Access Granted, Inc.

05/07/2026

🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 It's official! To now step into the role of Director is not something I take lightly. It's an honor, a responsibility, and a full-circle moment.

I came in as an Instructor believing in what this center could be — and now I get to help build what it becomes. As a business owner myself, rooted in a family legacy of entrepreneurship, I know firsthand what access to the right support can mean.

I am deeply committed to leading the next phase of business development and financial empowerment — equipping entrepreneurs with the strategies, resources, and capital access they need to build businesses that last.

Let's goooooo.

Miles College is pleased to announce Talibah M. Bayles as the next Director of the Miles College Women’s Business Center.

Bayles brings more than 18 years of experience in strategic management, entrepreneurship support, small-business capital readiness, and financial advisory services. Since the Center’s inception in 2022, she has contributed to its work as an instructor and leader, helping entrepreneurs strengthen their financial systems, prepare for funding, and build sustainable businesses.

In this new role, Bayles will lead the Center’s continued work as a regional hub for entrepreneurship, expanding training opportunities, deepening community partnerships, and supporting business owners throughout Birmingham and the surrounding region.

Please join us in congratulating Talibah M. Bayles as she steps into this leadership role.

Learn more about the Miles College Women’s Business Center at www.milescollegewbc.org

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/MCWBCNewDirector

04/22/2026

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

03/18/2026

🔥🔥🔥

The Art of Collaboration: Changing the Narrative of Business🔥🔥🔥

Birmingham! What are you doing TOMORROW at 2p?

Here’s my personal invite to head on over to Miles College for President Bobbie Knight's Master Class Series with Monique Idlett, Co-Founder and General Partner at Reign Ventures!

In honor of Women's History Month, the Miles College Women's Business Center is excited to co-host this series. This will be a dynamic and empowering conversation and I want to see you in the room.

Monique is a respected investor and entrepreneur whose work continues to influence innovation, strategic partnerships, and sustainable business growth. Her insights on leadership and collaboration will offer valuable perspective for students, entrepreneurs, and professionals alike.

I'm looking at this run of show and wow....🔥🔥🔥 Here's where you need to be:

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
2:00 P.M.
Kirkwood Balton Theater, Miles College

03/10/2026

Missed the energy in the room? We’ve got you covered.

The Miles College Women's Business Center M
3rd Annual Pitch & Showcase brought together entrepreneurs, supporters, and community leaders to celebrate the incredible progress of our Elevate360 cohort.

After six months of training, coaching, and capital readiness preparation, these entrepreneurs took the stage to pitch their businesses and share their vision for growth.

Here’s a quick recap of our 2026 Pitch Competition winners:

🥇 1st Place

Carolyn Etheridge, BSN, RN, R.T.(R)
The Pulse Finders, LLC

🥈 2nd Place

Danisha Opoku
LIV Hydration and Wellness LLC

🥉 3rd Place (Tie)

Deneen Terrell
Battle Buddy Community Village

🥉 3rd Place (Tie)

KyeJuana Avery
Can We Talk

We’re incredibly proud of these founders and all 16 entrepreneurs who completed the Elevate360 program.

Their innovation, commitment, and leadership remind us that strong businesses strengthen communities.

Take a look at the highlights from this year’s Pitch & Showcase.

Know one of these founders? Tag them below with a congratulations or drop a 🏆 to celebrate their success!

02/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined Bankably.app first live in-platform training this past Tuesday. I honestly had a blast — yes, talking nothing but tax updates and strategy. 🙌🏽😁

Missed it? No worries.

One important update we discussed — effective January 1, 2026, the 1099 reporting threshold increased from $600 to $2,000.

If you issue or receive 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC forms, this is a change worth understanding.

In this clip, I break down what that shift actually means and why it matters during tax season.

Take a listen.

What are your thoughts on the increase from $600 to $2,000?

02/23/2026

I’ve been paying attention to the responses to the last post—and it tells me we should keep sharing our offline conversations here with you.

The 1099s are coming in. Statements are being downloaded. You’re pulling reports and trying to make sure everything lines up.

And if you’re even thinking about applying for
business funding,
refinancing, or
qualifying for a mortgage this year…

the numbers you file now will follow you.

Before you file, pause long enough to ask:

• Do my records tell a clear story?
• Are my numbers consistent across accounts?
• Would I feel confident sharing them with a lender tomorrow?

Tomorrow at 6PM, we’re going live inside Bankably.app™ to walk through what’s changed this tax season — and how to get organized before filing decisions create bigger problems later.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about preparation.

Hope to see you tomorrow night!

