Fueling Founders
What does it mean to fuel founders with capital, community and clarity? It means surrounding founders with the right people, tools, and insight so they can move from surviving to scaling. This mindset sets the stage for one of the most important times of year for entrepreneurs.
Fall is grant season, and if you’re a founder, this is the window you don’t want to miss.
Between September and November, funders close out their annual budgets, launch new grant cycles, and actively seek visionaries to invest in. But here’s the truth I’ve learned over the years: winning a grant is about more than submitting a polished application. It’s about showing up with clarity, momentum, and a story that moves people.
And this summer, I’ve seen that power firsthand.
This week, alongside our incredible partners at Knox St. Studios in Durham, North Carolina, we had the honor of awarding $5,000 grants to a dynamic group of entrepreneurs who completed our Wocstar Academy program. These founders didn’t just attend sessions; they showed growth, grit, and a real commitment to building ventures that matter.
Let me shout them out:
🌿 ,John Deberry Sr. founder of Burdock Naturals, whose work in wellness is rooted in community care.
💄 Jessica Couch of founder Looks Ai, transforming the future of fashion tech.
🏢 DeShawn Brown founder of Coworks, is building infrastructure that supports creative spaces.
🌱 Danyell Miller, MSCIS founder of Bend The Twig, designing sustainable solutions that bend but don’t break.
🍹 Homayoon Ershadi , founder of Jabin Beverage Company, is bringing Persian heritage to your palate with every sip.
Watching each of these founders receive their grant, knowing the late nights, pivots, and belief it took to get there, was a full-circle moment. But it wasn’t just a celebration of them. It was a celebration of the ecosystem that made it possible.
This milestone wouldn’t have happened without the dedication and vision of @richard brown Richard Brown and Talib Graves-Manns from Knox St. Studios. Their work on the ground in Durham is a blueprint for what real founder support looks like—not just capital, but connection. And on the Wocstar side, a huge thank you to Kriss Ascanio Gomez, our strategic advisor and ecosystem builder, who helped ensure this partnership reflected both impact and intentionality.
Durham has always been a city with deep entrepreneurial roots. From our kickoff event earlier this year, where we launched the local Wocstar Academy cohort surrounded by Black leaders, creatives, and community champions—it was clear we weren’t just planting seeds. We were investing in a legacy.
So if you’ve been wondering whether now is the time to apply for a grant, I’m here to tell you: yes. START!
Get your materials together. Lead with your story. Don’t play small. And if you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few places to explore:
Grants.gov for federal opportunities
What I know for sure is this: Funders fund motion. They invest in people who are already moving, already building, already proving that their ideas are more than a dream; they're a strategy.
This fall, I hope you make the ask, write the application, and tell the story only you can tell. You’re not just building a business. You’re building a legacy.
Stay Fabulous,
Gayle Jennings O'Byrne
CEO, Wocstar Capital
find this blog on linkedin here