Events

Profit and cash flow are often used interchangeably in businesses, but they are actually two very different metrics. In this workshop, Crystal Noell, CEO of My CFO, will show you a new way to view your profit and cash flow. The formula is called EPI (Expenses + Profit = Income). From EPI, you will learn how to set your prices and know how many clients/products you need to hit your income goal. 

From a 4 year old in foster care with only 20 words vocabulary to earning a college degree in Business Administration, emphasis Accounting, I know what it is like to overcome challenges and manifest your dreams. 

Did you know, only 64% of foster children go on to graduate high school and less than 10% graduate from college

I am a 7x  business owner. That means I failed. A LOT! 6 years ago, I worked 60-80 work weeks. These days, I work 12hrs a week, operate 3 businesses (one being a brand new start up), am debt free & live the life that I want! 

I am fully present for my life, family, and friends. Thursdays are my self care days.  Fridays the hubs and I go on a date day. I home-school my littlest duck. I attend 40 gazillion soccer games a week.  

I love numbers and budgets.  LOVE THEM. Show me your debt, financial woes, or what you want to build and I will show you the path to achieve them with EPI & STOP. Profit equals opportunity. Profit equals leveling up your team. Profit equals living the life you dream about. 

Budgets are your dreams in numbers. You have one life. Choose yours!

Hit Your Income Goals: Finance Workshop

This in-person, hands on workshop will break down the transition from Survival Mode to “Thrival Mode”. The first half of the workshop will include a mix of 1-on-1 and group coaching sessions incorporating role play scenarios and alternative perspectives for New Majority founders.

In the second half, we will develop a personal care plan that includes ideas for physical health and emotional well-being via strategies that can help high-performing entrepreneurs thrive. This will include practical nutrition advice and movement and mindset modalities from yoga and meditation.

Attendees should dress comfortably and be prepared to participate in low to moderate intensity movement.

 A yoga mat is recommended but not essential.

NOTE: Registration is limited to 25 people. 

Cheryl Davis (“Coach Che”) is a Lifestyle and Success Coach who helps high-achieving go getters get out of their way and get the right solutions to restore their belief that the health, lifestyle, and success they want can be theirs once they break through their internal barriers and limiting beliefs to turn that dream into reality.

Surviving to Thriving: Holistic Wellbeing for New Majority Entrepreneurs

Join 1863 Ventures for an exclusive workshop on deal rooms and due diligence, hosted by Dan Roberts, President and Co-Founder of SavviLegal. This 60-minute event will cover due diligence and what it is, common problems and pains of diligence, and what the best practices for diligence are. 

Dan Roberts is the co-founder and President at Savvi Legal. He is a venture attorney with 10+ years of experience, he has advised over 300 startups and participated in over 100 financing rounds. Dan received his B.S. from BYU, his J.D from the University of Chicago Law, and his LL.M. from Duke.

Deal Rooms & Due Diligence Workshop

Bring your coffee or tea and meet other entrepreneurs in the 1863 New Majority Community in this informal meet & greet and group information exchange. Whether you stop by for 10 minutes or stay for the hour, we hope to see you there!

New Majority Virtual Coffee Hour

1863 Ventures portfolio companies are invited to this exclusive AMA focusing on HR and recruiting. Bring your questions around sourcing talent, evaluating & selecting the right candidates, and creating a long-term hiring approach to help you build your company. 

Our guest experts are Sherica Sampson (Recruiting & Talent Acquisition at TechStars & Cox), Fran James (former Chief People Officer at TechStars), and Saudia Davis (successfully exited founder). 

Note: this event is for 1863 portfolio companies only. 

1863 Portfolio Companies AMA: HR & Recruiting Strategies

Join 1863 Ventures for an HR Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Human Resources expert Mozhie DiPeso. How do you hire well - and fire fairly? What are the rules around sick leave and paid time off? How much should you pay a new hire? How do you motivate employees from different generations? Mozhie will address these questions and more in real time. 

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: Mozhie DiPeso has 20+ years of experience in the Human Resources and People Operations space. 

Starting her career as a CPA, she began her HR experience in payroll and benefits for a not for profit organization in Rosslyn, VA. She went on to receive a Masters in Human Resource Management and focused her career in HR.

Mozhie has led in a wide variety of Human Resource functions including Total Rewards (compensation and benefits), HR Operations, Employee Relations, Recruiting, HR / Talent Advising and People Strategy. She spent most of her career as an HR Business Partner advising clients at varying levels including C-Suite leadership. Mozhie has worked in organizations of various sizes, spanning from 15 to 45,000 employees. 

