Giving minority businesses a shot at success

By Michelle Taylor

July 8, 2005

When I decided to start my own business three years ago, I knocked on a lot of doors and dialed a lot of phone numbers.

Like many entrepreneurs, I experienced more than a few closed doors and hang-ups. However, for every 3 or 4 rejections, I also talked to people interested in discovering what products and services Milor Supply had to offer. Business was slow at first, but each time we received an order, I was motivated to work toward larger orders from larger customers.

Then I met Brian Van Horn. A food buyer from my alma mater, Purdue University, Brian not only agreed to meet with me, but he took my small company and me seriously. He listened to what I had to present, evaluated our pricing and services, and then placed an order.

It was the jump-start Milor Supply needed to attract larger customers, including institutions. When the Indianapolis Black Chamber of Commerce awarded me the 2005 New Entrepreneur of the Year Award, I had to mention Brian and Purdue and explain how much Milor Supply appreciated their support, and how much it meant that they took a chance on a small, minority/woman owned business enterprise.

I’m proud to say that Purdue is making a concerted effort to connect with minority- and women-owned businesses. The university has an Indianapolis office specifically designed to discover and provide opportunities to the local minority business community. Purdue also invested in being a sponsor of the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration, where the university is working to network with business owners and the community through an Employment Opportunity Fair and Black Business Conference. Purdue will host a three-day youth summit for 300 of the state’s future leaders during the Summer Celebration.

Joining Purdue at Indiana Black Expo is Indiana University, setting aside its rivalries to support a common goal of supporting the minority business community in Indiana. As part of its involvement with Black Expo, IU is creating partnerships that will provide internships for its minority students.

As a minority business operator, I’m excited that our state’s leading universities are sending the message that they support minority business in Indiana. Through their efforts, I believe Purdue and IU can make a long-lasting impact on the state and its economy by encouraging minority students to pursue college education, by retaining bright talent and by nurturing and building minority businesses.

Purdue and IU are demonstrating that big businesses — and certainly, IU and Purdue are among the state’s largest businesses — can and should reach out to Indiana small businesses, not just by encouraging and nurturing those businesses, but by purchasing their products and services.

Purdue, through Brian Van Horn, gave me an opportunity to succeed and, as a result, my business is growing. Milor Supply’s growth equates to employing more people and pumping more money into the Indiana economy. I challenge other Indiana businesses to follow Purdue’s example and provide minority and/or woman owned businesses the opportunity to do business with big organizations. In the end, it can make a big difference, not only for those small businesses, , but also for the business of Indiana. It certainly made a difference for me.

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