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BOBSA EMAIL BLASTS BOBSA has over 3,200 members in the organization marketing email network. How it Works - Create your personalized email blast - Email a .PDF or .JPG format to Sam@bobsa.org - A proof will be sent directly to your email - Request changes or approve email
Your Email will be sent to over 3,200 people nationwide both at the beginning and end of the month.
Price for blast: US$200.00 Please contact Sam Ennon at (650) 863-3491 (Pacific Time) BOBSA can create personalized email blast for an additional $50.00. 
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Roots of Tension: Race, Hair, Competition
and Black Beauty Stores
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Karen Coffey opened Bella Beauty and Hair in January with lots of optimism and a stylist's eye for hair extensions and other products tailored to African-American women. She thought that would be enough to succeed. She didn't realize the game would be stacked against her before she even opened her door.
Like black entrepreneurs before her, Coffey quickly discovered that behind the beauty supply storefronts that dot the nation's urban neighborhoods and suburban shopping plazas sits a multibillion-dollar industry for black hair products that's run largely by South Koreans and does not cede its power or market share without a fight.
Korean-Americans cornered the market decades ago by controlling the manufacturing, distribution and retail sale of hair extensions - the moneymaker of the industry. African-American owners believe Korean wholesalers shut them out and only supply Korean retailers.
Some Korean wholesalers, she said, have denied or ignored her requests for products. Meanwhile, a new Korean-owned store that opened across the street a month before her has some brands she can't get.
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Karen Coffey in her newly opened Bella Beauty and Hair store.
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Coffey says she's seen that firsthand. Some Korean wholesalers, she said, have denied or ignored her requests for products. Meanwhile, a new Korean-owned store that opened across the street a month before her has some brands she can't get. "All of it is run by Koreans," said Coffey, 32. "A lot of them don't make it easy for blacks to get in. I didn't know it would be this challenging."
"There's been a really concerted effort to get black people to enter the retail side of this business," said Lori Tharps, Temple University journalism professor and co-author of "Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America." There are success stories," she added. "Somehow black people are finding alternative suppliers and moving past this idea that Koreans are keeping them out of this very lucrative space." 'You have to carry hair' Succeeding, though, means finding a niche and navigating a global system that keeps enough secrets to keep others out.
Michelle Carter
Editor
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Minority Owned Trucking Association
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The National Minority Trucking Association is committed to assisting all minorities with establishing, maintaining, and growing successful careers and businesses in the trucking and logistics industry. In today's trucking industry, there seem to be limited resources available to minorities for business consultation, accessing lucrative contracts, and trucker advocacy. Oftentimes, owners of minority trucking companies as well as minority owner operators and company drivers have many years of industry experience, but may lack the resources necessary to either start or solidify and grow their businesses. Since the deregulation of the trucking industry just a few decades ago, the industry has made great strides in enabling aspiring entrepreneurs to have a fair opportunity at building their businesses in the trucking industry. However, without the proper resources and support, minorities will continue to be at a disadvantage in an industry that is brimming with growth and demand for good truckers. To learn more about NMTA, click here.
Kevin Reid
Chief Executive Officer
1882 Princeton Ave., Suite 1
College Park, GA 30337
Michelle Carter
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CEO Removes Products from Asian Store
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D. Ware, CEO of KeraVada, removed his hair products from an Asian Beauty supply after learning that it mistreats black Women. Ware did an Undercover Boss move when he heard that black women were being mistreated at a local beauty supply store in Houston Texas. Ware visited KS Beauty Supply, bought all of his products on the shelf, approached the Asian cashier head on and told him that he'd no longer be doing business with their location. How's that for black male support?
Since the Missha Beauty Store incident, black women all over the country have been getting serious about withdrawing their dollars from Asian owned suppliers that don't like nor respect us. Although several black owned beauty supply store lists have been floating around, some women are still fishing for good alternatives. KeraVada may be a perfect replacement now that we know the owner seems to have our best interest at heart. Hopefully, more black owned hair product companies will follow suit and blacks will start building additional locations. Until then, let the boycott continue. Visit the KeraVada website. Click
here to get more information.
Michelle Carter
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Memorial Day Started by Former Slaves
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Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May, 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 black children where they marched, sang and celebrated.
Today, Americans everywhere "pledge their allegiance to the flag" in honor of those who sacrificed everything for the freedom of a nation.
