Baltimore Moms Teach Each Other How To Be Successful Entrepreneurs

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A new group is hoping to give many mothers exactly what they want: more time with their children while also learning how to start their own business.

Aneka Winstead is an accountant at Open Works near Station North. She took classes with Tammira Lucas about how to start a business of making hand-made items.

"It's a space where the community members or small business owners can come in and make things that they're selling for the businesses," she said.

Winstead learned that just because you have a good idea, you may not know how to run a business or sell what you've made.

"A lot of moms came to me and said, 'Hey, where do you make this stuff?'" she said.

Jasmine Simms, along with Lucas, co-founded "Moms As Entrepreneurs."

They'll teach moms how to create, market and sell -- all while babies and kids are along for the ride.

"So with our academy we're offering free child care," Simms said.

There's grant money to educate 20 women a year on how to run a business, making and selling fashion, glass wear, t-shirts or whatever else they come up with.

Winstead says she plans to make coloring books for small children to have them learn about how to manage their money.

[Reporter: Why do you care?]

"Because I am them -- I have children, I grew up in this area, I grew up just around the corner, and if I don't care, then nobody will," Winstead  said.

The application opens today for 10 women who will be accepted into the 16-week course. Learn more at MAEentrepreneur.com.