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About Represent Cincy
While sources of capital support for Black-owned businesses continue to grow, accessing it remains a challenge. Business owners must find these sources on their own, and when they do, they are often met with unrealistic qualification criteria and a slow process whose pace doesn't match the timing of the need. Institutions often fail to adjust their approach to risk assessment to account for the unique aspects of the business.
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We understand that there's more to being a successful business than can be seen on paper. Our goal is to support black-owned businesses by using our resources to provide capital and professional services that lead to long-term success. To do this, we offer grants, low-interest loans, mentorship, and support from experienced business owners and service providers. These resources enable us to impact start-ups, established businesses, and businesses in transition; allowing us to transform the OTR business community while creating generational wealth.
Guiding Principles
1
Radical Transparency
We create a space for business owners and property owners to operate with transparency and collaboration that ensures the success of OTR’s Black-owned businesses
2
Industry Diversity
We want OTR’s Black-owned business community to be comprised of a diverse set of businesses that are competitive, complementary, and cooperative
3
Business Health
We ensure that the businesses we support demonstrate the capability to thrive in an OTR storefront for 5 years
4
Owner Readiness
We focus on ensuring that entrepreneurs have the skills and mindset to create and sustain a healthy business in an OTR storefront
5
Supportive Systems
We drive systemic change in the near-term and at the generational level, ensuring that sources of capital, licensing, legislation, etc. work better for Black business owners in OTR
6
Precise Focus
We magnify our impact by focusing our effort on Black-owned businesses in OTR
7
Deep Engagement
We establish deep relationships with business owners that allow us to provide targeted support that evolves with the needs of the business
8
Open Innovation
We take a partner-driven, outcome-focused approach, seeking out new ways to effectively bring the community’s resources to bear on the problem
Partners
