Flint entrepreneurs discuss wins, struggles at Black History Month social

Flint, MI—From humble beginnings to lessons learned throughout their journeys, a handful of entrepreneurs shared insights during a panel discussion at the “Black Dollar Black History Month Social” event on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.

While the panelists offered plenty of practical tips on social media marketing and pricing, they also dove into broader conversations about how the Flint community could better support its small businesses and why they are important to the city.

On top of the panel discussion, the event brought together more than a dozen Black business owners from Flint to show that the city has more to offer than many may initially expect, said Terrance Green, the founder of Black Amor, who hosted the event.

“My intention is to get people to realize the things that you’re searching for outside of Flint are actually here,” Green said. “The majority of people I see that leave always say there’s nothing here, and it’s like, ‘Are you supporting what’s here?’”

Green founded Black Amor in 2020 when he moved back to Flint after living in Nashville, Tenn. for about three years, he said. Nashville’s economy was growing fast at the time, and he had a job that afforded him a BMW and a nice home, he said. But he was stressed.

“I woke up one morning, I was just mad,” he said. “Like, why am I mad? I have all this stuff that society tells me I’m supposed to have to be happy. I realized that I wasn’t doing anything purposefully.”

Those years in Nashville helped Green see the importance of self-love, he said, but he also took with him lessons from the city’s small business community. Now back in Flint, he said he’s hoping to do his part to cultivate a more collaborative network for small business owners and bring wealth to the city.

“It’s also just about how community works,” he said. “Everybody has their own lane. If we do it properly, we can all flow together and actually grow as a community.”