Charlotte Business Inclusion provides resources such as mentorship to help new businesses thrive.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The city of Charlotte is asking every business owned by Queen City minority to need a little help.
Business owners may have questions about how to operate in Charlotte, and may feel like they are struggling in some areas. That’s why Charlotte Business Inclusion intervenes. It is a city program designed to help businesses grow through mentoring and opportunities.
For Ada Esther Gil Jimenez, construction was in her blood. Her father was in business and had drywalled for decades. Her family moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States when she was only 14 years old. She later earned a general contract license, but construction appeared to have skipped generations.
“I didn’t know if I wanted that,” admits Gil Jimenez. “I went into technology instead.”
Instead, she built a career in it and rose to the American ranks. But then, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, home prices surged, her plans went off track, and financial difficulties fell into the air.
That’s when the nonprofit intervened and helped her secure a home. This is the experience that led to its realization.
“That’s when I thought, ‘Oh, I’m a general contractor,'” Gil Zimenez said.
So she returned to her family roots and started her own construction company AEGJ. But the trip wasn’t easy.
“I’ve been stoned. Why do you want to do this?” said Gil Zimenes. “I learned a lot from my dad, but there was confusion everywhere.”
Desperate for guidance, she turned to the internet and looked for a “way not to go bankrupt.”
The search led her to Charlotte’s business inclusion, where she learned important business skills, from financial management to contract securing. Within just a few months, her struggling business flourished. She landed the project at the Spectrum Center and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
“They had to come together and say, ‘Hey, she’s never done a project on this scale before, but we’re going to back up her up,” she said.
Julius Edwards and Charlotte Business Inclusion highlight that minority shareholder companies like AEGJ are the backbone of their communities.
“Everyone plays a role, everyone is contributing to the economy. That’s a second nature,” Edwards said.
With the federal government’s diversity program being unwinded, he believes their work is more important than ever.
“Every day, we’re excited to do the work we do,” Edwards said.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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