“Small businesses aren’t just a sector, they are the lifeblood of our communities, fueling innovation, providing second chances, and powering local growth.”
opportunity. Opportunity for others, for my community, and for myself.
After years of juggling the roles of artist, professional, mother, and community leader, I realized I needed a path that would allow me to show up fully for my daughter, for my people, and for my own growth. That path was entrepreneurship—and today, I’m proud to say that after a long road, Prescott Solutions is thriving. We are now a certified corporation and a growing force in staffing, resume-building, and workforce development—not just in Colorado, but across the country and even around the globe.
— Portia Prescott, Founder of Prescott Solutions
A CEO the World Didn’t Expect—But Can’t Ignore When I first founded Prescott Solutions in 2009, I knew what I was stepping into—an industry that wasn’t built for someone who looked like me. A Black woman leading a staffing and workforce development firm in technology and cybersecurity was virtually unheard of. Many people, even within my own community, questioned me. Not because they didn’t believe in my intelligence or drive, but because they’d never seen someone like me do it before. We’re taught that business ownership, especially in tech and staffing, is not our lane. That corporate success is something to chase from the margins, not to own outright. Being a CEO is reserved for a particular image. And that image has rarely reflected Black women. So, I had to validate myself—to myself—before I ever set out to prove it to anyone else. That’s the silence we often don’t talk about. Black women carry a double burden: breaking barriers while healing the internal wounds of invisibility. We are building legacies with a weight on our shoulders that’s as cultural as it is personal. Prescott Solutions was born not only out of strategy and skill—but out of necessity. I needed to show my daughter—and my community—that not only is there space for us in business, but we are the innovators shaping its future. Small businesses are the backbone of America— and especially Colorado. But for many of us, starting a business isn’t just about the economy, it’s about building a life. For me, launching Prescott Solutions was never about just creating jobs or closing contracts—it was about creating
Image: Prescott Solutions.
32 The Acumen
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