ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney Experiences, formerly Disney Parks, hosted nearly 100 Black small business owners from the Atlanta-based Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida early this week, organizing an experience designed to equip emerging business leaders with the skills needed to generate a positive economic impact within their communities.

Attendants were lodged inside Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts for the duration of the trip, spending a majority of their afternoons and evenings alongside RICE leadership, stakeholders and members of Disney’s supply chain accelerator planning team. Each pupil “graduated” from the program on Wednesday, receiving a certificate of completion and a round of congratulations from Mickey Mouse himself.

As the lead financial sponsor of RICE’s Supply Chain Accelerator Program, Disney presented a slew of educational sessions and workshops for the team, one of which was developed and hosted by the company’s exterior training arm, Disney Institute, giving Black business owners first-hand experience in adopting the mindset needed to operate successful ventures.

Leaders from Disney Institute introduced a service-oriented approach to entrepreneurship through its teachings, emphasizing that great service is necessary to properly run a business, regardless of size or revenue. Cast members at Disney brought this notion of exemplary service to life through their kind and courteous treatment of RICE entrepreneurs and stakeholders over the course of the trip.

Disney Institute also invited the group to tour exclusive parts of Magic Kingdom Park on Tuesday afternoon, where attendees identified real-life examples of the managerial concepts taught during the institute’s training session.

Additionally, RICE-backed business owners heard from local Black vendors contracted with Disney on Wednesday, listening in on a panel about expanding business practices, working with big retailers and embracing authenticity when developing a brand—another popular takeaway from the seminar.

“That’s the power of storytelling,” said Lisa Williams, founder of multi-cultural doll company

World of EPI, about authenticity during the discussion. “Because we get to see who we are…”

While many of this year’s participating entrepreneurs returned from last year’s event, some business owners joined RICE leadership in Florida for the first time this week. 

Chantel Powell, stakeholder at RICE and founder and CEO of natural kids deodorant brand Play Pits, said that RICE’s trip to Orlando marked her first visit to Disney World since she was about 10 years old, giving her a chance to observe the parks from a new and refreshing perspective as both an adult and an entrepreneur.

“I remember nothing (about my last time at Disney),” Powell said. “So, to see it with these experienced, entrepreneurial eyes—oh, my God, it’s incredible. It’s truly magical.”

Powell also said that she’s previously worked jobs in customer service before switching gears to start her own business, so Disney’s lessons on providing excellent service to clients and consumers particularly resonated with her.

“I was an executive assistant. I worked as a wardrobe stylist and assistant costumer in film and TV,” Powell said. “So, I’m used to being of service to people…”

A select few attendees even visited the parks at Walt Disney World for the very first time. 

Chisom Eke, founder and CEO of skin-sensitive skincare company Overlooked Beauty, said she had preconceived notions before traveling to Disney World, but her first experience navigating Magic Kingdom and EPCOT completely exceeded her expectations.

“I thought it was going to be like your typical amusement park,” Eke said. “But (after) coming here and after going through some of the info sessions we went through earlier (today), I’m like, ‘This place is absolutely amazing.’”

Intentionality was a central theme from Tuesday’s session with Disney Institute, with instructors from the institute stating that business owners should lead both intentionally and professionally in order to sustain financial success and encourage loyalty from their consumers.

Eke said that the intentionality behind Disney World’s operations was evident throughout Tuesday’s tour and that she plans to incorporate many of the lessons she’s learned on this trip into running her own small business.

“I think it made the experience so much better, because I know that… (Disney) did everything with care and with the customer in mind,” Eke said. “That helps me with even my business.”

The Russell Center and Disney plan to partner to host the event again next year.

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Black Coffee ATL announced in a social media statement Tuesday that its Walker Street location in southwest Atlanta will serve customers for the final time this week. 

According to a post on the company’s Instagram, the independent Black-owned and -operated coffee shop decided against renewing its lease in the historic Castleberry Hill neighborhood in pursuit of business opportunities in other parts of the city.

“We know you’ve heard the rumblings and whispers but we can officially announce to you that Black Coffee Castleberry will close its doors to the public this week,” the statement said. “It’s a bittersweet feeling as we love our cafe and put our all into it, but it simply no longer meets the needs of our growing business and we’ve been blessed with some amazing opportunities to expand.”

