Daymond John is bringing Black Entrepreneurs Day back for its fifth year, and the successful shark and FUBU founder is dishing deets to BOSSIP.
Source: Courtesy Black Entrepreneurs Day
The highly anticipated event will take place at the Fox Theater in Atlanta on November 22, 2024, and according to John who launched Black Entrepreneurs Day in 2020, it was a response to the struggles leaders face especially following the social unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
“I created it out of a need and frustration,” he told BOSSIP’s Managing Editor Dani Canada. “We saw what was going on in 2020 with George Floyd. It reminded me of what we were going through in 1992 with Rodney King. I was watching people burn businesses out of frustration instead of building them. A lot of these people needed the same thing I needed in 1992— inspiration to not go do something that was going to hurt more people, but empower more people.”
John didn’t just stop with inspiration, however, he took action by leveraging his network.
“I called up Shaquille O’Neal, LL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, Ice-T, and Bob Johnson and said, ‘Will you help me tell people about your failures, what you’ve been through, and how you overcame those moments of hopelessness?’” said John noting that the event has grown year after year and featured the likes Whoopi Goldberg, Tyra Banks, Spike Lee, and Kevin Hart.
A press release reports that since its inception, Black Entrepreneurs Day has provided over $1 million in grants to 40 different Black-owned businesses. With that in mind, Atlanta a city that has long been a hub for Black excellence, is a natural fit for this year’s event.
“Atlanta is the number one place in the country where Black businesses thrive. It’s rich in history, in culture, whether it’s music, civil rights, or various other things. It’s the Black Mecca,” John told BOSSIP. “When we come to Atlanta, we’re talking about Black businesses in the Mecca of Black businesses.”
A major highlight of Black Entrepreneurs Day is that tickets are free, making the event accessible to all who want to attend. John emphasized the importance of this to BOSSIP saying;
“We’re fortunate to have great sponsors like JPMorgan Chase, Hilton for Business, and T-Mobile for Business, who make it possible to give away this money, not as loans, but as free money.”
Source: Courtesy Black Entrepreneurs Day / Courtesy Black Entrepreneurs Day