The mark of a good entrepreneur is being able to succeed in the face of adversity. This year, we recognize those who did just that. The winners of the Small Business Awards will be announced at the 12th annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, hosted by General Motors, May 9-12, at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort and will be featured in an upcoming issue of BE.
Emerging Company of the Year NOMINEES
This award recognizes businesses that have poised themselves for growth by carving out a special business niche or by adopting creative marketing techniques.
ICR Construction Services
TYPE OF BUSINESS Construction
CEO/PRESIDENT Malcolm Briggs
LOCATION Bridgeton, MO
www.icrconstructionservices.com
Changing careers is never easy. After spending years as a sportscaster Malcolm Briggs yearned for something more. He relied on his previous construction experience when establishing the plan for ICR Construction, a construction company that builds properties throughout Missouri. Startup costs totaled $30,000.
Now in its sixth year, the company amassed $15 million in revenues last year and projects $17 million for 2007.
Recent ICR projects include the development of two Walgreen’s stores, three National City Bank locations, and renovations on the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
This year, Briggs, 44, plans to expand the business to include residential construction. And he still finds time to enjoy his other love: “I’m the voice of the Rams.”
Roxbury Technology
TYPE OF BUSINESS Manufacturing
CEO/PRESIDENT Beth Williams
LOCATION Boston
www.roxburytechnology.com
Beth Williams never expected to be running a company with 36 full-time employees and $12 million in revenues. The 40-year-old stepped up to the challenge after her father, Archie Williams, who founded Roxbury Technology, died in 2002. Williams admits she was nervous about following in his footsteps. “I knew nothing about toner,” Williams recounts of the company, which specializes in toner cartridge remanufacturing.
Boosted by a partnership with Staples, the company has managed to thrive. Roxbury’s cartridges are compatible with those of Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, and Canon.
Currently, the company lists Harvard University and Children’s Hospital Boston as regular clients. Williams plans to “grow our core business by 15% to 20% and solidify our growth strategy and diversification plan.”
ITS Express
TYPE OF BUSINESS Delivery Services
COO/PRESIDENT Terry Reyes FOUNDER Rick Reyes
LOCATION New York City
www.its-xpress.com
Rick Reyes is, in his own words, a modern-day success story. While in college, he responded to an ad for a driver for a delivery company. Over time, Reyes fell in love with the business and sought entrepreneurial options of his own. He started ITS seven years ago as the sole employee. Now Reyes, 38, is part of a husband-and-wife team that employs 48 employees. His wife, Terry, “keeps him in line.”
ITS has found a niche by shipping fragile and hazardous materials, domestically and internationally.
Among the companies that have utilized ITS’ services are Wachovia, ABC News, Sony Music, Island Def Jam, and Major League Baseball. ITS Express brought in revenues of $6 million last year. Reyes expects $7.2 million in 2007.
Business Innovator Of The Year NOMINEES
This award recognizes companies that have set trends and broken new ground in a particular industry.
Tabula Digita Inc.
TYPE OF BUSINESS Technology
CEO/PRESIDENT Ntiedo Etuk
LOCATION New York
www.tabuladigita.com
When you think of video games, educational might not be the first word that comes to mind. However, Ntiedo Etuk launched Tabula Digita with the sole purpose of creating entertaining and educational games for children and teenagers. Sold primarily to parents, teachers, and school districts, Tabula Digita’s games help children learn complex algebra concepts, including linear equations and graphing.
Etuk, 31, relied on his experience as a math tutor with Big Brothers Big Sisters to hone in on what children need to engage themselves in the learning process. The missing element was simple: fun. Most importantly, the games are nonviolent—leaving parents no room for worry.
A partnership with The Princeton Review helped the company establish credibility and gain confidence among clients. Also, Etuk regularly attends educational conferences to generate additional publicity. Tabula Digita’s first game, Dimenxian, is available for both a PC and Mac and was named one of the favorite products of 2006 by Macworld. Designed to supplement traditional teaching methods rather than replace them, the game debuted to rave reviews. Sales in 2006 were $100,000, and he expects to reach $1 million in 2007.
