(ThyBlackMan.com) The Black Expo provides a wonderful opportunity for businesses, entrepreneurs, performers and even youth, teens and young adults to show the community what they are about. How they can better engage and participate in making the community better for everyone in the areas of business, commerce, investments and building needed collaborations.
Networking is a learned experience that youth, teens and young adults need to understand now at a young age to prepare them for future business, civic and community collaborations and projects. Many have a business dream, but do not have access to the resources that allow the dream to come into fruition. The mental spark is there, but the kindling needs to be provided to build the fire of production so it starts to burn hot and bright. Leading to a viable and strong business that contributes.
Each year the Black Expo embraces, recognizes and awards business owners, visionaries, entrepreneurs, innovators, and smart creatives. Their passions that drive them are inspiring and lead to continued opportunities to hire and mentor others with the same interests. 
Even in business it takes a village because the village will buy, barter, and have access to the services the business provides. Building that business because the relationship is based on trust, respect and the accountability of providing a service and need for the community.
Many that attend the Black Expo are looking for that spark of inspiration, that opportunity to gain the knowledge that will allow them to follow their dreams and to help their business to grow and expand. Potentially hiring new people, providing educational training and financing investments.
Technology has allowed many to connect with each other and build a network of clients and partnerships. The statements that many are starting to embrace is, “don’t look at your business competitor as competition, but an opportunity for collaboration.”
In order for businesses to be recognized, Social Media is not the end all and be all, it contributes, but nothing beats meeting and greeting people with a handshake and a smile.
As an Educational Technology and Social Media instructor at Edward Waters College, it is a requirement for my students to blog about their interests, passions, abilities and skills. Talking to youth, teens and young adults at local and national conferences is valuable because the information they gain is relevant and can be applied. Youth, teens and young adults that have a business mind set must be taught things that are relevant to them for the now and how it influences their future.
The Black Expo is a part of the building process to put people together, a platform where handshakes are exchanged, business cards are flowing and smiles are welcome are shared. Before many do business they establish a relationship based on trust and mutual respect.
The business package starts with building of relationships, having a solid Brand and knowing your Niche. Developing a Marketing strategy that is a living document with multifaceted avenues to provide streams of revenue not just from one source, but dynamically creating a continuous path to making money, and just as importantly re-energizing the community with investments in people.
The desire to gain business power should never be the priority over humanity. It is the people that are the ones that will help build a business or allow that business to wither away. The youth, teens and young adults attending should be embraced, mentored and provided
role models so they can achieve their dreams as future business owners.
Too many times there are gaps in education, political influence, economic stability, diversity in commerce and generational wealth is lacking. Venues like the Black Expo are proved as viable, solid and productive Black businesses that are influencing the community in positive ways and showing each generation of youth that they do have alternatives to potentially dangerous and illegal activities.
Support Black Businesses because these Black businesses support the communities they are established in, by providing needed tax revenue, mentors, role models and job opportunities.
Resources:
15th Annual Florida Black Expo
https://www.facebook.com/BlackExpoSouth/
Black Expo South
http://blackexposouth.com/
Florida Black Expo
http://blackexposouth.com/florida-black-expo/
My Quest to Teach
http://myquesttoteach.wordpress.com/
Business Training and Collaboration
http://www.e3businessgroup.us/
Staff Writer; William D. Jackson
Find out more about this talented writer over at; OCS For Education.
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Elisha Taylor student at Duval County Public Schools
and speaker with TEDxFSCJ Salon Young lady name not provided.
Deyona Burton student in Duval County Public Schools
Community Activist.
Taylor Richardson student at The Bolles School Literacy Advocate and Aspiring Astronaut.
Jon Gregory Edward Waters College Student Graduate of Bolles High School Speaker at TEDxFSCJ and EdCamp NABSE.