Dr Boyce Watkins: The 5 things I hate about being a black entrepreneur

[Responsible Allen Iverson]

Baby Boomers are the largest generation (or if they aren't they were until just recently) and they have the most money, and politicians cater to old people because they vote in higher numbers than younger people. So you can still put the blame on them for a lot of stuff right now.

 

[Savior]

All good points. However the only thing I dont like is when people act like EVERYONE can be an entrepeneur and do their own thing when in fact its only a small percentage that have what it takes to run their own business and an even smaller percentage that are actually succesful. There is absolutely nothing wrong with just being a proffessional and making a good middle class income in engineering, medicine and other fields. However I do agree minorities should avoid the white corporate scene if possible that shyt is poisonous for your soul.

 

[Soon]

Looks like the typical rhetoric you can expect from these self-help gurus. Sadly, most black entrepreneur have to still get concrete advice and information from white authors and thinkers.

Is Dr. Boyce Watkins all hype or does he save all the good info for his books?

 

[iBrowse]

All good points. However the only thing I dont like is when people act like EVERYONE can be an entrepeneur and do their own thing when in fact its only a small percentage that have what it takes to run their own business and an even smaller percentage that are actually succesful. There is absolutely nothing wrong with just being a proffessional and making a good middle class income in engineering, medicine and other fields. However I do agree minorities should avoid the white corporate scene if possible that shyt is poisonous for your soul.

True, but for those who don't possess the skill sets associated with self-employment..there are other avenues for keeping black wealth within its own communities. For example, co-ownership is something to consider especially since some of us are in positions where we have discretionary funds that really aren't utilized as well as they should be.

 

[Unknown Poster]

As someone who just started their own shop/business way too much of this is true especially 2, 4, and 5. In fact one of the resons I started it was I was just too Pissed off at:

1) the amount of black people I met that were way too happy with being employees and not employers.
2)the amount of black people I met that were way too happy with working hours on end to make money only to he content with spending it every weekend and giving nothing back and having nothing to show for it just to floss or go to the club.
3) having so many people shut me down for work even when I was qualified. I was sick of feeling like I was constantly at the mercy of hiring managers when I just needed a job to pay rent bills and not starve to death and be homeless out on the street.

I guess many of us think a job is some sort of security but I think of it as enslavement. At the end of the day I want to give back and give black folks jobs and inspire others to create businesses. I just got sick of this backwards ass bullsshyt where were the only group that can't go to our own for employment.

 

[Unknown Poster]

Also...no other group is seen with such scrutiny as us for business. People are very skeptical with doing business with black peole. Deep down many people dont want to support us at all enless we are entertaining them. I think many people subconciously think we shoild be workers and not bosses or owners and feel slighted when they see a black man or woman that has broken the cord and defied the conventional roles that we are supposed to have. They really think asking for money for your services is you trying to scam them. Or your going to take their credit card information and scam them. It's bad enough when you have to use your own expenses when no one trusts you with a loan ( I had to use my own money to start my own business.) But when your own people don't trust you and don't even question the other services/businesses/people they give money to without batting an eye it's frustrating. I gave to work extra hard to make my business legitimate as well as to give customers confidence that shopping with us is safe. I've seen many unprofessional businesses that don't even try that hard get unconditional support just because the people running it AREN'T black.

 

[Unknown Poster]

Post

They are almost the sole reason for this philosophy. You ever talk to some one born in the 50s.. These nikkas ain't shyt to the HIGHEST order. They dropped the ball something serious. They the ones who taught us to get a job with white folks. But we don't have the luxury of at least factory jobs like they had.

I worked with too many of these older black folk at my last job. Which is why I was more than happy to stop going to it.

But more than that? I was sick and tired of feeling that we have to consistently be consumers and not producers. That we have to indulge financially in other's exploits and not offer our own. Eventually you get fed up and feel like doing something. I feel a lot of us would rather complain on end about it and not do anything...life doesn't work that way.

 

[Unknown Poster]

I like supporting black businesses; but there are black owned businesses who do not hire black people. I always hear from other blacks folks: the reason why they don't hire black folks because black people don't come to work or they always have to find new help. That's bullshyt; nobody is perfect. But I say, they just hire mexicans and when the mexican leaves the job they hire another mexican; why can't you do that with a black person.

I can't afford to have employees...when you start of small you have to work with what you got. How are you going to help others when you can't help yourself? I feel you but you can't be everything to everyone especially when you don't have the capital to do so.

 

[Unknown Poster]

Problem is, a lot them won't step aside and allow new energy to take the lead. But some of the younger cats are too busy having frivolous debates about Kemet, Moorish Science or Hebrew Israelites.

Can't agree with this. You don't step aside and wait for others to let you do your thing. You do it regardless. No one is going to give you anything in this life you have to take it.

 

[Unknown Poster]

fukking this.....

I can't wait until I get a business running

More power to you breh.

Btw...I felt like making a thread about the trials and tribulations I have went through owning and operating my own business...I'll just detail some of them for you. Some.

1. People wanting to disassociate me from my own business; when I tell people I have my own business and operate my own shop they respect it...but most can't fathom it. My associate is dominican...sometimes I feel like if it ever got bigger people would try to act like I don't own and operate the storefront ( I rented the space with my own money...put my own money up to get product produced, designed everything in the store with the exception of the brands I bring in from friends).

