Patricia Bedford, Owner of Suga’s Cakery, Recognized Among the 2024 Top 40 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Central Texas

Austin, TX – 2024 – Patricia Bedford, owner of Suga’s Cakery, has been honored as one of the 2024 Top 40 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Central Texas by the Austin Black Business Journal. This recognition highlights her entrepreneurial excellence, community impact, and leadership in supporting Black-owned businesses. A client of the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) since 2019, Bedford is a trailblazer whose journey from engineering to cake artistry is both inspiring and deeply rooted in family tradition.

From Engineer to Cake Artist – A Legacy of Sweet Success

A native Austinite, Bedford holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Baylor University and spent over a decade in engineering, specializing in testing, product development, and client support. However, after the passing of her beloved grandmother, affectionately known as “Suga”, Bedford felt compelled to continue her grandmother’s culinary legacy.

Determined to honor Suga’s memory, she began baking cakes and mastering cake artistry. Encouraged by family and friends, she launched Suga’s Cakery, a custom cake shop specializing in event catering and dietary-friendly treats. Today, her business is known for high-quality, beautifully crafted cakes that bring joy to special occasions across Central Texas.

A Leader in the Black Business Community

Beyond her success as an entrepreneur, Bedford is a dedicated advocate for Black-owned businesses in Central Texas. She serves as the Vice President of the Pflugerville Black Business Builders (PBBB), where she actively supports business education and networking opportunities.

As VP, she played a pivotal role in organizing the Inaugural PBBB Business Symposium in collaboration with the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC). The event brought together 50+ business owners for a day of learning and networking with industry leaders, including representatives from Google, Facebook, the Secretary of State’s Office, CPAs, and intellectual property attorneys.

Bedford also serves as a liaison between PBBB and key organizations, including:

  • Pflugerville Community Development Corporation
  • Pflugerville Downtown Association
  • Pflugerville City Council

Her advocacy efforts have been instrumental in policy changes, including supporting a city ordinance allowing food trucks within Pflugerville city limits. She currently serves on the Downtown East Community Stakeholder Committee and has been a member of the CEDS 2.0 Steering Committee with PCDC.

Passions Beyond Business

When she’s not running her business or advocating for local entrepreneurs, Bedford enjoys cooking, entertaining, and spending time with family and friends. A former clarinetist, she aspires to learn the piano in the future.

Contact & More Information

For custom cakes, event catering, and dietary-friendly treats, visit Suga’s Cakery at:
1100 Grand Ave. Pkwy Suite 112, Pflugerville, TX
(512) 262-9983
Info@sugascakery.com
www.sugascakery.com

I Am Ready Swim Recognized as FAVE Innovative Company of 2024 at Austin Young Chamber’s FAVE Awards

Austin, TX – 2024 – The 2024 FAVE Awards celebrate local businesses that exemplify resiliency, adaptability, and innovation, supporting their customers, employees, and the community. This year, I Am Ready Swim, founded by Miranda Collins, was honored as the FAVE Innovative Company of 2024 by the Austin Young Chamber. Miranda is a client of EGBI since 1018, and is now an ambassador of the organization.

I Am Ready Swim provides top-tier aquatic and management services for community pools and commercial facilities, prioritizing safety, high-quality service, and exceptional customer care. The company is also dedicated to giving back to the communities it serves, reinforcing its mission of promoting aquatic safety and community engagement.

About Miranda Collins & The Journey of I Am Ready Swim

Miranda Collins, formerly Miranda Melendez, discovered her passion for water safety at age 18 as a swim instructor and lifeguard. Tragedy struck during her senior year when she lost her mother, prompting her to reflect on her future and pursue work that truly fulfilled her.

Determined to create a business that aligned with her love for teaching kids water safety and preventing water accidents, she continued offering swim lessons after high school. Her big break came when she was offered the lifeguarding contract at the community pool where she had taught for years. With the support of her husband, Dajour, she took a leap of faith—investing their entire savings to launch I Am Ready Swim.

A Thriving, Minority-Owned Business Serving Central Texas

Since its inception, I Am Ready Swim has grown significantly, now employing over 100 individuals every pool season across Austin, Pflugerville, Hutto, Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Manor, and Buda. The company offers a range of aquatic services, including Lifeguarding, Swim instruction, Pool monitoring, Pool cleaning, & Janitorial services for pools and community facilities.

Miranda and her husband, Dajour, continue to lead the company with a strong commitment to safety, community service, and innovation. Under Ready Up Aquatics, Dajour oversees the pool monitors, lifeguards, and maintenance teams, ensuring top-quality service at every location.