Recently, she has established her own business MSD Coaching & HR Consulting to focus her career on what she loved most as an HR Professional, Leadership Coaching. Today, Mozhie focuses her time on helping executives become stronger leaders. As a first generation Iranian American, her passion lies with building leaders’ ability to engage effectively across differences.

HR Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Mozhie DiPeso

Join 1863 Ventures for a chat and live discussion with serial entrepreneur Donald Snider, President and CEO of Metro Business Connect in Detroit. He will share his secrets for how to build and run successful businesses without grant funding as startup capital, and without ever missing payroll. 

What did he learn as a franchisee for McDonald's, KFC, & Papa John's? How did he become a Tier One automotive supplier? How does he recognize a good business opportunity? 

​ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: Donald Snider is a renowned entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He is the President and CEO of Metro Business Connect as well as the non-profit, CBA Formula. He has extensive experience in public and private administration including positions as an executive, personnel director, franchise restaurant owner/supervisor, and finance developer.

Donald was the president and CEO of Paper-Plas Converting, Inc., which converted industrial paper products, packaging, and light assembly. The company was a Tier-One Automotive Supplier with locations in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati. He was also the founder of Abbeville Treats, Inc., a food distributor to Ford Field and other stadiums.

Throughout his life, Donald has had a strong commitment to empowering the community. In 2007, he was the Chairman for First Spirit Bancorp, a community bank he started for the underserved and unserved citizens of Detroit.

​To learn more about Donald, visit his website: 

An Entrepreneur's Mindset: A Fireside Chat with Donald Snider, CEO of Metro Business Connect

Join 1863 Ventures for a free information session about the Inclusive Innovation Equity Impact Fund (IIEIF), available to Washington, DC businesses. 

Information Session: Inclusive Innovation Equity Impact Fund

Join 1863 Ventures for a town hall on the state of entrepreneurship. The business development nonprofit and venture capital fund will debut Beyond 5: intellectual property sponsored by Capital One, Living Cities, M&T Bank, Surdna Foundation & Wells Fargo, investigating the survivability of Black and Brown-owned businesses.

Note that this will be a hybrid event taking place via livestream and in-person at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001.

1863 Ventures Town Hall

Emerging and established entrepreneurs alike often find themselves operating in “Survival Mode” without even realizing it. Overwhelm, imposter syndrome, and self-neglect brought on by the pressures of crafting and scaling their dream from the ground up can result in a series of adaptations and trade-offs that deplete entrepreneurs mentally and physically. Additionally, the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs of color create an extra layer of hypervigilance and anxiety that exacerbates subconscious barriers to consistent inspired action to achieve your vision of success.

During this 1 hour workshop, we will discuss the symptoms and root causes of “Survival Mode” and its impact on how BIPOC entrepreneurs see themselves, show up in their professional and personal lives, and make behavioral choices that affect their well-being and business bottom line. We’ll tackle the limiting beliefs and hidden asset blocks often used to brace against challenges and propose alternative approaches that lean into more presence and intentionality to overcome them. We’ll also discuss some ways to recognize and address these patterns to generate a more personalized and integrated approach to navigating the ups-and-downs of entrepreneurship, self-care, and well-being on the journey to success.

Cheryl Davis (“Coach Che”) is a Lifestyle and Success Coach who helps high-achieving go getters get out of their way and get the right solutions to restore their belief that the health, lifestyle, and success they want can be theirs once they break through their internal barriers and limiting beliefs to turn that dream into reality. She is trained by the Co-Active Training Institute, the world’s largest coaching training and leadership development organization, and is certified as both a personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and International Society of Sports Nutrition respectively. Cheryl has directly coached hundreds of people to master their health, find balance, and enjoy success via a more intentional and resonant lifestyle and has created courses and programs that have helped hundreds more down that path as well. Her clientele boasts everyone from professional and Olympic athletes to “weekend warriors” and busy parents who want to live, feel, and look their best at every stage of life. She is also an IFBB professional figure competitor, outdoor enthusiast, and foodie with a passion for transformation that contributes to her ability to help her clients achieve lasting changes that improve their overall wellness and quality of life. She formerly worked for the nation’s largest health foundation promoting public policy to build healthier communities, has been profiled in Oxygen Magazine, and continues to contribute thought leadership about healthy, balanced living via Thrive Global and other wellness media outlets.

Surviving to Thriving: Holistic Well-Being for BIPOC Entrepreneurs

Are you fundraising or getting ready to raise? Join 1863 Ventures for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Taylor Foxman, who advises founders on effective strategies on raising capital for their growing businesses. She'll share some of her proven techniques for increasing your chances for a "yes" when you pitch. She'll also leave plenty of time for live Q&A, so bring your questions!

