Meet Our Entrepreneurs
Danielle McGee
BLACK BUSINESS BOOM
As part of National Business Women’s Week 2021, we’ll be featuring some of our Academy Alumna and their stories on this blog page. Let us introduce you to Danielle McGee, owner and founder of the Black Business Boom and our recent second-place winner of the Lipscomb BAM x Corner to Corner Pitch Contest.
Danielle McGee created The Black Business Boom to increase the digital footprint of Black businesses by lending digital marketing resources and education to Black-owned businesses. They also offer social media support to help make businesses more accessible to a wider audience – and they definitely know what they’re talking about! Black Business Boom has over 50k followers on Instagram and *thousands* of likes and follows on Facebook. In addition to supporting and educating businesses in our community, Black Business Boom has also started a cashback rewards program, called The Bloc, for supporting Black-owned businesses.
Before Black Business Boom was a resource for our community though, it was just an idea that Danielle had dreamed up. Enrolling in The Academy helped turn that dream into a money-making reality.
“The Academy helped me to take a step back, get foundational principles and strategize before launching my business. The Academy made me slow down and do things the right way when launching Black Business Boom. The alumni support has also been instrumental in the growth of my business.”
Creating a continued program for support and encouragement for our Academy Alumni is a crucial part of our programming; we believe in showing up for our neighbors time and time again. One of our favorite ways to showcase our alumni and their impact on our community is through Pitch Contests, like the one we put on in tandem with Lipscomb’s BAM Conference. Danielle pitched Black Business Boom to a panel of judges and walked away with second-place, $2,000, and a pair of Air Pod Pros. But it was about more than the cash prize for Danielle.
“My favorite part of the Pitch Contest was stepping on stage and conquering my fear. I have always been scared to pitch my business in a live competition. The pitch competition allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and out of my own way.”
Now that she’s conquered her fear of public pitching, the world better watch out! As a woman in business, Danielle has learned many invaluable lessons. Her advice to other women entrepreneurs and business owners?
“The most important thing I have learned is how important it is to pivot and go with the flow. Things change and that is okay. It’s okay to reinvent yourself and your business, as much as you have to until you get it right. Be committed to adapting until you find the business model that fits your vision and your life.”
Having women role models such as Danielle in our local business community is priceless. When you invest in Corner to Corner, you’re investing in the continued support of role models like Danielle, and the opportunity for others to become role models for the next generation. Invest today.
Follow Danielle’s story
Chiquita Kirby-Green
SWEET RUBY’S
As part of National Business Women’s Week 2021, we’ll be featuring some of our Academy Alumna and their stories on this blog page. Meet Chiquita Kirby-Green, owner and founder of Sweet Ruby’s Bakery, Academy Alumna, and a dedicated Academy Facilitator.
Chiquita always had the passion for baking and creativity, but she wasn’t sure how to take that passion to the next level and start her own business. “The Academy provided me with the basic needs to build a sturdy foundation for my business. From name, business structure, pricing and marketing, they helped me move in the right direction and become a profitable business.”
In 2020, Sweet Ruby’s hit a major hurdle alongside so many other small businesses: Covid-19. The pandemic brought uncertainty and hesitancy to our community. “Having a public-service-based business during Covid was hard. The fear alone kept my customers from wanting to host parties, and me from wanting to serve those parties.”
As an Academy Alumna, Chiquita had access to our program The Academy Amplified. This program is focused solely on offering continued support to our alumni. That support can come in many different forms, from small business loans to video marketing classes to more. For Chiquita it came in the form of a business loan through The Academy Invested. “The loan provided me with the funds to get my business back on track. Speaking with my mentor helped me realize that while my prices were sufficient, for my quality of work, I should have been charging more.”
As she continued to learn about running a business, she realized she wanted to get more involved with the Corner to Corner community. “I loved the thought of being able to give what I was once given. I measure my success not only by how much money I make, but also by how much I give back to others. Facilitating at The Academy allowed me to help others build the foundation that The Academy helped me to build.”
As she helps other women take their business ideas and turn them into money-making realities, she has one major suggestion: “Starting small isn’t as bad as it sounds. In order to build a successful business, it takes time. Oftentimes, we want it all right now and by moving too fast, we make mistakes and often cheat the process.” Chiquita is a perfect example of our motto “Start small, start now!”
To invest in the continued support of and success of our local entrepreneurs, invest in Corner to Corner today.
