We need to take the time to help each other, to support each other, to care for our youths, and instill wisdom in our youths. Don’t just talk about the change, be about the change. In this episode, we are joined by Eli Smith to learn from his experience as being a Black business owner in America.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
- Discover how you can be a successful business owner.
- Learn how you can establish your worth.
- Learn how to stay positive and motivated as a Black business owner living in America
Episode Highlights
What Is It Like Being Black In America?
- Eli shared that it is a struggle being Black in America.
- Eli mentioned that there is the constant feeling of not being able to breathe.
- He shared that being Black we hear more “no’s” than “yes”.
- We are constantly fighting to just find our worth; trying to create values within our own communities.
- Being Black in America, you feel as though you always have to try to match up in order to be equals.
- We need to show support to those in our communities.
- Eli believes we need to normalize building up our fellow Black business owners and aspiring business owners instead of tearing them down.
Divide & Conquer- What Role Does This Play In Our Society Today?
- Eli shared that the ‘Divide & Conquer’ phenomenon during the time of slavery, and even to this day was how Whites were able to get members of the Black community to turn against each other.
- Eli spoke on a powerful concept, “Redlining”- where banks would give certain loans to those who wished to purchase a home. In certain communities, he shared that they would make sure that Blacks would not be able to own homes; placing them all together in particular cities. In doing so, it was easier for policing, easier for them to enter communities and assault Black men or women, and to treat Black children unfavorably.
- In these communities, you’ll find high rates of unemployment and schools without proper teaching systems.
How Can We Shift Our Mindset?
- Eli also shared that in his role as a Black business owner, he always tries to give back to the community through his foundations and through his yearly summit known as the Dream Summit.
- For this annual summit, he would get business professionals to come in and talk about How to Create Wealth and Value Within the Black Community.
- He also shared that his company represents diversity- by hiring people from all over the world.
Eli Shares His Background
- Eli shared that from the age of 17, he learned the value of a contract through his father’s teachings.
- Eli also shared that even from a young age, he always knew that he wanted to pursue a career in business.
- He shared that his father taught him to realize that with everything you are told, make sure you do your research to know if it’s true.
Knowing Your Worth
- Eli shared that many times we look in our communities for praise and honor, and a lot of times there are always people trying to keep us down.
- There should not have to be a policy to tell you to love your fellow men.
- Eli also shared that we should not place our faith in a government that has tried to keep us down.
4 Powerful Quotes from This Episode
“Don’t be quick to put people down”
“Stop looking for acceptance from those who didn’t want us here, to begin with”
“We have to realize that people deserve a second chance in life”
“Never take and trust what someone else is telling you without first understanding what the project is and understanding what the value of the job is”
About Eli Smith
Eli founded and runs successful businesses in construction and real estate development. A committed and energetic entrepreneur, he is following in the footsteps of his parents who were successful business owners for over 40 years. Eli has been recognized by Governor Cuomo for his entrepreneurial spirit and achievement in contracting, and he is passionate about giving back to his community through mentoring students and recognizing and empowering minority and women-owned businesses.
Curious about Eli’s work? Check out his website. For more information on the My Dream Summit visit his website.
Have specific questions? You can reach out and follow Eli on LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Enjoy this Podcast?
You have to know and understand your worth. You have to believe in yourself above all else. If you enjoyed today’s episode of The Entrepreneurial You, hit subscribe and share it with your friends!
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Have any questions? You can contact me through email (henekawatkisporter@gmail.com) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!
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Stay inspired,
Heneka
