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The Gathering Spot Announces The Location Of Its Next Club

The Gathering Spot, a members-only co-work space and networking hub, has tapped Houston, TX, as the location for its next club. Founded in 2016, The Gathering Spot (TGS) opened its doors in Atlanta, GA, before adding locations in Washington, D.C., in 2021, and Los Angeles, CA, in 2022. Per its website, Houston is one of TGS’s “connected cities” along with Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Detroit, MI; and Charlotte, NC. These cities are “curated communities that serve as hubs for collaboration” where the company anticipates potentially building future clubs . According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Co-founder and CEO Ryan Wilson spent significant time in each of these connected cities before he and his team singled out Houston as “the next best opportunity for us as a community.” Through his visits, the city drew parallels to Atlanta’s blend of big and small businesses. Regarding the investment, Wilson discussed his confidence in Houston’s potential for company growth. “We’re...

Michelle Burk

Mar 19, 2024

After Saving Their Earnings From Restoring And Cleaning Shoes, Twin Teenage Brothers Open A Shoe Store In Louisville, KY

Teenage twins Taylan and Tylan Walker have united their individual interests to become entrepreneurs. WAVE 3 News in Louisville, KY, reports the pair was looking to open a brick-and-mortar store to start selling shoes when they completed high school. At the age of 13, Tylan had already started buying and reselling shoes on the market, while Taylan was watering his interest in cameras and videography. As the business of selling shoes grew, it became clear to them it was time to scale the venture. ”When I was in my house I was getting a bunch of shoes, and I was getting more and more shoes until like I was getting to the point where I needed to change locations because I had too many shoes in the house basically,” Tylan told the outlet. This led to the storefront Finest Kicks opening its doors in Louisville. The venture was supported through the brothers’ earnings from restoring and cleaning shoes as well as sales from buying and reselling shoes on the market. View this post on...

Samantha Dorisca

Feb 22, 2024

How Startups Can Overcome Innovation Roadblocks Threatening Growth

In the evolving business and technology landscape, innovation is a major marker of progress. However, ideas are often obstructed by hurdles that challenge the expansion of creativity. As organizations strive to pioneer new horizons, they frequently grapple with a phenomenon known as the “innovation stall.” Innovation stalls occur when the regular flow of creative ideas within an organization temporarily slows down or halts. This can result from factors like resistance to change, cultural issues, or resource constraints. Amidst these challenges , navigating the delicate balance between tradition and transformation becomes a crucial endeavor for organizations aiming to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible. What Is The Biggest Blocker To Innovation? Understanding the obstacles to innovation is pivotal for crafting effective strategies . Among the blockers, a prevalent one is resistance to change entrenched within organizational culture. Embracing innovation requires a fundamental...

Corinne Dorsey

Feb 2, 2024

This Couple Is Behind The Newest Vegan Restaurant Coming To Fayetteville, NC

Couple-turned- business- partners Yoniara Montoya and Robert Harris are expanding their food venture.

Samantha Dorisca

Jan 9, 2024

Why Former Journalist Ngozi Ahanotu Launched A Search Engine Geared Toward The Black Community And Funded It Herself

If you are on the hunt for Black-owned businesses, look no further than a search engine designed for its community.

Samantha Dorisca

May 25, 2022

Gabrielle Union Opens Up About Flawless And Entrepreneurial Struggles — 'I Made That Initial Deal Out Of Fear'

Gabrielle Union is creating a table and Black-owned businesses are the centerpiece. As a part of a new partnership with LinkedIn, which includes an exclusive new content series, “Getting Real with Gabrielle Union,” the star opens up about being a Black woman in the industry, business, and how fear drove her decisions, plus more. Now Gabrielle Union has adopted a new mindset to land the right opportunities and she has since racked in many wins. As AfroTech previously reported, Gabrielle Union recently became an investor in Angel City Football Club alongside her daughter Kaavia James Union Wade. “If it does not positively impact my peace, my joy and my grace, I don’t wanna have anything to do with it. When I look at investments, businesses, I look at who else is involved? Are these people that I would trust with my child or trust with my life? No. Okay. Well that’s okay. That’s not for me,” Gabrielle Union said in an interview with LinkedIn News Editor in Chief Dan Roth. Gabrielle...

Samantha Dorisca

Feb 22, 2022

Coalition To Back Black Businesses Announces Second Round Of Its Multi-Year Grant Program

Coalition to Back Black Businesses (CBBB), co-founded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, American Express, and four leading national Black business organizations – announced 491 Black-owned small businesses across 39 states were each awarded a $5,000 grant as part of a multi-year grantmaking and mentorship initiative. The recipients will be eligible to apply for enhancement grants of $25,000, which will be provided to a select number of 2021 grantee recipients in July 2022. The CBBB was formed in September 2020 to address the needs of businesses impacted by the pandemic and support their long-term growth. Since its launch, CBBB has awarded grants to more than 1,000 Black-owned small businesses. “From nationwide supply chain disruptions to worker shortages, Black small business owners are facing new and daunting challenges brought on by the pandemic,” said Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “The strength of our economy depends on the...

ComplYant Raises $5.5M Seed Funding Round To Build Digital Tax Assistant For Small Businesses

ComplYant is here to help small businesses with their tax needs. And thanks to a recent seed funding round, they’re able to help now more than ever. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the company closed a seed funding round of $5.5 million led by Craft Ventures with participation from Mucker Capital, Slauson & Co., and Techstars. ComplYant was founded by Grid 110 and Techstars alum Shiloh Johnson. There are more than 31 million small businesses in the United States, and they pay billions in tax penalties every year for filing forms or making payments late. Some businesses just forget while others don’t understand enough about the taxes they owe to know that they owe them. ComplYant’s digital platform solves this problem by streamlining workflow, providing a savings wallet for taxes, and allowing accountants to collaborate with client accounts – all right in your browser. Using ComplYant, U.S. small business owners easily manage and take charge of income tax, sales...

