African American Business Council (AABC)

April Scott is originally from Bristol, Pennsylvania; having relocated to Wilmington, NC in 1993. After graduating high school in Pennsylvania, she decided to relocate to North Carolina, home of her parents. She currently holds the position of Director of the Small Business Center at Brunswick Community College. She enjoys trying new recipes, traveling, dancing, gardening, volunteering with the youth, and family time. She’s currently on the board of Going Beyond The Pink, State Employees Credit Union, North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and a member of WIN. One of her many favorite quotes is “Success isn’t about how much money you make it’s about the difference you make in in people’s lives”. Michelle Obama

I’m a Wilmington native and this is where I hope to stay for the rest of my life. I am committed to our community and to my goal of building a better life for future generations in my hometown, and I do my best to reflect that in my actions and in my business. 

I pride myself on making each transaction as smooth as possible, but my job doesn’t end at closing. I serve my clients as a real estate advisor, assisting them with everything from homeownership advice and investment opportunities, to helping navigate our community, local government, and school system. Being a Wilmington native with a lifetime of connections in the area means that my clients have access to the best professionals in the region.

Veronica Easterly has served in customer service for over 20 years. As one who prides herself in servanthood, she aspires to assist clients with buying and selling of their homes .Veronica is detail-oriented, an avid listener, a skilled negotiator, and a licensed realtor with Keller Williams Realty. As a resident of North Carolina she views it an honor to highlight the city’s geography and to meet the diverse needs of her clientele. Veronica will ensure that you receive the dedication needed while embarking upon one of your greatest decisions of a lifetime.

Megan Daniielle decided to return to school to become more acquainted with how to operate a business after shutting down a brick and mortar in the Cotton Exchange. While earning her Bachelor degree in Business Administration she fell in love with marketing.. During an internship, she earned hands-on experience in social media marketing. She was determined in her new passion to help others win where she had previously failed as a business owner. The science behind marketing opened Megan Daniielle’s eyes to a new way of creative communication. She began sharing the new creative communication with her clients, teaching them how to entice their audience into purchasing their products or services. Currently, Megan Daniielle is working on her Ph.D as a Doctor of Philosophy in Strategic Media at the prestigious Liberty University. It is her goal to utilize her knowledge in Communication to teach people how to cultivate and develop their brands for lifelong success.

Creating visual textured artwork for the average client that meets their individual needs. I also teach abstract art classes, in person learning, and online. I can draw people, animals and or landscapes; using many items that are readily available in your home or business. For example, coffee grounds, aluminum foil, and much more. My art is designed to inspire every day people to learn to use textured art to help them improve their creativity and better connect with their emotional side. My artwork is designed to bring out the positive emotions; the artwork brings to the observer and help them to connect with hope. For example, "Give yourself a start." by Madam CJ Walker. What would that mean to you, or to your place of dwelling. What colors would that entail? Would it be a person a design or a place? That is what Whimsy Rae's Artistry is. I am the bridge between the two.

Anne is the Chief Executive Officer of Cape Fear REALTORS^®, a local trade association representing more than 3,400 real estate professionals in Wilmington and the greater Cape Fear region. She has represented professional and trade organization in the Washington, D.C. area, central Virginia and Wilmington, NC. Anne holds a Masters of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. 
 
She is an active volunteer, having served as a mentor for local leadership programs and is a member of the Cape Fear Rotary. She recently completed terms on the board of the of the Thomas Jefferson Community Land Trust,  Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development and the Salvation Army Corps of Charlottesville.

I serve as the Community Liaison for Wilmington Health. I spend my time building relationships throughout the community with employers, healthcare providers, and the general public. I communicate with the community to bring awareness to healthcare issues and the services that we provide at Wilmington Health. 

Cassian Films is addressing the needs of small businesses by helping them forge stronger relationships with customers through visual storytelling. We start by defining success, clarify the message, and deliver on consumable content. We then support them when it’s needed with personal insights. This saves the company hundreds of thousands of dollars over a two-year period.

Hey there, my name is Kristina Marie. I am co-owner of Cassian Films Inc, a video production company based here in Wilmington, NC. Our team loves to site see so you will often see videos of us traveling. As we continue to grow our mission to strengthen relationships remains unchangeable. I look forward to meeting you and your team! If you have a story to tell, we would love to share it through visual storytelling. Something fun about me: I enjoy singing and playing ukulele, spending time with my husband Cody Scott reading The Bible, hiking and playing with our dog Loki, and traveling to new places. If you have any questions I'm usually available to chat Monday through Friday anytime after 11am. Talk with you then!

Personal Brand + Culinary Photographer

Hi! I'm Amanda, a brand photography and strategic marketing expert for experienced Chefs and Event Professionals around the country. Providing an artistic approach to purposeful marketing campaigns that help scale your business.

There are a lot of options out there, but what makes me unique is my ability to know and understand the  "language" of the event industry because I used to be part of your world. I contribute valuable feedback to achieve the best results on your brand photography journey.

Chakema Clinton-Quintana is vice president of Inclusive Small Business at Live Oak Bank, where she leads the inclusive small business center. She focuses on strengthening and supporting inclusive small business growth in our communities and verticals through research, job creation programs, capital allocation, mentorship, and programming. Chakema has 19 years of banking experience and has a degree in business management from Strayer University in Herndon, Virginia. Her background includes foreclosure, real estate short sales, loss mitigation, relationship management, and compliance. Chakema currently serves on the board of directors for three non-profit organizations, including treasurer of Voyage Wilmington, treasurer of Red, Black, & Love, Inc., and board chair for The OOPS Foundation.

My name is Laural, and I am the Volunteer Recruitment Specialist for the American Red Cross of the Eastern Carolinas. I'm actively seeking volunteers to support community blood drives, members of the armed forces, and individuals who are impacted by disasters. Contact me today to learn how you can get involved!