Ohioans recognize National Black Business Month

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- August is National Black Business Month, and Ohioans are helping further the message to highlight the need to support Black-owned business across the country and help ensure financial fulfillment for all.

Black Business Month was created 20 years ago to recognize and help move Black entrepreneurs forward, and some organizations feel they also have a responsibility to do so.   

Economic development agency JobsOhio has been celebrating Black Business Month for years by giving out grants. J.P. Nauseef, CEO of JobsOhio, believes they must continue reaching out and uplifting minority small business owners.

“We want Ohio to be the place where, regardless of the size of your business or your ethnic heritage or your gender, if you want to come and have a wonderful quality of life and an outstanding community to live in and be able to be competitive and successful with your business, your family and your community that this is the place that you're going to want to come,” Nauseef said.

Since 2021, JobsOhio has given out over 500 of those small business grants, 20% of which went to minority owned businesses.

Black business owners sometimes face specific struggles to get their business off the ground. Kevin Hightower, general manager of local restaurant Soul to Go, knows this firsthand. 

“A lot of times we get overlooked," Hightower said. "A lot of times it's more difficult to obtain financing and even seeking locations when you have things like soul food or things that have a Black connotation.” 

Hightower is joined in his ventures by his three brothers, Chef, Will and Keith Hightower. The brothers are working on opening their second location in the coming months, and they said that small victory makes them understand that with help and support their dreams can continue to grow.    

“So, we're really excited about an opportunity to go nationwide with it and establish a franchise. And that's kind of our goal,” Chef Hightower said. 

If you need a grant to help your business get off its feet, a link to apply for a grant can be found here.