On Friday, 11 small businesses were awarded for keeping the American dream and entrepreneurial flame alive at the Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network annual Entrepreneurial gala.
In Battery Gardens, approximately 150 small business owners, investors, city council members, and guests joined to honor the BOC Networks most progressive entrepreneurs at their annual Entrepreneurs Gala.
The Statue of Liberty was the perfect backdrop to symbolize the journey from desperation to fruition that many of these business owners went through. Award-winner Oumar Moussa, from Mauritania, Africa was subject to violent political attacks in his mother country. On Friday, he stood before an audience, as the owner of Fondou Business, LLC, a retail food company, explaining in his mother language the thanks and gratitude he has for the American people for allowing his dreams to come true.
His dream couldn't have come through without the help of the BOC Network, which specializes in providing funding and resources to under-served entrepreneurs in the New York and Newark, New Jersey areas.
All awardees were truly thankful for the assistance that BOC provided, as very few had access to the capital necessary to make their dreams come true. "No man is an island and, believe me, before BOC I was sinking," said Monica McDonald of Footsteps Childcare, Inc.
Vincent Cuccia & Alexander Bartlett of Planet Pepper, Inc., which provides custom wigs and drag queen costumes were awarded the BOC Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.
BOC is a nonprofit organization that helps low-income entrepreneurs build credit and coordinate in entrepreneurial networking groups in industry, e-commerce, and fashion. The BOC Network offers services to start-up businesses that help with all aspects of business development including business plans, leadership training, financial management, assistance, pricing strategies, business regulations, and access to financing from micro-lenders or mainstream sources of capital.
Other awardees included, John Rafael Peralta of Dynamic NYC Tours (Small Business Award), Carol DiMarco of CLR Printing Plus (Women's Business Advancement Award), Kent Zhou of Kenvic Professional Training (Business Advancement & Community Impact Award), Vincent Cuccia & Alexander Bartlett of Planet Pepper, Inc. (Entrepreneurial Achievement Award), Brent Baker of Tri-State Biodiesel, (Green Business Advancement Award), Stephen Jones of websignia (Business Excellence & Community Impact Award), Diania Berrios of Rainbow Delight Family Daycare (Child Care Business Development Award), Maria Feliciano of Precious Kiddies Daycare (Child Care Business Development Award), Arelis Lovera of Lovera Group Family Daycare (Child Care Business Development Award), and Adino Shamuelova of Adino'sFive Start Group Family Daycare (Child Care Business Development Award).
"There's a bright future for BOC," executive director of BOC, Nancy Carin said. "We provide resources for developing small businesses into larger businesses ... we're a network -- a partnership of multiple community based organizations. We work together to share resources, build skills and help people together."
Attiyya is an employee of Tri-State Biodiesel, which was awarded at the BOC entrepreneurial gala
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