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News & Inspiration For and About Black-Owned Businesses |
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Nicholas Perkins, a graduate of both Howard University and Fayetteville State University, has made history as the new owner of the international Fuddruckers restaurant brand. He was formerly one of the company's largest franchisees, but now has full ownership of all 92 of the company's restaurants in the United States, Canada, Panama, and Mexico.
Meet A'Ron Burns, a 17-year-old high school student and entrepreneur from Omaha, Nebraska who has launched his own brick-and-mortar ice cream shop called Roll-N-Sweetz. He makes history as one of the youngest restaurant entrepreneurs in the state of Nebraska.
Meet the three entrepreneurial siblings — Patrick, Christine, and Stephen Campbell — who have purchased a century-old home and transformed it into what is now Keystone Inn, the first-ever Black-owned bed & breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Eso Won Books, one of the oldest and most popular Black-owned independent bookstores in Los Angeles, California founded by co-owners James Fugate and Tom Hamilton in the 1980s, has announced that it will be closing its physical store at the end of the year.
Meet Isaac Barnes, the young founder and President of Eminent Future, whose Black-owned tech firm has been awarded a $13.4 billion dollar defense contract with the U.S. Airforce and the U.S. Spaceforce. Isaac is a marvel, reminiscent of young Black leaders transcending generations of relevant and personable individuals who have made such an extraordinary mark in history.
Alexiou Gibson, the 30-year-old CEO and founder of The Transformation Factory, has landed a $600,000 deal on Shark Tank. He also made history by being the first entrepreneur in the show's history to ever pitch a sea moss brand that features a unique line of vegan health supplements available in different exciting flavors.
D’Angelo Spain is an 11-year-old African American boy from Bowie, Maryland that has already established himself as a professional pool player. He now plays in billiards tournaments all over the country and is already the top-ranked player in the 13 and under division of the Junior International Championship (JIC).
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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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