In Square Circle Design Concepts
TYPE OF BUSINESS Interior Design, Event Production
OWNER Scott Tucker
LOCATION New York City
www.iscdesignconcepts.com
Chances are you’ve seen Scott Tucker before. The Brooklyn-based designer recently completed a series of television and print advertisements for Lincoln Navigator, one of which appeared in the March 2007 issue of BE. But Tucker’s path to success was filled with many detours. For starters, Tucker relaunched his business three times before finding his winning combination of timeliness, affordability, and customer satisfaction. The latest incarnation of In Square Circle Design Concepts has been in business for three years and offers a wide range of design elements, from remodeling commercial spaces to producing intimate events such as the 75th anniversary gala for the Apollo.
Despite the small staff of five, including Tucker, the company is successfully completing big projects. Tucker scored his first major contract with Evian, designing full-service day spas in New York City and Beverly Hills, California, as well as a mobile spa in Miami. Tucker, who is in his 30s, will tell you that he is more than grateful to be featured in Lincoln’s advertising campaign, which highlights black entrepreneurs who are living their dreams. The company grossed $250,000 in revenues in 2006.
Hopstop.com
TYPE OF BUSINESS Technology
CEO/PRESIDENT Chinedu Echeruo
LOCATION New York City
www.hopstop.com
It’s no exaggeration that Hopstop has revolutionized both public transportation and the Internet. The site provides door-to-door subway and bus directions in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. Serving more than 50,000
Since its inception three years ago, Hopstop has expanded to include city guides and trip itineraries. Users can submit their own guides and rate specific subway or bus lines. Directions can also be sent via cell phone, eliminating the need to carry paper directions. Echeruo has always intended to keep the service free of charge; the company’s profits come from advertising. Advertisers such as The New York Times and Donna Karan helped propel the business toward the $3 million mark in 2006.
This year, Echeruo is considering adding Baltimore and Atlanta, as well as transit systems in New Jersey and Long Island, New York. Internationally, London and Paris are expected by 2008.
Rising Star Award NOMINEES
This award recognizes individuals, aged 21–35, whose outstanding skills, professionalism, and perseverance have established them as future business leaders.
Klegg Electronics
TYPE OF BUSINESS Technology
CEO Dennis Gentles
LOCATION Las Vegas
www.klegg.com
Dennis Gentles broke the mold. In an era where MP3 has almost become synonymous with iPod, the Klegg Mini has managed to hold
its own. The compact device is only 1.8″ by 1.6″ and can hold 128, 256, or 512 megabytes of storage, depending on the model. Other features include a color screen and the capability to store digital photo albums.
Gentles, who previously ran a computer consulting firm, used $70,000 to finance Klegg Electronics. Founded in 2003, the company also sells televisions, speakers, and remote control devices. Products are available at audio retailers throughout the country as well as through Klegg’s Website. Prices for the Mini range from $49.99 to $99.99, comparable to other MP3 players on the market. In 2006, revenues reached $780,000.
Recognizing that publicity drives sales, Gentles sought a celebrity endorsement. After all, who better to promote an MP3 player than a musician? He partnered with Paula Adbul, who promoted his product on The Tony Danza Show and VH-1. Now 33, Gentles is content to reap the rewards of his success. “We recently introduced a new line called Genesis, which features portable GPS systems, digital camcorders, and digital media players,” he says.
Duly Noted Inc.
TYPE OF BUSINESS Film Production
CEO/PRESIDENT Effie T. Brown
LOCATION Los Angeles
www.dulynotedinc.com
Effie T. Brown is no stranger to adversity. As one of the few African American film producers in an unforgiving industry, the New Jersey native has succeeded in making a name for herself. “I had to make it happen. I couldn’t let being a double minority taint my progress,” says Brown, 35. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University, she utilized the Black Business Bureau and Film Independent, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting independent filmmakers, to get her foot in the door.
Through Film Independent, she
participated in Project Involve, a fellowship that helps women and minorities break into the industry. Brown used $50,000 of her savings to finance her business. A mentor helped her secure projects at HBO Films, and it didn’t take long for the company to recognize Brown’s potential. To date, she has produced and line-produced approximately 17 films, many of which were distributed by HBO.Her breakthrough hit, Real Women Have Curves, was lauded at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 and paved the way for Ugly Betty star America Ferrara. Rocket Science, which won the prize for best directing at Sundance this year, will help lead the company to anticipated revenues of $6 million. Upcoming films include Bury Me Standing and Exactly Like You.
Le Creatif
TYPE OF BUSINESS Interior Design
CEO/PRESIDENT Angela Page
LOCATION Atlanta
www.lecreatifdesigns.com
“I couldn’t deny it,” explains Angela Page of her decision to end her accounting career and pursue her love of interior design. Page, 33, who studied accounting in college, also made the difficult decision to go back to school to get a degree in her new field. In 2000, she founded Le Creatif, a company that specializes in custom home designs.
