Program Testimonials

My mentor, Phil [Gafka], is amazing. He has taught me how to create a culture for my business and then be the culture I have created. This [mentor] program has been very impactful, very instrumental in the growth of Resourceful Friends, LLC. And I really appreciate SBAC [Empower] for this platform and this opportunity…

Anjel Brown

Resourceful Friends LLC, Co-Founder

I appreciate the opportunity to help small business owners. After 26 years of working with business which are primarily very established, I get to be reminded not only of hardships for the new entrepreneur, but also the advice that remains paramount to getting access to capital. The ability to train a company early in their life cycle is selfishly very satisfying. I feel like I’m making a difference.

Stephen Ball

Byline Bank, Senior Vice President, Head of Business Banking

Having SBAC Empower be exactly what their name means to empower me within such a hard environment….let me give you an example. In the last 60 days, I buried 6 people. In the process I wanted to give up. But you know what I got? Scott [Baskin]. Scott would text me randomly. Scott has an aura about him that can feel when you’re down and out, and that got me back on my ship. I make custom designs, but through my relationship with Scott, I’m doing my own line of blazers and dresses and I’m excited about it!

Dinitia Robinson

Embrace Love Designs, Owner/Founder

A great benefit of attending the SBAC Empower Small Business training sessions held in 2017 at the Waukegan HUB was acquiring a business coach. My business coach provided me a new view of the vision I originally had of our organization and was a great sounding board of where I wanted to go. Working with a Business Coach, which was Phillip Gafka, allowed me to stretch my wings and we are now impacting over 300 youth yearly.

Karen Jones

Chocolate Chips Association, President and CEO

Walter was born in Chicago, IL. Walter is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Leadership, author, consultant, investor and founder of Male Mogul Initiative program which seeks to positively transform the way young men live and lead in their communities through leadership and entrepreneurial training. In 2017, the Male Mogul Initiative provided mentoring services for over 10 Chicago Public Schools and serviced over 200 young men initially. Walter is currently a Mentor and Board member of SBAC Empower.

Walter Mendenhall IV

Male Mogul Initiative, Founder

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Lighting the Path to Small Business Ownership:

Help us continue to build entrepreneurs, guide them on their business-owning journey, and contribute to a thriving neighborhood.

SBAC Empower believes that helping small businesses start, grow, and flourish can be a game changer in a struggling neighborhood. Small businesses employ neighborhood residents, provide neighborhood services, create neighborhood activity, and disproportionately give back to their communities. The economy of these neighborhoods grow when their small businesses grow. Help us help more small businesses.