♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Collins: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

I'M CHRIS COLLINS, YOUR HOST THIS EVENING.

CALLIE CROSSLEY IS OFF.

TONIGHT: ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR AND RESILIENCE DURING COVID.

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.ùAND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF, AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, ALTERING OUR LIVES IN SO MANY WAYS.

SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR, HAVE BEEN HIT HARD.

SEVERAL BUSINESSES CLOSED THEIR DOORS FOR GOOD, AND OTHERS ARE TRYING TO MEET COVID SAFETY GUIDELINES WHILE MAINTAINING THEIR STAFF AND CUSTOMERS.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, AT AT LEAST 41% OF BUSINESSES OF COLOR CLOSED DURING THIS CRISIS.

MANY COMPANIES THAT STAYED OPEN HAD TO PIVOT OR ALTER THEIR WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.

WE WANTED TO BRING A GROUP OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TOGETHER, SOME THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS GUESTS, TO DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES, INSIGHTS AND WHAT HAS KEPT THEM AND THEIR BUSINESSES GOING DURING THIS DEADLY PANDEMIC.

ALSO, WHAT ADVICE CAN THEY GIVE TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE?

JOINING US: KOBIE EVANS, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF PURE OASIS IN DORCHESTER-- PURE OASIS IS THE FIRST RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN BOSTON AND THE FIRST BLACK-OWNED CANNABIS SHOP IN MASSACHUSETTS; CHERYL STRAUGHTER, LEAD CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF SOLEIL RESTAURANT, LOCATED IN THE BRUCE BOLLING MUNICIPAL BUILDING IN ROXBURY; T.J. DOUGLAS, CO-OWNER OF THE URBAN GRAPE WINE STORE IN BOSTON WITH HIS WIFE-- HE IS ALSO THE CO-AUTHOR OF "DRINK PROGRESSIVELY: FROM WHITE TO RED, LIGHT-TO-FULL-BODIED, A BOLD NEW WAY TO PAIR WINE WITH FOOD;" AND NIA GRACE, OWNER AND OPERATOR OF DARRYL'S CORNER BAR AND KITCHEN RESTAURANT IN ROXBURY.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

WHAT A TOUGH, CRAZY BIZARRE TIME IT HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR.

ESPECIALLY FOR BUSINESS OWNERS.

ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY, FOR EMPHASIS OWNERS OF COLOR.

LET'S START WITH YOU TJ.

BECAUSE YOUR BUSINESS IS A LITTLE UNIQUE TO SOME OF THE OTHERS ON THE PANEL.

AS YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SPACE FOR A DECADE.

AND YOU HAVE, AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, THRIVED.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO MANAGE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND WHAT HAS KEPT YOU GOING AND IN SOME CASES HAS INCREASED YOUR BUSINESS?

>> WELL, CHRIS IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN AND SO HAPPY TO BE BACK ON BASIC BLACK.

NICE TO SEE EVERYONE HERE.

YEAH, WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY, WE'RE NOW IN OUR SECOND DECADE.

WE'RE AN 11-YEAR-OLD COMPANY AND WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT IN MARCH, WE REALLY HAD TO TAKE THAT ONE WEEK OF PIVOTING AND JUST REALLY GET OUT OF THE PIVOT FACTOR AND GET INTO REIMAGINING WHAT OUR COMPANY IS.

AND WHAT IT CAN BE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT REALLY HELPED US WAS THAT FIRST PUSH OF PPP.

WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR BANK SO THEY HELPED UNITED STATES, GUIDE US THROUGH THAT CRAZY SCARY PAPERWORK AND THAT ALLOWED YOU US TO KEEP OUR STAFF ON INCREASE PAY BRING ON SOME OUT OF WORK PEOPLE TO GIVE THEM FULL TIME JOBS AND ALSO ALLOWED US TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY WERE AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GET THEM TO COME HERE ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, DURING LOCK DOWN.

SO IT WAS HELPFUL THAT WE HAD THE LOGISTICS IN PLACE OF DELIVERY WEBSITE.

