'StreetWise MBA'™

Course Structure

The core of the Interise program model, the 'StreetWise MBA™' is a unique nine-month certificate program for senior-level management. The benefits of the program include access to new markets, capital, and knowledge through management training, peer-to-peer learning, and networking opportunities. Unlike most other small business development programs, the 'StreetWise MBA' is designed specifically for existing urban small businesses - not start-ups.

Taught by adjunct faculty members from local business schools, the 'StreetWise MBA' curriculum is divided into five modules:

  • Business and Leadership Assessment
  • Financial Analysis
  • Marketing and Sales
  • Financing and Operations
  • Strategic Growth Action Plan

At the end of the nine-month course, each entrepreneur designs a three-year growth plan outlining business goals and specific action steps necessary to achieve them. Each section of the curriculum was developed by an expert and focuses on issues commonly faced by established small businesses located in urban communities.

Entrepreneur Support and Benefits

To achieve its mission, Interise believes we must do more than simply offer a nine-month course for established urban small business owners. Because many of our entrepreneurs lack access to important individuals and networks that make growth possible, entrepreneurs enrolled in the 'StreetWise MBA' program also gain access to a group of volunteer professionals called the Private Sector Network (PSN). These bankers, lawyers, and other businesspeople donate their services pro-bono to Interise entrepreneurs, offering their expertise and strategic guidance as our entrepreneurs develop their growth plans.

By combining our innovative curriculum with the resources provided by the Private Sector Network, we achieve striking results. Since 2004, Interise entrepreneurs have obtained over $8 million in new financing, created over 150 new jobs with an average annual salary of nearly $40,000, and accessed well over $100,000 in pro-bono expertise offered by our PSN members. As we continue to expand, look for these numbers to increase as well.