The entrepreneurial spirit in Atlanta continues to thrive, thanks in part to the Comcast RISE program, which aims to uplift small business owners through a combination of monetary grants, technology makeovers, business consultations, and marketing assistance.
Recently, 3 Black women-owned businesses in Atlanta were selected as recipients of the 2024 Comcast RISE awards. Each of these women bringing a unique vision to their industry.
The three trailblazing entrepreneurs—Brandy Star Merriweather, founder of The Merriweather Company/BStarPR and co-founder of Creator Equality; Amia Mize, CEO of Takes A Village Transportation; and Dr. B. Nilaja Green, CEO and clinical psychologist at Standpoint Wellness—are proving that small businesses, when supported with the right tools, can lead to profound and lasting change.
As the founder of BStarPR, Brandy Merriweather has been on a mission to amplify underrepresented voices in the media and creative industries. Her PR and marketing firm has helped elevate BIPOC content creators, such as Keara Wilson, the creator of the Savage Challenge.
Brandy’s journey began while she was a student at Clark Atlanta University. “I saw there was a need in the market for amplifying people my age. I grew up seeing older people reflected in the media and thought you had to be older to achieve success.” Her firm became a vehicle for young creatives to step into the limelight, offering them platforms that previously seemed out of reach.
For Brandy, the Comcast RISE grant represents an opportunity for expansion, allowing her to bring her vision to a wider audience and develop a pipeline of young publicists on college campuses. “My goal is to not just grow the firm, but also aid the next generation of young publicists and continue amplifying new, now, and next voices,” she says.
The thing is amplifying the new now and next. But eventually I want to get older. I feel like college students are what’s new and now. I want to continue that mission and I know the Comcast RISE program is going to help me,” Merriweather said. “I’ve seen the case studies, and I’ve literally watched other people get the grant and seen how it’s affected their businesses. I applied strategically, I knew I needed their help for expansion. I know the financial assistance is going to be great, but I really want the understanding and the breakdown, the consulting that I’ll be able to get.”
Amia Mize’s journey into entrepreneurship was driven by a deeply personal challenge: lack of transportation during her formative years. Growing up as a teen mom, Mize experienced firsthand the difficulties of balancing education, work, and motherhood without reliable transportation.
Her struggle to ensure her own daughter had access to better educational opportunities became the catalyst for Takes A Village Transportation, a door-to-door transport service designed specifically for children.
“I started taking my daughter to school and noticed 75 plus kids waiting. I said, something has to be done, because they were coming to my vehicle, not even knowing me,” Mize shares. This eye-opening experience inspired her to step out on faith and create a safe, reliable, and accessible transportation option for families.
For Mize, the Comcast RISE program will help elevate her business with technological advancements. With the grant and technology resources, she aims to enhance the safety of her services and expand beyond the Atlanta area to reach families across the country. “No child should be left behind because of transportation.”
This moment has been especially sweet for the Takes A Village Transportation founder, who has applied for the program three times before finally being chosen this year. “It’s a full circle moment. I literally moved here on faith from Indianapolis and I started at Comcast on April 14, 2008. I was there until December 31 of 2015 when I stepped out on faith to start Takes A Village Transportation, so to see it come back is such a full circle moment.”
Meanwhile, Dr. B. Nilaja Green is on a mission to change how mental health care is delivered, particularly to underserved communities.
As the CEO of Standpoint Wellness, Dr. Green specializes in addressing the unique needs of veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color.
“One of the things that you’ll find when you work with communities of color is that often there’s a lack of access to mental health services. And access isn’t just about affordability, it’s also about being able to sit in front of someone who can hear your story, being able to sit in front of someone who can tailor evidence based practices to match the needs that you’re bringing into the room,” Dr. Green said. “For me, it was important to create an integrated mental health practice that not only took the concerns of bipoc and LGBTQ plus individuals seriously, but also celebrated their fullness.”
Like her fellow Comcast RISE recipients, Dr. Green is eager to expand her impact. “I want to expand my team and also expand and deepen my impact. Really the impact of the clinic. My dream is to really revolutionize how we do mental health care and to understand that the mind and body are actually intimately connected. We can’t just talk about psychological distress without also bringing the body into the room.”
For these 3 dynamic women, the Comcast RISE program is more than just a grant—it’s a springboard to achieving their broader visions and taking their businesses to the next level.
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