Innovation, perseverance, and resilience are some of the attributes entrepreneurs need to weather any storm. Couple this with the business owners who aren’t looking to simply survive, but rather have challenged themselves to thrive and expand. These are the nominees for the 2014 Black Enterprise Small Business Awards. From this unique group of entrepreneurs Black Enterprise will cull its winners in four categories.
The annual Black Enterprise Small Business Awards recognize those companies and individuals who are bringing new products to the forefront, redefining sales strategies, and discovering new and profitable markets. The winners of the 2014 Small Business Awards will be announced at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide Insurance, May 14 to 17 in Columbus, Ohio.
A special awards luncheon will take place on May 15, with multimedia mogul T.D. Jakes, CEO of TDJ Enterprises, serving as the featured headliner. Bishop Jakes will also hold a major book signing event for his highly anticipated book Instinct: The Power to Unleash Your Unborn Drive, in the Deal Makers Expo.
Nominations for awards are in the following categories:
INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEES
This award is given to a business that is flourishing in an innovative industry or approaching entrepreneurship in a groundbreaking manner via their products or services.
Alexa Brands
Claudia Hoexter, Founder and CEO
Type of business: developer of beauty spoon cosmetic tool
Location: Chicago                                    Website: www.alexabrands.com
Hoexter is a former model and corporate marketing professional turned inventor and entrepreneur. She created the Beauty Spoon, a cosmetic tool used to remove the remaining liquids located along the sides and bottom of product bottles (i.e. foundation, lotion, etc.). Launched in 2011 under Alexa Brands, the beauty spoon is now sold in 2,200 Walmart stores around the country. And it’s also being sold in South Africa, Ireland and the U.K. Hoexter’s company has generated more than half a million dollars. She is eyeing other household products and apparel items.
Konsole Kingz
C.J. Peters, Co-Founder and CEO
Type of business: video gaming with hip-hop swagger
Location: Atlanta                                               Website: www.konsolekingz.com
Since 2007, Atlanta-based Konsole Kingz has been one of the few minority-owned companies that have a contract to
create and sell virtual goods on the Xbox platform. Partners C.J. Peters and Marcus Matthews have sold more than 1.3 million unique gamer pics, themes, and avatar accessories. After initially creating Konsole Kingz as a DVD magazine dedicated to lovers of hip-hop and video games, Peters has cultivated it into a one-of-a-kind company that he describes as a video game lifestyle brand, centered in hip-hop culture. The two partners recently worked with Kandi Burruss of Real Housewives to produce her mobile app, Kandi-Koated Spades.
The Resumator
Don Charlton, Founder and CEO
Type of business: applicant tracking system and online recruiting software
Location: Pittsburgh                       Website: www.theresumator.com
For over a decade, Charlton has established himself as an award-winning interactive designer, software engineer, and motivational public speaker. In 2009, he launched The Resumator, eventually growing the company into a multimillion-dollar venture and one of the region’s fastest growing businesses. The Resumator is an online recruiting software program used by more than 6,500 employers, including Mashable, Hootsuite, and Warby Parker eyewear. His software was also used by both the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaigns. His software helps employers take the hassle out of hiring.
FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
This award is presented to a family-operated business that exemplifies the combined experience and expertise needed to excel in a key industry.
BlackandMarriedWithKids.com/Tyler New Media Inc
Lamar Tyler, CEO and Ronnie Tyler, Co-Owner
Location: Atlanta                            Website: www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com
When they started the blog “Black and Married†in 2007, Ronnie and Lamar Tyler were fed up with the negative portrayals of African Americans and matrimony. The site, known today as BlackandMarriedWithKids.com, has transformed into a multimedia enterprise– releasing documentary films about marriage, music videos, and posts from 10 regular staff writers. Their company Tyler New Media also specializes in online branding and Web content development. Adding film to their portfolio is what allowed the couple to generate enough income to transition into blogging full time and recoup their six-figure salaries. Having a viable product not only brought in revenue for the growing site, but also led to speaking engagements and other opportunities such as creating social media campaigns for companies such as General Mills.
Sky’s Gourmet Tacos
Barbara “Sky†Burrell, Founder and Co-Owner
Type of business: restaurant and food truck offering Mexican food with soul
Location: Los Angeles                              Website: www.skysgourmettacos.com
Sky’s is a brick-and-mortar Mexican soul food restaurant as well as a mobile truck run by Burrell along with her son, Victor, and business partner, Kevin Minor. Burrell is a former corporate executive who followed her passion for food. She spent 19 years running a successful restaurant before shifting gears to add a food truck to her operations in 2010. Sky’s food truck generated a little more than $100,000 its first year of operation, contributing 30% more to the company’s bottom line. The food truck experienced 200% revenue growth since 2012. And it was named to the “101 Best Food Trucks in America, 2013†list by The Daily Meal.
