Macy’s and Project Enterprise Educate Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

11:36 AM EDT 9/12/2009 by admin

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Macy’s and Project Enterprise Educate Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

Arva
Rice, executive director, Project Enterprise; Cheryl Monroe, VP of
supplier diversity and vendor development, Macy’s; Deborah Williams,
Vera Moore, Traci Copeland and Tenille Robinson, small business editor,
Black Enterprise magazine

Macy’s
Supplier Diversity Program has partnered with Project Enterprise, a
nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to support
and develop New York City-based entrepreneurs and small businesses. In
their continued efforts to provide resources to local and small
businesses, the entities closed New York’s premier Entrepreneur Week
with a group of spirited, determined and passionate panelists who
addressed a standing room only crowd at PE’s Manhattan headquarters.
Participants shared how they became members of the retailer’s vendor
program and their secrets to success. Black Enterprise
magazine’s small business editor, Tennille Robinson, moderated the
event. Cheryl Monroe, Macy’s vice president of supplier diversity, says
“I have an amazing job … the opportunity to assist entrepreneurs who
are ready to partner with a major corporation. I am very excited to
present these three stars — here to talk about their journey.” yvette caslin

	Traci Copeland Co-Founder/Managing Member, Wildchild Nation Traci Copeland, a former model and dancer, has a keen fashion sense. As co-founder of WildChild Nation, a budding apparel company that is fun and innovative, Copeland harbors humility and patience. “We wrote a business plan that took about three or four months to do. You kind of have to take your baby steps. We started with going to conventions … like MAGIC. The bulk of our business is boutiques and online sales.” A little bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time, Copeland met Cheryl Monroe on the train. Copeland’s partners are fellow dancer Luam and Marc David.
Traci Copeland, co-founder/managing member, Wildchild Nation
	Vera Moore President & CEO, Vera Moore Cosmetics Vera Moore, a former soap opera actress from “Another World,” had a passion to create cosmetics for women of color that weren’t red, greasy and wouldn’t stain their clothes. Her company has grown from selling from a kiosk to a Macy’s counter. “Soft and natural” are the words Moore uses to describe how her customers look when they apply Vera Moore Cosmetics. “We advocate clean up versus cover up. Our strength is in the skin care.” After almost two decades of keeping her finances “lean and green,” Moore was ready to step up and join Macy’s, which meant reaching deep into her pockets to repackage and hiring national make-up artists to promote her products at the retailer’s trunk shows.
Vera Moore, president and CEO, Vera Moore Cosmetics
	Deborah Williams, Ph.D. President & CEO, Her Game 2 Inc. Deborah Williams is the wife of a former NBA player as well as the founder of Behind the Bench: The National Basketball Wives Association. The idea for her apparel company came as a result of her feeling there was a void in the market for women’s apparel and merchandise at the sports venues and other retailers. She states, “There were so many women that were avid sports fan but there not much to reflect the presence of women.” Direct selling has been the driving force behind the business—at churches, sorority events and fashion shows. These events led to the company gaining the attention of Macy’s.