COVINGTON, Ky. — Aviatra Accelerators is a local organization helping women take their businesses to the next level. It offers programming and helps connect entrepreneurs to resources to help grow their businesses. 

Inspired Fashion Boutique set up shop in the incubator space on Saturday.

For Catrena Bowman, owner of Inspired Fashion Boutique it was another step in turning her dream into a reality.

“I love partnering with Aviatra,” Bowman said. “They are always working to create space for women and to create connections, to really to help us grow.”

Bowman has run her business for the past three years. While she used to have a brick-and-mortar in Covington, she downsized recently taking her brand online and hosting pop up shops around the community. 

From the time she was young, she said she has always loved fashion as it allows people to express themselves.

“You have to demonstrate how the pieces will look and, and then how the jewelry will look with it,” she explained. “Sometimes people just aren’t able to... imagine it. That’s one of the things I love about fashion is the creativity that goes into it.”

While Aviatra offers limited office space, they feature a pop-up retail space, allowing small businesses to set up shop and share their goods with the community for a small fee.

Longtime shopper and consultant, Zecie Smith said events like this are all about supporting small business and each other.

“There seems to be some tendencies of where women think that we can’t help each other, but again, we can,” Smith said.  

Bowman hopes this is just the beginning of more opportunities to grow and collaborate.

“I hope for is that there is more opportunities for us to come together to create even bigger collaborations and partnerships,” Bowman said. “Small business is the backbone of any community, and when we’re all able to come together and thrive, then the entire community is better.”

If you are a woman-owned business looking to expand, visit Aviatra Accelerators website for more information.