Bad Girl Ventures will host its third business education series that culminates with the chance for female participants to win a $25,000 loan. The nine-week session begins on September 19 at the Lakewood campus of University of Akron.

Classes cover everything from legal and accounting to business plans and marketing to improving credit scores to resources available for financing.

“We try to hit on everything on the mind of the small business owner,” explains Reka Barabas, director of BGV Cleveland. Emphasis is placed on access to capital, which is sometimes a challenge for female business owners. “Only a small segment of women-owned businesses -- about five percent -- are accessing the capital available to small business owners,” says Barabas.

Since its initial launch in Cincinnati, BGV has educated over 400 women, awarded over $190,000 in low-interest loans and helped secure over $1,000,000 in outside funding for female entrepreneurs throughout Ohio. 

Past finalists have gone on to find success in their businesses. For instance, Paula Hershman, founder of Storehouse Tea Company, just got into a new store with her product and Kelley Hynds of Hyndsight Productions just finished a video for a client, which was screened in the White House.

The application deadline for the classes is Aug. 31.

Source: Reka Barabas
Writer: Karin Connelly