Aspiring Community Entrepreneurs

10/13/2026

We're thrilled to see our very own Eva Jane Bunkley recognized as Owl of the Month by KSU MBA Program at Coles College of Business !🌟

As a Graduate Assistant with the ACE Program, Eva brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience, creativity, and a genuine passion for helping aspiring business leaders succeed.

Her journey is a wonderful reminder that learning, innovation, and professional growth have no expiration date. We're proud to have her as part of the ACE team and excited to see where her journey takes her next!

Congratulations, Eva! 👏

09/11/2026

This September 11, ACE pauses to remember the lives lost, honor the courage of those who responded, and recognize the strength of the communities that came together in the days that followed.

Twenty-five years later, we continue to carry their memory forward through unity, compassion, and service to others.

We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/07/2026

At ACE, we see it every day - in the entrepreneurs building businesses, the mentors sharing what they’ve learned, and the community partners helping create pathways for others to succeed. Behind every growing business is hard work, determination and a community willing to invest in what’s possible.

Here’s to everyone doing the work especially our recent Cohort 3 graduates and helping others move forward along the way. Happy Labor Day! 🇺🇸

09/02/2026

08/26/2026

In 1974, Elvis wanted to record "I Will Always Love You." His manager's price was HALF her publishing. Dolly said no, went home and cried all night - and kept the song.

In 1992, Whitney Houston sang it and it became the best-selling single by a woman in history. Dollly never sang a note on the record and got paid for EVERY copy - an estimated $10 million.

But look at what she did with the money: she bought an office complex and strip mall in a black neighborhood in Nashville - deliberately, because of who Whitney was. She called it "the house that Whitney built," explaining that she wanted to invest in the community where Whitney's legacy could live on.

08/25/2026

🎓 ACE Cohort 3 Graduation is THIS Saturday! We’re getting ready to celebrate another incredible group of aspiring entrepreneurs as they reach an important milestone in their ACE journey!

Invited guests should have received their graduation invitation via email by now, including Cohort 3 graduates, ACE Advisory Board members, special guests of MUST Ministries and Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business, ACE Bootcamp speakers and facilitators and other invited ACE partners and supporters.

If you’re part of one of these groups and have not received your invitation, please let us know!

Additional graduation-day details will be arriving via email this week, so keep an eye on your inbox. We can’t wait to celebrate Cohort 3 and all they’ve accomplished. Looking forward to seeing everyone Saturday! 🎉🎓

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 11 AM–1 PM
📍 Kennesaw State University

08/11/2026

Graduation is almost here! 🎓✨ We’re getting ready to celebrate the hard work, growth and determination of ACE Cohort 3 as they reach this exciting milestone.

📅 August 29, 2026

Invitations are coming soon, so keep an eye on your inbox! We can’t wait to celebrate our newest ACE graduates and everything they’ve accomplished.

07/30/2026

Across Cobb County, entrepreneurship is creating new opportunities for individuals, families and communities. Through the ACE Program, we're equipping aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the training, mentorship, business coaching and resources they need to build sustainable businesses and create lasting economic impact.

ACE is proud to be part of the University of Notre Dame's Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI) network, joining 59 partner sites across 8 countries that share a common purpose: expanding economic opportunity through entrepreneurship.

When we invest in entrepreneurs, we're investing in stronger businesses, stronger families and a stronger local economy.

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ACE is powered by Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University + MUST Ministries

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University of Notre Dame Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business

59 cities. 8 countries. One common purpose.

The Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI) is built on a simple but powerful belief: entrepreneurship can create lasting pathways out of poverty.

Through a proven model, universities partner with local communities to equip low-income entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, consulting, and resources they need to launch and grow sustainable businesses. While every program is tailored to the unique needs of its community, each is united by the same mission of creating long-term economic opportunity.

Today, UPBI has grown to 59 partner sites across the United States and around the world, demonstrating how collaboration between universities and communities can create meaningful, lasting impact.

Together, we are helping entrepreneurs build businesses, transform lives, and strengthen communities.

Featured partners:
Kern Inclusive Entrepreneurship Hub
Silulo Foundation
Northwest Indiana Business Community
Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanísticas-ESPOL
Impact Hub Houston
Saint Bakhita's Vocational Training Center
Carthage College
MTCC Small Business Center
BizStarts

07/28/2026

Every successful business begins with someone who sees an opportunity - and has the courage to pursue it.

For Jasmin Foster | , that opportunity started with something simple: a love for journals and planners. But she noticed something missing. She rarely saw products that reflected women who looked like her.

Instead of waiting for the industry to change, she created the brand she wished already existed.

That vision became Be Rooted | Be Rooted Co, a stationery and lifestyle brand dedicated to celebrating Black and Brown women through thoughtful, inspiring products. Just one year after launching, Be Rooted became the first Black-owned stationery brand carried nationwide at Target - proof that purpose-driven businesses can create meaningful impact.

Her journey is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship isn't always about inventing something new. Sometimes it's about seeing what's missing, believing your perspective matters, and building the solution yourself.

At ACE, we're proud to celebrate amazing like Jasmin who are creating opportunity, breaking barriers, and inspiring the next generation of founders to dream bigger.

07/15/2026

For ACE Fellow Myeichia Jackson, she was already an entrepreneur before entering the ACE program but needed help taking her business to the next level. Her venture, Bird’s Eye Eco Cleaning Services, was built largely on trial and error. When she learned about the ACE program, she saw an opportunity to develop a plan that would allow her to grow intentionally.

“My biggest challenge was scaling the business and knowing about the opportunities, where they are, and how to get them,” Jackson said. “A lot of us jump out there and don’t know what to expect. When I saw their email that said, ‘we give you the 80 steps of successful entrepreneurship,’ I was like, ‘yes, I need that!’”

The ACE program bootcamp and consulting phases introduced Jackson to financial management, strategy development, and other elements of entrepreneurial thinking. It also helped her address real challenges, such as making improvements to her financial management system.

The impact was immediate. With new tools and confidence, Jackson expanded beyond residential cleaning into commercial contracts, dramatically increased her revenue by 600 percent.

Still a student in the program, Jackson encourages anyone thinking about starting a business to enroll.

“Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you know everything,” she said. “If you’re willing to learn, ACE is definitely the program for you. To me, it stands for Accountability, Connectivity, and Encouragement, because that’s what I get from it.”

🎥 Watch more inspiring ACE entrepreneur stories here: bit.ly/aceworldcupkickoff

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Through a powerful collaboration between Kennesaw State University's Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University , MUST Ministries , the University of Notre Dame 's Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI) | McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business and Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, Inc. , the ACE Program is helping entrepreneurs transform big dreams into thriving businesses that strengthen our communities.