The CLT Alliance Foundation is excited to celebrate Scale Up CLT participants Khaleel Lloyd, Saichelle McNeill, Tiffani Sims, Christina Lee, Yvette Hall, and Jessyca Shuttleworth, a group of remarkable entrepreneurs from the Charlotte Region who have recently graduated from the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Accelerator (EOA) program, surpassing the $1 million revenue milestone.
EOA is an innovative program that helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop their strategy, finance, people, sales, and marketing skills through a series of high-impact learning events and small group accountability sessions. Entrepreneurs graduate from the program once their businesses reach $1 million in revenue.
“Their accomplishments serve as a testament to their hard work and determination,” Nate Hogan, president of the CLT Alliance Foundation, said. “They continue to impress us with their ability to scale their businesses and positively impact our vibrant region.”
The graduates are also alumni of Scale Up CLT, a collaborative program offered in partnership with the CLT Alliance Foundation, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Charlotte, and the City of Charlotte. The program provides support for qualifying minority-owned businesses in the Charlotte Region to grow and succeed through coaching, networking, and education.
“Since joining the Scale Up CLT program in 2021, Loyd Visuals has experienced significant growth in both revenue and team size,” Khaleel Loyd, CEO and executive producer at Loyd Visuals, said. “This growth was driven by a number of factors, including the information provided through the Scale Up CLT/EOA program, the access to social capital, closing of deals with CRVA, Leading on Opportunity, Honeywell, the LA Rams and others.”
“I would like to thank EO Accelerator and the CLT Alliance for playing a critical role in helping my business partner and I scale our company from $350,000 in revenue to over $1 million within two years,” Christina Lee, CEO of Paradigm 360 Coach Training, said. “Now I think bolder, wiser, and bigger as a business owner and there is no ceiling above me when it comes to scaling my organization.”
“As a participant of Scale Up CLT and the EO Accelerator, I have gained so much knowledge about entrepreneurism in Charlotte,” Saichelle McNeil, owner of The Washroom Laundry Service, said. “More importantly, I’ve learned about the connection between small business and its importance to the city. As a Scale Up CLT participant, I got a warm introduction to city government. Having access to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance team and their investors was extremely beneficial.”
Several EOA participants received additional recognition:
- Sharon Jones, Scale Up CLT’s Cohort 4 member, received the Thirst for Learning Award.
- Saichelle McNeil, Scale Up CLT’s Cohort 2 member, received the Together We Grow Award.
- Tiffani Sims, Scale Up CLT’s Cohort 3 member, received the Think Big, Be Bold Award.
Jones and Katheryn Hermida from Cohort 4 also joined the 2023-2024 EOA Board of Directors.
“The accomplishments of Scale Up CLT alums highlight the potential of the entrepreneurial landscape in the Charlotte Region,” Hogan said. “We applaud their hard work, determination, and dedication to their businesses.”
Scale Up CLT is a one-of-a-kind transformative program that brings together the collaborative efforts of the CLT Alliance Foundation, EO Charlotte, and the City of Charlotte. It serves qualifying minority-owned businesses in the Charlotte Region with annual revenue between $250,000 and $999,999. This program is designed to empower entrepreneurs and foster their growth. Scale Up CLT offers scholarships worth more than $10,000, which include benefits like EO business accelerator, CLT Alliance Ally-Level investor benefits, expert coaches and mentors, social capital opportunities, and peer-to-peer learning. This unique approach fuels the potential of minority-owned businesses, helping them achieve their entrepreneurial dreams while contributing to a more inclusive business environment for all.
