276. Meralis Hood. Entrepreneurship for All.
Meralis Hood
July 27, 2023
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The impact of inequity in access to capital is a perpetuation of socioeconomic disparities, hindering the growth and success of marginalized individuals and communities. This systemic imbalance further widens the wealth gap, limiting opportunities for upward mobility and stifling overall economic progress.
In today's episode, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Meralis Hood, the CEO of Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll), a non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate economic and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship. Our exploration centers around how reshaping the execution of business investment can empower small businesses, creating a positive impact on communities.
Topics include:
Why an accelerator program is at the core of EforAll’s efforts.
Why coachability and a dynamic mindset is so important for entrepreneurial success.
Why EforAll's theory of change leads them to focus on small businesses.
Why the EforAll’s success metrics are so much better than the US average.
Meralis Hood is a thought leader whose mission is to reshape the way we invest in the people and leaders of our communities. Professionally, Hood serves as CEO of EforAll, a nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate economic and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship. In her role, she is the lead visionary and steward for the organization's mission and guide for its expansion.
Prior to her role at EforAll, Meralis served as Market President for City Year, Inc., where she maintained and reinforced strong and strategic relationships with local Executive Directors, staff and AmeriCorps members from 10 City Year sites around the country.
A strong believer that all young people can succeed, she also gives her time to Campus Compact, a national organization of colleges and universities working to accelerate and advance the mission of building a more equitable future for our youngest citizens.
Before joining City Year, Hood was a veteran educator. She was the assistant principal at Bay View High School in Milwaukee Public Schools, a City Year partner school. Hood was a bilingual teacher for nine years at MPS before moving into instructional coaching and administrative roles in the district.
Hood is passionate about holding space to have conversations around social justice, wellness and mental health. Her own personal experience as a leader in her community who struggled with mental health led her to become a Certified Mental Health Communicator through Active Minds and share her experiences candidly. Recently, she joined the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equity where she hopes to support mental health efforts in the community.
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