There are a lot of entrepreneurship service organizations (ESOs) in the Dallas Fort-Worth area (aka the Metroplex), but none of them really focus on minority entrepreneurs or even entrepreneurs at the very beginning stage of business. This is one of the many reasons why Darlisa Diltz founded the North Texas Entrepreneur Education and Training Center (NTEETC). Darlisa’s center is the first and only Black-owned, woman-owned, minority-owned business resource center in the Metroplex.
Our focus
has always been the underserviced, underserved and minority businesses.
Darlisa Diltz
“We are different from a lot of the other business service organizations. Our focus has always been the underserviced, underserved and minority businesses. We have a lot of business service organizations here in DFW, but there’s not a lot of us that focus on educating and providing support for that true beginning entrepreneur where they are in the idea space and need help with navigating and making the right decisions that lead them to sustainability, growth, scalability.”
NTEETC is a starting point for entrepreneur lifestyle seekers to learn and be exposed to the realities of business ownership. This business resource center has a focus on Entrepreneur education and ecosystem building. Their C.O.R.E. program allows participants the opportunity to gain knowledge from an educational and practical perspective and offers access to mentors and industry experts to help clients through the entrepreneurship journey.
“We take entrepreneurs all the way through the process and help them determine if entrepreneurship is right for them. Some of the clients we work with are foster care organizations where the students are coming out of the foster care program and they need to go into the workforce, students that would like to explore entrepreneurship as a career, and of course those that aspire to be an Entrepreneur. We also work with businesses that are in the startup phase but haven’t been able to grow their business to a profitable status. Most of our clientele are those that fall into the “side-hustle”, solo-preneur, 1-5 person team businesses. We also do a lot with ecosystem building, community engagement, and pairing our clients with resources that help them get to the next level.”
NTEETC also partners with local service providers and has built a strong network of entrepreneurs interested in helping clients with standard business launch needs like website, accounting, social media, etc. Beyond those core, tangible services Darlisa offers, she offers a minority-led and supported space created to specifically support them, where they can build community among other entrepreneurs of color.
“One of the main reasons for me starting my center and choosing the model we did was to build this sense of community for those that don’t have it. We are a place where people can come, connect, learn, grow, get access to resources, etc. We have built a community-specific to impacting a shift in the current dynamic of how Black entrepreneurs engage with not only one another but everyone,” says Darlisa.
“Having a strong community is very important in the African American/Black community. One of the reasons for this is because many don't come from what others may consider a ‘community or a network of support.’ Many come from broken homes, financially strained, limited access, and very independent situations. So the concept of community is not the same growing up Black. Some of us grew up with the ‘big brother watching’ or you have to look out for yourself mentality. Because of this, in things like business, until we have learned differently, we are hesitant to join forces or connect because there is a fear of sabotage, or idea theft, or minimal support. There are not typically people or resources that we can rely on to help us right out of the gate, so we try to go about things on our own, making it 10x's as hard to be successful simply because we never learned what the benefits of being in a ‘community’ were.”
Navigating COVID
Unlike a lot of organizations, Darlisa says they are thriving during COVID times. Now that Black issues and experiences are at the forefront of everyone’s mind, people are coming out of the woodwork to help her and the entrepreneurs she serves.
“COVID has really maximized our efforts and shined a light on what we do. At the same time… everyone is like ‘Oh, we need to focus on Black businesses. We need to develop programs specific to the black entrepreneur, we need to create opportunities that are less strenuous for black businesses to access them’ and I am like HELLLOOOO…..what do you think I have been working so hard on? So yes, COVID has been beneficial but also amped up the competition,” says Darlisa.
She’s also had to make some changes in the services and programs she offers to meet the current needs of entrepreneurs going through the pandemic.
“Because our focus is on education anyway, COVID allowed us the opportunity to connect with our clients and the community on a different level by making sure people had the resources and education they needed to make it through this difficult time. Early on we did a lot of work around the EIDL and PPP funding, making sure we provided educational resources specific to the process, applying and the guidelines. We launched a series called ‘Coping with COVID-19, Candid Conversation on the Coronavirus Pandemic.’ We did virtual zoom sessions with major organizations like the SBA, Texas Workforce, local colleges, business owners and various others to give up to date information on what was happening. We have since shifted and got back into more strategic planning, pivoting, providing info on what they need to sustain in business going forward. A lot of what we are doing is helping businesses refocus their marketing and reestablishing their target markets and putting more strategies in place around contact and engagement from a virtual standpoint.”
