When it comes to starting or growing a business, Richmond’s Black entrepreneurs no longer have to go it alone, thanks to a new group founded by three experienced Black women.
The Jackson Ward Collective (JWC) launched in September. Its name is a nod to the legacy of the thriving Black business community of the early 1900s, when Jackson Ward was regarded as Richmond’s “Black Wall Street.”
“We are a hub,” said Rasheeda Creighton, JWC cofounder. “We connect Black business owners to each other for community, and then we connect all of our members to resources that are tailor-identified to them, to help them meet their goals.”
Creighton, who is also CEO of The 3FiftyGroup and founder of the Killing Superwoman online platform, cofounded the JWC with Melody Short, cofounder of the Richmond Night Market; and Kelli Lemon, cofounder of the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience and owner of the Urban Hang Suite coffee shop, among other ventures.
Throughout their individual entrepreneurial journeys, the JWC founders saw that securing access to capital, maintaining health insurance and navigating requirements like obtaining a business license were significant hurdles in the journey to Black business ownership.
If the response to the JWC's launch is any indication, other entrepreneurs have encountered similar challenges. In fewer than three weeks, the JWC had 150 registrations.
“People are tired of doing things alone and feeling isolated,” Creighton said.
JWC members range from business owners looking to scale to early-stage entrepreneurs still pulling an idea together. Also included are longtime business owners who serve as inspiration to new generations of Black entrepreneurs.
“They have done it,” Lemon said. “They have proven that Black ownership can survive.”
Benefits of JWC membership include access to mentoring, Q&A sessions with industry experts and funding and investment opportunities. Members can also connect with Black-owned businesses that provide services like legal advice, real estate and accounting.
“Having a community that doesn’t require you to be in a physical space, but that you have access to 24/7, is extremely valuable,” Creighton said.
Future plans include workshops and networking sessions at Black-owned business locations. With a mission statement of “learn, grow and own,” the JWC wants to help its members own their physical business locations.
Membership is currently capped at just over 160 and is slated to re-open in January at $19.99 a month or $200 annually. Interested entrepreneurs can join a waitlist.
As the JWC founders look to the future, they believe their concept — a network of Black businesses helping each other — has the right ingredients to go national.
“The goal is to create a model that can be replicated,” Short said.