Black women are currently making boss moves! A report conducted by the 2018 State of Women-Owned Business Report by American Express shared, “while the number of women-owned businesses increased by 58%, African American women-owned firms soared by 164%, nearly three times that rate.” More women are taking a step back from corporate America and diving head first into the entrepreneurial realm. These four dynamic entrepreneurs decided to shoot their shot, which has really paid off for them
Former Investment Sales Analyst, Hope Wiseman, is “reportedly the youngest Black cannabis dispensary owner in the U.S., Wiseman [and] is making moves. Her educational background in economics led her to follow emerging markets—industries that drive growth in the global economy.” Partnering with her mother, a dentist, and another healthcare practitioner, the 26-year-old started her business and launched Mary and Main – Medical Cannabis Dispensary in September of 2018. Wiseman explains, “On any given day, [she is] fielding calls from vendors, answering hundreds of emails, or testifying at a bill hearing in the state capitol. I have to be ready to play any role, even the janitor” like a true entrepreneur that she is.
Courtesy: The Grio
Atlanta based hair stylist Ming Lee launched her company, Snob Life, in 2013. This boss babe realized that she was always referring her customers to various brands, so she decided to sell the products herself. She was resourceful and “figured out where the hair was being sourced… and bought it directly from the factory. With a few bundles of hair and a $500 investment, [Lee] flipped the business from an online hair extensions store to a beauty empire”. And did so with style and grace.
Another amazing boss is 36-year-old Carla Watkins, the owner of Yoga Green Book. Carla Watkins “started this online studio to give people of color a safe space to transform their physical and mental well-being through yoga and meditation”. She used her skills and experiences as a former electrical engineer to launch her practice in 2016. She believes that she is fully capable of pursuing her passions and making a living off of it without having to conform to perceived societal expectations.
Last but not least, 37-year-old Nicole Gibbons is the founder and CEO of a company based out of New York called Clare. As a problem solver, Gibbons “launched the company Clare, which reinvents the way people shop for paint”. It is slowly becoming transformed into an “easy, efficient, and inspiring e-commerce experience with 55 designer-curated, premium Zero VOC paint colors in two finishes, along with peel-and-stick color swatches and high-quality painting supplies delivered to your door”. The young company forced Gibbons to wear many hats, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Gibbons was able to raise $2 million in seed funding in 2017 to start the business and it has been paying off ever since.
These women are not letting anything get in their way. It is truly amazing to such a diverse group of black women conquering the entrepreneurial realm so effortlessly. Look out for them and their companies in the upcoming years!