Advance NOW

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Advance NOW ADVANCE is a 12-week intensive professional development training program offered to African-American women in Metro Cincinnati.

The program consists of a mix of training in soft skills, leadership development, financial literacy, and life skills.

🏠 This week, we’re headed to the BRRRR Invest Conference!One of my biggest priorities in community development has alway...
09/13/2026

🏠 This week, we’re headed to the BRRRR Invest Conference!

One of my biggest priorities in community development has always been economic mobility—especially creating opportunities for young professionals and Black women to gain access, build wealth, grow businesses, and get into rooms that can change the trajectory of their lives.

That’s why I’m proud that Empower GENOW Network was able to sponsor two Advance NOW Cohort 2 alumni to attend the BRRRR Invest Conference with me: Kyairah Jones, co-owner of Monopoly Men Construction and Real Estate Firm, and Diamond Boynton, Cincinnati REALTOR®. 💙

I believe ACCESS MATTERS. ROOMS MATTER. RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.

Sometimes the next level of your business comes from being in the room with the person who has the property, capital, knowledge, connection, or opportunity you’ve been looking for. When we help people grow their businesses and ownership, we’re also helping them grow economically and build generational wealth.

And I’m going to this conference ready to learn and make connections too! 🙌🏾

Real estate is an important part of my own growth strategy. My goal is to continue expanding our recovery housing and behavioral health ecosystem, with a vision of growing our sober-living capacity to 100 clients.

And YES—I’m actively looking for opportunities! 🏘️

If you know someone who is looking to sell a sober-living property/program, partner on a recovery-housing opportunity, or sell investment property, please connect with me. I’m particularly interested in multifamily apartment buildings, 4-family properties, duplexes, triplexes, and potentially single-family homes in Cincinnati and beyond.

I’m also continuing to grow our behavioral health clinic while pursuing my CDCA, Substance Abuse Counseling degree to become a LCDC III, and working toward Joint Commission accreditation. There are a lot of pieces moving, but they all connect back to one mission: housing, recovery, opportunity, and economic mobility.

I’m looking forward to seeing what relationships, properties, partnerships, and ideas come out of the BRRRR Invest Conference this week—and I’m especially excited that we’re bringing other women along with us.

We don’t just talk about opening doors. We help people walk through them. 💙🏠📈

Want to join us? The conference runs September 16–19, 2026, in Cincinnati.

🎟️ Grab your ticket:
BRRRR Invest Conference

https://brrrrconference.com/

🎉 Advance NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT! 🎉We are so proud to recognize Nickey Stevenson, an Advance NOW Cohort 2 Graduate and ow...
09/09/2026

🎉 Advance NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT! 🎉

We are so proud to recognize Nickey Stevenson, an Advance NOW Cohort 2 Graduate and owner of Southern Grace Eats, as she continues to grow, lead, and share her knowledge with other entrepreneurs! 💚👏🏾

Nickey will be speaking at “The Real Numbers Behind Running a Restaurant,” presented by the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Department of Development Minority Business Assistance Center.

She’ll be sharing real-world insight on the financial side of restaurant ownership—from understanding profit margins and managing cash flow to making smarter financial decisions and learning from the challenges that come with entrepreneurship.

📅 Monday, September 21
⏰ 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 African American Chamber

This is what Advance NOW is all about—seeing our graduates continue to ADVANCE, build their businesses, and become resources for others in our community. 💪🏾✨

Come out and support Nickey! We are so proud of you! ❤️

🎟️ Register for the event here:
Register for The Real Numbers Behind Running a Restaurant⁠

https://africanamericanohchamber.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/8259

🎉 EXCITING NEWS FOR ADVANCE NOW! 🏡✨We are excited to announce that Empower GENNOW Network has been awarded a $10,000 gra...
08/28/2026

🎉 EXCITING NEWS FOR ADVANCE NOW! 🏡✨

We are excited to announce that Empower GENNOW Network has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Fifth Third Foundation to support the Advance NOW Housing Initiative for Cohort 4! 💛

Advance NOW is about more than leadership development. We are committed to helping women build the stability, resources, confidence, and opportunities needed to move forward in every area of their lives.

Through our Housing Initiative, Cohort 4 will place an even greater focus on housing stability, pathways toward homeownership, economic mobility, and building generational wealth. 🏡🔑

A huge THANK YOU to the Fifth Third Foundation for believing in our mission and investing in the women and families we serve.

