Grand Rapids Business Journal
Courtesy Jhaelynn Elam
The owner of a travel agency that funds a nonprofit benefiting students of color who want to study abroad was included on Forbes’ first list of 1,000 innovative small business owners.
Jhaelynn Elam, founder of Grand Rapids-based Sizije Travel and its associated nonprofit, The Sizije Foundation, was included in the inaugural class of Forbes’ Next 1000 that was published last month.
In addition to running her business and nonprofit, Elam is an ITQ scientist II and product guidance strategist at General Mills.
“This list was created to celebrate and spotlight the bold and inspiring entrepreneurs who are redefining what it means to run a business today. … This opportunity means so much to me because I work hard every day to build my business and create something that’s bigger than me, while also balancing a full-time career,” Elam said. “Acknowledgements like this assure me that I am on the right path. There is no bl