- May 11, 2024
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by: Julia Kline-Fuentes
The African American Entrepreneurs Association has announced a new location where entrepreneurs can connect with the AAEA and minority business services. After some great discussions and strategic planning, the AAEA has partnered with the city of Palm Coast and will host clients at 160 Lake Ave., within the Palm Coast City Hall. Previously, meetings could be scheduled at either the 601 Innovation Way (Main Office) located in Daytona Beach or 2153 SE Hawthorne Road, Suite 101 (GTEC) in Gainesville or remote meetings in Flagler County. This adds a third location for entrepreneurial growth and opens a new chapter of minority business support for entrepreneurs that will now be able to set mentoring and business growth meetings locally within Flagler County.
Leslie Giscombe, AAEA founder/CEO, longtime resident of Palm Coast and entrepreneur, said seasoned entrepreneurs and budding business owners will now be able to have mentoring and business plan review and several other options to access capital. The AAEA is able to introduce micro-funding options and capital support to these often-underserved businesses.
“I think that the important thing is partnerships and sticking to your mission,” Giscombe said. “Because we’ve stuck to that, our partners are supporting those efforts.”
Meeting with Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin and Chief Community Development Officer Jason DeLorenzo, who helped spearhead the effort, the city is excited to add the African American Entrepreneurs Association as a resource for business builders in the community.
“Business and economic opportunity are not only a strategic priority for the city of Palm Coast, but they are essential to the future success of our community,” said Alfin. “Leslie has a track record here locally in the community and brings with him a great experience from the region, as well. To help him build on that success here will benefit the residents of the city of Palm Coast is a great collaboration. ”
“This is a great opportunity for the local entrepreneurs of Flagler County,” says Giscombe. “Plus, this is where the AAEC was founded in 2016. ... This is a benchmark of how much can be achieved if the community comes together to support the growth of African American and minority businesses. I appreciate the willingness to not just talk about inclusion, but act upon it. This is the first mayor that has bought into this vision of not just talking about inclusion but making an effort and being intentional about how to do it. He did it with the community in mind, knowing and looking at who our partners were, and what we have to offer. That’s the key thing."
Giscombe and Alfin echoed similar missions when discussing the positive impact the African American Entrepreneurs Association will bring as an asset, helping to open up opportunities for all residents working to create or grow a successful business in Palm Coast.
“Our Business Assistance Center has changed over the years, how it works, but we still have a pretty robust mentoring system, and this is just going to add to that mentoring and allow our new businesses to foster and our existing businesses to grow and continue to meet the workforce needs of the community,” said DeLorenzo.
“We also looked very carefully about the foundation and the underpinnings of this vision that we’re talking about,” said Alfin. “Cities will only prosper, they will only be sustainable, if they are well-balanced. We are working every day to create that balance for the future.”
The AAEA provides advisory and educational services to assist entrepreneurs with information, resources, and education to help their businesses achieve and sustain long term success.
Member services available at the new location include:
The AAEA was created to develop and create economic development through entrepreneurship within the underserved African American and minority community through education, mentoring, workshops, group economics, and micro-financing opportunities. The AAEA focuses its partnerships on businesses and organizations that are dedicated to the support of equity, diversity, and inclusion. It is imperative that as a community we support and work together. With any questions or concerns regarding the AAEA, call 386-234-2014 or visit www.aaeassociation.org.