Michelle Carter
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Why Do We Steal From Each Other?
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BOBSA recently received a phone call from a BOBSA member, Aster Abraham. She has been with BOBSA for six years, but now she was crying and felt afraid. We helped her open her store from its inception. Her business is doing very well, but over the last year she has been robbed six times. We really need to start looking at ourselves and pointing out this problem within our community when we see it. These are not Koreans that are robbing us, these are black people, people who look like you and me. We need to put them on notice and post and write about problems like this when they occur. We have to start policing ourselves. We always talk about how the Koreans don't treat us right when we shop in their stores, but yet we are silent when we become victims of robberies from our own people. Please reach out to her and give her encouragement to keep on fighting. This must stop, speak out!
Michelle Carter
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Military Family of Nine to Open Beauty
Supply Store in Spokane, WA
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Mike and Shania Wright and Family
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New BOBSA member and military family of seven is moving from Montana to open a beauty supply store in Spokane, Washington in September 2017. Shania Wright is the owner and operator of Wright Way Beauty Supply in Spokane Washington. She is a veteran, a homemaker for her seven children and has been an entrepreneur and business owner since 2001. As a faithful Christian, she has a passion for and has been involved in women's and children's ministries all over the Northwest spanning the past 15 years. After setting down roots in the Spokane area during a tour at Fairchild AFB from 2007-2012, her family finally relocated to Cheney after her husband transitioned from a 23 year career in the Air Force. During his career, Shania's husband, Mike, served as a Vehicle Fleet Manager, an Honor Guard Superintendent and a Professional Military Instructor. His passions include men's discipleship and professional development. He recently received his B.A. in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University and is beginning a M.S. program in the fall. Together, their goal is to provide the best retail beauty supply experience for their customers in Spokane and the inland Northwest by demonstrating respect, commitment, and generosity by establishing genuine relationships in the community.
Contact Information
SHANIA WRIGHT
Wright Way Beauty Supply
2103 N. Division
SPOKANE, WA 99201
Editor
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Hair Replacement by "Gigi"
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Kia Patterson Makes History in Comption
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Kia Patterson is making history in Compton, California as she has opened up the first Black-owned grocery store there. Patterson is the owner/operator of "The Grocery Outlet," and sh
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Kia Patterson
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e hopes that her outlet will provide a way to bring organic food options to people at more affordable prices.
She is no stranger to the industry, either. In a brief interview, Kia explains that the store opened its doors just two short months ago. Though the store is new, she's a veteran in the industry. She worked at Smart & Final for years until she decided to open a store of her own.
To really succeed in life you must do what others thought was impossible and work hard to make that dream become a reality. True leaders must think outside of the box and make things happen; even when all odds are stacked against them. Kia Patterson is a true leader and an example for us all.
Click here to learn more about "The Grocery Outlet".
If you'd like to stop by and shop at "The Grocery Outlet", the store is located at 2175 W. Rosecrans Ave Compton, Ca. 90220. Thank you, Kia, we salute you!
Michelle Carter
Editor
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Black Chamber Summit Meeting
Held in Macon, GA in April
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Mr. Larry Homan, president of the Black Chamber Commerce of Beaufort County, South Carolina (BCBCC), chaired the Annual BCBCC Meeting that was held in Macon, GA in April. He noted the BCBCC is not your traditional chamber of commerce. The focus of BCBCC is to help disadvantaged business enterprises that do not have access to traditional resources and capital by offering these businesses and entrepreneurs programs such as micro-lending and financial literacy education courses. BCBCC's primary objective is to create a positive economic impact in our communities through self-sufficiency, hard work, and entrepreneurship. Their motto is: Working Together We Can Make a Difference.
Additionally, announced in the meeting was news that Mr. Homan has taken the lead on getting into the distribution of hair and wet goods products and will be one of the first distributors of the new EBHA HAIR. Several members of the BCBCC are current owners of salons, beauty supply stores, barbershops, and etc. Mr. Homan believes that a relationship with BOBSA and EBHA will be a perfect platform for them to get into the distributorship business. This is a cooperative agreement with the Southern Black Chambers of Commerce to create jobs in their communities. Click here to read more information about the BCBCC.
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Members of BCBCC in Macon, GA |
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Michelle Carter
Editor
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EBHA Openhouse is a Succcess
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Click
here to be directed to the EBHA website to see products and view pictures and a video of the Openhouse.
Michelle Carter
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