Investing in the growth of Black businesses

Did you know that the only African American-owned bulk food and beverage transportation company in the United States is right here in Chicago? That’s right. BT Express, owned by husband and wife team Paula and James Tillman, ships products around the coun

With operations in Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio and Pennsylvania and trucks traveling cross-country everyday, BT Express is literally feeding the nation. Paula, who is a trained lawyer, is president of the company.

She is responsible for all administrative and financial functions. James, who has more than 30 years of truck driving experience, is the COO primarily in charge of the firm’s operations and logistics.

Through strategic partnerships, grassroots support and, they’ll tell you, “the grace of God,” the Tillmans have been in business for five years in a highly competitive industry where racial bias is as much a part of the business landscape as road kill. But just surviving isn’t good enough; the Tillman’s want to thrive.

When the Urban League last summer announced its nextONE program to support the growth of Black-owned businesses, the Tillman’s were among the first to apply. They came to us with several goals in mind, including expanding their trucking fleet, growing the liquid product hauling side of the business, and extending the firm’s transportation services to other bulk food categories.

After a rigorous application and interview process, BT Express joined 15 local Black-owned businesses in our inaugural nextONE class. NextONE is the Urban League’s response to the urgent need to grow Black businesses to scale so that they can compete with majority-owned companies.

If Chicago wins its bid to host the 2016 Olympics, for instance, the Black business community must be ready and able to win its fair share of the work, given that a great deal of the Games would take place in our communities on the South Side. Our 16 nextONE businesses represent the construction, service and retail sectors.

For the past several months, they have been introduced to financial planning and management resources, received industry specific coaching from peers and experts, and learned how to market themselves and develop new business. Our nextONE entrepreneurs laud the benefits they’ve received in the program.

BT Express, for instance, has improved the way it does business in several ways. The Tillmans say they have identified 13 new bid opportunities and were granted a corporate card from Bank of America to enhance their working capital and fuel management. BT Express is now in a position to take on more clients and manage growth.

Another reason that it is so important that Black businesses grow is the benefits to the community. Black owned businesses such as BT Express make it a priority to hire African Americans to manage their operations and drive their trucks.

They’re putting Black people to work. This Friday, BT Express and our 15 other nextONE class members will be feted at a dinner, officially graduating from the program. The graduates will become part of an alumni network that will help them stay connected to each other and to our business management experts at the Urban League.

I wish them well as they continue their journey towards growth and success. The Urban League has committed to staying connected to these companies not only because they hire Blacks but because successful Black businesses mean investment in the community and, ultimately, a more robust regional economy.

The Urban League is now taking applications for the 2008 nextONE class. If you are a business owner who would like more information or want to apply, visit our Web site at www.thechicagourbanleague.org. If you believe, as I do, that Chicago will become the new “Black Wall Street,” then growing Black-owned businesses has to be a priority.

With that said, I encourage you to support Black owned businesses and to spend your dollars in your own community whenever possible.