BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Black-owned businesses gathered Saturday at the Raising Cane’s River Center for the Black Business Insiders Expo, giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their products, connect with customers and learn about resources available in the community.
The event brought together business owners, speakers and organizations focused on helping entrepreneurs build and grow.
For Ladaya James of Black Girl Vitamins, the expo was an opportunity to promote health and wellness while connecting with other Black-owned businesses.
“I think it’s so important for us to be advocates for each other and just spreading the wealth and the information that’s needed for Black people.”
James said the Chicago-based company focuses on helping Black women prioritize their health and wellness. She said the expo also showed her just how many businesses are operating in Baton Rouge.
“Because who knew? It’s a whole lot of businesses here. I didn’t even know that exist. And I’m from here.”
Sherie Thomas, executive director of the Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana, said the event also gives entrepreneurs a chance to learn about resources and connect with others who can help them move their businesses forward.
Thomas said she wants attendees to leave the expo feeling motivated and encouraged.
“I think they should walk away being motivated. They should walk away, be encouraged and they should walk away ready to support.”
Thomas said Black entrepreneurs also face challenges connecting with their target audiences and knowing when to adapt as consumer habits change.
“There’s always a gap between marketing and connecting to the target audience. For individuals, they really have to find their customers and where their actual customers are.”
Jasmine Williams of the IV & Grace Foundation said networking can be one of the biggest challenges for smaller organizations and businesses trying to get their names and missions in front of the public.
“It’s really just getting your name out there and getting the first. And I feel like that’s the hardest is getting the first.”
Williams said community support plays a major role in helping small businesses grow.
“It’s our community. It’s other business owners, other small business owners, and it takes a small business owner to support another one.”
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards also attended the event and said the expo helps bring attention to businesses that can sometimes go unnoticed.
“It’s a big city and a small business could kind of get hidden off and people don’t know about. Then you come here and you say, ‘Wow, look, I’ve never heard of this place’.”
Edwards said the city also promotes small businesses through regular visits to local businesses.
“I’ll actually do small business visits often one Saturday a month, and I go to their business. Sometimes it’s to eat, sometimes just to show what they’re doing. And we do it for all the businesses in Baton Rouge.”
For the entrepreneurs attending the expo, the event provided another opportunity to build connections, reach new customers and encourage others to support Black-owned businesses in the community.
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