Get Down
             to Business | Bell Bank Get Down
             to Business | Bell Bank

Fueling Small Businesses

The Get Down to Business Accelerator  will award $100,000 in grants at the 3M Open. Meet the three finalists who will pitch their businesses to a panel of judges for a chance to be awarded unrestricted grant funding.
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Event summary

About the 3M Open Event

On Monday, July 18, the Get Down to Business Accelerator will award mentoring, resources and $100,000 in unrestricted grants to fuel local entrepreneurs. Leaders from Bell Bank, The Get Down Coffee Co. and Neighborhood Development Center will host the event during the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota.

meet our finalists

Code White
Code White
David Hicks and Cartier Banks
E.Bazz Beauty Supply
E.Bazz Beauty Supply
Essence Shabazz
Silk Road Wellness
Silk Road Wellness
Annie Qaiser and Sameen Khan
Code White
Founders David Hicks and Cartier Banks

Business Industry: Oral Care

How it all started: Hicks and Banks have both long had a passion for oral care. They brought their knowledge together to create Code White in 2018, starting off as a salon suite. Since then, the two have opened a brick-and-mortar store in Eden Prairie.

Next Big Step: Introduce new items to their product line, increase marketing efforts and expand their employee base to open more locations.

Location: 8251 Flying Cloud Dr. suite 1224, Eden Prairie

E.Bazz Beauty Supply
Founder Essence Shabazz

Business Industry: Beauty

How it all started: Shabazz started her career working behind the chair at a suite salon, but recognized a need for a Black-owned beauty supply store in the Twin Cities. After starting out doing deliveries during the COVID-19 lockdown, Shabazz opened her store in April.

Next Big Step: Diversify product and service offerings so everyone can get what they need at E.Bazz, expand marketing efforts, grow her team and create beauty vending machines.

Location: 1561 Randolph Ave, St Paul

Silk Road Wellness
Founders Annie Qaiser and Sameen Khan

Business Industry: Skincare and Wellness

How it all started: Annie Qaiser couldn’t find health and wellness products that aligned with her values, so she teamed up with her husband to create Silk Road Wellness, which offers products that are halal certified.

Next Big Step: Increase Silk Road Wellness’ marketing presence, upgrade e-commerce platform, work to get products into more stores and move production into a warehouse or flagship store space.

Location: Eastside co-op, Wedge and Linden Hills co-ops and other boutique stores and wellness spaces

our semi-finalists

our Panelists

Houston White
Houston White
Social Entrepeneur
Wendy Nelson
Wendy Nelson
Chairwoman, Carlson Family Foundation
Mike Sweeney
Mike Sweeney
Businessman and Entrepreneur

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