Manatee Black Chamber of Commerce projects 2016 growth

MANATEE -- One year ago, Tarnisha Cliatt decided that black business owners and executives in Manatee County needed a high-profile organization to assist them with networking and learning more about running their businesses.

This month, the Manatee County Black Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its one-year anniversary. After starting up with zero members last March, the organization today counts 43 businesses and individuals on its rolls. That start was strong enough to spur the next phase of the chamber's development. Cliatt, who headed the Black Entrepreneurs Club prior to starting the black chamber, said the organization will soon sign a lease on its first brick-and-mortar office location. Plans are for the chamber to expand into Sarasota County and to adopt a Manasota Black Chamber moniker.

The growth may soon mean a change in her professional life, as well. Cliatt has headed the chamber as president largely on a volunteer basis for the past 12 months with the help of a part-time, paid assistant. During that period, she has worked for the Manatee County School District.

This year, Cliatt expects to begin working for her members as a full-time executive employee of the chamber.

"I'm excited to have that opportunity," she said. "We'll continue our boots-on-the-ground efforts in reaching out to individuals that have small businesses."

The chamber held a gala celebration of its first year in business about a week ago that included a networking social, a fashion show and a ball. Harry C. Alford and Kay DeBow, the co-founders of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, attended part of the weekend event.

The early emphasis for the chamber has been promoting entrepreneurship. Cliatt said business startups are the most effective way of boosting black employment in Manatee County.

The chamber's goals have expanded in 2016. Cliatt said she wants to find wider markets for the businesses chamber members own and manage. She said opening trade with Cuba and pursuing business relationships in Jamaica through Port Manatee are two avenues she wants to explore. Additionally, the chamber is starting relationships with the state's Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce and small business organizations.

Opening up a wider market is something some black chamber members see as a benefit. Oliver Gray, a Tampa insurance broker who joined the chamber last September, said he attends chamber events to talk about insurance products and his business with other members. He said he wanted to "get in on the ground floor" with the Manatee County Black Chamber because it is growing and it operates on "old-fashioned networking."

"With this crowd right here, you have to sit down with people and have a conversation with them," Gray said.

Monique Geathers, owner of MLG Event Draping in Parrish, was already a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce when she joined the Manatee Black Chamber. She said she wanted to be part of an organization that focused on black-owned businesses.

"We need it in our community to help bring up a lot of the black businesses in the area," she said.

Attending chamber events has benefitted Geathers as a business owner. While she's expert at designing ceiling and backdrop drapings and creating decor for weddings, birthdays and other events, she said her business financial knowledge was limited. What she has learned over the past year from financial-sector speakers invited to chamber gatherings has built her confidence and set her on the road to securing a line of credit.

"You're scared to go to the bank because you're not sure you're going to get approved," she said.

Black chamber members and officials stress that the organization is open to all members of the business community. Charlie Kennedy, a Manatee County School Board member who serves as a director with the chamber, said the mixed membership of the organization knows that if black businesses succeed, all businesses will benefit.

"I was really impressed with their commitment to get something new like this off the ground and something that would empower the black community locally," he said.

The organization will fly into its second year next month when chamber staff will move into their new offices. Cliatt said the offices will be in Bradenton.

Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027 or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.

This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 11:25 PM with the headline "Manatee Black Chamber of Commerce projects 2016 growth ."