25 Black Owned Businesses To Support

25 Black-Owned Businesses to Support 

(left to right) Silas Adekunle, founder of Reach Robotics; Mahisha Dillinger, founder of CURLS, LLC; Aminah Abdul Jillil, founder of her own self-titled shoe collection; and Reben Canada, founder of Jin+Ja drinks

Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but very little of this sales revenue goes to Black and minority-owned businesses. In fact, according to federal statistics, Black-owned businesses continue to grow in numbers, but their annual revenues and number of employees continue to lag.

Here are 25 Black-owned businesses that you can support to help make a difference:

(All of their products are available for purchase online!)

Desserts/ Snacks

#1 - CamiCakes Cupcakes: These yummy cupcakes were the inspiration of African American entrepreneur Andra Hall. She named the cupcakes after her daughter Camille and includes over 25 different varieties like sweet potato, banana cream, salted caramel, red velvet and more. Order online or visit one of her 7 locations in Florida and Georgia.

#2 - The Black Cake Company: Caribbean rum cakes are the specialty at this bakery. They use fresh ingredients and recipes that have been handed down for generations. The company has been around since 1987 and ships cakes around the world.

#3 - Symphony Chips: Created by an Atlanta-based father and his 2 daughters, this company produces healthy potato chips with all-natural ingredients that are both delightful and memorable.

Beverages

#4 - Ellis Island Tea: Ellis Infinity Beverage Company was founded in 2008 by Nailah Ellis-Brown. Their specialty is Ellis Island Tropical Tea, an all natural, hibiscus tea with a Jamaican blend. The recipe came from the founder's great grandfather and is now produced in Detroit, Michigan.

#5 - Me and the Bees Lemonade: Founded by 10-year old, Mikaila of Austin, Texas, when she was only four years old when she opened her lemonade stand, using her great-grandmother's recipe. She called it Sweet Bee lemonade but has since changed the name to Me and the Bees Lemonade.

#6 - Jin+Ja: a revitalizing, anti-inflammatory and metabolism boosting tea brand that was started in the summer of 2009 by entrepreneur Reuben Canada. He initially made the drinks for himself and for friends, but then realized that he had something bigger on his hands. After doing a test at a local retailer, the product kept selling out every 3 days for first three months and the rest is history!

#7 - Bee D'Vine: a popular brand of honey wine that was created by entrepreneur Ayele Solomon after he realized that flowering trees in Ethiopia were an ideal source of nectar and pollen that bees use to make valuable honey. This set him on a quest to better understand the art and business of creating honey wine. He evaluated production in Ethiopia and South Africa, but settled on the world-class wine region of Sonoma – not far from where he grew up – using California honey for the first varietals.

Hair/ Skin care

#8 - Naturalicious: Founded by entrepreneur Gwen Jimmere, this Detroit-based company produces and sells non-toxic hair care products. They also donate a large portion of their profits to Services to Enhance Potential (STEP), an organization that helps find employment opportunities for men and women with special needs.

#9 - CURLS, LLC: Entrepreneur Mahisha Dellinger founded CURLS in 2002 in Elk Grove, California. They are a leader in the natural hair care industry and use only certified organic ingredients in their products.

#10 - Shea Moisture: This company produces all-natural products for the hair, skin, bath and body products, cosmetics and products for both women and men. The inspiration came from their grandmother, Sofi Tucker, who sold Shea Butter, African Black Soap and her homemade hair and skin preparations.

#11 - Alice Inc: This amazing skincare company specializes in crafting affordable, handmade creams, oils, butters and soaps for all types of natural hair and skin. Their top ingredients include coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil and other essentials to help your natural hair and skin thrive.

#12 - BLAC Minerals: This company specializes in all natural makeup for women of color. All their products are free from animal testing, FD&C synthetic lakes and dyes, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, propylene glycol, benzene, mineral oil, petroleum, peanut oil, triclosan, and other chemicals.

