Shelby County ad hoc committee outlines industry training, Black business directory and technical-assistance needs

The Shelby County Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee on Jan. 23 reviewed a package of business-capacity initiatives, including an industry training program, a relaunch of a Black Business Directory and requests for more technical-assistance funding to help small businesses scale.

The chair, Edmond Ford Jr., said committee members had been working with partners and that a public launch for some items is planned in February. "We're launching our official launch of the industry training entrepreneurship program, at Epicenter on February," said Ernest Strickland of the Black Chamber of Memphis. Strickland described sector-specific pilots aimed at personal services and wellness, music and entertainment, and childcare, and said partnerships are in place for the first programming.

The program, called ITIP in the committee discussion, will use sector partners such as Adaptive Music for music-industry readiness audits and Cable Hunters for telecommunications training, Strickland said. "Adaptive Music conducts an a readiness audit with them, to help fill the gaps to ensure that they can capitalize off their talents," he said.

Committee members also described a Black Business Directory intended to revive a resource that previously existed under the late Melvin Jones. Strickland said the directory will be web-based, free to join and will include both a digital portal and a limited hard-copy edition tied to Black History Month promotion. "We want it to be a part of black history programming, towards the middle, of the month of February," he said.

Speakers said the directory will combine existing databases and invite businesses to add missing listings; the Memphis Business Journal and local professional organizations were cited as potential contributors. The directory will offer a free listing tier and paid advertising or featured-listing options as a revenue stream, Strickland said.

Several speakers urged more funding for business infrastructure rather than only for short-term entrepreneur training. Joselle Booker of MNBC said many businesses move from entrepreneur to small employer and need support to build administrative systems, accounting and staffing. Booker and others pointed to technical-assistance funds available through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) and called for using those and other sources to underwrite business infrastructure development.

Speakers also recommended nonfinancial supports such as workshops on properly closing a business and obtaining tax-clearance letters, noting that unresolved local or state filing issues can block future opportunities. "There's a space for closing companies down," Strickland said, describing the process as "very complicated and convoluted" and urging state tax specialists to hold local workshops.

Committee members asked Deputy CAO Victor Anderson to coordinate website and marketing support so materials and event dates can be centralized. No formal county action or vote was taken; members directed staff and partners to move forward with planned launches and to return progress reports to the committee.