Community Events

2026 SPECIAL EDITION BLACK FRIDAY-SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY DIRECTORY

Members: Free (Must register to participate. Please use email on file to register)
Non-Members: $25

We’re curating a Special Edition Black Friday-Small Business Saturday Directory, a powerful, community-centered guide designed to spotlight Black-owned businesses across Central Virginia. The directory will include businesses of every kind and help consumers discover, support, and shop Black this fall.

Here’s how your business can participate:

Register to be listed and offer a special promotion (optional) for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Your business will be featured on our website and promoted through our email campaigns and social media channels, putting you in front of a community committed to circulating dollars within the Black business ecosystem.

What you will need to register:

• Business Name
• Business Description (150 character limit)
• Logo (optional)
• Website or Ordering Link (optional)
• Promotional Offer + Promo Code (optional)
• Contact Information

Deadline to Submit: Saturday, November 6, 2026

Note: Only 1 business allowed per registration

Click to Register

THE ENTREPRENEUR'S PLAYBOOK: REAL LESSONS FROM REAL BUSINESS OWNERS

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Price: Free

Join us as we hear from DeKesha Williams. She is known as the Webinar Queen, Award-Winning Business Strategist and the visionary CEO of Vizions Enterprise. Her unparalleled expertise has propelled Vizions to the forefront of the industry, where it stands as a bastion of innovation in lead and revenue generation. DeKesha's fervent passion for empowering entrepreneurs fuels her mission to equip them with the tools and strategies necessary for unparalleled success in the digital age.

The goal of this session is to provide entrepreneurs and business owners with practical insight from experienced leaders who have navigated the realities of entrepreneurship and business ownership.

DeKesha will:

• Share a brief overview of their entrepreneurial journey
• Highlight 3 key lessons from her experience
• Share marketing tidbits during the holiday season 

Click to Register

WINTER 2027

BLACK BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

IMPACTING 225+ BUSINESS OWNERS

ARE YOU READY TO SCALE TO YOUR NEXT LEVEL?

Learn more and apply

The Black Business Accelerator Program goal is to help propel African American businesses to a level in which they can compete and perform equally with majority businesses that have stronger roots and relationships. We support this goal with a 3 month course that covers 6 sessions with industry leaders in the areas of accessing capital, organizational development, human resources, branding, and growing digitally.

The Black Business Accelerator Program receives sponsorship from Henrico Economic Development, Chesterfield Economic Development, and the Virginia State University Center for Entrepreneurship, enabling us to offer a low tuition fee of $300 for the full course. Participants in the program have the choice to pay the tuition in full or opt for a two-payment plan, with the full payment due before the course's first day.

The program offers both virtual and in-person options. In-person classes are conducted at 6802 Paragon Place, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Richmond, VA. Virtual students will receive information during the course to join. The course consists of six sessions held on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on the following dates. Applicants should ensure their availability for these dates before applying:

WINTER 2027 DATES

• January 13
• January 27
• February 10
• February 24
• March 10
• March 24