Chicago native and former NFL player Walter Mendenhall, CEO and Founder of the nonprofit Male Mogul Initiative (MMI), is on a mission to empower young Black and Brown men. Through entrepreneurship, leadership development, and workforce training, MMI helps these young men become strong, confident community leaders while revitalizing Chicago’s economically disadvantaged West and South Side communities. To expand his mission, Mendenhall partnered with Loyd & Co., a Chicago-based financial firm founded by WNBA star Jewell Loyd and her brother Jarryd Loyd. The firm has worked with MMI to develop workforce development programs ranging from training, certifications, job search and advancement support, mentoring, and coaching.
CHICAGO, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Chicago native and former NFL player Walter Mendenhall, CEO and Founder of the nonprofit Male Mogul Initiative (MMI) is on a mission to empower young Black and Brown men. Through entrepreneurship, leadership development, and workforce training, MMI helps these young men become strong, confident community leaders while revitalizing Chicago’s economically disadvantaged West and South Side communities.
“I’ve known Walter for 25 years and he has a gift of understanding how to develop people into their potential. For us, this is a natural partnership because we want to transform communities. We care about people who look like us.”
To expand his mission, Mendenhall partnered with Loyd & Co., a Chicago-based financial firm founded by WNBA star Jewell Loyd and her brother Jarryd Loyd. The firm has worked with MMI to develop workforce development programs ranging from training, certifications, job search and advancement support, mentoring, and coaching.
Recently, MMI and Loyd & Co. partnered to invest in Help With My Loan (HWML). Founded in 2017 in Pasadena, California by co-founders Chris Karageuzian and Jack Artinian, HWML is a full-spectrum lending platform with a mission to transform the industry by making traditional funding accessible.
The addition of HWML strengthens MMI’s Community Wealth Building Ecosystem (CWBE), a program within its private equity arm, Male Mogul Enterprise L3C (MME). CWBE helps young people turn challenges into opportunities, transforming perceived liabilities into thriving assets while unlocking economic growth on Chicago’s West and South Sides.
“With this partnership, we developed an outsourced workforce agreement where young men
learn to become commercial and business loan officers,” said Mendenhall who is also managing partner at Loyd & Co. “This is part of our Community Wealth Building ecosystem, which consists of business acquisition and incubation, finance, direct services, indirect services, job creation and community redevelopment, or homeownership.”
Currently, there are 10 MMI participants, ages 18 to 25, enrolled in the program, which lasts between one to four years. Enrollment is free and they receive a stipend. The goal is for them to secure full-time employment or launch their venture.
Jarryd Loyd is excited to help Mendenhall, a friend, and Niles West High School basketball teammate, help a new generation of entrepreneurs make their dreams come true.
“I’ve known Walter for 25 years and he has a gift of understanding how to develop people into their potential,” Loyd said. “For us, this is a natural partnership because we want to transform communities. We care about people who look like us. I know what it is to have an opportunity and know what it is not to be given an opportunity. We’re giving opportunities throughout this partnership for folks to learn to scale their new businesses and our philosophy about wealth. We are designing our lives where money doesn’t dictate our decisions. That is where freedom comes into the picture. We also believe that knowledge, education, and ideas are more important than money.”
Financial literacy is an important component of this program. Mendenhall emphasized that it covers topics such as increasing net worth, acquiring and managing assets, building and maintaining credit, accessing capital for business or personal growth, and understanding real estate ownership.
“This comprehensive approach equips participants with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve long-term financial stability and success,” he said.
Loyd & Co. invites investors, philanthropists, and community leaders to be part of this transformative initiative. By supporting this partnership, you can help drive economic empowerment, create sustainable career paths, and build generational wealth for underserved communities. To learn more about partnership opportunities or to discuss how you can help drive economic empowerment, please contact our investor relations team and visit http://www.theloydco.com.
About Loyd & Co.
Loyd & Co. is a conviction-based financial firm founded on the belief that we are bold builders of the future. We are a family office specializing in asset and wealth management, fintech and lending, private equity, real estate, and sports and tech investing.
Our mission is to democratize access to capital, transform wealth management, and innovate with blockchain solutions. Through our fintech lending platform, wealth advisory, and cutting-edge technology, we empower individuals, families, and businesses to build generational wealth and create lasting impact.
About HWML
Our goal is to help you reach yours. Help With My Loan was founded in 2017 to transform the industry and make traditional funding more accessible. In the first three years alone, we built a network of 300+ vetted finance partners and secured more than $850 million for our users.
Chris Karageuzian and Jack Artinian, HWML co-founders, met in the banking world and bonded over dreams of something better. With years of high-level experience in banking, lending, and business financing, both leaders knew the ins and outs of the industry. HWML puts that insight to work for you with innovative solutions and cutting-edge technology.
About the Male Mogul Initiative
The Male Mogul Initiative (MMI) is a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming young men into community leaders through entrepreneurship, leadership development, and workforce training. Since its founding, MMI has helped young people build businesses, acquire investment properties, and gain financial independence through innovative education and mentorship programs.
Media Contact
Marie Lazzara, JJR Marketing, 630-400-3361, marie@jjrmarketing.com, https://jjrmarketing.com/
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