by Paula Anderson
As a former healthcare attorney, Shana Berkeley, decided to transition to community leadership from a volunteer capacity. A change in direction also led to creating a business model - The Fashion Chase.
“I wanted to focus on corporate, creative women who needed to express their colorful personalities. Wearing clothes that bring out your natural personality helps to increase your self-esteem,” said Berkeley, executive director for Corner to Corner.
The Academy powered by Corner to Corner, a nonprofit 501 c3 organization, focuses on teaching, mentoring and supporting Black entrepreneurs and small business owners in Nashville, Tenn. in a 10-week entrepreneurial training program according to the website.
“Aside from the initial phases of a business, we look for individuals who have a business dream and have been working on a business model for about two years,” said Berkeley.
"An ideal candidate for the program has a business idea and is willing to do the field work and talk to customers," Berkeley said. “They have to be thirsty, hungry, and uncomfortable.”
Berkeley shared an analogy about the concept of basketball.
“You don’t see LeBron James practicing and spending the time and effort to be great, you only see the game," she said.
“Entrepreneurship is not easy and it requires support."
"We build confidence and support the work that entrepreneurs do. We talk about them in rooms that they are not in and build that community. Corner to Corner helps them to balance the ‘sexy’ and ‘challenging’ aspects of running a business,” she said.
Berkeley said, “Business is a balance - it is not all fun and numbers."
Before transitioning into the ED leadership role, Berkeley spent 18 months in a training program to be prepared for the assignment.
Her team consists of 13 individuals, and she wants them to be equipped, challenged and celebrated and to do what “makes their heart sing.”
The overall goal for Berkeley is to make The Academy powered by Corner to Corner the number one place to start a Black-owned business in Nashville and to turn 'dreams into a money-making reality.'
To learn more about The Academy powered by Corner to Corner, visit https://cornertocorner.org/.
The Corner to Corner Academy was featured in the Black History Month magazine edition in 2022.
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