By: T’Neil Gooden
Brooklyn College’s (BC) Black and Latino Male Initiative (BLMI) celebrated BC student entrepreneurs with their very own Roots to Riches tabling and paneling event. BC students got to spend their common hours on March 3 buying from their fellow students’ personal brands and learning about the rights and wrongs when starting their own businesses.
This event not only showcasedstudent businesses but also celebrated Black History Month, as most of the businesses were Black-owned.
BC alumnus and business owner, Imani Atwell, worked with BLMI to create an event, “where other students on campus can showcase their brand, help promote it, support them, and possibly market their brand.”
“That was my main goal, and everything else just came from me writing down on Google Docs and literally seeing it come to life,” Atwell told The Vanguard.
Over 10 student businesses shared their art with other BC students: clothing, makeup, everlasting flowers, bakery goods, hair braiding, and books of poetry. Each business displayed its products with its own designs and marketing strategies. Students had business cards, QR codes, and social media as ways they can stay connected with their audience.
Attendees not only viewed the products they were able to buy, but also got inspired by those who have decided to share their products with the BC community.
“I’m happy to support all of the students on campus, especially if it’s for a good cause and there’s no issue ever spending money,” said Maria De La Cruz, a senior at BC.
Alani Gonzalez, a junior at BC, shared the same testament.
“It’s really inspiring just to know that people are able to take something that they’re very talented in or something that they have a passion for and really be able to exalt that and lighten that for themselves. I think it’s something I want to start doing.”
This experience was important for these young entrepreneurs, “because I don’t believe that spaces like this were created for Black and brown minority students,” Atwell told The Vanguard. “So we have to be able to create those spaces for ourselves. The fact that I’m a young Black woman who was able to create this space and invite other people who need a space like this, I think [BC business owners will] be impacted to showcase their brand and possibly do an event like this for themselves.”
Students who are consumers of these brands and products are also learning about entrepreneurship as they are, “seeing other people do it, you know, just playing that supporting role. I feel like it will be very beneficial to them [students], no matter what side of the spectrum that you’re on,” Atwell said.
After buying from students’ businesses, everyone at the event had the opportunity to hear about what it takes to be a business owner.
“You can’t wait to perfect the craft. You just have to start it and then perfect it as you go,” Octavia Cornwall, owner of iPicnix, told the audience.
“So I felt like I was definitely being delayed with waiting for the perfect name, the perfect logo, the perfect business card. You can change those things as you go. So, as long as you have the passion for something, I say channel that passion, that energy into a plan. Jot it out and just attack it.”
Cornwall continued by stating, “There’s no right time or no better time than the present.”
Angela Oakley, a sophomore at BC and owner of GlitteredbyAng, explained that, “you can definitely start [your business] off wherever you’re at. Start off with whatever skillset you have, product, draft, whatever you have. Just put yourself out there, and you can always build up over time. It’s not, let me try to master my craft and then start.”
Students learned about how budgeting and finances can impact a business.
“The way you would go about initiating your prices is the amount of skills you have, and then how much the materials cost, with where you’re buying your materials from, and then how you’re going to be distributing out back to the public,” Oakley shared with the audience.
The panelists shared the importance of understanding that owning a business is nothing more than a learning experience.
“Nothing is going to be perfect. You’re only going to learn as you start your business. And what does starting your business look like? That could look like if you have an idea, saying, I think I want to do this. Write it down and plan it out,” said Atwell, owner of KnotMani.
Cornwall followed by stating the importance of leaning on those around you.
“When you see somebody in the same field as you’re doing something and you like their work, don’t look at them as competition. You could look to them for mentorship. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and network with them and learn from one another.”
For more information regarding BLMI, please visit their official Instagram account, @bcblmi.