Spotlight on an Emerging Young Talent in Prince George’s County: Johnathan Gorum
In addition to helping small businesses grow through alternative capital financing, FSC First provides business growth resources to the community through its partnerships. We chose one of our partners, Bowie BIC because they founded a Business Innovation Center to support underserved entrepreneurs. We share that vision of reaching young entrepreneurs. We know that with the help of business guidance, entrepreneurs’ dreams can become a reality. So, we were excited to interview an emerging entrepreneur and one of our Level Up program participants.
A recent 1st place winner of the Bowie State University 2022 Bulldog Pitch Competition, senior Johnathan Gorum started his sneaker resale company, Exclusive Kicks, to provide a more convenient way for sneaker lovers to own their favorite limited-edition sneakers. Like other business owners seeking greater success, he recognizes the value of building upon his business acumen.
When he heard about the FSC First Level Up program in partnership with Bowie BIC, he registered. The program enabled the Bowie State University business major to expand his knowledge about business plan development, business modeling, product management, business financing, and different ways to fund a business. He shared that “the instructors were great, and they had knowledge on the topics.”
After completing the Level Up program, he received a Business Starter Accelerator Program Certificate that he says he includes on his resume. Like many young emerging entrepreneurs, working a day job for a while as he scales his business may be necessary. Gaining certifications along the way that he can leverage to achieve his aims is a no-brainer.
When he graduates in December, he shared that he planned to scale up his business, attend more networking events and participate in community youth programs. Also, he wants to reach a broader audience with his business and, through social media, become more influential.
Congratulations to Johnathan for achieving first place in the pitch competition and for his continued efforts to grow his business at exclusiveekicks.com. FSC First is honored to serve and provide resources that contribute to business growth opportunities for the youth of Prince George’s County.
If you’d like to learn more about the Level Up program, visit our webpage: Level Up | FSC First
