Business
Sears Holdings empowering African-American entrepreneurs
African-American entrepreneurs. PHOTO/File
Sears Holdings will Share the Word(TM) of empowerment through entrepreneurship in 2012. The Share the Word(TM) platform was created to promote and honor the legacy of African-Americans by providing valuable resources and information to enhance the lives of Sears and Kmart customers. Now in its fifth year, the program will focus on empowering African-Americans by presenting opportunities for entrepreneurs through the Own a Sears Store program.
A recent study in entrepreneurship found that African-Americans are 50 percent more likely to start a business than any other race or ethnicity. And, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2011, the number of Black-owned businesses increased at triple the national rate over the past five years.
“The desire and interest in owning a business is huge among African-Americans; and, in terms of sheer number, Black-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing segments of our economy,” said Alfred Edmond, Jr., senior vice president and editor-at-large of Black Enterprise Magazine.