🔗 Register here: https://bankably.app/livestream/1769057000549x510548548429021200

Photo Credit: Shout out to the rewarding and impactful time I had as the 2023-2025 Birmingham Coach of the SBA THRIVE Program! ❤️

02/13/2026

We’re still celebrating 🍾 🎉👏🏽

🎉 They did it! 🎉

The Miles College Women's Business Center (MCWBC) is proud to celebrate 16 women entrepreneurs who successfully completed the 2025–2026 Elevate360 Business Readiness Program and took the stage at our 3rd Annual Graduation Pitch & Showcase on January 27, 2026.

This milestone moment highlights how strong businesses strengthen communities—and reflects months of commitment, growth, and preparation across both the Elevate360 Signature Cohort and Capital Readiness Lab.

Join us in congratulating 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽:

🌟 Brittany Alexander – Breations
🌟 Constance Gholston – Connie’s Creations
🌟 Brittany Cade – B Cade On the Go Service
🌟 Carol Carpenter
🌟 KyeJuana Avery – Can We Talk
🌟Carolyn Etheridge – The Pulse Finders
🌟Fatimah Shabazz – Social Veg
🌟Latoya Gains – Cool Down Plasma
🌟Arnissa Tyson – Heaven and Honey Herbal Wellness
🌟Tamica Banks – Soul Sistah
🌟Ashley Osley – Fry Stop
🌟D. Renee Holmes – Fathom Realty Alabama
🌟Kelsey Lamyra – The Creatives Operations Lab
🌟Danisha Opoku – LIV Hydration and Wellness
🌟Deangela Pippen – WaistBead Muva
🌟Deneen Terrell – Battle Buddy Community Village

We’re excited to continue supporting these founders—and many more—through free business counseling, programming, and resources.

📩 Learn more or schedule one-on-one counseling: [email protected] | (205) 202-0118

02/06/2026

I built Bankably.app™ because too many business owners are expected to be tax-ready, funding-ready, and financially organized—without ever being shown how.

Tax season is usually when that gap shows up the loudest.

On February 24, we’re hosting our first monthly live education briefing inside the Bankably™ platform to help business owners understand what’s changed this year—and how to get organized before they file.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity, preparation, and having a place to start.

February 24 | 6:00–7:15 PM CST

Register here: https://bankably.app/event-feb24

02/02/2026

From in-classroom small business cohort training to partner-led webinars — education has always been at the core of what we do.

Bankably™ best testers already know - now’s your turn‼️ This year, we’re building on that foundation by officially launching monthly live education directly inside the Bankably.app™ platform—practical, timely briefings designed to help business owners prepare before tax deadlines, funding decisions, and financial stress hit.

We’re kicking off this monthly series with our first live briefing of the year:

🌟Tax Season Changes Every Business Owner Should Know🌟

Tuesday, February 24
6:00–7:15 PM CST
Live inside the Bankably™ platform

This session will cover key 2026 tax updates and walk through how to organize your paperwork, receipts, and records—even if you’re not using QuickBooks.

Registration includes access to our free Bankably™ plan, so participants can begin getting organized right away and continue learning beyond this session.

Register here: https://bankably.app/event-feb24

01/27/2026

TOMORROW - Come out and support these women in business‼️

RSVP HERE‼️

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcwbc-elevate360-graduation-pitch-competition-showcase-2026-tickets-1981374163460?aff=oddtdtcreator

Birmingham! Here's an event I need you to add to TOMORROW's calendar 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

We’re excited to invite you to join us for the 3rd Annual Miles College Women's Business Center Pitch & Showcase, taking place on TOMORROW Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

This year’s event is especially meaningful - we’ll be celebrating women entrepreneurs from two Elevate360 cohorts: the Elevate360 Signature Cohort and the Elevate360 Capital Readiness Lab Cohort.

These founders have spent months strengthening their business models, financial readiness, and pitch delivery, and this showcase represents a major milestone in their entrepreneurial journeys.

Event Details:

The event will be located in the Kirkwood R. Balton Theater, located inside the Student Activity Center on Miles College’s campus.

Kirkwood R. Balton Theater
Student Activity Center, Miles College
5500 Myron Massey Blvd
Fairfield, AL 35064

📅 Date: January 27, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
🚪 Doors Open: 5:00 PM


RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcwbc-elevate360-graduation-pitch-competition-showcase-2026-tickets-1981374163460?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope you’ll join us as these women take the stage and showcase their businesses. As always, we appreciate our continued collaboration and shared commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs.

Many thanks to this year’s Pitch Judges:

🌟 Dr. Tamatha White, Associate Professor and Business Administration Program Coordinator and Co-Director of the Miles College Financial Literacy Center;

🌟 Lisa Williams, Vice President, Community Development Banking, PNC ;

🌟 Sandrieka L. Moore, Business Development Specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Sincerely,

🌟 The MCWBC Team (Jarralynne Agee, Alexis Kimbrough, Talibah Bayles, & Dr. Wendy Stewart)