VIRTUAL EVENTS

#WineDownWednesdays = A Virtual Lunch + Learn Series

Wi Lunch + Learn is a bimonthly virtual educational series aimed at providing FREE and paid educational resources for Caribbean business professionals and entrepreneurs alike. Topics spans across varied learning domains including: AI & tech tools demos, Pitches & Public speaking, Budgeting/Financial planning, Social media tools and tactics, E-commerce essentials & More.

2025 SCHEDULE

Select Wednesdays @ 12 PM ET

AUGUST 2025 (BLACK BUSINESS MONTH)

August 20th: Shawnessa Devonish-Ford | Securing Media Placement: How to Get Featured and Elevate Your Brand
August 6th: Nicole Grimes | Chat GPT, Gen AI & AI Agents - Unlocking New Ways to Increase Productivity, Save Time and Scale Your Business

JULY 2025 - NO EVENTS

JUNE 2025 (CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH)

June 11th: Lorraine O’Connor | Making Your Business Investible & Getting Financing

MAY 2025 (MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH)

May 14th: Leah Marville | Building A Formidable Mindset
May 21st : Kyle Griffith | Building A Sellable Business

May 28th: Ariane Camille, LPC + Janelle Marshall, LPC | Taking Care of WiSelves: Self-Care Strategies & Burnout Prevention

APRIL 2025 (FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH)

Apr 9th: Presented By Chase for Business w/ Franco Riofrio | Building a Business Foundation That Lasts
Apr 16th: Nicole McCullum | The Google Ads Playbook: A Blueprint for Succeeding at Paid Search

MARCH 2025 (WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH)

Mar 5th: Nicole McCullum | Mastering SEO: Strategies to Dominate Search & Increase Your Website Traffic

FEBRUARY 2025 (REGGAE MONTH + BLACK HISTORY MONTH)

Feb 12th: Presented By Chase for Business w/ Natasha Castillo | Cyber Safety For All:+ Scams, ID theft, and Financial Exploitation
Feb 19th: Kyle Maloney | Leveraging Community to Build & Scale Your Brand

JANUARY 2025

Jan 29th: Dr. Nicole Grimes | Business Framework Fundamentals - Creating Your Business Model Canvas & Planning for 2025

Chat GPT, Gen AI & AI Agents - Unlocking New Ways to Increase Productivity, Save Time and Scale Your Business

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

NEW Date: August 6th 2025

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: Virtual. Link to Follow with RSVP.

Session Focus: Calling all creatives and small biz owners: Join us for an exclusive session on gen AI, AI agents and understanding how to get more efficient, improve your productivity and ultimately scale your business. You’ll learn some new incredible AI tools and get the opportunity to build your very first AI agent!

Bio: As CEO and founder of Carib Biz Network, Nicole has built a vibrant, internationally recognized ecosystem that empowers Caribbean entrepreneurs through curated events, workshops, and brand strategy services. Her platform, which began as a grassroots community initiative, has become a multiple certified M/WBE and a trusted name in the small business development space, especially among creators in the Caribbean diaspora. With its three core values of education, community & marketing, At the helm of CBN, she remains fervently committed to the success of its growing network of 700+ members. She has launched pop-up marketplaces at the Trinidad & Tobago Embassy in DC and throughout NYC—supporting hundreds of founders and helping them find funding, visibility, and scalable growth. Nicole’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fox 5 NY and The Guardian T&T. She’s been honored by the NYC Council, Seeds of Fortune, and I Am Cultured for her contributions to education and entrepreneurship. She continues to advise institutions and small businesses on organizational leadership, scaling tactics, AI in schools, and strategic DEI practices.

REGISTER FOR FREE TO LOCK IN YOUR SPOT!

Securing Media Placement: How to Get Featured and Elevate Your Brand

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

NEW Date: August 20th 2025

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: Virtual. Link to Follow with RSVP.

Bio: Shawnessa Devonish-Ford is a Licensed Therapist, sought-after media contributor, and coach who has been transforming lives both on and off the couch for over a decade. Drawing strength from her Guyanese and Trinidadian roots, Shawnessa empowers individuals to overcome the emotional and psychological barriers that impact their happiness, intimacy, and ambition in their professional and personal lives.

As the founder of Rejuvenated Minds Therapeutic Services LLC and Abundance Coaching and Consulting LLC, Shawnessa is passionate about helping business owners amplify their brand visibility through media. With a proven track record of securing press on local, national, and international platforms, she’s been featured in over 30 major outlets, including The Real Housewives of Potomac, Forbes, Fox News, HuffPost UK, and Essence.

REGISTER FOR FREE TO LOCK IN YOUR SPOT!

VIEW C15 STUDIOS

COMPANY REEL

PASSED EVENTS

Making Your Business Investible & Getting Financing

Honoring Caribbean American Heritage Month

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: PASSED

Time: 12 PM ET

Session Host: Lorraine O’Connor of C15 Studios

C15 Studios Ltd. is a Caribbean cash flow solutions company specializing in the creative sector based in Trinidad & Tobago.

