In Part 1 of our series, we explored some system barriers for Black entrepreneurs. In particular, investment redlining and the actions being taken by Mariah Lichtenstern. On the one hand, as ecosystem builders, we need to hold those in power accountable and ensure we are bringing everyone to the table. Making resources available and advocating for more access and equity. On the other hand, it’s time to start putting new systems in place. Because the old systems weren’t created for everyone’s benefit. In Part 2, we’ll explore what ecosystem builders are doing to break down barriers for Black entrepreneurs in their communities.
Mark Lawrence: DC/Maryland
Mark is the founder of Inncuvate and has a handful of projects he’s working on with partners and clients focused on supporting Black entrepreneurs in the DC/Maryland area. For Mark, breaking down barriers starts with bringing everyone to the table, building community, and creating physical spaces and programs for people to be in community with each other.
“Black entrepreneurs are resilient by nature but having the same infrastructure access and same resources that are available in other communities does a lot to help them get their ventures off the ground...”
Photo credit: Ecosystem Builder Hub Unsung Hero Spotlight
“Inncuvate is a platform developed to make the connection between community development, entrepreneur development, and venture development in underrepresented and under referenced communities,” says Mark. “Our work manifests in different ways but I like to say we really specialize in creating purpose built programs and places that activates local talent and creates an environment for innovation, collaboration, and the commercialization of new ideas.”
Building community and sharing resources goes a long way towards supporting entrepreneurship not just in the Black community but in all communities.
“Black entrepreneurs are resilient by nature but having the same infrastructure access and same resources that are available in other communities does a lot to help them get their ventures off the ground, whether its building founding teams of like-minded individuals, accessing financial capital, or other talent,” says Mark.
Here are a few programs he has been developing to drive local community economic empowerment and support underserved entrepreneurs.
The Innovation Hub at Prince George’s Community College is a physical and virtual space where faculty, students, and local entrepreneurs can convene that offers entrepreneurship support and services rooted in design thinking. The INNOHUB@PGCC includes a product design studio, codling lab, human capital lab, and advisory studio.
“The small and medium-sized business economy here has been heavily service-based but my thesis is that more product-based companies owned and founded by the new majority - people of color who live in the community can dramatically shift the market and make the community more sustainable. The INNOHUB@PGCC is all about cultivating the next generation of new majority creators, innovators and entrepreneurs.
In Baltimore, Mark helped design and launch the Manufacturing Innovation Hub Cooperative (MiHUB Co-Op) to get minority manufacturers together and build their capacity while offering access, opportunity, and education. MiHUB offers targeted services in the manufacturing industry to facilitate minority manufacturer growth and development like prototyping, business development, technology scouting, and other resources specifically for manufacturing. The MiHUB Co-Opis operated by the city of Baltimore and the United States Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency Mid-Atlantic Advanced Manufacturing Center.
Mark also has an up-and-coming project called Inncuvate Venture Studios. Where he is partnering with Industrial Bank, one of the largest African American-owned banks in the United States to focus the venture studio model on place-based economic and community development. The core of the programming will be built around what he calls a Black wealth co-creation lab that offers all types of support to Black/minority businesses.
“The theme across all these projects is building community. Building community means connecting people in physical and virtual places where they can become comfortable around others and build trusted connections. It’s these types of communities that can organically support entrepreneurs and help them grow impactful ventures,” says Mark.
What started as a lifestyle consulting business for Mark has evolved to be a community and entrepreneurship-led economic development enterprise that works within communities of color to help build the infrastructure they need for innovation and entrepreneurship to grow.
What are ecosystem builders missing? What are your tips?
“Look for ways to get broader exposure to the field. Stay connected with your peers and listen, learn, and leverage. There are a number of ecosystem building models and methodologies as no one model works for all ecosystems, but it’s the local ecosystem builders that understand the dynamics, the people, and the culture who can adapt the models. Ecosystem builders need to bring different community voices at the table (friendly and unfriendly). Having all those groups included - provides a holistic ecosystem view. Make sure that all demographics and aspects of your local ecosystem are involved and weighing in on the solutions you’re trying to deliver,” says Mark.
For Mariah in Sacramento, it’s breaking down the de facto segregation, getting out of your comfort zone and coming together.
“In Sacramento, California and we have a lot of high net worth folks - accredited investors here - but they're not familiar with the asset class,” she says.
Mariah notes investors and managers of family offices who have no problems cutting $100k-$200k checks to friends who they want to invest in and see succeed. Because they’re friends and have built trust. She points out the history of redlining that has physically segregated populations in addition to the division around ideological, political, and cultural dynamics.
“We’re so segregated that we just oftentimes don’t come together. When was the last time you went to a Black enterprise event or the National Society of Black engineers or some other affinity group where you’re a minority so you can understand what it feels like? Diversify your network. Instead of always expecting people to come to you, maybe you do some of that work to build up your cultural competency so you can see things from other perspectives and broaden your network,” she says.
“Because we are so segregated, we sometimes overlook how much we are ignoring our own cultural richness and we fail to capitalize on that. We fail to capitalize on those opportunities to cross over. To cross the railroad tracks so to speak.
There are high net worth folks in those communities too so just exposing yourself to other networks is important in terms of being able to close that gap and being able to invest into people who may not be superficially like you, but under those superficial trappings, we tend to be more alike than different.”
As you can see, while there are big, system issues we all need to acknowledge and work to change, there is also a lot we can do from the local level to drive change. Simple things like broadening your network and inviting others to networks they may not be aware of or have access to; being in community with everyone in your ecosystem, and building trust and relationships through partnership, collaboration, and listening.