EVERY BLACK PERSON MUST WATCH AND SHARE

Apparel/ Shoes

#13 - ChubiiLine: Motivated to stop bullying, 10-year old Egypt (Ify) Ufele launched this unique apparel line which features t-shirts, hats, bags, and baby onesies. At the young age of just 5 years old, her grandmother began teaching her how to sew, and she practiced by making clothes for her Barbie dolls.

#14 - Pretty Brown Girls: T-shirts, onesies and wristbands that promote a special message of self love and empowerment for daughters, granddaughters, nieces, sisters, etc. The organization also offers powerful workshops, events and curriculums for Blacks girls and young women.

#15 - Nagast Footwear: designs, manufactures and distributes custom Black pride/ afrocentric sneakers and athletic footwear for men and women. Their designs include the Marcus Garvey shoe and The Nat Turner "African Runner Shoe".

#16 - Aminah Abdul Jillil: Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, this former professional dancer turned shoe entrepreneur launched her women's shoe collection in 2012. Her dancing career, performing with top stars like Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, led to another creative field, selling designer shoes in Los Angeles boutiques and also online. 

Accessories

#17 - Gabby Bows: The first of its kind, double faced, double snap barrette hair accessory created by mother and daughter team, Rozalynn and 8-year old Gabrielle Goodwin.

#18 - Gregory Sylvia Hand Bags: This designer handbag company was co-founded by Gregory and Terri “Sylvia” Pope. The husband-wife team started their company in Charlotte, North Carolina and are known for their luxury, elegant handbags crafted from fine leather.

#19 - Designed by Don Neckwear: an exclusive neckwear company, based in Realto, California, that specializes in afrocentric ties made of 100% jacquard silk. Founded in 1991 by African American entrepreneur Don L. Griggs, the company produces a superior quality line of men's neckwear and cufflinks that reflect elegance and cultural significance.

#20 - Black History Bowties: the only online destination that sells vintage printed bowties featuring African American heroes! Based in San Diego, California, their unique bowties are hand-crafted to perfection, made with premium 100% double-brushed cotton and polyester. Even more, they will look amazing on you when you get suited up!

Toys/ Gaming

#21 - Reach Robotics (Mekamon): Created by a young Nigerian entrepreneur, these innovative gaming robots called Mekamons intertwine gaming with education for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The robots are controlled via a smartphone app, and are available in Apple stores worldwide.

#22 - Trinity Designs: This Texas-based doll maker began making African American dolls in 2001. Their product line includes dolls that capture the image and character of the African American sorority sister, as well as adult, collectible dolls, which can be purchased online.

#23 - Uzuri Kid Kiz: This doll maker is based in Columbus, Ohio, and has been making dolls that reflect the African American culture since 1997. The word "uzuri" means beauty, and expresses the company's belief that all kids are beautiful, no matter what color or race they are.

Household

#24 - True Laundry Detergent: Established in 2012 by three Black entrepreneurs, this Atlanta-based company specializes in eco-friendly laundry detergent. They have over 25 distributors and currently do business in over 18 states throughout the country.

#25 - Freedom Paper Company: headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, this Black-owned manufacturer and distributor produces economical bathroom tissue for both residential and commercial use. Privately owned and founded by CEO Kamose Muhammad, they also produce economical paper towels, paper products and dispensers.

Meet 10 Of The Worlds Black Billionaires

In 2017, 10 of the world's billionaires — fewer than 1% — are black, down from 12 last year, reports Forbes contributor Mfonobong Nsehe. Three of the 10 are women. All but one, Isabel Dos Santos, are billed by Forbes as self-made.

Mohammed Ibrahim: $1.14 billion

Continue reading to see the richest 10 black billionaires in the world, according to the 2017 Forbes Billionaires list.

