The National Minority Supplier Development Council recently named Daniel Ellis, chief executive officer at Aloha Laundry Life, to the organization’s ninth cohort of its Emerging Young Entrepreneurs program.
Ellis’ laundry pickup-and-delivery service is currently available in such markets as Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Bellingham, Wash.; Chicago; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; San Diego; and Phoenix. Aloha Laundry Life is 100 percent app-based and partners with local operators working at area laundromats.
Ellis is among 50 people between the ages of 19 and 35 taking part in this nine-month experience developed to provide the next generation of minority entrepreneurs –– with skills, tools, and strategies to start or grow their innovative businesses.
“As NMSDC continues its march to $1 trillion in annual revenue for NMSDC-certified MBEs, we know how essential it is that we cultivate the minority business leaders of the future,” said NMSDC Senior Director of MBE Services and Strategic Partnerships Jetheda Hernandez. “To accelerate the growth of the next generation of certified businesses, we have expanded the EYE program to include the largest number of participants in its history.”
EYE programming examines proven best practices to address common issues Gen Z and millennial entrepreneurs face in the context of today’s business environment including:
- The five key methods of operating a successful business.
- Strategies to anticipate organizational needs and execute innovative responses.
- Professional development and access to top business leaders and corporate executives.
- Supply chain processes and the benefits of developing relationships with supply chain practitioners.
As part of the program, participants must obtain NMSDC MBE certification. They also will have the opportunity to compete in a pitch competition at the group’s annual conference in Atlanta this October.
