PBN 2025 INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
Education: Sincere Multiservice Inc.
OFFERING SERVICES
isn’t the only goal for Providence-based nonprofit Sincere Multiservice Inc. The organization also aims to transform lives, both in the city and beyond.
With that, the organization is revolutionizing community economic development through its groundbreaking Community Biz Connect model. The initiative is a dual-location entrepreneurship hub that reimagines how business support is delivered to underserved communities in Providence.
“We believe that legacy isn’t built in silence,” Sincere founder and CEO Sharlyn Martinez said in the company’s awards application. “It’s built with smart money moves that speak louder than struggle.”
Martinez says the hybrid structure of Community Biz Connect combines nonprofit services with revenue-generating consulting, creating a sustainable model that can scale without sacrificing community impact. Unlike traditional business incubators that often require credentials or capital, Sincere meets entrepreneurs exactly where they are through a walk-in, friendly storefront model that eliminates traditional intake barriers.
Through the initiative, Sincere created a walk-in space at its Manton Avenue location that hosts free business health checks, startup boot camps for aspiring entrepreneurs, youth-led workshops and pathways for interns to become educators or entrepreneurs, and vendor pop-ups to increase visibility for small businesses.
“Unlike traditional incubators, our approach is hands-on, personal and neighborhood-anchored,” Martinez said. “It is designed specifically for entrepreneurs who may lack credit, credentials, or capital – but who possess drive and vision.”
Results speak volumes. More than 500 participants have completed financial literacy training, dozens of businesses have launched and entrepreneurs report increased monthly income by hundreds to thousands of dollars. Participants also have improved credit scores, avoided predatory loans, obtained business licenses and broken generational cycles of financial instability.
“The innovation has not just impacted individuals. It’s created a ripple effect that is reshaping the small-business landscape in Rhode Island from the inside out,” Martinez said.
(Editor’s note: This profile was written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations and applications. The material was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for style and accuracy by Providence Business News editorial staff.)
