Real Talk: Black in Business
“Dropping Bars” and Staying Focused
By: Megan Nash
So, what’s it really like to be a Black entrepreneur today? At the Feb. 22 “Real Talk: Being Black in Business” entrepreneurship panel, a freewheeling conversation featured Black entrepreneurs and VCU alumni Shirley Crawford ‘06 and Dominic (Dom) Baah ‘22, who shared with an audience of students and faculty both personal and professional perspectives on how identity, support and wellbeing has fueled their entrepreneurial journeys.
The panel, hosted by VCU School of Business’ Office of Student Engagement (OSE) and supported by the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship, the VCU Mentoring Program and the Black Entrepreneurship Network (BEN), was the first of a “Real Talk” entrepreneurship series and centered around the theme of identity, support and wellbeing, inviting an informal and insightful experience for everyone involved.
Moderated by Nick Williams, Assistant Director of Student Engagement at VCU Business, the conversation began with an introspective look at how panelist’s African American identity influenced their entrepreneurial journeys.
“I’m at that cross point where I have lots of people who know nothing,” said Crawford, owner of 2nd Chance Consulting and host of the television, radio and podcast show WorkHARDAholics™.
“Then I’m at this other tech end where I’m very fascinated because I’m that key. That’s all part of the reason why I do what I do and how I’ve been influenced to continue doing it. I recognize there are populations out there who want to be successful as entrepreneurs, but don’t know how to traverse the digital age.”
Baah, owner of Rose Intelligence, a global trading company specializing in the import and export of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registered products, shared his experience attending a convention, realizing the need to overcome fear-based mentalities and focus on building confidence. “When you start pushing yourself and establishing a different mentality, you accept all of who you are.”
Addressing imposter syndrome head on, panelists responded candidly, urging audience members to stay true to themselves and keep pushing as they navigate challenges.
“How can you be a fake you unless you’re trying to be something other than you,” said Crawford. “When we talk about being an impostor, you are the real you. It’s just for you to recognize what happens. If you take the time to really recognize who you are and what you’ve done and how amazing you are, every different thing about you is something special. When you really learn to embrace that and give yourself a proper amount of credit without fear that others are going to shut you down because of how great you are that’s how you really begin to address it.”
Baah expressed the ongoing process of self-discovery. “I’m still trying to figure out who I am.”
“Once you get out of college. It’s interesting how much free time you have, but you don’t. You have a lot more obligations once you graduate that you don’t realize. It’s fun when you start getting into the groove of everything, but that’s when you start to really figure out who you are in those trials and tribulations. And I’m telling you, it multiplies when you’re an entrepreneur, as I’m pretty sure you know, it’s just how much fight do you have to just keep pushing? I’m building an empire. Please, just keep pushing. You’ll find yourself. I still am,” said Baah.
As the panel discussion concluded, audience members questioned panelists on their “Why” and how its evolved over time. Panelists shared their final thoughts on commitment and effort with an overarching message centered on “putting your all into it”, avoiding half-hearted attempts and to “keep pushing” to reach personal goals.
Footnotes
Special thanks to Terry Brown for capturing this event for VCU Business.