Black Coffee ATL officially opened its doors at the end of 2021 after two years of hiatus incited by the pandemic following the signing of their lease in 2019. With its Walker Street location conveniently situated within walking distance of the Atlanta University Center, State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the cafe aimed to serve as a gathering place for the community, bringing together creatives, college students and Atlanta residents new and old.

According to the statement, Black Coffee ATL’s new cafe will be based in Atlanta’s Westside, and company ownership will release more information about the transition as the grand opening approaches. 

The statement also announced plans to open four additional sister cafes across metro Atlanta before 2023’s end, located on Edgewood, inside Underground Atlanta, Decatur Square and Lawrenceville.

The new location is slated to open the weekend of October 21. 

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The first ever Black in eCom conference kicks off in East Point this Thursday, uniting Black entrepreneurs and major players in the e-commerce industry for a three-day comprehensive learning and networking experience intended to help business owners jumpstart or grow their web-based ventures.

Featuring programming spearheaded by industry leaders and sponsored by some of the biggest names in global e-commerce, the conference aims to assist Black business owners in all stages of the entrepreneurship journey, giving them a chance to market their products, access capital and collaborate with other contacts that make up the e-business community.
Tiffany Johnson, founder of the event, said that Black in eCom is the first e-commerce conference dedicated specifically to building Black-owned businesses and features the most diverse lineup of panelists she’s seen throughout her career.

“I think the significance (behind giving Black e-commerce professionals a platform) is, one, representation, and letting the audience know that you’re capable of building a successful e-commerce business, and here’s how you do it,” Johnson said. “And here’s someone who looks like you that has done it successfully.”

Also a global business development manager at Amazon Web Services and CEO and founder of feminine wellness brand Moozii, Johnson works with small-scale minority entrepreneurs on a regular basis to help grow their brands, and carries her passion for strengthening minority- and Black-owned businesses into her projects with Black in eCommerce.

Johnson said she was inspired to organize the Black in eCom conference through interactions from her work with Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator, an initiative she created that launched in 2021 to assist Black-owned businesses selling merchandise through the platform. After connecting with entrepreneurs in e-commerce who benefited from the program over the years, Johnson said she wanted to make a space for Black business owners to connect and resolve the questions and concerns relating to their brands and the e-commerce world at large.

The inaugural Black in eCom conference features a full schedule consisting of panels, networking sessions, keynote presentations and fireside chats, each dedicated to educating attendees about different aspects of running a successful e-commerce business.
The conference also gives Black e-commerce brands opportunities to impact the industry in ways not previously witnessed. Johnson said that the global e-commerce market is anticipated to reach $6.3 trillion this year, and inclusive resources like the Black in eCom conference are crucial in helping Black-owned web-based ventures compete with businesses managed by other demographics with stronger backing.

Johnson doesn’t just measure this impact financially. She wants to help craft a reality where Black businesses infiltrate every possible market, rather than dominating a limited selection of markets mostly related to beauty and wellness.

“I want, at the end of this conference, and in the future, for Black-owned businesses to be in all of the spaces,” Johnson said. “So, when you think of anything that you want to purchase, you should be able to find a Black-owned business within that category.”
And to Johnson, Black entrepreneurship in Atlanta is unlike that in any other city. She said she was impressed by the city’s large share of entrepreneur-backed enterprises when she first visited and that Black-owned businesses in Atlanta have a distinct feel that immediately distinguishes them as such.

“I’m a firm believer in the city of Atlanta,” Johnson said. “I see firsthand that it’s a thriving hub of innovation and diversity, making it the perfect backdrop to host an event that celebrates and supports Black excellence in e-commerce.”

Johnson aims to attract 5,500 founders, aspiring founders and solution providers to fill East Point’s Legacy Center over the span of the conference’s three days of scheduling. While much of the conference’s programming is catered to entrepreneurs with existing ventures, anyone interested in learning how to navigate the ins and outs of the e-commerce industry is encouraged to attend.

“For me, Atlanta is the place to build,” Johnson said. “And when I think of legacy, there’s so many great things that came out of Atlanta, and I want Black in eCom to be one of them.”

