TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — One local business is partnering with the city to help other minority businesses grow.
The initiative began after many had to shut their doors due to the pandemic.
According to the Big Bend minority chamber of commerce more than 100 black owned businesses closed in our area since the start of the pandemic.
An expo is giving those minority businesses and others the opportunity to make sure they have the tools to thrive.
“If you look at the wealth in African American families as compared to non African American families specifically white families that household income for African American families is ten times less than white families," President of Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce Antonio Jefferson said.
Mega Ace Media and the Tallahassee-Leon Office of Economic Vitality decided to hold a black business expo to give businesses an opportunity to connect and build partnerships around the city.
Antonio Jefferson with the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce says when black families go into business they start with less money readily available so when a global pandemic hits it becomes more difficult to survive.
“They don’t have the same bandwidth of financial capacity to survive meaning savings that they have cash savings so the impact to those businesses happens a lot quicker,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson says there are options available to help businesses survive if they are hit with financial burdens.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to meet new businesses and say hey we are a resource. We have testimonies in this room of how being apart of this organization creates real value for your organization.”
Tickets to the expo can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-business-expo-of-tallahassee-tickets-237506778167?utm_source=Black+Business+Expo&utm_medium=Black+Business+Expo&utm_campaign=Black+Business+Expo.
