Now is the Time to change the landscape!

With our nation and communities facing tremendous challenge and a need for competent leadership, now is the time for Black businesses owners to fill the gap.  No longer can Black businesses simply sit back and take in the benefits created by others on their behalf.  This is especially true of those businesses that do business with cities and local communities lead by Black and minority leaders.

As the landscape for business opportunity changes, we must change with it.  There are challenges to programs that have been in place for decades to assist small and minority businesses.  If these programs are to continue or new ones created we must get to the table of decision and help frame any changes.  We must seek for inclusion early in project development not merely wait and respond to a Request for Proposal and then complain about our absence or the manner of participation offered.

That means we must become civically active and just like gambling in Las Vegas we have to buy our way into the game.  Buying our way does not include just supporting some politician.  It means joining with the corporate leadership to underwrite and sponsor important local undertakings.  For example, the creation of a massive infrastructure project that may be controversial and require broad based support before it can be enacted.  It may be primarily sponsored by the larger business community but need the support of the minority community and their votes.  That's you!  Our community needs to be at the table to prevent being planned out of the project, because you can believe they are planning themselves in because they are "paying for the program" by underwriting and providing leadership for  the campaign.

Black businesses need to weigh-in, put their money on the wood as if buying into a Card game.  With the buy in you have an opportunity to make a gain and to get a return on your effort.  We can no longer sit on the side lines and expect someone else to protect our flanks.  We need to create an opportunity for an appropriate return by helping to determine what is appropriate.  We need to lead the Black community and protect our economic interests.   Additionally, we need to make the case that jobs in the Black community can be created by Black businesses as a part of the natural order of things.  The Calvary "ain't" coming to rescue us we have to rescue ourselves!

Finally, this is not a zero sum game but it is because the system is changing and business as we now know it in a few years will have different structures with not only other minorities competing but individuals who no longer have a job but have a business.  That's everybody!  And, you can bet, some big businesses will redesign themselves to compete in this environment bringing even more clutter.  Let's get ahead of the game and begin experiencing the wave of business in the future.

There's an old saying-you can't lead the Calvary if you think you look funny on a horse!  Let's get in the game and beginning to negotiate our return instead of waiting for the announcement as if an entitlement.