Casey Ariel Thobias’ Post

The finance industry is a vast field offering numerous career opportunities that go beyond traditional roles like banking and accounting. For Black women entrepreneurs, a career in finance can be an excellent way to acquire essential skills, build valuable networks, and bootstrap capital for your ventures. In this blog, we'll explore various finance jobs, tips for uncovering less-known roles, and how our "Financial Foundations for Black Women Entrepreneurs" course can sharpen your financial skills for both business and industry success. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ew2hnRPH

🌟 Breaking Barriers: My Journey into Finance as a Black Woman 🌟 Hello LinkedIn community! 👋 As a black woman navigating the finance industry with minimal experience, I want to share my journey and the opportunities it presents. Starting in finance was a challenge, but it's been an incredible journey of growth and empowerment. I'm determined to not only break through barriers but also uplift my community along the way. 🚀 How I Can Help: Through mentorship, resources, and a commitment to financial education, I'm on a mission to empower others in my community. Whether you're a student, a professional looking to switch careers, or someone simply curious about finance – I'm here to support you. Let's connect, share experiences, and explore how we can collectively break down more barriers. Together, we can build a more inclusive and diverse future in finance. Feel free to reach out or share this post with anyone who might find inspiration in this journey. Here's to breaking barriers and lifting each other up! ?📈 #FinanceJourney #BreakingBarriers #DiversityInFinance #Empowerment #CommunitySupport

Can you relate to her? She started at zero and now she has… a comma and, eventually, she’ll have two commas! 💰 ⏳It’ll take time but she’s diligent and consistent. The majority of the Black women engineers that I have worked with didn’t get a windfall of money or an inheritance. She started at zero because she may be: 1. The first college graduate. 2. The first to have a corporate career. 3. The first to have a well-paying leadership role at work. 4. The first to [fill in the blank]. She is the first of many and she won’t be the last because, She reaches back to help others.🫱🏽🫲🏾 She’s a trailblazer so she will continue to set the standard. Now, she’s growing her wealth to have multiple commas because she doesn’t - give up or - stop and She has vision!👓 She started at zero and she’ll continue to increase.📈 And “She” can be you! You have to get started! 🎉Celebrate each milestone from starting to one comma to multiple commas and one zero to multiple digits. Remember, we all start somewhere and, for most of us, it’s at zero. Agree? ~~~~~ 👋🏾 I’m Shehara (Sha-Hair-Rah)Wooten, CFP®, speaker and author. I help ambitious mid-career Black women STEM professionals who are frustrated, stuck and anxious about her finances develop a clear plan so that she can have peace of mind knowing that she never has to reply on anyone for her financial security. DM me to schedule a strategy session to discover if The Wealth Gap Closers™ Method is for you. Ring the 🔔 for inspiration, motivation and financial empowerment tips.

Did you know that Black female entrepreneurs are the fastest growing group of business owners? ⁠ ⁠ 🚀 However, they face immense challenges in securing investment. Despite their innovation and resilience, only 0.02% of venture capital in the UK goes to Black female founders. This funding gap highlights significant systemic barriers, including limited access to networks, implicit biases in the investment community, and a lack of representation among venture capital decision-makers.⁠ ⁠ Black female entrepreneurs often have to self-fund their ventures or rely on support from friends and family, which limits their ability to scale and sustain their businesses. Overcoming these hurdles requires a collective effort to create a more inclusive and equitable investment landscape.⁠ ⁠ Let's spark a conversation: Why do you think Black female entrepreneurs receive so little investment, and what steps can we take to change this? ⁠ Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇🏽🗣️⁠ ⁠ Together, we can support these trailblazing women and work towards a fairer entrepreneurial ecosystem. 💪🏾✨

Ok Ladies, a key reason investors aren't feeling some of your pitches is because your math ain't mathin. Don't let your numbers trip you up! Our latest blog post breaks down the key numbers every Black woman entrepreneur needs to master before stepping out at pitch competitions or investor meetings. Click to read my full post on our blog! https://shorturl.at/P36NJ

As a Black woman-owned creative agency, we understand that opportunity can transform vision into impact. The NAACP announcement of a $200M fund to support Black businesses isn't just news - it's a milestone in creating real pathways for talent to thrive. For over 17 years, Seaberry Design & Communications has been breaking barriers in the creative industry. Every project we deliver, every brand we transform, and every story we tell proves what's possible when talent meets opportunity. We've grown from a small design studio to a full-service creative powerhouse, serving organizations from nonprofits to government agencies. But we know many other Black-owned businesses haven't had the same chances to showcase their expertise. This initiative could change that narrative. Because when Black businesses grow: -Communities thrive -Innovation flourishes -Excellence multiplies Here's to supporting the next generation of Black business leaders. Want to learn more about partnering with a Black woman-owned creative agency? Let's talk. #BlackOwnedBusiness #WomanOwned #CreativeAgency #EconomicJustice #DCBusiness

