4 The Record: Women-owned and minority-owned businesses

WELCOME TO, FOR THE RECORD, I’M ANDREW STOCKEY THIS MORNING, A LOOK AT BUSINESSES OWNED BY WOMEN AND MINORITIES HERE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING. THE MAIN CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES REMAIN. TODAY, WE’RE SPEAKING WITH ONE BUSINESS OWNER AND AN ADVOCATE FOR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND A THINK TANK OPENING THE DOOR FOR WOMEN, GIVING THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE IN RECENT YEARS IN OUR REGION. IN 2023, NEARLY 40% OF ALL SMALL BUSINESSES WERE OWNED BY WOMEN. SOME OF THAT GROWTH CAME OUT OF OPPORTUNITY. SOME OF IT OUT OF NECESSITY. MANY OF THEM UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR JOBS DURING COVID, BUT MANY OF THEM DECIDED TO LEAVE THE WORK THEY WERE IN AND LOOK FOR MORE, MAYBE MORE, FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO START THEIR OWN COMPANIES. STATEWIDE, 5.1% ARE OWNED BY HISPANICS, ANOTHER 3.2% OWNED BY RACIAL MINORITY MEMBERS. GROUPS HAVE HISTORICALLY FACED BARRIERS DUE TO RACE AND LACK OF INSTITUTION KNOWLEDGE. OUR HISTORY IS DIFFERENT, UM, STARKLY DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE COUNTRY. WELL, YOU KNOW, AS A FIRST GENERATION BUSINESS OWNER, THERE’S NO SILVER SPOON. SO THERE AREN’T RESOURCES OR FINANCES TO REACH BACK FOR. UM, I KNOW A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS LIKE MYSELF, AND WE’RE ALL FIGHTING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES. BUT NOW BOTH WOMEN AND MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND ADVOCATES, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, TO ASSIST IN LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD AND BRINGING DOWN SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND ULTIMATE SUCCESS. WHAT IT IS MEANT TO DO IS REALLY CREATE AN INCUBATOR SPACE FOR BLACK BUSINESSES TO THRIVE. A LOT OF THE TIMES IT’S VERY PUNITIVE IN BUSINESS, RIGHT? YOU SINK OR SWIM AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS IS THIS SOFT LANDING PLACE. WE START OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH CURTIS MILLER, OWNER OF AYR’S BARBER AND SOCIAL SHOP. HE SHARES WITH US HIS JOURNEY TO BUILD A BUSINESS THAT ALSO FULFILLED HIS DESIRE TO HELP AND REALIZE THE OBSTACLES UNIQUE TO MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS. I GET THE SENSE YOU DIDN’T ENVISION STARTING A BUSINESS WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP. THAT WAS NOT YOUR GOAL IN LIFE, RIGHT? RIGHT. UM, NO, THAT THAT WASN’T THE GOAL TO START OFF, THE GOAL WAS ACTUALLY TO, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THE AMERICAN DREAM GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, GO TO COLLEGE, GET A GREAT JOB, MAKE $1 MILLION. YOU KNOW, GET THE DOG AND THE WHITE PICKET FENCE. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED OVER TIME AND SHAPE YOUR PATH. SO WE ENDED UP WITH, YOU KNOW, STARTING A BUSINESS. TELL ME YOUR YOUR PATH HERE BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T START OUT AS A BUSINESS PERSON. I THINK I THINK YOU TOLD ME YOU BEGAN AS A SOCIAL WORKER. THAT WAS THAT WAS YOUR INTEREST. YEAH. UM, SO YEAH, I STARTED OUT AS A SOCIAL WORKER. I WENT TO COLLEGE. I WANTED A REALLY EASY JOB TO PURSUE MY AMERICAN DREAM. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE LIKE A GYM TEACHER, AND I COULD JUST, LIKE, THROW CHILDREN BALLS AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY. UM, ENDED UP TAKING A COURSE IN SOCIAL WORK, ENJOYED IT, AND REALLY STARTED TO FIND MY CALLING THROUGH SOCIAL WORK. SO I WENT TO COLLEGE, GOT MY BACHELORS IN SOCIAL WORK. UM, ENDED UP GETTING MY MASTER’S FROM PITT AND JUST REALLY PURSUED THAT PATH OF SOCIAL WORK OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS. SO HOW DID THAT BECOME A BARBERSHOP? SO THE WAY THAT THAT BECAME A BARBERSHOP IS, I FEEL LIKE WHEN YOU’RE DOING SOCIAL WORK, YOU HAVE A CALLING AND I THINK YOU ALSO, IN ORDER TO ELEVATE IN THAT FIELD, YOU HAVE TO GET MORE AND MORE CERTIFICATES, MORE EDUCATION, MORE CEUS, AND YOU’RE USUALLY CHASING THAT TO GET A HIGHER POSITION. UM, AND SOMETIMES IT’S, YOU KNOW, WHO, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WITHIN THAT, YOU DON’T REALLY GET TO DO, I GUESS, FOR A LACK OF BETTER WORDS, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, LIKE HOW YOU WOULD SEE THINGS MAKING AN IMPACT. SO THAT’S WHAT STARTED TO WEIGH ON ME. LIKE I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE A SAY. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAD A JOB, YOU GO OUT, YOU DO IT, YOU COME BACK, YOU DO A REPORT. UM, I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE OVER HOW THOSE THINGS WERE DONE. UM, THAT STARTED TO WEIGH ON ME HEAVILY. UM, AND THROUGH SOME TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, WHAT STARTED TO COME OUT WAS, OKAY, HOW COULD I AVOID THROWING MY EDUCATION AWAY AND DO SOMETHING I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT? SO YOU KNOW, WRECK MY BRAIN? I’M LIKE A SELF RENOWNED ARTIST IN MY OWN WORLD. AND I WAS LIKE, NO, I DON’T WANT TO DO ART BECAUSE I’M I KNOW A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY’RE STILL LIKE STARVING ARTISTS. AND IT CAME BACK TO BARBERING, BARBERING IS SOMETHING I’VE ALWAYS LOVED. I’VE DONE IT SINCE TEN YEARS OLD, AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU COMBINE THE TWO? AND THAT’S WHERE THE IDEA OF HEIRS WAS BORN. COMBINING BARBERING, SOCIAL WORK AND THERAPY, YOU FACED A LOT OF CHALLENGES, THOUGH, IN BUILDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS. TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE OBSTACLES YOU ENCOUNTERED. UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, AS A FIRST GENERATION BUSINESS OWNER, THERE’S NO SILVER SPOON. SO THERE AREN’T RESOURCES OR FINANCES TO REACH BACK FOR. UM, I KNOW A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS LIKE MYSELF, AND WE’RE ALL FIGHTING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES. SO IF THERE’S, LIKE GRANT CONTEST OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WE’RE ALL GOING FOR IT. YOU MIGHT SEE YOUR BUDDY GET ONE AND YOU DON’T GET ONE. UM, SO WE’RE FIGHTING FOR THAT. AND IT KIND OF PUTS YOU IN A POSITION WHERE YOU’RE STARTING YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE OUT A LOAN AND YOU’RE ALREADY INTO DEBT. UM, AND THEN WE KIND OF LOOK AT THE RESOURCES AS FAR AS PEOPLE, WE DON’T NECESSARILY KNOW THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN SAY, OKAY, THERE’S A GREEN LIGHT ON THAT. GIVE THEM A YES, HE CAN GET IT DONE, OR THEY’RE ALLOWED TO DO THIS OR, UM, JUST HAVING THOSE NETWORKS TO SAY, WELL, HEY, I KNOW SOMEONE FROM, I DON’T KNOW, WALNUT CAPITAL HERE, JUST GIVE THEM 10,000 SO THEY CAN GET THIS PART DONE AND MOVE ON. WE DON’T REALLY HAVE THOSE RESOURCES, SO WE’RE KIND OF STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP. AND A LOT OF THOSE TIMES WE’RE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES. AND ONCE YOU ESTABLISH YOUR BUSINESS, YOU’RE ALREADY IN DEBT. IS IT DIFFICULT BEING A MINORITY BUSINESS OWNER? DO YOU FACE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHALLENGE THAN, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, YOUR WHITE COUNTERPARTS? UM, YEAH. I THINK TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, PEOPLE MAY NOT TAKE YOU SERIOUS. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU MARKET YOUR BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT’S WELCOMING FOR ALL PEOPLE. THAT’S WHAT I ALWAYS TRY TO TELL MY GUYS AT THE SHOP. THIS ISN’T LIKE A BLACK BARBERSHOP. THIS ISN’T A SHOP WHERE WE DO PHASE. THIS IS A MULTICULTURAL BARBERSHOP. WE’RE ACCEPTING OF EVERYONE. ONE, YOU CAN SEND YOUR POODLE THROUGH THE DOOR AND IT CAN GET A HAIRCUT. YOU KNOW, SO WE’RE OPEN TO EVERYONE. AND AND IT’S MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, BARBERING IS HOW WE, I GUESS, MAKE A LIVING. BUT IT’S THOSE OTHER PARTS OF THE BUSINESS THAT ALLOW US TO DO THAT SOCIAL WORKEY STUFF AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. SOMETHING ELSE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WAS KNOWLEDGE. THE KNOWLEDGE THAT MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THAT YOU DIDN’T HAVE. IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME FROM GENERATIONS WHERE THEY’VE BEEN INSTILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD A BUSINESS. YOU DIDN’T HAVE THAT. NO, NO, NOT AT ALL. AND WITH THAT, YOU MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES. I HAVE ONE ASPECT OUT OF WHAT WE CALL OUR FIVE PILLARS THAT IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS COACHING. AND THE ONLY REASON I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO THAT IS BECAUSE I’VE MADE EVERY SINGLE MISTAKE YOU COULD POSSIBLY MAKE TO GET HERE. I’VE MADE ALL THE MISTAKES AND MISTAKES BECOME EXPENSIVE, COSTLY. THEIR SETBACKS, AND IT WOULD REALLY BE A GREAT RESOURCE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR GENERATIONS TO SAY, HEY, GO THIS WAY, GO THAT WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE SMOOTHER PATH. FINALLY, LET ME ASK YOU, WHERE DID YOU GO FOR ADVICE AND HELP? WHAT ORGANIZATIONS DID YOU TURN TO IN THIS EFFORT? UM, DEFINITELY. MIKE LEE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIES. THE URA WAS A BIG HELP. BRIDGEWAY CAPITAL NORTH SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT KINGSLEY CENTER UM, THEN YOU START TO GET INTO INDIVIDUAL, UH, A GUY BY THE NAME OF MELVIN L THE THE MAYOR CAME TO OUR SHOP. ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS, DERRICK TILLMAN, WHO DOES A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THE CITY, AND I’M, I’M HOPING I’M NOT FORGETTING ANYBODY, BUT A LOT OF, UM, SMALL MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS WERE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL. STILL AHEAD, I THINK IT IS IMPACTFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THINGS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST, PHYSICAL THINGS THAT THEY CAN TOUCH, PEOPLE THEY CAN TALK TO, THE INSPIRATION BEHIND A LOCAL NONPROFIT SUPPORTING BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS. WELCOME BACK. OUR NEXT CONVERSATION IS WITH CAMILLE BAILEY. SHE WEARS MANY HATS. AS A LOCAL ADVOCATE FOR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, SHE HAS ALSO MADE A MAJOR INVESTMENT TO CREATE A DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES TO NURTURE AND TO GROW. GROW. I’M JOINED NOW BY CAMILLE BAILEY, BLACK BUSINESS ADVOCATE HERE IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH IN THE REGION. AND CAMILLE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY EFFORTS TO PROMOTE BLACK BUSINESSES. LET’S GO BACK TO ONE OF YOUR ORIGINAL ONES, COCO PRENEUR. YEAH. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? SO COCO PRENEUR BEGAN AS REALLY A LABOR OF LOVE. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND THE BLACK BUSINESSES THAT EXISTED. WE HAD A BLACK BUSINESS DIRECTORY THAT EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WHEN THE WOMAN WHO RAN THAT DECIDED TO RETIRE, THERE WAS A GAP THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED. SO COCO PERRY NORTH FILLED THAT GAP AND REALLY WAS THE CATALYST TO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY. AND LET’S MOVE FORWARD NOW TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE GREENWOOD PLAN AND GREENWOOD WEEK BEFORE WE DISCUSS WHAT THEY ARE. THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME GREENWOOD. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PITTSBURGH. NO, NOT SPECIFICALLY. OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY. BUT WE’RE ALL VERY CONNECTED. SO I THINK THAT’S THAT’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT. BUT THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA, IS THE NAMESAKE FOR GREENWOOD WEEK AND GREENWOOD PLAN. SO IN 1921, THE DISTRICT OF GREENWOOD AND TULSA, OKLAHOMA WAS MASSACRED IN A RACE RIOT. BUT IT WAS IT WAS HOUSED IT HOUSED 40 BLOCKS OF THRIVING BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS. YEP. SO THAT’S BLACK BUSINESS. THAT’S BLACK RESIDENTIAL. IT WAS A SELF-SUSTAINING BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ONE OF THE KIND OF SHINING LIGHTS FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO HAVE ECONOMIC SUCCESS FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA. NOW, IN THE MODERN DAY, THE GREENWOOD PLAN AND GREENWOOD WEEK HERE IN PITTSBURGH. WHAT IS THAT? THAT THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE’RE USING AS A LIGHTHOUSE FOR HOW WE BRING BLACK MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS INTO BLACK PITTSBURGH, ONES WHERE PEOPLE CAN RAISE THEIR FAMILIES SAFELY, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY TAXES TO THE CITY AND BE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF OUR CITY IN PLACES THAT RESEMBLE SOME OF OUR OTHER SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT MOSTLY RESEMBLE PLACES LIKE GREENWOOD AND TULSA. BUT WE USE GREENWOOD TO BE KIND OF THIS REMINDER OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE’RE STRIVING FOR. NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT, THE PURCHASE OF THE BUILDING DOWNTOWN ON SMITHFIELD STREET AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY. YOU HAVE SOME REALLY BIG PLANS THAT WILL IMPACT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES. YEAH, AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THINGS RIGHT. WE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT PLANS. WE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT THE PAST AND THINGS THAT USED TO EXIST. BUT I THINK IT IS IMPACTFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THINGS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST, PHYSICAL THINGS THAT THEY CAN TOUCH, PEOPLE THEY CAN TALK TO AND WHAT THE BUILDING REPRESENTS IS THAT PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THE PLAN, RIGHT? GREENWOOD PLAN COMING INTO FRUITION. WHAT IT IS MEANT TO DO IS REALLY CREATE AN INCUBATOR SPACE FOR BLACK BUSINESSES TO THRIVE. A LOT OF THE TIMES IT’S VERY PUNITIVE AND BUSINESS RIGHT. YOU SINK OR SWIM AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS IS THIS SOFT LANDING PLACE, RIGHT? YOU CAN TEST OUT CONCEPTS HERE. YOU CAN SEE IF YOU’RE READY FOR A RETAIL STOREFRONT IN A METRO AREA, LIKE A DOWNTOWN ONE. AND EVEN IF YOU DON’T NECESSARILY FIND LONG TERM SUCCESS, YOU’RE NOT PUTTING, YOU KNOW, YOUR HOME IN JEOPARDY OR YOUR FAMILY FINANCIALLY. WE’RE CREATING THIS PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE RESOURCES AND A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS YOU IN BLACK BUSINESS GROWTH. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF INCUBATORS IN THE AREA FOR FOR BUSINESS. WHY? WHY SPECIFICALLY DO WE NEED ONE FOR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES? WHY IS THERE THAT NEED OUR HISTORY IS DIFFERENT. UM, STARKLY DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE COUNTRY. AND WE’RE COMING UP ON JUNETEENTH. RIGHT. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN SLAVERY, IT REALLY DID A NUMBER ON BLACK PEOPLE. A HONESTLY, A LOT OF THE EFFECTS STILL EXIST TODAY. AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC PROCESS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK BUSINESS, RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS THAT EXIST OUTWARDLY, BUT THERE’S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO INTERNALLY TO JUST TO CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK AND FEEL ABOUT OURSELVES IN THIS COUNTRY, OUR PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY, WHETHER OR NOT WE’RE CAPABLE OF DOING THINGS. THERE’S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT. SO WHEN WE DO OUR PROGRAMING, IT’S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE YOUR PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENTS ARE GOOD. A LOT OF IT IS ALSO SOCIO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, RIGHT? YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CAPABLE