Pilot program teaching Birmingham, Alabama public housing residents entrepreneurial skills
A.J. Stephens, Birmingham Business Resource Center director of programs and development, works with residents in the new Entrepreneurship Launchpad program. The goal is to provide public housing residents with skills to ultimately become licensed business owners. (contributed)
A pilot program launched by the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) and the Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) is providing public housing residents with skills to ultimately become licensed business owners.
The Entrepreneurship Launchpad takes place over four weeks and is designed to help individuals craft a business plan, understand the business process and learn how to market their business.
“Entrepreneurship must be nurtured in every corner of our community. That’s why we are excited to have this opportunity to partner with the Housing Authority to provide information, training and guidance to residents,” said BBRC Executive Director Bob Dickerson. “We want everyone to know that wherever there’s an interest in ownership, we will be there as well.”
A Birmingham resident takes part in the Entrepreneurship Launchpad program designed to help individuals craft a business plan, understand the business process and learn how to market a business. (contributed)
Jacqueline French, HABD director of workforce development, said, “We’ve found that we have many residents who embody the entrepreneurial spirit but lack the resources and formal education to take their ideas from inception to fruition. I’m proud of how this pilot program will equip public housing residents with the tools they need to overcome fears associated with entrepreneurship and ultimately become licensed business owners.”
A.J. Stephens, BBRC director of programs and development, who serves as the program instructor, said his goal is “to guide and support the students in the cohort on their journey to entrepreneurship and contribution to economic growth. Additionally, I aim to establish a replicable model that empowers communities across the entire city of Birmingham.”
Entrepreneurship Launchpad serves as one of HABD’s initiatives to promote self-sufficiency for its more than 23,000 extremely low- to low-income residents. Learn more about HABD and its initiatives at habd.org. Learn more about the Birmingham Business Resource Center at mybbrc.biz.
