Building Beloved Communities is a national business consulting firm that provides community-centered solutions for nonprofits and government agencies.
Our Story
In 2021, The CEO entered BBC into a business accelerator program & competition with the goal of networking and meeting entrepreneurs in the area. This helped BBC to understand businesses in Central Virginia. BBC gained far more from this program than they anticipated. In fact, the first employee—Shannon Dominguez, who directed the business program — was hired to be the Building Beloved Communities, Director of Business Development.
2021: BBC Hires Director of Operations
2024: BBC Hires Operations Coordinator
In 2024, Team BBC welcomed Molly Gutierrez as Operations Coordinator. Molly brings over 20 years of experience in operations, finance, executive assistance, and program management, with over a decade of civilian service with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She loves keeping things rolling behind the scenes so our consultants can share their gifts and build up beloved communities everywhere they go.
SWaM stands for Small, Woman-Owned, and Minority-Owned Business and the certification program is administered by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD).
The purpose of the SWaM certification program is to "enhance procurement opportunities for SWaM businesses participating in state-funded projects." This is incredible news for Building Beloved Communities because it means more opportunities for growth in our company and for current and future employees.
2023: SWaM Certified!
2023: And then there were four…
The BBC team loves working hard for their clients and having fun while they do it!
In 2023, BBC hired Sam Sokolove who brings more than 25 years of executive-level experience with a variety of impactful nonprofit organizations to BBC, including six years overseeing New Mexico’s State and National AmeriCorps programs. With particular expertise in strategic planning, board governance and leadership development, Sam holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Michigan and a BA from Temple University.
2023: BBC Hires Director of State & Government Contracts
2022: Hollins University Internship
In 2022, BBC connected with Hollins University to offer an internship to Nik Neal from San Antonio, Texas. Nik saw Bonnie present at a Roanoke Regional Partnership Investor Update Roundtable and was inspired by the BBC business model. Nik is focused on research, copy, editing, and design work for BBC.
“Chavez has firmly established herself as part of this community as she has grown her business. She entered the 2021 Gauntlet Business Program and Competition, winning on the gold level. She has devoted fundraising efforts to a venerable charity, the Roanoke Hospitality House (the Ronald McDonald House concept, but for adults), with benefits far beyond this community. She has bought a home in the Grandin Village area. She has hired her first employee; and to top it off, met the love of her life who was also a Gauntlet participant. And now her beloved parents are preparing to join her here in Roanoke.
Chavez says she signed up for the 2021 Gauntlet with “zero expectations.” She wanted to network and meet entrepreneurs in the area and to understand business in Roanoke and the New River Valley. She gained far more from the Gauntlet than she anticipated.”
2020: BBC relocates to Roanoke, VA
Initial BBC logo, 2018
2018: BBC starts in Albuquerque, NM
Building Beloved Communities started in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2018 by CEO & Founder, Bonnie Chavez. Bonnie established the business when she found herself unexpectedly laid off after her prestigious and lucrative management position was eliminated in a business merger. She had business skills and felt a need to help her community. She had always been community-centered, believing “we all rise together,” and that “our mission should be to raise up the community we are in".
Careers with BBC
Currently, BBC is focused on growth and expansion, hoping to hire more team members and build up communities across the nation. If you're someone who is dedicated to the community, has a passion for business, and is ready to take your badassery to the next level, contact us at info@buildingbelovedcommunities.com.
Provide community-centered solutions with creative consulting to empower humans.
To build a Beloved Community – where poverty, hunger, homelessness, racism, and bigotry will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it.
What sets us apart?
Our focus is rooted in community-centered solutions. This means we believe local communities are best positioned to solve the challenges they face. We facilitate this process by partnering with organizations to create positive change with a creative edge, intensive organizational analysis, and sustainable solutions.
What’s in a name?
Why the name Building Beloved Communities?
The name was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1957 speech, “Birth of A New Nation.” He stated, “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community.”
The King Center further defines The Beloved Community as:
In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger, homelessness, racism, and bigotry will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it.
This is the inspiration for our vision and the driving force for our existence.
Our Values
We are innovative leaders in our sector and continue to be generous with our resources to support our community.
We are total badass humans who persist to overcome obstacles. We are successful and improve everything we do because of determination.
We go further, do better, and listen deeply to our individuality and creative expression to become agents of change.
We mentor others to ignite powerful compassion within our community.
