The Brandon Gonez Show - We visited 3 Black-owned businesses in Toronto you need to check out!
The video showcases three black-owned businesses in Toronto, each contributing uniquely to their respective fields. The first is a family-run boutique hotel, OD, which has been transformed by the current generation into a vibrant space featuring local art and offering a personal touch with family members involved in daily operations. This hotel aims to create a legacy and inspire future generations of black entrepreneurs. The second business is a bookstore, A Different Booklist, celebrating its 30th anniversary. It focuses on diverse and progressive literature, serving as a community hub and preserving black Canadian history. The third business, Blair and Jack, addresses a common grooming issue for men with curly hair by offering specialized products developed by a plastic surgeon. This business highlights the challenges and successes of black entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of representation and community support. All three businesses benefit from being listed in the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce's directory, which helps them connect with customers and other businesses.
Key Points:
- OD is a family-run boutique hotel in Toronto, featuring local art and a personal touch from family members.
- A Different Booklist is a black-owned bookstore focusing on diverse literature and community engagement.
- Blair and Jack offers grooming products for men with curly hair, addressing a common issue with innovative solutions.
- All businesses benefit from the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce's directory, enhancing visibility and networking.
- These businesses highlight the importance of representation and community support in fostering black entrepreneurship.
Details:
1. 📚 Book Club's Unique Name
- The book club is named 'A Duty Bookman Book Club', reflecting its mission to cultivate a sense of responsibility and intellectual curiosity among its members.
- The club aims to engage readers with diverse literary genres, promoting discussions that enhance critical thinking.
- The name 'A Duty Bookman' was chosen to symbolize the commitment of its members to their personal growth and the shared journey through literature.
2. 🔍 Tracing Black History Through DNA
- The ability to trace DNA from the 1800s to the present offers new insights into Black history, making it more engaging and accessible. DNA tracing helps connect individuals with their ancestral roots, providing a personal and tangible link to history.
- There is a noticeable gap in resources specifically dedicated to Black men or men with curly hair textures in the context of DNA tracing and historical research. This gap highlights the need for more inclusive research and resources to ensure comprehensive representation in historical documentation.
- DNA tracing methods have advanced to the point where they can fill in historical gaps, particularly for populations whose histories have been marginalized or inadequately recorded. These methods provide a more complete picture of the past, offering opportunities for educational and cultural enrichment.
- Case studies and examples of successful DNA tracing projects can illustrate the profound impact these methods have on individuals and communities, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Black history.
3. 🏨 The Journey of Toronto's Black-Owned Hotel
- OD, a boutique hotel in Toronto, is a significant project by a family with roots in real estate, demonstrating the intersection of family legacy and entrepreneurship.
- The hotel, owned and renovated by siblings in 2020, features 10 unique rooms, each showcasing art and furniture from local Toronto artists, promoting local talent.
- Being on the Canadian Black Chamber Of Commerce's directory has increased visibility and patronage from black tourists, illustrating the impact of targeted business directories.
- The hotel offers a personal touch with family members, including the owner's mother and brother, involved in the guest experience, enhancing customer satisfaction.
- The property includes rooms like the Red Room, Gold Room, and Green Room, each designed with unique themes and local art, ensuring a memorable stay for guests.
- Challenges faced include access to capital and proving business viability, common hurdles for black-owned businesses, highlighting the need for improved financial inclusivity.
- Future aspirations include expanding the OD concept to places like Tobago, aiming to create more black-owned hospitality spaces.
- The family's real estate background facilitated the acquisition and renovation process, showcasing the advantage of industry knowledge in business ventures.
- Art and design choices not only enhance guest experience but also contribute positively to the local community by promoting regional artists.
- The OD hotel's success in Toronto serves as a model for future expansion, emphasizing the importance of cultural representation in the hospitality industry.
4. 📖 A Different Booklist: A Cultural Hub
- The Different Booklist has been part of the community for 30 years, celebrating its 30th Anniversary, signifying long-term commitment and impact.
- The bookstore is a black-owned business, emphasizing support for black communities and businesses, and sells Progressive books that promote diversity, political thought, intellectual thought, African Canadian books, local authors, and Caribbean books.
- The community, referred to as Blackhurst, has significant Canadian black history linked to the Underground Railroad, highlighting the cultural and historical importance of the area.
- The bookstore has been a part of notable history, with figures like Michael Jackson visiting the store, underlining its cultural significance.
- A Different Booklist is an independent store, providing a unique opportunity to support a local black-owned business and serving as a community space, enhancing the cultural fabric.
- The store fosters reading by organizing book clubs, with one organizer reading close to 30 books a year, showcasing a commitment to literary culture.
5. 📚 Dutty Bookman: A Revolutionary Book Club
- Named after Dutty Bookman, a key figure in the Haitian revolution, the book club embodies a revolutionary spirit and cultural significance.
- Operating for over a year, the club has successfully attracted a large community, indicating robust local interest and engagement.
- The children's book collection emphasizes black identity and features local authors, promoting diversity and representation.
- The club offers a culturally immersive environment with frequent use of Patois and playing of reggae or calypso music, enriching the cultural experience.
- Founders ITA Sudu and Miguel Sente, with their Caribbean heritage, enhance the club's authenticity and cultural connection.
- The bookstore has become a community hub, fostering strong emotional connections and enthusiasm among visitors.
- Regular events and activities, such as book readings and cultural discussions, further engage the community and promote cultural education.
6. 🌍 The Power and Pleasure of Reading
6.1. The Joy of Reading and Its Impact
6.2. Benefits of Business Directories
6.3. Cultural Significance of Black-Owned Bookstores
6.4. Blair and Jack: A Passion Project
7. 🪒 Blair and Jack: Solving Grooming Challenges
- Three out of four men shave daily, indicating a high demand for effective grooming solutions.
- There is a significant gap in grooming products specifically tailored for Black men or men with curly hair, particularly addressing issues like pseudo folliculitis barbae (PFB).
- Research conducted on PFB, a condition prevalent in curly hair textures, led to the innovative development of a specialized grooming product.
- The product's development involved compounding various components, resulting in a successful solution that highlights innovative product development in personal care.
- The initiative began as a solution to a specific individual's grooming challenge and expanded into a comprehensive brand strategy.
- Blair and Jack was named after the founders' twins, emphasizing personal investment and strategic branding in the company's development.
8. 👨👩👧👦 Family, Diversity, and Future Aspirations
- A business was started right before the birth of twins, highlighting a parallel between birthing children and birthing a business.
- Initial skepticism about a product led to a surprising positive result after using it, illustrating the importance of persistence and belief in one's products.
- The founders are part of a black-owned business network, which has been instrumental in building a massive network and increasing business visibility through events and networking opportunities.
- There are only seven black plastic surgeons in Canada, with three coming from one family, emphasizing the significance of representation and diversity in specialized fields.
- The network of black-owned businesses aids not only in visibility but also enhances collaboration opportunities, creating a supportive ecosystem that fosters growth and innovation.
- Representation in specialized fields such as plastic surgery is crucial for inspiring future generations and promoting diversity in industries that lack it.