People of Color in Entrepreneurship: Seek Respect Rather than Acceptance

The narrative for the African-American (I prefer, Black) person is consistent in a country full of original sin of an inhumane practice of being systematically at the bottom of the totem pole and only being seen as “worker bees”, inferior, replaceable, or dare I say it, worthy of extermination…

The movement of the Black Collective is at its highest level of visibility since the Civil Rights Movement, right now, in 2020, we have seen with open eyes and open ears the truth of police brutality through the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, but now I am pushing for a deeper call to the Black Collective to be expressive and learn how to be free from chasing acceptance.

In a land, where the whole world is being held accountable for the way the POC (people of color) have been treated as a subpar racial group, it’s time to raise up our consciousness and expand past seeking acceptance, past being tolerated, and begin to take our rightful place as competent in strategic planning processes, positioned as a valuable resource, branded in our excellence, and being a collaborator with those who are excited to collaborate with us.

Now that we have the world’s attention, I want to challenge POC to embrace entrepreneurship as freedom to be “owners” and creators. It’s time that the coined term “hustler” can now be amplified and structured to business models that will provide freedom in time and sustainability, and that we will begin to collaborate with other people of color and non-black solopreneurs, agency owners, influencers, content creators and to be innovative and expand our reach as industry leaders and main-stream thought brands.

According to Wealth Samurai, the median wealth for Black Americans sits at $11,030. So, we have a lot of catching up to do.

People of color should choose to be free in entrepreneurship – why? Because with this freedom, I can create wealth that will support politicians and leadership that will fight for equality, economic liberties, and financial advancement for “the disadvantaged” (which that narrative should also change). With this freedom, I can demand respect to be seen as a professional and industry leader rather than, subpar, charge lower rates, be invisible and seen as an less-desired option than my non-black brothers and sisters.

Simplistically speaking, entrepreneurship is a freedom tool – but scaling, getting clarity, and  profit planning is a systematic process that black entrepreneurs must be ready to partake in to elevate to a higher vibration to connect with like minds. This takes a global mindset to produce a business that will become a legacy for generations to come.

Here are 7 ways to release being accepted and walk in the spirit of respect as a Black entrepreneur – think about these things to get you over the trauma and fear and focus on these inner shifting tasks.

1. If you need therapy, get therapy – Trauma runs deep especially in the black community, from our great grand-parents and listening to gut-wrenching stories of slavery, lynchings, and looking down at the ground to avoid trouble from racists and bigots during the Jim Crow era, sabotaging relationships through the years that has now, become manifested in fear in the 21st century. Get help to talk all of this out so that you can understand that you now have the divine right to work in your craft and the liberty to do so.
2. Do not always run to conform to other people’s standards for you and create them yourself – If you do not create your life, someone will give you rules and standards by their view of you, which takes away your power to do it. Grab it back and create new rules.
3. Learn the way of wealth – Wealth is a mindset, not necessarily something you have. Wealth also leads to respect and if you lack wealth and the mindset of understanding that you are deserving of “good”, you will detach from obsessing from being accepted.
4. Become a collaborator of non-black creatives, business owners, and influencers – of course, this is where intuition will kick in. Everyone will not be a supporter of your skin color, but there are people who support your mind and will welcome you with open arms. The key is to become intuitive in your collaboration and attract those that see you as a fellow collaborator and not as a reactive magnet because of guilt.
5. Leave toxic, non-serving relationships – even in our community we have deep relationships that are toxic and rooted in trauma. Once you start healing, you may begin attracting those that are hurt and desire to feed from your power. It’s time for us to release ourselves from traumatic unions and soul contracts that keep us in a loophole of hurt and second-guesses. Begin to surround yourself with people who celebrate you and connect with your core essence. This will happen when you realize who you truly are.
6. Stand with the cause and demand accountability. People of Color desire justice in police brutality, but it’s also time to expand that accountability with our politicians, business partnerships, contract negotiations, school reform, entrepreneurial ventures, and even, yes – ourselves.
7. Create a wealth conscious and money mindset – One of the reasons why we run for acceptance is because we have not understood how we were considered symbols of wealth (black people, specifically). The more slaves a slave owner had, the wealthier he was perceived. And understand this, do not seek to be accepted as a symbol of wealth – you are now considered wealth because you have the capacity to build it on your own. If you can create wealth for others, surely – you can create it for yourself. Know this. Learn the value of money and become that.

The call to entrepreneurship means to realize that this is the moment to be free in thought, to honor the culture with creating and profitability, to be free to innovate, to be brave in a land of resistance, and support others that are attempting to grow their income. And if you do not feel led to become an entrepreneur during that biggest transformation of wealth in our lifetime, then support others who are taking the leap by encouraging them, spreading the word about their products and services, investing in their products and services if it speaks to your needs.

Breaking barriers and designing a life requires unlearning some things and replacing those old beliefs with new ones. It’s time for us to rise up and be the power our ancestors trust us to be, if not for ourselves – then we do it for them.

About Jai Butler

Jai is a Business Coach and Certified Professional Life Coach that helps corporate professionals with exit strategies to transition into entrepreneurship. She is a mom of one amazing daughter and she absolutely loves reading, empowering others, guiltlessly watching the Real Housewives series, and being unapologetically focused on building herself and her business to serve others globally. You can follow Jai on Twitter and Instagram.