(ThyBlackMan.com) Why all Black people should NOT start their own businesses…
Copycatting is not a good reason to start your own business. We have enough barbershops and day cares…
While entrepreneurship is a viable answer to the economic woes in any community, not everyone of color is capable of starting a viable business of their own.
“Blacks need to start, manage & operate our their businesses” is the common refrain from those outside and within our communities as an solution to unemployment, the working poor and the poverty crisis in black communities. However, this is not a viable blanket solution for all Black America.
Not everyone is meant to do everything is the adage but in dealing with business, it is definitely the truth. The debate that everyone can do anything if they are trained even rages in academic circles. I beg to differ. If it were true, all children who are trained to sing would become world-renowned 
platinum selling vocalists. However, we know that is not true, there are plenty of trained vocalists and very few who reach a pinnacle of success. Business is the much the same way. Very few true entrepreneurial businesses achieve longevity and prosperity.
As in the case of vocal training, there are many aspects to becoming a successful vocalist that cannot be taught. Things such as a unique voice that is pleasant to the ear, tone, pitch, and rhythm cannot be easily taught and are critical to success. Having your own business works much the same way. While you can teach anyone how to write a business plan, market his business and keep good financial records, you cannot teach or warn them about starting a business for the wrong reasons, focusing on their long-term goals and reliance on their own natural strengths, experiences and personality for long-term success. These aspects are critical and vital to the success of a business venture; sadly, not all blacks are blessed in these ways
Many millions, upon millions of dollars have been because someone starts their business for the wrong reasons. Blacks are very guilty of this. Ask many blacks why they chose to start the particular and the answer is usually similar to this “My Uncle makes a lot of money doing this.” This thinking has led to an over abundance of hair salons, barbershops, restaurants, corner stores, day cares, nail shops, real estate offices, churches & record labels in our communities. We seem to forget that for every profitable business, which we see in existence today, there have been hundreds that have failed within their first year.
Copycatting is not a good reason for starting your own business. People wonder why many dollars are spent outside of our neighborhood. Often it is because there is a lack of diversity of businesses within our community. That is our fault. We need a greater diversity of businesses in our communities. Therefore, only the people who are bringing original ideas and business ventures to our communities should start a business.
The rest should not.
Another reason why not all black should start their own businesses is that many of us are too easily distracted. Ever see a business that starts one way but as soon as problems arise, they change completely? I am talking about the hair shop that later starts selling clothes. The restaurant that starts selling rims. The mobile phone store that sells video games. We tend to do this a lot. This is because we lose focus on the reason why we chose the business we chose. The whole notion of ‘do one thing and do it well’ is critical to starting a business. Though it does take adaption and expansion for growth and success, many would rather chase ‘what’s hot’ than making their core product hotter. In other words, the type of people who would rather add more stuff to the plate, than make the hamburger taste better and should not start a business at all.
Finally, every person is blessed with certain unique gifts, has unique strengths and weaknesses and unique experience.
The key to success and longevity in anything, including business, is to embrace who you are to survive. No, you cannot lie, even to yourself, forever.
Knowledge of self is vital in discovering the unique business idea that most closely fits with who you are. That is the essence of why not all black people should start their own businesses. Even with all of the education, experience and training in the world, many black entrepreneurs have yet to discover who they are and what makes them special. Therefore, they have no idea what they themselves bring to the table. Not knowing what you are bringing to the table, handicaps the service or product that you are selling at the start. Handicapped sales, lead to less sales. Less sales, means less income. Less income turns into no income and the business will collapse.
We must realize that starting your own business is like knocking on America’s front door and asking them directly to buy your product or service. Being black means that we rarely have the luxury of hiding behind our product or service, therefore who we are that determines the acceptance. We will always have to answer the question ‘Okay and who are you?’ Those that are not capable of answering that question should not start their own businesses.
Those that can start their own businesses should. In fact, it is critical that all and any black person with unique knowledge and the ability to take the financial risk of working for themselves, do so. No, that does not include everyone. Some of us need just to go to work, period.
Written By Brandale Randolph
