Mini-Conference features Local Success Stories and New Ideas
By M. Todd Manuel
FWIS Contributing Writer
The "Mind Your Business" mini-seminar took place on a quiet Tuesday, September 27th, 2022. With nearly 100 guests in the room, local leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners gathered to share information and learn about the local business environment in a new way. Representing the Fort Wayne Ink Spot as a media sponsor, I enjoyed the excellent business advice of my fellow entrepreneurs and other business leaders in my community. The night began with a cocktail hour where great conversations were coupled with networking opportunities for those in attendance. An abundance of positive energy flowed in the room as the old-school hip-hop songs played in the background of honest conversations among business owners, consultants, and experts. The environment was saturated with sophistication and culture, reflecting its creators and our local community.
After the cocktail mixer, there were introductions of the listed panelists, followed by a candid conversation with the main event speaker Mr. James Khan and three break-out sessions featuring the lectures of business experts on various topics such as marketing and management. The three break-out sessions were taught by Andre Beasley, Aaron Boone, and Angel Suttle. The event was a collaboration between many young and successful minority business owners, and local minority-owned small businesses intently provided refreshments and hors d'oeuvres.
Mr. Chip Clark was one of the lead visionaries for the event. Clark helped energize the crowd as its host and also a general panelist. Speaking with Clark after the event, I quickly learned why it was so well-attended, different, and simply refreshing. Unlike any business conference I had attended, each message presented relatable business experiences from people in our very own community. Our conversations about the event gave me a greater understanding of the mini-conference. They planned to bring it to the Fort Wayne community continually.
Chip shared a great message for the southeast part of Fort Wayne: "Businesses fuel the growth, expansion, and infrastructure of every community...we must therefore shift our mindset from an assistance-based one to a growth mentality concerning business." Chip's description of the need for change involves a collective business ideology prevalent in many marginalized communities. Chip believes that while there is plenty of assistance here in Fort Wayne, some parts of our community are more engaged with one another than others which is why there may seem to be less growth. The mini-conference was designed to foster that engagement and enhance the knowledge of entrepreneurs in Fort Wayne.
"While I am learning, I think it is important to bring others with us," said Clark. Before starting his own business two years ago, he was a previous leader within Youth for Christ and Blackhawk Church. Chip credits his knowledge and experience to those organizations that allowed him to use his talents and learn leadership skills in director-level roles. Chip discussed his observations of the minority leadership representation while living in Fort Wayne. He notes that many leaders in the minority community come from the non-profit sector, and successful minority leaders in the business sector are far less visible. Clark continues to explain that often, "What we are exposed to is churches, so many of us are very spiritual. I know I am, and both my father and grandfather were pastors. Still, when it comes to non-profits, they typically form as a function of a thriving business, not the other way around”.
The goal of the mini-conference was to shift one's thinking about the way successful businesses are created here locally, and there was no doubt that the Mind Your Business mini-seminar accomplished that goal. James Khan, a Fort Wayne native and graduate of Harding High School, started as a food busser at a well-known local restaurant. Now he owns three restaurants and five businesses here in Fort Wayne. James' story is similar to many others because it has a humble beginning. He interviewed 17 times with a company owned by one of his initial investors when he branched out to work for himself. Had James given up, or had he not taken advantage of the relationship built between him and that company's owner, he would not be where he is today. James also credits God for blessing him with a great team and excellent skills and laying a divine path.
"Our goal is to provide this [mini-conference] quarterly over the next two years because we want to be a catalyst for economic stability. We will always gear it to feature people in our community who share our local market," said Clark. Chip refers to James Khan as one who is like many of us here in Fort Wayne, aiming to navigate the local market. James credits much of his success to partnerships and the mentorship of others who helped him along the way.
The excitement of the conversation continued as Chip intently mentioned that the mini-conference, as a whole, was a team effort. Special gratitude went to his wife and the other visionaries and planners, such as Imogene Bibbs, Cassius Stallings, Stephanie Rogers, Andre Beasley, and Kelly Kelso. He also noted many other session leaders and behind-the-scenes players and sponsors made the information-filled event possible. With such a great beginning, there is no doubt that the next quarterly event will be even more significant. Chip Davis' vision and enthusiasm for sharing business knowledge while promoting growth is a contagious one that I hope we catch.