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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
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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
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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
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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
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This year, we salute:
Charles Jordan
• • 'T . f - ’A :
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mation in a safe harbor environm ent
©
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