This session will be recorded and the replay will be shared with registrants.

Taylor Foxman is a veteran beverage alcohol expert with over a decade of experience, having worked for globally recognized wine, beer and spirit companies including most recently Pernod Ricard in addition to others such as Gruppo Campari, Jägermeister, Patron Spirits and Stoli. 

Currently, Foxman serves as the Founder & CEO of The Industry Collective, the leading beverage advisory firm for 40 emerging brands in sector as well as a co-host of two beverage and CPG podcasts and contributor for Rolling Stone on the convergence of culture, beverage and cannabis.

Fundraising Secrets AMA

Your have a fabulous product that you want to sell through Amazon. What do you need to know before you take the plunge? 

Join 1863 Ventures for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Larry Cobb, Chief Commercial Officer of Wishing You Well, a company that provides managed seller services on Amazon. He'll share his advice and tips on everything you need to know about selling on Amazon, including inventory management, marketplace strategy, advertising, reimbursement policies, and more. Bring your questions - this will be a live, interactive conversation that you won't want to miss!

This session will be recorded and shared with all registrants. 

Larry is the Chief Commercial Officer of Wishing You Well. WishingUWell is a one-stop-shop for brands who sell on Amazon. As a third-party ecommerce seller, WishingUWell offers full- and manage-seller services to health and wellness brands to maximize their Amazon presence, manage inventory and warehouse needs, handle advertising, and monitor their accounts on Amazon’s Seller Central platform. Its growth is contingent on the ability to cater to the needs of brands, as well as their audiences, and the ever-changing policies of Amazon. In his role as CCO, Larry has helped foster more effective brand relationships, and used his extensive brand knowledge to assist WishingUWell in its continued growth.

Over 45 years ago, he became a founding partner of 81 pet food stores, later selling them to the Petco founders to help propel their growth. He has held the title of VP & CEO at 4 pet companies since 1988, creating established sales practices that helped cement their growth. He is known for his innovative marketing strategies that have improved the bottom line for each business he's been a part of.

Larry has a keen eye for detail and a technical understanding of teamwork, which have helped him achieve success as a CCO and entrepreneur. When it comes to experience in the business world, there are few that hold a candle to Larry. He has been an entrepreneur for most of his life and has applied the same ideas to his current position as CCO of WishingUWell. This wealth of knowledge and expertise makes him the perfect person to help young entrepreneurs realize and establish their business goals.

Amazon Web Services AMA

Join us for this year's Family Reunion! Our special guest will be Alec Phillips, Chief Political Economist of Goldman Sachs Research. He'll discuss the current economy and the outlook for small businesses over the coming year.

Melissa Bradley, Founder of 1863 Ventures, will share an update of where we've been and where we're going. And as always, we will celebrate you and other members of the New Majority Community in this live, interactive meeting!

Have big news or a win you'd like us to spotlight during the event? Email Wendy at 

 with your update by November 18. See you there!

1863 Ventures: Family Reunion 2022

YOUR MONEY $TORY explores your relationship to money and gives you the tools to heal any shame or fear you might be experiencing. Money often comes with emotional and psychological baggage that affects the decisions you make. Your psychology around money is usually connected to your early understanding of money. It stems from the family you grew up in, the media messages and culture surrounding you, your experiences of earning or losing, and the value system you’ve built. YOUR MONEY $TORY enables you to get unblocked and reclaim your power over your finances.

Please note that this will be a highly interactive 90-minute session with breakout rooms to facilitate learning and growth. Please plan to be present for the entire event.

The presentation portion of the workshop will be recorded and the replay will be shared with registrants.

Elisabeth Anton, President of the Sherwood Financial Group, offers an innovative approach to investment advisory that blends financial coaching and investment advice.

Sherwood’s leading-edge financial planning series, PLAN 2 PROSPER, addresses the unique financial challenges of underserved communities. Elisabeth leverages the lessons of her own financial journey to empower her clients to take control of their finances.

Elisabeth is a proud LatinX graduate of Yale College with a BA in English, and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton Business School. Her banking experience includes Merrill Lynch in London, Credit Suisse in Madrid, and HSBC in Dubai. She is a licensed Investment Advisor Representative with a Series 7, Series 63, and Series 65.

Your Money $tory

Join 1863 with our guests from Mentors + Angels as they walk us through the various sources of funding for startups and small businesses. They will review the typical types of funding by business stage and the benefits and tradeoffs of each. This session will include live Q&A, so please bring your questions. 

The event will be recorded and the replay will be shared with registrants. 

