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Businesses often need to evolve with the times, including how businesses get started and promoted. There's been a trend over the last decade or so where projects and businesses can get their feet off the ground through online crowdfunding. While fundraising itself isn't new, platforms like Kickstarter have made the process much easier.
Since Black entrepreneurs can encounter obstacles and roadblocks through traditional means of investing and starting businesses, some have turned to Kickstarter to get backing for their projects. These businesses range from book stores with unique twists to online storefronts.
Even if some of these projects have already reached their goal, sometimes a little extra money goes a long way.
Without further ado, here are a few Black-owned campaigns you should look into!
Urban Jungle Brewing
Shannon Harris wants to bring more diversity to the world of brewing. Urban Jungle Brewing is a Black-owned, farm-inspired brewery looking to be a place for people of various backgrounds to come together and enjoy crafting beer.
"While there are over 8,000 breweries in the US, there is little representation of people of color. Black brewery owners account for just 1% percent of brewery ownership, according to Bart Watson, chief economist of the Brewers Association," Harris wrote on the Kickstarted page.
The proposed location will be 45 minutes away from Downtown Austin in Texas. They're hoping to complete the construction of the site in Q4 of 2022.
Niche Book Bar
A bookstore and a bar altogether in one location. Why not? That's the dream of book lover Cetonia Watson. After building local notoriety as a bookseller on a bike, Watson is now ready to open her own storefront.
"Niche Book Bar will be Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s only Black-owned bookstore selling varied Black Literature since 2017," according to the Kickstarter page. "It will be a place to browse shelves, grab a simple coffee or tea, and sip a glass of wine. Niche will host book clubs, author events, storytimes, and everyday bookworms!"
Fundraising dollars will go toward operating costs, furniture, inventory, and other expenses.
Yellow Mango
This Black and minority-owned startup is aiming to deliver warm meals to working people located far away from local restaurants and eateries. According to the Kickstarter page, restaurants that participate in this app won't face transactional fees, as well.
"Our launch date for our customer application is late September- early October 2021, in the Oakland, California area," the page reads. "We have customers in 3 commercial locations that are ready to try Yello Mango and 10 + restaurant partners wanting to serve."
Most of the fundraising money will go to the user experience design of the app, then web development, delivery bags, and other miscellaneous costs. You can read more about their story here.
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