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News, Resources & More For and About Black-Owned Businesses |
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Sheldon Lloyd, founder and CEO of City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury, Massachusetts-based Black-owned food service business, has landed a deal with Boston Public Schools to provide food to its thousands of students. The $17 million contract is reportedly the largest non-construction contract the city has awarded to a Black-owned business.
Maria Lee-Driver, an accomplished entrepreneur from North Carolina, is the founder of Fresh Mink Pets, a Black-owned line of all-natural pet deodorizing products including pet fume, moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and sage. All of her company's products are 100% free of harmful chemicals.
Brittney Kline, the founder and CEO of Boss Lady Shoetique shoe store, has opened a storefront in Northtown Mall in Minneapolis, Minnesota making her the first Black woman to ever open a shoe store in this particular mall.
In a historic move, Michigan-based First Independence Bank has opened new locations across Minnesota, becoming the first-ever Black-owned bank in the state.
There are thousands of Black-owned businesses that are seeking venture capital and investors. The industries vary greatly, as well the locations and the amount of capital needed. Below, we've published a list of this year's top eight Black-owned businesses to invest in. All of them are start-up tech firms, and all of them are already experiencing some level of success.
Meet Damola Adamolekun, the CEO of P.F. Chang's China Bistro, a popular Asian casual-dining restaurant chain based in the U.S. Since 2020, he has been leading the company to ensure its continued growth and success.
Meet Emily Avonya Jefferson who had a severe reaction to a medication that almost took her life when she was 16. She was hospitalized for several days due to this reaction. Her road to recovery was long, in which she had to go through physical therapy to help her walk again as well as speech therapy. Today, she is the 23-year-old owner of Avonya’s Blends, a Black-owned brand of unique seasonings that are all-natural, low-sodium, and contain no artificial preservatives or anti-caking agents.
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| Top Black Business Conferences, Workshops, and Seminars: |
Every year, many Black business conferences are held across the country that specifically cater to established or aspiring African American business owners, professionals, authors, bloggers, and more. Literally thousands of people travel to network and do business at such events. These events are usually held in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and New York, and typically include extensive training workshops, powerful speeches, power networking sessions, grand hall expos, and more. [Find an event to attend...]
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| Top Black and Minority Business Grants and Funding Opportunities: |
From time to time, there are Black and minority business grants available to help African American and other minority entrepreneurs. Sometimes, they grants are offered by major companies, non-profit organizations, and even government agencies. Admittedly, such opportunities can be very difficult to find as many have been discontinued. Others in the past were offered as one or two year programs and did not renew. Despite this, such opportunities are real and are more often offered through local programs compared to national. [Get funded...]
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| Top Black and Minority Business Organizations: |
There are many non-profit Black and Minority business organizations that aim to be of assistance to African American business owners. They are very helpful resources that offer valuable assets including grants, seminars, literature, consulting, and professional networking opportunities. There are also several government agencies that aim to assist minority business owners, including Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and even women of all ethnic backgrounds. [Find the right organization for you...]
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| Top Black Business Magazines, Publications and Blogs: |
Believe it or not, there are hundreds of Black business magazines - that is, business-focused magazines that target African American readers. There are also many publications that are focused on professional career development. Some are local, some are national, and some are even international. Many are even available as digital publications via your laptop, tablet or smartphone. There are also many blogs that can be very helpful and resourceful to both aspiring and established Black business owners. [Find a publication that meets your needs...]
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| Interesting Facts & Statistics About Black-Owned Businesses: |
Black-owned businesses accounted for about 28% percent of all businesses in Washington, DC, the highest ratio in the nation. Second, was the state of Georgia, where 20% of businesses were Black-owned, and the state of Maryland, with about 19% in Illinois. The state of New York, however, has the most Black-owned firms at 204,093 but this only accounts for 10.6% of the businesses in the state. Second is the state of Georgia, third is the state of Florida, and fourth is the state of Texas with the most Black-owned businesses but not necessarily the highest ratios. [Learn more...]
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