Ciara Joins Forces With Meta To Promote Wealth Building In The Black Community

Ciara and Meta Elevate are back to support small Black-owned businesses! To ensure businesses will receive support and prosper amidst the pandemic, entrepreneurs were encouraged to apply to Meta’s newest program in the fall of 2021. Now, Ciara has personally selected 10 Black-owned businesses that will participate in the inaugural cohort. “The ten businesses I’ve nominated are dear to me because they embody determination, community, empathy and empowerment. The success of Black-owned small businesses is key to wealth building in our community, which is why connecting Black owners to these opportunities is so important to me,” Ciara said in a press release sent to AfroTech. As AfroTech previously told you, nominated businesses will receive marketing mentorship and six weeks of support. Businesses will have the opportunity to create powerful marketing campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, Meta will distribute $100,000 in ad credits and creative support for businesses to...

Samantha Dorisca

Jan 26, 2022

Target Commits $100M To Help Fuel Economic Prosperity In Black Communities

One thing about Target, they’re going to pay it forward. As AfroTech previously reported, the retail giant announced this past April, that it will provide $2 billion in support toward products from over 500 Black-owned businesses. Now, they’ve announced in a blog post that they will be allocating $100 million in funding to Black communities through 2025. With this new commitment, they aim to fuel economic prosperity to Black-led organizations as a part of their Target Forward Strategy designed to ensure the company equitably represents the communities they serve. “As one of the largest retailers in the U.S., we know we have the responsibility and opportunity to use our resources to help end systemic racism and accelerate economic prosperity for Black communities,” said A manda Nusz , President and Corporate Responsibility senior of the Target Foundation, in a blog post. “With this commitment, we aim to support the next generation of Black talent, expand the impact of Black-led...

Samantha Dorisca

Oct 13, 2021

Frank Ocean Launches Homer, An Independent American Luxury Company

Frank Ocean is, officially, in the jewelry business. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the former member of Odd Future has launched Homer, which is being touted as an “independent American luxury company” by its official press release. Homer Catalog / Courtesy of Homer And the first capsule  is quite extensive, with pieces including diamond-encrusted bracelets, cartoon-colored enamel pendants, patterned silk scarves, and gold rings sculpted into the word “OK.” Homer Catalog / Courtesy of Homer “The first Homer collection comprises fine and high jewelry pieces, plus printed silk scarves. The pieces are handcrafted using 18K gold, recycled sterling silver, hand-painted enamel, and American lab-grown diamonds,” reads the press release, which adds that the products are designed by the Homer team in New York City before sending the designs off to Italy for manufacture. Homer Catalog / Courtesy of Homer According to the Homer team, the inspiration for the designs comes...

This HBCU Grad Has Helped Over 1,000 Black-Owned Businesses Generate Revenue

This Bowie State University alumnus knows how difficult it can be to market a business, so he started one to make it easier on others. Dante Lee is the founder of several platforms focused on promoting and sharing the stories of Black business and entrepreneurs including BlackNews.com, BlackBusiness.com, BlackHistory.com, BlackPR.com, BlackJobs.com and HispanicJobs.com. Lee started his marketing and PR firm while still on campus. According to Black Business, he graduated in 2002 and was known for his marketing genius and is the self-proclaimed “Revenue Doctor.” He estimates that he has helped more than 1,000 Black-owned businesses generate $90,000 in revenue via his press release distribution service BlackPR.com. “African Americans have an annual buying power of $1 trillion dollars,” Lee says. “But there are very few affordable services that help marketers reach these consumers. What I’ve created helps underprivileged business owners affordably and effectively achieve their...

Abriana Walton

Mar 27, 2021

This Mother and Her Two Daughters Own Every McDonald's in the City of Compton

Patricia Williams opened her first McDonald’s franchise store in 1984. Today, Williams and her daughters Nicole Enearu and Kerri Harper-Howie own every McDonald’s in the city of Compton, according to Black Business. Williams and her daughters, who began working with her in 2000, have successfully opened 13 stores, generated almost $50 million in revenue and have employed over 700 people. Williams’ journey started over 30 years ago. She and her husband — inspired by family members who already owned McDonald’s franchises — cashed out their retirement plans and set out to open their first store. Their risk reaped major rewards, as the McDonald’s brand grew throughout the 1980s, Williams and her husband were able to purchase a second store before making another bold business move. When her marriage ended, Williams bought her husband’s share in their business, sold their stores and opened five more. This leap of faith required her to take out a small business loan, attend the required...

Abriana Walton

Mar 23, 2021

How to Start Your Own Marketing Agency

There’s no question that marketing is an effective way for small and large businesses to win over clients. However, some business owners just don’t have the time, patience, or skill to promote their products and services. That’s why marketing agencies are so high-value. If you’re looking to start your own marketing agency, you’ve chosen a highly lucrative industry. But there’s a method to every business venture, and if you don’t do things right, you’ll take longer to be successful. Here’s our quick guide to starting your very own marketing agency. HOW TO START YOUR OWN MARKETING AGENCY 1. CHOOSE A NICHE Pick the type of business you’d like to work with. While it’s fine to target all types of companies, it’s often better to specialize in a particular industry. For example, you can target real estate agencies or individual agents and brokers. It would be especially helpful for your agency if you’ve had previous experience in real estate. This can definitely set you apart from your...

AfroTech

Dec 10, 2020