JPMorgan Chase: Coach for Impact

by Ramona Maben

ALL VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND INTERVIEWS CREATED BY RAMONA MABEN

In a day and age where corporations are running the world, one has to ask, where are the good old days; the neighborhoods embedded with Mom-and-Pop stores? Missing are the once abundant minority owned businesses, shops where you could get original, tailor made, cultural items and services. The 125th Street Mall was once alive and BRICS and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone enabled many to own their destiny. 

Harlem once thrived with independent vendors, artists, and musicians crowding the streets so significantly, you almost had to walk sideways to pass another pedestrian. The orchestra of voices and scents of burning stick incense lingered for blocks upon blocks. Auditory and olfactory nostalgia. Still, all is not lost. Now, a new avenue of support is established, the “COACH FOR IMPACT” initiative.

Recently JP Morgan Chase, N.A. Bank located in Harlem, held a graduation for small business owners. These small businesses were registered within the JP Morgan Chase Bank “COACH FOR IMPACT” program. 

This program is designed to combine seasoned and experienced executives in finance, with small business owners to assist and support these owners in obtaining multiple goals and objectives.  

From strategy, credit, loans, business structure, financial advisement and planning, “COACH FOR IMPACT” is there every step of the way to ensure success toward starting and maintaining a small business. Quite a few of the graduates of this community initiative have branched out with franchises or are now ready to expand outside of the city and state. 

Top executives in attendance were Evena Everett Sumra, VP., SR. Business Consultant, and a 21-year professional in the Chase banking arena, Lily Villani, the Office Business Relationship Manager, working in finance at Chase for 17 years, Andrea Geraldo, Senior Business Consultant and Sean Ramsaywak, JP Morgan Chase Area Manager. 

Mr. Ramsaywak, also a coach for “COACH FOR IMPACT”, spoke about the program’s requirements and what the program provides.

Some of the requirements for the “COACH FOR IMPACT”, are:

• The business has to be running for a minimum of 2 years.
• The business must have an annual revenue of $100,000.

“COACH FOR IMPACT” accepts all types of businesses and you do not have to be a Chase bank customer to register for this program.

The “COACH FOR IMPACT” program addresses:

• Performance pro analysis
• In-depth coaching to the area of focus.
• Business development.
• Operation Management.
• Building teams of trusted advisors.
• Cash flow management.
• A one-on-one executive coach for the individual small business owner(s).

Present also was Roxanne Neislon, Managing Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, Manhattan Center, as well as, other Harlemite consultants, business owners and agents. 

The graduates were numerous. One such graduate was (a very young entrepreneur/business owner) Breanna Marshall, who with her father William, owns Benswic Gym; a family-owned gym in Harlem. 

Upon receiving their certifications, each business owner elaborated on how impactful the program was in achieving their objectives, purpose, and in building generational wealth. Some of the varied businesses graduates were:

• QUALITY WET PAINT, LLC
• N.Y. CARPENTRY INC.
• INTERLIX LLC
• BUUNNI COOFEE LLC
• DH2 CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION, INC.
• WRC BUILDING MAITENANCE CORP.
• BRIMELA ROUTES CORP
• KAT BODYTECH INC.
• BENSWIC INC.
• CARIBBEAN FOOD DELIGHTS INC.
• ROYAL CARIBBEAN JAMAICAN BAKERY.
• CLUSTER TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC.
• FRESH WATER COUNSELING & CONSULTING LLC.
• KAREN MYRIEN, MD.
• JANE WADE LLV.
• GORJUS DOC LLC.
• MAMA LAM’S LLC.
• THE BIRTHING PLACE LLC
• MALCOLM PATRICK CORPORATION.
• CARIB BIZ NETWORK LLC.
• ELITE EATZ LLC.
• SHAN’S GLAM LAB LLC.
• ORDERED STEPS LEARNING CENTER, LLC.
• BREAKTHROUGH FITNESS.
• JEFFREY DAVIS ESQUIRE.
• LILY & MARIGOLD HOME + DESIGN.
• BLACK PARAK, EETZ PAINT, SWIG & SING! L.
• SENTIENT SCIENCE COMMERCIAL.
• LOTUS THEORY LLC.
• NIT NOI PROVISIONS LLC.
• STYLISH SPOON LLC.
• SACRED SEEDS ENTERPRISES.
• ZANADE ENTERPRISES LLC.

Future strategies include Tanisha Ritter, Chase Community Manager, VP. Ms. Ritter will be heading and facilitating ground breaking community events. She will be informing the community as to what tools JP Morgan Chase has to offer and educating the Harlem community by providing the vital information needed towards owning a small business.

In keeping with community outreach, JP Morgan Chase, Harlem Community Branch at 55 West 125th Street will have an event on October 16, 2025, 4:00 – 6:00 pm. The “SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT EVENT” which will be an intimate discussion addressing the cooperation between big banks and small businesses. Lead by Diedra Porche, Head of Community and Business Development and Ben Walker, CEO of Business Banking, this event will center on the obstacles experienced by underserved communities and the rectification of these challenges.