Michigan-based nonprofit sparks girlboss spirit at youth summit

At the Lansing Center earlier this summer, a Girlpreneur Expo and Youth Summit, created by the T. Rose Foundation, was held to inspire young professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, business leaders, and more. Coming soon is another summit, which will be held in Detroit at the Durfee Innovation Society on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The previous summit included a pitch competition where a young winner would win a $500 cash prize, a beauty charity pageant, an opportunity for vendors to showcase their products, and a networking space to empower young girls to chase their dreams.

“Building self-esteem and confidence is so important. It allows them to have the space to be free for their visions, their talents, and their communication,” says Theresa Randleman, the founder and CEO of the T. Rose Foundation. 

With previous skills in event management, media and public relations, and social networking from her internationally recognized entertainment and management firm, T. Rose Entertainment,  Randleman created the nonprofit organization in 2019 after noticing the disheartening obstacles women face in achieving their dreams in the entertainment industry.

“It’s providing a platform for them to help them expand their business, it gives them social skills, social etiquette, and networking skills amongst their peers,” says Randleman, who has hosted Girlpreneur expos since 2015.

One entrepreneur who’s been a vendor at the Girlpreneur Expo since the beginning is Bailey Cochran. She started her business, BE by Bailey Lakare, at just 4 years old. Starting as a business selling fanny packs, T-shirts, and lip gloss, it has now rebranded into a girl empowerment and motivation brand that sells candles and journals, helping young ladies aged 12 to 17 manage their anxiety through journaling.

“Transitioning from middle school and then going to high school was a big change for me, and my anxiety got worse, so I used journaling to write down my thoughts. I know I’m not the only one who suffers from anxiety, so I thought okay, well, maybe I can share this with other people, and that’s what I came up with,” Cochran says.

She was the winner of this year’s Lansing Youth Summit’s pitch competition and cash prize. It has given her a platform to showcase her business, participate in pitch competitions, and receive mentorship and networking opportunities. She has also been invited back as an assistant and speaker for other programs, highlighting her growth and the foundation’s ongoing support. 

Cochran has also had her mother, Clarice Cochran, a fellow entrepreneur and community impact coordinator for a local nonprofit, as an example to follow. In 2022, Clarice Cochran created her proactive mental wellness initiative business, The Calm Cube, a first-aid kit, but for mental wellness, including a guided journal, affirmation cards, coloring books, fidget toys, and emotional regulation flash cards.

“Investing in your child’s mental wellness early on can really help not only them, but also can help you,” Cochran says. 

Along with seeing her daughter impacted by the T. Rose Foundation, she has seen fellow parents become aware of how their children have positively responded to the Foundation’s events and programs. 

“I think that parents really look forward to the academies, because there’s always a long list, and they look forward to what she brings,” Cochran says. “Anytime there’s a parent that wants to sign their child up for anything she does, I’ll give them information because I just think it’s really, really great.”

The summit this October in Detroit will look similar to the previous one in Lansing, including free beauty and haircare services like hair styling, nail care, and eyelash application. It will also showcase youth dance groups.