BLACK IN BUSINESS

Blacquity the attention they deserved. Not only is Frazier a member of Bluffton Town Council and part of the MLK Committee; she is the owner of the Chef B’s Eatz food truck, and soon Ma Daisy’s Porch. They needed someone who could take this concept and run with it.

“We had quite a list of very good candidates,” Frazier said. “We wanted someone with drive and ambition who was going to really create community relationships.”

They found that someone in Gwen Chambers, now executive director of Blacquity. A mainstay of the Lowcountry, Chambers has immersed herself in the community through work with Bluffton Self Help, the Town of Bluffton’s Affordable Housing Committee, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program and more. With a foot in the world of both the black-owned business community and the broader business community, she was the ideal fit.

“It’s absolutely rewarding, seeing these business owners go through the process, have those ‘ah-ha’ moments and push through,” Chambers said. Under her leadership, the Black Equity University program has sharpened its curriculum, expanded its roster of students and pushed dozens of blackowned businesses to new heights.

“It’s 12 weeks of a lot of work,” she said with a laugh. “They’re looking at their fixed expenses, variable expenses, cash flow projections, making sure they have a better understanding when speaking with a commercial lender or investor or customer, all so that they can speak confidently about their business.”

Already, three cohorts of businesses have passed through BEU’s hallways, representing businesses ranging from pre-K education and in-home care to photographers and restaurateurs. Wellknown names like Melly Mel’s and Gullah