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News, Resources & More For and About Black-Owned Businesses |
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Meet Venroy Joseph, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of veJov Design, LLC, a Black-owned graphic design firm based in Pennsylvania that has been creating funeral programs since its founding. However, when the pandemic began, the agency began to receive a much larger demand for funeral programs for loved ones.
In 2011, at the age of 26, Ashley Lamothe became the youngest franchise owner in Chick-fil-A history. However, her story with the company started many years before when she began working at a Chick-fil-A restaurant outside of Atlanta at the age of 15. It turned out that she liked the job, and when it came time to attend Spelman College, she began working at the Chick-fil-A restaurant near campus as a director on the leadership team.
Meet 37-year old Danita Johnson, who has been named the new President of Business Operations for the D.C. United soccer team making her the first-ever Black president in Major League Soccer (MLS). She is also one of the few women who are in the highest executive ranks in the league's history.
Kevin John is a 38-year old entrepreneur who is the owner of Vendu Auto Group, Charlotte, North Carolina's newest Black-owned used car dealership. Originally from Detroit, Kevin launched his business in February 2020 in a part of Charlotte that has historically been a low-income area about a mile and a half outside of uptown.
Kid chef and 12-year old entrepreneur Julian Frederick is teaching other children how to build their culinary skills and empowering them to be leaders in the kitchen and beyond. His company, The Step Stool Chef, which is dedicated to building kids’ confidence and independence through cooking, is partnering with SideChef, the all-in-one home cooking platform, to launch The Step Stool Chef Cooking School For Kids brought to you by SideChef Premium.
Meet Nic King, a successful entrepreneur from Connecticut who has launched the newest Black-owned cereal brand fittingly called 'Proud Puffs' that features chocolate-flavored, vegan-friendly puffs in the shape of a fist. Nic says the cereal was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Sharise Erby and her family — Carlos Tolliver, Jamond & Turquoise Erby-Bell, and Josiah Erby — are excited to have launched their new online CBD company, Carrie’s Essentials. This family-owned company will be headquartered in the heart of South Phoenix. Carrie’s Essentials is here to become the wellness & lifestyle partner for minorities along their journey to good health.
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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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