Creating Limitless Possibilities: 3 Progressive Black Entrepreneurs To Follow
There is a lot of controversy about positions of power and the lack of diversity in large corporations. It is an unfortunate circumstance for those who aspire to be considered for these positions and I’d like to pose a question…
What if we set our own standards for success?
For those who are willing…There are limitless opportunities for growth when becoming an entrepreneur. In my personal journey I’ve experienced this first hand and have observed several people of color exceeding the salaries of corporate C-Suite executives.
In this article, I’m sharing about 3 progressive Black entrepreneurs that have paved the way for themselves and have achieved levels of success far beyond they could have ever within a company working for someone else.
Warren Broadnax
Warren Broadnax is a 36 year old, African American entrepreneur from Houston, Texas. Today, he owns 3 businesses, runs a non-profit organization and his business revenues are estimated at $90 million.
What caught my attention about Warren is that he’s down to earth, motivational and he emphasizes that when he started his first business the initial investment that he and his business partner made was $990.
From $990 to $90 Million within a span of 7 years. She’s Happy Foundation began operating in 2012 and it was reported in 2019 that the foundation generated around $90 million.
Broadnax says, “Courage can take you miles closer to your successful life. It’s time we offer entrepreneurship programs for everyone, to help others create their own opportunities, represent their persona and make money from passion.”
Janice Bryant Howroyd or “JBH”
JBH is the founder and CEO of The ActOne, which is a $950 million global enterprise. It started back in 1978 and currently the business is operating in 19 different countries, providing business services, staffing and workforce solutions.
JBH, 67, is the first African American woman to build AND own a billion dollar business that is still ongoing. She is the perfect definition of female empowerment! I look up to her determination to mentor and educate others, therefore, she founded the employment agency, ACT. She started her business with $1500 and she took a loan worth $900 from her mother. I’m in awe of how she runs her billion-dollar business, has a full-time job as a parent and explores her passion to give back to the world! She stated in Black Enterprise in 2006, “I realized that I enjoyed helping people get temporary and permanent jobs. When someone told me to hang out my own shingle, I took the chance”.
Arlan Hamilton
Arlan Hamilton is the founder of Backstage Capital, which is a multi-million dollar venture. As a woman of color and a member of the LGBTQ+ she is extremely passionate about founding a diversity-focused venture to help females, people of minority and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Maggie McGrath, a staff from Forbes quotes the following:
“Hamilton has become a media darling, speaking at Girlboss rallies and SXSW and even Forbes Under 30 summits.”
Hamilton is the author of “It’s About Damn Time,” which is a book she wrote about her journey as a woman of color who was homeless to a thriving founder and manager pushing her way through to make a significant difference in this world. The purpose of this book is to inspire others to find their voice and embrace their power further.
Hamilton continues to use her voice to empower ethnic minorities on all of her platforms and on her podcast, “Your First Million.” She is definitely someone who gave me a sense of direction when it came to pushing myself out of my comfort zone, because as an entrepreneur, I have to be brave and courageous enough to put myself out there.
How can you take your aspirations to the next level? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments.