As Baltimore prepares to welcome thousands of visitors for CIAA Weekend, The Baltimore Times is proud to spotlight entrepreneurs whose journeys were shaped at HBCUs and who are now building businesses that strengthen our communities. Through a partnership with Morgan State University – Regional Hub of Howard University and the PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship, we highlight alumni founders creating impact across industries.
One such entrepreneur is Yemi Oyeleye, an alumna of Bowie State University, Class of 2008, where she earned her MBA in Finance. Today, she is the founder of Secured Anchors Group, an Enrolled Agent–owned tax and accounting firm committed to financial empowerment and long-term stability for individuals and businesses alike.
With more than two decades of experience in the tax and accounting industry, Oyeleye launched Secured Anchors Group with a clear purpose: to provide reliable, accurate, and comprehensive financial solutions that clients can trust. The firm offers tax preparation, tax advisory, audit defense, bookkeeping, payroll services, and tax strategy and planning — all tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.
“At Secured Anchors Group, we are committed to providing innovative tax and accounting solutions designed to meet specific client needs,” she explains. “We prioritize our clients’ financial well-being and security.”
But beyond the services themselves, Oyeleye’s deeper mission is rooted in financial literacy and generational wealth. Her inspiration to start the business came from a personal connection to the importance of financial empowerment. She believes individuals and organizations equipped with strong financial tools are better positioned to serve their families and their communities.
Her time at Bowie State University played a pivotal role in shaping that vision. The MBA program provided the foundation she needed to transition from professional expertise to entrepreneurship. The HBCU environment nurtured both confidence and clarity, reinforcing the idea that ownership is not just possible — it is necessary.
“Ownership and entrepreneurship are important to me because they create financial peace of mind and open the path to generational wealth,” Oyeleye says.
Like many entrepreneurs, her journey has not been without challenges. One of her biggest hurdles has been generating organic client growth. Rather than viewing this as a setback, she embraced it as a lesson in networking, relationship-building, and community education.
“I’ve learned the importance of educating potential clients about the value of my services,” she notes. “Networking and building trust are essential.”
That commitment to trust and confidentiality is a defining pillar of Secured Anchors Group. The firm emphasizes integrity, innovation, and personalized service. Clients are not treated as transactions but as long-term partners whose financial futures matter.
Looking ahead, Oyeleye has ambitious growth goals. Over the next three to five years, she aims to scale to between 1,000 and 2,500 organic clients, expanding both individual and business accounts while maintaining the firm’s high standards of service. Growth, she says, will not come at the expense of quality.
In addition to serving clients, Secured Anchors Group also offers a referral program to reward trusted partners — reinforcing the importance of community-based business building.
For current CIAA students and fellow HBCU alumni considering entrepreneurship, Oyeleye offers practical advice: identify a gap in an industry you are passionate about and create a bridge to fill it. She encourages students to gain practical experience, think about how their ideas serve the broader community, and build something that contributes to long-term economic empowerment.
As CIAA weekend shines a spotlight on Black excellence, entrepreneurs like Yemi Oyeleye exemplify the power of HBCU graduates building sustainable businesses that strengthen families and communities. Through financial literacy, integrity, and innovation, Secured Anchors Group is helping anchor brighter financial futures — one client at a time.
For more information, visit: https://securedanchorsgroup.com/
Harold Booker Jr.
Harold Booker Jr. is the founder and principal of DrewJenk Consulting, a boutique firm that specializes in project management, technology, and community engagement. He is also a frequent contributor to the Baltimore Times, writing about arts, culture, and social issues that connect personal history with community impact.