Elevating Entrepreneurship: Game-Changing Advice I Learned from 4 successful BIPOC Business Leaders
Uncover the transformative lessons learned from influential female entrepreneurs.
If you are curious to learn what sets successful female run companies and BIPOC entrepreneurs apart, I have a few great tips to share from the recent Standing on Business event hosted by The Why Not Agency, where experienced business leaders shared some of their best advice while discussing the enablers and barriers they each experienced throughout their journey to entrepreneurship.
In this article, we will explore what I learned from these impressive and influential women, including the importance of having a diverse mentor network, leveraging resources like grants for growth, getting rid of self-doubt, and creating a personal brand that welcomes collaboration and builds community.
I can’t wait to share all the amazing things I heard, the new connections I made, and the overall good vibes I took away from this amazing event. Hopefully, this inspires you to attend more BIPOC and entrepreneurial events in your area or gives you what you need to start your own business journey.
Also, be sure to check out and follow all the great entrepreneurs and BIPOC led organizations that were showcased at Standing On Business 2024.
(Event Host) The Why Not Agency
(Panellist) Alicia 'Ace' West
(Panellist) Gelaine Santiago
(Panellist) Justine Abigail
(Panellist) Reni Odetoyinbo
(Moderator) Stefan Thomas
“Get a mentor that doesn’t look like you.”
A moment that caused the audience and panelists to pause, was the topic of the ideal mentors. Surprisingly, the majority of the panelists had white men mentor them, especially in the earlier startup days. It came full circle as the discussion deepened on why that is. The obvious answer is that white men occupy most of the leadership positions in most organizations, so naturally this group is going to have a lot of experience to share, whether merited or not. The panelists continued by expressing how much they had learned from sourcing advice and support from those who look nothing like them and how having mentors from various backgrounds with different experiences can and did provide unique perspectives, insightful guidance, and even opened doors to new opportunities.
Mentors and sponsors have different benefits
The panel also highlighted the difference between mentorship and sponsorship and how important it is to have both on your side. Mentors provide valuable insight and wisdom, offering advice based on their own experiences to help entrepreneurs overcome challenges and achieve their goals. On the other hand, sponsors unlock valuable influence and network connections that create unique opportunities to grow your brand, like introductions to potential investors, clients, or collaborators.
In the context of building your brand and navigating systemic barriers, having both mentors and sponsors can be game changing. Understanding the difference can guide you in seeking assistance at the right time and place.
Key Takeaways:
Having a diverse mentor network contributes to building a strong support circle of people who understand your journey.
While mentors offer guidance, advice, and support, sponsors play an active role in advocating for and promoting your brand and offerings.
"There are resources out there that will help you.”
Another crucial aspect emphasized by panelists is their adeptness at leveraging grants for growth. By strategically applying for and obtaining grants, these entrepreneurs have been able to secure crucial funding that not only supports their business ventures but also allows for expansion and innovation.
All but one of the panelists had benefited from grants and funding that helped jumpstart their businesses. The one panelist who reported no help from grants admitted that her first five years in business would likely have been smoother had she prioritized exploring what was available.
It was clear that grants can play a big part in a business's early days and serve as a valuable resource for BIPOC entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses, launch new initiatives, or invest in advanced technologies. By tapping into these financial opportunities, entrepreneurs can fuel their business goals and open doors to new connections and partnerships, further propelling their success. Exploring how you can leverage grants to start a business is a great step towards setting the right foundation and reducing challenges with sustainability and resilience down the line.
Key Takeaways:
If you are from Toronto, here are a few places that were mentioned to help you in your search grants, funding, and benefits: Futurpreneur, City of Toronto, Ontario Creates
If you are Canadian, you can use the Business Benefits Finder tool to find resources to start or grow your business.
“Don’t tell yourself no before someone else does.”
