What is the “Black-Owned Spotlight Series”? The Women’s Business Development Center is proud to celebrate the great business owners we work closely with. As part of our commitment to advocating for and amplifying diverse voices, we launched the WBDC Black-Owned Spotlight Series, where we periodically will highlight the experiences of our Black business owner community.
Meet Gloria Carter-Hicks: Gloria Carter-Hicks is President and CEO of Hicks-Carter-Hicks, LLC. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Hicks-Carter-Hicks, LLC is a full-service performance improvement company. They provide consulting and training services in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, organizational development and change management, human resources, and strategic planning. Hicks-Carter-Hicks’ clients are commercial, government, quasi-government, and nonprofit.
To learn more about Gloria and Hicks-Carter-Hicks, LLC, follow them on Twitter (@HCHPerfImprvCo), and check out their website: https://www.h-c-h.com
We asked: What has your experience been like when trying to access capital?
Gloria shared: We have always had success with the Small Business Administration (SBA). I can’t say enough good things about how they helped our company when we needed capital and access to educational resources. Thank you, SBA.
We asked: What inspired you to start your business?
Gloria shared: My parents owned a business, and I knew I would follow in their footsteps one day as a child. They always told me the only job security is what you create for yourself. When my last corporate employer sold one of its divisions and relocated out of town, I didn’t have a job. That was my opportunity to realize my dream. For me, losing a job was the push I needed to start Hicks-Carter-Hicks.
We asked: What advice would you share with new business owners? What lessons have you learned since growing your business?
Gloria shared: The most valuable time spent as a new business owner is working on your business vs. working in your business. New entrepreneurs often spend many hours doing the work and delivering the service, but it is important not to forget to spend time understanding business. If you aren’t good at business, regardless of if you have a great service or product, you could go out of business. Have a long-term strategy, manage your risk, and make sure you have the right lawyer, accountant, insurance specialist, and employees on your team.
Thank you, Gloria, for participating in the “Black-Owned Spotlight Series.” We are proud to have you in our WBE network.