Michael Costa is a senior-level finance professional with a proven track record as a Strategic Advisor, Board Member and Start-Up Investor/Mentor. Over the last three years he has sourced, cultivated and mentored over 50 startups in the digital media, SaaS, gaming and entertainment sectors resulting in several investments with an average capital raise of $1.5mm and a pre-money valuation of $8mm. He is active in the NYC Metro area ecosystem for entrepreneurs as a member with New York Angels, a lecturer in SUNY Purchase's Entrepreneurship in the Arts MA program, an Innovation Fellow at The Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at Columbia Business School and an aiLeadership Council Member with r4 Technologies.

Simon Hopkins is a serial entrepreneur within the enterprise software sector with a track record of founding and growing businesses. Since starting his career with Accenture, he has worked for high-growth organizations in Europe, SE Asia as well as the US, including CEO of ROC Americas Inc., and COO of Axon Solutions. Simon is a hands-on manager with experience of technology, operations and business development, together with two buy-outs, four acquisitions and an IPO. As a member of the New York Angels, he is closely involved with a number of local start-ups, as investor, advisor and software developer.

Mentors+Angels is a group of individuals who are dedicated to helping under-represented founders fully capture the future of their start-ups. The team has deep business experience as senior corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and investment professionals. We work collectively as a team to identify opportunities and help coach founders to success. We make individual investments in early stage companies and also bring opportunities to our investor communities. 

Funding Sources for Startups

Please join 1863 Ventures for a workshop on identifying operational efficiencies in your business and understanding your supply chain, especially as it pertains to inventory management and demand forecasting. This workshop will help you uncover hidden costs and ways to streamline your business to realize greater profits. This workshop is intended for businesses that move physical products. 

There will be time reserved for live Q&A. 

This session will be recorded and the replay will be shared with all registrants. 

LaRitta Webb, founder & CEO of The Profit Nerd, is an operations & supply chain consultant, who specializes in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and procurement and contract negotiations. She is known for simplifying the often complex mind-numbing intricacies of operations, managing client risk and strategically increasing profitability for businesses by driving supply chain efficiencies throughout organizations.

Having worked in numerous industries including pharmaceuticals, automotive, technology, manufacturing and oil & gas, managing budgets over $500MM with consistent project savings and increased margins, LaRitta is the go-to Profit Nerd for your growing business.

Pump Up Your Profits: Get Efficient

Join 1863 Ventures for a workshop hosted by two financial experts. During this session, they will review insurance and benefits considerations specifically for growing small businesses like yours. Be sure to bring your questions - they will leave plenty of time for interactive Q&A!

 is a financial services representative with Fortis Lux Financial.  He is a CFA Charterholder with extensive experience in investment management and research. He held various roles in this area, including equity analyst, equity portfolio manager, fixed income salesperson, and head of Investment Manager Due Diligence. With his extensive range of knowledge, Rufus was appointed as a pension investment officer to help manage a multi-billion dollar defined benefit pension plan for a major insurance company.  

 is a Director of Brokerage at Coastal Wealth Insurance.  Prior to that he was Director of Insurance & Advanced Sales at Fortis Lux Financial.

Larry also served as Managing Director and Director of Sales and Strategic Initiatives for Wealth Advisory Group. With more than thirty years of experience in the financial services industry, Larry has developed a regional and national reputation for his leadership and a proven track record of developing and managing high-performance teams. He currently serves as President of the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA). He is also an active member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), and GAMA International. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration, from Long Island University. Since then he has received certifications for Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow and Life and Annuity Certified Professional both issued by NAIFA.

Insurance & Benefits to Help Your Business Thrive

How can you protect yourself and your business from future costly litigation and future conflicts?  Join this 1863 Ventures workshop with Karen Mills, Esq., who will walk you through the most important legal pitfalls to avoid, and which contracts you should have in your back pocket, including NDAs, services agreements, independent contractor agreements, employment offer letters, and teaming agreements for RFPs.

Karen Mills, a native of Macon, Georgia, graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, with honors.  She obtained her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also attained the engineering profession’s highest designation by becoming a registered professional engineer in North Carolina and South Carolina. She is the co-author of Avoiding Business Conflicts: Five Important Contracts and Legal Documents for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. 

Avoiding Business Conflicts: 5 Pitfalls

How can you leverage digital marketing to drive brand awareness and customer acquisition for your product or service? Join 1863 Ventures for a digital marketing AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Edwin Philogene, an expert with over 20 years of expertise in digital marketing innovation. 

This event will be recorded and the replay will be shared with registrants.

Please submit your questions in advance for this session. See you there!