Thompson Family Farms
Robert Thompson, Founder, President and CEO
Type of business: producer growers selling fresh potatoes and onions
Location: Pasco, Washington             Website: www.thompsonfamilyfarms.net
The family-run farm business includes Thompson’s wife, Clarissa; son, Stewart; and daughters Arielle and Athena. TFF specializes in growing, packing, marketing and selling fresh potatoes and onions. Thompson’s business is as a potato grower for some of the nation’s largest food processing companies, including Burger King. Other clients include McDonald’s and Frito-Lay. The company grossed around $5 million in 2013, up from $1.1 million in 2004, its inaugural year.
Teenpreneur
This award recognizes entrepreneurs, age 19 or under, committed to the tradition of black business achievement.
Cool Aid Crutch Wear
Aliyah Wilson, Founder and CEO
Type of business: customized design crutch accessories
Location: St. Louis                                   Website: www.coolaidcructhwear.com
The idea for Cool Aid Crutch Wear was hatched while Wilson was using crutches due to a foot injury resulting in four surgeries and limited activities during the recovery process. The business is a Create It Yourself (CIY) shopping experience that lets users go online to customize and purchase accessories for their crutches, which are made of 100% recycled materials. Minus operating expenses, labor, material, insurance and charitable donations, Wilson’s business is projected to earn a little more than $6,000 in 2014. Money that the 17-year-old plans to use for college expenses at Xavier University of Louisiana.
Mo’s Bows
Moziah Bridges, Founder and CEO
Type of business: handmade bowties
Location: Memphis                                  Website: www.mosbowsmemphis.com
Bridges is a 12-year-old mogul in the making. Mo’s Bows is a unique line of fashionable bow ties that he designs himself. He started making bow ties at age nine, learning how to sew by hand and machine from his grandmother. In 2011, he launched his Mo’s Bows label on Etsy.com, generating $10,000 in revenues in 2012. He also sells his bow ties, which retail for between $45 and $50 each, through boutiques in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Arkansas. Last year, Mo’s Bows sold more than $60,000 worth of product. The recent ABC Shark Tank contestant (who didn’t get money but mentoring from Daymond John) says his ultimate goal is to have his own fashion line by the time he hits 20.
Sweet Dreams Girlz
Halle and Brea Holmes, Co-Founders and CEOs
Type of business: natural skincare and beauty products for girls
Location: Phoenix                                    Website: www.sweetdreamsgirlz.com
Sweet Dreams Girlzs is a producer of skincare products for young girls, including hair conditioner, body wash, lip balm, and moisturizer. The idea for the company was borne out of a spa-themed slumber party that the Holmes sisters hosted but were unable to find naturally made beauty products for tweens and teens. In 2010, a then 10-year-old Halle and 16-year-old Brea launched their own line with a $6,000 investment from their parents. Within two years, they were generating around $25,000 in revenues. Now the sisters are looking to become a head-to-toe lifestyle brand that includes sneakers, apparel, and accessories.
FRANCHISE COMPANY OF THE YEAR
This award is presented to a franchisee for outstanding performance and overall contribution in enhancing the growth and development of the franchising industry.
Mack II Inc.
Mack Wilbourn, CEO
Type of business: Checkers, Popeye’s, Baja Fresh, and Atlanta Bread Bar
Location: Atlanta                                               Website: www.mackii.com
For decades Wilbourn has only owned restaurants in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He currently owns a total of 10 concessions at the airport, up from four in 2011 with more than $11 million in sales.
His franchises include two Popeye’s locations, a Baja Fresh, an Atlanta Bread Bar, and two Checkers. He made the strategic move to focus on restaurant growth in the world’s busiest airport because he recognizes that more people mean more sales. He was the first franchisee to take Checkers to an airport location and was named the highest grossing restaurant out of its nearly 800 stores.
PCF Restaurant Management
Karim Webb, Owner
Type of business: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
Location: Los Angeles                              Website: www.buffalowildwings.com
Webb and his partner Edward Barnett own two Buffalo Wild Wings franchises in Los Angeles (Torrance and Baldwin Hills). With their 2011 opening of a Buffalo Wild Wings in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Plaza, it became the first casual-dining franchise restaurant to hit South Los Angeles in 25 years. NBA star Trevor Ariz is also an owner in the BWW franchise’s Crenshaw location. Â Webb came by his taste for the food business from his family; his parents and sister are the owners of more than a dozen McDonald’s franchises. In 2013, Webb and BWW partnered with actor Larenz Tate to help provide jobs for young black men through a local community organization.
Wallace Family Practice
Dr. Tasha Wallace, Owner
Type of business: private medical practice and Medi-Weightloss Clinics
Location: Lehigh Acres, FLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Website: www.wallacefamilypractice.com
Formed in 2006, Wallace Family Practice remains one of the few, local, solo family medicine practitioners in the area. In 2008 Dr. Wallace lost 20 pounds in six weeks through Medi-Weightloss Clinics. That is when the idea came to the family practice physician to invest about $150,000 to open a franchise of her own. Her Medi-Weightloss Clinics has generated more than $1 million in revenues since its doors opened in September 2009. Through it all, Dr. Wallace has maintained her medical practice.