Creators and Entrepreneurs Online (CEO) Community & Marketplace
CEO is a collective of creators, entrepreneurs, business owners, and side-hustlers with a passion to deliver products and services that matter to you.
CEO was born during the global Covid-19 pandemic with a mission to create a platform that services the needs of customers and entrepreneurs alike. CEO was created so community members have a one-stop-shop for products and services that they love because the unique products and services are created by people who understand the specific wants and needs of the CEO community's customers. CEO was also intentionally created to highlight women and minority owned businesses and entrepreneurs so we community members can easily find and support their businesses as well.
CEO's goal is to create an online community and marketplace that facilitates the economic independence of talented creators, entrepreneurs, businesses owners, and individuals who are just getting started.
About the co-founders and CEO team:
Like many of you, Valery Parham and LeTizia Smith are two 9-to-5ers with a passion for entrepreneurship and supporting others. Both have experienced growth and success along their respective career paths, but as women (more specifically women of color), the journey has not always been easy. As they have embarked on different entrepreneurial ventures, the path has been riddled with even more roadblocks.
Women and minorities face similar challenges in business. They often find themselves alone in the room with no one who understands their unique perspective which leads to a lack of support, added fear, and self-doubt. Unfortunately, they also have less access to funding for their businesses.
When Covid-19 disrupted the global economy in early 2020, its effects magnified the challenges that women and minorities already face in their business and entrepreneurial pursuits. Inundated with the myriad of stories of small businesses being forced to close, Letizia and Valery brainstormed how they could help influence positive change while supporting women and minorities. Armed with this information and knowledge from a previous venture, the pair created a community marketplace to not only support entrepreneurs and small businesses but also provide a platform to women and minority entrepreneurs that highlights their products and services, give them an amplified online presence, and create a community of support.
Since starting CEO, Letizia and Valery have spoken with and connected with women and minorities from different backgrounds and places. They have been uplifted and encouraged by the very business owners they seek to help. People’s resilience, determination, love and support during challenging times has been a tremendously powerful force that both Letizia and Valery are grateful for.
Thank you all for your encouragement and support, and WELCOME TO CREATORS AND ENTREPRENEURS ONLINE!
Valery holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Belmont University. Letizia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and an Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Emory University School of Nursing.
