The PhillyiHub program is a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurs who aspire to operate a business that empowers the community economically. As an Atlanta native, I was enthused to learn that the iHub emphasized networking and a host of other resources that helped to welcome me to Philadelphia. Many of my business collaborations, contracts, or referrals have come through PhillyiHub and Mt. Airy CDC at large. The iHub was a springboard for enhancing my business practices, which were crystalized through the Lean Canvas — an adaptation of the Business Model Canvas designed especially for entrepreneurs.
Clarity is the word that I use to describe the PhillyiHub. I had already been operating my writing company, Kreative Scribes, for two years, but it had become stagnant. About a month before applying for the iHub, I had a coffee date with my friend, Moneek Pines, a Go Mt. Airy Business Association member and influential entrepreneur. Before I could finish my latte, she affirmed, “You need to apply for the Philly iHub, it will help your business soar! Apply today, Kalina.”
So, I did. It was the best business decision that I made in 2019; I knew I needed help, but wasn’t clear on what I needed. On the first day of the class, our instructor, David Simons, made us get right to business—literally. I quickly learned the missing pieces to my puzzle: replicable processes, a minimum viable product (MVP), and services that are prepared to profit and scale.
After my cohort and I introduced ourselves, we quickly became each other’s customers, cheerleaders, and constructive criticizers! Within six weeks, I had gained four new clients from the cohort, referred my classmates to lucrative business opportunities, and was confident in my ability to ask for the sale. An iHub perk that played a role in advancing my business was the financial counseling that was available for FREE to us through the Mt. Airy CDC.
Urgency. I developed a burning desire to execute on endeavors that I started months before attending the iHub. The stagnation period of my business expired, and Kreative Scribes was on a roll! The goals that I achieved during the cohort were only a glimpse of the success that was to come in the next six months.
Timeline of Achievements
- May 2019: Graduated from the Philly iHub.
- July 2019 & December 2019: Kreative Scribes launched “Write Your Way to the Bank,” a weekend entrepreneurship intensive that teaches youth how to write a business plan via a template I created. We birthed 25 entrepreneurs and awarded them with seed capital.
- October 2019: Kreative Scribes was awarded a contract to teach creative writing for a local charter school’s after-school program.
- Since graduating from the PhillyiHub, I have encouraged a few of my entrepreneur friends to apply. The PhillyiHub is an esteemed course that sharpened my prowess in problem-solving, business management, and networking. I am very grateful to have grown Kreative Scribes with such a motivated group of fellow entrepreneurs!