BUT EVEN TO TODAY, OUR DOORS ARE STILL CLOSED BY CHOICE TO THE PUBLIC.

IT'S ONLY DELIVERY AND PICKUP.

SO WE'RE VERY LUCKY IN THAT SENSE.

>> Collins: I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE PIVOTED BUT LET'S MOVE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED P.P.P.

LOANS WHICH WERE SUPERCHALLENGING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE SPACE LIKE TJ FOR A DECADE OR MORE.

SOMEONE LIKE YOURSELF CHERYL WHO IS NEW TO THE AREA, AND TO THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF NOT HAVING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BANK LIKE SOMEONE LIKE TJ WHO HAS BEEN IN THE SPACE FOR TEN YEARS.

HOW CHALLENGING WAS THAT TO KIND OF CULTIVATE THAT RELATIONSHIP WHERE YOU COULD GET WHAT WAS NEEDED?

>> I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

SO I HAD A APPLICABILITY OF LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE.

I ALSO HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH MY BANKER AND THAT'S CRITICAL TO GET THROUGH THE FORMS.

MY FIRST RESTAURANT WAS KEITH'S PLACE IN GROVE HALL, I AS THERE FOR TEN YEARS.

AND I'M A NEWBIE TO THE INDUSTRY AGAIN, IN THAT I'VE RESURFACED AS SOLEIL AND WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

BUT IT IS CRITICAL TO HAVE NETWORKS, AND A GOOD BANKER, GOOD ACCOUNTANT.

SO THAT YOU CAN FILE THROUGH ALL OF THIS PAPERWORK.

>> Collins: SO I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM YOU KOBIE, YOU'RE NOT SOMEWHAT NEW AS FAR AS YOUR BUSINESS BUT THE INDUSTRY IS BRAND-NEW.

SO THAT HAD TO PLAY A FACTOR WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THE LOANS AND SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT.

BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY IS SO NEW AND THERE IS SO MUCH UNKNOWN IN THE CANNABIS SPACE.

>> WE ARE IN A PREDICAMENT IN THE FACT WE ARE DEEMED ILLEGAL ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO THERE ARE NO LOANS AVAILABLE TO US.

SO IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.

ONE IS THAT THERE ARE NO LOANS AVAILABLE TO US.

BUT WE'RE A NEW -- WE'RE A NEW BUSINESS AND A MATURE INDUSTRY IF YOU WILL.

SO THE FIRST DAY THAT WE OPENED, WE HAD A CUSTOMER BASE AND SO WE'VE HAD A CONSISTENT CUSTOMER BASE FOR THE LAST YEAR.

AND THAT HAS KIND OF KEPT US AFLOAT IF YOU WILL.

SO THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN INTERESTING BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE FORCED TO CLOSE FOR TWO MONTHS, AND THEN FROM THERE IN THOSE TWO MONTHS WE DID A DEEP DIVE AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NOT REINVENTED OUR BUSINESS BUT REALLY TOOK STOCK OF WHAT WE WERE DOING AND MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PROCESSES, SO THAT WHEN WE OPENED BACK UP IN MAY, THE BUSINESS WAS BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE IT CLOSED.

AND SO THE LAST YEAR'S BEEN PRETTY INTERESTING, YOU KNOW.

AND WE'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE LIKE THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY, OUR INDUSTRY KIND OF GOT A BOOST FROM THE PANDEMIC IN AS MUCH AS PEOPLE NEEDED SOME SORT OF THERAPY IF YOU WILL TO HELP AS A COPING MECHANISM.

>> Collins: NIA, YOU I KNOW YOU PIVOTED EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL STANDING.

YOU GOT INTO DARRYL'S CORNER BAR PROBABLY AT A TOUGH TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE NEW TO IT, BOOM YOU WERE HIT BY THE PANDEMIC.

YOU WERE FORCED TO MAKE PRETTY BRASH DECISIONS QUICKLY.

