Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

Last night, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs hosted our annual Cultivation Reception—a powerful evening of gratitude, connection, and forward momentum. We were honored to welcome Mayor Andre Dickens, our dedicated Board of Directors, community partners, and the incredible RICE staff who make this mission possible every day. It was also a joy to see some of our Stakeholders filling the space—a living reminder that everything we build is for, and because of, them. This year’s reception also marked a soft opening of our new spaces, giving guests a first look at what’s next for RICE as we continue to expand Uncommon Access™ for entrepreneurs across Atlanta and beyond. A special thank you to Quintin Bostic, Ph.D. and the entire Development Team for their vision and leadership in curating an evening that beautifully captured RICE’s mission—to create access, opportunity, and impact for those too often left out of the conversation. As we look ahead, we invite our partners, friends, and supporters to continue investing in RICE, our Stakeholders, and in the future of equitable innovation. Together, we can build what’s next. #WeBuiltThis #UncommonAccess #RICEAtlanta #Entrepreneurship #CommunityBuilding #EconomicEmpowerment

Whether you’re already part of the RICE family or ready to join, we have an exciting event just for you!   ****For NEW Stakeholders November 12 | Stakeholder Information Sessions Thinking about becoming a RICE Stakeholder? Join one of our three info sessions to learn how to get started! You’ll gain insight into our programs, offerings, and the unique opportunities available to business owners in the RICE community. 👉🏾 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gi4kJwTW   ****For CURRENT Stakeholders Sign up for one of our virtual sessions! We’ll introduce new faculty, programs, and our long-awaited Stakeholder Directory. On December 5, join us as we kick-off First Fridays at RICE: Holiday Edition—a full day of workshops, community, and connection, capped off with an evening mixer. 👉🏾 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gZANWffp   At RICE, we believe Readiness x Uncommon Access = Growth. Join us as we continue building access. opportunity. community.

HAPPENING TONIGHT!! This session is open to the broader community, no RSVP or registration required. We’re excited to welcome Beatrice Dixon Founder of The Honey Pot Company, to RICE tonight for a special roundtable conversation on the realities of building and successfully exiting a multimillion-dollar consumer brand. Looking forward to an impactful conversation✨.

✨CONNECTION. COLLABORATION. COMMUNITY. Our first-ever Creator Connect event brought together Atlanta’s biggest and brightest influencers and business owners. Brought to you by our Retail Readiness Academy, the event took place on our newly opened rooftop and proved to be an evening of authentic networking, meaningful connections, and partnership opportunities. A highlight of the evening was an engaging fireside chat between influencer Jerrilyn Lake and Terri Bradley, founder of Brown Toy Box and one of our Retail Readiness Academy instructors. Their conversation was filled with humor, honesty, and inspiration—reminding us all of the power of creativity and collaboration. #RICEatlanta #CreatorConnect #entrepreneurship #networking

THEIR PRODUCTS MADE IT! Huge congratulations to our RICE Stakeholders : Kristen Dunning of Gently Soap Jon Dabney, MBA of RocketSports-1 & Sway Jones of Sway Art For their successful pitch presentations at Walmart’s Open Call 2025! We can't wait to see your products on Walmart shelves! Your innovation, confidence, and dedication to your craft continue to inspire us all. We also want to celebrate every RICE Stakeholder who stepped onto that stage to pitch their business, whether you secured a deal or not, your courage and commitment to growth represent the true spirit of entrepreneurship and RICE. You are all making an impact, opening doors, and showing the world the power of Black business excellence rooted right here at RICE. Photo Creds: Brent Yancy #RICEAtlanta #WalmartOpenCall #Entrepreneurship #BlackOwnedBusiness #InnovationLivesHere #RICEStakeholders

Day Two at Walmart Open Call was a tremendous success for the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs! The day featured inspiring sessions with Walmart Executives, meaningful exchanges between our stakeholders and CEO & President Jay Bailey and an outstanding presentation by Kristen Dunning of Gently Soap on the Walmart stage. View our Day Two photo recap to see the energy and excitement firsthand. Stay tuned across all our platforms for Day 2's vlog, hosted by Senior Project Manager Tamiea Anderson, featuring interviews with our stakeholders and their families about their Walmart Open Call experience. Photo Creds: Brent Yancy #RoadToBentonville #RICEatWalmart #Entrepreneurship #RICEReady #RICEEntrepreneurs #WalmartOpenCall #Leadership #Innovation #SmallBusiness

Our RICE Stakeholders have officially landed in Bentonville, Arkansas! They made the journey to pitch their businesses to Walmart buyers with the goal of getting their products on shelves nationwide. From earning Fast Passes at our Road to Open Call in June, to stepping into this next milestone, we couldn’t be prouder of this moment. Day One was a powerful start: touring Walmart HQ and kicking off with a welcome dinner as pitch preparation begins. Capturing every moment on the ground is our very own Tamiea Anderson, Senior Project Manager at RICE, joined by CEO James “Jay” Bailey, Retail Readiness Academy instructors Terri and Stefan, and Director of Community Paul Mayberry. Check out our Day One photo recap featuring behind-the-scenes moments, Stakeholder highlights, and the energy that kicked off this inspiring journey. Stay tuned across all our social media platforms for exclusive content as we cheer on these incredible entrepreneurs and continue to support our Stakeholders in action! #RoadToBentonville #RICEatWalmart #Entrepreneurship #RICEEntrepreneurs #WalmartOpenCall #BehindTheScenes #PhotoRecap

This is your reminder to check out The RICE Report Volume 2, available now! This edition highlights the bold entrepreneurs, visionary leaders, and community builders who are redefining Black business excellence and innovation. Their stories continue to show that growth happens when access meets readiness. 🔗 Read Volume 2 here: https://lnkd.in/gZY84HbM #RICEReport #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #JayBailey #BusinessGrowth #CommunityBuilding

This past Wednesday, RICE was honored to host Steve Case, Co-Founder of AOL and Co-Founder of Revolution, along with his team. Our President & CEO, Jay Bailey, led the tour, highlighting RICE’s mission to support and scale entrepreneurs. We shared our guiding formula Uncommon Access x Readiness = Growth and demonstrated how it drives our work and directly impacts the success of our stakeholders. The Revolution team had the opportunity to hear powerful stories from our entrepreneurs about their journeys and the role RICE has played in their growth. #RICEAtlanta #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #CommunityImpact

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tiffany Watson as the new Vice President of Programming at RICE! Dr. Watson brings extensive expertise in executive and strategic planning, learning design, adult learner engagement, nonprofit strategy, institutional operations, cross-campus coordination, change management, policy development, and inclusive leadership development. In this role, she will lead our Programming Department, shaping curriculum and execution to strengthen RICE’s reach and long-term sustainability. Her leadership will play a vital role in advancing our mission to build Black businesses and empower entrepreneurs. Please join us in giving Dr. Watson a warm RICE welcome in the comments!