7 Marketing Resources Every Black Business Owner Should Tap Into

ONE37pm and Squarespace have teamed up to create an editorial series that offers resource support and expert advice for entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community who want to start their own business. You can try Squarespace for free to create your own website and use code ONE37pm to get 10% off when you’re ready to go live with your first website.

The journey of entrepreneurship is one of constant learning, and regardless of what level you're at, you may be wondering what resources are available to you as you begin your business and try to get it to grow. With that in mind, here are seven different resources we've identified that every Black business owner should tap into as they get started.

First things first, as the owner of your own business, you will legally be considered self-employed. The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) provides resources and guidance for self-employed business owners and small businesses. NASE gives entrepreneurs around the clock experts, grants, health insurance, discounts, and more. NASE has received excellent reviews from customers, and it should be noted that the organization is a non-profit as well. NASE is a valuable resource and one that every business owner should look into at some point.

A great website is crucial to running a successful business and Squarespace is an excellent resource for building your online presence. The company offers various templates (great for beginners!), which are easy to customize and use. If you're new to website creation, Squarespace even provides a variety of tutorials, making the whole process incredibly easy.

If you happen to run into any issues along the way, the team at Squarespace offers several resources and videos designed to help you sort through those problems. They also have a great community of creators and businesses who share advice and tips for how to utilize Squarespace to the fullest.

If you don't yet have a website or would like to create a new one, you can sign up here and remember to use promo code ONE37pm for 10% off, if this is your first domain registration.

The Black Business Association (also known as the BBA), is the oldest ethnic business organization in California. The BBA’s goal is to further help develop Black-owned businesses. As a business owner, The BBA allows you the opportunity to take advantage of financial resources, entrepreneurial training, and assistance with contract opportunities. You can further benefit from the many coalitions provided by The BBA to advance your political influence and recognition as a Black entrepreneur. The BBA also prides themselves on their mentorship program, so as a business owner, you can have access to the many different resources available to seek guidance and advice. Having been around for 50 years, the BBA continues to be a great resource and one that you should definitely consider as a Black-business owner.

Black-Owned Everything is a collaboration between Beyoncé and her stylist Zerina Akers. The organization is a directory of every single Black-owned business that is currently active. As a Black Entrepreneur, you can register your business on the Black-Owned Everything website and benefit from the exposure of being featured on both the organization’s social media accounts and Beyoncé’s official website. Those features can then, in turn, result in more eyes being focused on your business which can then generate more customers and revenue for you as a business owner. Black-Owned Everything is partnered with the NAACP and Beyoncé’s BEYGOOD foundation, which distributes funds to small Black-owned companies in need of financial assistance. If you are personally interested in having your business registered with Black-Owned Everything, you can sign up here.

Designed to help Black-business owners whose businesses are technology-driven, Black Founders was founded in 2011. It focuses on developing global programs that provide entrepreneurs with the valuable resources needed to grow technology businesses. Their motto is “to increase the number of successful black entrepreneurs in technology.” Their programs include networking events in major cities, HBCU Hackathons (an event that gives HBCU students an opportunity to learn software and coding skills), funding sources, and a conference called “Ideas Are Worthless” to educate tech entrepreneurs further. If you are a Black business owner specializing in tech, Black Founders is definitely an excellent resource to look into.

Lead by American Express, the National Business League, and the U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce organizations, to name a few, the Coalition to Back Black Businesses is a resource recently created to help Black-owned businesses recover financially from COVID-19. The Coalition aims to award $5,000 grants to nearly 300 Black-owned businesses between now and 2023. Business owners must employ 3 to 20 employees (which is typically the standard for small companies), be located in a community considered “economically vulnerable,” and be able to prove that their business was affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. If you are a Black business owner that meets these requirements, the Coalition to Back Black Businesses could prove helpful in recovering your business.

The Minority Business Development Agency is an organization geared towards providing Black business owners with the tools and knowledge to get funding. Additional resources include guidance on how to compete for contracts and training on how to get their products ready to export. MBDA’s vision is to “provide economic prosperity for all American business enterprises.” If you are a Black Entrepreneur looking for additional resources, MBDA could help the advancement of your business.