Minority Chamber of Commerce’s Impact on Tallahassee’s Entrepreneurial Climate
- Feb 17, 2017
- 3 min read
Minorities and women entrepreneurs might not always be at the forefront of business concerns and conversations, but they are making an impact on the economy of Tallahassee.
Five years ago a local entrepreneur, Sean Pittman, saw a need for services for minorities and women in business in the Tallahassee area. Hence, the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce (BBMC) was founded in November 2012.
BBMC plays a leading role in bringing awareness to minority and women-operated businesses in the North Florida Region while providing the businesses with resources and opportunities for growth.
BBMC serves businesses in Leon, Gadsden, Franklin, Jefferson, and Wakulla counties with 150 members (in 2016) supporting them through advocacy, volunteerism, training and networking.
Gina Kinchlow is one member who stands out by leading, teaching and doing.
Kinchlow serves as interim president of BBMC and is also a Marketing and Advertising Professor in FAMU’s School of Business while also running her own consulting business.
“We really want to help business owners get into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Tallahassee,” said Kinchlow. “We want them to learn how to be more competitive and connect them to small business opportunities.”
BBMC continues to make a positive impact on the Tallahassee community. In 2016, BBMC completed over 500 hours of volunteerism, served 950 citizens in the five-county community.
Advocacy is very important to BBMC. The Chamber hosts an annual reception inviting legislators to an evening of networking and as an opportunity for BBMC to lobby and voice their concerns.
“Our members are stimulating revenue into the system here so we make an impact,” said Kinchlow. “We want our legislators to think about us when they are making policies.”
This year’s reception will take place on March 7th at the Doubletree hotel downtown.
BBMC is inclusive to anyone who supports their initiative. “Anyone can benefit. You don’t have to be minority or a woman to join but you just have to believe in what we are trying to do,” said Kinchlow.
The Chamber fully supports those who seek to start their own business in Tallahassee, especially college students.
Kinchlow also believes that BBMC is vital to the economic ecosystem in Tallahassee but there is still room to improve. “Businesses create job. We could greatly impact the economic system but we have to get our businesses stronger,” said Kinchlow. “Everyone needs to be aligned and connected with our Chamber in some way,” says Kinchlow.
BBMC is forming a Youth Entrepreneurs’ Council that will launch this summer in hopes of helping the youth turn their ideas into startups. “The youth council will focus on young people between 10-16 years old and get them in the pipeline to start thinking about running their own businesses,” said Kinchlow.
Christic Henry, chairperson of the Women’s Council, believes that the most pressing challenge for people seeking to start a business is fear.
“Its intimidating to go from a mindset of being on a consistent pay schedule to being in business where you may or may not be on a fixed pay schedule,” said Henry. “But you must really have that growth mindset to be successful.”
Henry encourages anyone thinking about starting a business to explore the entrepreneurial avenue with the help of BBMC.
Henry believes BBMC is needed more than ever right now. “In this political climate of change, it is really important to engage locally,” said Henry. “As minority business owners in Tallahassee we have to be sitting around the table figuring out how we can maximize off one another’s business efforts.”
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