Empower Hour
Empower Hour
The MBL's monthly Empower Hour Meetings are held at the City Point Innovation Center in Petersburg, and are designed to initiate membership dialogue around issues of mutual concern and to provide opportunities for networking.
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Our mission is to educate, empower, and elevate specifically black and brown business owners, and entrepreneurs, by augmenting technical expertise, increasing access to capital, and stimulating business growth throughout Richmond. We are spearheading loan origination throughout Virginia with a “boots on the ground” approach to building relationships and generating new loan opportunities.
Description
Your business structure isn’t just a formality—it’s the foundation of long-term success, financial stability, and sustainable growth. In this Empower Hour, Shalonda Royster, a seasoned business strategist and founder of Collegiate LLC, will equip entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, protect, and scale their businesses the right way.
With years of experience in marketing, strategic planning, and business development, Shalonda has helped businesses across multiple industries—from real estate to professional services—refine their operations, protect their assets, and establish strong foundations for growth, profitability, and compliance.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM EDT
5:30 PM Doors Open / Networking/Refreshments
6:00 PM Introduction / Session Begins
7:00 PM Q&A / End of Session
325 Brown Street RM 103, Petersburg, Virginia 23803
What You’ll Learn:
The Best Legal Structures for Long-Term Success
Choosing between LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp—which is best for your business model?
The tax advantages and financial protections of each structure.
How structuring your business correctly limits your personal liability and sets you up for scalability.
How to Properly Document & Protect Your Business
Key documents every business should have—Operating Agreements, Contracts, Trademarks, and NDAs.
How to safeguard your brand identity and intellectual property.
The importance of business insurance and risk management strategies.
Tax & Compliance Tips for Entrepreneurs
Common tax pitfalls small businesses face—and how to avoid them.
Keeping your business compliant with state and local regulations.
The impact of business structure on tax obligations, deductions, and credits.
Strategic Growth & Marketing for Sustainability
How to position your business for long-term profitability.
Marketing tools that strengthen your brand presence and attract high-value clients.
Strategies to reduce turnover, increase customer loyalty, and drive consistent revenue growth.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The MBL’s monthly Empower Hour Meetings are held at the City Point Innovation Center in Petersburg, and are designed to initiate membership dialogue around issues of mutual concern and to provide opportunities for networking. Business leaders and decision makers are encouraged to attend the meetings to discuss specific business opportunities, potential partnerships, and relatable business topics. The corporate sponsors and partners are also given the opportunity to make presentations that share their corporate message of inclusion and economic development to those in attendance.
Previous Empower Hours
