Upcoming events.
Men's Power Hour: Your Network is Your Net Worth
Join the Greater West Dayton Incubator for a free event that will show you how to harness the power of networking.
About this event
You don’t need to be a millionaire to experience the power of networking. The Power Hour Black Men in Business Edition is designed to help you identify and create your own networking opportunities. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business pro, the Power Hour offers a place for you to learn the skills that allow you to tap into the resources that can make all the difference.
It's time to realize the power of who you know - and meet some of the most successful Black male business owners in our community. Join the Greater West Dayton Incubator for a free event that will show you how to harness the power of networking to generate leads, build relationships, and get customers.
Community Capital & Resource Fair
The Hub Powered by PNC Bank | 31 South Main Street
Event Contact: Tywan Corbitt, tcorbitt1@udayton.edu
Join us for the GWDI Community Capital & Resource Fair, a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs to learn about the funding and resource opportunities available in Dayton and how to prepare to receive them. At this event, you’ll be able to connect with community partners who can help you grow your business, access capital resources and gain knowledge through workshops that will help you make informed decisions that may increase your chances of acquiring capital.
11:00 am – 11:40 am
Session 1: Crowdfunding – How to Leverage the Power of Community to Fund Your Business
12:00 pm – 12:40 pm
Session 2: The Corporate Hustler – How to Use Your 9-5 to Fund Your Dreams
1:00 pm – 1:40 pm
Session 3: Flip the Bank: How to Turn Stocks and Digital Currency into Business Capital
2:00 pm – 2:40 pm
Session 4: Get Out the Trap: How to Improve Your Personal Finances and Credit to Build Your Business
3:00 pm – 3:40 pm
Session 5: Get Your House In Order: How to Position Your Business for Grants, Loans, and Funding
Gem City Rooftop Social
Kick back and unwind at the Gem City Rooftop Social at the Hub powered by PNC Bank.
About this event
Kick back and unwind at the Gem City Rooftop Social at the Hub powered by PNC Bank. Celebrate our city's black business owners, entrepreneurs and resource providers while you experience the smooth sounds of your favorite hits. Tours are available for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to explore the halls of the fastest growing office and innovation space in the cit
Business Blitz - Digitize Your Business
The Greater West Dayton Incubator is accepting applications for its first Business Blitz, a free boot camp that will help underrepresented entrepreneurs establish or grow their businesses.
“Our goal is to help entrepreneurs legitimize, digitize and capitalize their new and existing businesses,” said Whitney Barkley, incubator director. “These are the common areas that businesses struggle with and we want to remove barriers to help businesses get the essentials they need to succeed.”
Each session, held on Saturdays in February, will include a deliverable, such as a web page. The series will culminate with participants applying for an LLC with the $99 fee covered by the incubator.
February 19, 2022 will be the second session from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The location will be disclosed upon acceptance into the program. Apply now here.
Business Blitz - Legitimize Your Business
The Greater West Dayton Incubator is accepting applications for its first Business Blitz, a free boot camp that will help underrepresented entrepreneurs establish or grow their businesses.
“Our goal is to help entrepreneurs legitimize, digitize and capitalize their new and existing businesses,” said Whitney Barkley, incubator director. “These are the common areas that businesses struggle with and we want to remove barriers to help businesses get the essentials they need to succeed.”
Each session, held on Saturdays in February, will include a deliverable, such as a web page. The series will culminate with participants applying for an LLC with the $99 fee covered by the incubator.
February 12, 2022 will be the first session from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The location will be disclosed upon acceptance into the program. Apply now here.
Grand Opening of the GWDI
The official Grand Opening of the Greater West Dayton Incubator will take place on December 7, 2021 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.
The afternoon will begin across the street at the National Park Service at 16 S. Williams St. Dayton, OH 45402 for the opening remarks.
Following the remarks, guided tours will be held in our location at 1105 West Third Street.
Tours will be held in groups of 15 throughout the afternoon and refreshments will be provided during the tour.
Free parking is available at both location
Procurement and Supplier Diversity 101
The culminating event of Gem City Black Business Month will feature a networking opportunity and panel discussion highlighting the process to become certified vendors for procurement and supplier opportunities for the region's largest institutions, organizations, and businesses. You will not want to miss this opportunity for a chance to grow your business.
Partners: Dayton Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Partnership and the Greater West Dayton Incubator
Banking as a Black Business Owner
This high-energy conversation will feature multiple local business bankers and seasoned entrepreneurs who will share tips about establishing business relationships, becoming bank ready, lending requirements, and common challenges.
Partners: Greater West Dayton Incubator, PNC Bank, KeyBank, and TJ with What’s the Biz
Panelist:
William R. Ware III, PNC Bank, Vice President and Branch Manager
Jay Williams, KeyBank, Vice President, Relationship Manager and Business Banking
Christopher Nalls, Attorney at Nalls Law Group LLC
Dwight E. Dewberry, Jr., PNC Bank, Vice President Business Banking
The Pitch BLACK Competition
The Pitch Black competition is an exercise in cooperative economics, funding local creativity through community-generated micro-grants. The impact is for OUR commUNITY which will enable radical creativity and will accelerate general market, tech, tech-enabled, consumer products, services and e-commerce ideas created by African American entrepreneurs in Dayton, Ohio. Enter a submission here and follow the event page.
Partner: Dayton Young Black Professionals
Brews & Black Entrepreneurs
Join us at the Dayton region’s only Black-owned brewery to network with fellow Black business owners and small business service providers over great drinks and eats from a local Black-owned food truck.
