When Shawn Jordan opened Beauty Secrets Salon Studio, she quickly learned that launching a business took more than skill and ambition.
Like many new entrepreneurs, she stepped in because “everybody wanted to be a boss.” But once she got started, she realized she didn’t know how to run a business or reach the clients she hoped to serve.
“I had no clue what I was doing,” Jordan said.
But after going through Harris-Stowe State University’s Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE), she felt she had a clearer sense of what she faced as a business owner.
“CIE helped me understand what I was doing and who my audience was,” Jordan said. “It gave meaning and purpose to my business and helped me raise the bar so clients feel comfortable walking in.”
The program supports underrepresented founders through training, mentorship, pitch preparation and access to professional networks.
As Small Business Saturday approaches on Nov. 29, CIE alumni like Jordan say community support is essential for staying open, growing and reinvesting in their neighborhood.
“Every purchase is supporting the inclusive community we want to build,” said Dr. Stacy Gee Hollins, associate provost and dean of the Anheuser-Busch School of Business. “When we support Black and Brown entrepreneurs, we invest in innovation, inclusion and opportunity right here in St. Louis.”
The CIE has helped dozens of founders in industries ranging from food and beauty to retail, tech and consulting. Program leaders say the entrepreneurs drive the work — but it’s St. Louis residents who determine whether these ventures survive.
“These founders represent the power of possibility,” said Kristy Jackson, the CIE’s executive director. “Our role is to equip entrepreneurs with training and resources, but it’s the community that helps them stay open by shopping, sharing and supporting their work.”
For Jordan, that support means visibility and the resources to pay it forward.
“Shopping local helps me stay in business,” she said. “It lets me mentor young girls and show them how to carry themselves professionally. Being a small business gives me the financial means to be that mentor for them.”
Other CIE alumni said the program helped them navigate challenges that could have shut their businesses down.
Larry Johnson, owner of Deezl Distributing, said he didn’t realize how many resources were available to him until he joined the program.
“CIE helped me understand what support was out there and how to expand my business,” he said. Networking, he added, was especially critical when he struggled financially. “There’s strength in numbers. CIE gives us platforms to support small business owners and promote our businesses.”
Te’Ron Moore discovered his entrepreneurial spark in his college dorm kitchen, where he cooked collard greens, fried chicken, cornbread and peach cobbler for friends. Staff encouraged him to turn his talent into a venture, which became Mojo’s Kitchen.
“It was a great experience,” Moore said. “CIE helped with marketing, advertising — even teaching me how to do a 30-second pitch. They helped me get my LLC and helped me become a better businessman.”
Community support has opened doors for Moore beyond business transactions. He recently partnered with Feed the Streets STL to donate 200 meals.
“The community has always supported my goals and dreams,” he said. “That service gave me more exposure and keeps me motivated. Doing what I love gives a bright light to my brand.”
As Small Business Saturday nears, the entrepreneurs say the message is simple: shopping local keeps their doors open and their missions alive.
“It makes our businesses more visible,” Jordan said. “It lets the community know we’re here — and that we’re serving a purpose.”
