YBI awards Mamas $5,000

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Business Incubator’s Women in Entrepreneurship, WE, program awarded Hubbard-based Too Hot Mamas a $5,000 grant Wednesday.

The WE Program also awarded a $1,000 grant to Boardman-based Carriage House Builders.

The program, which creates economic opportunities for women through education, training, mentoring and networking, will help an expected 40 female-owned businesses this year.

“It just continues to grow in strength,” said Stephanie Gilchrist, director of the WE Program. “We have some strong women. I am really excited about the continued growth of this program.”

Too Hot Mamas, owned by Christina Frohman and Audra Horton, is a specialty canned-pepper company that offers a variety of flavors.

Carriage House Builders, owned by Evon Ashby, is a general contractor, home-remodeling business that offers second-chance opportunities to people.

WE worked with 10 local companies this spring for its WE Launch part of the program for business owners who are ready to launch their business.

In March, WE worked with 10 other businesses for the WE Create part of the program for women with fresh business ideas.

WE will have its WE Grow part of the program in August to help established business women.

Applications for the WE Program will open up again in August for September classes.

“I think [the WE Program] opened [YBI] to opportunities to connect with our community in ways we wouldn’t have had before,” Gilchrist said.