We get to the heart and soul of entrepreneurs,
connect them with resources to grow their businesses and teach them how to balance work, life and play! 
Happy Black History Month and MWBE Monday “on Tuesday” to our
Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. Community Family!
SUPER BOWL LV

We hope that everyone is safe, healthy, and enjoyed Super Bowl LV! The football teams, coaches, referees, national anthem performances, game, commercials, half-time show performance, vendors, etc. were truly memorable despite our global pandemic. Depending on who you were rooting for, you were either happy or sad with the outcome. The final score was Kansas City Chiefs 9 – 31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Congratulations to Super Bowl LV champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback, Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, who earned his seventh Super Bowl Ring. Congratulations also to the Kansas City Chiefs for, Super Bowl LV making it to Super Bowl LV. Members of both teams did the best that they could to give the fans a good game.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

This week we continue celebrating Black History Month! Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.’s co-founders Kecia Palmer-Cousins and Kevin Cousins are proud African Americans who are truly appreciative of all the historic achievements and accomplishments of African Americans past, present and future. We “are” because of “them”! We are “imagineers” helping entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life!
Since then, U.S. presidents have proclaimed February as National African American History Month.

PATRICK MAHOMES

As part of Black History Month, we congratulate Kansas City Chief African American Quarterback Patrick Mahomes on becoming the first quarterback to start Multiple Super Bowls before age 26.  
POET AMANDA GORMAN – PRE-GAME SUPERBOWL POEM  


Moments before the Sunday night coin toss of Super Bowl LV, poet Amanda Gorman heralded essential workers on the front lines of the nation’s novel coronavirus fight with her original work, “Chorus of the Captains.”  

The poem was a tribute to three people for their contributions during the pandemic: educator Trimaine Davis, nurse manager Suzie Dorner and Marine veteran James Martin. I had the privilege of seeing Amanda perform her poetry in 2018 at the National Jack and Jill Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. I have been a fan of this remarkable first Youth Poet Laureate of the United States ever since. 
Watching the Super Bowl brings back memories of when Kecia’s 2nd company, G&K Sweet Foods, LLC participated at Super Bowl 2014 at Met Life Stadium. G&K Sweet Foods, LLC, is co-owned by CEO Gay Wheeler-Smith and COO Kecia Palmer-Cousins. We were one of 35 caterers at the VIP Party at THE BIG GAME at Met Life Stadium in 2014!

G&K Sweet Foods, LLC “Super Bowl Team”, ie. Gay, Kecia, Kevin, Joh’vonni Smith (Gay’s daughter and Kecia and Kevin’s goddaughter) and Thalia Lindquist (Kecia’s brother Leroy’s girlfriend) served hundreds of their signature Grandma’s Momma’s Sweet Potato Pies at the VIP Party right before kickoff. It was a fun-filled VIP party attended by hundreds of celebrities, like Michelle of Destiny’s Child, athletes, corporate sponsors. Sweet potato pies are a southern traditional dessert rooted in legacy and love for many African American families. It is Gay’s and Kecia’s favorite dessert!  
Gay has fond memories of spending time with her mother, grandma and especially her Grandma’ mother affectionately called Momma, baking sweet potato pies with her during weekends and holiday family gatherings. Kecia has fond memories of watching her mother, father and her paternal grandmother affectionately called Mother baking sweet potato pies on Sundays and family gatherings.  Mother also sold her “Sunday” sweet potato pie to her co-workers on “Mondays” at New York Hospital. Gay and Kecia added their special touch and ingredients to Gay’s grandmother’s sweet potato pie recipe to create their signature sweet potato pies, tarts and sweet potato pie mix. Gay’s North Carolina and Kecia’s South Carolina/Georgia family roots create legacy ‘licious, nutritious, mouthwatering Grandma’s Momma’s Sweet Potato Pies! Their corporate and educational backgrounds are great foundations for their MWBE Certified business as they secure government procurement opportunities for their southern style desserts baked in tradition and history.

Soul food Sundays were the norm for many African Americans who were part of the Great Migration, the movement of 6 million African Americans out of the rural Southern United States to the urban Northeast, Midwest and West that occurred between 1916 and 1970. African Americans were eating sweet potato pies way before Pattie LaBelle’s pies. Matter of fact, my deceased Aunt Peggy was very good friends with Pattie’s best friend and hairdresser Ms. Norma. My Aunt Peggy and a close knit group of their girlfriends encouraged Ms. Norma to close her very successful hair salon business and tour the world with Pattie. The rest is history! There’s enough pie for everyone! Let’s keep supporting each other as we all get our piece of the pie! 
Kecia’s paternal great grandmother Estelle (Momma Estelle) born in 1899. She gave birth to two children. She loved to cook. Her grandchildren loved her pancakes. She received the mail for the family and assisted others in writing letters. She assisted in handling family business. She was the treasurer for the club and the society organizations within the community.
Community and civic engagement continues in Kecia, Kevin and her our sons Kendall’s and Kyle’s DNA! We are proud of our sons as they take leadership roles in their extra-curricular classes and continue to make the A Honor roll at school. Black Lives Matter!

