Wayne State Blackstone LaunchPad presented “Social Entrepreneurism: The New Start-Up” July 22, in which a panel of three young entrepreneurs in the community told others how they were able to build their business or non-profit.
Those spotlighted included: Charles Cavell of Pay It Forward, a non-profit which focuses on helping those in the Detroit area gain employment; Veronika Scott of The Empowerment Plan, a non-profit that provides coats that become sleeping bags to homeless individuals; and Bobby Smith of En Garde Detroit, a non-profit that uses the sport of fencing to empower education among urban youth.
This event comes almost a year into the launch of the program.
“You can’t have 1 percent of you feeling you are doing the wrong thing. I may be tired and under constant pressure, but once you’ve made the choice (to start a business), you’re in it,” Smith said, regarding his passion for his business.
Smith, a former WSU student and member of the fencing team, knows it’s important to give back. Coming from an underprivileged background, Smith teaches fencing to private clients in the suburbs so he can teach his En Garde “kids” at little to no cost. Smith sees fencing as a “learning tool” that connects back to the classroom.
“If it wasn’t for a scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to afford higher education,” he said.
Smith said he is always willing to sacrifice for his goal of opening the first black-owned fencing club in Detroit. At times, he has struggled to pay his bills; he said there was once an eviction notice on his apartment door. Then a phone call came.
“I thought it was a scam,” Smith said, but it was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. who wanted to donate funds to support Smith’s venture after seeing him featured in B.L.A.C. magazine.
Today, En Garde Detroit has several sponsors including Extension Health, the health chain that runs St. John Providence Health System. Smith is also a finalist in a Japanese-based entrepreneurship program, The Hitachi Foundation.
“Everything cuts back on violence when you keep kids engaged. In the black community, we have plenty of strong queens, but (we’re) playing the game of chess with no king,” Smith said, referring to what he feels is a lack of strong black male leadership.
Pay It Forward is continuing to expand. The program has just finished with another set of interns, and of the 11 interns who have finished the program, Cavell said, three already have jobs lined up.
In February, interns were earning $600 for the six-week internship. Now interns are being paid $900. Also, with the help of a grant, 25 high school students were able to get summer jobs.
Cavell was recently offered a seat on a project advisory board for Homes For Black Children. A portion of the grant for which it applied will fund the initiatives of Pay It Forward, according to an email sent by Greg Melvin, chapter president of WSU PRSSA.
As Pay It Forward continues to expand, Cavell said he has learned the importance of having people around who can help.
“Responsibility is scary when you are in charge,” Cavell said. “It’s important to have people who can help with tasks I might not be so great at.”
“It‘s important that people get involved with community outreach,” Melvin said. “Pay It Forward is doing great things for the Detroit community.”
Scott’s coat design, Element S(urvival), prevents body heat from escaping during the day and provides a self-heated, waterproof sleeping bed at night.
Scott, who has spent time in a homeless shelter, said she only hires homeless women to make the coats.
She said she remembers giving the first coat she made to a woman named Michelle.
Scott, who said the donation was “the beginning of something else,” said she felt as if she didn’t have a choice to wait to start her program.
“This product is something people need to use,” Scott said. “It’s the perfect time; having the homeless population wait longer is a waste of time.”
When Scott first began looking for support for her program, people told her no one would fund until it was certified. Networking paid off, and the Detroit-based company Carhartt gave her a call.
“Random connections are the most unexpected help I received,” Scott said. “Network with people who know stuff.”
Carhartt supplied her with sewing machines, fabrics and training from seamstresses.
“The CEO promised me the materials would be there in one-and-a-half weeks,” Scott said. “My family and friends told me not to get my hopes up, but a week and a half later, the materials were shipped.”
Carhartt is helping Scott with the business aspects of her program, too.
“As a non-profit, it is easy for things to go awry,” Scott said. “Surrounding people who share the same passion for my business is important.”
Adham Aljahmi is working with Blackstone LaunchPad on two projects.
Embrace Athletics caters to wheelchair basketball and, unlike other wheelchair basketball leagues, does not focus on competition.
Aljahmi encourages participants to get healthy and involved. He was inspired to do this after aiding former WSU Board of Governors member Richard Bernstein in a run, but he thought basketball might better suit people he knew.
Intel Inspired helps small business and restaurants get started. Aljahmi said he wants to help businesses become more tech savvy, especially those started by immigrants.
Aljahmi said Blackstone LaunchPad doesn’t control how businesses are run. Rather, it offers advice and experienced people to help.
“If you have an idea, they will help you pursue it. They take you under their wings and guide you in right direction,” Aljahmi said.
“I am very happy with the results of first year; we have over 50 ventures in consultation,” Blackstone LaunchPad executive director Bill Volz said. “I am very impressed by our ability to connect with the diversity of WSU. We are representing the different ethnicities, races and subject areas of the campus.”
Published As reported by The South End The official newspaper of Wayne State University Since 1967
RESOURCES
- Black Enterprise – www.Blackenterprise.com BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers.
- SisterSpeak Online Magazine – www.sisterspeakonline.com SisterSpeak is a unique, online lifestyle magazine that celebrates the lives and experiences of Black women, and all women, the world over. Our goal is to inform, inspire and empower women of all ages to live lives of boundless beauty, passion, power and purpose.
- Small Business Administration – www.sba.gov Information resource for small businesses, small business owners and prospective business owners.
- GreenPath – www.greenpath.com Free and confidential counseling. GreenPath is a non-profit organization that offers customized, personal solutions to help you get out of debt.
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