Free Hybrid Online and In-Person Mentorship and Advocacy Program Connects Entrepreneurs Like Compton Country Club Initiative Founder Chris Staples with Skills and Resources to Achieve Success
Spring Cohort Starts May 5th with Professional Certifications and $500 Stipends Available Upon Completion
(4/23/2025- Los Angeles, CA) With an extensive career in golf – from caddying on the PGA circuit to leading development programs – golf coach and Long Beach native Chris Staples returned home to find his childhood golf course unrecognizable. The Compton Par 3 Golf Course is now closed and in disrepair. Determined to bring back a place that was once a hub for minority golfers to comfortably play the game they love, Staples formed the Compton Country Club Initiative (CCCI). His mission: to bring more access and affordability to golf – starting in Compton. Working to raise the estimated $15M needed to revitalize the course, Staples quickly became entrenched in the quagmire of bureaucracy standing between him and his mission for underrepresented communities – so he turned to the BizFed Advocacy Academy to help him accomplish his dream.
With the launch of its Spring Cohort on May 5th, the all-new BizFed Advocacy Academy is a gamechanger for small business owners, entrepreneurs, students, and individuals who want to amplify their economic footprint, community impact, and streamline their path to success. With its free, eight-week, hybrid online and in-person education program that utilizes live webinars, in-person workshops and networking events, the BizFed Advocacy Academy equips business owners, entrepreneurs and students with the skills, resources and networks needed to master the art of advocacy and policymaking, grow businesses, and champion change in their communities.
BizFed Advocacy Academy Spring Cohort coursework includes:
· Navigating local and state policy.
· Building relationships with policymakers and industry leaders.
· Developing strategies to influence legislative decisions.
· Networking & Leadership Development.
· Olympic Procurement & Business Resiliency Training.
· Strategies to Access Capital & Business Certifications.
· Plus – A $500 Stipend & Professional Certifications are Available Upon Completion
In addition, the BizFed Advocacy Academy program connects participants with seasoned mentors who provide continuous support in real-world skills like proposal writing, contract negotiation, marketing, public speaking, lobbying, and more. This is more than a program; it’s a transformative experience that builds confidence, unlocks potential, and empowers participants to create their opportunities while driving meaningful change in their communities.
“Businesses have been the lifeblood of our communities since the Industrial Revolution. Yet too often, business owners aren’t taught how deeply policy shapes their bottom line,” said BizFed Advocacy Academy Program Director Alysia Rivers, who founded and leads the development and implementation of the BizFed Advocacy Academy. “The BizFed Advocacy Academy exists to bridge that gap — helping entrepreneurs understand the intersection between policy and profit, and empowering participants to navigate complex systems, access opportunity, and use their voice to influence the future of our economy.”
The BizFed Advocacy Academy is the perfect solution for:
· Small business owners looking to influence local policies.
· Entrepreneurs seeking to advocate for equitable opportunities.
· Community leaders that are passionate about creating lasting impact.
· Students and professionals interested in policy and civic engagement.
“My vision for the Compton Country Club Initiative is major, and it’s all possible,” said Staples. “It gets tough dealing with the red tape and figuring out how to get what we need for CCCI, but the community’s response keeps me motivated. Having the Advocacy Academy in my corner is refreshing — the skills they teach and the mentorship they offer could take years to learn on my own by trial and error. I’m excited to get started! The community needs this now.”
Registration for the BizFed Advocacy Academy Spring Cohort closes April 30th. For additional information and to register now, please, visit bizfedadvocacyacademy.org
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ABOUT BIZFED
Founded in 2008 by former Los Angeles Daily News Publisher Tracy Hernandez, The Los Angeles Business Federation (BizFed) is a massive, mobilizing grassroots alliance based in Los Angeles, California uniting 245 diverse business groups and mobilizing 420,000 employers with five million employees across chambers of commerce, trade associations, minority business groups, economic development organizations, business improvement districts, and other business groups to advocate for policies and projects that strengthen the regional economy. BizFed’s network of investing and nonprofit member committees include Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Olympics; California Air Resources Board & South Coast Air Quality Management District; Energy & Environment; Goods Movement, Transportation & Mobility; Health Care & Life Sciences; Housing, Land Use, Development, Real Estate & CEQA; Polling & Messaging; Responsible Governance; Small Business & Employment; Water; and Workforce Development, Education & Anti-Poverty bizfed.org
ABOUT CHRIS STAPLES & COMPTON COUNTRY CLUB INITIATIVE
Chris Staples is the co-founder of the Compton Country Club Initiative (CCCI) and its namesake apparel brand. He is also the coach and manager to APGA pro golfer Aaron Grimes. Together, they founded CCCI to preserve the game and expand its impact in the greater Compton community.
In 2023, Staples returned to his hometown of Long Beach, CA and reflected on the closure of the Compton Par 3 Golf Course – a vital hub for the LA golf community. Inspired by the transformative role this course played in their early golf journeys, Staples and Grimes committed to providing access, affordability, education, and skills development to underrepresented residents of Compton and its neighbors.
With years of experience on and off the course, Staples was a longtime caddie at Bel-Air Country Club and a three-time caddie for the PGA Champions Tour from 2010-2013. He worked in golf and tech retail management and led programming as a director for the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento as well as for the Southern California Golf Association’s Junior Foundation as a senior instructor. He is a Certified Coach through the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute and holds a Level Two certification from the Titleist Performance Institute. Staples previously was president of the Sacramento Area Black Golfers Club and currently serves on the board of the Pinkney Foundation.
Compton Country Club Initiative is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information and to donate to CCCI, please visit comptonccin.org.
Media Contacts:
BizFed Advocacy Academy – Elizabeth Daubel, elizabeth.daubel@bizfed.org
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