Our panel of fierce, female entrepreneurs faced many hurdles, from systemic challenges to limited resources, yet their standout quality is definitely their unparalleled resilience. The way they each demonstrated an unwavering determination to convert setbacks into growth opportunities was impressive, to say the least.
This resilience acts as a powerful tool, enabling them to overcome barriers and emerge stronger and wiser. As they persistently defy odds and proudly shatter barriers, their resilience has become a pillar in their leadership approach. Not only does it drive their success, but it also inspires others, fostering empowerment and progress in the entrepreneurial world.
Embracing this resilience, the panel seemed to take a more personal approach to their branding to further establish a distinct market presence, or, put another way, find a niche. They had all met and defeated self-doubt, and they unanimously agreed on the importance of believing in yourself and your ideas. Overcoming this barrier was a pivotal step for all towards building momentum and achieving goals.
These female leaders have effectively leveraged storytelling and authenticity to craft compelling personal brands, connecting with their audience on the deepest of levels. Through sharing their unique journeys, values, and perspectives, they have set themselves apart in the market and established strong emotional bonds with customers and their community. In a competitive landscape, a distinct personal brand is vital for attracting and retaining clientele.
Key Takeaways:
Resilience is a critical strength that can propel your success and inspire others
Overcoming self-doubt is a pivotal step towards achieving your goals
A strong personal brand is a tool for building meaningful partnerships
Genuine storytelling humanizes their brand, fostering trust and credibility.
“Build a community focused brand.”
The panelists have utilized their personal brands and profound knowledge of specific markets to establish valuable partnerships and alliances, which have significantly propelled their business growth. By collaborating with like-minded individuals, businesses, and experts, they have expanded their reach, tapped into new markets, and accessed resources they didn’t realize were available. They all shared the same sentiment that this approach was critical to growing and expanding their businesses to bigger and better things.
In the spirit of resilience, these entrepreneurs excel at showcasing their individuality and values, resonating with customers who share similar beliefs. Their thoughtful approach to connecting with the community has certainly returned on investment, fostering loyalty and repeat business across the board.
Through these partnerships and collaborations, the panelists shared how they were able to get creative by combining unique strengths and perspectives to break and rebuild key challenges within their industries. This focus on teamwork and community not only unlocks more possibilities for solo entrepreneurs but also supports a larger, more important movement towards a more inclusive, diverse, and accessible entrepreneurial landscape.
Key Takeaways
Creating a personal brand is about more than self-promotion—it's about nurturing relationships and building a supportive community.
Showcasing your individuality and values will resonate and help people connect with your message and offering.
To close, the event was the reset I needed, not to mention an absolute success—seriously, there was not a single empty seat so I encourage you to act quick next time this group hosts another event. I left the event feeling energized and even clearer about the importance of building a diverse mentor network and finding the right tools, resources, and skills to embrace resilience and tell more authentic, personal stories when connecting with my own clients.
I encourage you to take these invaluable lessons and apply them to your own goals and entrepreneurial journeys. Continue to connect with like-minded individuals, seek out diverse people and perspectives, and don’t be afraid to ask for, or at the very least, look for what you need to build and grow. Remember, success is within reach if you believe in yourself and the value of learning from others.
Christine and Chris posing for a quick picture in front of the Standing on Business welcome sign.
About the Event Hosts, Sponsors, Panel, and Vendors:
(Event Host) The Why Not? Agency is a service-based marketing agency that provides clients with social media marketing, event services and much more! We operate remotely and offer all of our services virtually. We have a focus on BIPOC-owned and women-led organizations and tend to work with clients based in Canada that align with our overall values. They can be from any industry or line of work, though we do have a passion for the arts and creative spaces overall
(Panellist) Alicia “Ace” West is a radio personality, podcaster and sports host. She is a part of the new morning show on Flow 98.7 called Ace and Marlon in the Morning, that is disrupting the landscape. She is 1/3 of the popular weekly podcast Extra Gravy Show. And recently, she launched her own podcast called Wait…I’m a Mom?! where she shares her hot takes on motherhood as a first-time momma. If that’s not enough, Alicia is the in-game host for the Toronto Argos as well as the only woman PA Announcer in Canada. You can catch her announcing at Scarborough Shooting Stars games.
