In The Balance
Young women and minorities find success in the face of economic disparity.
At the tender age of 14, Sidney Warren knew he wanted to run his
own small business someday. "I've always been a natural
salesman," says the now-33-year-old entrepreneur, who has
grown up to be a partner in two Cincinnati-based TCBY Treats/Mrs.
Fields Cookies co-branded franchises. Despite his upbeat attitude,
however, Warren maintains a certain pragmatism: "Coming from a
minority group, I just felt I wasn't going to be as financially
successful working in corporate America."
Enter entrepreneurship--not just for Warren but for a host of
like-minded women and minority twenty- and early-thirtysomethings.
Their mission? To do their own thing--first, last and foremost. But
given the fact that no business exists in a vacuum, it's clear
that Gen Xers like Warren must also contend with social forces
beyond their control. In theory, today's crop of women and
minority entrepreneurs are reaping the benefits of decades-long
battles for equal opportunities--the proverbial leveling of the
playing field. In reality, however, these Xers are in the curious
position of coming into their own at a time when equal-ity-driven
initiatives such as affirmative action are being criticized--and,
in some cases, struck down altogether. It makes you wonder: Just
what kind of playing field are Xers competing on, anyway?
"What you're seeing now is not just a repeal or
rollback of affirmative action," says Granville Sawyer Jr.,
who heads Norfolk State University's Department of
Entrepreneurial Studies in Virginia. "In my opinion, what
you're seeing is a change in the sentiment of society. People
are saying [to women and minorities] `That's all you're
going to get from us.' "
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This societal shift impacts young entrepreneurs. "It's
making it somewhat difficult," says Warren. "But I think
for true entrepreneurs, it won't stop them. It builds a level
of tenacity."
Partners Kirsten N. Poe and Reneé E. Warren (no relation to
Sidney) know a thing or two about tenacity. As co-founders of
Noelle-Elaine Media Consultants in New York City, Poe and Warren
jokingly say they've "been thrown out of the best
places" in an effort to build a stellar client roster that
includes Nelson Mandela and Colin Powell.
"Affirmative action was needed initially--and it's
needed now," says Reneé Warren. "Many people are
still denied opportunities."
But even as small-business success stories add up, there remains
the nagging perception of a playing field that's yet to level
out. "Is it impossible for these young entrepreneurs to
succeed? Absolutely not," says Sawyer. "But are they
required to do more and produce at a higher level? I believe the
answer is yes."
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