business

Over the past year, COVID-19 and its variants have plagued the globe, taking lives and interrupting normal activities in virtually all areas of life. For Black America, already plagued with steep health, income and wealth disparities, coping with the pandemic has been even more painful. 

A small, Boston-based consulting firm has been recognized for its rapid growth in the technology space. Onyx Spectrum Technology, founded by Adrienne Benton, provides IT solutions while contributing to organizations like the Dimock Center, Fenway Health and more. Roxbury’s Initiative for a Competitive Inner City ranks Onyx number 18 on its Inner City 100, for its four-year revenue growth of more than 500%.

BECMA launched its Greenwood Initiative in the spring, aimed at raising $1 million to help black-owned businesses in the state not only survive a tough time, but grow.

Winning in business is similar to winning in sports. You have to develop a well-conceived strategy and you have to have the most talented team.

Equity programs and community supporters are boosting Black business owners to the forefront of the cannabis community

Small businesses have been hit especially hard in the pandemic and need support more than ever. These are just a few of the many Greater Boston based, Black owned businesses to support during the holiday shopping season.

Since the coronavirus hit, some 40% of Black businesses have gone under, victims of a strained economy, plummeting demand for professional and retail services and customers wary of venturing out into the COVID climate. Sensing the need to connect customers with companies, regardless of the motivation, social entrepreneur Colette Phillips has launched GK! Market as an outgrowth of her groundbreaking Get Konnected! networking events.

Mayor Martin Walsh announced Tuesday a new community engagement process to reimagine Boston’s businesses. Reimagine Boston Main Streets is meant to strengthen the city’s Main Streets program, assess where the resources are and identify gaps. The first part of this community engagement process began at a Nov. 23 Remo event — a virtual conference where attendees could sit at “tables” and discuss different aspects of Boston business.

Joelle Fontaine has been working in the fashion industry for years, but in 2020 she’s really hit her stride. Fontaine’s brand, I Am Kréyol, launched the Artisan Collection this year, featuring both garments designed by Fontaine and accessories and home goods by female artisans from around the world. In this way, the brand has become what Fontaine always wanted: a celebration of diverse female artists.

It’s hard to build family wealth when you’re burdened with heavy debts and harassed by abusive debt collection practices. No amount of collector harassment will result in payments when no funds are available to pay past due bills.

For the entrepreneurs graduating from the Business Equity Initiative at the Foundation for Business Equity, COVID-19 has brought everything from major setbacks, unexpected resources, and great opportunity.

The Baker administration released an economic recovery plan Oct. 22 that promises $50.8 million to small businesses that were hardest hit by COVID-19 closings.