(Panellist) Gelaine Santiago is an award-winning entrepreneur and storyteller working at the intersections of entrepreneurship, social justice, and cultural identity. She's on a mission to build more ECOSYSTEMS (not empires) and helps marginalized founders scale impactful and community-grown businesses. Gelaine is also the co-founder and CEO of Cambio & Co. Filipino Jewelry and Sinta & Co. Filipino Weddings dedicated to sustainable livelihood for artisans in the Philippines. Her work has been featured in publications like Forbes, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Huffington Post, CBC and more.
(Panellist) Justine Abigail Yu (she/her) is the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but who has roots elsewhere. She is an award-winning workshop facilitator whose work with Living Hyphen has been featured on international, national, and local media outlets including the Globe & Mail, CTV National News, and the CBC. She was also named a “Changemaker” by the Toronto Star in October 2021. Justine Abigail is a fierce advocate for equity and anti-oppression. Her mission is to stir the conscience and spur social change.
(Panellist) Reni Odetoyinbo is a content creator, marketing consultant, and finance educator based in Toronto, Ontario. On her YouTube channel, ‘xoreni’ she shares resources around career development and financial literacy. After purchasing her first house at the age of 23, she started to share her knowledge with others in the hopes of helping marginalized become more financially literate. Over the past four years, Reni has built a community of over 150,000 individuals across her platforms. Professionally, Reni was awarded the Bay St. Bull 30 x 30 in 2022, The Peak’s Most Influential Leaders in 2023, she is on the leadership board of York University’s Black Alumni Network and is an alumnus of YouTube Black’s Class of 2022.
(Moderator) Stefan Thomas is an inspirational Keynote Speaker, Success Coach, and Academic Advisor from Toronto, Canada, who is on a mission to empower individuals with the necessary skills and strategies needed to not just survive, but thrive in both academic and professional spaces. Stefan has delivered impactful talks for organizations like Jays Care Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, and Humber College, as well as hosted engaging conversations with well-known media personalities like Brandon Gonez and Blake Carter.
(Vendor) Mango Spice: A custom design business offering ethnically inspired greeting cards, illustrations, stickers and more.
(Vendor) DKAI Customs: A unique shoe and apparel customization company that specializes in creating unique and inventive art pieces.
(Vendor) Ovyan Designs: As a self-taught graphic designer and illustrator, my goal is to create designs that are off-beat but familiar. With inspiration from the designs 90s and 2000s, my goal is create designs that remind you of that era but with a new age twist to them.
(Event Partner) CanGap: Canadian Gap Year Association (CanGap) is an inclusive non-profit organization supporting families and students in making purposeful post-secondary decisions. We do this by introducing and providing resources to support an alternative, experiential opportunity known as a gap year.
(Event Partner) Frontlines.to: Frontlines is a youth charity for ages 6 to 29 that’s dedicated to Weston and the surrounding areas in the Greater Toronto Area.
(Event Partner) Futurpreneur: Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for over two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,600 volunteer mentors.
(Event Partner) The Moment Lab: The Moment Lab is not your average marketing agency. We are the catalysts of creativity, the architects of impact, and the masterminds behind memorable brand moments. Welcome to a world where ordinary is never an option, and every moment is an opportunity to create something extraordinary.
(Event Partner) CONTINUE: A creative focused, remote-first digital marketing outfit built for arts, entertainment, and associated professional services.
(Event Partner) Ricoso Productions: We are here to create with you, grow with you, and be apart of your journey. When you partner with Ricoso Production, the beauty of working with a team is we all are apart of any projects you have, and each one of us cares about the end results as much as you do.
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