Our Story

Novella Center is named for our founder’s mother, Joyce Novella Cherry. Joyce grew up in segregated 1940s Baltimore and experienced discrimination firsthand. As a New York City family court investigator, social worker, and probation officer, she was a tireless advocate for those whose rights were ignored. She taught her son Jeff the power of knowledge and courage, and that economic justice is essential to thriving communities.

Today, Novella Center honors Joyce’s legacy through entrepreneurship. We expose founders to Stakeholder Theory and the tenets of Conscious Capitalism, showing them how managing a business for all stakeholders creates both societal and financial value, builds generational wealth, and leads to a more just, equitable, and prosperous society.