The first ever Black in eCom conference kicks off in East Point this Thursday, uniting Black entrepreneurs and major players in the e-commerce industry for a three-day comprehensive learning and networking experience intended to help business owners jumpstart or grow their web-based ventures.
Featuring programming spearheaded by industry leaders and sponsored by some of the biggest names in global e-commerce, the conference aims to assist Black business owners in all stages of the entrepreneurship journey, giving them a chance to market their products, access capital and collaborate with other contacts that make up the e-business community.
Tiffany Johnson, founder of the event, said that Black in eCom is the first e-commerce conference dedicated specifically to building Black-owned businesses and features the most diverse lineup of panelists she’s seen throughout her career.
“I think the significance (behind giving Black e-commerce professionals a platform) is, one, representation, and letting the audience know that you’re capable of building a successful e-commerce business, and here’s how you do it,” Johnson said. “And here’s someone who looks like you that has done it successfully.”
Also a global business development manager at Amazon Web Services and CEO and founder of feminine wellness brand Moozii, Johnson works with small-scale minority entrepreneurs on a regular basis to help grow their brands, and carries her passion for strengthening minority- and Black-owned businesses into her projects with Black in eCommerce.
Johnson said she was inspired to organize the Black in eCom conference through interactions from her work with Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator, an initiative she created that launched in 2021 to assist Black-owned businesses selling merchandise through the platform. After connecting with entrepreneurs in e-commerce who benefited from the program over the years, Johnson said she wanted to make a space for Black business owners to connect and resolve the questions and concerns relating to their brands and the e-commerce world at large.
The inaugural Black in eCom conference features a full schedule consisting of panels, networking sessions, keynote presentations and fireside chats, each dedicated to educating attendees about different aspects of running a successful e-commerce business.
The conference also gives Black e-commerce brands opportunities to impact the industry in ways not previously witnessed. Johnson said that the global e-commerce market is anticipated to reach $6.3 trillion this year, and inclusive resources like the Black in eCom conference are crucial in helping Black-owned web-based ventures compete with businesses managed by other demographics with stronger backing.
Johnson doesn’t just measure this impact financially. She wants to help craft a reality where Black businesses infiltrate every possible market, rather than dominating a limited selection of markets mostly related to beauty and wellness.
“I want, at the end of this conference, and in the future, for Black-owned businesses to be in all of the spaces,” Johnson said. “So, when you think of anything that you want to purchase, you should be able to find a Black-owned business within that category.”
And to Johnson, Black entrepreneurship in Atlanta is unlike that in any other city. She said she was impressed by the city’s large share of entrepreneur-backed enterprises when she first visited and that Black-owned businesses in Atlanta have a distinct feel that immediately distinguishes them as such.
“I’m a firm believer in the city of Atlanta,” Johnson said. “I see firsthand that it’s a thriving hub of innovation and diversity, making it the perfect backdrop to host an event that celebrates and supports Black excellence in e-commerce.”
Johnson aims to attract 5,500 founders, aspiring founders and solution providers to fill East Point’s Legacy Center over the span of the conference’s three days of scheduling. While much of the conference’s programming is catered to entrepreneurs with existing ventures, anyone interested in learning how to navigate the ins and outs of the e-commerce industry is encouraged to attend.
“For me, Atlanta is the place to build,” Johnson said. “And when I think of legacy, there’s so many great things that came out of Atlanta, and I want Black in eCom to be one of them.”
