TYLER, Texas — The last year has been extremely tough on businesses across the country, but it has been especially hard on minority owned small businesses.
Lisa Williams, owner of Lisa Kay Birth services, whose business was created during the pandemic, says that you want to make sure that you are starting your business the correct way.
“I have been a nurse for 20 years and I found out about black maternity mortality rates where African-American women die three times more than white women during childbirth and I was shocked, so I started Lisa Kay birth services,” said Williams. “I have nurses that well Doula, we all work as a team. A Doula is a companion that supports families from Labor to birth. We teach about breast-feeding, labor positions, and working with your birth team.”
Williams says it can help people make an informed decision and lets people know that there are options, and they can be an advocate for their care.
“I started right before the pandemic, when the pandemic set in and I submitted my paperwork, it got held up, so I didn’t qualify for any PPE loans or anything like that,” said Williams. “I’m pretty much doing it out of pocket. People look at minority businesses a little different, we have to work harder. I work closely with Tyler Metro Chamber; they have a great that educates about different information about businesses.”
Williams is also taking a class that helps entrepreneurs through a program with Goodwill.
Shacola Gibson, owner of Rockstar Nail Spa, says the challenge was keeping the business open.
“We were totally shut down for four months where we could not except any business at all,” said Gibson. “Before that I had a full functioning nail salon with myself and for other nail techs.”
From January through May, Gibson was the only one working at the business.
“Thanks to the community and their support I was able to stay afloat from the small donations, from the sharing a Facebook post shouting us out, stop by the business and support us,” Gibson said.
Gibson said that at the beginning of June she was able to build a team with six licensed nail techs.
Clover Bolden with the Tyler Metro Chamber says that small businesses have a need for business skills when it comes to marketing.
“Some people feel like they can’t afford to market, and I always tell them you can’t afford not to market,” said Bolden.
Bolden also says that businesses are as unique as their owners, so chances are whatever challenges they face in their personal life, their business is going to face them as well.
“So, when you need financing, when you need marketing strategies, when you need to reach a different demographic you can’t stick to the same old ways,” said Bolden.
“And don’t give up, because this is not an overnight thing, so you’ve got to work very hard at what you want. The sky is the limit,” said Williams.
The Tyler Chamber of Commerce will be holding a small business expo September 21 at the Rose Garden Center.