HOW DID THAT FACTOR AND GO FOR YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW 20% OF SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND EIGHT OUT OF TEN BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES FAIL WITHIN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT WE WERE AT MONTH 18 FOR OUR BUSINESS.

WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD YEAR.OF GROWTH FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND FOR US IT JUST WAS A MATTER OF WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, YOU KNOW, AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE STATISTICS, IT WAS A MATTER OF I'VE GOT AT LEAST WHAT, 46 DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS THAT DEPEND ON US, YOU KNOW, AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT LOOKS TO US.

SO WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO PAUSE TO DO A REALLY BELONG ELABORATION OF WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO NEXT.

WE HAD TO TAKE THE NEXT OPTION WHICH WAS DOING TAKEOUT FOR US.

WOULD I SAY EIGHT MONTHS OUT OF THE LAST 12 WE OPERATED WITH TAKEOUT ONLY.

THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO TO IN FACT SAVE SOME OF THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR STAFF, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW SAVE THE LEGACY THAT DARRYL'S IS TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.

>> Collins: NIA, LAST YEAR ON "BASIC BLACK," YOU SPOKE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS SHUTTING DOWN DUE TO COVID AND CHANGING YOUR BUSINESS MODEL.

HERE IS A CLIP OF WHAT YOU SAID BACK IN MAY: >> ONCE WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN, IN FACT, TAKE-OUT WAS LESS THAN 2% OF OUR INCOME AS IT WAS MORE PASSIVE FOR US.

WE HAD TO REALLY REGROUP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOING THINGS QUICKLY.

IT WAS THAT MONDAY THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE OUR DINING ROOMS THAT TUESDAY.

I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT IF WE WOULD BE OPEN FOR TAKEOUT BY THAT WEEKEND.

I DID IT, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING TAKEOUT EVER SINCE.

>> Collins: SO AS YOU LOOK BACK, YOU ACTED QUICKLY, YOU MADE A DECISION, AND DO YOU THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT CALL OR THE ONLY CALL?

>> TRUTHFULLY, IT WAS THE ONLY CALL.

UNLIKE THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY OR FOR LIQUOR STORES OR RETAIL LIQUOR OUTLETS WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SELL ALCOHOL IN THE BEGINNING.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT LEGISLATION GOT PASSED DOWN LATER.

TO OUNDERSTAND OUR BUSINESS 60% OF IT WAS ALCOHOL SALES AND 60% WAS DONE ONSITE.

1% OF TAKEOUT, NOW IT REPRESENTATIVES 50% OF OUR DINING.

WE'RE REALLY TRYING PROTECT OUR STAFF.

AND THAT IS ALSO BEEN A GOOD DECISION BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID IT PROTECT OUR STAFF, IT PROTECTED THE RESERVES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET SO THAT WE COULD BE HERE TODAY AND HAVE A GOOD SPRING OR SUMMER TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

>> Collins: INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO SELL ALCOHOL.

OBVIOUSLY TJ SELLS ALCOHOL.

TJ, I KNOW IT WAS INTERESTING AND GOOD FOR YOU BECAUSE I KNOW GROCERY MARKETS, SOME OF THEM SELL ALCOHOL.

SO THEY COULDN'T TAKE THAT LICENSE AND SAY YOU COULD ONLY SELL ALCOHOL IN A GROCERY STORE.

SO THEY HAD TO OPEN UP TO OEVERYBODY.

SO IT PUT YOU IN A POSITION WHERE YOU COULD STAY OPEN BUT STILL HAD YOU TO MAKE NECESSARY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR YOUR STAFF.

I KNOW AT ONE POINT YOU WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YOU COULD PHYSICALLY WALK IN BUT YOU HAD TO SHUT THAT DOWN CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AT THE MERCY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENT, LIKE YOU SAID CHRIS, FOR THOSE OF US IN MASSACHUSETTS A LIQUOR STORE LICENSE IS A PACKAGE STORE LICENSE, WE ARE PACKIE,ING THE SAME PACK LICENSE AS WHOLE FOODS THAT SELLS ALCOHOL.

