You’ve been thinking about starting a business and every time you come close to doing it your mind hits the brakes. If that’s you, keep reading and you’ll think again about hesitating.
Take Nneka, a 27-year-old single mom fresh out of the military for example. She recently launched Innovative Supplies, a line of Black-themed school supplies with notebooks so dope you want to buy 20 for yourself and everyone you know. She took action and her products sold out.
Talk about an entrepreneur’s dream!
According to her website, Nneka is about making a positive change in the community and says that this line is her way to reach out to millennials who seek variety and want to be a part of a bigger cause.
The goals of Innovative Supplies, as stated on the site, are to:
- Open and deposit profits into an account with black owned Citizens Trust Bank.
- Donate 40 percent of all profits made from book bag sales to local charities.
- Provide quality products.
- Hire local minority youth.
- Support other small businesses
- Use economically sourced materials
- Use environmentally friendly packaging
This is just another reminder of why Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in this country. We’re tapping into our needs, supporting one another, and being socially conscious.
From 11-year-old Mikaila Ulmer who got a distribution deal with Whole Foods for her BeeSweet Lemonade; to Gabby’s Bows, the hair accessories company started by nine-year-old Gabrielle Goodman and her mother; to Thato Mwosa, a Boston high school teacher and mom, who created a popular line of Ballerina and African-themed art called Tuli Art for her daughter, Black women–and moms–are leading the entrepreneurial way.
We should be more encouraged than ever to bring our own ideas to fruition.
So now that we know that it’s more than possible, what’s stopping you from reaching for the entrepreneurial sky? Hopefully, nothing. And when you do, share your success story with us. We’re rooting for you!
For more information on Innovative Supplies and when they’ll receive new stock, visit the website. Rumor has it they’ll have more supplies on August 5th.
Erickka Sy Savane is writer of the POP MOM weekly column and the POP MOM Video Series right here on Madamenoire or you can visit ErickkaSySavane.com