Professor Launches Small Business Academy Offering a Fresh Alternative to College for African-Americans

Atlanta, GA –- Atlanta-based Urban Business Institute (www.UrbanBusinessInstitute.com) assists aspiring entrepreneurs to successfully achieve their dreams of business ownership.

“With 80% of businesses failing within 5 years, the numbers are much higher for African-Americans,” said founder, entrepreneur, investor and professor, Devin Robinson. Urban Business Institute’s (UBI) Small Business Academy, a 12-month intense training program, is the main method used to assist individuals with their personal quests to own a sustainable enterprise.

Small Business Academy additionally offers small business coaching and consulting only to current or past students of the academy. Robinson went on to say, “Research says, the average age that African-Americans decide to take serious steps towards business ownership is 56. Meanwhile, statistics show that most successful small businesses are started by entrepreneurs when they are between the age of 28 and 42. Based on these statistics, Blacks are simply taking their steps 14 years late! Since success in business takes endurance to bring groundbreaking change to the market, a key element many older people often don’t have, many black-owned businesses tend to fail.”

The Small Business Academy program is an approved Federal Economic Development Authority (EDA) program that hundreds of students have graduated from within a few short years of the program’s existence. Student ages range from 19 to 70, and have included married couples, military veterans, convicted felons, and persons with only business ideas. Classes include lessons on 21st Century Marketing, Globalization, Idea Materialization, Funding Your Business Quickly, Competitive Advantages and much more.

The unique trait of the program is that students can enroll without transcripts or a high school diploma. Upon graduation, students will receive a certificate in Small Business Ownership, a business plan draft plus the top student of each class gets a check for $5,000 to go towards their business idea. In some cases, other students receive an investment in their business.

Students learn ideological lessons like how to develop a product, how to turn their ideas into thriving businesses, how to keep their competitors up at night, how to ensure they don’t subliminally become a slave to their business and more. Additionally, some of the structured things they learn are how to setup the business the right way that suits them, how to get government contracts, how to manage cash flow, how to employ the right people, proper customer service etiquette, entering new markets, etc. One of the academy’s main objectives is to get students to earn at least $1,000,000 in annual revenues.

Robinson, its founder, has worked for the government, corporate America and has now been an entrepreneur for over a decade. He founded Beauty Supply Institute in 2007 and has opened over 70 brick and mortar beauty supply stores and generated over $13,000,000 in revenues. He went on to say, “We combine college-level theories with real-world exposure, which leads to a true entrepreneurial experience. If you’re looking for a degree, go to college. If you’re looking to become a proud successful business owner, we’re your best bet!”

The program is now available in 13 cities across the U.S. Visit www.UrbanBusinessInstitute.com for enrollment information.

To learn more about Urban Business Institute’s Small Business Academy, contact Michelle Paulino at 770-850-9949 or email michelle@urbanbusinessinstitute.com.