Marshawn Wolley: Black business owners need to have voices heard

The formation, development and growth of Black business will be key to the collective success of communities in the future, but first we have to listen to Black business owners.

While philanthropy and government action remain important, neither will be enough to address the challenges, underinvestment and even discriminatory policies and practices that have occurred and continue to occur in Black communities all over the country.

The for-profit private sector must be engaged, and many business leaders have stepped forward. My larger concern is, where will Black voices be in this moment—particularly those of Black business owners?

“Whatever is done without us is done to us” is a common refrain heard in community meetings when discussions about some new initiative or business proposal affecting the Black community emerges without appropriate Black community buy-in. The failure of a recent Indiana Avenue development is the most recent example of this phenomenon.

Given the larger business community’s heightened interest in small Black businesses, I thought I’d share what I’ve been hearing. After all, developing programs to help a community without asking a community what it needs just seems wrong.

My company surveyed 80 Black businesses in October. The businesses ranged in size from single proprietors to those with more than 70 employees. The businesses and industries ranged from IT, to grocers, to chiropractors, to marketing and communications firms, to legal and finance and accounting services. Experience in business ranged from less than a year to more than 20 years, with nearly 25% of respondents operating as a business from three to five years.

The survey found the following percentages of Black businesses need:

◗ 85%, access to capital, specifically small grants.

◗ 72%, access to information about opportunities.

◗ 64%, photography and videography support.

◗ 50%, legal support.

◗ 43%, affordable leasing opportunities.

◗ 43%, a one-stop-shop list of city and state bidding opportunities.

◗ 35%, support in building e-commerce.

◗ 35%, resources to support and pay their employees.

◗ 28%, a mentor or coach.

As someone who has worked with Black-, minority- and women-owned businesses for more than a decade, these results are not altogether surprising. When we had the businesses prioritize their needs in another round of questions, access to capital, mentorship, workshops and training—as well as access to information—emerged as top priorities.

And while I’d like to do this survey again with a larger sample size, I think the information provided above is instructive, particularly given that I hear the same things from businesses owners when I talk to them.

So what can other businesses do?

Perhaps the best thing business owners who are not of color can do is to not just take my word for the things I’ve said—see their own insights.

No one is looking to be rescued. All business owners are problem-solvers, and Black business owners are no different. They are not looking for handouts—just an even playing field.

Given that government and philanthropy together do not have enough financial resources to address many of the challenges facing communities of color—specifically the Black community—the idea of entrepreneurship and Black business formation and growth must be part of the solution to the collective progress of any major city.

In our zeal to help, don’t forget to listen to Black business owners.•

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Wolley is a lecturer, columnist and diversity and inclusion consultant. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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