Black Entrepreneurs Face Tariffs With Strategy, Not Panic
As tariffs rise and costs go up, Black entrepreneurs aren’t backing down—they’re planning smarter. This week at Atlanta’s Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), dozens of business owners gathered for a night focused on solutions, not fear.
The panel, part of RICE’s “Retail Readiness” program, tackled the real impact of tariffs on shipping, packaging, and materials. While nearly everyone in the room felt the pressure, few said they were afraid. The advice? Cut waste, rethink vendors, and stay flexible. “The goal isn’t to shrink in response to pressure—it’s to move smarter,” one panelist said.
Terri-Nichelle Bradley, founder of Brown Toy Box, shared how she’s opening her own toy store after selling in major retailers like Target. “Black business owners don’t need every answer right away,” she said. “We just need to be willing to figure it out.”
The group also talked about the decline of corporate DEI support and why now is the time to double down on community, not wait on promises. They ended the night exchanging what they could give and what they needed—turning conversation into collaboration.
No fear. Just forward.