We’re growing. We’re building. And we’re creating pathways that extend far beyond one cohort.

Cohort 4 — Here We Grow Again! 🌱

✨ Investing in Women.
🏡 Building Futures.
💛 Creating Legacies.

We’re Building the Next Chapter of Empower GenNow Network — and We’re Looking for Leaders Ready to Build With Us.Empower...
08/27/2026

We’re Building the Next Chapter of Empower GenNow Network — and We’re Looking for Leaders Ready to Build With Us.

Empower GenNow Network is entering an exciting season of growth and evolution.

What began with a strong focus on young professional development and networking has expanded into broader work centered on economic mobility, workforce and career development, leadership development, human services, community empowerment, and creating pathways to long-term stability and generational change.

As our work has grown, we recognize that our board must grow with it.

We are currently seeking experienced, passionate leaders to serve in three key volunteer board leadership positions:

• Board Chair
A strategic leader who can strengthen governance, support organizational direction, build an engaged board, and work collaboratively with executive leadership.

• Governance & Board Development Chair
A leader experienced in board development, nonprofit governance, recruitment, onboarding, policies, accountability, and building high-performing boards.

• Development & Fundraising Chair
A relationship-builder with experience in fundraising, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, donor development, sponsorships, and connecting organizations to resources and opportunities.

We are especially interested in leaders with experience or strong networks in fundraising/philanthropy, economic mobility, workforce development, career development, human services, community development, corporate leadership, and young professional engagement.

Time Commitment: Approximately 10–20 volunteer hours per month.

This is an opportunity to do more than sit on a board. We are looking for leaders who want to help build the infrastructure, relationships, resources, and strategy necessary to take Empower GenNow into its next level of impact.

If this sounds like you—or someone in your network who should be at this table—I would love to connect.

📧 Renika J. Smiley
[email protected]

Please feel free to share this post or tag someone you believe would be an excellent fit.

🎉 ADVANCE NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CELEBRATING DAKARI JONES & WATER LILY LEARNING CENTER! 🎉We LOVE seeing our Advance NOW w...
08/14/2026

🎉 ADVANCE NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CELEBRATING DAKARI JONES & WATER LILY LEARNING CENTER! 🎉

We LOVE seeing our Advance NOW women continue to ADVANCE! 💕✨

Today, we’re celebrating Advance NOW Cohort 2 graduate Dakari Jones, who, alongside her mother, Garri Davis, is being recognized during Black Business Month for their business, Water Lily Learning Center! 👏🏾

The Voice of Black Cincinnati recently highlighted Water Lily Learning Center as a Black-owned business making an impact throughout Greater Cincinnati—and we couldn’t be prouder to see one of our very own Advance NOW graduates building a legacy with her mother. 💗

With locations in Downtown Cincinnati and Avondale, Water Lily Learning Center provides high-quality early childhood education for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-kindergarten students. Their work goes far beyond childcare—they are creating nurturing spaces where children can learn, grow, build confidence, and prepare for future success. 📚🧸✨

And what makes this recognition even more special is seeing two generations of women building together. Mother and daughter. Entrepreneurs. Educators. Community builders. Legacy makers. 💐

Dakari, your Advance NOW family celebrates you and your mom! Continue growing, creating opportunities, serving families, and showing other women what can happen when we turn our vision into action.

This is what ADVANCING looks like. 💕👏🏾

Congratulations to Dakari Jones, Garri Davis, and the entire Water Lily Learning Center family on this well-deserved Black Business Month recognition!

Once an Advance NOW woman, always an Advance NOW woman. Keep ADVANCING! 💗✨

🎉 ADVANCE NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CELEBRATING SHAQUNNA SARDIN! 🎉We are incredibly proud to celebrate Advance NOW Cohort 1 ...
08/14/2026

🎉 ADVANCE NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CELEBRATING SHAQUNNA SARDIN! 🎉

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Advance NOW Cohort 1 graduate Shaqunna Sardin, who has been recognized as a 2026 Fearless Awards Honoree! 💗✨

This is exactly what Advance NOW is about—women continuing to advance, lead, grow, and make an impact long after graduation.

Shaqunna is a banking professional and community advocate committed to financial literacy, career development, and economic empowerment. In her role with First Commonwealth Bank, she supports businesses in achieving financial success while also championing opportunities that strengthen individuals and communities.

