Durham Community Incubator

Spotlight on Ami Patel, Spring 2023 DCI Winner and Founder of Gallery Box! 🎨 Ami Patel’s journey with Gallerybox showcases the incredible impact of combining passion and perseverance. What began as a seasonal subscription box for studio-quality artwork has grown into a platform that builds bridges between underrepresented artists and arts enthusiasts through engaging, in-person workshops. Ami credits DCI for being instrumental in her entrepreneurial journey. The connections she made at DCI helped her develop her business idea further, and the micro-grant she won enabled her to purchase the inventory necessary to kickstart her business. Her first workshops became the foundation for Gallerybox’s sustainability! 💡 Ami’s Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: 1️⃣ Take Advantage of Every Opportunity: Show up to networking events, showcases, lunch-and-learns, and educational sessions—consistency is key! Each small step contributes to your success, and you never know who you’ll meet or what new ideas you’ll discover. As Ami says, “Success comes from a butterfly effect of all the small steps, so just being consistently present proves to be monumental.” 2️⃣ Seek Mentorship and Listen to Feedback: Surround yourself with mentors who have the expertise to guide you and a genuine desire to see you succeed. Lean into their knowledge so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Simultaneously, stay attuned to your customers’ needs. Ami advises, “Never stop talking to potential customers. Let their feedback lead you to the right solutions and don’t be too tied to what you think your idea should be.” 3️⃣ Just Get Started: Taking action is critical, even if your idea isn’t “perfect.” Ami shared how her initial hesitation held her back until she seized the chance to host a workshop at her apartment complex. That small step ignited momentum and transformed her business. Her takeaway? “Prepare just enough to feel confident, then take that leap. Every step forward will help you learn and improve.” We’re thrilled to see Ami continue making waves, including her 1st place win at the 2024 Velocity Accelerator! Congratulations, Ami, and we're grateful to have you in our community! 🎉 #DCIAlumni #Entrepreneurship #CreativeEconomy #CommunityInnovation #SupportLocal #DurhamCommunityIncubator #Innovation #SmallBusiness #PitchEvent #StartupSuccess #CommunityImpact #SocialGood #ImpactInvesting #Art #SocialMedia

Spotlight on Cary Wheelous, CEO & Founder of Hayti! 🌟 Cary Wheelous is one of Durham Community Incubator’s (DCI) past winners (Spring 2024) and the visionary behind Hayti, a groundbreaking app amplifying Black voices globally. From breaking news to business insights, entertainment, and the Black Lives Matter movement, Hayti ensures the stories that matter most are heard as they happen. Named after the historic African-American community in Durham, Hayti honors the legacy of a vibrant, self-sufficient Black neighborhood, often referred to as the “Black Capitol of the South” and home to the original Black Wall Street. In a recent conversation, Cary shared how DCI helped propel his journey. The pitch event provided invaluable networking opportunities, allowing him to form lasting connections. The micro-grant funded marketing efforts that drove mobile user growth and supported key tech enhancements to the app. 💡 Cary’s Top Tips for Small Business Owners: 1️⃣ Leverage local co-working spaces—these are hubs for events, seminars, and connections with fellow entrepreneurs. 2️⃣ Seek mentorship—mentors can open doors to resources and help you navigate the local startup ecosystem. Cary found his mentor through NC Idea! 3️⃣ Find a strong financial partner—keeping your finances in order is critical for growth and stability. We’re so proud to see Cary and Hayti thriving and making an impact! 💡✨ #DurhamCommunityIncubator #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Hayti #SmallBusiness #DCI #PitchEvent #StartupSuccess #CommunityImpact #SocialGood #ImpactInvesting #SocialMedia

Still reflecting on last night’s incredible Pitch Event! ✨ The evening was truly extraordinary, filled with joy, passion, and resilience as we celebrated the hard work and dedication of four inspiring entrepreneurs. Despite the rainy weather, the room buzzed with energy and excitement! 🌟 A huge congratulations to Jimmy Evans from Barbershop Therapy for winning the $900 micro-grant, funded by the generous contributions of our amazing audience. We’re thrilled to officially welcome all our finalists—Runbin Dong, Kelsey Worsham, Nastacia P., and Jimmy Evans—into the DCI Alumni family! Their innovative ideas and heartfelt pitches serve as a reminder of the incredible talent and creativity in Durham. Special thanks to our past winners, Ami Patel (Gallery Box), Cary Wheelous (Hayti), and Judy Batista (Laughing Monitos), for returning to share their journeys and cheer on this year’s finalists. Seeing entrepreneurs network, exchange ideas, and support one another truly exemplified the spirit of DCI. To everyone who joined us: thank you for being part of a night filled with community, creativity, and collaboration. Your support uplifts Durham’s brightest ideas and builds a stronger, more connected community. 💡💙 A huge shoutout to Anjanette Miller from echo NC for helping us make this event possible! Big thanks to our team members for their hard work in planning and executing this event: Victoria Wee Maggie Yang Makayla Doyle Kechun Wu Charlotte Yew Clement Man Yiu Liu Daniel Bao Blake Sohmer Akshara Krishna Mariam Samake Mahin Abrar Rahman #DurhamCommunityIncubator #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #CommunityImpact #DurhamNC #SupportLocal #PitchEvent

