Financial Foundations for
Black Women Entrepreneurs
Blaze Group designs + facilitates business programs for entrepreneurial ecosystems, with an emphasis on closing economic opportunity gaps for Black women.
Together, we will introduce Black women entrepreneurs to core financial concepts and terminology. Our world-class programs provide students with a solid understanding of financial statements, cash flow management, financial analysis, and high-stakes decision-making.
Student Testimonial
Taylor Dru, Founder of Systems Guru
Sample Curriculum
Customize a program to advance your entrepreneurs.
01
Introduction to Financial Statements
Students learn how to assess the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
03
Budgeting and Cash Flow Forecasting
Students are empowered to create a financial plan and make informed decisions about their next steps in business.
05
Financial Decision-Making Tools
Students learn how to assess break-even analysis, time value of money, and other metrics in decision-making.
02
Understanding Key Financial Ratios
Students develop a strong understanding of profitability, liquidity, and solvency.
04
Working Capital Management
Students learn how to confidently manage their inventory, receivables, and payables for optimal liquidity.
06
Course Assessment & 1:1 Advisory
Students receive personalized feedback and recommendations in 1:1 business advisory session.
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Ability to read and interpret financial statements
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Understanding of fundamental financial ratios and their implications
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Skills to create and manage budgets, forecast cashflow, and optimize working capital
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Confidence in making basic financial decisions for business growth
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Strategic financial recommendations
Meet The Facilitator:
Casey Ariel Thobias
Casey Ariel Thobias has a deep passion for educating emerging leaders in the principles of business finance. Casey graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Corporate Finance from the University of South Carolina. She is the Founder and CEO of Blaze Group, an edtech firm serving Black women entrepreneurs.
Casey Ariel started her career working within the Chief Financial Officer division of Bank of America at their Charlotte headquarters. She skillfully worked across the disciplines of global liquidity risk management, interest rate risk management, and enterprise stress testing before joining the Global Corporate & Investment Banking division to structure multi-billion dollar loans for utility companies. Casey relocated from the Charlotte office to the San Francisco office where she structured deals for large technology companies.
Due to Casey Ariel's extraordinary skill in education and mentorship, she served as the core credit risk program instructor for global hires of Bank of America's Global Wholesale Credit division - training incoming credit analysts from the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond.
Upon leaving Corporate America to embark on entrepreneurship, Casey Ariel offered global management consulting services. Notably, she served as the fractional Chief Credit Officer of Hello Tractor, Inc. - designing a first-of-its-kind tractor financing solution and deploying more than $10MM in capital to un-/underbanked entrepreneurs across Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya. Today, Casey Ariel proudly serves on the Advisory Board of Kiva US.
The Ideal Fit
Partner with Blaze Group
Looking for a world-class knowledge partner to offer culturally relevant business finance education to small businesses generating less than $3MM in annual sales?
Look no further than Blaze Group! We can support cohort sizes as small as 10-15 students or as large as 200. Our business finance programs will seamlessly augment your existing ecosystem, creating a well-rounded experience that closes economic opportunity gaps for Black women entrepreneurs.
Jasmine P, Kentucky
“I love that the homework is broken up into bite sized chunks that never felt overwhelming."
Kesha J, New Mexico
"It was very helpful. I walked away with a clear idea of how to move forward in my business"
Michelle T, New Jersey
“Coming from someone who doesn’t take many courses, this is one I needed.”
The Sobering Statistics
Black women entrepreneurs and executives can't afford not to understand how to raise capital, run profitable businesses, and drive long-term sustainability.
42%
The percentage of net new women-owned businesses created by Black women each day in the United States.
American Express Research
92%
The gap that the median Black woman has in net wealth ownership relative to a single White male.
Goldman Sachs
70%
The percentage of Black children that are likely to fall out of the middle class by the time they are 40 years old.
McKinsey & Company
Sharpen Financial Acumen
Strengthen the Black Dollar
Passion-Fueled Ventures
$520Bn
Added annual revenue of Black women-owned firms if parity were achieved with White women-owned firms.
American Express Research
41%
The percentage of Black women-owned businesses generating less than $5,000 in annual revenue in 2023.
Blaze Group Research
73%
The percentage of Black women entrepreneurs who are also balancing the demands of motherhood.
Blaze Group Research