Black History Month 2022: Helping Minorities to the Top

Virtually every small business owner in America today can thank the drive, passion, and determination of African American entrepreneurs in history for paving the way for all small businesses in the US. One of the historical figures that small business owners should be particularly grateful to is Annie Minerva Turnbo Malone, one of – if not the first – African American millionaire. 

Like many self-made millionaires, Malone’s journey was not an easy one. Born to the parents of two former slaves, she was orphaned at a young age. When she attended high school she took a particular interest in chemistry and hair care. In 1902 Malone moved to St. Louis, where she and just three employees created the Wonderful Hair Grower company. Malone is widely credited for creating the marketing and sales system that Avon prides itself on – selling door-to-door, encouraging others to join the company, and marketing by word-of-mouth.

Her products revolutionized hair care for African American women and made Malone a fortune. Malone used the money to inspire and educate a generation of African Americans. She used her money to open Poro College in St. Louis, one of the first cosmetology schools in the US and donated money to several philanthropic causes dedicated to civil rights. 

This Week’s Profile

This week’s profile moves from the food service business in Chicago to the tech and energy industries in Houston. Much like Malone inspired African American women to succeed, Daniella Green, CEO and founder of Slaypedia, coaches people of color on how to move up the corporate ladder. 

With extensive experience in the corporate world, Green has helped her clients become CEOs, VPs and

CFOs. When she was in her early 30s, Green herself could have continued to find success in the corporate world, but she saw a unique opportunity to fill a need among working people of color by coaching them on their careers. 

“Slaypedia was created as a consulting firm to help minorities pivot into leadership roles,” said Green. “I have worked my own way up the corporate ladder and saw the challenges minorities faced. I wanted to assist professionals in showing them how to really effectively communicate their skillset to show the company how they can execute successful ideas and implement processes to improve the organization.”

Becoming an Agent of Change

Green said that she decided to become a small business owner after declining an offer to make her the chief officer of operations at a large tech company because she wanted to work for herself and ensure that minorities were getting a fair shake in the corporate world. 

“I declined [the job] because I realized how much of my effort as an employee paid into their bottom line,” she said. “I pretty much was responsible for a lot of the work and projects we secured with major corporations such as Google and Legal & General products out in Australia. I decided to branch out on my own and become that change that I had been seeking for so long. Before I came along, there were no women of color operating in the space that I operate in. I am the only woman in the state of Texas that opened a full-fledge engineering and consulting firm that consults with executives or new leaders coming from the black and brown community.” 

Overcoming the Challenges facing Minorities

Green emphasized that one of the biggest challenges she must overcome is convincing people of her successful background in the corporate world, given that she is an African American. People often don’t believe that she achieved the level of success that she did in a  world dominated by white males.

“As a woman of color, I get that offensive element of surprise that I did indeed work my way into this position and establish myself as an expert,” she said. “Because I do not look like what you typically see in the world of tech, it raises a lot of questions. I always have that constant approach from a lot of people in my field seeking my services to question and make sure that I know what I know. 

“There is not as much trust established in me as a white male would experience when he says he is an expert in something. Being that I am also a woman, I don’t fit the description that most founders look like in tech. Typically they are 40-year-old white males and I am a woman of color in my 30s. Being in that minority space is a plus because it gives inspiration to people in my community and opens up the door to be able to educate those who have not been exposed to the black and brown community and introduce them to the talents that rest there. That surprise element though can be quite offensive at times.” 

Challenges of the Times

Even though she runs a consulting firm, Green has still had to deal with the challenges of the pandemic and rising inflation.

“I’m focused on making sure that my clients are growing up the ladder and ensuring they can afford my pricing for my services [and] to make sure I stay connected to the sides of the industry that are booming so that I don’t experience the blow of inflation,” she said. “I am actually on the other side of business where it is booming and I am not experiencing anything that can impair that thankfully. This is pushing us as leaders to find more innovative ways to adjust to the trauma [of] trying times. We are working virtually, cutting unnecessary overhead costs, etc.” 

Next Week: The Beloved Brand Co.

As we continue Black History Month 2022, we will be moving to New York City to profile Querida Lugo, an extraordinary entrepreneur who built a small business from the ground up that helps businesses establish their brands and gain public trust.