Thankfully, Page has never struggled to maintain a client base, thanks to Atlanta’s thriving housing market. “My main market has always been young urban professionals.” She notes that a resurgence of condominiums and lofts, and their decorating dilemmas, has boosted profits.
This year, there will be major changes for Page, personally and professionally. July is the estimated opening of Le Creatif Gallery, a two-story space that will display sample projects and retail custom textiles, bedding, and drapery. She projects this year’s revenues to be $650,000. A city girl at heart, Page is in the process of moving back to the city after years of suburban life. She is proof that it is never too late to find your passion. “I always thought I wanted to be corporate, but everything I touched turned into something creative.”
Teenpreneur Award NOMINEES
This award recognizes entrepreneurs age 18 and under who serve as role models and are committed to advancing the rich tradition of black business achievement.
BLG Publishing
TYPE OF BUSINESS Publishing
CEO/PRESIDENT Brandon L. Griffin
LOCATION Merillville, IN
www.blgpublishing.com
While the publishing industry has been glamorized in film and television, Brandon Griffin knows it takes countless hours of effort and determination. As publisher and editor of FyeBye magazine (For young entrepreneurs … By young entrepreneurs), the 18-year-old launched the premiere issue in September 2006 after two years of planning. The magazine has covered topics relevant to young adults, including self-help articles on networking, managing your credit, and how to start your own business.
In Griffin’s eyes, the publication is more than a labor of love; it’s an outlet for aspiring entrepreneurs and writers to come together for a common goal. Other companies have confidence in his vision. The first issue scored advertisements from Comcast and Wendy’s.
This fall, Griffin will be studying business marketing. However, BLG will not be far behind. Besides producing the magazine, Griffin will continue to design personalized Websites for individuals and businesses. In 2006, revenues were nearly $8,700, and Griffin plans to see increased profits throughout 2007.
In selecting the award nominees, a committee of BLACK ENTERPRISE editors and conference coordinators pored over hundreds of business plans and nomination forms. Once preliminary nominees were selected, be’s research department conducted further due diligence to determine the strongest candidates. For information on the 2008 Small Business Awards or to nominate a business or entrepreneur, go to blackenterprise.com.
Cotrac Co.
TYPE OF BUSINESS Retail
CEO/PRESIDENT Joel Williams Jr.
LOCATION Troy, TX
www.smartbuttonshoes.com
Most 13-year-olds don’t boast the title of entrepreneur. But for Joel Williams, creating a full-service business was not just the right thing to do, but the only thing. After witnessing his younger sister, then 3, struggle to determine which shoe goes on which foot, Williams knew he had to do something. This led to inspiration for the SmartButton, a sound-activated button that attaches to a shoelace or Velcro shoe strap.
Available in three colors—blue, white, and pink—the SmartButton says “This is your left shoe” or “This is your right shoe,” in both English and Spanish. Last year, the company grossed more than $10,000. For now, Williams plans to keep the 2-year-old business online only since the Internet is increasingly used as a shopping hub. However, orders can also be received via postal mail.
These days, the entire Williams family takes part in the business. Dad, a research engineer at Wilsonart International, helps with the day-to-day activities of the business. While mom maintains current and past orders.
Ben Foster Films
TYPE OF BUSINESS Film Production
CEO/PRESIDENT Ben Foster
LOCATION Bear, DE
www.benfosterfilms.com
If there is one thing Ben Foster excels at, it’s multitasking. In addition to handling the daily operations of a production company, he writes, casts, and directs each film he produces. At just 9 years of age, Foster produced his first film, Tough Life, which focused on a petty dispute during a basketball game. The intent, as with his other films, was to inspire his peers to make positive decisions. The film earned Foster a plaque and trophy from the mayor of his hometown. Just one year later his second short film, The Comedy Kid, was lauded best comedy at the Wilmington Film Festival.
Due to the success of his short films, Foster, now 13, produced his first feature-length film, Kid Patrol, in 2005. He also makes sure to cast aspiring African American actors in his films to help them build their portfolios. According to Foster, his ultimate goal is to have a feature-length film in theaters within the next 10 years. Currently, his films are available at local video stores. Last year Ben Foster Films
earned $2,000 in revenues.