WHO WE
ARE
THE
CHALLENGE
The emerging innovation culture of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County region is thriving. Having invested heavily with public and private capital to develop the physical infrastructure and entrepreneurial pipeline, community leadership wish to excel the creation of new businesses and jobs. The challenge our city faces is how to do this in a way that provides equitable opportunities for all citizens and enriches the totality of the city.
OUR
INSPIRATION
HUSTLE Winston-Salem exists to facilitate and promote a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem by working with both entrepreneurs and community stakeholders. We focus on and advocate for those that are most at-risk for systematic exclusion or marginalization in the local innovation economy:
People of Color including but not limited to Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asians, Native Americans, and immigrant
Women of all races, ages, classes, backgrounds, and education levels
Marginalized Neighborhoods for whom entrepreneurial development can serve as a catalyst for needed economic growth or that at risk for gentrification
THE
RESPONSE
For this to happen, the emerging ecosystem must build inclusive thinking and strategies into its foundation. We must support entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and create a genuinely level playing field. This involves understanding, and then, addressing the barriers faced by different people groups. It is about unleashing the potential to create a more sustainable future with no entrepreneur left behind.
OUR TEAM
Magalie Yacinthe
Board Chairwoman, Interim Executive Director
YES Strategies & Solutions, CEO
SO-IN Forsyth, Owner
Kellie Easton
Board Vice Chairwoman
Easton Reid Strategy Group, CEO Action4Equity, Executive Director
Lea Metz
Board Treasurer
Independent Nonprofit Consultant, Owner
Kellie Easton
Toni Barnes
Board Secretary
Tony & Toni Productions, Owner
VCCNC, Founder
Allan Younger
Small Business Center at Forsyth Technical Community College, Director
Daryl Shaw
Royalty Marketing, Owner & Chief Creative Strategist
Janet Carlson
Center for Leadership and Organizational Excellence,
North Carolina A&T State University, Interim Director
Kellie Easton
J. Matthew Williams
LifeLabs,
Leadership Trainer
Woke & Well Studios, Owner
Santiago Ramos
Community Organizer
Philms, Owner
FOUNDERS
In the spirit of its roots, the organization was created for a diverse community of entrepreneurs by a diverse entrepreneurial thought-force.
C. Fay Horwitt | Daryl Shaw | J. Matthew Williams
Kellie P. Easton | Magalie Yacinthe | Tonya Sheffield