Her journey is one of resilience and purpose. After losing both of her parents, Shaqunna turned adversity into motivation—continuing to build her career, serve her community, mentor others, and pursue even greater goals.

And she isn’t stopping! 🎓 Shaqunna is currently an MBA candidate at Northern Kentucky University, continuing to invest in herself while pouring into the next generation of leaders.

Shaqunna, your Advance NOW family is SO proud of you! 💕 Watching our Cohort 1 graduates continue to rise and receive recognition for the work they’re doing in our community is truly special.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Keep being FEARLESS. Keep ADVANCING. And keep showing other women what’s possible! 👏🏾✨

Once an Advance NOW woman, always an Advance NOW woman. 💗

🎉 Congratulations to Advance NOW Cohort 1 graduate, Shaqunna Sardin! 🎉We are incredibly proud to celebrate Shaqunna Sard...
08/06/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Advance NOW Cohort 1 graduate, Shaqunna Sardin! 🎉

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Shaqunna Sardin as she receives another well-deserved award! Her continued success is a testament to her dedication, resilience, and commitment to growth.

At Advance NOW, we believe that talent is everywhere—sometimes all a person needs is the right direction, the right support, and someone willing to hold the door open so they can walk confidently through it. Shaqunna has embraced every opportunity, and it is inspiring to watch her continue achieving new milestones.

Congratulations, Shaqunna! Thank you for representing the Advance NOW sisterhood with excellence. We can’t wait to see all that you’ll accomplish next!

💜 Your Advance NOW family is cheering you on every step of the way.

A Celebration for Our Entire Community. 🌟We are thrilled to announce that our Founder & CEO, Renika J. Smiley, has been ...
07/23/2026

A Celebration for Our Entire Community. 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that our Founder & CEO, Renika J. Smiley, has been named a 2026 Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under 40 Honoree!

This recognition reflects years of building opportunities for others through leadership development, workforce initiatives, behavioral health stabilization, recovery housing, entrepreneurship, and economic mobility.

While this honor bears one name, it belongs to every staff member, board member, volunteer, partner, funder, and participant who has believed in our mission and helped make this work possible.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 Forty Under 40 Honorees. We are honored to stand among so many leaders who are shaping the future of our region.

The work continues—and we’re just getting started.

Good morning!This morning, we had the privilege of meeting with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Women’s Fund t...
07/22/2026

Good morning!

This morning, we had the privilege of meeting with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Women’s Fund to share the impact, growth, and future vision of the Advance NOW Economic Mobility Leadership Cohort.

One of the most meaningful parts of today’s meeting was having two Advance NOW alumni join us. They had the opportunity to witness firsthand what it looks like to advocate for a mission, meet with philanthropic partners, and participate in an important funding conversation. Leadership isn’t just learned in the classroom—it’s experienced through real-world opportunities that prepare women to lead with confidence.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to showcase the lives being transformed through leadership development, economic mobility, and meaningful community partnerships.

Thank you to the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Women’s Fund for your continued investment in women and your belief in the mission of Advance NOW. Your partnership is helping create pathways for women to lead, strengthen their financial futures, and make a lasting impact in their families, workplaces, and communities.

To our Advance NOW alumni who joined us today—thank you for representing this movement with professionalism, authenticity, and excellence. You are a powerful reflection of what is possible when women are equipped with the tools, relationships, and opportunities to succeed.

Advance NOW is more than a leadership program—it’s a movement empowering women to lead with purpose, build economic stability, open doors for others, and create lasting change for generations to come. Together, we’re building stronger leaders, stronger families, and stronger communities.

🚨 Registration is NOW OPEN! 🚨The Measure of a Man Men's Leadership Conference is coming to Cincinnati!🗓 Saturday, Septem...
07/18/2026

🚨 Registration is NOW OPEN! 🚨

The Measure of a Man Men's Leadership Conference is coming to Cincinnati!

🗓 Saturday, September 26, 2026
🕚 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 New Prospect Baptist Church
1580 Summit Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45237

This powerful conference will bring together men and young men (16+) for a day of leadership, healing, purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and personal growth.

Hosted by the women of Advance NOW Cohort 3, we're committed to building stronger leaders, stronger families, and stronger communities.

🎟 Register today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-measure-of-a-man-mens-leadership-conference-tickets-1994478149836

Address

1776 Mentor Avenue Cincinnati Oh Suite 230
Cincinnati, OH
45212

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+15132371292

Website

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