About Us
EMPRENDO was founded on the principle attributed to the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “If you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day; if you teach a person to fish, you feed them for a lifetime”. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing women-led small businesses to a higher level of success.
In a world where women-led small businesses are fighting to survive, the absence of service and project management skills is devastating. These leaders juggle countless responsibilities—raising children, managing finances, delivering services—all while navigating a business landscape that often marginalizes them. Without skills such as Project Management, they struggle with disorganization, missed deadlines and lost opportunities. The stress mounts, and what could be a thriving venture become fragile, struggling with inefficiency, scope creep, and cost overruns.
Our free courses and mentoring programs incorporate best practices in Project Management and Service Delivery, specifically tailored to address the unique challenges faced by women-owned businesses. Our training is not just a skill upgrade to our clients — it's a lifeline.
Our Story
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Throughout her career, Dr. Amari Trelles has repeatedly observed the challenges women face in large corporations, where promotions and choice assignments depend more on connections than on deep skills. These barriers are widespread, whether in hospitals, technology, or medical device companies. Consequently, Dr. Trelles has chosen to shift her focus away from the corporate sphere to support truly deserving women leaders: small business owners who must master numerous domains with minimal support and few connections. Women leaders possess unique strengths, such as fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments. Additionally, women-owned small businesses display exceptional resilience and adaptability, overcoming systemic barriers and navigating challenges like prejudice in their business dealings. Such leaders deserve more.
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To this end, with a group of like-minded allies, Dr. Trelles founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit EMPRENDO. EMPRENDO sends a powerful message to women business owners: we see you. We recognize your efforts with limited assistance or mentorship, your contributions to our communities, and your grace. EMPRENDO aims to empower these courageous entrepreneurs by enhancing their skills and helping them become more effective and efficient, positively impacting our communities. Today, EMPRENDO collaborates with fellow charities and community foundations in Georgia (The Latin American Association, DeKalb County) and California (Women's Economic Ventures, Ventura County) to bring business education to these small enterprises. Additional partnerships are on the horizon.
Although our focus is to help women-owned businesses thrive, we foster inclusivity and all staff are welcome to our Training and Mentoring sessions. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information, citizenship, veteran or marital status, or any other basis. Help us bring better knowledge and tools to these deserving entrepreneurs. Donate now.
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