Urban Business Initiative

Creating Personal and Financial Freedom

Urban Business Initiative (UBI) helps refugees and those affected by domestic violence and achieve personal and financial freedom. We lead each person through a personalized journey of entrepreneurship. Through a series of workshops and personal mentoring, the participants are enabled to create a new future and break the cycle of violence in their own lives and for future generations.

Since 2008 we have helped entrepreneurs create a dream and learn how to pursue that dream. These dreams have ranged from traditional businesses such as salons, caterers, tailors, lawn-services, construction to the more specialized such as pet autopsies. We estimate that the economic impact of our services in the Houston area alone is approximately $500,000 annually. Based on our findings, approximately 30% of individuals start or grow their current business and 10% are in business after 3 years of going through the program. Our domestic violence partners report that starting a business significantly reduces the likelihood that a woman will return to her abuser.   

It’s possible to reignite a dream after escaping. It’s possible to dream of something different from the past that is accustomed to. It’s possible to learn that a dream is not something impossible to reach

The dream provides the energy, but more is needed. There must be a way to break the dream into parts that can be accomplished and decide the steps that need to be done.

There must be action. There must be forward progress. There will be mistakes. There will be problems. Giving up is not an option.

No longer a victim, no longer a survivor. Now an owner, Now an entrepreneur.