We had the good fortune of connecting with Jice Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jice, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The Black Business Initiative wasn’t planned, but it blossomed from a desire to make a difference. Fueled by my business degree and inspired by Dr. Claude Anderson’s “Hidden Colors” and Maggy Anderson’s TED Talk “My Black Year,” I saw a gap in our community – a need to empower Black businesses.

What began as a single workshop evolved into a nearly decade-long mission. We’ve built a thriving community by helping Black businesses build capacity, social capital, and financial literacy.

My initial research led me to identify five key pillars for success: acumen (business knowledge), mentorship, access to capital, patronage (supporting Black businesses), and policy advocacy. These pillars have become the foundation of all our programming for the past nine years.

What should our readers know about your business?
Born from the growing racial awareness during the BLM movement, the Black Business Initiative (BBI) emerged in Denver, CO, in 2015. As Denver boomed, BBI became a beacon, highlighting the challenges faced by Black businesses in the Rocky Mountain region.

BBI’s impact is far-reaching. We’ve partnered and consulted with nearly every organization serving the Black business community in Colorado, establishing a statewide reputation. Recognizing the need, we expanded our services to Atlanta, further strengthening the Black business support network.

The journey hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced the typical business hurdles, compounded by initial skepticism due to our focus on Black communities. However, BBI’s doors have always been open to all, with an unwavering commitment to empowering Black businesses. This focus became our strength during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations seeking to support Black communities turned to BBI for guidance, allowing us to, not only survive but also become a vital resource hub during those challenging times.

Today, BBI remains dedicated to supporting businesses – Black-owned and others – through sales strategy, revenue generation, and access to capital programs. We also partner with community organizations, governments, and financial institutions offering technical assistance to underserved communities.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were hosting in Atlanta, I’d start the weekend with a walk around Stone Mountain. I’d definitely spend some time in the sun on the beltline and Ponce City Market. I think anyone visiting Atlanta would want to visit the shopping scene in Buckhead. And I’d have dinner at the Thompson Hotel’s Tessa Rae’s or Aye Tee Elles.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
If I’ve done one thing right, it’s cultivate some amazing networks, peers and mentors. If I tried to thank the people most pivotal in supporting me I’d surely miss someone. But I will thank the first person that believed enough in my vision to cut me a check, Rich Lewis of RTL Networks, who continues to be a supporter and mentor to this day.

Website: https://www.bbiprofessional.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jicejohnson/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jice-johnson/

Image Credits
Miss Money Shot

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