OF DOING AMAZING THINGS. IT’S LIKE A BIG PART OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT. AND EVEN WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SPACE, THE PHYSICAL SPACE IS A REMINDER TO OUR PEOPLE THAT YOU DESERVE TO HAVE NICE THINGS RIGHT. YOU DESERVE TO BE IN GOLD ADORNED BUILDINGS WITH HIGH CEILINGS AND COLUMNS AND HAVE COMFORT, RIGHT? SO IT HAS TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE DIFFERENT. IS THERE AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT TO BECAUSE SO MANY BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS I SPEAK WITH SAY, YOU KNOW, I’M I’M LEARNING THINGS THAT I DIDN’T KNOW BEFORE AS I DEVELOPED MY BUSINESS. SO IS THERE LIKE AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT? ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE THE PHYSICAL SPACE WITH THE BUILDING, BUT THE EDUCATION IS PARAMOUNT. HONESTLY, THE EDUCATION WAS THE FIRST PART. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GREENWOOD WEEK, GREENWOOD WEEK ACTUALLY CAME BEFORE GREENWOOD WOULD PLAN THE ORGANIZATION AND GREENWOOD WEEK IS THE CONFERENCE THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO TEACH ENTREPRENEURS ABOUT THE BUSINESS BASICS. RIGHT. SO THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE ACTUALLY CAME FIRST BEFORE THE PHYSICAL PIECES. BUT THE EDUCATION IS WHAT HELPS US MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THIS WORK, THAT IT’S NOT JUST US. RIGHT. WHEN WE TALK TO PEOPLE AND WE SHARE THE INFORMATION, THEY CAN THEN GO ON AND SHARE IT AS WELL, WHICH CREATES THIS CONTINUING CYCLE OF JUST INFORMATION SHARING, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO ANY COMMUNITY. ARE THERE CERTAIN TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS SPACE, OR YOU’RE REACHING OUT TO AND SAYING, HEY, COME HERE, WE CAN DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS, WE CAN GROW IT RIGHT? UM, I THINK FOR THE LONGEST TIME, UM, WE HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, RIGHT? HAIR CARE, BEAUTY BARBERSHOPS. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR US TO GET INTO THE MAKER SPACES. THE MANUFACTURING SPACES. RIGHT. SO CREATING OUR OWN THINGS, UM, GETTING PATENTS, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE TIME WHERE WE’RE ACTUALLY INVENTING THINGS AND HAVING SOME LONGEVITY WITH THE THINGS THAT WE CREATE. SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE TO HAVE ROOM FOR OUR MAKERS, OUR BUILDERS. UM, BUT WE’RE REALLY OPEN TO EVERYBODY. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO DO, OR YOU HAVE A SPECIALIZED SKILL IN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ROOM TO FOSTER THAT. STILL AHEAD. I’M ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE, DO YOUR RESEARCH. DO YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOUR RESEARCH AND CONNECT WITH OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS. THE PROGRAM AT A LOCAL UNIVERSITY HELPING LOCAL WOMEN FULFILL THEIR DREAMS OF BECOMING BUSINESS OWNERS. WELCOME BACK. OUR FINAL CONVERSATION IS WITH ANN FLYNN SCHLICHT. SHE’S THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT CHATHAM UNIVERSITY IN SHADYSIDE. SHE TELLS US SHE HAS BEEN BUSY SINCE THE END OF THE PANDEMIC. AS MORE AND MORE WOMEN ARE STARTING NEW VENTURES, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DO AND HOW DO YOU HELP WOMEN WHO ARE EITHER STARTING A BUSINESS OR CURRENTLY HAVE A BUSINESS? HOW DO YOU HELP THEM GROW AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL? SO WE DO TWO MAIN THINGS, ANDREW. ONE IS WE PROVIDE FREE ONE ON ONE BUSINESS COUNSELING AND TECHNICAL. ASSISTANCE. SO THAT’S FOR ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN STARTING A COMPANY OR ALREADY UP AND RUNNING WHO MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO I REGISTER MY BUSINESS WITH THE STATE OF PA? HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING FINANCING FOR MY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, LEGAL DOCUMENTS, LICENSE