6 Community Entrepreneurs Among Ignite Buffalo Initiative Grant Winners !
Several small businesses from the Western New York area were awarded grants of up to $100,00 through the recent Ignite Buffalo initiative. These grants offer local businesses the support they need to reach the next stage of their development. Of the 27 total winners awarded six were African American entrepreneurs from the community and we are so very proud. Congratulations To All!
Pictured Above L/R : Phylicia Dove, Stewart Fonville III, Aitina Fareed Cooke, Ayanna Williams (photos by Bertram Smith)
100K Grant Awardee
Get Fokus’d Productions
Founder Aitina Fareed Cooke
Get Fokus’d Productions, is a photography film and video company that specializes in children & family portraits and commercial videos. Atina not only creates compelling images and film that allow viewers to reflect on life, evoke ideas, and to construct their own stories, but she also educates to inspire the next generation with this tool of expression. Her companies new division Young & Fokus’d is a growing youth program created to promote youth who display dedication, perseverance, and “focus” in their academics, arts and/or their community.
50K Grant Awardee
B.A.S.E. Buffalo All Star Extreme
Co-Founder/Ceo Ayanna Williams
Buffalo All Star Extreme (BASE) is a cheerleading and dance all-star program to provide wholesome fun and character building experiences for young people in the Buffalo New York Area with a goal to promote physical fitness, social development, self-discipline, leadership and academic excellence through competitive athletic experiences supervised by a highly trained qualified staff that has over 20 years of cheerleading and dance experience.
25K Grant Awardee’s
Black Monarchy
Owner Phylicia Dove
Flagship boutique Black Monarchy celebrates the uniqueness of the global diaspora and Dove curates the vividness of authentic cultural clothing ,jewelry and fabrics that recreate the conglomerate of our world today. She puts emphasis on the importance of celebrating diversity in our globalist society with a strong mission to bring the world to the city of Buffalo. Black Monarchy has also launched Not for profit called “Black Monarchy Foundation, Incorporated” which focuses on providing resources for the local refugee community with business opportunities, skills, and resources, her annual Alabaster Box homeless outreach ministry and her collective of entrepreneurial events.
Mobile Eco Steam
Owner Stewart Fonville III
Mobile Eco Steam is an eco-friendly service that helps clients take care of their #2 investment aka their vehicle. The use of steam makes this company one of the most environmentally safe and conservative services to remove stains, grime, and dirt without damaging your car’s paint job. Mobile Eco steam can clean an entire vehicle with just 1 gallon of water which means they not only have an Eco safe way of detailing your vehicle but when done there’s no water wasted flowing into the streets.
La Movement
Founder Lanicia Woods 
La’Movement Fitness hosts a number of different fitness events and classes to appeal to different demographics including La’X, La’Abs, LMF Kids Fit, and private events. La Movement has worked with various after school programs throughout Erie County teaching dance & fitness classes to promote a proactive healthy lifestyle servicing over 23 schools throughout WNY that has helped over 1,000 students in inner city, west and south side schools to create and maintain healthy lifestyles and strives to reach their fitness goals.
Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine
Owner Zelalem Gemmeda 
Abyssinia Restaurant currently located in the west side bazaar features amazing authentic Ethiopian cuisine that has been rated one of the 15 best restaurants in Buffalo. Zelalem gets all the spices she uses directly shipped from her sister who still lives in Ethiopia. She also give customers cooking lessons with a goal to foster their interest in learning more about East African Culture bridging the gap with every delicious bite. She plans to open her own restaurant location serving food on traditional handmade plates.
Ignite Buffalo Upcoming Workshops for Entrepreneurs have started and if you are serious about investing in yourself , your city and the growth potential you have there is no better place to start than knowledge on how to make it happen.
Go to Ignitebuffalo.org to rsvp and take advantage of these current and future workshops!
August 27, 2018 at 5:00 PM – Small Business Banking: Cash Flow & Money Management
September 6, 2018 at 8:00 AM – Hiring for Small Businesses
September 17, 2018 at 8:30 AM – Social Media & Paid Advertising 101
September 20, 2018 at 5:00 PM – Creating a Brand for Your Small Business
September 26, 2018 at 11:30 AM – Financial Management for Small Businesses October 10, 2018 at 8:30 AM – Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses