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Atlanta is one of several economies based across the Southeast that appears to thrive from a small business perspective, even in the midst of widespread layoffs, inflation and previous national concerns over a possible recession.

The city has witnessed a surge in privately managed small and medium-sized enterprises over the past few years, contributing to a small business scene that has evolved into an influential sector of its own, making up a significant portion of the overall economy.

Liz Wilke, principal economist at Gusto, a producer of payroll and benefit-management software that helps small and mid-sized businesses operate their ventures, said that Atlanta joins the ranks of Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville and a handful of other steadily-growing cities in showing signs of firmness that could lead to increased financial prosperity in the future.

Using data gathered from the businesses acquiring the company’s services, Gusto’s economists analyze current trends in the small business sector across multiple metrics and regions and predict future conditions to better assist their clientele. According to accumulated data, Wilke said that metro areas across the Southeast have maintained a steady rate of employee dismissals overall, the firing or laying off of workers usually during times of downsizing caused by fluctuating demand.

“Other regions have seen a little bit of cooling, mostly driven by lower hiring, but also an uptick in dismissals,” Wilke said. “But we really have not seen that in the [Southeastern] region.”

Instead, metro Atlanta’s small businesses are choosing to hold onto the employees they’ve already recruited, as opposed to hiring additional talent in the midst of nationwide economic uncertainty. Wilke said that this stagnation, along with calming inflation and the persistent recovery of the global supply chain, has helped small business owners find stability in their practices, giving them a chance to prepare for future growth.

Entrepreneurship gives workers a chance to do away with the aspects of the conventional corporate workplace that have proved unpopular among many demographics of employees, which has manifested into attempted four-day work weeks and increased opportunities for hybrid and remote working. With small businesses, employers are able to create a more flexible and personable work environment that makes it easier to value employees, and, as a byproduct, yields stronger retention rates among workers.

While small businesses have historically served as the backbone of America’s economy, they have progressed to have a much larger impact on the economy as a whole. It’s the small business sectors within mid-sized markets that have witnessed some of the most impressive growth over the years, fulfilling a need for additional jobs in local economies and helping change the definition of success for workers in the country.

“(Small businesses) are really becoming, as a segment of the economy, like powerhouses in their own right in much bigger ways than they were,” Wilke said. “It’s just been a really exciting time to think about the transformation of entrepreneurship.”

The post Atlanta features a strong small-business economy with a ‘bright future,’ says economist appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Despite looming inflation and the lingering threat of an economic recession, Atlanta’s small business community remains on the rise as small business owners work to navigate entrepreneurship in the aftermath of increased competition and limited resources.

As Atlanta continues to morph into a hotspot for large corporations aiming to establish a physical presence in the Southeast, the city also becomes increasingly favorable for small-scale businesses looking to find a place in the local economy.

According to a survey conducted by Truist Financial Corporation, which recorded small business owners’ actions and stances on their pursuits and the state of the U.S. economy, owners are experiencing increased concerns in operating their businesses, as prices continue to climb and the national labor shortage presses on. 

The survey compared localized results to national findings, discovering that a higher percentage of Atlanta-based entrepreneurs felt their business conditions improved over the past year, with 64% of the city’s surveyed business owners citing a positive change within their workplace, while just 52% of small business owners on a national scale reported similar remarks.

However, the same percentage of Atlanta-based entrepreneurs also reported experiencing feelings of stress induced by the workload and pressures of managing business operations, compared to just over half of small business owners nationwide. 

On a national scale, the survey states that small business owners are most concerned about three economically-focused factors: inflation, rising costs and general economic uncertainty.

Financial setbacks from the pandemic years and beyond have forced entrepreneurs to make changes to their business models in order to attract and retain employees. According to Truist’s survey, an increase in wages, benefits and the added option to work remotely are three of the most popular incentives now offered by employers to encourage their staff to continue working for them. Small business owners will likely have to make permanent adjustments to their individualized workplace cultures in order to maintain worker satisfaction. 

“What we’ve seen from both the survey and through our conversations with small business owners is that the remote work environment is here to stay,” said Scott Stearsman, Truist’s head of small business. “So, we’ve seen a big focus on small business owners creating flexibility in work schedules and [implementing] remote work capabilities.”