Contact & Learn More

For more information about I Am Ready Swim and its services, visit:
🌐 www.iamreadyswim.com
📞 Call: (512) 872-1176

A Better Force Founders, Saamiya Seraj and Sarah Seraj, Recognized with the 2024 Emerging Business Award at the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce’s Ovation Gala

Austin, TX – [Date]Saamiya Seraj and Sarah Seraj, co-founders of A Better Force, have been honored with the 2024 Emerging Business Award at the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce’s Ovation Gala. This prestigious recognition celebrates their outstanding contributions to leadership and professional development, as well as their commitment to equity and empowerment. The sisters have been clients of the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) since 2023, leveraging their expertise to create meaningful change in workplaces and communities.

A Better Force is dedicated to empowering individuals and companies through customized leadership and professional development programs. Their training is tailored to the unique needs of their clients, focusing on well-being, equity, and actionable solutions. As a women- and minority-owned business, they have a strong emphasis on supporting women, BIPOC professionals, and the immigrant community, ensuring that leadership development is inclusive and impactful.

About the Founders

Saamiya Seraj – Co-Founder & CEO

Saamiya Seraj earned her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. Following her doctorate, she spent five years in the construction industry, advocating for improved safety, quality standards, and building designs that prioritize occupants’ mental health and well-being.

Through her industry experience, Saamiya recognized a gap in leadership training that failed to address systemic inequities. She began facilitating workshops and discussions on the topic, which ultimately led to the creation of A Better Force. Her passion lies in empowering individuals—especially BIPOC professionals—and helping companies cultivate thriving, equitable workplace cultures.

Saamiya currently resides in Austin, TX, and is a recent survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a testament to her resilience and determination to create positive change.

Sarah Seraj – Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Sarah Seraj initially pursued a career in environmental engineering but transitioned into social psychology after recognizing the critical role that social and psychological factors play in problem-solving. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, focusing her research on social upheavals, cultural shifts, and racial issues.

At A Better Force, Sarah leads training sessions, consults with businesses on workplace culture, and integrates cutting-edge research in organizational psychology—particularly language-based data analysis—to develop innovative, research-backed solutions for companies.

Currently based in Austin, TX, Sarah enjoys reading and writing fiction in her free time, balancing her analytical expertise with creativity.

A Commitment to Inclusive Leadership Development

With a mission to equip organizations with transformative leadership strategies, A Better Force is redefining workplace training. By combining academic research, real-world experience, and an unwavering commitment to equity, the Seraj sisters are helping companies cultivate inclusive, thriving, and innovative work environments.

For more information about A Better Force and their services, visit www.abetterforce.com.

Lucero Valle awarded 2024 Businesswoman of the Year by the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Austin, TX – October 26th, 2024 – The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC) has awarded Lucero Valle Ortiz, founder of Lucero Creative Studio, the prestigious title of 2024 Businesswoman of the Year. This recognition highlights Lucero’s exceptional contributions as a Latina entrepreneur, agency owner, and advocate for small businesses through strategic branding and high-impact visual storytelling. Lucero has been a client of EGBI since 2012.

As a certified Women and Minority HUB business, Lucero Creative Studio is a culture-driven, bilingual agency dedicated to helping businesses, government entities, corporations, non-profits, and professionals build compelling brand identities. With over 20 years of experience in photography and branding, Lucero and her team have transformed countless businesses by delivering high-quality photography, video production, social media management, and website design that resonates with diverse audiences.

“After years of capturing incredible visuals, we realized our clients needed more than just photography—they needed strategic marketing support,” said Lucero Valle Ortiz. “So, we stepped it up! Now, we offer a full suite of creative services to ensure brands not only look great but also connect meaningfully with their audiences across different platforms and languages.”

Lucero’s commitment to excellence and client success has earned her widespread acclaim. Tito San Diego, a long-time client, praised her expertise:
“I highly recommend Lucero Valle as your next photographer! She’s the ultimate professional—kind, informative, and dedicated to providing outstanding customer service. I’ve had the pleasure of working with her on multiple occasions, and each time she delivers incredible results. Her engagement with subjects allows them to relax and truly shine, making all the difference in her photography.”

Lucero Creative Studio remains at the forefront of empowering brands through powerful visual storytelling, innovative marketing, and a deep commitment to community impact. As Businesswoman of the Year, Lucero Valle continues to inspire and uplift businesses in Austin, Texas, and beyond.

For more information about Lucero Creative Studio and its services, visit or contact https://www.lucero-creative.com/ or (512) 825-9946.

About Lucero Creative Studio

Lucero Creative Studio is a full-service creative agency specializing in commercial photography, videography, branding, social media management, and website design. Led by Lucero Valle Ortiz, a Latina entrepreneur with over two decades of experience, the agency is dedicated to helping businesses craft compelling brand identities that drive engagement and success.

