Economic opportunity rarely begins with capital.

More often, it begins with community.

Someone shares a program.
Someone forwards a fellowship.
Someone introduces you to a room you didn’t know existed.

Access to information and networks is often the quiet infrastructure behind economic mobility. When communities share knowledge, opportunity expands.

At The Wealth Salons, our work centers around that simple belief:

Economic agency begins with access to information and community.

Each month, this newsletter surfaces opportunities, programs, and conversations that help individuals and founders move forward economically.

Support The Wealth Salons

The Wealth Salons exists to expand access to economic opportunity through information, community, and financial literacy.

Your support allows us to continue surfacing programs, capital pathways, and knowledge networks that help individuals build long-term prosperity.

Support Here

Partnerships & Community Highlight

This month we are especially excited to introduce someone who spends a great deal of time thinking about exactly that invisible infrastructure.

We’re proud to welcome Mel to the team and to the broader B. PM Brands ecosystem.

Welcoming Mel: The Systems Behind the Story

Every successful founder story has something deeper behind it.

Systems.
Infrastructure.
Communities that make those outcomes possible.

We are excited to introduce Mel, whose work focuses on understanding and building the systems that support entrepreneurs, ecosystems, and long-term economic opportunity.

Mel’s first essay explores a topic many people overlook: the invisible systems that sit behind successful founders and venture ecosystems. These systems shape how opportunity moves, how capital flows, and how founders build lasting companies.

Read Mel’s introduction ↓

DVRGNT Ventures

The Systems Behind the Story

Field Notes from the Intersection of Story, Systems, and Strategy…

Read more

2 months ago · 33 likes · Mel M

Babson Financial Literacy Project

Another initiative aligned with our mission is the Babson Financial Literacy Project, which works to expand access to financial education and economic empowerment through community-based learning.

Their work focuses on ensuring individuals gain the knowledge needed to navigate financial systems, understand capital, and build long-term financial stability. This work also connects directly to community partnerships like the upcoming financial literacy session at Glendale Community College.

The Wealth Salons believe strongly that financial literacy is foundational to economic agency, and we are encouraged to see institutions like Babson advancing that mission through partnerships with communities and educational institutions.

Learn more

From The Archive

The Wealth Equation: Why Average Advice Rarely Builds Exceptional Wealth

Much of the financial advice people receive is designed to produce average outcomes.

But wealth building often requires something different. It requires understanding how systems, capital, and opportunity interact.

This archive essay explores why conventional financial advice often produces average outcomes rather than meaningful economic mobility and how individuals can begin thinking more strategically about wealth building.

Read the full article ↓

The Wealth Salons

The Wealth Equation: Why "Average" Advice is a Liability

Most financial advice is an assembly line. It’s built for an “average” person who doesn’t exist, living a life you likely don’t want. It tells you to play defense: cut the lattes, maximize the 401k, put your money in a mutual fund, and check back in forty years…

Read more

4 months ago · 2 likes · The Wealth Salons and B. Pagels-Minor

Funding Opportunities

Each month we highlight credible funding opportunities accessible to founders and professionals across the Wealth Salons community.

PearX Startup Accelerator

PearX is a 12-week accelerator designed for early-stage founders preparing to scale and raise venture capital. The program provides mentorship, investor introductions, and funding to help founders refine their product strategy and market traction.

Many alumni companies have gone on to raise significant venture capital.

Deadline
April 12, 2026

Apply Here

gener8tor Skills Accelerator

The gener8tor Skills Accelerator helps individuals transition into high-growth careers through mentorship, career coaching, and skills training.

Participants receive structured support designed to help them move into more competitive roles across technology, digital services, and emerging industries.

Deadline
March 27, 2026

Learn More

Amber Grant for Women

Grant Opportunity: WomensNet awards the Amber Grant each month to women-owned businesses across the United States. One recipient per month receives $30,000 to invest in their business. At the end of the year, one monthly winner receives an additional $50,000 grand prize. This is one of the most consistent and accessible grants available for women founders at any stage — from idea to growth.

Deadline: March 31, 2026

Apply Here

Know of a funding opportunity that should be featured? Reply to this email and let us know.

