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Black Chamber outlines Black Business Directory and entrepreneurship training
Summary
Alan Gumbel of the Black Chamber of Memphis said the chamber plans a Black Business Directory and an industry-focused entrepreneurship training program, with recruitment ongoing and an expected launch in Q1 2025.
Alan Gumbel, representing the Black Chamber of Memphis, updated the ad hoc committee on plans funded through the county’s allocation: the chamber is creating a Black Business Directory and designing an industry-training and entrepreneurship program.
Gumbel said the directory work has started while the chamber awaits payment; outreach will include commissioners and community connectors to identify businesses not already listed. The entrepreneurship program will focus on a small set of industries—childcare, personal care and wellness, and telecommunications wiring—and Gumbel said the chamber plans to recruit and train entrepreneurial participants in those sectors. “We expect to be able to launch that in Q1 of 2025,” he said.
The chamber will share survey instruments and technology-platform information with the county’s District Connector Program to coordinate a resource directory and referrals. Committee staff encouraged that flow of technical details to ensure interoperability with the county’s planned resource directory.
What’s next: the Black Chamber plans additional outreach to community connectors and commissioners and will provide materials to county staff for coordination with the Division of Community Services’ district connectors.