IT'S ILLEGAL TO SHUT DOWN PART OF A LIQUOR LICENSE.

ALL WINE STORES AND SPIRIT SHOPS AROUND MASSACHUSETTS WERE ABLE TO STAY OFTEN.

AND WE WERE SO LUCKY IN THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR TEN YEARS.

JUST LIKE NIA.

WE PROBABLY HAVE 16 HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDING MY OWN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT LIVE OFF OF SELLING CABERNET AND PINO GRIGIO.

AS I MENTIONED WE HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC BY CHOICE FOR THE LAST YEAR.

THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE TRIED STAYING OPEN AND HAVING CUSTOMERS SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND WEAR GLOVES AND SANITIZE AND MASKS, BUT PEOPLE WERE BRINGING THEIR BABIES AND DOGS IN AND TOUCHING BOTTLES AND THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO HAVE TABLE 6 FOR OUR PART.

SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, THE STAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN MASKED.

WE STOP DOING INDOOR TASTINGS FOR MY STAFF ON TASTING WINE, I DO EVERYTHING AT HOME NOW AND THEN WE BUILT THIS AMAZING WINE COUNTER OUTSIDE SO WE CAN STILL GIVE THE URBAN GRAPE SENSE OF HOSPITALITY AND SERVICE BUT HAVE OUR CUSTOMERS STAY OUTSIDE BEHIND PLEXIGLASS MASKS.

THE DELIVERY IT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BUY FROM US AND GET DELIVERY RIGHT TO THEIR HOME.

AND ALSO CHANGING UP OUR WEBSITE TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN YOU'VE BEEN TO THE STORE BEFORE CHRIS.

WE SELL ON THIS PROGRESSIVE SCALE AND WE CHANGED AND PIVOTED WHAT OUR WEBSITE WAS, TO GIVE MORE OF A REFLECTION OF WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU COME SNIDE INSIDE THE STORE.

IT WAS HARD, THERE WAS PUSH BACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, VERY FEW, BUT AS MUCH PUSH BACK THAT THERE WAS THERE WAS TEN TIMES SUPPORT WHICH KEPT US GOING AND AS YOU SAID LIKE WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE BETTER THIS YEAR THAN WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE WE SELL WINE AND WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF YOU KNOW MANEUVER WITHIN THIS PANDEMIC.

>> Collins: THERE IS SO MUCH GOING INTO THAT KEPT GOING.

WITH A BUSINESS THAT MIGHT HAVE CAPITAL RESERVE AND BOOKKEEPING AND A LOT OF STRUCTURE IN PLACE ACCOUNTANTS, A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS I'VE TALKED TO THAT HAD SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION BUSINESSES TYPICALLY HAVE ALL THIS IN PLACE.

FOR A BLACK OWNED BUSINESS THAT PROBABLY ISN'T NEARLY AS DEEPEN TRENCHED IN THE COMMUNITY AND DOESN'T HAVE QUITE THE RESERVES, IT BECOMES PRETTY MUCH A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.

CHERYL, COULD YOU SPEAK ON TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES AND TRYING TO JUST REALLY STAY AFLOAT WITHOUT MAYBE THE NECESSARY CAPITAL THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY HAVE?

>> SO THE GOOD THING ABOUT SOLEIL IS THAT I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO IN TERMS OF CAPITAL, LIKE SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES, WE APPLIED FOR TO P.P.P.

AND VARIOUS LOANS AND GRANTS THAT WERE OFFERED AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.

AND MANY OF US KNOW THAT THE FIRST ITERATION WENT TO PLACES LIKE SHAKE SHACK, MORTON STEAK HOUSE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE WERE FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE THE P.P.P, WE GOT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GRANTS AS WELL.

SO IT HELPS SUSTAIN MY STAFF.

YOU KNOW LIKE THE OTHER BUSINESSES HERE, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER HOUSEHOLDS.

