Young Black entrepreneurs have taken the world by storm. They have taken on business ventures in a wide range of areas such as cosmetics, clothing lines, graphic design, catering, and so much more.
In the NYC area specifically, I have personally witnessed the growth of many such businesses throughout this calendar year. The circumstances caused by this year has brought out true creativity and passion from many young driven business owners, especially Black women.
When lockdown orders first went into effect in mid-March, they gave people time to refocus, plan, and ultimately help them put better business plans into action despite the setbacks. According to Forbes, “black women have been one of the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the U.S.” They represent 42% of new women-owned businesses which is three times their share of the female population and 36% of all Black-owned employer businesses.
Following the shooting of George Floyd and the country’s reckoning with institutional racism, the hashtags #buyblack and #shopblack began trending which in turn created a torrent of sales for many black-owned businesses. Reports showed that some businesses grossed more revenue within that time frame –approximately 3 months May-July– than they had for the entirety of 2019.
Kahla Campbell of Cambria Heights began a small catering business where she provides single dinners as well as catering orders for events such as birthday parties, baby showers, and small gatherings. She feels as though it has been hard to maintain a business with everything going on in the world. “You have your good days and you have your bad days like anything else,” she states. She also talked about how she utilized part of the lockdown we faced to redevelop and properly structure her business.
Nahkya Dove also of Queens is a licensed lash technician who provides lash extensions, facials, and also sells false lashes. Her clientele has grown enormously amid the pandemic and she feels as though it is because of her brand’s marketing which she, similar to Kahla, took time to properly develop to aim for the perfect crowd.
Both of these entrepreneurs offered their insights on overcoming a multitude of obstacles, leveraging the power of social media to expand their business, and ignoring adversities.
To see such a large amount of young Black entrepreneurs emerge and have their businesses thrive in a time like this is so refreshing to see.
