Employee to Entrepreneur Resource
As millions of Americans pursue business ownership, the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, launched the Employee to Entrepreneur Resource Hub for employees aspiring to transition to entrepreneurs. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 5.2 million new business applications were filed in the country in 2024 alone. Enhancing its standard access to free mentoring, SCORE’s new hub includes support for business idea, validation, financial preparation, legal and structural setup, building brand and marketing strategy, operations and day-to-day management, and mindset/personal readiness. Entrepreneurship is one of the steps employees are taking to secure their financial wellbeing. A new report from Resume Templates shows one in ten workers fear they will be laid off this year and six in ten believe the country will enter a recession in the next 12 months.
Real Estate Investing for Black Doctors
In the run-up to the launch of a Black Doctors Real Estate Fund, the Urban Real Estate Fund, LLC, a social impact private equity real estate fund, is inviting Black medical doctors, including dentists, to attend its “Social Impact Investing Forum/4th Anniversary Cocktail Party” on April 30, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The free event will feature panel discussions on how Black medical doctors can work together to build wealth and create jobs by investing with experienced Black real estate entrepreneurs in Black communities nationwide, including in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Urban Real Estate Investment Fund says it will launch the Black Lawyers Real Estate Fund in 2026. For more information and to attend, contact Fund Manager Thomas Lopez-Pierre, 646-527-1116, info@urbanrealestatefund.com.
Digital Wellness for Girls
Girls Inc., a network of local organizations working with schools and in communities cross the United States and Canada, and #HalfTheStory, a youth-led nonprofit focused on improving the next generation’s relationship with technology, formed a digital wellness partnership for girls in underserved communities to address at scale the pressing issue of digital wellness for young girls, particularly from low-income communities and girls of color. The partnership initially will focus on pre-teens, targeting prevention efforts to mitigate the harms of social media at a critical age. Funding for the educational initiative was supported by Pivotal, a Melinda French Gates organization; The Archewell Foundation, co-founded by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex; and the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.
Women in Farming
Photo by Gidon Agaza on Unsplash
Citing U.S. Department of Agriculture data, a report conducted by food and beverage software provider Trace One shows 1.2 million female farmers currently in the U.S., comprising 36.3 percent of all producers—individuals actively involved in decision-making for farming operations. These women manage 407 million acres of land and contribute $222 billion in agricultural sales. The report states the number of male producers has declined since 2007, while the share of female producers has increased in every Census since 2002.Female farmers are most concentrated in livestock operations with smaller animals, specialty crops, and greenhouse production, while they are least concentrated in large-scale commodity farming like oilseeds, grains, and tobacco. The Western U.S. and Northeast have the highest share of female farmers, with Arizona (47.9 percent) leading the nation, while the Midwest has the lowest, with Illinois (28.0 percent) at the bottom.
The Spending Potential of Gen Z
As the largest generation in history at 25 percent of the world’s population and with a spending power expected to grow to $12 trillion by 2030, Generation Z (roughly defined as anyone born between 1997 and 2012), presents a tremendous opportunity for retailers and manufacturers, according to NielsenIQ, a leading consumer intelligence company. The company says data from its latest global survey confirms that Gen Z respondents were the most optimistic about their current and future financial situations compared to Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers; and a higher percentage (59 percent) of them think their household financial situation will be better than it is today by the end of 2025, compared with their Millennial (54 percent), Gen X (41 percent), and Boomer (28 percent) counterparts. It advises brands to first understand what truly drives Gen Z’s purchasing habits and where they feel underserved by the products currently on the shelf in order to build relationships with the group.
Environmental Education, Sustainability and Tourism
Blue Lagoon Island, a premier tourism destination in The Bahamas, is partnering with the University of The Bahamas to identify and label the diverse plant and tree species found across the island. The initiative is aimed at enhancing the visitor experience by providing valuable insight into the rich biodiversity of Bahamian flora. Students are surveying the island’s plant life, identifying a wide range of native species and their ecological and potential medicinal significance, with a view toward creating informative labels placed throughout Blue Lagoon Island. The island is an officially designated Important Bird Area (IBA), home to over 70 native and migratory bird species.
