James C. Johnson
What does it take to create a company that not only produces superior goods and services but also conducts business to make people’s lives better? We discovered the answer in our search for the 2006 BLACK ENTERPRISE Small Business Awards winners. Our champions are four such companies.
Their purpose-driven achievements were acknowledged at the 11th annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference hosted by General Motors, held in May at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. For information about the 2007 conference or to nominate a small business,visit blackenterprise.com.
After surveying an extensive list of small businesses, BE’s editors selected four outstanding companies with owners who successfully harnessed talent and expertise. Honored for their business acumen and their efforts to positively influence their community, this year’s winners embody the spirit of black entrepreneurship.
From incorporating cutting-edge medical technology that eases pain and suffering to creating signs that encourage patience toward new drivers, our winners have distinguished themselves by developing fresh ideas to serve their customers and educate the public. On the following pages, we’ll introduce them to you.
EMERGING COMPANY OF THE YEAR: NADINE THOMPSON WARM SPIRIT
For Warm Spirit’s 24,000 independent consultants, working with this beauty and wellness company means more than earning additional income from direct sales. The marketing network offers consultants the opportunity to own their own business and improve their quality of life.
“My business has always been about making the world a better place for women who look like me,” says president and CEO Nadine Abraham-Thompson, 47. Her goal is to increase her diverse network to 70,000 consultants in the United States within the next three years.
Warm Spirit (www.warmspirit.com), founded in 1999 by Abraham-Thompson and Daniel Wolf, produces a comprehensive collection of nature-based beauty and healthcare products. The Exeter, New Hampshire-based firm reported sales of nearly $15 million in 2005 and projects sales of $20 million for 2006. This growth, which is a result of successfully identifying — and staking a claim in — a bourgeoning market, has earned Warm Spirit the Emerging Company of the Year award. It recognizes businesses that have carved out a special business niche or adopted creative marketing techniques and thus are poised for growth.
Abraham-Thompson hopes to continue the company’s success by expanding internationally and tapping into marketplaces in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Africa. “I started a project with a women’s collective in Ghana where we are collecting shea butter products for our line,” she says.
Warm Spirit was created to empower African American women, an audience Abraham-Thompson felt was underserved as consumers and entrepreneurs. Now its founder is focused on promoting the concept of wealth building among its consultants. “It’s important that we create a legacy for the next generation,” says Abraham-Thompson. “I’m also working with a partner to see if we can get help from an investment firm or Fannie Mae to help our consultants achieve their goals of homeownership.”
BUSINESS INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: DR. LYNN LOCKLEAR LIFE-ENHANCING DENTISTRY
Most people don’t know what temporomandibular joint dysfunction is, but those who have it understand that it hurts — causing pain in the jaw as well as headaches. That’s where Dr. Lynn Locklear and Life-Enhancing Dentistry come in.
The ailment is the result of an improper alignment of the jaw and causes a painful degeneration of the joint. Using X-rays and specialized techniques, Locklear is able to find the proper alignment of the jaw and facial muscles and alleviate the pain.
Locklear, 43, completed more than 350 hours of post-graduate training at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. She ranks among a small percentage of dentists trained in neuromuscular dentistry, which emphasizes the muscles and nerves surrounding the mouth. In recognition of her practice, BE has named Locklear our Business Innovator of the Year. The award recognizes individuals who have set trends and broken new ground in a particular industry.
Locklear, who has been practicing traditional dentistry since 1992, launched the practice (www.lifeenhancingdentistry.com) in Washington, D.C., in 2002. Since that time, revenues have grown from $710,000 in 2003 to more than $1 million in 2005.
“The big thing for us is to educate the public and the healthcare industry about neuromuscular dentistry,” explains Locklear, president and CEO of the practice. “Not only does this technique provide relief from the pain of a misaligned jaw, it’s also a unique approach to cosmetic surgery. In addition to providing the patient with an attractive smile, we’re also achieving beautiful cosmetic results.”
RISING STAR AWARD: CHUCK CREEKMUR & GREG WATKINS ALLHIPHOP.COM
While attending a business conference, Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, co-founder of AllHipHop.com, was approached by an attendee who
Creekmur, 34, and co-founder “Grouchy” Greg Watkins, 32, want to present a positive image of hip-hop. Through their plans to relaunch the site, which currently includes news, reviews, and industry insight, the partners expect to broaden their balanced and thorough presentation of the hip-hop culture. “The hip-hop community includes a wide range of people,” adds Creekmur. “We want people to understand that hip-hop is a microcosm of society as a whole.”
The duo, who have emerged as credible experts who discuss all facets of hip-hop, garnered the Rising Star Award, which recognizes individuals under 35, whose outstanding skill, professionalism, and perseverance have established them as future business leaders.
Creekmur and Watkins expect to spread the message of AllHipHop.com — already one of the most widely read Internet sources for hip-hop news — by expanding their media platforms to include Internet television and radio. Since its 1998 launch in Delaware, the site has grown to deliver more than 30 million page views per month. Company sales exceeded $550,000 in 2005 and revenues are expected to reach $1 million this year.
TEENPRENEUR: CHESTINA PERRY DRIVE SAFE
Chestina Perry remembers the rude gestures and cross looks she got from impatient drivers when she was learning how to drive three years ago. Her frustration sparked an idea that turned a difficult driving experience into a profitable business opportunity.
Now 18 years old, the entrepreneur has developed products designed to educate motorists about safety through her driver notification signs. With help from her mother, Winnie, Perry manufactures a variety of signs priced at $7.50 each that display messages such as “Driver in Training (Please Be Patient)” and “Senior Citizen (Please Be Patient).” Now, Drive Safe signs (www.drivesafesigns.com) make it easier for new motorists and senior citizens to drive in busy traffic while taking the edge off impatient drivers.
Perry’s success at identifying a need in the marketplace and filling it has earned her the Teenpreneur Award, which recognizes entrepreneurs aged 18 and under who serve as role models and are committed to advancing the rich tradition of black business achievement. “I want the public to know that our signs are well worth the money because they increase safety on the road,” says Perry, who knows from first-hand experience that her signs work.
Perry, along with her three
nieces, launched Columbia, South Carolina-based Drive Safe in October 2004. The business brought in revenues of $3,000 last year. The teenage CEO’s oldest niece, Tiffanie, 12, is the president; Twana, 11, is the vice president; and Victoria, 10, is in charge of customer relations. “I plan to hand the business over to my nieces before I leave for college next year,” says Perry. “Our business is not just about making money. I want my nieces to carry on the legacy of letting people know it’s about safety.”