The I Am Black Business team is aware of several black business directories that already exist. We conduct frequent scans of the market that indicate new directories are being created every few weeks. We could be discouraged from continuing to pursue our directory; however, we are very confident in our mission and goals.
The disconnected nature of black business directories highlights the division that is prevalent in the black community. I believe that this division is hurting our community tremendously. We have a wealth of great talent but most of us are not working together. As the saying goes, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall."
With that said, IABB welcomes the opportunity to work with any other organizations that are working to positively impact our community.
Along with our directory and other previously mentioned ideas, we also plan to release a developer API and other plugins to allow anyone to integrate with our directory. Our team is primarily comprised of tech savvy consultants that have a passion for technology; however, we have noticed numerous directories that are run by individuals that have strong skills in non-technical areas. These directories seem to lack the technological backend to be successful. Our API would take away the technological hurdle and allow these individuals to concentrate more on outreach and marketing.
We would love to discuss any collaboration opportunities. Feel free to contact Lee at lee@iamblackbusiness.com to get the discussion started.