Though, finding and maintaining reliable labor continue to serve as struggles for business owners locally and nationally. Katie Saez, Georgia regional president at Truist, said that while the city’s economic growth since emerging from the pandemic’s shutdown is impressive, it hasn’t been consistent, with some small businesses flourishing to the point of operating at full capacity, while others still struggle to find employees.

“I think the business-client community has done a really great job at adjusting to the evolving needs of their consumer base and their client base, and are in a pretty good position out of COVID,” Saez said. “And now we’re staring at this new realm of uncertainty. Are we in a recession? Are we going into a recession? What’s that going to mean for the small business community, and how can we be ready to adjust to it? I’ll tell you though, the Atlanta community has shown great resilience.”

In spite of this fluctuation in growth, Saez said Atlanta’s combination of available economic resources and skilled talent still makes the city an ideal setting for small business owners to find their footing and establish profitable ventures.

“There’s so much opportunity for small businesses [in Atlanta],” Saez said. “We continue to see great economic development across the state, and Atlanta is really a hub for a lot of that.”

However, Atlanta’s key ingredient for smaller-scale economic progression, may also serve as a direct contributor to small business owners’ reported enhanced stress and unstable work-life balance. Saez said Atlanta’s economy, which encourages increased entrepreneurship among residents, in turn fosters competition between already existing small businesses, forcing all business owners to work harder to turn a profit.

“Winning new clients due to growth and positive economic conditions is attainable, but losing clients to the great competition is equally challenging,” Saez said. “It’s a very competitive market because there’s a lot of development and new businesses, and that, I think, adds to the stress of owning and managing a business here.”

The mass creation of jobs that occurs when corporations establish headquarters and new offices in the metro Atlanta area also generates competition among small-scale business owners in terms of hiring and retaining workers and generating revenue. Though, Saez said the expansion of large companies across greater Atlanta could benefit small businesses, as well, highlighting the need for privately-owned retailers, restaurants and other ventures to exist alongside them.

“Opportunity creates opportunity,” Saez said. “And I think anytime a company, large or small, chooses to call Georgia home for either their headquarters or an expansion of their business, it’s going to create opportunity for other organizations or businesses, as well.”

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Fiserv, Inc., (NYSE: FI)  the international financial tech service company not only loves but believes in Atlanta. Based in a Milwaukee suburb, the company is putting its money where its mouth is. 

In addition to the funds already invested into businesses in the metro Atlanta area, Fiserv is bringing its Back2Business program back to Atlanta and expanding its commitment to supporting black and minority-owned businesses. 

The Back2Business program is a $50 million fund to support minority-owned small businesses through grants, coaching and access to technology and networking opportunities. An additional $1 million in grants will be awarded to qualifying businesses in metro counties: Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton, Cherokee, Douglas, Gwinnett, Henry and Fayette. The businesses will be able to apply for grants up to $10,000.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and providing resources through programs like Back2Business helps ensure their success in today’s economy, “ said Neil Wilcox, Fiserv’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility. “Increasing our investment in Atlanta will strengthen our local community, contributing to an ecosystem in which small business owners can thrive.” 

Grants will be administered in partnership with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a leading national voice for underserved entrepreneurs. Small businesses can find out more about the grant and apply at aeoworks.org/Fiserv. Applications will be accepted until all grant money is awarded.

AEO is one of the leading voices of innovation for microfinance and microbusiness. It states their mission is to create economic opportunity for underserved entrepreneurs throughout the United States.

Joining Fiserv at the event were organizations that support the growth of small businesses in metro Atlanta, small business owners and three Atlanta entrepreneurs who have received assistance from the financial giant and the Russell Center.

Testifying that Fiserv does practice what it preaches were Tiffany Moore of Chef Tiffany Moore Gourmet Foods, Kris Hale Dope Pieces Puzzle Company and Kerri-Ann Thomas of Brooklyn Tea. 

Hale told the packed room  that the grant and the support was pivotal in the success of her business. “I used the grant to solidify the business portion of  my plan, getting my trademarks and copyrights complete,” she said. 

Thomas shared how the grant received by Brooklyn Tea helped keep the business going, paving the path for expansion, while Moore noted the ability to grow her brand.

