Support black entrepreneurs and businesses or watch your black community crumble

 William H. Kelly III
Associate Editor

The saying “We are only as strong as our weakest link” can be applied to the support system that the black community lacks today. I noticed that as a race, we tend to undermine and neglect our black entrepreneurs and black owned businesses because they are not “up to par.”

As a student entrepreneur, I have personally witnessed the negativity and treatment towards my fellow businessmen and women from those in our community. Perhaps it is because one does not fully understand what it takes to manage a business, whether it be freelance photography or owning an establishment, it requires financial support and encouragement.

I completely understand that we, as consumers, want to feel comfortable spending our money on a product but sometimes we must take risks in order to help each other grow. Success does not happen overnight, just as expensive equipment, supplies, and extravagant venues are not instantly formed.

Think about the international fast food chains such as McDonald’s, the make-up product lines such as MAC, and so forth, at one point on their journey to success, they were at the bottom. If we as a community simply invest into our black owned business and entrepreneurs, we will eventually see the results.

As of 2014, there were over 6 million minority-owned businesses in the United States. Many of these businesses are struggling to stay afloat because of a lack of support.

It has taken me approximately four years to get to where I am right now with my photography business, and I am far from where I want to be. Photography equipment costs hundreds of dollars; lenses, lights, editing software, and so much more.

Without the support from others, personal investments, and my thirst to grow, I would probably be in the same predicament as I was in the beginning, clientless and confused. As a race, we must open our eyes and realize that we are responsible for the failure of our establishments’, referring back to the phrase “We are only as strong as our weakest link.”

Too often we sit back and watch our classmates, family members, and neighbors go bankrupt due to lack of support and we are to blame.

Put yourself in the shoes of those trying to develop a hustle and better themselves, especially our student entrepreneurs.