Historically African mother, grandmothers, aunts, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, teachers, etc. have had sweet potato pie as a favorite dessert at family reunions, funerals, parties, church gatherings, family celebrations, etc. Years ago, the phenomenal humanitarian, educator and activist, Mary McLeod Bethune, even sold sweet potato pies to keep her the doors of her college open. Mary McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875. In 1904, Ms. Bethune started a school for young African American girls that would to on to become Bethune-Cookman College.
Last year, Kecia watched the Super Bowl with her youngest brother Curtis while visiting him at the hospital. She normally roots for the underdog. Little did we know that 5 days later, he would have a heart attack and pass away. Our family and his friends miss him dearly. However, we know and believe that he is soul is at peace. Every day is a gift…that’s why they call it a present. We encourage everyone to live their lives to the fullest! Rest in peace Curtis. We will love you in our hearts forever!
Curtis was a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan since our cousin Dexter Coakley spent many years in the NFL as a Dallas Cowboy. Dexter’s great grandmother Ruth and my great grandmother Estelle (who we called Momma Estelle) were sisters.
Another one of Kecia and Kevin’s African American History heroes was George Washington Carver.

"George Washington Carver was an American botanist and inventor. The exact day and year of his birth are unknown; he was born into slavery in Missouri, either in 1861 or January 1864. Carver's work at Tuskegee included groundbreaking research on plant biology that brought him to national prominence. Many of these early experiments focused on the development of new uses for crops such as peanuts, sweet potatoes, soybeans and pecans. The hundreds of products he invented included plastics, paints, dyes and even a kind of gasoline. In 1920 Carver delivered a speech before the Peanut Growers Association attesting to the wide potential of peanuts. The following year, he testified before Congress in support of a tariff on imported peanuts. With the help of Carver's testimony, Congress passed the tariff in 1922.
Thanks for letting us share a bit of Black History with you in today’s MWBE Mondays. African Americans have and continue to contribute to the history of the United States and to the world! Our stories and legacy are rich! Teaching and acknowledging our diverse Black History benefits everyone.
MWBE MONDAY RESOURCES

Below are some networks and resources that Minority Women Owned Business Enterprises and small business owners can connect with to help them get through these challenging times. We’ve got your back!
Many minority and women business enterprise entrepreneurs use their local, County and State Agencies to stay current and tap into potential resources and procurement opportunities for their businesses and their communities. Getting MWBE Certified and procuring government contracts can help MWBEs build their businesses! Grants and loans are also parts of MWBEs portfolios to grow their businesses.
LISC SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF GRANTS / FUNDED BY VERIZON
Equity & Diversity Networking Event

February 24, 2021, 8:00 - 9:00am
L'Oréal USA Partners with the NAACP to Launch Its Inclusive Beauty Fund 

The New Grant Program Supports Black-Owned Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs within the Beauty Community with One-Time Grants of $10,000 and Professional Mentorship

NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- L'Oréal USA today announced the creation of its Inclusive Beauty Fund, a new grant program presented in partnership with the NAACP, the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. Through this inaugural round of funding, L'Oréal USA will award 30 one-time grants of $10,000 each to Black-owned small businesses, Black entrepreneurs, and professional services in all sectors of the U.S. beauty industry.
Courtesy of L’Oréal
As small businesses in America have been hit the hardest by the economic fallout of the pandemic and Black-owned businesses are shutting down twice as fast as others according to NBER, L'Oréal USA teamed up with the NAACP to identify the most promising Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs in the beauty industry that are most in need of investment.

"As the leading beauty company in the United States, we believe that we have a responsibility to invest in the small business owners and entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of our dynamic beauty industry. We are proud to team up with the NAACP to advance our shared mission of creating a more inclusive and equitable world during this time of great economic vulnerability for so many. We hope the Inclusive Beauty Fund will introduce us to entrepreneurs in the beauty industry that we can build strong relationships with well into the future," said Angela Guy, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, L'Oréal USA.

In addition to one-time funding, L'Oréal USA is committed to providing grantees with professional mentorship and business development support with the participation of top executives from its leading beauty brands and its professional beauty products distributor, SalonCentric. The Inclusive Beauty Fund is part of L'Oréal USA's larger commitment to support the NAACP's mission, which will include additional initiatives to be announced in the future.

The initiative is backed by L'Oréal USA's newly formed Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board, who will work alongside the NAACP, L'Oréal USA, and SalonCentric leaders to review and select grant recipients. The Advisory Board, made up of up over 20 internal and external stakeholders, have come together to ideate as a collective on efforts to influence and reimagine social and inclusive strategies that support L'Oréal USA's Diversity and Inclusion mission to build the standard in making beauty inclusive.