“The Back2Business grant that Brooklyn Tea founders Jamila and Ali Wright received in 2020 helped to keep their doors open during the height of the pandemic,” Thomas said. “Because of the support they received through such financial turmoil, they were able to keep their company afloat, paving the way for partners such as myself to join the Brooklyn Tea movement and open a store in Atlanta.”

“The Back2Business grant helped me start thinking globally about my brand,” said Moore, a native of Atlanta. “Having the support of a company like Fiserv was the additional push I needed to execute plans I thought I would have to wait on longer.”“

Hale also spoke about how the support of Fiserv and RICE have helped her business grow.

“The Fiserv Back2Business program has been paramount to the growth of my business,” said Hale. “The continued support and opportunities to work with organizations like RICE keeps us going and shows a deep level of buy-in and dedication to truly helping small businesses scale and grow.”

All three of the entrepreneurs strongly encouraged the use of the Fiserv Clover system. 

According to Fiserv, Back2Business has contributed more than $1.5 million into Atlanta’s small business ecosystem, including 139 grants to small business owners.

After giving a brief history of the namesake of the center – the late builder Herman J. Russell, Bailey told the audience, many of whom were visiting the center for the first time, that RICE is a special place for entrepreneurs and they won’t find another place like it anywhere in Georgia. 

“At RICE, we are boldly disrupting barriers to economic wealth that many Black businesses face in today’s society,” said Jay Bailey, President and CEO of RICE. “We are taking expedient action with community-minded organizations, like Fiserv, to do more to lift equality for those who need it most.”

As a global leader in payments and financial technology, Fiserv helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover® cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform.

For more information visit:

Fiserv – www.fiserv.com

Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs –  www.russellcenter.org

Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) – aeoworks.org.

(This is sponsored content  provided through a grant from The Russell Center written by The Atlanta Voice.)

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Grameen America may not be a household name in Georgia, but it soon will be with the recent opening of its Atlanta office.

Grameen America is the fastest growing nonprofit microfinance organization in the United States. Atlanta is the 25th U.S. city where the fund has set up operations. The office is being funded through partnerships with The Studio@Blue Meridian, Truist Foundation, Investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith and Regions Bank which donated $1million. 

Widely known as the richest African American, billionaire investor Smith gave the welcoming remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony which was held at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs in southwest Atlanta. The fund is still searching for office space. 

“This program is so important. While 11.6% of the US. Population lives in poverty, that rate jumps to 18.8% for black women,” Smith said. “ And we all know that owning a business is one of the most efficient ways to produce generational wealth and escape the cyclical nature of poverty.”

Although black women in America continue to outpace black males when it comes to starting businesses, Smith adds: “But only one and a half percent of black women own a business. This is due partly to the barriers they must overcome to launch their ventures, including the fact that they are 20% less likely to be able to fund their business with bank loans, and typically, they receive less than 1% of annual venture capital invested.”

Smith is no stranger to Atlanta. When he started his remarks he joked it was “good to be back in the city of my graduation.”  In 2019, Smith was the commencement speaker at Morehouse College and paid off the tuition debt of the 135th graduating class. 

The founder, chairman and CEO of VISTA Equity Partners Smith has established a Student Freedom Initiative to enable thousands of young people to graduate from historically black colleges and universities free from the “shackles of debt.”

“Some of you may know black women owe 22% more on average than white women in student loan debt,” Smith said. 

Atlanta is known for its strong women entrepreneur base, so it was a natural that the organization would eventually set up shop here. The fund started making inroads into the metro area in June 2022. 

In a release, Grameen America stated it has “disbursed over $420,000 in affordable capital through 210 microloans to 169 financially underserved women of color living in the  metro Atlanta area and surrounding communities. Thanks to this partnership, Grameen America will be able to expand its reach into the local community to support a greater number of under-resourced entrepreneurial women.

The new branch will also receive technical and other forms of assistance from local community partners, including The City of Atlanta’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, Startup Atlanta, Cathedral of Faith, and On the Rise Financial Center.”

“Atlanta has long been a leading hub for entrepreneurship and growth, and a city with a clear need for access to affordable capital and financial services among women and especially Black women,” said Andrea Jung, President and CEO of Grameen America. “We’re proud to bring a variety of funding and technical assistance partners together to help connect women of color with financial services while positively impacting and sustaining their local communities.’

