WHO WE ARE
Mission: Urban Professionals Network’s mission is to help the community of minority entrepreneurs and professionals start and build scaleable, sustainable businesses and careers by providing them with tools, support, education, access to resources, and a reliable network of like-minded and successful individuals. This will ensure that minority professionals have the same knowledge and opportunities that our counterparts are equipped with already.
Vision: Our vision is to make sure that minority professionals has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in their careers. We have a vision to impact the community by providing business services / consulting, networking opportunities, educational / developmental classes and workshops, to offer and connect professionals with financial resources, and eventually offer an affordable work space for our network.
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OUR STORY
Urban Professionals Network was founded by Portia Sharp in 2022 as a way to help minority professionals grow their businesses through education, support, and referrals + fellowship at our monthly networking meet-ups. The networking group was just the tip of the iceberg in comparison to the biggest goal... to make sure that the minority community had the tools, resources, network, and backing they need to succeed in business.
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During Portia's 7 year career as an entrepreneur and small business owner, a previous three year run of juggling a side hustle with a full-time job, and a life-time experience as the daughter of small business owners; she has experienced and bared witness to many successes and plenty of failures, including having to close the doors on one of her own businesses. It is these experiences that drives the passion and supplies the knowledge to pass on to other minority professionals.
Today the Urban Professionals Network has developed and implemented several services and courses to help our network win! Our networking group has grown tremendously with, on average, 25 new and recurring professionals joining us for networking each month. Several of which have passed and received client referrals and have forged long lasting relationships with one another.
TIA BLACKMON
"The Urban Professionals Network's networking group is one of the best I have been to yet. Unlike other groups, I actually learn and receive a lot of value here"
Andre Miles
This is a powerful group. I have made a lot of meaningful connections, gotten several solid/transacting referrals, and gained a good amount of knowledge. GREAT GROUP!
Karla Vasquez
I have watched this group and The Urban Professionals Network grow right before my eyes. This is a mission I have always supported and believed in. I am proud of the work done here for our people.