FOR BLACK ENTREPRENEURS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, THINK OF IT LIKE A COLLECTIVE OF EVERY RESOURCE YOU MIGHT NEED TO HELP OPEN A BUSINESS OR GROW THE BUSINESS YOU ALREADY HAVE. I INTRODUCE YOU TO ENTERPRISING BLACK ORLANDO IN TONIGHT’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT. EVERY SUNDAY, PEOPLE KICK BACK. AND LISTEN TO THE SMOOTH SOUNDS AT CB BISTRO AND JAZZ CLUB IN ORLANDO. WE JUST LOVE PEOPLE AND WE LOVE FOOD. PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT WORKS. IT WAS MONICA MAE’S DREAM TO OWN A PLACE WITH HER HUSBAND, GEORGE. HE DOES THE COOKING FOR THE RESTAURANT AND CATERING BUSINESS. THIS IS GOING TO BE DELICIOUS, I’M TELLING YOU. THEY HAD THE SKILLS AND THE VISION. BUT LIKE MANY ENTREPRENEURS, THEY NEEDED SOME GUIDANCE. IT WAS VERY HARD TO FIND A REALTOR. WE HAD TO ASK DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, SOMEONE WHO COULD TRUST US WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS HARD TO GET A BANK LOAN. SOMEONE YOU KNOW. YOU HAVE TO BE USHERED INTO CERTAIN AREAS. THAT’S THE IDEA BEHIND ENTERPRISING BLACK ORLANDO, A NEW COLLECTIVE WITH THE GOAL OF CONNECTING BUSINESS OWNERS WITH THE RESOURCES, COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS THEY NEED. HOW DO WE REMOVE THE BARRIERS TO ACCESS FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO START, GROW AND SUSTAIN THRIVING BUSINESSES RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA? BUT CANDACE SIMMONS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAYS IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST GETTING NEW BUSINESSES OFF THE GROUND. IT’S ABOUT HELPING ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES GROW, PROVIDING ACCESS TO BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES, AND ULTIMATELY CLOSING THE WEALTH GAP. ALTHOUGH BLACKS MAKE UP 20% OF THE POPULATION, WE ONLY OWN 3% OF THE FIRMS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. I DON’T SEE THAT AS A GAP OR A DEFICIT. I SEE THAT AS A HUGE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. EBO STARTED AS A CONVERSATION IN 2019, SIMMONS SAYS, WITH THE HELP OF A GRANT FROM THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION. THEY COMMISSIONED A RACIAL WEALTH PROFILE REPORT, WHICH IDENTIFIED DISPARITIES IN BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, HOMEOWNERSHIP, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE. LAST YEAR, THEY LAUNCHED THE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE EB ORLANDO.ORG. THAT’S WHERE BUSINESS OWNERS CAN FILL OUT AN INTAKE FORM WITH THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THEIR BUSINESS AND NEEDS, AND THEY’LL BE MATCHED WITH RESOURCES. EVERYTHING FROM LOANS TO ATTORNEYS, BOOKKEEPERS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING. THAN TO HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE AND BE TOLD WE DON’T HELP STARTUPS, BUT TRY THIS PERSON AND YOU TRY THAT PERSON. THEY SAY, WE DON’T DO STARTUPS, BUT TRY THIS PERSON. OUR SYSTEM WILL ONLY MATCH YOU WITH THOSE THAT HAVE A PRODUCT OR SERVICES TO MEET YOU DIRECTLY. WHERE YOUR BUSINESS IS AT, SIMMONS SAYS. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING FOR ENTERPRISING BLACK ORLANDO. THIS YEAR, THEY’RE LAUNCHING A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND IDENTIFY HOW EVERYONE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD LASTING PATHWAYS TO EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY. AND TAKE IT FROM MONICA MAY. THE CONNECTIONS YOU MAKE ARE KEY TO EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES. I THINK IN ALL COMMUNITIES YOU HAVE TO LIFT EACH OTHER UP. YOU HAVE TO UTILIZE THEIR SERVICES. YOU HAVE TO COME AND SHOW UP. YOU HAVE TO TELL A FRIEND TO TELL ANOTHER FRIEND. AND I THINK WHAT’S MOST EXCITING GUYS, IF I MAY. THEY’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. THEY HAVE SO MAN
New collective in Central Florida connects Black business owners with resources, communities, networks
Updated: 3:25 PM EST Feb 23, 2026
