Black Business Month 2024 arrives in Dayton

The Greater West Dayton Incubator is beginning its celebrations for Gem City Black Business Month. It will offer various events throughout August meant to highlight and equip black business owners and entrepreneurs with connections and information.

Black Business Month is a national, month-long campaign designed to empower Black entrepreneurs. The campaign began back in 2004 and is celebrated every August.

The organization also opened voting for the 2024 Gem City Black Business Month Awards. Voting ends Aug. 9. The awards winners will be announced at the Gem City Black Business Month Awards Celebration Aug. 29. Other events include a rooftop social and business expo.

Check the Greater West Dayton Incubator’s website for event details throughout the coming month.

The Ohio Department of Development (DoD) is also hosting its own celebration of black-owned businesses throughout the state.

"The Department of Development, through our Minority Business Development Division, its network of Minority Business Assistance Centers, and community partners, is committed to empowering Black entrepreneurs to foster a legacy of success not only for themselves but for the communities they serve," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio DoD. "National Black Business Month is a great opportunity to recognize the contributions that thousands of Ohio Black businesses have made toward our state's growing economy."

Local events include:

One Dayton entrepreneur the DoD is celebrating is Jenell Ross. The second-generation owner of Bob Ross Auto Group, located in Centerville, recently celebrated the milestone of 50 years in business. Bob Ross Auto Group is the first Mercedes-Benz dealership owned by an African American woman in the country.

"The Bob Ross Auto Group values the certification process and can attribute many partnerships developing as a result of our WBE/MBE status," Ross said. "Our certification has allowed us to bid on RFPs that might not have come our way had we not been certified. We continue to see the value in the State of Ohio process, and the Minority Business Assistance Center continues to support our efforts to ensure Minority Businesses have a seat at the table."

The company is certified as a Minority Business Enterprise and Women's Business Enterprise.

The Minority Business Assistance Centers provide:

In 2024, Minority Business Assistance Centers served over 10,000 clients, provided 11,000 hours of business counseling, and certified more than 3,900 businesses, according to a release.

The Greater West Dayton Incubator is a partnership with the University of Dayton and the community, with support from The Entrepreneurs’ Center. It offers Business Blitz boot camps; funds LLC applications; and a 12-month Urban Elevation Accelerator program that grants business owners funding through a $50,000 gift from Fifth Third Bank.