill 105, which is the MBE certification reciprocity legislation, and then discuss the purpose of the meeting.

SPONSORS & PARTNERS