Black, immigrant entrepreneurs seek growth, support at summit

Jacinta Uramah-Eze wants to see local Black entrepreneurs succeed. The 40-year-old Winnipegger is the founder of Afri Inspire Concepts, an umbrella company bringing various Black vendors’ wares together. The company [...]

To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $205* - Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com - Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper - Access News Break, our award-winning app - Play interactive puzzles To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Jacinta Uramah-Eze wants to see local Black entrepreneurs succeed. The 40-year-old Winnipegger is the founder of Afri Inspire Concepts, an umbrella company bringing various Black vendors’ wares together.

The company held pop-up African markets in St. Vital Centre in November and February. Since then, Uramah-Eze has taken her work supporting Manitoba entrepreneurs a few steps further. Afri Inspire Concepts hosted a series of spring workshops covering business structure, funding access, marketing and more.

Today, the company is holding its first business summit at Riverview Community Centre (90 Ashland Ave.). It will bring Black and immigrant small-business owners and entrepreneurs together for a day of professional development and networking. Manitoba Business Minister Jamie Moses will give a keynote presentation, and a panel of four speakers in various stages of their careers are scheduled to address navigating business growth.

The event will include pitches from business owners and a vendor showcase where attendees can browse products and services from local entrepreneurs. Uramah-Eze said she hopes attendees walk away from the event having made a meaningful connection with someone in the business community or having learned something they can apply to their business. “We are in this space and we need each other so we can keep growing,” she said.

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Uramah-Eze holds a master of business administration from Business School Netherlands and worked in food security prior to moving to Winnipeg eight years ago. She started Afri Inspire Concepts after struggling as an entrepreneur herself. “We want to help entrepreneurs access knowledge, networks, opportunities and the kind of support that they need to build thriving businesses here in Manitoba,” Uramah-Eze said.

Rachael Ajibike is looking forward to learning from others at the summit and sharing some of the things she’s learned during her short time as entrepreneur. The 26-year-old, who last year launched a public relations and digital marketing firm called Sixty Two Summers, is participating in the panel discussion. Black and immigrant entrepreneurs often face barriers to visibility, mentorship, networks and opportunities, Ajibike said.

“We have to put in the work to bridge that gap.” Like Uramah-Eze, Ajibike was born and raised in Lagos. She moved to Winnipeg four years ago, and although Sixty Two Summers is in its infancy, she has grand ambitions.

“I want to be the best PR company, the best communications business, in Canada — not just Manitoba,” she said. “We have big plans.” The business summit starts at 10 a.m. and runs for four hours.

“We would love everyone who is working in this space, who believes in the contributions of small business, to connect with us in any way that they can,” Uramah-Eze said. aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024.

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