A new organization launched today in Tallahassee promotes economic success for minority business owners. The Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce is the first regional organization aimed at helping minorities and women.
With more than 150 minority owned businesses in Tallahassee, some owners face many obstacles and are usually left to fend for themselves.
Battling the economy has been tough for C and S Café owner, Cassandra Singleton. She said business is the worst during the summer months.
“When the economy took a downfall, the customers weren’t spending any money, and being able to maintain the business and everything was financially difficult,” Singleton said.
Singleton did not have many sources for help as a minority business owner, leaving her to come up with solutions to the problem on her own.
“We shopped around for lower prices, different manufacturers and that helped us to lower the cost for the restaurant,” said Singleton.
There has not been a regional organization aimed specifically at helping minority business owners until now.
Windell Paige is the president of the new Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce. He said the main reason for creating the organization was to give more help to businesses and their owners that are often overlooked.
“There are other businesses that needed a little bit more attention and focus on their development and growth. So to fill that void, we wanted to create an organization that would address their needs,” Paige said.
The new organization plans to help minority and women business owners by preparing them for new opportunities. They plan to offer training and instructions to help owners recognize what it takes to be successful.