Enterprising Black Orlando is a new collective in Central Florida designed to connect Black business owners with the resources, communities, and networks they need to overcome barriers and grow their businesses. Every Sunday, patrons at CB Bistro and Jazz Club in Orlando enjoy smooth jazz sounds while dining, a dream realized by Monica May and her husband George, does the cooking for their restaurant and catering business. Despite their skills and vision, they faced challenges common to many entrepreneurs. “It was very hard to find a realtor. We had to ask different people in our community, someone who could trust us with that opportunity. It was hard to get a bank loan, someone you know, you have to be ushered into certain areas,” May said.Candace Simmons, president and CEO of Enterprising Black Orlando, emphasized the initiative’s broader goals, saying, “How do we remove the barriers to access for those that want to start, grow and sustain thriving businesses right here in Central Florida?” Simmons also highlighted the economic opportunity, noting, “Although blacks make up 20% of the population, we only own 3% of the firms here in Central Florida. I don’t see that as a gap or a deficit. I see that as a huge economy opportunity.”EBO began as a conversation in 2019 and, with a grant from the Central Florida Foundation, commissioned a racial wealth profile report identifying disparities in business ownership, homeownership, education, and healthcare. Last year, they launched the community exchange, EBORLANDO.ORG, where business owners can fill out an intake form detailing their business and needs to be matched with resources like loans, attorneys, bookkeepers, real estate agents, education and training. Simmons emphasized the system’s efficiency, saying, “There’s nothing more frustrating… than to have to call someone and be told, we don’t help startups, but try this person, and you try that person. They say, We don’t do startups, but try this person. Our system will only match you with those that have a product or services to meet you directly where your business is at.”Simmons stated that this is just the beginning for Enterprising Black Orlando, as they plan to launch a series of conversations this year to give the community a seat at the table and identify ways to build lasting pathways to equity and opportunity.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Enterprising Black Orlando is a new collective in Central Florida designed to connect Black business owners with the resources, communities, and networks they need to overcome barriers and grow their businesses.
Every Sunday, patrons at CB Bistro and Jazz Club in Orlando enjoy smooth jazz sounds while dining, a dream realized by Monica May and her husband George, does the cooking for their restaurant and catering business.
Despite their skills and vision, they faced challenges common to many entrepreneurs.
“It was very hard to find a realtor. We had to ask different people in our community, someone who could trust us with that opportunity. It was hard to get a bank loan, someone you know, you have to be ushered into certain areas,” May said.
Candace Simmons, president and CEO of Enterprising Black Orlando, emphasized the initiative’s broader goals, saying, “How do we remove the barriers to access for those that want to start, grow and sustain thriving businesses right here in Central Florida?”
Simmons also highlighted the economic opportunity, noting, “Although blacks make up 20% of the population, we only own 3% of the firms here in Central Florida. I don’t see that as a gap or a deficit. I see that as a huge economy opportunity.”
EBO began as a conversation in 2019 and, with a grant from the Central Florida Foundation, commissioned a racial wealth profile report identifying disparities in business ownership, homeownership, education, and healthcare.
Last year, they launched the community exchange, EBORLANDO.ORG, where business owners can fill out an intake form detailing their business and needs to be matched with resources like loans, attorneys, bookkeepers, real estate agents, education and training.
Simmons emphasized the system’s efficiency, saying, “There’s nothing more frustrating… than to have to call someone and be told, we don’t help startups, but try this person, and you try that person. They say, We don’t do startups, but try this person. Our system will only match you with those that have a product or services to meet you directly where your business is at.”
Simmons stated that this is just the beginning for Enterprising Black Orlando, as they plan to launch a series of conversations this year to give the community a seat at the table and identify ways to build lasting pathways to equity and opportunity.