Week two recap of Gem City Black Business Month

By Charisse Ponder

Week two of the Gem City Black Business Month is in the books. Here's a recap of the events that were held.

The week's first event was the Black Men in a Business panel facilitated by Te’Jal Cartwright, creator of the “What’s the Biz with TJ” Youtube series. Local Black male business owners and entrepreneurs discussed money, how they got started, inner healing, and the importance of mentorship at the Paul Laurence Dunbar House.

Panelists included Sean Freeman, president of the Trotwood Chamber of Commerce; Anthony Head, Chef Executive, and Owner of Chicken Head’s; Marcus Maddox, owner of Maddox Building Solutions; Joshua Nalls, co-owner and title agent at Companion Title LLC and Robert N. Owens Sr., owner of Signature Educational Solutions.

Head said he wants more people to understand the value of Black entrepreneurs who have been in the realm of business a long time.

“The biggest misnomer is that Black men are absent in business,” he said. “There’s plenty of us out there who are very successful.”

Head’s advice to guests was to document their entrepreneurial journey and to find mentors. Having a partner in business he said is vital to long-term success.

The week's second event was a networking mixer hosted by the Trotwood Chamber of Commerce at Arcani Coil Care’s factory, a Black-owned hair care line founded and created by Jerricha Hoskins. Sean Freeman, president of the Trotwood Chamber, hosted the mixer and it featured a discussion on how to improve the Trotwood area, a tour of the factory, and opportunities to network.

Wrapping up the week was the Downtown Black Business Hop hosted in partnership with the Dayton Young Black Professionals (DYBP). The event began at Third Perk Coffeehouse & Winebar. Attendees received a map charting other downtown Black-owned businesses they could patronize.

Daj’za Demmmings, DYBP co-founder and president, said this is not their first business hop, but that being able to expand with others vastly improved the event.

“A lot of people have a negative connotation that there isn’t anything for Black people or minority people to do downtown," she said. "We want to change that narrative and actually take people to the places."

Here's what's in store during week three of the Gem City Black Business Month:

• Becoming a Certified Minority Business Enterprise — Tuesday, Aug. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, 16 S. Williams St., Dayton, OH 45402

• Black Wall Street & the Tulsa Race Massacre — Thursday, Aug. 19 from 6-8 p.m. at the Dayton Metro Library Northwest Branch, 2410 Philadelphia Dr., Dayton, OH 45406