REIGNITING INTEREST SUPPORTING SMALL BLACK BUSINESSES

By d-mars.com News Provider

What you may not know is that a lot of Black business owners frequently face exorbitant interest rates and difficulty obtaining bank loans, even with excellent personal credit. As a result, Black entrepreneurs lack the required start-up capital, causing them to accrue higher debt-to-revenue ratios and ultimately fail to sustain their companies.

In the Houston area, there are 3,981 Black businesses, accounting for 4% of employer businesses. If Black businesses accounted for 18.5% of employer firms (equivalent to the Black population), there would be 21,225 more Black businesses, per a study Brookings. Edu.

So, a question to ask ¬– Do you support small Black businesses and if not, why?

Whether it’s a local eatery, service provider, retail store or another type of business, when you shop small, you’re supporting a real person who is striving to keep his or her entrepreneurial dream alive. “Small businesses are the heart of our country and Ball home canning products business,” says Kris Malkoski, CEO of the Food Business Unit at Newell Brands.

We have been moved by the love our small business customers have shown their communities this past year. Still many small businesses are facing hardships and they need our support now more than ever.

You can personally help make a difference by considering 10 simple ways to support small businesses:

Shop Now

No need to wait for a sale or special event. By shopping now you’re putting much-needed funds into a small business that depends on income each month to make ends meet and keep doors open. Reverse shopping: Rather than thinking of the recipient and then where to shop for a gift, think of the shop first and then the recipients that would most like items from that business.

Go Online

For small businesses that offer e-commerce options, be sure to consider online orders that ship directly to your home. This is a safe and convenient way to support your favorite businesses. Shop in person: For businesses with physical locations, visit shops in person if you can use proper safety measures. If you know what you want, many businesses let you order ahead and opt for curbside or doorway pickup as well.

Consider Gift Cards

Not sure what to buy? Gift cards are always one of the most desired gifts, so if you need to send a little love to a loved one, wrap up a gift certificate in a beautiful card and feel good about your present choice.

Leave Reviews

Online reviews can make a big difference for small businesses in expanding clientele. Go online and leave rave reviews for your favorite stores and why others should support them as well to help spread the word.

Be Vocal

In addition to online reviews, talk up your favorite small businesses among friends. From independent restaurants to local service providers, use your voice as a powerful tool to build their reputation and support growth.

Partnerships

Look for small businesses who partner together to offer products or services that complement each other in packages, such as a gift basket bundle featuring your favorite local treats. You’ll support multiple businesses at once and often get a discount compared to buying separately.

Double Up

For businesses like independent coffee shops or bakeries, consider a larger order. For example, go with that grande latte and order two dozen cookies to share with your neighbors.

Be Patient

Small businesses are dealing with a multitude of challenges these days, from supply chain holdups to sluggish shipping and beyond. Your kindness is valued, and your patience is crucial during these times. “Actions big and small will help make a difference,” says Malkoski. “This is our time to give back to the businesses that help build our culture and communities, and we at Newell Brands want to give back too.

Source: BrandPoint

Old Folks Saying

IT AIN’T WHAT THEY CALL YOU, IT’S WHAT YOU ANSWER TO!

People not committed to understanding you can still look at you poorly no matter how “good” you believe yourself to be. Don’t let the words of others dictate the parts of you that are substantial and seen as valuable to others. Those who matter, will. And those that don’t, their attention shouldn’t matter.

By d-mars.com News Provider

During the 1960s, the women’s liberation movement’s platform was based on the equal rights and opportunities and greater personal freedom for women. It is widely recognized as part of the “second wave” of feminism.

The late Melba St. Andrews-Prevot, a Southern Alum, spent nearly a decade as a chemical engineer Exxon Mobil (70s), Teach for America area manager (90s). Her popularity as a teacher garnered an added family of kids filled with love.

The Prevot maven found her own wave of leadership in 2007 when she founded the M.P.J. Academy of Excellence, a private alternative school that serves at-risk teenagers as well as adults who need to obtain their high school diploma. Since its inception M.P.J. Academy of Excellence has graduated thousands and established itself as a respected institution with much more to offer its C’MUNITY.

The institution’s objective is to build up at-risk students and adult learners, which they’ve done successfully for a little over a decade.

Now in 2023, the baton has been passed to Melba’s son and retired Army veteran, Paul Prevot. He’s has come a long way from his early ambition to be a pediatrician to a full out educator.

Getting To Know Paul Prevot

“As I child I remember wanting to be a pediatrician, and my mom loving that idea even more, but I was always ‘smart,” he told the publication. [However] my grades didn’t reflect that. So, I ended up going to the Army to get school money to be teacher.”

The percentage of Black educators are small, they are even smaller by two percent among Black males according to the Department of Education. Paul is a part of that two percent wanting to make a difference not only for himself but his mother as well.

[The M.P.J. Academy] and philosophy is a student-centered journey guided by Literacy & Leadership,

Prevot said. “Along with core subjects, our students write [and] recite essays, Power Point, video presentations, and case studies over their chosen career electives.

The headmaster has kept workers close to him that collaborated with his mother’s path to success including Calvin Eugene, a software engineer in Fort Bend who worked with Melba at Hightower High School in Missouri City. With 15 years of continuous efforts, Eugene helped build and shape the M.P.J. Academy of Excellence, which is what it is today. Changing lives will always be a showcase of who mattered and influenced. Paul’s influence will forever lie in the foundation his mother set and improving the forward movement for C’MUNITY.

The late Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. Either I win or learn.” Looks like Paul Prevot is learning to master his craft from a tailored and unique legacy left by his mother.

Go to M.P.J.-Academy.org for more information as to how you can be a difference.