(Getty Images)

Self-made billionaire, 71 year-old Mohammed Ibrahim, was born in Sudan and now lives in the United Kingdom, where he is the 11th wealthiest citizen. Ibrahim became a billionaire after selling his telecommunications company, Celtel International, in 2005, according to Forbes. Now he spends much of his time focusing on improving the lives of African citizens through the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

Michael Jordan: $1.31 billion

(Getty)

One of the most successful athletes of all time, Michael Jordan, 54, made a total of $90 million as a basketball player, according to Forbes. Since retiring from the NBA, he has amassed the majority of his wealth through his relationship with Nike and other corporate partnerships. Jordan, who also owns a stake in the Charlotte Hornets, now makes more in one year than he did during his entire professional basketball career, as Business Insider's Cork Gaines reported.

Folorunsho Alakija: $1.61 billion

(Reuters)

Folorunso Alakija, vice chair of Nigerian oil company Famfa Oil, got her start in business as the founder of an elite Nigerian fashion label, according to Forbes. The 66 year-old self-made billionaire lives in Lagos, Nigeria and has four children. Her son, Folarin Alakija, recently married Iranian model Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar, in a lavish, multi-million dollar wedding, which took place in England.

Patrice Motsepe: $1.81 billion

(RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty Images)

South-African Patrice Motsepe, 55, founder of the mining company African Rainbow Minerals, was Africa's first black billionaire. The father of three was also the first African to sign Bill Gates' Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half of his wealth to charity. Motsepe and his wife Precious created the Motsepe Foundation in 1999 to help create new jobs, support education, and improve the lives of children, the unemployed, and the disabled, among others.

Robert Smith: $2.5 billion

(Stephen Lovekin/Getty)

When Robert Smith, 54, left Goldman Sachs in 2000 to start his own private equity firm, Vista Equity Partners, his coworkers thought he was crazy. But since then, his success and wealth has sky-rocketed, landing him on the Forbes Billionaire list for the first time in 2016. In 2015, Smith wed Hope Dworaczyk, a former Playboy playmate and mother of his young son in an incredible villa on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The private-equity titan, who resides in Austin, Texas, added his name to the Giving Pledge earlier this year.

Oprah Winfrey: $3 billion

(Win McNamee / Staff)

Oprah Winfrey, 63, is the only African-American woman to make the Forbes billionaire list. Winfrey overcame a tough childhood to become the well-known and beloved media mogul she is today. While generous with her wealth, Winfrey still maintains an enviable lifestyle. Earlier this year, Winfrey delivered the commencement address at Smith College, telling graduates the secret to success is serving others.

Isabel Dos Santos: $3.1 billion

Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the Angolan president, Jose Eduardo (AFP)

The wealthiest of the three woman to make this list, and the youngest black billionaire in the world, 44 year-old Isabel Dos Santos is the daughter of Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been president of Angola since 1979. Her fortune comes from multiple investments, many of which are controversial and linked to her father, according to Forbes, although Dos Santos maintains her investments are private and independent.

Mike Adenuga: $6.1 billion

Nigerian Mike Adenuga, 64, is chairman of telecommunications company Globacom, which has 36 million subscribers, as well as the majority owner of Lagos-based oil company Conoil, according to Bloomberg. While earning an MBA from Pace University in New York, he drove a taxi to pay the bills. Today, Adenuga, who has seven children, is the second-wealthiest man in Nigeria, according to Forbes.

Mohammed Al Amoudi: $8.4 billion

Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Wikipedia)

Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, 71, moved from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia when he was 19, and began amassing his fortune from government-contracts in real estate and construction, according to Bloomberg. Now, the father of eight owns businesses across multiple industries, including oil, mining and agriculture, in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Sweden. 

Aliko Dangote: $12.2 billion

(Getty Images)

The wealthiest man in Africa is Nigerian Aliko Dangote, 60, who has been CEO and president of Dangote Group for 35 years. The majority of his fortune comes from a more than 90% stake in Dangote Cement, Africa's largest producer of cement, which is traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. He is also an active philanthropist, serving as chairman of The Dangote Foundation, which focuses on education, agriculture and health-related initiatives.

courtesy of independent.co.uk