Executive Leadership Selected for New PowerMoves.NOLA Initiative Created to Support Minority Entrepreneurs

PowerMoves.NOLA, a new national initiative focused on providing access to capital, connections and guidance to increase the number of America’s venture-backed minority entrepreneurs. In preparation for launch this weekend, the initiative has announced Earl Robinson as President and September Hargrove as Chief Operating Officer.

PowerMoves.NOLAPowerMoves.NOLA launches July 3-5 in conjunction with the ESSENCE Festival™ Presented by Coca-Cola.

Veteran investment executive and entrepreneur Robinson is also an advisory board member of RLMcCall Capital, which will be relocating to New Orleans soon alongside Robinson. He is a founding board member of Cardinal Points Holdings and an equity sponsor of ClearCompass Digital Group.

“Earl has a strong understanding of and background in the investment community, and he’s launched a number of new ventures during his career, so he understands first hand some of the hurdles that entrepreneurs – especially minority entrepreneurs  – face in getting new businesses off the ground,” said PowerMoves.NOLA Founder Leslie Jacobs, president of the New Orleans Startup Fund.

Hargrove, known for her work in economic development, was the policy and program manager at the Mayor’s office of economic development prior to joining PowerMoves.NOLA. She began her career in government as a California Senate Fellow and has since been involved with organizations in New Orleans such as the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI), Loyola University’s Institute of Politics and From Harvard Square to the Oval Office program, the New Orleans Young Leadership Council, Emerging Philanthropist of New Orleans, New Leaders Council of Louisiana and serves on the boards of many local groups.

Jacobs continued, describing the second, newly appointed leader, “September’s strong background in managing economic development initiatives and her understanding of the business climate here in New Orleans makes her a perfect choice to round out our leadership team. Most importantly, both Earl and September have a real passion and commitment to what we are trying to achieve with PowerMoves.NOLA.”