Your support helps us continue this research. Contribute here →

Events & Founder Opportunities

MONEY 101: Building Financial Stability from the Ground Up

Financial Literacy | Community Education

As part of Women’s History Month programming, Glendale Community College is hosting a financial literacy session focused on the fundamentals of navigating the U.S. financial system.

B. Pagels-Minor will lead the discussion, sharing both practical financial strategies and personal insights from their journey building financial stability.

Topics will include:

• Understanding how credit scores work
• Setting up checking, savings, and investment accounts
• Creating a realistic and sustainable budget
• Strategies for consistent saving and long-term financial growth

The session is hosted by GCC Student Equity & Cultural Diversity in partnership with Women’s History Month programming and reflects the growing collaboration between community institutions and initiatives like the Babson Financial Literacy Project.

Date
March 23, 2026

Time
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

Register

BGV Pull Up & Pitch Detroit

Pull Up & Pitch is one of the most dynamic pitch competitions supporting women founders.

Hosted by Black Girl Ventures, the event allows founders to pitch their businesses live while audiences vote and provide financial support to participating companies.

Beyond funding, the event helps founders build visibility and connect with community members, investors, and ecosystem supporters.

Date
March 28, 2026

RSVP

Wealth Reflection

Communities that share information create opportunity.

When people share fellowships, programs, and resources, they create pathways that others may not have discovered on their own.

At The Wealth Salons, we believe economic agency grows when information circulates freely.

So if you discover an opportunity that could help someone else move forward, share it with someone who may benefit from it.

That small act can change someone’s trajectory.

Support The Work

If this newsletter has helped you discover opportunities, programs, or resources, please consider supporting The Wealth Salons.

Your support allows us to continue expanding access to information, financial literacy, and economic opportunity.

Donate Here

Subscribe now

February carries memory. But we are not here to live in memory.

We are here to build.

The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances shows the White–Black median wealth gap exceeded $220,000 in 2022. That is not a statistic for despair. It is a design problem.

We do not look back to rehearse injustice.
We look forward to engineer ownership.

Participation in the economic system is not submission.
It is leverage — when done strategically.

Support The Work

If this work matters to you, help us expand it.

Donate to The Wealth Salons

Power in Partnerships

We build teams like we build portfolios: distinct strengths, aligned values, long-term thinking.

Meet Ivy Binns, our Strategic Partnerships & Board Liaison.

Ivy works at the intersection of trust and execution — turning “we should” into “it’s done.” She supports partnership development across our ecosystem, including The Wealth Salons, ensuring that our growth compounds rather than fragments.

Read her latest reflection:

Relationships Are Infrastructure

DVRGNT Ventures

Relationships Are Infrastructure

One of my favorite questions to ask someone is, “How did you end up here…

Read more

3 months ago · 6 likes · Ivy Binns

Institutions are not built on moments.
They are built on maintained relationships.

From the Archive

The Quiet Power of the Dollar

If you missed it, we recently published:

The Quiet Power of the Dollar

This essay explores:

• When boycotts create leverage

• When withdrawal removes us from power

• Why participation without strategy is just consumption

Economic participation is not emotional.
It is architectural.

Funding Windows Open Now

If you lead a nonprofit or community organization, these are real pathways open right now.

Ms. Foundation for Women

Asian Women’s Giving Circle — 2026 RFP

For: Asian women-led and gender-expansive organizations advancing justice and equity
Deadline: March 31, 2026

Apply:

Community-governed capital funding lived-experience leadership.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Community Equity Grants

For: BIPOC-led nonprofits advancing equity and economic opportunity
Application model: Rolling / relationship-based

Start here:

Institutional capital requires institutional readiness: governance, metrics, and clarity.

Trans Justice Funding Project

Deadline: February 14, 2026

For: Trans-led and trans-serving grassroots organizations

Apply immediately:

This newsletter publishes on February 13 — which means you have one day.

If you qualify, apply now.
If you miss this cycle, calendar it for next year. Strong funders reward preparation.

