Our Model - Good Enterprises

ABOUT GOOD ENTERPRISES

Good Enterprises is a catalyst for reshaping the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to one that provides equitable opportunity for business ownership, in order to transform lives and communities. The program provides business education and coaching specifically tailored to underserved entrepreneurs with the guiding objective of creating economic opportunity for all.

Good Enterprises utilizes the proven model and curriculum of Rising Tide Capital, a nonprofit based in New Jersey whose mission is to assist struggling individuals and communities to build strong businesses which transform lives, strengthen families, and build sustainable communities.

View the impact this model has had on other communities, and view Rising Tide’s founding video:

Meet the Team

Brittany Lucas
Good Enterprises Program Coordinator

Brittany moved to Charleston, SC in 2006 when her father retired from the United States Navy, though her mother is originally from Charleston. Falling in love with the stunning aesthetic of Charleston, which was historic and beautiful, Brittany has always prioritized service to others and unity, values instilled by her Jamaican background. Implementing those teachings, she was able to find versatility in workforces including healthcare, public administration, and civilian development.

In 2023, Brittany discovered Lowcountry Local First while searching for local networking events and in-person business courses. Enrolling in Lowcountry Local First’s Community Business Academy, which is led by the Good Enterprises Program, she found the program fulfilling and informative. After graduating from the program, Brittany felt that Lowcountry Local First provided the unity she sought to provide service not only to other business owners but also to local individuals desiring to uplift all communities.

When not working, Brittany enjoys studying Spanish, French, and Arabic cultures. You may also find Brittany at Charleston Farmers Market, Isle of Palms Beach, or just simply exploring the living history of Charleston.

Javier Jimenez
Good Enterprises Spanish Instructor and Coordinator de Programas

Javier Jimenez-Pereira leads our Spanish language Community Business Academy as Coordinator de Programas and is a real estate agent with eXp Realty, and a coordinator with the Hispanic Business Association of South Carolina.

Born and raised in Barranquilla on the northern coast of Colombia, Javier has over 33 years of experience in business management, having earned a Business Administration degree at the University of Autonoma del Caribe. As CFO and CEO of a hydroelectric energy equipment manufacturer, Javier oversaw negotiations, risk management, international trade, and investments, as well as mergers & acquisitions.

Javier started his career in real estate in 2015 and has dedicated himself to serving his clients with excellence throughout the years. He is fluent in Spanish and is excited to utilize his business acumen and language skills in leading La Academia Empresarial de la Comunidad while advocating for the Hispanic community.

Javier was recently awarded the Berkeley Electric Cooperative June 2024 Community Champion award for his extraordinary work within the community.

Rashaunda Grant
Good Enterprises Instructor

Rashaunda Grant, is a Charleston, SC native and proud alumna of Florida A&M University and the Culinary Institute of Charleston where earned degrees in Business Administration with a focus on Organizational Management and Strategic Planning and Culinary Arts, respectively.

After a fulfilling career working with nonprofit organizations and government agencies Rashaunda returned to Charleston in 2014 where she was able to focus her love of community, culture, and food into entrepreneurial endeavors. As the founder and Executive Chef of The Carolina Cookery, Rashaunda brings a great wealth of knowledge, skills, experience and commitment to the community as our newest Community Business Academy Instructor.

Adelai Brown
Good Enterprises Instructor

At 18 years old, Adelai Brown was a mother, living on her own, and struggling to figure out how she would ever fulfill her dreams in life. Because of this, she now uses her early life experiences and business skills to help individuals, families, and organizations create purposeful solutions that help them effectively and efficiently overcome internal and external conflict.

Through her transformational speaking and coaching abilities, Adelai, known as “The Heart Coach,” has written four books, created multiple emotional wellness workshops/courses, and empowered more than 100,000 leaders live and online with companies such as ESSENCE magazine, and The 700 Club.

Her company has also served numerous for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and mentored over 100 youth in the Charleston area with a focus on mental/emotional health, wellness and conflict resolution. Adelai is a licensed real estate agent in the state of South Carolina, a recent graduate of the Community Business Academy, and lives in Charleston with her husband Kevin, their 4 children and 2 cats.

Kelsi Rothfuss
Good Enterprises Class Monitor

Kelsi has always enjoyed volunteering and found herself doing more with nonprofits once arriving in the Charleston community. She has enjoyed providing local construction and floral companies with bookkeeping and admin support and now brings that experience to the Lowcountry Local First team.

