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I have watched as the world has changed leadership. A lesson comes to me about a career choice that leads all others. That career is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship more than all other careers is, in fact, in partnership with most other careers. It asks one simple question. “How did I get here, and what is the next move that will keep me here?”
An entrepreneur must at all times be selling something to keep his/her business going. The alternate is, “If you’re not selling something, you’re buying something.” In short, if you’re not bringing something, specifi cally money in, then money is going out. I can recall as a child, there was a block in my hometown where there was a solo practice Dentist, a solo practice barber, a second-hand store, and a small black family-owned grocery store, all owned by African Americans. These guys and girls were entrepreneurs, plying their trades to make an honest living. These are businesses where the businesspersons got start-up money in a variety of ways. They mortgaged their homes. They sold some of their personal items. They worked overtime or took a second job. They borrowed or accepted cash gifts from Mom, Dad, or other family members. Some just took the time to sacrifi ce and save-up the money. Others with no identifi able source just took their last paycheck, and took a chance, and opened their business. They started small and worked from home or in small spaces they could afford to rent. After gathering the cash, the businesspeople developed their business plan and started their business. I spoke to one person who opened and sadly closed her business within one year. She had no support from her spouse who accused her of dating each visible male customer. This is a tragic end to a business. It is suggested that there be a meeting of all who will be involved in a new venture. Give everybody a job and create a team to make everyone feel invested in the venture. Try to seek help from those who have skills you don’t have for necessary jobs, like bookkeepers and technologically savvy people, etc. If you can’t pay them, make a deal for barter until you start earning money to pay them. In most businesses, there are organizations that provide support. Join them. The next step for the entrepreneur is to perfect your trade through extension classes, webinars, and seminars to keep up with the changes that can occur. With the technological change that is happening, it’s no time to fall back on old techniques, but accept new procedures and techniques to keep up with changes in the industry to guarantee that as an entrepreneur you may share in America’s profits. Here are a few more things to remember on your journey. They are, Church, Children, History and Charity.” These things are a source of clientele, inspiration, and wisdom. You should have a church family at all times. Your church feeds your faith, teaches you a set of morals to live by. Church gives you a sense of family outside your household and teaches your family a set of principles and morals to live by and share. I also believe you need children as a source of inspiration and to whom you can teach and pass your treasure forward to the next generation. Your history keeps you on track. We all know the story of slavery and how we were raised. We know the positive witnesses of Barack and Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris and others who have been role models for our people. But we cannot forget the racism and hatred that has been on display throughout the ages in America. They are pitfalls that hold us back and stop many of us in our tracks. Be aware of the negatives such as, the cop’s knee on the neck of a black man, choking out his breath and life, the police killing of a young woman as she lay sleeping in her bed, the White insurrection against American Democracy on January 6, 2021 which resulted in the deaths of American citizens. These and the many other atrocities haunt us. The racists and hatred are still out there and can move your plans off track. Watch out for it. Charity is there because you need to share with those less fortunate. Share your talents with our youth. Become a role model. If possible, allow a young person to become an intern in your business. You should also hire and do business, on purpose, with other black entrepreneurs. Support black businesses and trade with them whenever you have the opportunity. They need your support for their success, and you need their support for your success! At this writing, the world is in a pandemic. Many businesses across America have closed. Members of my family became entrepreneurs due to the Depression in the 1930’s. If you have lost your job because of a business closure during this pandemic, now is a good time to launch your career as an Entrepreneur! |
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