Barbershop forum attracts ‘extraordinary minds’

Published 2:45 pm Tuesday, July 23, 2019

On Saturday, the Selma Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America hosted a Barbershop Forum on financial literacy and entrepreneurship at Branden’s Hair Studio on Selma Avenue.

The event falls under the national organization’s Economic Empowerment pillar, one of the group’s key missions, and represents the first time such an event has been hosted in the Queen City.

“It went extremely well,” said Billy Young, president of the local organization. “We strongly believe some exciting business opportunities will yield from this event.”

Email newsletter signup

The event was held in conjunction with the Small Business Administration (SBA), Hope Credit Union and Keller Williams Realty of Atlanta and featured talks from Roderick Perkins, Lender Relations and Economic Development Director for the Alabama District Office of SBA, Louis Franklin, a Commercial Lending Banker at Hope Credit Union, and Tiffany McCall, a Mortgage Broker at Keller Williams Realty of Atlanta.

The discussions covered a variety of topics, including strategies for maneuvering the terrains of entrepreneurship and how to effectively secure and manage resources.

Further, Young said many attendees asked questions about what a first-time homebuyer needs to secure a mortgage or the ideal credit score one needs to start a business.

“This was a meeting of extraordinary minds,” Young said. “The amount of financial information that was passed was awesome.”

The event also looked into the classic barriers standing between Black Belt residents and their dreams of launching a successful business, including a lack of access to capital, financial literacy and social capital – the forum was designed as a way for business leaders to “meet citizens where they are” and connect them with the resources requires to be small business owners.

According to Young, between 20 and 30 people showed up for the event, which he says is an enormous success considering it was the organization’s first event of this nature and it took place on a Saturday morning.

Already, Young and the organization are planning a similar event for the fall – Young said all three speakers have signed on to return and have expressed an interest in doing business in Selma and supporting its up-and-coming business owners.

“This is the type of information that we want as many people as possible in Selma and Dallas County that want to hear it to have the opportunity to do so,” Young said. “We think really good things will come.”

For more information on the organization, contact them at selma100blackmen@gmail.com.