Building sustainable economic infrastructure for melanated Chicago entrepreneurs (deep dark brown to light beige) — through relationship-based networks, consciousness decision frameworks, and quality over scale.
💰 Measurable Economic Impact
75+ entrepreneurs served. $500K+ collective revenue generated. Real businesses, real growth, real community wealth.
🤝 Relationship Infrastructure
Weekly Friday potlucks creating peer networks, strategic partnerships, and sustained support — not one-time workshops.
📈 Consciousness-Based Strategy
Supreme Mathematics guides every business decision. Quality relationships over rapid scaling. Sustainable success, not hustle culture.
I Support Local creates relationship-based economic infrastructure for Black and brown Chicago entrepreneurs. We don't offer generic business courses or temporary consulting — we build sustained peer networks, strategic decision frameworks, and collective economic power.
Every Friday, Chicago entrepreneurs gather for:
Relationship Building: Face-to-face networking creating actual business partnerships, referrals, and collaborations
Peer Learning: Experienced entrepreneurs mentoring those just starting, knowledge flowing through community
Strategic Support: Real-time problem-solving on actual business challenges — hiring, pricing, marketing, operations, financing
Consciousness Application: Supreme Mathematics frameworks applied to business decisions ensuring alignment with values
This isn't networking for networking's sake — it's systematic infrastructure creating economic relationships that generate measurable revenue.
Traditional Business Support:
Generic curriculum disconnected from lived experience
One-size-fits-all advice ignoring cultural context
Time-limited programs with no sustained support
Individual focus creating competition, not collaboration
Metrics-obsessed (number trained) vs. outcome-focused (businesses thriving)
I Support Local Model:
Peer-based learning from entrepreneurs who've walked the path
Cultural competence centered in design (melanated business owners' reality — deep dark brown to light beige)
Ongoing weekly support as long as needed
Collective focus creating collaboration and resource sharing
Quality-obsessed (sustainable businesses) vs. quantity-obsessed (people through program)
Where: announced weekly
When: Every Friday 5pm-8pm
What to Bring: Your business idea or challenge, willingness to learn and contribute
No applications. No fees. No prerequisites.
Show up, introduce yourself, participate in conversation. If you're building something or thinking about it, you belong here.
You'll meet:
Peer entrepreneurs at similar stages (shared challenges, mutual support)
Experienced business owners who've solved problems you're facing
Potential partners for collaborations, referrals, joint ventures
Community resources (legal, financial, marketing expertise in the network)
The goal isn't collecting contacts — it's building actual relationships that create economic opportunity.
Every business decision gets evaluated through Supreme Mathematics:
Knowledge (1): What do you know for certain about your market, customers, capacity?
Wisdom (2): What does experience (yours and others') teach about this choice?
Understanding (3): Do you see the complete picture — opportunity AND challenges?
Culture/Freedom (4): Does this business liberate you or create new constraints?
Power/Refinement (5): Are you taking what exists to create what's needed?
This systematic evaluation prevents impulsive decisions while enabling confident strategic moves.
Strategic Guidance:
Business model refinement
Pricing strategy
Marketing and customer acquisition
Hiring and team building
Financing and cash flow management
Network Resources:
Legal support (contract review, entity formation)
Financial guidance (bookkeeping, tax strategy)
Technical assistance (website, systems, tools)
Peer accountability and momentum
Ongoing Connection:
Weekly check-ins at Friday potlucks
Between-session support via community network
Celebration of wins, troubleshooting of challenges
Your journey helps others avoid mistakes and accelerate success. Teaching refines your own understanding.
Many Friday potluck participants become collaborators, employees, or service providers for established businesses.
Peer relationships create joint ventures, referral networks, and business opportunities you wouldn't find elsewhere.
Helping others solve problems keeps your strategic thinking fresh. New entrepreneurs ask questions that challenge assumptions.
Strong local economy serves everyone. Your business thrives when community thrives.
I Support Local operates through the 13 Jewels — universal principles applied to entrepreneurship:
1. Knowledge: Understanding your market, customers, and capacity through research and relationship
2. Wisdom: Learning from experience (yours and others') to make better decisions
3. Understanding: Seeing complete business picture — opportunities, challenges, root causes
4. Freedom/Culture: Building businesses that liberate, honor heritage, serve community
5. Justice/Power: Fair pricing, ethical business practices, economic power for melanated communities
6. Equality: Everyone deserves business opportunity regardless of background or credentials
7. Food: Businesses that nourish community, create abundance, generate sustainable wealth
8. Clothing: Businesses that meet needs with dignity, quality, and cultural authenticity
9. Shelter: Economic stability creating housing security and generational wealth
10. Love: Relationships over transactions, community over competition
11. Peace: Businesses reducing stress, creating harmony, enabling thriving
12. Happiness: Fulfilling work, sustainable success, joy in the journey
13. Technology: Digital tools amplifying reach while preserving human relationships
When business decisions align with all 13 jewels, we proceed with confidence. When conflicts arise, we refine the strategy.
75+ Chicago entrepreneurs served annually through Friday potlucks
$500K+ collective revenue generated by participating businesses
[X] jobs created in Chicago community through supported businesses
[X] business-to-business collaborations formed through network
[X] years average business longevity (vs. [X] year national average)
Sustained weekly attendance demonstrating quality over temporary workshops
Traditional metrics count "people trained." We track transformation:
Sustainable businesses: Are entrepreneurs still operating 2+ years later?
Quality relationships: Do participants collaborate beyond Friday sessions?
Strategic clarity: Can entrepreneurs articulate why they make decisions?
Community wealth: Are profits circulating locally or extracting outward?
Consciousness development: Do entrepreneurs use frameworks independently?
We report conservative, verifiable outcomes. Community members validate our impact — if they don't see value, they stop coming. Sustained attendance proves quality.
I Support Local is one of four interconnected Chicago organizations creating complete community support:
🤝 I Support Local (You are here)
Business development, entrepreneurship support, economic infrastructure
🔄 Communities in Action
Nonprofit coordination ensuring businesses can access social services, partner with community organizations
📚 Educational Programming
Consciousness education (Supreme Mathematics), AI literacy (technology tools for businesses), legal literacy (contract understanding, rights)
💎 Donation Station
Resource distribution supporting entrepreneurs during startup phase, connecting successful businesses with giving opportunities
Example integration:
Entrepreneur attends Friday potluck (I Support Local)
Learns AI tools for marketing (Educational Programming)
Partners with nonprofit for community project (Communities in Action)
Donates surplus inventory when business grows (Donation Station)
This isn't four separate programs — it's unified community infrastructure.
Mentor entrepreneurs: Share your expertise at Friday sessions
Hire talent: Find employees and contractors through network
Collaborate: Form strategic partnerships with emerging businesses
Sponsor: Support potlucks, provide in-kind services
Provide guidance: Answer questions, review documents, offer strategic advice
Build client base: Many participants need professional services
Give back: Use your expertise to strengthen community economy
Support proven model: We have measurable outcomes, not just promises
Economic development: Real wealth creation, not temporary assistance
Community-led: Black and brown entrepreneurs designing own economic infrastructure
Partnership Contact: communitiesinaction925@gmail.com- (773) 643-0406