SOUTH BEND, Ind. (July 26, 2019)The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership (SBERP) opened applications today for Hustle SBE, a six session business bootcamp specific to minority and women entrepreneurs across the five-county region.

Hustle SBE is focused on building the capacities of small businesses to scale beyond their current operations, regardless of industry. SBERP is partnering with Goodwill Industries of Northern Indiana to provide digital skills training and certification as a part of the program.

“We found a gap in the entrepreneurial ecosystem as it relates to minority- and women-owned businesses that are already in existence but might not be a typical ‘high growth’ company. They’ve already gone through the pains of starting and now need to focus on sustaining and scaling, as well as how to leverage technology,” says Isaac Torres, executive committee member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, and CEO of InterCambio Express.

Hustle SBE will be offered over the course of six months, with one day a month dedicated to interactive learning sessions focused on such topics as access to capital, becoming certified, financial management, and human resources. Between the in-person sessions, participants are a part of an online community to gain real-time feedback and resources, as well as apply what they learned in the previous session.

To apply, interested parties should visit HustleSBE.org. Applications are free and accepted participants receive a $750 scholarship to cover the full cost of participation. The application closes September 3, 2019.

South Bend – Elkhart Regional Minority and Women Entrepreneurship Facts:
– 13% of businesses are minority-owned
– 38% of businesses are women-owned

Two of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership’s committees, Entrepreneurship and Diversity & Inclusion, are co-sponsoring Hustle SBE. The Entrepreneurship Committee of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, Startup South Bend – Elkhart, was formed with a mission to promote and foster the creation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the South Bend – Elkhart Region. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee was formed to increase opportunities for women and minorities throughout the region.

###

Media Contact:
Regina Emberton
South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership
574.344.4686 ext. 4802
remberton@soutbendelkhart.org