AND PERMITTING, WHETHER IT’S IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH OR WHETHER IT’S FOR THE STATE? AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS WE DO TRAINING PROGRAMS. MOST OF THEM ARE GENERAL FOR ANY INDUSTRY YOU’RE IN, WHETHER IT’S JUST STARTING YOUR BUSINESS, WHETHER IT’S BOOKKEEPING, BEING A DIGITAL MARKETING. BUT THEN WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT ARE VERY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC AS WELL. ALL OUR COUNSELING IS FREE, AND A LOT OF OUR TRAINING. PROGRAMS ARE FREE TO LOW COST, AND THAT IS DUE TO THE SUPPORT OF MANY FOUNDATIONS IN THE REGION THAT HAVE SUPPORTED US, CHATHAM UNIVERSITY. AND WE ARE ALSO A PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS MINISTRATION WHERE WE ARE ONE OF NOW 160 WOMEN BUSINESS CENTERS THAT ARE FUNDED UNDER THE SBA. WHAT ARE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO START A BUSINESS? SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. AS YOU KNOW, ARE NOT UNIQUE TO WOMEN, BUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’VE NOT BEEN IN BUSINESS BEFORE. SO HAVING A TRACK RECORD, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE LENDING PROCESS SUMMIT AS WELL AS IN JUST IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS. ENVIRONMENT, UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HIRING IS VERY CHALLENGING, RIGHT NOW FOR ALL ENTREPRENEURS OUT THERE AND COMPETING AGAINST A LOT OF OTHER COMPANIES. SO BUT FOR I THINK FOR WOMEN, A LOT OF IT AS WELL AS JUST IN TERMS OF HAVING THE SUPPORT AND MENTORSHIP AND SEEING THAT OTHER WOMEN HAVE GOT THERE AND BEING SUCCESSFUL. ONLY ABOUT 3% OF ALL WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES REACH $1 MILLION. SO WE TRY ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY AND DO IS TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE WOMEN WHO HAVE REALLY EXCELLED, AND TO SHOW THAT IT IS ACHIEVABLE. SO DO YOU CREATE A NETWORKING SYSTEM WHERE THESE WOMEN CAN MEET OTHER WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE TAKEN THAT PATH TO GET TO $1 MILLION, PLUS, PERHAPS, CORRECT. WE DO. SO WE WE CONNECT WITH A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT WOMEN, BUT WE DO A LOT OF MENTORING. WE HAVE AMAZING MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM THAT HELPS WOMEN, ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE SOLO ENTREPRENEURS, TO GET OUT THERE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE GROWING AND EXPANDING. YOU WERE SAYING A LOT OF THESE WOMEN, REALLY BUSINESS OWNERS IN GENERAL, DON’T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THE BASIC THINGS TO GET STARTED. SO IS THAT PART OF WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO? THE EDUCATION, MAKING SURE THEY THEY COME IN KNOWING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IF THEY’RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL? CORRECT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT IS YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW. SO SO WE’RE THERE REALLY TO HELP THEM. I MEAN, REGULATIONS CHANGE ALL THE TIME. SO WHETHER IT’S FINANCIAL REGULATIONS, TAX REGULATIONS. SO WE HAVE EXPERTS ON HAND TO HELP THEM GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT. UH, A LOT OF IT’S ALSO DUE DILIGENCE, YOU KNOW, TO TALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY’RE UNDERTAKING. YOU KNOW, FINANCIALLY, IF IT’S GOING TO SUPPORT THEM AND THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR EMPLOYEES. UM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT ABOUT JUST GIVING AWAY PRODUCT, YOU KNOW, AND LETTING FRIENDS SAMPLE THINGS THAT THEY’RE THEY’RE PRODUCING AND SELLING. THEY REALLY NEED TO HAVE A PLAN TO ACTUALLY MAKE INCOME IN THE BEGINNING. CORRECT? YEAH. WE WE FOCUS ON FOR PROFIT ENTITIES. SO WE, WE TRY AND IDENTIFY THE REVENUE MODEL THAT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW IF THEY’RE GOING TO GROW THIS COMPANY, WHAT THEY NEED TO PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO GROW IT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO GO BACK, YOU KNOW, GO TO VENDORS IF THEY OWE YOU MONEY. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO, YEAH, SO WE TRY AND, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME STRONG FOUNDATIONS IN PLACE. IS THIS A GOOD ECONOMY TO START A BUSINESS? YES, YES. EVEN THOUGH I MEAN WE’RE HEARING ABOUT HIGH INFLATION. YEAH. I MEAN WE ARE BUSIER THAN EVER. AND I WAS LOOKING AT SOME NUMBERS YESTERDAY AND WITH THE SBA DISTRICT OFFICE AND IN NINE COUNTIES SURROUNDING PITTSBURGH, WE HAVE 66,000 WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS. THEY ARE STARTING AT THREE TIMES THE THE RATE OF MALE COUNTERPARTS. SO YEAH, SO THERE IS NO NO SHORTAGE OF BUSINESSES STARTING. IT’S GETTING OVER THAT 3 TO 5 YEAR HURDLE AND GROWING TO THAT MILLION DOLLARS. THAT’S WHERE WE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON. AND DO YOU FIND A LOT OF WOMEN ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO START A BUSINESS MORE SO THAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BUSINESSES. WE KNOW ABOUT. IT’S USUALLY JUST ONE PERSON, BUT ARE WOMEN COMBINING THEIR RESOURCES AND THEIR TALENTS TO BUILD THESE BUSINESSES? OH YES. I MEAN, A LOT OF WOMEN DO, AND SOMETIMES THEY CONNECT TOGETHER TO MAYBE LAUNCH A NEW PRODUCT TO MARKET THEMSELVES. SO THAT’S A BIG THING. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, TO GROW OUR BUSINESSES AND AT CHATHAM, THIS IS THESE ARE YOU SAID YOU HAD A LOT OF THESE SERVICES ARE FREE, BUT WHAT OTHER SERVICES DO YOU OFFER THAT PERHAPS PEOPLE WOULD PAY TO USE? SO AGAIN, A LOT OF OUR MEMBERSHIP IS A PAID PROGRAM. WE HAVE IN-PERSON EVENTS EVERY MONTH TO SUPPORT MEMBERS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE THIS MORNING OUT IN MONROEVILLE, OH, UH, WHICH IS JUST WRAPPING UP NOW. BUT BUT YEAH, SO THERE’S A LOT OF PROGRAMS. ONE OTHER THING WE HAVE, WHICH IS A BIT DIFFERENT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRODUCT AND DESIGN LAB AS WELL. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS WHO WERE VERY CREATIVE AND MAKING SO WE HAVE A 3D COMPUTERS, WE HAVE A GLOWFORGE MACHINERY. SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT MACHINERY. IF THEY WANT TO BUILD A PROTOTYPE BECAUSE THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE. SO WE HAVE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO THEM IF THEY WANT TO COME IN AND TRY AND BUILD THAT PROTOTYPE UP BEFORE THEY TAKE IT OUT THERE TO TRY AND FIND INVESTORS OR TO MASS PRODUCES. WELL, AND IF ONE OF OUR VIEWERS THERE’S A WOMAN AT HOME THINKING ABOUT A BUSINESS, AN IDEA SHE’S ALWAYS HAD AND JUST DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO HER TODAY TO TO GET HER OFF THE THE COUCH OR OUT THE DOOR AND GET HER STARTED ON THIS DREAM? WELL, THE FIRST THING IS PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL US, ALL RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, THERE’S MANY THAT I’M SURE THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, WE’VE HEARD BEFORE. SO THAT’S THE BIGGEST THING, YOU KNOW, TO REACH OUT, TO ASK FOR ADVICE AND THEN I WOULD ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, I MEAN, I’M AN ACADEMIA, SO I’M ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE, DO YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOUR RESEARCH AND CONNECT WITH OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS. LOOK, IF IT’S A PARTICULAR INDUSTRY, DO RESEARCH IN THAT INDUSTRY. GO OUT THERE AND EXPLORE WHAT’S IN THE MARKETPLACE AND AND YEAH, SO JUST ASK QUESTIONS. YOU ARE WATCHING FOR THE RECORD, WE’RE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS. WELCOME BACK. IF YOU HAVE A TOPIC YOU’D LIKE US TO ADDRESS, SEND US AN EMAIL TO NEWS AT WTAE.COM. YOU CAN ALSO REWATCH THIS EPISODE OR ANY EPISODE WITH THE VERY LOCAL APP ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, TABLET OR SMART TV. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

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