Partners: Greater West Dayton Incubator, Launch Dayton, and Dayton Young Black Professionals
The GROW® Workshop Financial Strategies for Business Owners
Many entrepreneurs and founders are not only solopreneurs they also work a full-time position. The path to achieving the status of full-time business owner can be both mentally and financially challenging. In this GROW® Workshop Kenneth Wilson will share strategies to prepare entrepreneurs financially to take the leap from being a full-time employee to being a full-time business owner.
Kenneth is a Financial Advisor for Northwestern Mutual (2013). He is the first African American Financial Advisor to graduate to the fifth year at Kelly Financial Group, and the first to become a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, which he has repeated for 7 years in a row. He is among the top 2% of financial advisors in the world. After spending over 20 years with one of the top consumer products manufacturers in the world and interacting with some of the top business minds globally and managing his own finances; Kenneth Wilson understands the challenges and importance around having a sound financial plan.
Whether you are just getting started or ready to begin planning your move to full-time business owner understanding how a sound financial plan impacts your life and business is a game changer.
Partners: Aviatra Accelerators and Greater West Dayton Incubator
Black Wall Street & The Tulsa Race Massacre
Join us for a community viewing and guided conversation about the NBC News documentary, Blood On Black Wall Street: The Legacy Of The Tulsa Race Massacre. We will learn about the historic Greenwood District and discuss the impact of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on past, present, and future generations.
Partners: Dayton Metro Library, The Conscious Connect, Inc., Greater West Dayton Incubator, Dayton Young Black Professionals, and the Miami Valley Urban League
Blood On Black Wall Street: The Legacy Of The Tulsa Race Massacre
Becoming a Certified Minority Business Enterprise
This workshop will provide hands-on tools, information, and guidance on the application process to become a certified Minority Business Enterprise at the federal, state, and local levels. This will also include details on contract bidding guidelines and much more.
Partners: Minority Business Assistance Center, City of Dayton Procurement Enhancement Program, and the Greater West Dayton Incubato
Downtown Black Business Hop
This event invites you to explore and support the Black-owned shops, studios, salons, restaurants, cafes, and more in downtown Dayton. You'll start your tour with coffee at Third Perk and spend the afternoon shopping, experiencing, and enjoying as many of the businesses as you can.
The event aims to build awareness of downtown’s Black-owned businesses, to encourage participants to engage with them, and to generate new customers and support for Black business. Participants will be given a map of Black businesses located throughout downtown Dayton. They will travel at their own pace from business to business. At each stop, the map will allow them to document their visit. Attendees who visit a minimum number of businesses during the event will be eligible for raffle prizes.
Partners: Downtown Dayton Partnership,Greater West Dayton Incubator, and Dayton Young Black Professionals
Trotwood Chamber Networking Mixer
The Trotwood Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a networking session for businesses and for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. The intent with events such as this is to foster a culture of community and resources within the Trotwood business environment. More information can be found here.
Partners: Trotwood Chamber of Commerce, Arcani Coil Care, Premier Health Miami Valley North, Trotwood Madison City School District, and Shiloh Springs Capital Health Care
Black Men in Business
Entrepreneurship in the Black community is growing day by day and Black men are crucial for the economic development of our community, but yet underrepresented. During this panel discussion, Te’Jal Cartwright from What’s the Biz with TJ will facilitate a panel with Black men from various different business sectors and development stages about their entrepreneurial journey, mentorship, and lessons learned.
Partners: Greater West Dayton Incubator, TJ with What’s the Biz, and The Conscious Connect, Inc.
Panelists:
Anthony Head, Chef Executive and Owner of Chicken Heads
Robert N. Owens Sr., Owner of Signature Educational Solutions
Josh Nalls, Co-Owner and Director of Business Development, Title Agent at Companion Title
LLC
Sean Freeman, President of Trotwood Chamber of Commerce
Marcus Maddox, Owner of Maddox Building Systems
Early Risers: Black Business Edition
This special edition Early Risers pitch event will feature Black business owners from multiple industries. This pitch series connects entrepreneurs to the things they need most, like new customers, mentors, funding, connections, and more. Each startup will be given an allotted amount of time to pitch followed by a Q&A with the audience. This event will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and doors will open 15 minutes prior to the first company’s presentation.
Partners: Launch Dayton, Greater West Dayton Incubator, Central State University, and Trotwood Chamber of Commerce
State of Black Businesses in the Gem City
This kickoff event for GEM City Black Business Month will feature an opportunity to fellowship with other Black business owners over food and drinks at a Black-owned establishment. Come join us for informal table conversations about keys to success, common challenges, and pathways towards generational wealth creation through entrepreneurship.
Partners: Greater West Dayton Incubator, Miami Valley Urban League, Launch Dayton,Trotwood Chamber of Commerce, and Dayton Young Black Professionals
Panelists:
Brandon White, Owner of The White House Event Center
Jenelle Ross, President at Bob Ross Auto Group
Christopher Shaw, Owner of Shaw Cleaners and Dayton City Commissioner
Sierra Leone, Owner of OFP Theatre and Production Company
Black Business Bingo
July 30 - September 1 Ongoing (Participating locations)
Black Business Bingo invites everyone to celebrate National Black Business Month with a fun, month-long game of bingo. With 20 participating businesses, it is easy to shop, eat and win! To play - You simply download the bingo sheet from www.nbbmdayton.com or cut it out of the Dayton Weekly News during the month of August, next go shop, eat or access services of participating black owned businesses and finally submit your receipt for an opportunity to win prizes of up to $100. Make five purchases in a row to hit BINGO and get 10 entries. It's that easy! More details are at www.nbbmdayton.com.
To register, bingo cards will be available July 30 at www.nbbmdayton.com, in the Dayton Weekly News every week for the month of August or at the participating businesses. For more details go to www.nbbmdayton.com.
Partners: Yvette Kelly-Field