Location: Virtual. Link to follow with registration.

Taking Care of WiSelves + Investing in a Healthy Future: Self-Care Strategies & Burnout Prevention

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: PASSED

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: Virtual. Link to Follow with RSVP.

Guests: In conversation with Caribbean-rooted therapists:
Ariane Camille, LPC (Barbados + St. Vincent)
Janelle Marshall, LPC ( Dominica + Trinidad & Tobago)

Session Focus: Community care IS self-care. It's time we normalize mental health conversations in Caribbean culture—because strength also means softness.

Learn practical, culturally grounded tools to support your emotional wellness
Free resources included: Feelings Workbook + Self Care Bingo

How To Build A Sellable Business:

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: PASSED

Time: 12 PM ET

The NYBB Group is a full-service, boutique Merger and Acquisition and Business Advisory Firm specializing in the confidential sale, acquisition, and valuation of small and mid-sized, privately held businesses with revenues up to $100 Million.

Session Host: Kyle Griffith, CBI, CM & AP

Managing Partner , NYBB Group
CEO/Founder, Eminae Network

Location: Virtual. Link to follow with registration.

Building A Formidable Mindset

Honoring Mental Health Wellness Month

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: PASSED

Time: 12 PM ET

Session Host: Leah Marville

Leah Marville has almost two decades of building a brand of excellence across multiple careers and countries. She now dedicates her life to service through educating and inspiring Visionaries, marginalized communities and brands to reach their desired transformation and success goals through the Transformation Learning Theory, NLP-focused techniques, strategy, productivity and holistic methods. She also continues to use her fashion and model platform to partner with brands.

Location: Virtual. https://streamyard.com/watch/F3AAd24a4yKp

The Google Ads Playbook: A Blueprint for Succeeding at Paid Search

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: Apr 16th 2025

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: PASSED

Speaker: Nicole McCullum, CEO/Founder, Captivate Designs

About This Session: Join Nicole McCullum for an exclusive session on mastering Google Ads. Learn how to leverage this powerful tool to boost visibility, create brand awareness, reach your ideal clients, and generate leads and sales.

Key Takeaways:

Turn Google into your number one referral source
Effective strategies and tactics for using Google Ads
Insights to maximize your ad spend and boost returns

Building a Business Foundation That Lasts:

Honoring Financial Literacy Month

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: Apr 9th 2025

Time: PASSED

Speaker: Franco Riofrio, VP & Senior Business Consultant at Chase

Building a Business Foundation that lasts – Lay the groundwork for long-term business success by establishing a strong foundation for growth. This workshop will focus on key strategies to develop, agility, resilience, and sustainability in an ever-evolving market. Join us to gain insights, practical tools, and expert guidance to build a business that thrives for years to come.

Mastering SEO: Strategies to Dominate Search & Increase Your Website Traffic

& Increase Website Traffic

Honoring Women’s History Month

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: PASSED

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: Virtual. Link to follow with registration.

Speaker: Nicole McCullum, CEO/Founder, Captivate Designs

About this session: Join Nicole McCullum for an insightful session on mastering SEO to dominate search results and boost your website traffic. Learn the latest tactics for optimizing your site, and proven and tested best practices that deliver results.

Key Takeaways:

Tactics for optimizing for SEO of today
Proven & tested SEO best practices that deliver results
The key to outranking your competition

Leveraging Community to Build & Scale Your Brand

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: February 19th

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: PASSED

About: Learn key strategies on how to cultivate a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem and harness the power of networks to create opportunities, partnerships, and long-term success.

Speaker: Kyle Maloney, Co-Founder, Tech Beach Retreat

Kyle Maloney, a tech-entrepreneur and investor from Trinidad & Tobago, has made a profound impact in the tech industry through his innovative approach and forward-thinking strategies. Kyle has co-founded five groundbreaking companies, each spearheading advancements in fields ranging from Building Sustainability to Digital Marketing. His most notable company, Tech Beach Retreat (TBR), epitomizes his vision of connecting and empowering the tech communities across the US, Caribbean, and Latin America.

Cyber Safety For All:+ Scams, ID theft, and Financial Exploitation

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: Feb 12th 2025

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: PASSED

Speaker: Natasha Castillo, Community Manager, JP Morgan Chase.

With fraud and scams on the rise, it’s important to educate yourself. In this workshop, you’ll learn how keeping organized can help keep you safe, how to spot common scams, and what to do if you or a loved one is impacted by fraud or identity theft.

Business Framework Fundamentals - Creating Your Business Model Canvas & Planning for 2025

#WineDownWednesdays - A Lunch + Learn Series

Date: Jan 29th 2025

Time: 12 PM ET

Location: PASSED

Session Materials: Download and print this document for full reward of the experience!

Session Focus: Calling all creatives and small biz owners: Join us for an exclusive Vision Planning Session designed to help you map out your goals and elevate your brand for the new year!