Entrepreneur Update: Britney Robbins, Gray Matter

With a little funding and a lot of faith, 28-year-old Britney Robbins launched The Gray Matter Experience, a non-profit that aims to get more African-American teens interested in business while changing the landscape of blighted neighborhoods across Chicago. Along the way, she found some help from Entrenuity and StartingUp Now.

"Entrenuity and StartingUp Now have helped me and my businesses tremendously. As a new entrepreneur, there are plenty of things I don't know about this journey. Having Brian available as a resource, as someone who's had extensive experience in my industry, has been a God-send. He's asked the right questions, exposed me to the right resources and guided me in a way that's helped me to grow my business, be more aware of opportunities that exist and provided me several platforms to help draw exposure to my program. I'm truly grateful to Brian and the staff at Entrenuity and StartingUp Now and look forward to continuing to work with them."

Gray Matter:

• Is currently running in-school programming at Gwendolyn Books High School
• Is accepting applications for their SECOND cohort, starting March 2018
• Just launched their first TWO, fully teen-run, legally incorporated companies

1. Recruiteen, an app using GPS positioning to tackle high teen unemployment by connecting teens with part-time job opportunities in the South and West Side of Chicago.
2. Lip Locker, an all-natural lipstick company offering Do-It-Yourself lip color solutions for women of color to enable women of color to craft the perfect shade to compliment their skin tone.

• Recently attended the Obama Summit, alongside 500 other global leaders, to tackle solutions to common global issues