10 Local Businesses Receive Grants During Small Business Week

Photography credit: Javier Carrera www.javiercarrerab.com

Wells Fargo and the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) hosted a listening session with 10 Austin-based small business owners to highlight their testimonials of resilience and perseverance during this year’s National Small Business Week.  During the celebratory event, Wells Fargo awarded EGBI with a $30,000 grant that will enable the nonprofit to continue empowering businesses, while expanding economic development in Austin’s underserved communities. In addition, each of the 10 small businesses were surprised with $1,000 grants to help aid in the success of their respective businesses. The businesses included:

  • Armonia – Armonia is the cultivation of Latin heritage,  celebrating the connection of home and body through nurturing goods that evoke the memories and home essentials that carry stories.
  • Better Foundation Fitness  – BFF identifies major issues that hinder fitness milestones and teaches effective workouts that build the best version of their clients including individuals overcoming injuries.
  • Collected Abundance  Julianna Chung is a professional organizer and owner of Collected Abundance. She serves seniors, families and individuals to declutter together at home for a stress-free, more organized life. Julianna is here for you during life transitions and disaster relief, building a caring community together!
  • Dulce’s Cleaning Services – This company takes pride in offering exceptional cleaning services for your home and community. From residential and commercial cleanings to construction cleanup, office maintenance, Airbnb turnovers, and events, this company provides exceptional quality service every step of the way.
  • Gaines Royal Transport  – Gaines Royal Transport (GRT) is a non-emergency medical transportation service that provides rides to mostly seniors and people with disabilities.
  • Kitty Bird Photo – Photographer is a connection artist that captured warm and expressive images of business events and branding portraits for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Austin. As a collaborative and creative, she offers genuine images that elevate brands and foster community at business events. 
  • LCR Food Services, LLC – Make every occasion a culinary masterpiece with Canapé by Marianne Renauld. LCR Food Services specializes in crafting visually stunning grazing tables and providing personalized catering experiences.
  • Reycast Media  – Reycast Media LLC creates high quality video for broadcast distribution and engaging social media content (video & audio) for brands and businesses. With two decades of experience in the broadcast industry, Reycast Media brings your vision to life in English & Spanish.
  • Smiley’s Recycling & Resale –  Smiley’s Junk Removal and Recycling believes that a difference can be made in the impact on landfills only by recycling, reusing, and up-cycling the items picked up from residents and businesses of Austin, TX and the surrounding area.
  • Kiki Roman hair designer – Full service hair services with specialty in hair color.

“EGBI has been a strong advocate and resource for the small business community in Austin,” said Christopher Rios, Wells Fargo Vice President of Community Impact and Philanthropy. “We understand that access to capital remains a key barrier for minority-owned and-led businesses. We hope that these grants will serve as an extended lifeline to help EGBI and these inspiring business owners continue to flourish and serve their mission.”

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses play a significant role in the economic landscape of Texas, comprising 99.8% of all businesses in the state. These businesses employ 4.9 million individuals, representing 44.5% of the workforce in Texas.

The listening session allowed Wells Fargo to hear from the struggles, milestones, and successes that 10 small business owners and clients of EGBI have experienced in the last year. The small business owners who participated have demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience in their entrepreneurial pursuits with the support of the Economic Growth Business Incubator in 2023. These entrepreneurs shared their experiences of overcoming challenges and driving growth in their businesses and communities. The business owners are a mix of the different industries that represent the true face of small business owners in our community, including a hairdresser, a cleaning company, a media production company, a photographer, a residential organizer, a transportation company, a personal trainer, a product retailer, and junk removal company. In 2023, nearly 500 individuals in the Austin area have benefited from the comprehensive coaching, training, and support provided by EGBI to aspiring and existing business owners facing barriers to success. EGBI was presented with a proclamation honoring their commitment to helping small business flourish in Austin.

“In May 2023, EGBI was named the number one business incubator in the city of Austin by the Austin Business Journal due to number of local businesses assisted,” said Larissa Davila, Executive Director of EGBI. “Our vision is to empower every small business to become profitable, sustainable, and an asset to the community, we try to reduce as many barriers as possible we can for the small business owners to be successful.”

Find the Spanish version here.

EGBI Recognized for Spirit of Collaboration

By Shamitha Ramanan

​​It’s with great pleasure that we announce the recognition of EGBI for a prestigious CAN Butler Award in the Spirit of Collaboration category. EGBI’s nomination for the prestigious CAN Butler Award in the Spirit of Collaboration category is a testament to its exceptional dedication to community advancement in Austin. Through its innovative programs and initiatives, EGBI has fostered a culture of collaboration, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address pressing issues affecting community well-being. By forging partnerships with civic, business, and community groups, EGBI has amplified its positive impact on the community.

The Butler Awards, named in honor of Fred Butler, CAN’s first Executive Director, hold a special place in the hearts of those who champion community advancement. These awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organizations that exemplify the values of collaboration and leadership.

The core of EGBI’s approach is the belief that collaboration is essential for driving meaningful change. By creating a conducive environment for dialogue and cooperation, EGBI has mobilized collective action to address complex challenges effectively. As we celebrate this achievement, let us acknowledge the tireless efforts of EGBI’s team members, partners, and supporters, whose dedication and passion have been instrumental in driving progress.

Find the Spanish version here.