AYA Foundation

Denver Community! You showed up for black-owned, woman-owned, immigrant-owned, BIPOC owned small businesses this weekend! Thank you!!!!!! Some of us understand the assignment, and this weekend, I realize many more of us are beginning to understand the assignment. Buy local. Buy small. Spend our dollars in our communities, supporting the dreams, efforts, talents and businesses of those who are furthest from the opportunities (and tax breaks) that is afforded to big corporatons Thank you for showing up and spending your hard earned dollars with hard working small business owners. The AYA Foundation Harmabee holiday market was a huge success, and it will be back next year. Big and better! Let’s keep the assignment front and center. Let’s keep our small businesses in business. #smallbusinesses #blackowned #womanowned #immigrantowned #bipocowned #entrepreneurs Elizabeth Suárez, MBA, ADR Board and C-Suite Facilitator

Denver colleagues, AYA Foundation kicks off its Harambee Holiday Market TODAY with more than 25 local, woman-owned, black-owned, immigrant-owned , BIPOC owners small businesses offering unique, handmade, artisan, fun gifts. Come out to Posner Center for International Development and kick off your holiday shopping and your pre-small business shopping with us. Shop Black. Shop Woman-Owned. Shop Immigrant-owned. Shop Small. Shop BIPOC owned. This is in fact how we shift the balance of wealth, by spending our dollars with small business. Market kicks off at noon today with our partners from @ColoradoSBA Frances Padilla Aikta Marcoulier Shop with us today and tomorrow! #smallbusiness SBA Colorado District Office SBA Rocky Mountain/Great Northern Plains Region Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Looking for those unique and special items for holiday gifts? Join us and AYA Foundation for an amazing pre #SmallBusinessSaturday event! Harambee Annual Holiday Market Friday, 11/22 and Saturday, 11/23 Posner Center 1031 33rd St. Denver, CO

If you want to be inspired, spend a minute, an hour, a day, an evening with entrepreneurs. We are so fortunate to be able to do this every day in #Colorado because of the unparalleled #smallbusiness support community enveloping our state. This week found us at the AYA Foundation’s “Together We Thrive” #Ubuntu Connections Event where we absorbed that awesome inspiration from the many participants of its Jumpstart Your Small Business Program. It was also the 60th anniversary of the SCORE Mentors Program. And we are delighted our SCORE Mentors Denver chapter is a close partner in the works of this foundation. Great to see so many entrepreneurs get connected to all of the resources our partners have to offer. #blackbusinessexcellence #blackentrepreneurs #blackownedbusiness #smallbusiness Benilda Samuels Frances Padilla SCORE Mentors Denver

🗣️ Entrepreneurs, It’s Time to Talk About YOU 🧠 As entrepreneurs, we’re conditioned to talk endlessly about our businesses—funding, scaling, strategies, you name it. But how often do we talk about ourselves? The truth is, you are just as important as your business. In fact, your importance is a full-life job compared to the ephemeral time you will spend with your company. 🔍 Why does this matter? Your journey, struggles, and wins shape how you lead. When you only talk about business, you miss the chance to share the human side of entrepreneurship—the part that people connect with. It’s time to balance business talk with discussions about who you are. 🔑 Here’s why you should share more about YOU: 1. Humanizing your brand: People connect with people, not just products or profit margins. Sharing personal stories—whether about mental health, personal growth, or life outside work—creates genuine relationships with your audience. 2. Building trust and transparency: Investors, clients, and partners aren’t just buying into your business—they’re buying into you. When they see your authenticity, they trust you more. 3. Mental health matters: As entrepreneurs, we carry enormous pressure. 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 72% 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭. Talking about personal challenges is the first step toward breaking the silence. It’s okay to show that running a business doesn’t mean neglecting yourself. 4. Your story can inspire others: You’ve got a unique journey filled with ups and downs. By talking about your own experiences, you encourage others—especially fellow entrepreneurs—to embrace their own stories and recognize that personal struggles don’t mean professional failure. So, next time you update your followers, don’t just tell them about your latest product or milestone. Share a bit of you. Remember: Your business matters, and so do you. 💡 This picture is from a beautiful time I had the opportunity to spend at Esalen Institute, taking a break for myself. #Entrepreneurship #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #MentalWellness #Psychology