The power of Black entrepreneurship

By Alexis Taylor

When I think of the power of Black business ownership, I think of the first entrepreneur I met in life: one of my grandfathers, John Arthur “AB” Butts. 

Born to the late William and Courtney Butts on Nov. 28, 1943, my grandfather was a hard working man from Norfolk, Va. – a man’s man, with a big heart. Our paths first began to intertwine when he and his wife, a teacher, snatched one of her 14-year-old science students out of the Virginia foster care system. Together, they stood in the gap and created a family for not only the young lady who would later become my mother, but all of her children as well. 

As a father to three and grandfather to many, my “grandaddy” was the definition of grit and determination. And he never missed a beat. He made no excuses– even when the going got tough.

After studying at Norfolk State University and serving time in the U.S. Army, John Arthur Butts decided on a career. For 25 years of his life he clocked in at Lone Star Cement Corporation, working as an industrial mechanic. And after two decades of loyal service, they let him go.

“The company did like companies do,” my grandmother, Dr. Marionette Butts, said over the phone, in an impromptu interview. Whether the jobs went overseas or just disappeared, John Arthur Butts found himself in a bind.

“Here he was 50 years old, having to start again– start anew,” she said. Then came an idea. 

“He always loved the yard and people would always ask ‘Who did your yard?’” my grandmother recalled. The question then became why not make money doing what he loved- creative landscaping.

“He thought he would try,” she said. “He thought he would start it part time and have a regular job, but he hated it. He was so unhappy- really.”

“He so hated it, he came to me and said ‘I don’t want to do this,’ and I said ‘Either you’re going to walk by faith or walk by sight.”

So, John Arthur Butts, like many smart men before him, listened to his wife and decided to do the former. By the time I came along, he was known throughout the Tidewater area in Virginia as a craftsman that could make magic with a bit of dirt, a selection of flower seeds and a lawn mower. He routinely received recognition and awards for the designs he created in his yard and the outdoor spaces he curated through his business, Nature’s Green. 

But the journey to successful entrepreneurship wasn’t all roses. Along the way there was a trash collection service, Stubb’s (Butts spelled backwards), and other business ventures with less than favorable results. 

“Before Stubb’s, he and three of his brothers had a canteen truck and an ice cream truck. That was the first entrepreneurial endeavor I knew from my father,” said my uncle, Sohn Butts. “It ran for about two or three years. I remember it was parked at the house because I used to beg them to let me onto the truck.”

Eventually, with consistency and quality customer service, my grandfather rose to become a successful business owner and passed down his landscaping skills down to my uncles. I’ve watched as they have used the landscaping and construction lessons my grandfather taught to survive and even thrive in adulthood. Both are entrepreneurs to this day, while also holding down careers related to education.

“There is always a way to put yourself to work–meaning, everyone has skills that can become a business,” said Sohn Butts, when asked what his father taught him about being an entrepreneur. “What can you do? And how do other people need it or benefit from it?” 

My grandfather died on Nov. 12, 2008. He lived a good life. Still, when I drive through Norfolk’s industrial area, I can’t help but think of him slaving in a cement plant for 25 years, stifling the God-given talent and creativity that lie within because it seemed more secure– until it wasn’t. Then I remember his words to my grandmother, spoken on the other side of his giant leap of faith: 

“If I knew I could make a living like this- a better living- I would have left that job 20 years ago.”

This National Black Business Month, I encourage aspiring Black business owners everywhere to create a plan, evaluate the risks and take the first step toward entrepreneurship. Maybe that means attending a networking event, a workshop for Black entrepreneurs or a seminar to learn the basics of business. If you are on the fence about striking out on your own, don’t let fear of the unknown hinder you! Study, prepare and see what opportunities are available today. The generations behind you are depending on it!