In the world of business and economic development, Dr. B.P. Walker is unique. B.P. is a physician, educator, consultant, and entrepreneur. She combines wellness and adult learning principles with entrepreneurship and small business development. In the past 19 years, B.P. has counseled more than 400 small business, nonprofit, and government clients. Also, she has directed more than $20M in revenue, grants, and small business loans.
B.P.’s nontraditional career started as Assistant Director of a small business center in Washington, D.C. The Georgia Avenue Business Resource Center (GABRC), a program of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, was a new business model for assisting small businesses. It was intensive, high-touch, neighborhood-based, and leveraged partnerships with area banks. At GABRC, she was responsible for program design and counseled more than 250 clients in business planning, marketing, and financing. In less than two years, GABRC became the leading small business service provider in D.C.
From 2005-15, B.P. held several leadership positions managing high-impact programs:
• Director of the Financial Education Center for Women Entrepreneurs at the Community Business Partnership in Springfield, VA.
• Program Director of Southeastern University’s Center for Allied Health Education in Washington, D.C.
• Dean of the Department of Health Sciences, and Interim Provost of Academic Programs Division at Graduate School U.S.A. in Washington, D.C.
By 2015, B.P. transitioned to a consultant role for a D.C. government agency and more than 20 nonprofits. She provided strategic planning and program design expertise. Her work established quality standards for adult education programs serving more than 4,000 D.C. residents.
In 2016, B.P. started Solo+Soicety, L.L.C., dba Plannotes, to develop people, organizations, and communities. Plannotes is a strategic business plan consulting service. The goal is to help entrepreneurs start and build a better business or nonprofit. Plannotes provides intensive business plan review, training, and one-on-one consultation.
B.P. has held adjunct faculty positions at Trinity University and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (D.C. campus). She has taught courses in planning, management, entrepreneurship, and strategy. Additionally, B.P. has been a guest speaker for many area organizations, including D.C. Economic Development Partnership, National Institute of Health, and George Washington University Medical Associates. Lastly, she has served as a grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
B.P. is a graduate of Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a B.S. in Biology. From there, she received her M.D. from Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 2012, B.P. completed the executive M.B.A. program at Loyola University Maryland. She is also a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) by the American Society of Quality.