Despite some rough patches, our world is changing for the better. Especially in the world of business, we’re seeing rapid changes in the demographics of consumers, employees and in leaders. This diversity is opening new markets, exposing once rigid product lines to opportunity and helping millions more see themselves as valued members or heads of thriving companies.
5 Black Entrepreneurs Changing the World – Photo Credit Maya Satori, Gerard H. Gaskin, Jimmy Warr-Mize, Frank Ishman and Jay UlinwaMaya Satori, Gerard H. Gaskin, Jimmy Warr-Mize,
Most change starts from the edges, from the fringes of thought rather than the middle of the comfortable, stable and marginally profitable road. In business, this often comes from entrepreneurs, often those who challenge the status quo.
The following five leaders are at the intersection of entrepreneurship and diversity, and they’re helping to change the world.
1. Eboné F. Bell
We met Bell at the 2018 National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) International Business and Leadership Conference where we interviewed her as an NGLCC-certified LGBTBE for the Queer Money® Podcast. In just six years, Bell has taken her business, Tagg Magazine, from being a small magazine “into a bi-monthly print publication, website and podcast, hosting events throughout the year.” Bell’s goal has always been to showcase the tribe of which she is a part on the pages of her magazine because until then it was sorely underrepresented in other LGBT publications.
Although Bell admits it’s difficult to find advantages that a queer black entrepreneur can access, she says, “I think there is an advantage within our own community. Though Tagg is for all LGBTQ women, I have always been intentional about lifting the voices of other black queer women (and women of color). I have a unique advantage to tell these stories in which I can directly identify. I always say the best people to tell our stories is us.”
One of the greatest opportunities many have today, that Bell uses successfully, is the lower barriers to entry when it comes to creating, promoting and connecting our businesses to communities important to us. Bell understands small voices are important, and she is giving theirs and her own a space to be heard.
2. Jimmy Warr-Mize
If smiles are contagious, then you’ll contract a lifetime of smiles from Jimmy Warr-Mize. Whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram or his website, Warr-Mize’s purpose is to brighten the world with positivity. This positivity is something that not only his queer black community needs, but the whole world desperately needs daily. His podcast, a regular dose of “positive talk,” ranges from a few minutes to an hour-long burst of healthy, happy and motivational tips or talks.
As Warr-Mize says, “You deserve to experience freedom in every area of your life.” As a new rising star in the black, queer, entrepreneur community, how does he keep the negative narrative that permeates many communities today out of his consciousness, especially in the face of dual discrimination? Warr-Mize shares two practices that have worked for him, “Meditation over the last few years has done wonders for me. When negative self-talk sneaks in, if I’m in public, I will literally run to the restroom and breathe for five minutes. I have also been known to have a milkshake to silence the noise. Either way, I’m able to focus back on what really matters.”
Entrepreneurs from every demographic, but especially those from marginalized communities face outside challenges. Challenges that come from inside are the ones most difficult to hush. A dose of Inspired By JimmyL may be your best prescription.
3. Sean Coleman
If giving it all up, literally everything you have, to pursue your dream is the definition of entrepreneurial success, Sean Coleman is easily in the top 1%. Also, a guest on the Queer Money® podcast, Coleman told his story of being a black transgender man who cashed in his retirement plan, moved in with friends and gave his all to start the first LGBTQ+ resource center in the Bronx, Destination Tomorrow.
Coleman gave up everything to help other people, not to become a millionaire selling products or services to the masses. He saw a need in his own community and accepted the calling. As Coleman says, “My purpose is to give back to my community, while being a voice for the voiceless. With a mission that big, it becomes less about me and more about my purpose.” Coleman’s determination to open Destination Tomorrow is near unparalleled. As a queer entrepreneur, as a black entrepreneur, we can all learn from him.
How did Coleman succeed as a non-profit with very little resources? He advises, In the very beginning, there was no money for training or professional development. Understanding that these things are vitally important to my growth and the growth of the agency, I sought out any and every free program that existed. I read stories and articles about how others started non-profits and mimicked their path. I took courses on grant writing, non-profit management and fiscal oversight believing that I needed to understand every facet of what makes a non-profit viable. I knew early on that the agencies that thrive were also those that understood the business component of running a non-profit. My task was to figure out how to keep Destination Tomorrow community-focused with regards to the level of care we provide while also respecting it as a business that needed to build and maintain sustainability. I tapped into spaces like the NYC Small Business Services, the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Center for Bronx Non-profits. I took webinars that explained the process of obtaining discretionary funding from the New York City Council and applied every year until we were funded. My advice to anyone getting started is to tap into every free resource available.
Clearly, Coleman embraces the quote, “It may be hard, but it is worth it.”
4. Vanessa “Brooklyn” Wright
In this world of polarizing politics, condemning tweets and half-truth news cycles, it’s easy to group everyone into “us” versus “them” camps. This choosing of sides leaves marginalized groups outside the circle of resources. Although, gathering around our commonalities and communities who look like us can have a big impact on an entrepreneur’s chances of success. It’s also something that Vanessa Wright, better known as Brooklyn, felt drawn because they didn’t see many queer black entrepreneurs who were like them. Wright says, “These things have forced me to build my own communities and find other unicorns throughout the world.”
Wright is the founder of “The Intersection,” an international network of high impact LGBTQ women & nonbinary entrepreneurs, creatives and professionals. The Intersection uses its collective power, resources and information to empower all its members worldwide. Wright is most known for their online community, Boi Society, which stands as a beacon of representation for over 50,000 queer, non-binary people all over the world.
Wright reminds us that queer black entrepreneurs, like many entrepreneurs from discriminated communities, must support each other. Whether you’re queer and black or fall anywhere on the LGBTQ+ rainbow, we all can observe Wright’s suggestion, “Even if it’s only $25, your contribution can have an enormous impact on an entrepreneur’s self-esteem and could literally help them keep their doors open. I challenge everyone to give 1% of their net income each month to an entrepreneur or professional you believe in.”
5. Patrick Riley
Patrick L. Riley is the author of That’s What Friends are For: On the Women Who Inspired Me and current co-host on The Happy Hour – a digital talk show that broadcasts on Facebook Watch and YouTube. Patrick is perhaps best known for his work as a freelance, senior field producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show on which he worked over 13 years As a guest on the Queer Money® podcast, Riley relayed his experience coming out to his family and 30 million Americans on Oprah’s show.
If, as a queer black entrepreneur, you’re fearful of the impact your true identity could have on your career, Riley’s words provide hope. “As an established, 20-year independent producer, personality and writer, I know that I can make a living at being honest and selective because I have. In this lane, I have never been discriminated against for being gay. Removed from any corporate culture that can button anybody up, I’ve been able to partner with…all types of media shops – and be simply myself.”
Riley was once admonished to “butch it up” to gain more success in his career, but he counters today with, “Choosing to be out has brought twice as much work and opportunity my way. On an average year, for speaking engagements alone, I receive twice as many invitations by including the LGBTQIA marketplace in my menu of bookings. But more than that, being LGBTQIA works in the mainstream pockets, as I find I’m booked for more generic market fare and get the luxury of being my gay self.”
These five queer black entrepreneurs are a small look at the rising number of intersectional entrepreneurs who are changing the world. This is a glimpse at their work, each has a much larger story. Connect with them, support them and share them.