AND WHAT WE DID, TO SLIGHTLY PIVOT, WAS INCREASE OUR CATERING.

WHICH BECAME VERY INTERESTING.

WE STARTED CATERING TO THE HOSPITALS.

WE PARTNERED WITH A COUPLE OF ENTITIES THAT WERE FEEDING A LOT OF THE ELDER POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO OUR PIVOT WAS TO FEED EN MASSE.

WE LOST A LOT OF WALK-IN REVENUE BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE BRUCE SPOLLING BUILDING AND EVERYBODY WAS WORKING FROM HOME.

WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR STRUCTURE.

LITERALLY, OUR DELIVERY WAS PROBABLY 10% OF OUR REVENUE.

AND OUR CATERING IS WHAT GREW DURING THE COVID TIMES.

AND THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY CARRYING US NOW.

>> Collins: INTERESTING, YOU SAID THE MORTON'S THE SHAKE SHACKS WERE THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THE FUNDING.

WEREN'T THERE INITIATIVES PUT IN PLACE TO GET THOSE IN COLOR, THOSE BROWN AND BROWN BUSINESSES THE MONEY FIRST?

WHAT HAPPENED?

WHAT BECAME OF THAT?

>> LIKE MANY PLANS THAT COME FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL DOWN, YOU KNOW, TO THE STATE, THERE IS A PLAN AND THEN THERE'S REALITY.

AND THE REALITY IS, WE WERE NOT FIRST ON THAT LIST.

EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS EFFORT THAT WAS IN THE MEDIA, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE'RE GOING TO HELP BLACK AND LATINA BUSINESSES AND THE REALITY WAS THAT WE RECEIVED HELP BUT WE WEREN'T FIRST IN LINE.

PERSEVERANCE WAS CRITICAL DURING THE TIME OF COVID.

AND FOLLOW-UP AND FOLLOW-THROUGH YOU KNOW, SOCIAL CAPITAL, REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE NEED THAT WE HAD IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS WAS CENTERED AROUND FUNDING.

>> Collins: NIA, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN AMAZING MARKETER, AND SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET YOUR BUSINESS AND GET IT OUT THERE SO PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IT AND REALIZE THAT IT'S NOW DOING TAKEOUT.

HOW IMPORTANTLY WAS NETWORKING AND KIND OF GROWING YOUR BASE AS FAR AS WHETHER IT BE MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND JUST GOOD OLD FASHIONED NETWORKING TO THE SUCCESS OF YOU SURVIVING DURING COVID?

>> I THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY ASKED ME WHAT IS -- WHAT DO I NEED, WHAT DOES A BUSINESS NEED DURING THIS PERIOD?

AND WE TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING AS AN OBVIOUS SOURCE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT IS ALL WE NEEDED A LOT OF US TO GET TO THIS POINT.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS NOT ALWAYS FINANCIAL, SOMETIMES IT'S A SHARED MESSAGE, SOMETIMES IT'S A REFERRAL.

WOULD I SAY HAVING HAD A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR OUR MARKETING PLATFORM AS WELL AS GOOD RELATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND IN KEEPING US YOU KNOW ON PEOPLE'S RADAR.

BUT SOMETHING THAT WE STRIVE TO DO AND THIS IS TRUE EVEN THE BOSTON BLACK HOSPITAL BY AT THAT TIMEHOSPITALITYCOALITION, TO BE HEARD AND SEEN IN PATRONS, OUR SMALL BLACK BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO DO THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN PARTNERSHIPS LIKE WITH MY FRIENDS OVER AT MEDA AS WELL AS URBAN GRAPE.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS IF WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN WE HAVE TO DO THAT COLLABORATION TOGETHER.

THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR STRONGEST ASSETS AND TOOLS DURING THIS TIME.

>> Collins: WS GREAT TO HEAR.

SOMETIMES IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO UPLIFT EVERYBODY.

AS A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.

KOBIE I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM YOU.

