Felicia is a lifelong New Yorker whose love for teaching comes from her mother, an educator herself. Felicia’s business started in a two-bedroom apartment and has transformed into a 5,000 square foot three-classroom daycare. Felicia is the proud mother of four children, including a son who teaches at her daycare center.

As a mother, Edith always dreamed of providing a better life for her children—one where they could work hard and thrive. When Edith joined Grameen America in 2017, she opened a restaurant in Charlotte, NC with the hope of running a family business and creating a lasting legacy.

Dulce is an esthetician who has lived in Phoenix, AZ her entire life. Growing up, Dulce faced the hardships of living on minimum wage, which fueled her ambition to become an entrepreneur and, in 2022, open her own spa business.

In the heart of Atlanta, GA, Khadijah runs a salon business that puts her neighborhood and community first. For Khadijah, entrepreneurship has always been about more than her passion for hair—it’s been a way to express her creativity, channel her inner work ethic, and beautify her community.

Our team has visited Maria, a florist in Jackson Heights, NY, at various steps of her entrepreneurial journey to document her business growth. Since 2011, Grameen America has supported Maria through 27 loans, totaling $200,000 in loan capital invested in her thriving flower business.

Entrepreneurship runs in Elizabeth’s family. Following her mother’s example as a businesswoman, Elizabeth runs her own multi-service business offering tax, accounting, and legal resources in Newark, NJ.

Ava turned her crafting hobby into a business making affordable Afro-centric products in Harlem, NY. Ava’s handmade accessories and clothing are one-of-a-kind designs made from mixed mediums.