"Black-owned small beauty businesses are the heartbeat of their neighborhoods, and beauty business owners are navigating tremendous challenges stemming from the Covid-19 and recent events. The NAACP is proud to partner with L'Oréal USA to help support these entrepreneurs and ensure the longevity of the services and community their businesses provide," said Yumeka Rushing, Chief Strategy Officer, NAACP. 

How to Apply
Applications for the Inclusive Beauty Fund will be administered by the NAACP in partnership with Hello Alice, a platform for small business owners to identify the right path to start and grow their company. Applications for the financial grants opens today January 29, and proceeds through February 18, 2021. All submissions must be conducted through Hello Alice: https://hialice.co/LOreal-HelloAlice-Grant. The candidates selected to receive the grants will be announced in April of 2021. 

Grants are available to new or existing beauty businesses of all kinds, including but not limited to salons, spas, barber shops, stylists, makeup artists, entrepreneurs, startup founders, haircare specialists, and beauty schools.

About L'Oréal USA
L'Oréal USA is the largest subsidiary of the L'Oréal Group, the world's leading beauty company. Through its management of over 35 iconic beauty brands, L'Oréal USA has generated more than $7 billion in sales annually. Products are available across all distribution channels including hair salons, department stores, mass market, pharmacies, medi-spas, e-commerce and more. L'Oréal USA's commitment to growth is generated through sustainable innovation and driven by the company's L'Oréal for the Future ambition which demonstrates sustainable development across the Group's value chain. The company is headquartered in New York City, employs more than 11,000 people, and operates administrative, research, manufacturing and distribution facilities across 16 states.

About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

SOURCE L'Oreal USA
Register Today! Seats are Limited.

Thurs. Feb. 11, 2021 at 9:30am
(SBA and York College SBDC)
Starting a Business at 50+

Thurs, Feb. 11, 2021 at 12:00PM East Time
(Manhattan Chamber of Commerce)
Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVO Grants/Save our Stages)

Fri, Feb. 12, 2021 at 11:00AM East Time
(Italy America Chamber of Commerce)
PPP Forgiveness All New Forms: 3508, 3508S ($150,000), 3508EZ released on 1/19
Registration information will be announced when it is available

Thurs, Feb. 18, 2021 at 1:00PM East Time
(Specialty Food Association)
PPP Forgiveness All New Forms: 3508, 3508S ($150,000), 3508EZ released on 1/19
Registration information will be announced when it is available

Fri, Feb. 19, 2021 at 12:00PM East Time
(Manhattan Chamber of Commerce)
SBA Coronavirus Relief Five Programs: PPP 1st and 2nd Draw Loans, PPP Forgiveness, EIDL, Shuttered Venue Operator Grant, SBA Express Bridge Loans and SBA Debt Relief

Fri, Feb. 19, 2021 at 3:00PM East Time
(Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association)
(in Chinese) PPP Forgiveness New Forms: 3508, 3508S ($150,000), 3508EZ released on 1/19

Wed. Feb. 24, 2021 at 10:00am
(Queens Chamber of Commerce)
Building a Blog for Your Business

Thurs. Feb. 25, 2021 at 9:30am
(SBA and LaGuardia Community College SBDC)
How SBA can Help You Succeed: Financing, Education and Government Contracting
Have a safe and great week! Stay connected with us so you stay connected! Follow us on our social media! We will get through the year end of 2021 together! We thank each and everyone of you for your continued support and business! 
Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc! We help MWBEs focus on the health and wellness of their business! Let’s get it done, in 2021!

Happy Black History Month! Special shout out to our parents, family and friends for your continued love and support to us!

Sincerely,
Kecia and Kevin
Contact Kecia with questions about
starting or growing your business!

At Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. we bring dreams to life with heart and soul! Like a trusted friend and confidante, our personal project managers tap into their vivid imaginations, hearts and souls to analyze clients’ projects, processes and people training. Stop suffering in silence! Rent our brainpower and we will connect you with the resources and technical assistance to address your needs and build your business.

Entrepreneurs and non-profits constantly juggle projects and their own self-care. Breathe! We can relate! We are small business owners who have survived and thrived by collaborating with a “think tank” of other socially conscious businesses/community partners! Our work life balance trainers help clients project manage their busy lives and get to the heart and soul of their business and their life! We help clients execute well so they can escape back to what makes them feel great! Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc….the ”just ask us” therapists! You talk, we listen. We share, we collaborate, You breathe!

Our services include:
  • Business Management Consulting Services
  • Life Coaching
  • MWBE Consulting/Prepare NYC/NYS MWBE Certification Applications
  • Public Speaking
  • Project Management
  • Training
  • Career Preparation
  • Customer Service
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership
  • Networking
Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.,
a Certified NYC & NYS Minority Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE)
Kecia Palmer-Cousins, MBA

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.

Office: 914.737.7237
Cell: 914.512.4373

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.