Current Global - Elevating Black-Owned Small Businesses: Meet Start Small Think Big.

Elevating Black-Owned Small Businesses: Meet Start Small Think Big.

This is the second in a series of profiles highlighting pro bono work done on behalf of our clients.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford commemorated February as Black History Month and encouraged the country to celebrate the often-neglected accomplishments of Black Americans. Consequently, we gather to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Black Americans who have positively impacted and enriched our country and business landscape.

This month, we are highlighting our pro-bono client Start Small Think Big, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help under-resourced entrepreneurs across the country create thriving businesses.

Start Small Think Big empowers the entrepreneurial aspirations of small business owners through free business resources – such as legal, financial, and marketing assistance – so owners can build wealth for themselves, their families, and their communities. Additionally, it offers free business workshops and events, which are open to the public. Among its clients, 95% are owned by women or people of color.

We hope you will consider supporting these Black-owned small businesses, part of Start Small Think Big, this month and beyond:

Kalm Korner partners with other businesses through a dedicated Black-owned business directory on its website to create a one-stop shop for local, Black, and women-owned businesses. Kalm Korner sells skincare and curated gift sets that are hand-crafted in small batches using premium food-grade ingredients to ensure the maximum benefit and experience. As a result of using simple formulations and food to craft its products, Kalm Korner offers its high-end skincare at an accessible price point.

Nouveau Roots is a candle company inspired by founder and CEO Letisha Guerrero’s roots in Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco. Its fragrances are heavily influenced by her personal African heritage, and the brand strives to give people a feeling of home wherever they are. Nouveau Roots is a sustainable brand, inspired by storytelling, history, and art.

A New Day, A New Dawn NYC sells jewelry handmade in the Bronx by Harlem, N.Y.-native Andrea Reed. She started her company after two decades in the fashion industry. Reed’s jewelry uses natural materials and ethically sourced beads and fabrics, and includes chokers, lapel pins, bracelets, cufflinks, and earrings.

Dabira Aroma is an all-natural apothecary brand consisting of candles and body butters, and the company’s name translates to “God Does Wonders and Serenity.” Every candle is hand-poured by Shola Agunbiade in Oakland, California. Her candles are made from 100% organic soy wax and cotton wicks, ensuring a toxin-free burn in beautiful glass vessels. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to a children’s orphanage in Nigeria.

Sincerely, Bade provides an eco-luxury body care line including skin care and relaxation candles, and its products relieve pain. Founder Symone Gates is an Incubator Fellow at Black Girl Ventures x Halcyon. When physical therapy alone was not enough to relieve her chronic pain, she was faced with either prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicine. She chose neither, and began formulating alternative remedies by hand. After a year of testing both on herself and peers, she decided to launch a company that would empower others to take control over what comes in contact with their bodies when in pain.

To learn more about Start Small Think Big, visit www.startsmallthinkbig.org.