A Seat at the Table: Closing the Gap for Black-owned Businesses

A Seat at the Table: Closing the Gap for Black-owned Businesses

2020 is over, but the lasting effects of this pandemic are still being felt. Now more than ever, we're reminded of the inequalities present across nearly every level of our society—from business to healthcare, the Black community was one of the hardest hit during this pandemic.  Small businesses also felt particular losses during COVID-19. This year, one of our long-standing clients, Milliman, hosted a conference called Verge Impact to bring business leaders together to get serious—serious about what they can do for to address access for small, Black-owned businesses.  We put together a podcast to accompany the Verge Impact Conference, in February 2020. "A Seat at the Table: Closing the Gap for Black-Owned Businesses," focuses primarily on the small Black-owned business community in New York City. However, we see the potential for any solutions that arise to extend across every city in America. What can be done to level the playing field for these businesses and address the systemic barriers that have made life more difficult as a Black entrepreneur?  That’s the discussion we zero in on here, to find out what Black-owned businesses need to survive—during a pandemic—and beyond. Our podcast is hosted by Jamila Souffrant, an entrepreneur and Founder of the Journey to Launch podcast.  --- ABOUT THE PODCAST:  This podcast was written, produced and edited by School of Thought. School of Thought is a creative agency located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its mission is to “Make People Care,” with work that cuts through the clutter using humor and empathy. Some of their latest campaigns have worked to raise awareness on sustainability, equity and inclusion.  Their client, Milliman, is a global consulting firm. Their employees use math and science to get at the root of some of society’s most pressing challenges. Learn more about Milliman: https://us.milliman.com/en/  SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE EXPERTS  Follow the businesses showcased in this podcast, learn more about their work and how you can show your support.  Jeff Lindor, The Gentlemen's Factory: https://gentlemensfactory.com/  Kymme Williams-Davis, Bushwick Grind: https://www.bushwickgrind.com/  Michelle Holder, City University of New York: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty/mic...  Tammeca Holder, Harlem Cycle: https://harlem-cycle.com/  Ajamu Webster, DuBois Consulting: https://www.dubconinc.com/  Alicia Hines, Likkle Dumpling House: https://likkle.nyc/  Kenneth Ebie, BE NYC: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/busines...  Karl Franz Williams, 67 Orange Street: http://www.67orangestreet.com  THE HOST  Journey to Launch emerged in 2016 by founder Jamila Souffrant initially as one person’s expedition to reach financial independence. After one year of logging her transformational growth to Financial Independence, the blog piqued the interest of a larger audience and inspired the launch of the podcast. Listen to Journey to Launch: https://journeytolaunch.com/  SCHOOL OF THOUGHT  Learn more about their work at www.schoolofthought.com.  Follow on social:  Twitter: @SchoolOThought  Instagram: @schoolofthought