Rise Up, Get Started offers second chances with grants to formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs
May 31, 2019 | Austin Barnes and Tommy Felts
Kansas City should be home to second chances, hope, and opportunities, said Johnny Waller Jr.
Johnny Waller Jr., Determination, Incorporated
“Kansas City has a rich history of uniting behind its citizens for the common good of its people and that’s what this event is,” said Waller, co-founder of Determination, Incorporated, addressing a wide-ranging audience Thursday at the inaugural Rise Up, Get Started celebration and grants competition for formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs.
A returning citizen himself, Waller knows that life after prison is rich with struggle and void of resources, he explained.
“I have been a convicted felon since I was 18 years old and know firsthand how easy it is to lose sight of your hopes and dreams,” Waller said. “This competition gives men and women in our community the inspiration to pursue their dreams, believe in themselves and have a positive impact on their families and community.”
Designed to bring awareness to the mission of Determination, Incorporated — the non-profit which serves as a pathway to opportunity for formerly incarcerated people through entrepreneurship, and launched in 2018 by Kyle Smith — Rise, Up Get Started saw three budding entrepreneurs walk away with $1,500 grants to grow their businesses.
Kyle Smith and Johnny Waller Jr., Determination, Incorporated; Frederick Martin, IFAA Legal Services; York Wilson, Strategic Workforce Development; and RJ Sanders, Trvl Arm
The nights winners included: Frederick Martin, owner of IFAA Legal Services; York Wilson, founder and president of Strategic Workforce Development; and RJ Sanders, creator of the Trvl Arm.
Marcus Bullock, Flikshop
Click here to learn more about the event’s keynote speaker, Flikshop founder Marcus Bullock.
The co-founders — who also facilitate the Be the Boss business support group for the formerly incarcerated — hope to elevate 40 entrepreneurs during the event’s next showing in November, they said, noting they can’t do it alone.
“Johnny and I get to talk about all this. We get to sit up on stage when you guys are the ones who are putting in the hard work to reach your business goals and to succeed as entrepreneurs,” Smith told the first group of Rise Up, Get Started applicants. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us, for the Be the Boss community, and for yourself and your families.”
Interested in supporting Determination, Incorporated? Click here for details.
The prizes aren’t indicative of winners or losers, said Smith.
Of the 14 Rise Up, Get Started applicants, everyone has what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur and staying the course will help them achieve that, he noted.
“We are so excited to continue to work with you to grow your businesses,” Smith said.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Facing failure? Think about the bad ideas first
Entrepreneurs need to stop glamorizing the startup world, and recognize the inevitable burnout or failure involved, said Danielle Lehman. Lehman, founder of Kansas City-based consulting firm Boxer & Mutt, knows about failure, she told a crowd Friday at Global Entrepreneurship Week, noting a list of startups that she was involved in, including MySpace, that didn’t…
‘Don’t shut yourself off’: Seniorpreneurs reveal power in age, experience, savings
Figure out what you love to do and monetize it, Ann O’Meara told a room of entrepreneurs looking for advice on starting their second act after retirement. Seniorpreneurs — entrepreneurs over the age of 50 — are working to turn their lifelong hobbies into cash flow, O’Meara, CEO of Fantastic 55, revealed during a Global…
Bardavon bid to revolutionize workers’ compensation just got a $15 million boost
Timing is everything, said Matt Condon, announcing this week $15 million in new financing to help scale his Overland Park-based company’s reach into markets from coast to coast. “Our national expansion is coming at a time when employers across the country are recognizing that they must play a lead role in the transformation of health…
KCultivator Q&A: Mother inspires Davin Gordon to remove ‘can’t’ from the conversation
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by WeWork Corrigan Station, a modern twist on Kansas City office space. Kansas City’s future depends on whether the business community invests in homegrown talent, Davin Gordon said. “It doesn’t have…