INDIANAPOLIS — August is National Black Business Month.
WRTV’s Amber Griegley met with the Indy Black Chamber to check in on the state of Black-owned businesses in the Circle City and learn about the support available to entrepreneurs.
“Black Business Month represents an opportunity to shine a spotlight on other businesses that normally don’t get the attention or exposure that would encourage them to grow,” said Leland Baptiste, marketing director and consultant for the Indy Black Chamber.
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Opportunities for Black-owned businesses to capitalize and retain profits.
The number of new Black entrepreneurs grew 60% nationwide in 2020, which has given the Circle City a boost now in the wake of the pandemic, Baptiste said.
“A lot of these businesses are basically wiped out. I’d say we’re down 50% from businesses that were actually founded during the pandemic to now,” Baptiste said.
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“I’ve been in business since 2020,” said Tiffany Richmond, owner of Tiff’s Love Butta.
Richmond told WRTV her business was born out of a love for buttery seafood, and now her products are spreading throughout the Circle City.
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“My clients are great, the food is great, the place I work at is great, it’s just a matter of finding a good accountant and a good marketer — people who can help take your business to the next level,” Richmond said.
Baptiste said all of the challenges Black-owned businesses are currently facing have forced the Indy Black Chamber into a situation where it had to come up with a strategic plan.
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“Our growth methodology is all about building and creating relationships,” Baptiste says. “We want our business owners to start using it and get smarter, maximizing their advertising and marketing budgets and increasing their return on investment.”
Richmond said he already has investments lined up for the business.
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“Next year is going to be a really big year for me. I want to go international,” Richmond said.
