Mentoring & Coaching Anywhere
The mentors and coaches who work with our program have over 60 year’s collective experience in assisting individuals in meeting and exceeding their entrepreneurial goals; most of them having successful for-profit and nonprofit businesses of their own. Students are required to attend four 45-minute mentoring sessions via video or phone conference on the following topics: Vision-Casting & Business Goal Setting, Social Media Marketing and Branding, Business Plan Writing and Access to Capital for Business Growth, Business Life-Coaches work with students throughout your progress through the program to keep you focused and encouraged. We are glad to have the expertise of all and they are excited to share that expertise with you!
Cheryl Smith (B.S, M.A.) Executive Director
Cheryl Smith (B.S, M.A.) enjoys dedicating her time and energy as a writer and trainer to improving the health and well-being of organizations for the last 20 years.. Currently, Cheryl serves as the Founder and Executive Director of Collaboration Station, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to stop the cycle of individual and intergenerational dependence on public benefits through entrepreneurship and transitional work programs for low-income people.
Cheryl has helped countless numbers of low to moderate income individuals start their own businesses, helped many ex-offenders, homeless individuals and those in addiction recovery gain skills to maintain employment, and worked with faith-based and community based agencies in creating and funding programs that will effectively meet these individuals’ needs. Her specialties include: entrepreneur development and vision-casting, contract and proposal writing, attaining 501c3 status thru the IRS, developing and implementing new service programs, writing business compliance procedures, developing small business strategies and word-smithing.
Cheryl’s variety of experience makes her uniquely qualified to assist for-profit and nonprofit business entrepreneurs as she understands all aspects of business development to include legal incorporation, organizational development, program and service development & implementation, fiscal management, board governance, audit and compliance procedures, fund and contract implementation and strategic collaboration and partnership building. What makes her and Collaboration Station unique is how she is able to take all of this experience and give strategies to low-income people on how to apply it to their current situation, so that they can move forward to a life where they are not dependent on public benefits to live.
Maureen Bobo (MSW, LSW)
Maureen is a single parent of two daughters and their life forever changed in April 2010, when her husband of thirteen years, Martin Quinn Bobo, passed away of chronic heart disease at the age of forty five years old. The children at that time were ages eight years and two months old. From that tragedy, Maureen’s ministry to serve others began.
Maureen is a co-author of The Unwelcome Committee the story of three young widows with children and their navigation through the processes of grief. Maureen is also the coauthor/contributor to 3 other books: Grief Diaries: Poetry, Prose and More, Widowed But Not Wounded:The Hustle and Flow of 13 Resilient Black Widowed Women, and You Are Unstoppable: Moving From Past To Purpose. She is also a Co-Executive Director of Hope for Widows Foundation.
Maureen speaks across the world to encourage others on similar grief journeys. Maureen has ministered the gospel in the churches, schools, and neighborhoods of Belize and Central America.
Her passion is for Health and Wellness , Women’s Empowerment , Single's Ministry and Entrepreneurship . Maureen shares that you CAN go from “Tragedy to Triumph” and hopes that her life story will be an inspiration for others to heal.
Linda Derkacs (B.A)
As the owner of Derkacs Design, I’ve spent the last decade delivering professional graphic design services to clients across the globe. I help clients in various market segments (protective and retail packaging, pet supplies, medical devices and non-profits) to grow their business. I work collaboratively and strategically with small companies, as well as multinational organizations, to develop advertising, brochures, logos, presentations, web graphics and tradeshow designs that support key messaging objectives.
One of my strong suits to the ability to adapt quickly to a new client’s needs and aesthetic, and execute solid solutions that often exceed expectations.
With more than two-decades experience of listening to, and understanding the client’s objectives, I am able to rapidly create graphics to help them get the desired results.
Manny Hall
Manny Hall is the owner of Manny Hall & Associates, one of the fastest-growing marketing agencies in Cleveland. He is a brand strategist, the author of three books, a workshop facilitator, and a business leader within the Cleveland community. He believes that marketing comes second to branding, and without a brand strategy, your marketing strategy will struggle. He’s married to a full-time entrepreneur with 6 beautiful children.
Michael R. Elliott
Michael R. Elliott Jr. is an accomplished and highly motivated professional with over 20 years of combined multi-sector experience. As the Director Of Neighborhood Economic Development, Michael is responsible for the advancement of Neighborhood Progress’ economic development agenda, which includes serving as liaison to partner organizations participating in the Cleveland Chain Reaction project and the Business Growth Collaborative (BGC), as well as supporting related efforts led by community development corporation (CDC) partners to advance small business growth within Cleveland’s neighborhoods. Michael has also served in the financial service industry where he held various client service and leadership roles with employers such as Progressive Insurance, Bank of America, and National City Bank. Additionally, Michael’s commitment to the community led him to take on roles within several nonprofit organizations. Michael is a two-time graduate of Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs receiving his B.A. in Nonprofit Administration and his M.P.A in Public Administration. He is also certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional with the National Development Council.
Minyon Patton
Minyon Patton, is a self- motivated dynamic professional with diverse credentials. CEO/Founder of the Collaborative Business Group, who partners with organizations, executives and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional brands, human-to-human. After spending nearly a decade working in construction management and marketing for million dollar brands and startups, Minyon knows what truly drives businesses to assist them in growth. It’s how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. In addition to her extensive business and marketing experience, Minyon is a trained business and life coach. Author and Illustrator of a children’s book “Who Says I Can’t Be President?” I Can Be Anything. Additionally, she is the owner and operator of “Works of Wonder” that specializes in custom jewelry and clothing.
Teresa McCurry
Pastor Tee is dedicated to helping people who seek to make a positive change. Senior Pastor Teresa McCurry is an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and co-labors with her husband, Apostle Gregory McCurry, of New Beginning Ministries (NBM) doing the work of the Lord as a ministry team.
Her marketplace ministry extends beyond the walls of the church. She is a Beauty Entrepreneur, Inspirational Speaker, International Bible Teacher and International Bestselling Author: she has been a licensed cosmetologist with over 30 years of beauty industry experience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Business Administration. Teresa's passion for the beauty industry standards are displayed in the excellence with which she leads by example educating, serving, and beautifying clients while inspiring them to reach their God given purpose.
She is currently known as Super Tee Inspires; she chairs Christian Networking Entrepreneurs “CNE” and NBM Community Outreach. Through CNE we encourage creative thinking, inspire meaningful dialogue and promote personal and business development through fellowship that will spotlight and support Christian businesses.
Pastor Tee’s “honors and awards”: she received an honorary doctorate in Humanitarian for having over 20 years of volunteer service to the Sickle cell community from the Global International Alliance By the Authority of the International Association of Christian Counselors. And during the month of March, FOX 8 News recognized four remarkable women making a difference in Northeast Ohio in honor of National Women’s Month where Teresa McCurry was announced the winner.