Founders & Builders

SXSW Innovation Conference

Austin, TX · March 12–18, 2026

An ecosystem collision point for builders, technologists, creatives, and founders.

Explore:

Exposure matters — but only if paired with readiness.

Build With Us

We are building infrastructure for financial fluency, collective strategy, and institutional ownership.

If you believe this work matters, don’t just read it.

Fund it.

Donate Here

Until Next Month

Wealth is quiet.
It compounds.
It organizes.

Stay happy.
Stay healthy.
Stay hopeful.
Stay paid.

— The Wealth Salons

Strengthen This Work

One final opportunity to act:

Donate

Subscribe now

A Note from B: The Blueprint Was Never Meant for Us

My mother never made more than $24,000 a year in her entire life. We came from the red dirt roads of Mississippi, a place where the systems of wealth were not just out of reach—they felt like they were in another universe. Yet, my mom gave me one of the most powerful tools I’ve ever received: she taught me about taxes. She explained how biased systems work and how to navigate them with confidence. That knowledge was my first taste of liberation.

This is why I say financial literacy is a form of liberation. It’s not about becoming a millionaire overnight. It’s about understanding that the blueprint for success we’ve been shown was never meant for many of us, so we have to write our own. It’s knowing how to get a gas bill in a new city or how to open a savings account so you have options when life gets hard. It’s the freedom that comes from knowing you can take care of yourself, your family, and your community on your own terms.

The Wealth Salons exists to give you the tools to write that new blueprint. We are here to demystify the language of money and break down the barriers that have kept so many of us out of the conversation. We’re building a community where ownership isn’t just an option—it’s survival. This month, we’re starting with the basics, because every journey, including the one from food stamps to fund manager, begins with a single, informed step.

Let’s build.

What is “The Wealth Salons”?

The Wealth Salons is a nonprofit, a gift to people to help them achieve their wealth goals. I launched it because I realized the difference between success and failure is simply resources. For too long, the tools and networks for building financial power have been gatekept, costing thousands of dollars and excluding the very people who need them most. The Wealth Salons is my answer to that.

Our mission is to reshape capitalism into a model that centers on people, not profits. We are a wealth learning community for people from historically underinvested communities to get support and build foundational knowledge in business and finance. This is a space for young adults, leaders, and tastemakers from all minority communities, but it’s equitable to all ages. When we say “historically underinvested,” we mean anyone who has been systematically excluded—whether it’s because of where you were born, your race, gender, sexuality, or disability.

Here, we provide the tools, language, and networks to build lasting financial power, because we believe wealth shouldn’t be a privilege—it should be part of our shared infrastructure.

Wealth 101: Financial Literacy is Liberation

Financial literacy isn’t just about spreadsheets and stock tickers; it’s a form of liberation. Understanding how money works—how economic systems are often set up to make you feel inadequate—gives you options, control, and the freedom to build a life on your own terms. For too long, the systems of wealth have excluded many of us. The Wealth Salons exists to change that by providing the tools, language, and networks needed for everyone to participate in capitalism and build financial power.

Our mission is to break down complex financial topics into simple, accessible concepts. Financial wellness isn’t only about big goals like buying a house; it’s about understanding everything from how to get a gas bill in a new city to setting up a Roth IRA. This knowledge builds confidence. My mother, who never made more than $24,000 a year, taught me about taxes and how to navigate biased systems, giving me the confidence to take control of my own wealth.

Feeling overwhelmed? That’s normal. The key is to start with baby steps. Here are two you can take today:

• Reframe Your Budget: Budgeting isn’t about restriction; it’s about paying yourself and scheduling in joy. Prioritize your absolute necessities first, then long-term goals, and finally, make room for things that bring you happiness—even if it’s a small treat. Using budgeting software can make getting started much easier.

• Start a Savings Habit (Even with $5): The amount you save matters less than the habit itself. Begin by saving what you can afford, even if it’s just $5 or $25 per paycheck, and put it into a dedicated savings account. Building that muscle memory creates a financial cushion that brings peace of mind. As you see it grow, that feeling of security becomes addictive.

This is the foundation of “virtuous capitalism”—a system that centers people, not just profits. By empowering ourselves with financial knowledge, we build stronger communities and lay the groundwork for generational success.

