Black business owners share their journeys
NEWARK — Four local Black business owners said having a passion for their work has been key to overcoming obstacles, such as a pandemic and discrimination, to become successful in their field.
The Licking County NAACP recently hosted a discussion, accessible on its
Facebook page, with Briana Burrell, owner of BNB Beauty and Vital Outfitters Clothing; Sam Shackleford, owner of Shacks Mobile Detailing and Pressure Washing; Roy Price, owner of Priceless Fitness Personal Training and Unity Fitness; and Heidi Walters, owner of Ohana Photography and Wedding Planning Services.
The quartet shared their experiences, offered advice, talked about community support and discussed discrimination in the NAACP’S continuing series of Courageous Conversations. The final event in the series will be Sunday Supper, at 7 p.m. Sunday. Go to the organization’s Facebook page to view the discussion.
Price worked in the mental health and financial fields before trying personal training in 2007. He opened Unity Fitness in 2017.
“Don’t be afraid to step outside of what you’re used to doing to pursue what you’re passionate about,” Price said. “The satisfaction from doing what you love is priceless.
“If you’re not passionate about it, you’re not going to last long. I think that’s probably the most important factor when trying to choose a business.
Find something you like to do and find a way to capitalize on it.”
Burrell, owner of BNB Beauty and Vital Outfitters Clothing, recommended prospective business owners follow their dreams with a singular focus. “Believe in yourself,” Burrell said. “It’s so much blood, sweat and tears you put into this because this is your dream. People are going to try to tell you you shouldn’t do it. They’re going to put those negative thoughts in your mind. Block it all out. You have to have tunnel vision.”
Walters, owner of Ohana Photography and Wedding Planning Services, offered the following advice: “Just keep your head up and focus on building your business up. Keep your passion into it. If you feel like you’re failing, pray. I did a lot of praying, and it’s helped me along the way.”
Shackleford, who has been in business for eight years, said business ownership has provided him not only financial freedom, but also the freedom to determine his own schedule and make time to attend his children’s activities. He said setting goals for himself helps him ignore the naysayers.
“You’re going to have people that are going to be jealous and envious of you,” Shackleford said.
“They’re not going to want to see your business do good. The biggest thing that has always helped me is I write down goals. I do it every morning, every night.
“As you accomplish the goals you just want to set more goals, and as you see the growth, it just lights a fire under you and it really gets you going and shows your hard work pays off.”
All four said they felt some form of discrimination in the careers, but in different ways.
Burrell said the opposition came when she bought David Sanor’s Salon
and started her business.
“That was a bit challenging because there was already people that worked there, many of them old enough to be my grandma, and my skin color was an issue, and it became ridiculous. So I had to fire seven people. That was a very crummy situation. But that needed to happen in order for growth to occur.”
Burrell said she found the financial assistance she needed from the Economic Community Development Institution in Columbus, which helps women and minorities.
She said ECDI just wanted to see if her business plan was solid.
“They really worked with me,” Burrell said. “I’d recommend them for everyone.” Price said the discrimination he experienced came from an unlikely source.
“I think that the discrimination that I’ve felt in this business has come from Black people,” Price said.
“There are thousands of Black people in Licking County, a lot of them I know personally, who have never taken the time to even step foot in the door.
“You could give me positive feedback or negative feedback or let me know what I can do to improve this facility to get you here.”
Walters said she has experienced discrimination, but has been in business long enough that she does not take on a client if she feels there is such a conflict.
Shackleford said he did not see any discrimination in opening his business, but since he’s been open, there have been times he felt there was discrimination.
“There was definitely some situations as I’ve been running the business I felt like I was discriminated against,” Shackleford said.
“Whether that had been the case or not, I don’t know.”