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 55% of new businesses survive beyond the first 5 years. For Black women entrepreneurs — merely 3% survive longer than 5 years, due to the struggles of bootstrapping and achieving profitability. When I was a banker in Global Corporate & Investment Banking — structuring multi-billion dollar loans for tech companies — I never once worked on a deal team alongside another Black woman. Nor did I ever have the opportunity to fund a Black-owned businesses. The knowledge wasn’t making it to my community; neither were the funds. As I marched alongside brilliant grassroots activists, community mobilizers, and visionaries of Oakland during social justice protests of 2020, I was overcome by the immense level of brilliance that moved through the very streets of Black communities — despite little to no financial cultivation. I left corporate to take my knowledge to the streets. The more I engage with + study the experiences of Black women entrepreneurs on the climb, the more emboldened I am to dismantle barriers in #thefirstfiveyears. If you’re a Black woman entrepreneur, I invite you to join Blaze Group’s CashFlow Convos™️ event happening August 29th at 6p CT. Register at blazegroupllc.com/events

The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) is excited to share it's 2023 Impact Report. #BECMAImpact 📍 Download here: bit.ly/becmaimpact BECMA is committed to advancing economic opportunities for Black residents across Massachusetts. With you by our side, we are working tirelessly to eliminate systemic barriers to prosperity by providing access to resources and networking that support Black-owned businesses and workforce advancement. In recent years, BECMA has considerably amplified its impact, as our compound annual growth rate since 2019 is 101 percent. In 2023, we directly supported over 400 businesses, with an expanded focus on helping firms secure larger public and private contracts. We nearly tripled the grants, professional services, digital solutions, and other support provided to members through our Back Office Support Services (BOSS) program, which helps start and scale firms, and launched BECMA Community Investments to provide the capital needed for firms to satisfy contracts. In the report, you’ll learn directly from our members about BECMA's impact in advancing equity for Black entrepreneurs and workers through our advocacy and programming. With your continued financial and moral support, we can continue our work to build and sustain Black wealth in the Commonwealth. Visit bit.ly/becmaimpact to download our 2023 Impact Report today!

Wow, what a week it's been since the launch of The 1000 Club! The response has been incredible, and we're still buzzing with excitement. If you're interested in joining "The 1000 Club" you can apply using the link below https://lnkd.in/e4iwaEnD And if you'd like to support our initiative, check out the link for more information https://lnkd.in/exx9c9eF "The 1000 Club" is a pioneering initiative dedicated to empowering Black women entrepreneurs through comprehensive financial literacy and credit empowerment. Led by Ngunan Adamu and the iWoman Academy team, this transformative program offers a 12-month journey from credit challenges to financial resilience. Financial literacy is crucial for anyone striving to achieve financial stability and success. However, Black women entrepreneurs often face unique challenges due to intersecting factors such as racial and gender biases, lack of access to traditional financial resources, and systemic barriers. "The 1000 Club" addresses these challenges head-on by providing participants with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to navigate the complexities of credit management and financial planning. By fostering a community of mutual support, knowledge-sharing, and empowerment, the program aims to uplift Black women entrepreneurs and enable them to take control of their financial futures. This initiative is vital because it not only empowers individual participants but also contributes to broader economic empowerment and community development. By bridging the financial literacy gap and promoting economic inclusion, "The 1000 Club" helps build a more equitable and prosperous society for all. Let's keep the momentum going 💪🏾

Ready to evaluate your relationship with money? Read this: 1. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞. 🙏🏾 • Be thankful for what you have and how far you’ve come this far. • Use your past experiences as a blueprint to learn and grow. 2. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥.🛠️ You control how it’s used whether that is to: • Help someone in need • Fund a once in a lifetime trip • Plan your work-optional Financial Independence Day • Eliminate debt • Take a sabbatical and so on… 3. 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬. 🎉 • Brainstorm a list of ways that you can celebrate your big and small wins. • Get creative with how you celebrate. 4. 𝐁𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭.🧭 • Life be life-in’ and it’s important to remain adaptable to the changes it brings. • There are about 62 life transitions that you can experience and each of those life transitions can cause a need for a money decision. 5. 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 by your side to help you anticipate the blindspots in your financial plan. • Life is unpredictable and you could experience a life transitions at any point in time. • Based on understanding your situation a financial planner can help you anticipate some of the transitions you may experience. 6. 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.🫱🏽🫲🏾 • Make an assessment of those around you: Are they building you up or pulling you down? • Find people who have similar goals to you. • Don’t fall into the comparison trap by comparing your wealth-building journey with others. 7. 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.🙌🏾 • Life has its twists and turns as well as ebbs and flows but it’s important to tackle each challenge or change with a mindset that, in the end, you’ll win! So as you review the areas described above: How would you rate your relationship with money? ••••••••••• Hello! I’m Shehara (Sha-Hair-Rah)Wooten, CFP®, speaker and author. I help ambitious mid-career Black women STEM professionals who are paralyzed, stuck and anxious about her finances develop a clear plan so that she can have peace of mind knowing that she never has to reply on anyone for her financial security. DM me to schedule a strategy session to discover if The Wealth Gap Closers™ Method is for you.