When not working, you can find Kelsi pressing and preserving flowers from events and creating wall art for her own small business, Wild Love Botanicals. Her love for the ocean often leads her to Folly Beach to enjoy the beauty and simplicity of the sunrises and sunsets. Around town, she frequents the Pour House for the Sunday Brunch Farmers Market, and she enjoys exploring new places around town while snapping pictures that fill up her phone’s storage.

Fatima Seabrook
Good Enterprises Class Monitor

Fatima Seabrook is a dynamic professional with a diverse background and a genuine passion for business, culture, and technology. She graduated from the College of Charleston, where she earned a degree in International Business with a minor in Spanish.

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Fatima has always had a deep appreciation for her local community. She is a firm believer in supporting local and minority-owned businesses, recognizing the importance of empowering and uplifting marginalized communities. In pursuit of her passion for technology, she is currently back in school, focusing on Information Technology. With a thirst for knowledge and a desire to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, she eagerly immerses herself in the world of technology and its endless possibilities.

Fatima’s well-rounded background in international business, her linguistic skills, and her dedication to technology make her a versatile and adaptable professional, a welcome addition to the team.

Outside of work and academia, Fatima is an avid traveler, always seeking new adventures and immersing herself in different cultures. She believes that experiencing the world firsthand helps broaden her perspective and fuels her creativity.

Yugeily Prieto
Good Enterprises Class Monitor

Yugeily Prieto is the owner of Amelie Jewelry, a distinguished accessories boutique that combines style with purpose. A graduate of the Community Business Academy Spring 2023, Yugeily is passionate about creating personalized pieces that resonate with each client. Amelie Jewelry specializes in gold-plated stainless steel accessories, all of which are water-resistant and hypoallergenic. The collection features an array of beautiful necklaces, earrings, delicate rings, and bracelets, embodying the essence of elegance in gold plating.

Eva Barahona
Good Enterprises Spanish Class Monitor

Eva Barahona, a business administrator with extensive experience in retail management, made a significant career shift three years ago when she moved to Charleston. Her involvement with the Community Business Academy at Good Enterprises was just the start. Eva quickly evolved from a participant to a key coordinator, now playing a pivotal role in multiple entrepreneurial programs in the region. Her hands-on approach has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of emerging businesses. In addition to her commitment to entrepreneurship, Eva serves as the treasurer for the Hispanic Business Association, bringing her financial acumen to support the community. Born in Honduras, Eva balances her professional pursuits with family life as a mother of two and a wife. She is also dedicated to various non-profit organizations, where she applies her expertise for social good.

Eva assists our Spanish language Community Business Academy and is a graduate of the Spring 2022 Community Business Academy.

Tatiana Vivas
Good Enterprises Portuguese Instructor

Tatiana leads our Portuguese language Community Business Academy and is an executive director, translator and interpreter, and public notary.

Morgana Bezerra
Good Enterprises Portuguese Class Monitor
Morgana is and activist, entrepreneur and editor and publisher of Smart News, a Brazilian newspaper in South Carolina.

GOOD ENTERPRISES IN THE MEDIA:

ABOUT LOWCOUNTRY LOCAL FIRST

Founded in 2007, the mission of Lowcountry Local First (LLF) is to cultivate an economy anchored in local ownership, because local businesses are the foundation of our culture, economy, and character. We are the on-the-ground, round-the-clock advocate for combating the forces constructing an architecture of ‘Anywhere, USA.’ Our programs implement a new model of local economic development that results in more vibrant communities, better quality of life and opportunities for all to prosper. In a nutshell, we provide: 1) awareness and education for the public, 2) resources to sustain and grow local businesses, and 3) the trusted voice for pro-local advocacy.

Learn more about Lowcountry Local First.

Topping national lists for worst place to start a business and fastest gentrifying city, low-income families in Charleston, South Carolina face significant hurdles to realize dreams of entrepreneurship and achieve financial security.

• Charleston demonstrated the 5th fastest growing gap between rich and poor residents in the US from 2011-2016.
• Median income levels for African-American and Hispanic households in Charleston County are less than half that of white households.
• There is a significant gap in our entrepreneurial ecosystem, one that provides opportunity for minority and low-income individuals to improve their lives through entrepreneurship.

After significant research and community involvement, Lowcountry Local First identified a need to scale our work to fill a gap in support for low-income entrepreneurship that does not currently exist in the region.

Lowcountry Local First’s model of community wealth building provides a high-touch approach to working with individuals on entrepreneurship. We provide one-on-one support through our network of more than 600 business owners willing to offer expertise. Creating valuable and mutually beneficial partnerships has been a key to our organizational success.