Networking and joining together are keys to economic success for minority business owners, a speaker told black entrepreneurs gathered in Denver on Thursday.
“It takes a village to grow a child,” said George Fraser, chief executive of FraserNet Inc. and keynote speaker at the Mountain Region Black Economic Summit’s Success Summit. “There is no power with us being disconnected.”
Fraser said black-owned businesses in the U.S. produce $920 billion in gross domestic product. The problem is most of the money goes away from the black community, something better networking can start to fix.
“It’s time for us to connect the dots,” Fraser said. “Now you must network, which means you must love yourself and love others around you.”
Many racial and ethnic groups tend to hire among themselves, he said, something black business owners should emulate.
“We have everything we need to achieve success, except each other,” he said. “It’s going to take two to three generations for black people to be the No. 1 employers of black people.”
Attendee Krisangela Washington said networking was the reason she attended the summit.
“We can definitely share our own stories in order to help the business community as a whole,” she said.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock stressed the citywill be a great place to grow businesses of all kinds.
“This city is one to watch as the recovery continues,” Hancock said. “The opportunities are there; we are focused on growth. It’s now a little on the backs of you entrepreneurs.”
The summit has been held annually since 2005.
Kevin C Keller: 303-954-5224 or kkeller@denverpost.com