Several of the funded Black and Hispanic women business owners attended the ceremony. 

Grameen America provides low-income women business owners with loan capital, financial education, asset- and credit-building, and peer support. Since 2008, Grameen America has reached more than 170,000 women living in underserved communities across the United States and recently achieved a record milestone of investing over $3 billion in capital to emerging entrepreneurs. The organization’s repayment rate is over 99% and its members have achieved an average credit score of 653 through participation in the program.

Jung pointed out in her remarks that the Atlanta area is a leading metro in the Southeast with significant growth over time. However, data shows that growth has not always been inclusive or equitable in reaching all members of the region. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18.5% of people in Atlanta live in poverty, compared to just 12.8% of all Americans. The city, which is nearly 50% Black, also has the highest rate of income inequality of all large cities in the country. While Atlanta has one of the highest percentages of Black-owned businesses in the U.S., many entrepreneurs rely on personal wealth to start or build their businesses and have limited access to affordable capital.

(For more information on Grameen America and how to apply for a loan go to: www.grameenamerica.org)

The post Major Nonprofit to Aid Women Entrepreneurs Opens Atlanta Office appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Plant vendors and enthusiasts alike gathered inside Atlanta’s ISO Studios on Saturday for the inaugural social for the Facebook group ‘Black Planters,’ a virtual collective of Black plant owners and lovers who exchange advice, conduct sales and hold general discussions about plants and gardening.

The event featured opportunities in commerce and education, bringing together small business owners, speakers and the public to buy, sell and learn about cultivating various types of greenery.

Ashley Nussman-Berry, founder of the Facebook community and organizer of Saturday’s event, said she created ‘Black Planters’ as a way to give Black horticulturalists an outlet to socialize and spread their knowledge to others. She started the group before the height of the pandemic and the period of civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd, a time when Black people faced isolation and disregard from social groups of contrasting backgrounds.

Online communities for plant lovers are abundant across multiple social media platforms, but Nussman-Berry said ‘Black Planters’ creates a safe space for Black people harboring an interest in gardening, fostering a community that appreciates Black ideas and culture while supporting Black issues and matters of racial injustice, trends that she found weren’t as prevalent within mainstream, multiracial plant communities.

“[Black members] were getting shut down over and over [inside mainstream virtual plant groups]. People’s posts were getting taken down, and it just wasn’t feeling very fair. We weren’t feeling heard,” Nussman-Berry said. “So, I just decided that we were going to do something different and have a place where we can all just come together and be able to be ourselves.”

Since Nussman-Berry started the social media group in 2020, ‘Black Planters’ has accumulated nearly 45,000 members located around the world. Nussman-Berry said that a significant portion of the Facebook group’s members reside in the Atlanta area, which motivated her to choose the city as the location to host the first in-person social event. She said she’s eyeing other major American cities to host future events, before hopefully making her venture global.

“Right now, we are hoping to do New York next and I think Chicago,” Nussman-Berry said. “The bigger cities tend to be more predominantly Black, so that’s cool. That’s where a lot of our members [are located].”

Neti Hamilton, an environmental public health practitioner working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was one of the event’s participating vendors. Her business, Ezra’s Emerald, is a plant marketplace and consultation service with a long-term goal of bringing about awareness and communal action to the climate crisis.

“I don’t just run a plant shop. I have the intention of cultivating the relationship between humans and their environment one house at a time to help address the climate change agenda,” Hamilton said. “So that’s what this shop is doing, not only [selling] plants, but kind of [proliferating] an idea of environmental conservation and preservation.”

Hamilton said her goal is to transform Ezra’s Emerald into a full-time pursuit, where she can combine her interests in environmentalism and fostering community into one practice. She also said she aims to use her platform to give Black planters and environmentalists their flowers when it comes to developing actions and habits that benefit the planet.

“I feel like Black and brown people, we’ve been doing this. We just aren’t getting the credit for it,” Hamilton said. “So, to be able to highlight us and to bring us to a stage that’s deserving and showing and telling of enough of what we are doing [is important to me].”

