Mentorship program for Black women in business starts during pandemic

Halifax entrepreneur Tia Upshaw was tired of seeing so few businesses owned by Black women.

That's why last year she founded Black Women in Excellence, a mentorship program that provides education and encouragement for women who are just starting out or hoping to grow their businesses.

"We need to be included and we are not included," Upshaw told CBC's Information Morning. 

"We have the skills and attributes.... We always had that side hustle to make sure that our kids are always good, so why not take that from a side hustle and put it into a legitimate business and a legitimate, sustainable business."

Upshaw now owns three businesses, but said she spent many years feeling stuck in jobs that never seemed to lead anywhere.

"There were many difficulties with being a single Black mother and not having sufficient child care and just a whole lot of things added to my decision to just work for myself," she said.

Her 16-week workshops cover business basics, from how to register with the Registry of Joint Stock to understanding tax rules for businesses.

Eight women have been taking part in the inaugural sessions and 10 more have signed up for the next round of workshops that begin in March.

Participant Kyla Derry launched her business, Sexensual Erotic Massage Oils, last November. After putting her dream on hold for about five years, she said the pandemic gave her the push she needed. 

"There was no extra stream of income for anybody so I think the struggle of that being a single parent and trying to balance that out with the bills ... is what made me really strive for it and be like, 'OK, it's either now or never,'" she said.

Derry said Upshaw's workshops have given her the confidence to take the first steps to growing her brand and "just to know yourself and value your worth and your product."

After the workshops end, the women will be paired up with mentors in their field who will provide ongoing support.

Upshaw said she's still looking for a few mentors to take part. They can live anywhere in Canada as long as they have about three to five years of business experience. 

"I don't care what type of business you're in, if you're able to offer the ladies who are coming up behind us some information, education and support of what you've been through, that's what I'm looking for," she said.

It won't be easy

Lezlie Upshaw, who is Upshaw's cousin, is another participant in the program. She's 35 and said it can be hard to find business programs that are open to people in her age group. 

She started her business, SpiritKissed, last summer, and spends most days in her kitchen making natural bath products that treat pain.

"There's not a lot of Black women who own their own businesses," she said. "But also when they're trying to get help, there's not a lot of advantages out there for us. You get doors closed on you or they say you're not in the right age category."

She said she wants to build a business she can pass on to her two kids.

Right now, Tia Upshaw is funding the mentorship program herself through her business, Top Notch Cleaners. She also oversees rental properties and owns an online clothing store.

Her businesses require 24/7 attention, she said, which often means she misses out on time with friends or family. That's one of the lessons Upshaw wishes she knew when she started out.

"It is going to be worth it, but it's definitely not going to be easy," she said.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.