Why You Should Work with Business Focused Cultural Grassroots Organizations

By Denise Turney

Growing Your Business Culturally

The United States Department of Commerce reports that from 2002 to 2007 “the number of minority firms grew by 46 percent, compared to 18 percent for all U.S. firms, and compared to 13.7 percent growth for the minority population age 18 and older, during the same period. Minority-owned firms employed approximately 5.9 million people in 2007, up from 4.7 million in 2002.”

Business Focused Cultural Orgs Pic by Ltljtlj at Wikipedia Commons

: The Department goes on to state at their Minority Business Development Agency’s website that, “minority firms grew by 46 percent, compared to 18 percent for all U.S. firms, and compared to 13.7 percent growth for the minority population age 18 and older, during the same period. Minority-owned firms employed approximately 5.9 million people in 2007, up from 4.7 million in 2002.”

Existing local, national and international African American and other diverse business organizations strive to fill those economic gaps by educating and empowering their members around marketing, financial management, export agreements and other business issues. Most of the organizations host educational, technological, motivational and networking events that entrepreneurs and business owners can attend. Even if you are a member of larger business organizations you might not be aware of smaller, locally based membership driven entities that could help thrust your business forward.

Partnering Together for Business Success

The Black Business Association works with both large and small businesses. Nearly 100,000 unique visitors reference their website each month. You can bid on contractor and subcontractor jobs through the association. Job postings, career fairs, community employment events and job training opportunities are also made available to members and visitors through the association.

Events that the association hosts or supports include the Pan African Film and Arts Festival, Vermont’s Slauson’s Entrepreneurial Training Program and the Bloomberg Business Series. The Black Business Association lists one of its missions as, “To advocate for the development and growth of African American Businesses/Owners.” Another of the association’s goals is to, “advocate the development and growth of African American Businesses by requesting and successfully conducting meetings with our government officials and congress to effectively get our voice heard and demands met.”

Corporate sponsors for the association include Verizon, Sempra Energy, VEDC, AT&T, Honda and Comerica. Annual membership dues for individuals are $200. Students only pay $25 a year. Corporate memberships cost $2,500 a year. The Black Business Association is based in Los Angeles, California.

National Black MBA Association and Other Cultural Organizations

The National Black MBA Association works with its members to help them transition their ideas from thought to product. They also partner with their members to help them market and sell their products. The association publishes a quarterly periodical – Black MBA. Education, leadership and business owners are key areas that the association focuses on.

The National Black MBA Association holds an annual conference (the 2011 conference will be the association’s 34^th annual event) generally in October of each year. The 2010 conference was held from October 4-11 in Atlanta, Georgia. Full memberships cost $125 for professionals who have earned their MBA. Lifetime memberships cost $1,000. Students pay $60 for an annual membership. Entrepreneurs not yet possessing an MBA can join the association for $125 as well.

The Minority Business Development Agency is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. The organization has business centers located throughout the country that African American business owners can access. The agency also sponsors online development centers (e.g. Phoenix Opportunity, Business Plan Writer, Business Locator) that entrepreneurs can access to find diverse businesses to exchange products and services with and find new business leads. The Business Plan Writer online tool walks business owners through the process of creating a business plan. It is free to use the tool.

These are just a few of the organizations that are geared toward assisting African American business owners achieve their goals. Additional local, national and international organizations include: