Chamber announces creation of Minority Business Coalition
Minority-owned businesses have become much more common in Daviess County in recent years.
That increase led to the Greater Owensboro Chamber Of Commerce’s announcement Thursday — during its Rooster Booster breakfast at the Owensboro Convention Center — that it has created a Minority Business Coalition.
“The coalition will offer networking and support for the unique challenges and barriers often faced by minority-owned business leaders,” said Candance Castlen Brake, the chamber’s president and CEO. “We have seen such a significant rise of minority business start-ups and second-stage growth businesses recently in Greater Owensboro.
“It is vital to our economic growth that we do our part to grow and nurture these ventures as we continue to build a community business culture based on innovation and entrepreneurship.”
To highlight the potential benefits of the coalition, four minority business owners participated in a panel discussion in which they talked about how they came to be in Owensboro, their commitment to their respective businesses, and the need for networking opportunities.
“The young people need to see that it’s not just the same people and the same faces all the time,” said Orallis Radilla, whose family owns Real Hacienda and Don Mario. “I think it’s important to give the young people inspiration.”
Billie Cox, co-owner of Kahawa Java with her daughter, told the audience she’s found collaboration among businesses to be a highlight of her endeavor.
“(Collaborating) with other minority-owned businesses has been such a pleasure; to me the highlight is networking,” said Cox, who anticipates the coalition having a big impact. “(It) will be a voice for minority-owned businesses. The chamber is in a great position to work with educators, to let the young leadership know there is an option for business ownership. We want to do school presentations with minority leaders — workshops.”
Allyson Sanders, co-owner of The Party Space Place and Something Borrowed, said circumstances surrounding The Party Space Place’s opening showed Owensboro’s commitment to the business community.
“We learned a lot during COVID having a social event space,” she said. “When people were saying, ‘Do you really want to do this? Is anybody going to support you in doing this? And to see an entire community of people who didn’t really know us coming together and then supporting it — that was huge.
“Then from that, seeing other small businesses come out of it and survive, and several are thriving.”
Ulysses Johnson, owner of Strength Renewed, said the best advice he can offer budding entrepreneurs is “don’t listen to the naysayers.”
Sanders anticipates the coalition producing numerous benefits.
“I feel like this coalition is going to be about promoting and getting people excited about being involved, getting out there and starting new things, and encouraging new things to come to the area,” she said. “You have to be loud and proud with your vision. Being loud and proud about what you do and what you’re trying to achieve, there (will be) someone watching you, there is someone younger looking at you and going, ‘Oh my gosh, if they can do it I can do it.’ ”
Brake said the chamber is excited about the program and the work that will be done to promote minority business ownership.
“While we look forward to the day where we don’t need to have coalitions such as this, the fact is that they are needed,” she said. “We are thrilled to be a part of this effort and look forward to celebrating more successful business stories … of all of our members.
“And we look forward to a day soon when children can look around Owensboro and see people who look like them in any role imaginable.”
By Scott Hagerman Messenger-Inquirer