Last year, Mahisha Dellinger, CEO & Founder of Curls, launched an alliance for Black-owned beauty supply stores. This year, Dellinger is launching a new initiative, the Women Making Millions Academy: Mastering the Business, The Money, & the Mindset, in partnership with Beauty by Innovation for women-owned businesses from any industry.

While studies show that Black women-owned businesses have increased by 300%, less than 4% of them are expected to reach and surpass the $1 million success mark. It’s that statistic that Dellinger hopes to change with the Academy. Starting this summer, and lasting for an entire year, the 2-day virtual program will take place every weekend over the course of the year. Access to the Academy will be on a first-come, first-serve basis and at no cost to participants. 

With a mission to elevate 25,000 women-owned businesses, the Academy plans to provide participants training, as well as access to resources, people, and information, to help them go from inception to success, or in some cases from stagnation to success. Some of the key areas that will be covered over the course of the 2-day workshops are how to pitch, sell and excel in retail sales, prepare your business for success, and pitch the buyer, among other important skillsets to succeed as a business owner. Three of the participating entrepreneurs will be selected for an opportunity to shadow Dellinger, as well as two high-level executives, for a full year to learn what takes place in business and retail meetings and to make key contacts who can help the entrepreneurs grow their businesses. 

Even in the midst of an exciting 19th year of business, expanding into several areas including skincare, tools, and a whole lifestyle brand, Dellinger continues to live out her belief in “to whom much is given, much is required.” She says, “If you have the information, you have the resources, you have the knowledge, it only takes a little bit to share that and to help someone else and to make it a little bit easier for the next one behind you.” If you are a business owner, you are going to want to make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to learn from Dellinger and the Academy. With it taking place every weekend for an entire year, it won’t be hard for you to gain access. So be sure to follow Dellinger and the Black Girls Making Millions Academy on Instagram, @mahisha_dellinger and @blackwomenmakingmillions, to find out when new registrations open up.  

As we wait in great anticipation for our opportunity to attend the Women Making Millions Academy: Mastering the Business, The Money, & the Mindset, one of the things you can be working on if you haven’t made one already is your business plan. Writing a business plan is one of the things Dellinger always recommends to all of her mentees. She said, “We have good ideas and then we go without having a roadmap. A roadmap is going to tell us how we’re going to get there, what the plans are, what we need to do, what money is needed, our marketing plan, and all the things to get us to success; because failing to plan is planning to fail.” She recommends seeking out resources like the free business plan writing classes offered by SCORE. 

Finally, another word of advice from Dellinger, “Remember that no matter what path has been placed before you, and no matter what the circumstances are, you have the strength and the power to change them and become the woman that you want to be; and that doesn’t just mean entrepreneurship. The best mother. The best wife. The best friend. The best entrepreneur. Just make it happen. It’s all up to you.”