Licensed cosmetologist Candas Nichole also set up a booth on Saturday, selling custom, hand-sculpted and -painted planters donning images of Black women and public figures. She creates art and beauty products and other marketable accessories as a full-time entrepreneur.

“I am an artist all around,” Nichole said. “I [also] make jewelry and handbags. I make everything, and that’s something that I do full-time.”

Nichole’s planters combine her many trades into one product, as she designs her figurines to wear makeup and a variety of natural and protective hairstyles. She said she aims to open a brick-and-mortar store in the future that provides a spa-like wellness experience for customers, that also allows them to take home merchandise that reminds them of their visit.

“Everything that I do is all about uplifting, motivating, inspiring [women],” Nichole said. “I love men, too, but I love to see women happy and feeling free and feeling beautiful and empowered.”

In the future, Ashley Nussman-Berry plans to service the Black plant community in ways beyond hosting itinerant social events. 

‘Black Planters’ is also part of Facebook’s Community Accelerator program, an initiative from Meta that helps online collectives impact their communities by equipping leaders with connections, coaching and funding to be used to expand their outreach. Nussman-Berry contributed funds she received from the program to organize the social, and intends to use more of the funding to foster an interest in horticulture across Black youth, and to establish communal gardening spaces within Black communities nationwide.

“We need spaces where we can just be. We don’t have to censor ourselves and change who we are,” Nussman-Berry said. “It’s cool because we all come from similar backgrounds, and a lot of Black people in America, they have ancestors who were slaves, so it’s cool. It’s like reclaiming gardening and making it ours.”

The post ‘Black Planters’ hosts first in-person meet-up in Cumberland appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

United States Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) visited the SPARK Innovation Lab on Auburn Avenue the morning of Monday, May 8 to talk to local business owners about a $500,000 bipartisan-backed investment in the historic Black neighborhood’s businesses.

The half-million dollar investment is an effort to make sure the majority Black-owned businesses reap some of the good fortune many of Atlanta’s small businesses have seen as a result of the city’s growth the past decade plus.

Ossoff, a native and current resident of Atlanta, told The Atlanta Voice that the Sweet Auburn District is the “Civil Rights heartland of the country” and “as this city grows Black business and property owners that are already here need to participate in this growth.”

Standing inside the Odd Fellows Building and Auditorium at 228 Auburn Avenue, a historic property that has been owned by the Alexander-Perkins family for many years, Ossoff was flanked by a number of local business and property owners as he explained the investment. He stressed that is was supported by both sides of the aisle in Washington and that it would not be a one-time investment into this community.

“This is about making sure entrepreneurs can participate fully in the economic growth of metro Atlanta,” Ossoff said. “I want to ensure that this community continues to thrive.”

Kimberly Alexander, who was there representing the Alexander-Perkins family, which is a landlord for small businesses in the Odd Fellows Building, said about the investment, “The Sweet Auburn neighborhood is full of not only Civil Rights history, but Black business legacy.”

It is not clear how the funds will be dispersed among the businesses, but Ossoff was clear about what the funding will be used to mainly benefit.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in so many ways,” Ossoff said. “This has to be part of a long-term effort.”

Small businesses such as Lash & Brown Spot, The Weave Outlet and the Sweet Auburn Bread Co., which is currently under interior construction, and Auburn Vinyl, a custom print shop, will benefit from the investment.

“We need to ensure the people that brought it this far along the way get to enjoy the benefits from this funding,” Alexander said.

The post Ossoff announces half-million dollar bipartisan investment in Auburn Avenue businesses appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Beauty guru and makeup artist Carla Stevenné, who shares her makeup, hair, and fashion tips and tricks on her YouTube channel BeautyByCarla, created beauty brand Faces Artes to be “one-of-a-kind for all beauties,” she said.

Stevenné said her grandma is her biggest inspiration behind the art design of Faces Artes. She is also in a highly creative family and grew up always around art. Stevenné remembers her grandmother’s artwork the most clearly, particularly having a lasting memory in her mind, and it inspired the vision for the brand today. Her grandma used different colors and shapes and is the biggest inspiration behind each bold, colorful work of art.

Everything Stevenné has experienced on the rise as a beauty creator over the past years is the foundation of this makeup brand.

