Black Business News | Top Black-Owned Businesses

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Black-Owned Furlough Cheesecake Brand Will Soon Be Sold in Walmart

Worker at the Furlough Cheesecake company

Just five months after launching a cheesecake business during the government shutdown, sisters Nikki Howard and Jaqui Wright have seen nothing but success. Now, their Furlough Cheesecakes will soon be sold at more than 100 Walmart stores across the country.

Monday, June 17, 2019

3 Barbers Launch New Vegan, Plant-Based Restaurant In New Orleans

Founders of Vegan Wit a Twist restaurant in New Orleans

Three barbers from New Orleans are now also restaurant owners after opening the newest vegan restaurant in the area. Roy Joseph, Ryan Billew, and Ollie Williams launched Vegan Wit a Twist, a restaurant that serves only the finest and freshest vegan dishes, last November. Since then, they have seen nothing but success.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Introducing the First Ever Black-Owned Piano Manufacturing Business

Warren Shadd, CEO and founder of Shadd Pianos, grew up around a family of musicians. He started breaking pianos apart and building them back up as a hobby when he was just 12-years old. Now, he makes world-class pianos and is considered to be the first ever African-American piano manufacturer!

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Raised By a Single Mom With 9 Siblings, He Now Owns 12 McDonald’s Restaurants

Robert Pyles, African American McDonald's franchise owner

Robert Pyles, a successful entrepreneur that owns 12 McDonald's franchises in Wisconsin, would have never thought that he would be as successful as he is now when he was a child growing up with 9 siblings being raised by a single mother. But now, he is one of the largest African-American employers in Wisconsin and he is using his past experiences as his motivation.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Black Woman-Owned Construction Firm Hired to Build New Terminals at JFK and Laguardia Airports

Cheryl McKissack Daniel, president and CEO of McKissack Construction Firm

Being a woman in the male-dominated construction industry could be challenging for some. But for Cheryl McKissack Daniel, who is the president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the oldest Black-owned and female-run construction company in the US, it always feels like home.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Meet The First African American Lamborghini and McLaren Dealer

Thomas Moorehead, first African American Lamborghini dealer

Thomas Moorehead initially wanted to pursue a career in education. He was at the peak of his career when he decided to take a risk in the automotive industry in 2001. And it turned out to be worth it as his company, Sterling Motorcars, became the first African-American Rolls Royce dealer in the world and first African-American Lamborghini and McLaren dealer in the United States. Even more, it still continues thriving throughout the years.

Monday, June 10, 2019

First Black-Owned Supermarket to Sell Products From Mostly Black Farmers Raises $430K

The founders of WeBuyBlack and the developers of the first ever Black-owned supermarket that will primarily sell products from Black farmers and other food manufacturers have reached their first financial goal of $425,000 to purchase the property! 13,881 people have contributed to the campaign so far, and the Atlanta-based store will be called Soul Food Market, and will be the first grocery store of it's kind.

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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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]