Creating a Network of Success: Community-Oriented Resources for Black Women Entrepreneurs
Starting your own business is a thrilling experience. For many entrepreneurs, it’s a dream come true — but no one can deny that the journey is also a challenging one. Being an entrepreneur often comes with a rollercoaster of emotions that many first-time founders never anticipate. These highs and lows can often feel overwhelming and isolating, especially if you don’t have a network of like-minded peers with whom to share these experiences and emotions. Whether you are a solo founder or have a supportive co-founder, the need for community is paramount to your success and your well-being.
Networking and building your community may feel like another overwhelming task on your endless “to-do” list, but there are resources available that make the process easier and more accessible. With the influx of social media groups, in-person events, and programs for entrepreneurs, there are many ways to begin. Choose the route that feels best for you, depending on your level of comfort and how you see yourself engaging with your community. Here are some of our favorite community-oriented resources geared toward Black women to get you started on this journey. Remember: you can do anything, but you don’t have to do it all alone.
Elevate by Grameen America
If you are looking for a program that offers it all — loan capital, business development training, community, and asset- and credit-building tools — consider Elevate by Grameen America. Grameen America’s Elevate initiative aims to meaningfully address systemic barriers and funding gaps that women in financially underserved Black communities face. But it is also a community where Black women entrepreneurs are celebrated and supported to reach new heights through sisterhood and a network of support. No matter where you are in your entrepreneurship journey, Elevate by Grameen America’s door is always open! The program currently supports Black businesswomen in New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Memphis, TN, and Atlanta, GA with plans to expand nationally over the next decade. Learn more about our program here.
BrainTrust Founders Studio
If you are a Black woman founder in the beauty industry, BrainTrust Founders Studio offers access to the largest membership-based platform dedicated to Black founders of beauty and wellness companies. This community is creating a global movement that’s reimagining the future of entrepreneurship by empowering diverse founders to start, grow, and accelerate profitable businesses — through community, mentorship, education, and capital. Started by Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, BrainTrust Founders Studio is all about seeing Black women win. They offer access to a supportive network of entrepreneurs, as well as meetups, monthly virtual coffee chats, and webinars featuring industry leaders and influencers.
Visible Hands Fellowship Programs
Visible Hands acknowledges that women and people of color receive less than 5% of VC funding. As the organization states on its website: “It’s not a pipeline problem; it’s a resource problem.” Visible Hands focuses on the earliest stages of company building, where access to capital, resources, and connections are the biggest barriers for underrepresented founders. Among their many programs, VHNYC is a 10-week Founder Fellowship for early-stage, underrepresented founders building high-growth, tech and tech-enabled businesses. Through this hybrid program, you can join an exceptional cohort of 15 overlooked founders based in New York City. Along with a $10,000 business grant, fellows attend hands-on workshops and join a vibrant and uplifting in-person community that will unlock hybrid opportunities to connect digitally and meet IRL across the five boroughs.
Black ParentPreneur Foundation
ParentPreneur is dedicated to empowering Black ParentPreneurs through community and resources, so you can leave a legacy for your beautiful Black children. Founded by James Oliver, this community offers access to grants; a marketplace directory; webinars; and a powerful online community that provides free resources to take your business to the next level and ease your mind as a parent. The online platform features digital forums where entrepreneurs can share their wins and challenges, gain valuable business guidance, and meet other Black parent entrepreneurs. It is a space dedicated to building community, and to uplifting its members to succeed in both their personal and professional lives.
Facebook Groups
Social media certainly has its pros and cons, but gaining access to groups that are specific to your industry, interests, or passions is one good reason to join. A simple search on Facebook will give you access to dozens of communities focused on supporting Black entrepreneurs. Here are a few of our favorite groups:
Your local “Black-owned” group: Most major U.S. cities have a group dedicated to Black-owned businesses (eg. Black-owned Brooklyn, Black-owned Boston, Black-owned Chicago). Joining these communities not only gives you access to local Black-owned businesses that you can support, but also allows you to promote your own business and cultivate a supportive community of Black entrepreneurs right in your city.
Young Black Entrepreneurs Networking and Development Group: This group has nearly 26,000 members and is open to the public. Use this space to promote your own business, learn about new opportunities, and build connections with other founders.
Black Women Business Accelerator: This private group has nearly 28,000 members and requires you to request to join. According to their page, “The Black Women Business Accelerator community supports one another in building our businesses.”
LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn is often overlooked in the social media space — but when it comes to business support, it’s a great place to engage and connect. Here are a few of our favorite LinkedIn groups dedicated to Black entrepreneurship:
Black Entrepreneurship: With 6,000 members, this group offers a supportive community with a dash of humor and realness.
50 Billion Dollar Boss: Black Women Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders and Disruptors!: Based on the NAACP Image Award- nominated book 50 Billion Dollar Boss, this private LinkedIn group has nearly 800 members, consisting of Black founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders. This community was created to offer a safe space to uplift all members on their business journeys.
Black Women In STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Math): This private group, with over 2,000 members, describes itself as: “galvanizing the efforts of black women in science, technology, engineering, arts and math to build relationships, leverage networking, develop mentor-ship, create jobs, and foster alliances in entrepreneurship and careers in STEAM.”
Local Community Meetups
If you enjoy engaging in person, reach out to your local libraries, community centers, womens' business centers, and universities and colleges to see if they offer networking and community events for local entrepreneurs.
Can’t find anything locally? Start your own meetups! Put the word out in your community that you are eager to build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and see who answers the call. The Nextdoor app is a great place to begin your local outreach. Sometimes the network you are looking for is right down the street.
No matter how you intend to build your community: you’ve got this!