On April 15, Comcast announced at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs that Atlanta will be one of the cities eligible for the Comcast RISE program this year. The program is committed to supporting the growth of small businesses while helping communities thrive with a focus on economic growth. Comcast RISE will award 100 recipients in Atlanta with a grant package that includes $5,000, education resources, and creative production, including media, and technology makeovers.
Pinky Cole, the CEO of Slutty Vegan and Bar Vegan, knows what it takes to build a business. Since 2018, Cole has been one of the leading entrepreneurs in Atlanta. She continuously looks to lend a helping hand to other businesses, as well.
Cole spoke with rolling out about the Comcast RISE program and the power of being an entrepreneur.
How big is it that Comcast RISE has chosen Atlanta as one of its cities?
I’m excited that Comcast chose Atlanta as a Comcast RISE city, which is a really big deal. It feels so good as a city to be seen. Obviously, I was not born in Atlanta, but I was raised here. I became a woman here. I became an entrepreneur here. To see Comcast recognizing the efforts of entrepreneurs in this city just tells you that we are doing something right and I’m excited for the entrepreneurs that are coming behind me to receive this funding to receive the resources and the technology from Comcast because we need it.
We need it to be able to create more opportunities for people in the community and we need it to be able to excel our businesses and go to the next level. When people like Comcast organizations come in and provide the much-needed support, it really is a domino effect that helps to make businesses better in the city of Atlanta.
What is the power of being an entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur is a superpower all by itself. I have a cape on right now; you don’t see the cape, but I am problem-solving every single day. I’m putting out fires every single day, and I’m thinking fast on my feet, every single day. There’s an art and science to being an entrepreneur, and everybody has the ability, but everybody doesn’t know how to unlock it. But I’m proud to be on the other side of entrepreneurship where I get to solve these problems every day because being an entrepreneur really means challenging yourself to go above and beyond and do the things that people say that you cannot do.
What’s one piece of advice for entrepreneurs trying to get to the next level?
Scared money don’t make no money. You cannot be afraid, and even when you are afraid, you got to go out and do it. There are plenty of times when I’ve questioned, “Should I do this?” You just gotta jump because once you take the first step, you’re already halfway there.
