Introduction
Jazmynn Appleton, a Chicago native who grew up in Madison, WI, is a multifaceted entrepreneur, career woman, and devoted mother to her son, Jaedyn.
Jazmynn serves as the Manager of Entrepreneurial Opportunities, with a pending transition to Chief Director of Entrepreneurial Growth and Innovation at the Progress Center for Black Women. This organization is dedicated to uplifting Black women and families through entrepreneurial and professional development training, financial education, and comprehensive support.
She is the co-founder of FOCUS, an entrepreneurial training accelerator that has gained recognition from media outlets like the Wisconsin State Journal and Cap Times. Through FOCUS, Jazmynn has been instrumental in guiding entrepreneurs across diverse sectors, facilitating their growth, securing storefronts, boosting media visibility, and expanding their businesses successfully.
Prior to her current role, Jazmynn held several roles within the credit union industry over the course of 5+ years, ranging from member service representative to teller supervisor. In 2017, she became a certified financial counselor, presenting several financial education seminars in the community. This led to her election to the Young Professionals Advisory Board for the Wisconsin Credit Union League.
She was a panelist for the 2022 Annual Upstart Celebration, the 5th Annual Black History Education Conference, and Forward Fest's panel discussion, "Fempreneurs: Bold Narratives and What It Takes To Make Your Break."
Jazmynn's passion for cooking drives her toward a future as the owner of a private chef business. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, traveling, and experimenting with new recipes.
