Our Power to Prosper Accelerator is all about giving minority-owned businesses the skills and connections they need to move to the next level and grow here in Greater Louisville. The accelerator, valued at $15,000 per individual, is offered free to participants through the generous funding of Papa Johns and Suntory Global Spirits. This program teaches business owners critical business skills like development strategies, strategic planning, financial management skills, marketing & sales, human resources, how to access capital, and how to contract with the government and major corporations.

NIKKI WASHINGTON

What is your business name?

• Royal Beauty & Wellness Elite LLC & DLNI Hair & Fitness LLC

Tell us about what your business does.

• Both of my businesses play vital roles within the community of beauty and wellness. DLNI Hair & Fitness is the hub that provides beauty and wellness services to the community,  but it also embodies the space for interns coming out of beauty school and that have graduated in my other business, which is a beauty cohort program through Royal Beauty & Wellness Elite LLC , the opportunity to work as a intern for 1 year to develop the advance skills needed to open and run their own salon one day.

What inspired you to join the Power to Prosper program?

• I was inspired by being in a room with other like-minded individuals on the same journey as myself looking to learn new ways and adapt viable resources on how to scale up my company. I was most impressed with the program creating rooms for business owners like me that have been in business for some time and ready to expand to the next level.

Where do you see your business in the next 5 to 10 years? How do you believe the Power to Prosper program will help you in reaching those long-term goals?

• I see my business in the next 5-10 years more prosperous and grown and developed into a franchise that other organizations within the beauty industry can use to help equip and better develop a plan for the growth of their company by following the blueprint my organization has set. I would like to see my company expand nation wide with offering business cohort programs for the beauty industry via-zoom and in person.

What’s your favorite thing about living and doing business in Louisville?

• I love how Louisville provides a range of diversity within it’s city. Our city is smaller in population compared to bigger cities but we are big and growing rapidly with so much talent and untap market of creative entrepreneurs.  Doing business here has been pretty good and stable and I have personally seen more of an increase in both my brand as well as my revenue since I first opened in 2013 .