Yemi’s leadership is defined by his unique ability to spearhead innovative solutions to complex problems and lead collaborative efforts for the betterment of residents of Colorado Springs.
Throughout Yemi’s career working in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, Yemi has led a variety of innovative and collaborative initiatives. Whether it is making government work better for the people it serves or bringing diverse groups of people and organizations together to improve the quality of life for our community, Yemi has a proven leadership track record.
Yemi promoted the continued expansion of Colorado Springs' many local employers, with a focus on our largest employers that contribute to economic development of the Pikes Peak region during a time of record job growth.
Served as the City’s central figure to support small businesses and start-ups as they interacted with government agencies. Yemi pioneered new technologies to improve the citizen experience with government and promote local economic development.
In partnership with Exponential Impact and the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Yemi collaborated with community leaders to quickly stand up an immediate emergency grant fund - Survive & Thrive - in March 2020 for small businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Survive & Thrive COS helped support more than 4,000 businesses and 40,000 jobs representing billions in economic impact to the city alongside an estimated $33.8 million in the form of sales tax revenue. The program was so successful that Exponential Impact launched a second version last year to support small businesses in the region.
In 2013, Yemi co-founded Wild Goose Meeting House in downtown Colorado Springs, and was one of the first entrepreneurs to invest in downtown Colorado Springs after the 2008 Great Recession, helping to catalyze redevelopment and major investment in a stagnant downtown and create a cultural and economic hub for the city.
In 2017, Yemi co-founded Good Neighbors Meeting House in the Patty Jewett neighborhood, providing an important community hub for the neighborhood.
Yemi's experience as a co-founder of Niche Coaching and Consulting demonstrates his ability to support the growth of business leaders and facilitate the success of local businesses in Colorado Springs. This work is a testament to his dedication to building stronger communities through economic development.
Co-founded COS I Love You, a nonprofit that connects more than 100 churches from diverse faith backgrounds to unite in a common mission of serving Colorado Springs, with no strings attached. COS I Love You oversees the largest single day volunteer effort in the city through City Serve Day, which activates nearly 4,000 volunteers to provide volunteer services for parks, schools, trash cleanups, residential renovations, and neighborhood beautification.
Created COSSBA in 2017 to unite business leaders, government agencies, and business service organizations in the Pikes Peak area to support and shape the future of small business regulation. As an advisory and working group, COSSBA provides strategic direction and executes small business projects, aiming to make Colorado Springs the top US city for small businesses.
Co-founded the Workforce Action Team under the oversight of Pikes Peak Regional Workforce Development Board, that convened all workforce systems, partners, programs, and initiatives of the Pikes Peak Region under one centralized access point to ensure students, job seekers, and workers have access to meaningful careers and businesses have access to skilled talent.
Stakeholders include business, economic development, workforce development, community-based services, K-12 education, post-secondary education & training, and community-based workforce providers. The Regional Workforce Strategic Plan to organize, prioritize, and catalyze initiatives that improve the overall workforce climate of the Pikes Peak region is a key deliverable from the Workforce Action Team.
Co-founded the Pikes Peak Business and Education Alliance (PPBEA), a collaboration of career technical educators from 10 area school districts under one centralized access point to connect K-12 students' talents, interests & aptitudes to local emphasis and the world of work. The PPBEA serves as a liaison between the Pikes Peak community of K-12 schools and area business partners, while creating an environment where the region can “grow its own talent”. The MARKETPLACE is where classrooms and students connect and participate in work-based learning opportunities sponsored by businesses in the community.
Partnering with Harrison School District 2 and Pikes Peak United Way, Yemi helped lead the development and execution of Pikes Peak United Way’s Family Success Center out of Pikes Peak Elementary School, which will open to the public in 2023. The Family Success Center aims to serve the “entire family” and empower community members to become financially stable, grow, and accomplish their goals. The center provides services for job readiness, GED/ESL adult education classes, business training, financial empowerment workshops and one-on-one credit counseling, health and wellness education opportunities, after-school sports program, and food and basic need resources.
Led the development and execution of COSOpenForBiz.com, a government tool that helps simplify and educate entrepreneurs and small business owners on the process of launching their business.
Spearheaded the development of “Permit Partner,” a tool to streamline the permitting process across several local government agencies, improve the citizen experience with government, and guide business owners and entrepreneurs through complex permitting workflow so they can understand the full scope of their project before they get started. This tool was officially released to the public on March 7, 2023.
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