Meet CeeCee Evans | Founder & Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with CeeCee Evans and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi CeeCee, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I founded Mission Bridges, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, in 2015 to help individuals who have a desire to start a business but lack the resources and education needed to get started. Starting a new business can be a challenge. Would-be entrepreneurs may face a number of hurdles, including lack of access to capital, insufficient business networks for peer support, investment, and business opportunities, and the absence of the full range of essential skills necessary to lead a business to survive and grow. There is reason to think that racial and ethnic minorities and women are particularly likely to face such hurdles. For instance, minority- and women headed households generally have lower levels of household wealth, which in turn can make internal investment and external borrowing more difficult. Other barriers that may reduce rates of business formation among minorities include lower average credit scores and educational attainment; geographic or societal isolation from other communities and persistent discrimination may also impede entrepreneurship among women and minorities. Recognizing the opportunity for wide benefits to the economy at-large, Mission Bridges Micro-Business Accelerator Program addresses the three main challenges often faced by both minority- and women-owned businesses. Typical programs focus on those, who on paper, look to have the best chances of success in entrepreneurship (good connections, good education, good credit, and high amount of capital); MISSION/BRIDGES works with clients who do not have these characteristics in their favor, yet have the drive and creativity to make entrepreneurship work for them.

What should our readers know about your business?
What sets Mission Bridges apart from others is that we will help anyone that is serious about starting or growing their business, This is very important to me as the founder. I found Mission Bridges, based off of obstacles that I had to overcome and still overcoming today. I am not alone, but I am determined to help others have support as the obstacles arise. Getting a business off the ground is not easy; getting a nonprofit off the ground is even more difficult. Starting Mission Bridges definitely has not been easy, and because we are a small nonprofit, pivoting and surviving through COVID-19 has not been a cake walk. We are fortunate to sustain and we are still going strong. COVID has been the biggest lesson I have had to learn. How to change your plan and adapt your program and services to still reach people in the digital realm.. It was not easy, we are still learning, but I truly believe it will only elevate us and expand our reach past the DFW Metroplex we currently serve.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Because I am a foody, I would probably spend the week trying the great food spots in DFW. Shoguns is my favorite go to spot. I love hibachi and I love sushi and this is the place for both. I also love shrimp and grits and LoLos Chicken and Waffles in Southlake is the place I go. I haven’t been to Tru Kitchen, but I have heard great things from my friends, so I would definitely recommend trying this place.


Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my mom, for laying the foundation. She said I had entrepreneur dreams as a child. She always made me believe that I could do anything I wanted to do. As I started to pursue my entrepreneurial path, my first mentor was John Cappello. He was the president of the West Dallas Chamber and a real estate entrepreneur. He gave me so much, support and guidance that really helped me comfortably transistion from employee to entrepreneur. I also have a couple of managers from my professional background that some knowingly and unkowingly were great mentors for me. Shana Eddy is the one that stands out the most. She taught me so many skills, particularly technology skills that now are an essential asset to me in my entrepreneur journey, She also, encouraged me to shadow her, preparing me to be a manager and leader. She saw things in me that I don’t think I had ever seen in myself. I also have a small but great group of friends and cousins who are my biggest cheerleaders. They are very supportive and always keep me encouraged. Makesha Jefferson, who in the last year has become my business partner, definitely needs recognition. She keeps me motivated, when I feel like giving up. She always reminds me of how valuable an asset I am to the many people I have helped pursue their entrepreneur dreams.

Website: www.missionbridges,org

Instagram: https://instagram.com/missionbridges

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/missionbridges

Twitter: https://twitter.com/missionbridges

Facebook: https://facebook.com/missionbridges

Other: https://tiktok.com/missionbridges