Stevenné was also recently at the World Natural Hair Show held in Atlanta to get the word out about Face Artes, what it essentially means to her, and the importance of having a voice as a Black creator and influencer.

“Everybody should be invited to beauty events,” Stevenné said. “This gives influencers and content creators that official stamp from their followers that they’re legitimate creators. This allows them to raise their price and get even more opportunities as creators, but if the space is closed on levels for all, only all are included in marketing to sell us the products.”

For additional information and to shop, visit https://faceartesbeauty.com/. To view/purchase Stevenné’s beauty products and other items, visit https://www.amazon.com/shop/carlastevenne. Additionally, to find her on YouTube, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8bFB0jFTjM7boJ48qUslHw.

The Atlanta Voice: Why did you decide to start your business?

Carla Stevenné: I decided to start my business because I have been a content creator and influencer for over 10 years. I started my beauty channel on YouTube when I was 14, have over 15 million video views to date, and realized there was a need for more beauty brands willing to work with me and pay my rates over the years as a creator. There was a lack of diversity, particularly in the beauty space, and I created this brand to help fill the gap in the industry to open opportunities for all on every level in the beauty space. I have worked with the biggest hair, fashion, and skincare brands. However, when it comes to beauty, I have only worked with a small fraction compared to the other brands. This made me question the industry and realize the reality of the beauty space and its lack of openness to all on every level. A lot is missing, and everyone isn’t genuinely welcomed into the beauty space as it may seem to sell everyone the products. Everyone deserves to be a part of the beauty space and feel welcomed and beautiful. Being an influencer/content creator, there is a lot of money to be made, so if everyone isn’t eating from the industry, that causes problems in the space in the long run. My dream was to be a big-time beauty influencer growing up, and I want anyone who has that dream to know they can make it happen, thanks to Face Artes Beauty.

AV: Was there a moment that inspired you to start this business?

CS: There was a precise moment that inspired me to start this business when I was working with my manager as an influencer on a platform, and I won’t name names, but I was speaking with people about my plan to start a beauty brand, and immediately the next day I was dropped in the beauty category to the bottom just because they were aware that I wanted to create a beauty brand. I did everyone right and helped them so much, but then was attempted to be destroyed immediately after this moment. This immediately sparked a light inside me to ensure I make the best beauty brand ever created to ensure that this never happens to anyone else again. That’s the moment that started everything and gave me the fuel I needed to get this done correctly so no one would ever feel how I felt when that happened to me.

AV: Is there a mentor in your life that inspired/inspires you as a business owner?

CS: Yes, her name is Courtney Adeleye, the founder and CEO of Olbali. Courtney owns multiple companies and mentors’ other business owners with her brand Olbali. I signed up for her masterclass in December 2021. She supplied me with all the keys and has made over 100 million dollars in sales with her famous brand. I am forever grateful for her mentorship because she helped me when I needed it the most and continues to help people today. 

AV: What are your business goals for the remainder of the year?

CS: One of them is to continue working with influencers worldwide. I sent one palette to an MUA that is in South Africa. Also, I have traveled to London and promoted my brand there. I want my business to be a global sensation and capture markets worldwide. Also, I want to expand the collection and have lip gloss. I am waiting to use the full lip gloss, so I know how that experience would be for a customer shopping. For me, it is all about having the best quality products with the best results on the market. I would love to be able to do another tradeshow as well. Atlanta welcomed us with open arms, and I appreciate that love and encouragement on my journey as an entrepreneur.

AV:  Any advice to future business owners about taking the plunge?

CS: My advice to any business owners taking the plunge is to take it one step at a time. Don’t think too far ahead about the work that goes into it and get yourself overwhelmed. Have a notebook and write down those long-term goals, but most importantly, take those steps because nothing great comes overnight. You have to put in that work and build it, and eventually, you will have an empire. Take your time with the process. Believe in yourself, and never let anyone stop you. Take that as a sign you are on the right track because it happened to me. Certain things that may happen in your life are painful, but use those moments and struggles as motivation, so you can share your story with the next business owner and show them that it’s possible. Let your hardships be why you go hard for your business, and always keep going even on the days you don’t feel like it because it will be worth it in the long run.

The post Carla Stevenné creates beauty brand for all with Faces Artes appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.