2. People that get mad and try to give you a hard time when you tell then that you are a black businessman (or businesswoman); I went to staples to go get business cards and hang tags produced in union square at staples. The first day I was able to get the cards produced...no problem. After that had to get more produced. Had to deal with this younger woman who made everything difficult. She asked me to purchase a thumb drive to put my files on and I told her why would I have to do that when I was able to get business cards made before without having to do that? She kept on pushing me to buy a thumb drive and I told her I don't want or need a thumb drive. Even after I said this...she still kept pushing me to buy a thumb drive for my files and even told me they had specials on thumb drives. I just walked out of there all pissed off. I told her I needed cards for my business and she still went out of her way to give me a hard time for no reason whatsoever. I go to the same staples and ask to get business cards made with another clerk...no issues whatsoever.

Some people just can't believe a black person can own and operate their own business. I do 85% of the work and if some people told it...I do 0% simply cause they can't fathom it

 

[Blackout]

More power to you breh.

Btw...I felt like making a thread about the trials and tribulations I have went through owning and operating my own business...I'll just detail some of them for you. Some.

1. People wanting to disassociate me from my own business; when I tell people I have my own business and operate my own shop they respect it...but most can't fathom it. My associate is dominican...sometimes I feel like if it ever got bigger people would try to act like I don't own and operate the storefront ( I rented the space with my own money...put my own money up to get product produced, designed everything in the store with the exception of the brands I bring in from friends).

2. People that get mad and try to give you a hard time when you tell then that you are a black businessman (or businesswoman); I went to staples to go get business cards and hang tags produced in union square at staples. The first day I was able to get the cards produced...no problem. After that had to get more produced. Had to deal with this younger woman who made everything difficult. She asked me to purchase a thumb drive to put my files on and I told her why would I have to do that when I was able to get business cards made before without having to do that? She kept on pushing me to buy a thumb drive and I told her I don't want or need a thumb drive. Even after I said this...she still kept pushing me to buy a thumb drive for my files and even told me they had specials on thumb drives. I just walked out of there all pissed off. I told her I needed cards for my business and she still went out of her way to give me a hard time for no reason whatsoever. I go to the same staples and ask to get business cards made with another clerk...no issues whatsoever.

Some people just can't believe a black person can own and operate their own business. I do 85% of the work and if some people told it...I do 0% simply cause they can't fathom it

Awesome.....

I had a guy tell me that I will lose interest after awhile. I told him every time I bump into a white racist, see the stats about white employers not hiring my people and my friends talk about racist coworkers my interest rises so it will never fall.

My interest has not fallen and actually grew from that point on.

 

[KOohbt]

Awesome.....

I had a guy tell me that I will lose interest after awhile. I told him every time I bump into a white racist, see the stats about white employers not hiring my people and my friends talk about racist coworkers my interest rises so it will never fall.

My interest has not fallen and actually grew from that point on.

Don't let no one stop you. Just be thorough. Also most older blacks are gonna either give you a half ass congrats or try and talk you out of it even though they have no clue about what their talking about. They will challenge your knowledge and even if they know nothing will give their two cents. I'm a vendor and most of my business is with cacs. So don't expect any black businesses to do business with you for a while cause they most likely won't be many in your field.

 

[Blackout]

Don't let no one stop you. Just be thorough. Also most older blacks are gonna either give you a half ass congrats or try and talk you out of it even though they have no clue about what their talking about. They will challenge your knowledge and even if they know nothing will give their two cents. I'm a vendor and most of my business is with cacs. So don't expect any black businesses to do business with you for a while cause they most likely won't be many in your field.

Yeah older blacks dropped the ball when they decided not to keep black businesses alive and jumped ship to work for white ones so I see whats going on.

As long as I can employ black people or give black people a chance to support a black business Im fine. The good thing is that in most scenarios Ive seen personally its usually one or the other.

 

[KOohbt]

I worked with too many of these older black folk at my last job. Which is why I was more than happy to stop going to it.

But more than that? I was sick and tired of feeling that we have to consistently be consumers and not producers. That we have to indulge financially in other's exploits and not offer our own. Eventually you get fed up and feel like doing something. I feel a lot of us would rather complain on end about it and not do anything...life doesn't work that way.

When you produce, it changes you into a different person. You don't look at shyt the same. Everything starts having dolla signs over it. You wonder how other people run their shyt. What other types of businesses run their shyt. Just real fascinating. When you gotta wake up and get it yourself it makes you feel elite. The same feeling drug dealers get. That elite feeling like hey I don't need anyone I go GET mine. I have big respect for drug dealers. They have that spirit to go get it and not depend on cacs just no resources to channel into positive shyt or no good info from an older person to flip the drug money. I'll tell a kid in a heart beat "hey if you flip that herb enough and get enough money I'll show you how to turn it legal." Cause our situation is to dire to question everything.

 

[KOohbt]

Yeah older blacks dropped the ball when they decided not to keep black businesses alive and jumped ship to work for white ones so I see whats going on.

As long as I can employ black people or give black people a chance to support a black business Im fine. The good thing is that in most scenarios Ive seen personally its usually one or the other.

A lot of southern blacks got ran off their shyt so their is that. BUT, a lot of blacks when "integrated" started abandoning their peoples businesses. A lot started closing their shops. I grew up in the hood but as we know it wasn't always the hood. We had my whole block locked down. Black laundromat, corner store, club, etc. After integration it took maybe 20-25 years before every one of them was gone and every person worked for cacs. Now Arabs own all them stores we used to.