Small Businesses, Big Community: Female Entrepreneurship on the Beltline
This Women’s Small Business Month, we’re spotlighting female entrepreneurs who have grown their businesses along with the Beltline.
Small businesses are at the heart of what makes Atlanta unique. The Beltline’s thoughtful economic development efforts aim to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into accomplished goals, recognizing the role they play in shaping a vibrant, inclusive local economy.
That mission is evident in Beltline Business Ventures (BBV), a free, cohort-based small business accelerator program launched in 2023 by the Atlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office in partnership with The Center by Lendistry and CVM Worldwide. The program supports local entrepreneurs looking to scale their operations or open second locations within the Beltline Planning Area.
Over the years, participants have spanned a wide variety of industries, including fitness, education, food & beverage, real estate, urban mobility, and more. It equips graduates with 1:1 business advising, hybrid learning sessions, networking, and a chance to participate in a pitch competition to win capital.
Symphony Lyricist, a first-generation founder who created yogi-inspired wellness and aromasomatic skincare brand Lotus Flower Om, was reminded that she was not the only one trying to figure out her business plan when she completed BBV in 2024.
“I was inspired by the different paths that a lot of people chose. Some pivoted, some expanded, some stripped back to their core,” she said. “Every one of their stories about their business journey gave me a new way to see my own options.”
“Beltline Business Ventures made the hard parts feel less personal,” she said. “It has opened the doors I didn't know how to find on my own, including access to people, tools and knowledge that would have taken me years to gather in that short period of time. But more than anything, it gave me a lot of clarity that I know what my next steps look like and how to get there.”
Atlanta Native Piper “Posh” Barely, owner of luxury hair salon and haircare brand Posh Hair District, says her business has grown approximately 25–35% since graduating in 2025. She expressed that growth is especially meaningful because it hasn't only been about increasing revenue.
“I've also strengthened the structure of the business, implemented new practices, became more strategic about pricing and recurring revenue, and continued utilizing relationships and resources that I gained,” she said.
Posh Hair District is located near the Westside Trail and Westside Beltline Connector in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood.
“For a small business, that creates an opportunity to be part of the city’s growth while also contributing something unique to that community,” Posh said.
Nikki Harris launched Everythang Dope during the pandemic, turning her longtime love of fashion and thrift shopping into a passion she shares with others. As her business grew more successful, she came across the BBV program and quickly discovered the power of Atlanta's entrepreneurship community.
“The city needs small businesses,” she said. “We are the creators; we are the shape shifters.”
Today, the entrepreneur says her location at Ponce City Market is a dream come true. She enjoys interacting with local customers and visitors from all over the world.
“I am a part of an evolution, being on the Beltline,” Nikki said. “I just love the way that women have been showing up and showing out for the longest time now.”
As more miles are added to the trail, the Beltline remains committed to creating opportunities for small businesses like these and expanding access to affordable commercial space along the corridor. To learn more about how the Beltline Solutions Office can support your small business journey, click here.
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