The Fifth Cohort of the Local First’ We Rise Accelerator began the program last Saturday. These twenty-two businesses will spend the next six months acquiring the knowledge and developing the skills, habits, tools and resources to help propel them to the next level.

Small business incubator Afri-Soul Education Center aims to to foster entrepreneurship, reduce unemployment among African Americans in Arizona, decrease the opportunity gap and grow the community of Black businesses.

Nestled on the border of Tempe and Phoenix, The Vibe Spot is a brand-new glam-style event space for meetings, events, and special occasions. Vibe Spot opened in October and already has folks talking. Located at 7430 S. 48th St., Suite 108, Phoenix, AZ 85042, it's the perfect venue for meetings and intimate social gatherings like birthdays, showers, graduations, holiday parties, team events and more!

Local First We Rise Alum, Tiesha Harrison, will collaborate with the McCain Institute and the City of Phoenix to raise awareness about domestic violence and teen online safety through art.

Local First’s We Rise graduate and owner of Deafinitely Communicating, Germaine Graham, carried out the Instagram series called ABC's of Deaf Education, sharing information about the culture, lived experiences, accomplishments, rights, joys, challenges, and day-to-day life of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people of all ages.

After going through a six-month business accelerator program, 15 local Black entrepreneurs graduated on July 30th at the Arizona Heritage center. The graduation consisted of a business exposition to showcase the businesses, and a ceremony to celebrate their achievements over the past six months.

This month we’re featuring one of our newest members - Desert Moon Market! This woman-owned business is a desert lovers paradise. Owner Alex has filled her shop with home decor and clothing inspired by the desert and an upcoming beauty line made with the healing elements of Arizona. Get to know her and head over to Carefree to puruse this local gem!

We’re adding 18 new businesses to the We Rise family! The We Rise program is all about supporting Arizona’s Black-owned businesses and we invite you to check out our newest cohort. You’ll find make-up artists, clothing, adminstrative assistance, food and more! 

Javier y Verónica Acosta son empresarios locales graduados de la sexta generación del Programa Acelerador de Negocios de Fuerza Local en el año 2016 con JJ Publicidad LLC.

Esta historia de emprendimiento, pasión y tenacidad inició en el año 2011 con el nacimiento de JJ Publicidad LLC, siendo esta misma empresa la base para el surgimiento de 2 grandes proyectos que conocemos hoy como Entre Mujeres Radio y Decibel Academia.

Javier y Verónica iniciaron su carrera desde muy jóvenes, contando ya con más de 30 años de experiencia …..

We’ve come to the close of another successful We Rise business accelerator cohort! Sixteen business owners met over the last six months to learn about entrepreneurship and connect with other Black-owned businesses. Meet Kem Matthews, Brittny Johnson, and Joe Diggs – a few recent graduates – and see how We Rise is powering Arizona’s Black entrepreneurs one business at a time.

New EV-ready building codes move The City of Tempe closer to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. But how will local businesses and nonprofits benefit? Here are 10 reasons for business owners to get excited about EVs and EV charging stations.

Close your eyes and picture your neighborhood. Picture the homes, the parks, and the open spaces. Now picture the businesses in your neighborhood. Imagine that instead of your favorite unique local businesses, all the places are the same cookie-cutter concepts. The same coffee shop; the same restaurant; the same boutique; the same repair shop.

That is the effect of big box and big tech.

A higher percentage of Arizonans quit their jobs in March 2022 than almost anywhere in the nation. Whether this is due to employees making big personal decisions about life changes or the fact they have an abundance of available positions in our state to choose from, it’s clear that this is a job seeker’s market.

Tony y Brenda Salcido son originarios de Chihuahua, México y son los fundadores de Tony Brenda Photography. Una empresa local establecida en la ciudad de Phoenix desde el 2018 que ofrece los servicios de fotografía y video profesional para eventos sociales y corporativos. Actualmente están ofreciendo en mayo y abril sesiones para niños de mini pascua y día de las madres.

El inicio de este sueño, nació de Tony Salcido, porque después de muchos años de trabajar en video y tener una gran afinidad por la fotografía, decidió emprender su primer negocio junto a su esposa Brenda Salcido. Con el tiempo ambos pudieron obtener la educación profesional y el equipo necesario para ofrecer este servicio y poder ser capaces de administrar su propio tiempo que les permitiera estar más cerca de su familia.

We are excited to announce the latest businesses to become certified through the Arizona Green Business Program. Read on to discover Local First Arizona members MISGIF and Company Eco: two businesses whose sourcing and operating standards prioritize clean air, zero waste, water conservation, and sustaining livable communities for generations to come.

After graduating two cohorts in the business accelerator, We Rise is launching two new initiatives: The We Rise business coaching program and the We Rise Technical Assistance program. These two programs will cater to entrepreneurs who don’t need or are not ready for a six-month accelerator program, but who still need assistance. These initiatives ensure that those who don’t get selected to participate in the accelerator program still get business support tailored to their specific needs and stages of growth.

This Women’s History Month, we want to make it easy for you to shop local, women-owned businesses. You know who makes that easy? The Collective Market! Found in the Chandler Mall across from Pottery Barn, this holiday pop-up shop turned permanent retailer is home to over 40 locally owned businesses, many that are also woman-owned!

We met up with Owner Raina Dodge to talk about what inspired her to start Collective Market, the importance of entrepreneurship, and why shopping locally matters.

Araceli Zamora es dueña junto a su esposo del exitoso salón Versalles Palace, además de ser una excelente empresaria local apasionada por su trabajo y comprometida con apoyar a la comunidad.

En los primeros años el concepto de su salón fue ofrecer conciertos y bailes, albergando grandes artistas latinos como Ramon Ayala, Pancho Barraza, Los Angeles Azules, Los Temerarios, Amanda Miguel, Marisela y entre muchos otros.

Pero el tiempo fue provocando cambios …..

Over the past two years, most of us have come to understand the importance and impact of having access to reliable internet services. For part of our state, that access is a privilege they have long dreamed of.

I am very excited to be able to attend the summit in person this year, particularly as I’ll be onstage for one of Lighting Talks. I hope you'll join me at the event as we build networks, inspire each other and then go home and implement the ideas that are going to make our communities more vibrant, resilient and rich.