Now if you have a skill like painting houses, you probably can do well even though it’s seasonal. Most of the time you are getting paid for your time as well as your skill. Are you good fixing cars? Mechanics are needed everyday.
We need more Black businesses
Have you ever wondered if you became a business owner, what business would you like to open? Growing up, I used to see a lot of dry cleaners owned by Blacks all over the city. But, just like our corner stores, they faded into the sunset.
Barber shops and beauty salons have become some of the biggest money makers for the Black business owner. Hours of operation can be from 6 a.m. to one or two in the morning depending on the clients.
This week some will experience the trials and pitfalls of Maggie Anderson, an author who along with her family brought Black for one year. Do the Blacks in the community still have a desire to own a gas station, deli, or restaurant anymore?
In 2009, Anderson and her family pledged that they would patronize Black-owned companies whenever possible so she scoured the Chicago area for Black-owned supermarkets, dry cleaners, gas stations, pharmacies, and clothing stores.
Anderson wrote about her experience in “Our Black Year” and will be in Cleveland this week sharing her story at the City Club. Despite the criticism, Anderson has pressed on and continues to urge the Black community to support Black-owned businesses however they can.
The problem, Anderson realized, was that most businesses in predominantly Black neighborhoods weren’t owned by African Americans. In turn, most of the money spent in those businesses leave the community come closing time.
She persuaded her family to embark on a far more challenging mission…
I am a man who understands progress, but does everything have to change? The lyrics to one of my favorite songs states that. “Everything must change, nothing stays the same, everyone will change, no one, no one stays the same.
The young become the old and mysteries do unfold, for that’s the way of time, no one and nothing goes unchanged, there are not many things in life one can be sure of except rain comes from the clouds sun lights up the sky and hummingbirds fly.”
George Benson and a few others sang the song.
In today’s business world, individuals must consider the environment in which we now live. The world has changed. We can no longer see friends in your community owning the businesses anymore. It’s just as simple as accepting the way the business world has revolved.
In various conversations people ask me, why do things have to change? I guess the question that comes to me is why do so many people have difficulty in dealing with change? Change comes in a variety of ways and sizes.
One will say, “We have always done it this way” and will not be open for new ways to do things. If you really think about it, things do change. Just go to the gas pump and see that prices change each week.
There’s no rhyme or reason why some people have the need to own their own company but I had a friend who started a company because he had a problem with authority. I laughed and asked if he was a bad employee or difficult to work with. It is more likely he had a burning desire to start is own company and made the step to do it.
I wish I would have open me some type of business to pursue financial rewards. Trust me, and don’t get me wrong, there is certainly money to be made by owning your own business. An entrepreneur is not always someone who is looking for the easy way out but can be someone looking for a challenge.
An entrepreneur is somebody looking to build something that they can be proud of and hopefully create a legacy to pass on to kids.
Where does the problem stem from that we don’t have more Black owned businesses in the Black community?
In an interview with the Call & Post, Anderson shared her view. “It’s the Black community’s problem that we don’t have as many businesses as we have. The main message that I want to get out with “Our Black Year” is that we have to be more accountable. This economic problem is something that should be of concern for all Americans, but the problem is our problem.”
It would be nice to see aspiring Black business owners selling or servicing all the races and not just relying on the Black community. Black business owners have to be creative when they try to service Black consumers only.
Entrepreneurs and family are the top two sources young people turn to for information on starting a business. I once thought I could become rich stuffing envelopes from home after reading it on a web site.
If you are planning to start your own home business, you have to realize that making money from home is not as easy as most websites say it is. There are skills and discipline that needs to be acquired to be successful. Now, I bet you have been looking at sites that state you can start making money within 15 minutes or start earning thousands of dollars a day.
Don’t feel bad they got me too. The fine print didn’t say you need to stuff 4 billion before you made a dollar (laughing). Well some have said it can actually can be achieved but only if you know what your doing.
Now if you have a skill like painting houses, you probably can do well even though it’s seasonal. Most of the time you are getting paid for your time as well as your skill. Are you good fixing cars? Mechanics are needed everyday.
So my bottom line is for you to live the dream of being your own boss, you must step out and make it happen.