LAST YEAR WAS THE SUMMER OF RACIAL RECKONING, SOME RACIAL UNREST, DID YOU RIDE THE WAVE OF THOSE PROMOTING AND THOSE WHO FELT COMPELLED TO SUPPORT BLACK AND BROWNL-OWNED BUSINESSES?

>> YES, I THINK WE ALL KIND OF WERE THE BENEFACTORS OF THE RACIAL UNREST.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, I WISH THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE DIFFERENT AND THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DIE FOR THE COUNTRY TO KIND OF CHECK THEMSELVES.

BUT INEVITABLY THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

AND KIND OF THE RESULT OF THAT WAS A HYPERSENSITIVITY AROUND BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.

AND SO CLEIVEL YES, COLLECTIVELY THERE WERE KNOW MORE ATTENTION PAID TO BUSINESSES LIKE DARRYL'S AND THE URBAN GRAPE.

SO COLLECTIVELY THERE WAS A SHARPER FOCUS PUT ON BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES.

SO YEAH THERE WAS A BENEFIT AND THERE WAS TRANSLATED INTO DOLLARS AND RIGHTLY SO.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AND SPEACIALGHT IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IN BOSTON.

PEOPLE OF COLOR CAN OFTEN BE SEEN AS INVISIBLE BASED ON A BROADER LANDSCAPE.

ONCE WE WERE SEEN, AND RECOGNIZED, DULY SO, THEN YES, WE ALL ENJOYED THAT NEW-FOUND RECOGNITION.

>> Collins: THAT NUMBER STILL JUMPS OUT, 41% OF BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES FAILING IN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS.

AND ASIAN AND LATINO COMMUNITIES PRETTY SIMILAR NUMBERS.

WHAT DO WE DO TO BRING MORE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE YOU AND I INTO THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACE?

BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A SCARY SPACE AND IT HASN'T BEEN AN ESPECIALLY FRIENDLY SPACE.

AND THE NUMBERS SAY THAT IF YOU GET INTO THE SPACE YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOR LONG.

SO AS I LOOK AT THE FOUR OF YOU, ALL OF YOU SUPERTHE-SUCCESSFUL NOT JUST THE CURRENT SPACE BUT YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING PREVIOUSLY SO YOU'VE WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME, UNUSUAL, HENCE THE REASON YOU'RE HERE.

TJ IF YOU HAD TO GIVE SOMEBODY ADVICE ON HOW TO GET IN IT AND STAY IN IT, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

>> I THINK IT ACTUALLY STARTS CHRIS WITH BEING ABLE TO SEE YOURSELF IN WHATEVER POSITION THAT IS, THAT IS OUTS THERE.

WHATEVER INDUSTRY RIGHT?

LIKE, NIA BOUGHT DARRYL'S ONE OF THE STAPLES FOR OMANY DECADES IN BOSTON, RIGHT?

IF YOU WALKED IN THERE AND YOU SAW PEOPLE THAT LOOKED LIKE YOU YOU COULD SAY HEY, SHE DID IT, SHE'S A RESTAURANT OWNER.

MAYBE CAN I DO THAT.

AND WHAT'S THE PATH?

THE PATH IS TO GO IN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO NIA, YOU KNOW AND SAY HEY I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON LIKE WHAT WAS YOUR PATH ON HERE?

FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT ALREADY BE IN A SIMILAR INDUSTRY THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS AS, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO BECMA, BLACK ECONOMIC COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS, THERE IS A GREAT NETWORK THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT OF HOW TO FIND FUNDING, HOW TO FIND LOCATIONS, HOW TO FIND PERMITTING THROUGH WHATEVER INDUSTRY YOU'RE GETTING PERMITTING FOR.

THERE'S GREAT RESOURCE HE BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK.

NO ONE'S GOING TO JUST COME UP AND MAKE YOU AN OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT?

YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN PATH, FIND YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITY, AND RIDE THAT.

