Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum

Entrepreneurs

Rebellious Teenager Evolves Into Sweet Soul Catering Entrepreneur

By: Lem Satterfield

By Lem Satterfield Once a rebellious teenager, Aurelia Geddis, now 33, is a spiritually-based, single mother to a young boy and owner of Sweet Soul Catering. Geddis’ creations range from fried chicken and collard greens to sweet potato cheesecake and apple pie, from a soul-food feast with creamy macaroni and...

By: Lem Satterfield

By Lem Satterfield Ashley Butler was scarcely out of diapers when she began using her imagination to inspire people to feel better about themselves. Three decades later, Butler has a website, Higher Level Greetings, which designs obituaries, business logos, cards and brochures, custom greeting cards, graduation invitations, wedding invitation suites,...

By: Julio Guzmán

By Julio Guzmán Diego Barranco, a baker from Ozumba, in the State of Mexico, has created cookies with designs inspired by the country’s pre-Hispanic art. He defines his work as “craftwork with bread dough.” Pre-Hispanic cultures are a group of civilizations that settled in most of what today makes up Mexico,...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell Crawford The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is still being felt in many areas of New Orleans 16 years after the massive storm made landfall. That’s especially true of New Orleans East. Viewed as a dangerous “do not enter” zone by many, rapper/entrepreneur 3D Na’ Tee hopes to...

By: Lem Satterfield

By Lem Satterfield For young entrepreneur Champion-Ikaika Nettey, some days are busier than others. “On my days off, I like to play soccer or go running, or I might go on my scooter and stuff,” said “Champ,” who also makes time for his “older by a couple of days girlfriend.”...

By: Kevin Michael Briscoe

By Kevin Michael Briscoe By many accounts, access to capital has stunted the ability of minority business owners to maintain cash flow and cover operating costs. In fact, more than half of black business owners polled in a recent national survey cite lack of access to cash as the main...

By: Marcelo Wheelock

By Marcelo Wheelock Amid the pandemic, Mila Johnson Pérez started a business in an industry that has seen unprecedented growth in recent months. Johnson Pérez, of Mexican descent, launched El Nopalito Delivery in April 2020. El Nopalito Delivery is a home-delivery service for community products that operates mainly in the south and...

By: Mark Gray

By Mark Gray BROOKLYN, New York — At the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, two enterprising African-American women saw an opportunity to capitalize on their passion for stylish glasses and created their company from scratch. Tracey Vontelle Green and Nancey Harris of Brooklyn, New York, chose to venture into unchartered...

By: Hamil R. Harris

By Hamil R. Harris WASHINGTON, D.C. — While corporate pharmacies are the order of the day, one Washington, D.C., pharmacy has become a prosperous neighborhood enterprise. Two classmates from Africa have found a prescription for success. Instead of having people wait in line at their Dupont Circle Pharmacy, Cyprian Sabah and...

By: Kevin Michael Briscoe

By Kevin Michael BriscoeMario B. Williams has never been one to shy away from a fight. As head of NDH Law, the Atlanta-based attorney has worked on behalf of jail inmates, immigrants, the mentally disabled and minorities who have won settlements against police agencies,. Now, tapping his entrepreneurial instincts, Williams will...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell Crawford NEW ORLEANS — Good food and music are staples of New Orleans, Louisiana. Unfortunately, that food usually comes in the form of seafood, gumbo, jambalaya, king cake and beignets — items that make your taste buds happy and your waistline expand. However, 5th Ward native Domonique “Dinero”...

By: Mark Gray

By Mark GrayWASHINGTON, D.C. — College is often seen as some of the best years of young people’s lives. However, that changed in 2020 with COVID-19. The pandemic meant students struggled to balance personal anxiety and their college studies. Many were forced to return home after living on campus, and to...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell Crawford The gender wars aren’t over. Women still lag behind men when it comes to negotiating for comparable wages. That is a battle that ZeroGap founder Jacqueline Twillie has been fighting since founding her consulting company in 2015. Although there has been progress, Twillie says statistics show...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell CrawfordTroy Bly, a black business owner, is on the threshold of expanding his empire. Through his time as a sports manager and filmmaker, he developed ongoing relationships in both industries. Although his new ventures are in different fields, he approaches them with the same vigor. He is...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell CrawfordWhen you look up the word hustler, a picture of Philadelphia’s Tone Trump should be next to it. The self-proclaimed “Greatest Hustler Alive,” seems to be into everything. Wearing his passion on his sleeve, Trump continuously builds on those passions, which include, fashion, music and his love...

By: Percy Lovell Crawford

By Percy Lovell Crawford When Chaz Cervino started his first business out of his parents’ basement with just $400, expectations were modest at best. However, after securing several high-profile athletes as clients, those expectations blossomed into a multimillion-dollar company. Now, Cervino looks to take his experience as the former CEO...

By: Nina Maden

By Nina MadenRob Parker has been a baseball fan his entire life. His dream as a child was to play first base for the New York Mets. However, once visions of becoming the next Ed Kranepool ended, Parker decided being a sportswriter was the next best way to stay close...

By: Brian Fishbach

By Brian FishbachLOS ANGELES — Working in Hollywood for years, actress and writer Erika Alexander has suffered her share of rejection. But one stung deeply — ultimately making her more creative and determined. By the early 2010s, Alexander was well-known for her role as attorney Maxine Shaw on Fox’s “Living Single.”...