Media Contact:
Shira Burns
Communications Manager
[email protected]
617-533-9562
For Immediate Release:
Boston, MA – In a city where rising rent and limited access to capital often pushes entrepreneurs to the margins, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC)’s HubHustle Collective takes a different approach: meeting local entrepreneurs where they are, believing in their ideas, and investing early.
On June 28, DBEDC marked a major milestone with the first two graduating cohorts of HubHustle Collective: a new, hands-on business accelerator tailored for early-stage entrepreneurs in general business and small subcontractors in construction. Over eight weeks, participants mapped out their growth plans, sharpened financial and marketing strategies, and worked one-on-one with coaches with cultural and industry-specific expertise, on a curriculum that focused on real-world applications. Each graduate will walk away with up to $8,000 in capital – part of a total of over $100,000 distributed across the cohorts – and a strong foundation to increase their revenue and impact within the Greater Boston market.
The 13 graduating early-stage entrepreneurs include local talent rooted in the six neighborhoods DBEDC serves and represent a broad range of industries, including a neighborhood-based childcare provider, a woman-owned welding business, and a high-end pastry cafe dedicated to the Portuguese and Cape Verdean community in Dorchester. Meanwhile, the program’s track for small subcontractors in construction responded to a critical need: helping more small contractors based in our neighborhoods compete for public contracts and grow their footprint in the sector.
“There has never been a shortage of hustle or brilliance in our communities — but what gets overlooked is how hard it is to turn hustle into stability without real backing,” said Kimberly R. Lyle, CEO of DBEDC. “That’s what HubHustle Collective was built to change: making sure that someone’s dream doesn’t stall because they’ve been overlooked or turned away by traditional banks. This overdue investment ensures that graduates are stepping into a new chapter where they are ready to receive funding and investment from broad sources.”
“The HubHustle Collective empowered us to strategically position our business for its next stage of growth,” said Latara Owens, owner of Little LUFF Childcare. “We are deeply grateful for their belief in our vision and their unwavering support throughout this journey.”
HubHustle Collective is a bet on the future of our community’s small businesses. DBEDC’s ongoing commitment to micro lending, technical assistance, and wraparound support means this work won’t stop at graduation. It continues in storefronts and on job sites throughout our neighborhoods, where local businesses are building community wealth.
For more information visit www.dbedc.org/small-business.