Many of the businesses Darlisa works with have had to pivot due to COVID, but her team has been able to support them in doing that successfully.
“We have been working a lot with helping companies pivot. A lot of the businesses have had to make significant pivots and unfortunately some of them have decided they need to take a pause to refocus or even close shop. But those that stayed in the game have been making great progression in transitioning to the virtual new norm.”
In addition to entrepreneurs at her center, Darlisa has also been a mentor for members of The Dallas Entrepreneur Center (another SCN member-run organization). She’s been helping entrepreneurs understand how to transition to a virtual business, refocus their marketing efforts, and put more strategies in place around contact and engagement from a virtual standpoint.
Major Challenges
Darlisa says her biggest challenge is getting through the red tape that comes along with developing new partnerships.
“We have to go through so much red tape. I’s dotted, t’s crossed, double spaced… Where for other organizations, it’s merely a phone call or a connection within their personal network that can get the job done for them.”
For the entrepreneurs she works with, the challenges are in funding, relationships, and trust-building.
“There’s always the challenge from the lending side of things with Black and minority businesses. We can’t readily access capital like a lot of other businesses can. One of the reasons is the lack of information we have up front, credit, capacity and just flat out NO’s. We are accustomed to having to operate from a side hustle mentality. We have to go out there and get it done...and that is how we generate revenue. So to have the odds already against us make that grind even harder. We’re not necessarily thinking about making sure we have this document and these signatures out of the gate, because we are more focused on having to prove that our business is viable,” Darlisa explains.
Another big challenge is the uncertainty around who to trust with grants and funding.
“Right now there are so many resources, so many grants, so many tools, and not knowing which ones are truly in support of minority and Black businesses is a challenge. A lot of people/organizations say that they are in support of Black businesses... they get funding, but when the smoke settles, they are not really helping Black businesses. Having to weed through what’s real and what’s not is a big challenge.
Another big challenge is the uncertainty around who to trust. “You put in all this work for your business, you spend the time, energy and money into getting it to a point where you know bringing others onboard would only strengthen it...only to get your business idea stolen. Companies want you to provide all this information to them, only to tell you no or receive minimal assistance.. But now, they have all of your information about your company. Trust and believe me I know 1st hand that these companies are stealing peoples business ideas. They’re stealing information and reusing it as if it was their original idea. How can businesses that already have limitations compete with that. Furthermore, why would you want to apply for grants or funding if you know the odds are stacked against you?”
Darlisa says that’s a big fear in the community. She advises her clients looking for funding and grant opportunities to work on building organic relationships rather than simply applying for everything possible.
“I’m a strong proponent of building relationships - organic relationships at that. That’s really what it boils down to. People getting to know and understanding your business, your mission, and what it is that you’re setting out to do. That in and of itself will help to navigate some of the muddy waters. It’s not going to solve everything but it will help that process. People are more inclined to do business with people they know, like, and trust.”
That trust and relationship building is what Darlisa’s entire organization is built on. When it boils down to it, resources and education will only get an entrepreneur so far. Confidence, support networks, and personal growth are what help entrepreneurs sustain and grow their businesses over time.
“We are very strong in building networks and relationships with people and making sure their foundation is solid. You can’t operate a Fortune 500 business on a side hustle mentality. You have to understand the best of both worlds. You still have to go through and dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s but keep in mind you have to work, you have to hustle, you have to build, and that’s what’s going to draw people to your business. The notion of freebies? Get that out of your head. They will come but don’t start or plan to operate your business solely on this. Act as if you have to pay for every single thing that you get. That’s not just payment in money, that’s time, energy… whatever. That’s how we work with our clients and we work with them from the personal side a lot more than the business side. The business side is kind of cut and dry. You get your LLC, you get your EIN. But it’s that human side, that personal side that really grows your business.”