Students were able to learn more about some of the black owned businesses in Indianapolis through merchandise and getting to talk to representatives and founders of the businesses. Photo by Natalie Goo. 

GRACE NUÑEZ | STAFF REPORTER | gnunez@butler.edu 

To close out Black History Month, Butler’s Diversity Program Council teamed with Bon Appétit to host a venue of local Black-owned businesses located throughout Indianapolis on Feb. 28. The event took place in Atherton Union 111, where vendors set up their respective booths and tables, laying out merchandise and products related to their business. Students were able to mill around from booth to booth to learn more about some of the local businesses in Indianapolis. 

Running any business can be hard, but it is especially difficult for Black-owned businesses to thrive and to gain enough support, funds and revenue to stay afloat. Statistically, eight out of 10 Black-owned businesses fail within the first 18 months of business. 

Nicole Woodson represented The Floral Lab at the event, a Black-owned business that seeks to uplift and empower individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds through flowers. As the co-founder and CEO of The Floral Lab, Woodson launched the business in May 2023 with the support of her daughter.

As the owner of a small and Black-owned business, Woodson highlighted some of the struggles faced for those starting a business and emphasized the importance of marketing a business well. 

“When you’re a startup [business], you’re not always able to go and get funding like larger businesses,” Smith said. “So, self-funding has kind of been the way for us, but thankfully, we have gotten traction [through social media] and are able to self-fund through the business.” 

The challenges that Black-owned businesses face can often make or break a business’s chances of success. By supporting local and Black-owned businesses, students are playing a direct role in ensuring that Black-owned businesses continue to thrive in the community. 

Sidney James, a sophomore health sciences and biochemistry double major, emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses, especially given the lack of resources and support entrepreneurs might have going into starting a business. 

“[It’s important] to get the word out and help support people who lots of times might not have the means to get as far as other people,” James said. “That’s why [I’m big on] supporting businesses where [business owners] had to start from the bottom and build their way up … It’s just fun to support [these businesses] and it’s good to get the word out and help them be as great as their counterparts.”

Rome Herbert is the founder of For The Bold LLC, a music company that promotes music addressing mental health struggles. Herbert has faced trials throughout the process of building his business up. He offered advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and shared what kept him motivated to keep pursuing his dream of having a music company. 

“Give yourself grace, because in the doing of [pursuing your dream], in the failures and triumphs, you might always look back towards ‘I’m not where I want to be or I’m not doing as well as I could have,’ but you got to give yourself grace,” Herbert said. “And keep going. So you [have to] start. You [have to] give yourself grace and keep going.”  

For Butler students who attended the event, getting to hear about some of the stories and focuses of the local businesses gathered was both impactful and informative. 

Ailym Soto Sequeda, a sophomore healthcare and business major, is a student with close ties to the local community and firmly believes in taking time to support local businesses. 

“I love seeing [local businesses], whether it’s at a local fair or a bunch of community fairs promoting their businesses,” Soto Sequeda said. “I was supporting that [today] because my family is also from Indianapolis.” 

The event was also a chance for students who are not from Indianapolis to connect on a deeper level with the Indianapolis community beyond campus. 

Felicity Rawlings, a sophomore pharmacy major, emphasized what she took away from the event and how attending gave her the opportunity to become more familiar with the city. 

“I liked all the Indiana bonding because I’m not from here,” Rawlings said. “It was cool to get to know what type of stuff I could support around here, since I’m not as familiar with [Indianapolis].” 

For Madison Evans, a sophomore health sciences major, attending the event was a way to deepen her own appreciation and support for local businesses, something she strives for often. 

“I love supporting local [minority owned] businesses anywhere I can,” Evans said. “I try to be very mindful where I’m spending my pennies and where they’re going.” 

Despite the challenges each of these local Black-owned businesses faced, they are creating their mark on the Indianapolis community. Students can continue to support local businesses, as a way to show support for the Indianapolis community