Edwin Philogene is a veteran brand marketing and business development leader with a passion for the intersecting worlds of digital innovation, creative media and entrepreneurialism. Over the past 20 years, as an executive, entrepreneur and consultant, he has helped a variety of brands, startups and ad agencies, ranging from Tommy Hilfiger and AOL to eBay and BBDO, strategize around their next opportunities for growth, successfully launch and market new offerings, and deliver invaluable thought leadership. He has led go-to-market, customer acquisition and monetization efforts for several emerging technology movements, ranging from social media and satellite radio to mobile applications and personalization robotics, at companies including Tumblr, Sirius Satellite Radio (SiriusXM), Ericsson and Bond. Edwin is a graduate of Cornell University and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a native of Brooklyn, New York.

Digital Marketing AMA (Ask Me Anything): 1863 Ventures

Calling all IIEIF Fund 1 recipients! Please join Saudia Davis and Art Stevens for this quarterly AMA (Ask Me Anything) to help address your concerns, challenges, and questions. You are welcome to submit questions in advance of the session as well. See you there!

IIEIF Fund 1 AMA (Ask Me Anything)

Join 1863 Ventures in the first session of our self-care series. In this event, you will be introduced to breathwork and meditation and gently guided through a practice of calming of the body along with affirmations. Please arrange to be in a quiet environment with comfortable seating, and with tea or water nearby.

This session will be led by Mahasin Phillips of Atmosphere Threesixty. 

Mahasin Phillips is an intuitive healer, spiritual teacher, and certified wholistic health practitioner. Her mission is to guide women on their inner journey by giving them tools to awaken, heal, and transform their lives. Her deep calling to bring together and nurture women inspired her to give life to Atmosphere Threesixty as healing sanctuary for the collective to come home to ourselves and be nourished. Her offerings are designed to help women heal through intentional living and mindfulness.

Breathwork & Meditation: 1863 Ventures Self-Care Series

Test event

M+A: HOW TO MAKE A GREAT PITCH DECK

Prep for the session with 1863 entrepreneurs: M+A How to Make a Great Pitch Deck

Prep with 1863: M+A Pitch Deck session

1863 Beauty Community Roundtable

You've built, designed, or created something special. How do you make sure it doesn't get stolen by someone who profits from your brilliance? Join Tech Innovation Law (TIL), a friend of 1863 Ventures, for an overview of trademarks and copywrights, and learn how to protect your work!

Protect Your Creative Work: the ABCs of Intellectual Property

1863 B2C Roundtable

Join 1863 Ventures for an AMA - Ask Melissa Anything! This is an exclusive event for the 1863 Ventures community only. A limited number of spots are available. 

For one hour, she will take questions from entrepreneurs in an open forum.  Melissa will do her best to answer as many questions as possible. 

AMA - Ask Melissa Anything

1863 B2B Community Roundtable

1863 Software as a Service (SaaS) Community Roundtable

1863 Monthly Mastermind

1863 Food & Beverage Roundtable

1863 Healthcare & Wellness Roundtable

Hey 1863 Fam! We're hosting our last Family Reunion for 2021 and we want to see YOU there! Bring your wins, your updates, and most importantly, bring yourself. This event is open to all program participants, past and present, and it will be hosted by Melissa Bradley, Founder of 1863 Ventures. 

1863 Family Reunion

1863 Ventures Monthly Mastermind

Please join 1863 Ventures for a conversation with Tracy Graham, Founder and CEO of Graham Allen Partners. A Chicago native recruited to play football at Notre Dame, Tracy will explore his path from fledgling tech entrepreneur at the dawn of the internet era to the investment company he founded. He will discuss the incredible opportunities he sees for digital transformation at companies operating in healthcare, insurance, and more, particularly in underserved metropolitan areas in the Midwest and the South.

The event will be moderated by Wendy Maldonado D'Amico, Community Director at 1863. This event will be recorded.

Digital Transformation in Overlooked Markets: A Fireside Chat with Tracy Graham, CEO of Graham Allen

We invite you to join us for an exclusive conversation with Donna Levin, Co-Founder of 

 and CEO of the Arthur M. Blank School of Entrepreneurial Leadership at Babson College.

Donna held faculty appointments at Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management and served as the inaugural Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

During Donna’s tenure at Care.com, she played key roles in building and leading high performing teams and scaling the company from idea to IPO. Donna was also VP of Operations at Upromise, an online service that helps families save for college, acquired by Sallie Mae.

Melissa Bradley, Founder of 1863 Ventures, will moderate the conversation. Participants in the live webinar will have the opportunity to submit questions to Donna during the event. This session will be recorded. 