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The Wells Fargo Small Business Fellowship

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Kiesha Halliburton, 2023 Alumna

Equipping small business owners who are uplifting the small business ecosystems across Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington D.C.

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The Fellowship Offers

The Wells Fargo Small Business Fellowship is a fully-funded 16-week program for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders who uplift and amplify their community’s small business ecosystem in Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington D.C.. Through expert-led training, capital connections, and leadership development, Fellows gain the tools to scale their impact while building stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems in their communities.

Business & Leadership Workshops

Participate in hands-on sessions focused on entrepreneurship, business acumen, and financial literacy skills led by expert practitioners who are successful entrepreneurs and small business owners themselves.

Mentorship & Capital Connections

Receive personalized support from Watson Institute’s network of mentors and access introductions to potential funders, investors, and networks to advance your small business.

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Basecamps: Creating Lasting Impact

Become a community ecosystem builder by designing and leading a 1-3 day workshop for emerging entrepreneurs in your area. Receive comprehensive training and support to multiply your impact while strengthening the entrepreneurial community around you.

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Pitch Training & in-person Summit

Master the art of compelling storytelling through dedicated pitch coaching. Present your venture’s growth and community impact to an audience of entrepreneurs, potential investors, corporate partners, and leaders at Summit, a live pitching and networking event.

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Experts You Will Learn From

We recruit experts and entrepreneurs with the specific expertise needed to best serve you. They are brought on to share their insights, facilitate our workshops and provide 1-on-1 guidance. Preceptors from previous fellowships include:

Karen Carr-Crawford

Strategic business builder | AI tools | Marketing Strategy

Terrance Orr

Founder and Head of Product @ Myndful I Cultivating Growth through User-Centric Product Development
Brian Lee

Brian Lee

Co-Founder @ Gildre & Roamli | 2X Exits | Advisor & Mentor Cole Hoover Designer of Impact Networks | Strategic Facilitator | Purpose Coach
Patrick Rodriguez

Patrick Rodriguez, 2023 Alumnus

Watson Institute has impacted over 6,000 small business owners over the past 12 years.

Don’t take our word for it

“The curriculum, facilitators, Watson team, and the Fellows have all been amazing. This program pushed me to think through how I wanted to make an impact with the community I’m seeking to serve.” 

Jasmin Goodman, 2024-2025 Alumna

“I rated the program a 10 because it was exceptionally valuable and far exceeded my expectations. The quality of the subject matter experts, their availability outside of class, and the thoughtful, consistent support from the Watson staff made a huge impact. The opportunity to pitch at Summit, the resources provided for Basecamp, the access to office hours, and the overall structure of the program created a well-rounded and deeply beneficial experience that I’ll continue to build on moving forward. “

Jolena Stewart, 2024-2025 Alumna

“The program completely aligned with what I hoped to gain. I came in looking for clear guidance, real-world insight, and tangible next steps to help me scale my venture, and that’s exactly what I received. The combination of expert-led sessions, peer support, and practical tools exceeded my expectations and left me feeling more confident, prepared, and connected as I take the next steps with Jay’s Watermelonade.”

Joyson BaLisamore, 2025 Alumnus

Meet The Alumni

Joyson BaLisamore
Jay’s Watermelonade | 2025 Alumnus

Joyson BaLisamore

Joyson is the Founder of Jay’s Watermelonade, a mission-driven food and beverage company committed to amplifying local economic empowerment by providing seasonal job opportunities to underserved youth and sourcing from local growers.Since 2023, Jay’s Watermelonade has served nearly 3,000 customers, created seasonal jobs for underserved youth, and partnered with over 20 organizations to promote healthier lifestyles in urban communities.

Kiesha Haliburton
Cooper Consulting | 2023-2024 Alumna

Kiesha Halliburton

Kiesha is the Founder and CEO of K. Cooper Consulting, which specializes in assisting growth-stage and mid-size businesses, particularly those led by women and minorities, in optimizing their operational development. Since finishing the Truist Foundation Fellowship, Kiesha was accepted into Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business Cohort 6, which was developed in partnership with the NYU Stern School of Business. To date, the venture has supported over 20 companies, provided over 4,200 hours of technical training to other small businesses, and impacted 200 individuals.

Amanda Spann
The App Accelerator | 2024 Alumna

Amanda Spann

The App Accelerator is an onboarding business incubation program for individuals interested in pursuing a career in tech-entrepreneurship throughout Georgia. The venture aims to address the challenge faced by millions of diverse, emerging founders who lack the technical skills required to develop their apps, often leading to wasted time and fear of financial loss. Their goal is to produce 10,000 diverse new app entrepreneurs in the next 10 years. Amanda has been named one of Business Insider’s 30 Most Important Women in Tech Under 30.

This program is fully-funded through the generous support of Wells Fargo.