African entrepreneurs often arrive in Manitoba with business experience but without the local connections needed to succeed, according to Afri Inspire Concepts founder Jacinta Uramah-Eze. Her organization hopes to help bridge that gap through its upcoming Business Growth Summit on July 18.
Uramah-Eze, an entrepreneur who immigrated to Winnipeg from Nigeria, said many African entrepreneurs come to Canada with years of business experience but struggle to navigate a new market and build the professional networks needed to grow.
“Most of the entrepreneurs are not starting from scratch, they’re previous business owners,” Uramah-Eze said. “They’ve had this idea for years and years and now [they’re] trying to execute and just lack the connections and networks that they need to really solidify their business structure.”
Founded by Uramah-Eze, Afri Inspire Concepts supports Black and immigrant entrepreneurs in Manitoba through business programming, networking opportunities, vendor markets and retail initiatives.
The Business Growth Summit is intended to connect entrepreneurs with business leaders, support organizations and resources while providing opportunities for networking and collaboration. Planned activities include an entrepreneur reflection panel, a vendor showcase, networking sessions and a discussion featuring African-Canadian entrepreneurs who have successfully established businesses in Manitoba.
Uramah-Eze said many entrepreneurs simply are not aware of the resources already available to help them succeed.
“I lived this experience, starting a business here in Manitoba and was totally isolated. It was a scary feeling,” she said. “Running your business all by yourself.”
The Afri Inspire Concepts Business Growth Summit takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 18 at Riverview Community Centre.
Watch our full interview with Jacinta Uramah-Eze below to learn more about the summit and Afri Inspire Concepts’ mission to support Black and immigrant entrepreneurs in Manitoba.
Graham McDonald, U Multicultural Journalism and Media Arts Centre
