Rolonda Hernandez, Founder of Advance Wake and the Strategic AF Experience, is on a mission to make entrepreneurship sustainable for underestimated founders. Based in Wake County, NC, Rolonda blends corporate-level operational strategy with community-centered solutions, offering both high-level clarity and culturally aligned support for entrepreneurs who are often left behind.
After years of streamlining operations for large enterprises and government teams, Rolonda saw a gap: Black women and underestimated small business owners needed access to the same systems and support—but designed with real-world, community-rooted strategy. Out of this realization, the Strategic AF Experience was born, offering masterclasses, mentorship, and her signature program: Strategic AF Experience™: Shift. Analyze. Execute. to help entrepreneurs build structure, automate tasks, and organize chaos.
Her second venture, Advance Wake (www.advancewake.com), takes it further by providing an AI-powered digital business partner for Wake County entrepreneurs. The platform delivers real-time startup guidance, operational checklists, and municipal resources 24/7, bridging the gap where traditional programs fall short.
When asked what advice she has for Black women entrepreneurs, Rolonda is clear:
“Clarity is a strategy. Define, design, declare. Stop defaulting to survival mode and start moving with intention.”
Her legacy is rooted in building systems that don’t just demand resilience but create sustainability and ease for Black women and underestimated founders worldwide.
To learn more about Rolonda’s work or access Advance Wake, visit https://beacons.ai/rolonda.
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