Member Spotlight: Anna Cobb, Founder of Rejuvenation

Meet Anna Cobb, founder of Rejuvenation. We’re excited to be investing in her new venture, a wellness brand built around the health benefits of okra water. Anna’s journey is a powerful example of what happens when you combine deep personal expertise with relentless drive. Her proprietary method for creating her products is a game-changer, and we’re working with her to build a new corporate entity, defend her IP, and position her for acquisition by a major player like Sephora. Be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn by clicking here.

Learn more about the plant-based beverage company and shop their energy drinks by clicking here.

Community Corner: Events & Opportunities

That’s a Wrap on LA Tech Week!!!

If you weren’t there, let’s just say you missed out and you might want to be there next time (Hint Hint: Art Basel in Miami Beach - See upcoming events below  😉)! TWS partnered with the Canadian Consulate on October 13th to hold our marquee event focused on rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation for founders and investors. Rest assured, this is just the beginning of seeing TWS put on events like these for the community filled with networking, opportunity, and overall and amazing time!

Check out the recap below:

Don’t forget to #LikeSubscribeShare to our YouTube channel by clicking here!

Upcoming Events:

• Pathway to Building Wealth Through Financial Literacy Workshop: Nov 8, 2025, Pathway Christian Church, Atlanta, GA - Free. Beginner-friendly workshop on financial literacy and wealth-building for the general public. Reserve your spot here.

• The More You Know, The Less You Owe: Foundations of Money: Nov 12 & Nov 26, 2025, Dallas College (Virtual) - Free (online). Focused on building a strong financial base: budgeting, saving, managing money for everyday folks. Learn more here.

• Art Basel: Dec 5-7, 2025, Miami Beach, FL - We are exploring another collaboration for Art Basel, potentially featuring a hackathon, to connect art, tech, and business. Grab tickets here.

• WealthBuilders Conference 2026: Feb 20-22, 2026 — Lone Tree (Denver metro), CO - Built for individuals wanting to build generational wealth, investing, etc. Open to the public. Find more info here.

• Personal Financial Planning In‑Person Seminar: May 29-30, 2026 — CWA Frisco Conference Center, Frisco/DFW, TX - Cost: $100. Two-day seminar covering basics of investing, debt management, goal setting, estate planning — appropriate for non-professionals. Register now right here.

• Financial Literacy Program – My Money My Future: Ongoing, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta, GA - Free program. While not a one-day event, it offers multiple classes + coaching for everyday people to improve financial readiness (especially homeowners). Learn more and register for the next workshop here.

Member-Hosted Events:

Here, we like to amplify what’s happening within our community from members. Be on the lookout for a form coming soon to submit your events.

Ask B: Your Questions Answered

Question: I’m a founder, and I’m struggling with confidence. I feel like I’m not as smart as the people I see in New York or Silicon Valley. How do I overcome this?

Answer: This is something I see all the time, especially with founders from the Great 38™️. It’s middle school confidence stuff. First, understand that your journey is your strength. You know how to build with fewer resources, which makes you capital-efficient. Second, you have to run yourself like a corporation: do a deep analysis of your pros and cons, figure out what makes you uniquely powerful, and then double down on it. Your authenticity is your superpower. Most founders, even Elon Musk, look like goobers. It’s not about looking the part; it’s about executing.

Call to Action: Build With Us

“The Wealth Salons is a gift to help you achieve your wealth goals. This work is powered by our community and our allies. If you believe in this mission, here’s how you can get involved:

• Sponsor an Event: Our partners, like the Canadian Consulate of Los Angeles and Cooley LLP, are critical to our success. Contact us to learn about sponsorship opportunities. Click here to become a sponsor.

• Donate: Your contribution helps us provide free resources and programming to our communities. Click here to donate.

• Join the Community: Sign up to become a member and connect with a network of changemakers.” Click here to become a member.

B. Pagels-Minor (they/them) is a founder, investor, strategist, and coach building the future of capital, equity, and leadership through DVRGNT Ventures, The Wealth Salons, and beyond.