Former DEC Network executive Tarsha Hearns will join the Washington, D.C.-based Small Business Majority advocacy organization next month as vice president for entrepreneurship.
Hearns, who was senior director of ecosystems at the Dallas-based DEC Network since June 2022, will direct Small Business Majority’s educational programming and resources initiatives, which provide a suite of programs and resources to small business owners to empower them to start and grow their enterprises and maximize their economic prosperity.
She also will work with SBM’s Outreach team to implement educational programming in key states. SBM has offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Atlanta.
“The fact that we’ve seen a historically high 19 million new business filings since 2021, combined with Small Business Majority’s increased focus on the needs of entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities, makes Tarsha Hearns an essential addition to our team,” Small Business Majority founder and CEO John Arensmeyer said in a statement. “We look forward to tapping Tarsha’s deep expertise as we seek to further support the smallest businesses and develop essential resources that will help those businesses grow.”
A track record of empowering diverse entrepreneurs
Hearns has many years of experience successfully designing, managing, and raising funds for programs that empower women, BIPOC, and other entrepreneurs. Before DEC Network, her prior position was as executive director of the Lift Fund DFW Women’s Business Center.
She has led various entrepreneurial ecosystem initiatives in the Dallas area, including launching the women’s business center, leading the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Community Navigator Program in Dallas, and overseeing entrepreneur center resources. She served on the board of the Association of Women’s Business Centers and was a member of the Ecosystem Builders Leadership Project Council.
She recently led the Dallas Capital Access Study, highlighting significant barriers faced by Black and Latino businesses in Dallas County. She also led formation of the Dallas Collaborative for Capital Access.
Hearns, who’s been an entrepreneur for 20 years, is a published author, professor, and podcast host.
Small Business Majority is a national small business organization that empowers America’s diverse entrepreneurs to build a thriving and equitable economy. It engages with more than 85,000 small businesses and 1,500 business and community organizations to advocate for public policy solutions and deliver resources to entrepreneurs that promote equitable small business growth.
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