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

[Blackout]

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.

Yea they decided to trust white people as a whole and now its biting us in the ass.

After integration we should of kept social segregation like the other races do but noooo they just had to trust racist whites.

 

[JahBuhLun]

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.

True, but what has happened is the fact that a lot of these 60's era civil rights media stars have connections and relationships with the mainstream media; and that's why they run to them for sound bites. And even though were are in the era of social media being a powerful outlet, the majority still get their news from the mainstream.

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

Full Color Printing: Business Cards, Postcards, Flyers, Brochures, Catalogs & More! - GotPrint

They have a quick turnaround as well. I do a lot of business with them.

 

[DrX]

yeah nikkas are cheap as shyt....its all good tho because social media changed the game...now u can find the ppl that really appreciate u and u can bypass the undesirable local losers

 

[Red Shield]

For some reason, some of us believe that if we whine and cry loud enough and explain our plight to others, someone will come along and give us what we want. The truth is that others end up laughing at us, because no one respects a group of people that have to beg in order to feed their children.

Here’s a newsflash: Most powerful white people don’t give a *&^%$ about black unemployment, mass incarceration, urban violence, miseducation, poverty or any of the other things that affect our communities. So, as much as your political science teacher may have told you that we all have equal access to the American dream, the fact remains that the majority of white people have no interest in saving you. Actually, others are surprised at how little interest we have in saving ourselves.

the cold hard truth

 

[Art Barr]

yeah nikkas are cheap as shyt....its all good tho because social media changed the game...now u can find the ppl that really appreciate u and u can bypass the undesirable local losers

Social media really has not changed anything.
Don't fall for the long con like the last corps in the original fall of the internet.


Art Barr

 

[TooLazyToMakeUp1]

2) Lack of support from small-minded people: If you ever want to be ostracized by members of your family, tell them that you’re quitting that good corporate job to start your own business. Because most of us were never taught about the risks of depending on your oppressors to pay your bills, many of us believe that a high salary actually means you have real power or have made meaningful progress. Being a black entrepreneur might lead to some relatives making fun of you for not making enough money, or asking why you don’t have a “real job.” It’s sad, because many of us can’t imagine life without working for the white man, primarily because we were raised to think this way from birth.

I made the mistake of telling my mother that I was leaving my job to start my business in February and she started talking about that I would be wasting my degree and how I'd be wasting good years of gaining the experience to move up at my "good job" and saying that I was not willing to "work hard". I'll be 24 in 2 days. fukk all that


I have more than enough to pay my mortgage and bills for a year and still start my business tomorrow if I wanted to (I'm holding out after I get that Chrimmuh bonus )

Now, every conversation ends up with her coming back to shytting on my decision. I stopped trying to explain shyt to her because she truly doesn't understand


My grandparents understand and coincidentally, they are the only ones in my family that are retired, have assets and investments, and have been living comfortably since even before I was born. Economic downturns, companies fukking people out of their retirement and health benefits, etc. None of that shyt affected them . They come from a generation that understood ownership and I'd be an idiot to not follow their blueprint

 

[DrX]

Social media really has not changed anything.
Don't fall for the long con like the last corps in the original fall of the internet.


Art Barr

Or wrong....u can reach the demographic that appreciate u the most...I meet all my high paying clients online

 

[Art Barr]

Or wrong....u can reach the demographic that appreciate u the most...I meet all my high paying clients online

What do you do,...
That you created a business where you prospect online?

Art Barr

 

[Unknown Poster]

X

 

[NERO]

$80 at the movies?

(IMAX)x(3 tickets)+popcorn+drinks+candy= at least 80 bucks. What is so difficult to understand?

 

[newarkhiphop]

(IMAX)x(3 tickets)+popcorn+drinks+candy= at least 80 bucks. What is so difficult to understand?

It's a reach statement meant to guilt people , fact is that the average person is not spending $80 every time they go to the movies and yea we can sit here and come up with scenarios all day like


"dudes out here spending $80 on McDonald's, you know 10 burgers, 10 large fries + drinks + cookies + apple pies and don't forget the ice cream "

 

[NERO]

The operative

It's a reach statement meant to guilt people , fact is that the average person is not spending $80 every time they go to the movies and yea we can sit here and come up with scenarios all day like


"dudes out here spending $80 on McDonald's, you know 10 burgers, 10 large fries + drinks + cookies + apple pies and don't forget the ice cream "

It's called having a family and attending a theatre in a middle class area. I never said one needed to spend that much but if this is going to be a sticking point between us I will concede the point my black brother. It's not worth arguing about, really.

 

[Unknown Poster]

Or wrong....u can reach the demographic that appreciate u the most...I meet all my high paying clients online

This.
I built up my following through Tumblr in 4 years and have almost 4,000 followers.
It's kind of hard to have business when you have no audience or demographic and aren't known anywhere.

 

[Bunchy Carter]

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.

I understand.

 

[DrX]

This.
I built up my following through Tumblr in 4 years and have almost 4,000 followers.
It's kind of hard to have business when you have no audience or demographic and aren't known anywhere.

Yup....