YOU NEED TO ASK FOR HELP, BE TRANSPARENT, AS MUCH AS YOU ASK FOR HELP YOU NEED THE OFFER THAT HELP FOR SOMEONE COMING UP.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A DEFINITIVE THIS IS WHAT YOU DO TO GET INTO BUSINESS BUT I THINK YOU NEED PEOPLE LIKE US TO SAY HERE IS AN IDEA, HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE?

>> Collins: CHERYL I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THE SAME QUESTION.

>> FOR ME, FOR YEARS I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN COMMUNITIES ENGAGEMENT.

SO I WENT TO MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD BY THE MAIN STREETS, I WENT TO MEETINGS THAT WERE ALSO OFFERED THROUGH THE CITY.

IT'S IMPORTANT LIKE TJ SAID.

YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.

NOBODY IS GOING TO CHASE YOU AND SAY HERE, HERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

I SAW MYSELF IN THE BUSINESS SO I WOULD GO TO DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AND JUST LITERALLY SIT AT A TABLE OR AT A HIGH-TOP SO I COULD WATCH THEIR STAFF.

YOU KNOW?

I WOULD TALK TO RESTAURANT OWNERS.

YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE NOT ONLY WILLING TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE, YOU HAVE TO BE VULNERABLE TO SAY HEY, MAYBE I DIDN'T DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.

LET ME GO ASK.

MENTORSHIP IS IMPORTANT.

A FINDING LIKE MINDING BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP GUIDE YOU THROUGH, BECAUSE IT'S A -- WE'RE IN A VERY, VERY TOUGH INDUSTRY.

SO I THINK THAT NETWORKING IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS.

AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL.

SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT SLIP AND FALL.

BUT THEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU LEARN THE LESSON.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

>> Collins: SURE, IT'S ALL ABOUT ABOUT FAILING-FORWARD.

AND NIA, YOU TOOK OVER A HISTORIC PLACE, FOR YOU TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR SO LONG AND CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONVERSATION, A POINT OF DISCUSSION, A MEETING POINT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE CITY, THERE'S -- COMES A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE WITH THAT IN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BURDEN TO KEEP THAT GOING.

>> HAD IT'S A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY -- IT'S A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND ONE THAT I DEFINITELY WELCOMED.

YOU KNOW YOU TALK ABOUT WHY YOU DO SOMETHING AND WHY SOMEONE GETS STARTED.

YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

AND WOULD I SAY THAT I WAS DEFINITELY PASS AT ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUT MORE SO, MY HISTORY HAS BEEN BASED IN COMMUNITY AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES AND PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND I ABSOLUTELY HAVE RECOGNIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT DARRYL'S BOB THE CHEF, THAT CORNER IN THE AREA OF ROXBURY HAS PLAYED FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE CITY OF ROXBURY AS WELL.

MY EXCITEMENT TO BE HERE IS ALL AROUND THAT AND CONTINUING THAT LEGACY.

>> Collins: I KNOW EVERYBODY IS EXCITED FOR A NEW NORM COME THIS SUMMER THAT HOPEFULLY WILL RESEMBLE THE OLD NORM.

HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET THE PATIO OPEN NIA.

>> YES, HOPEFULLY.

>> Collins: I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY, WE'RE AWFULLY PROUD OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T LET YOURSELF BE A STATISTIC.

THE STATISTICS ARE SO DAUNTING, IT LOOKS LIKE A HUGE MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB BUT YOU'RE CLIMBING IT.

AND TJ YOU HAVE CLIMBED IT FOR A DECADE AND OTHERS HAVE CLIMBED IT AND KOBIE I WISH YOU THE BEST IN THE SPACE AS THIS MEDICINAL MARIJUANA RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA CONTINUES TO TAKE OFF.

ALL GREAT THINGS ALL GOOD STUFF WE APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.

WE WRAP IT UP ON OUR BROADCAST BUT WE'RE NOT DONE JUST YET.

WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

ALWAYS A GREATS TIME HERE ON BASIC BLACK.

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