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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1998)
• • .Ä A , «I M m m a «I., »»>».! * x. f : . « . . .-%%•.-, .*. >« .T , ■•• • /« z.. % S' .. • - . . .. ‘ •> - , • • O c to b e r 7,1 99 8 • C 9 (Tlje JiÌortlanò (O bsrruer’s io o R ity [Easiness lu H U B I H U UJorfo V illage 'pouticfue £t ¿tifts gift or buying a dress They re buying an image, something that really in creases their self-esteem. This is the way MV vv been building value into the store. World Village Boutique is a cloth ing, accessory and gift shop located in NE. Portland originally selling only African goods and has expanded its wares to be m ore multi-cultural. H ow d id y o u r bu sin ess g e t started? M y business got started w hen I lived at hom e in T exas. 1 w orked m y business there for a num ber o f years. I left a jo b as a Training and D evelopm ent C oor dinator for the governm ent. I left there to be w ith m y children m ore because I travelled alot and I decided to be at hom e. A nd w hile I w as at hom e, 1 tried to com e up w ith another business. Then I m oved to O regon 4 1 /2 years ago. W hen I got here, I saw a void in the m arket for the kind o f business I had in Texas and decided to open up a store front w ith the products 1 had. W hat w ere so m e o f th e chal len ges y o u h a d fa c e d th a t were unique to bein g a m in ority-ow n ed bu sin ess? W hen 1 first started to run a business, there w ere m ostly m en in the market. T hings have changed ov er the last few years. It w as a challenge getting started. D oors w ere closed to you sim ply be cause you are a w om an. I believe its 40% o f businesses that are startingareownedbywomen. 4 0 °oonnore The If h at co u ld y o u h ave done differently to ex p a n d y o u r business? I started w ith very low capital. 1 w ould have started w ith m uch m ore Diane McKnight, an African American business owner of World Village Boutique and Gifts succeed. So, w e are doing something right W hat w ere y o u r co m p a n y's gro w th ch allen ges? M oney for advertising. It’s really different w h en y o u ’re w orking w ith a very low budget. I believe that m ost businesses face that challenge o f how to allocate m oney for advertising. I’ve ex p erien ced the acco u n tin g problem s as well. T rying to upgrade m y accounting system s, learning new' softw are. T hat has been a trem endous im pact on m e as a business ow ner. You d o n ’t have tim e to do all these things "w earing so m any hats." A lso designing a real marketing strat egy. W e are adjusting w ith o u r clien tele. W hen w e first started, w e w ere an A frican m arket strictly. W e started out as th e " A frican V illage" and th at’s been part o f our expansion. W e ’ve becom e m ulti-cultural w ith our inventory. It has m ade us reach a broader m arket. Steven Beresford, Diana's Market ing Consultant: Diana is not simply sellingclothes. S h e ’s selling her exper tise as a fashion expert. When people com e in here, they 're not ju st buying a A s tra money. The other thing 1 did later in life w as write a business plan. I w ould not rec om m end that. W hen you w rite it. you have to com e up w ith your m arketing strategy, your long ten n plans. A n y advice to oth er m inority- o w n ed businesses ? Believe in w hat y o u ’ve started. Hold on to it. It’s difficult w hen you run out o f m oney or resources, but do every thing possible - do all y o u r hom ew ork in the beginning before you even start a business. I fy o u ’re already in business, continue to do y o u r hom ew ork. Look for other avenues to strengthen your business and alw ays be in a learning process. Steve Beresford, Diana's Market ing Consultant: A good marketing pro gram is really essential. A lot o f stores just open shop and expect people to come in. It is really important to have real active community outreach so people get to know who you really are and what vou 're all about. S o c ie ty other entrepreneurial organizations ie. T he Foundatim for W om en O w ned Businesses & atmosphere o f encouragem ent and coopera business or adv ance within their current busi- Oregon Entrepreneur Forum. M ission: To increase econom ic opportu Celebrate achievement through commu nity recognition and group accom plish- ing the visibility and im age o f w om en in * Developing role m odels'm entors tor nities for w om en in business, thereby enhanc ments.Behave so that die world in which we business. T he Astra Society will support existing w om en in business. * Strengthening businessandeom m unica- ing the productivity and wealth for O regon’s live will be a better place because o f our contributions Shareresixireesopenly andfairly w om en-ow ned businesses and w om en ex ecutives as well as encourage and assist the tion skills through various training programs. * Educatingthecom m unitythrough speak future. V ision: T o set standards tor excellence to prom ote com petence and create resources for dev elopm ent o f new businesses or adv ance ers' bureaus, writing articles and public out opportunities, leadership and education while m ent within a business. T his will be accom reach programs. ’ Buildingeollahorativcielationshipsw ith dev eloping a com m unity o f peers. V alu e S tatem ents: Create an unlimited ing examiningexLstingbdiefsysta ns. Develop relationships and trust through sharing infor T he Astra Society is an organization o f * Providing opportunities for w om en to w om en-ow ned businesses and w om en ex ecutives that wishes to increase econom ic grow their existing business, develop a new opportunities tor the com m unity by enhanc plished through: & PORTLAND PARKS & Recreation Portland Parks And Recreation Is Pleased To Participate In This Special Edition Of The Portland Observer. Even Though This Is A Special Relationship With The Observer. Portland Parks And Recreation Receives A Very High Approval Rating From The Citizens Of Portland, Your Coverage Of Our Plans And Events Is An Important Contributor. Thanks For The Support And The Great Work That You Do... tion to go beyond individual expectations. in a cooperative and safe environment by demonstrating thepraetical valueofchalleng ^¿/fa rv.' , c- 5 1 2 6 NE M LK B o u le o a R Ô P o R C la n ò , O R 9 7 2 1 1 (5 0 3 ) 2 4 9 3 7 9 0 G a ' * \ ^ if* V i - '': £ K. I Special Anniversary Sale 1 $30.00 Off Any One Item Over $100 | Ì A You can Now Find Us On The Web! http://www.portlandobserver.net or e-mail-PDXOBSERV@aol.com f % Lv'.-’' Dooley’s II 8727 N. Lombard Adult Entertainment Couples Welcome Full Bar - Food A Salute to Minority Businesses (from one of Portland's oldest) The URBAN LEAGUE 0 f P o rtla n d J Established 1945 * A supporter of minority and women-owned businesses * Home of the North/Northeast One Stop Career Center Working for Economic Power, the Next Civil Rights Frontier, and Leveling The Playing Field Paul Knauls, Urban League board member, community leader and co-owner of Geneva's Shear Perfection Dorian Boyland, winner of our 1998 Equal Opportunity Award and owner of Gresham Dodge, one of America's Top 100 African American-owned companies • - "M M if ft ; Please present coupon for discount EXPIRES 10/24/98 James Winters, Urban League board member and president of United Energy, Oregon's largest minority-owned company I • ■ ‘i This year, we salute: Charles Jordan • • 'T . f - ’A : •* v mation in a safe harbor environm ent © ** I-? ’ -i V i- ’ 1
