To make money it does take money, but where to find that money, well that can be the issue. On the 27th we will take a look at the opportunities to find capital when your company is a startup, resources you can look into and tips to be successful in pulling the funding you need to take your idea to the next level. Join the AAEA and BBIF’s Duane Lewis as we talk about raising capital. Speaker: Duane Lewis, Chief Operating Officer, BBIF Duane Lewis is BBIF’s, Chief Operating Officer. He leads internal operations and provides strategic leadership to ensure BBIF executes its business plan and fulfills its mission to provide flexible, affordable, and responsible financing, management consulting, and technical assistance for black, minority, and underserved businesses. Duane has held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a private contracting company, where he oversaw all financial operations and developed strategies for managing the organization’s finances and minimizing financial risk. He has extensive experience in credit analysis, working with a wide variety of loan products, and structuring B&I and Commercial Real Estate lending transactions, including New Markets Tax Credits Financing. Duane served as a member of the Board of the City of Orlando’s Minority Enterprise Business Assistance Program and the City of Kissimmee’s Black Business Council. Mr. Lewis is certified by the National Development Council as an Economic Development Professional. Duane has a Bachelor of Commerce with honors in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Windsor.