Supporting Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs is not only a matter of promoting economic equity, but also a way to invest in and uplift Black entrepreneurs. Today, more than 3.2 million Black-owned businesses in the United States employ approximately 2 million workers across commercial, professional, retail services, and beyond. Launch Workplaces is proud to have a diverse network of small businesses and entrepreneurs. In this blog, we will highlight Black-owned businesses that call Launch Workplaces home, and ways you can support them.
How You Can Support Black-owned Businesses
To support Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, shop and patronize these businesses in your community. You can also recommend these businesses to friends and family, write positive reviews online, and share information about them on social media. Keep reading to meet Black-owned businesses that work within the Launch Workplaces community.
By supporting Black-owned businesses, you are:
- Promoting Economic Empowerment
- Strengthening Communities
- Driving Innovation through Diverse Perspectives
- Diversifying the Economy
Why it is Important to Support Black-owned Businesses
Black-owned businesses have not been allowed the same chances to grow and thrive, unlike their white counterparts. Historically, Black-owned businesses have been forced out of business or even destroyed. One significant instance is the Tulsa Race Massacre. The Greenwood District in Tulsa, also known as “Black Wall Street,” was one of the wealthiest black communities in the United States in the 1920’s. Due to racism and rising racial tension, Black Wall Street was destroyed. According to the Library of Congress, “As a result of this attack, thirty-five blocks were systematically looted and burned, destroying 190 businesses and leaving 10,000 people homeless.”
Support Black-owned business by checking out local black businesses in your area. Search tools like Blapp offer networks of businesses that you can support. Here are just a handful of fantastic black owned businesses that are proud to call Launch their home:
All About Security
All About Security’s mission is to be one of the top leaders in the electronic security industry. They provide the latest technology and equipment, providing customers with the best service possible.
What advice do you have for young black entrepreneurs?
“Never give up on following your dream and love what you do. Never think that you are not capable of succeeding because of race or gender. Stay focused, grounded, and continue to put in the work. There is just no way around that.”
How has Launch helped your business?
“Launch allows me to have a peaceful and pleasant environment to come to work, brainstorm, and meet my clients in a professional setting. It allows me to focus directly on my clients’ needs in an upfront and professional way, which is how I like to conduct my business.” – Howard Hunter, President and CEO
JusRédor Collection
Justine Parker founded JusRédor Collection—a small, women-owned, black-owned, Maryland-based business—to provide go-getters with Sustainable Bamboo Athleisure that’s better for their skin and better for the environment. Justine’s collections have been featured at New York Fashion Week and Sustainable Fashion Week.
What is the best lesson you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?
“Balance is everything—finding a balance in your health, work, relationships, and overall life is essential. Also, you must spend money to make money, and you lose a lot on your journey to success, but you also gain so much more.”
What is the most vital realization you’ve had since being in business?
“Success does not happen overnight, and it takes a lot of willpower to be an entrepreneur. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” – Justine Parker
J&E Vending
J&E Vending offers vending machines and kiosks filled with healthy foods and drinks. They focus on providing schools, workplaces, military bases, airports, and more with healthy food options rather than junk.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your work?
“The most rewarding thing is definitely serving others in the sense of providing fresh food and good meals to people who need them, like active-duty members, children, or people in the ER who are sick or working hard, among many others.
Beyond that, it’s extra rewarding to know that we’ve taken the initiative to donate food to local homeless shelters when it’s nearing its best-before date. It always drove us crazy to see companies throwing away food at the end of the day when it could’ve been donated to those in need instead. So, we wanted to change that trend.” – Ebony Calloway and Joseph Sydnor
Z’s Body Massage
Zelda Wafer-Jones has 20 years of experience in the field, and is skilled in a wide range of massage techniques including Deep Tissue, Swedish, Pre-Natal, and Sports Massage. But, massage therapy wasn’t always the career trajectory she had always planned on. After graduating from college and working as a paralegal, her aspirations of becoming an attorney quickly gave way to a career rooted in helping people.
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned from your business?
“I’ve always told people to make sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket. Try to diversify as much as possible in your business. I have my private office here at Launch and it’s phenomenal, but I also do outcalls where I go to people’s homes, I have people come to mine—you need to diversify what you do as much as possible. Find other ways to bring in more income with that same job you do.” – Zelda Wafer-Jones
Looking for a workspace where you can expand your network and meet professionals like yourself? Then book a tour of your local Launch Workplace today.