Last but not least, meet Rubin Dong from Scale Social! 🚀 Rubin is helping small businesses in the food and beverage sector leverage AI to create engaging, authentic social media content that drives growth and community. Join us on Nov 14 at Echo Durham to see how Scale Social is empowering local businesses with smart, impactful marketing! Support Rubin by coming out to vote for the best pitch! 📈✨ RSVP at tinyurl.com/dcifall24 now!

Introducing Kelsey Worsham with Intuition! 💡 Kelsey’s behavioral health app, Intuition, is on a mission to tackle dating violence on college campuses. Using AI to proactively detect warning signs, Intuition provides journaling, community support, and expert resources to empower safer relationships. Come see Kelsey’s vision at the DCI Pitch Event on Nov 14, and be part of this vital change! 🙌 RSVP at tinyurl.com/dcifall24 now!

Meet finalist Nastacia Pereira of Black Spoke Society! 🚴🏽 A Black, queer-led biking collective, Black Spoke Society is dedicated to getting more Black and queer folks on bikes, creating a safer, inclusive biking experience in Durham! Through community rides and a mission of collective liberation, they’re redefining accessibility and wellness in biking. Come support Nastacia on Nov 14 as they pitch for positive community impact! 🚲 RSVP at tinyurl.com/dcifall24 now!

Introducing finalist Jimmy D Evans with Barbershop Therapy! 💈💬 Barbershop Therapy is breaking down barriers in mental health by empowering barbers as advocates and offering youth haircut programs. Jimmy’s mission is to normalize mental health conversations in historically marginalized communities. Don’t miss his inspiring pitch on Nov 14! Show up and support Jimmy’s mission to bring mental health resources to the community. 💙✂️ RSVP at tinyurl.com/dcifall24 now!

🚨 The DCI Pitch Event is Back! 🚨 We’re thrilled to invite you to the Durham Community Incubator Pitch Event on Thursday, November 14, from 6-8pm at Echo (112 Broadway St, Durham 27701)! This exciting event will showcase four incredible entrepreneurs pitching their innovative ideas for community impact. You’ll have the chance to listen, engage, and vote for the idea that resonates most with you. 🌟 RSVP for free here: www.tinyurl.com/dcifall24 If you're a Duke student 💙 that would like transport to the venue, fill up this form (https://lnkd.in/eutDCugB) and we will work to arrange a carpool for you! Don’t miss out—come support local innovation and be part of the change! 🚀 #DurhamNC #DurhamCommunityIncubator #PitchEvent #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #SocialGood #DurhamEntrepreneurs #Networking

🚨 The DCI Pitch Event is Back! 🚨 We’re thrilled to invite you to the Durham Community Incubator Pitch Event on Thursday, November 14, from 6-8pm at Echo (112 Broadway St, Durham 27701)! This exciting event will showcase four incredible entrepreneurs pitching their innovative ideas for community impact. You’ll have the chance to listen, engage, and vote for the idea that resonates most with you. 🌟 The evening kicks off with a free dinner and the opportunity to meet past winners and entrepreneurs who will be tabling and sharing their stories. Whether you’re part of the Durham community, a Duke student, or an aspiring entrepreneur yourself, this is your chance to connect with local changemakers! 🙌 RSVP for free here: www.tinyurl.com/dcifall24 If you're a Duke student 💙 that would like transport to the venue, fill up this form (https://lnkd.in/eutDCugB) and we will work to arrange a carpool for you! Don’t miss out—come support local innovation and be part of the change! 🚀 #DurhamNC #DurhamCommunityIncubator #PitchEvent #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #SocialGood #DurhamEntrepreneurs #Networking

Throwback to our Micro-Granting Dinner last fall! It was an incredible night filled with innovation, passion, and community. Four amazing entrepreneurs, Jeannine Sato from CityBox, Judy Batista from Laughing Monitos, Claire Benton from TeachBase, and Danielle Metts from QueensVending, took the stage to pitch their groundbreaking ideas. The energy in the room was electric as the audience, comprised of members from the Durham community, eagerly listened and cheered. Judy Batista from Laughing Monitos was the winning entrepreneur, as she stole the show with her inspiring pitch on pediatric speech and language development through play. Want to be the next big thing? Sign up to pitch your idea at this year's Micro-Granting Dinner at https://lnkd.in/gARwUyJ9! Applications close on October 24th. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with your community and make a difference. #DurhamCommunityIncubator #MicroGrantingDinner #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #DurhamNC