The Black Contractors Network aims to advance opportunities for black contractors and
entrepreneurs, as well as employees and businesses looking to hire them. Founded by Richard
Johnson. The Black Contractors Network, key initiatives are focused on construction and
government contracting, workforce development and career growth, advocacy for better
working conditions for minority-owned businesses, and the recruitment of minority
subcontractors.
Beyond the technical assistance provided by the Black Contractors Network, there is an
emphasis on community building. When you have us all together, it makes us feel like we’re not
alone anymore. “We can pass work on to each other. We can help each other out. It’s great for
a black and brown contractor to be able to say: ‘This is my guy who does electrical work or this
is my guy who does plumbing work’ because then when they get a job, they know who they can
call. They have someone that they trust that they can call as well as someone who may be able
to help them out if they get stuck on a job where you need more than one person involved.
That really helps out in the end because it keeps more dollars circulating within our community
rather than going into the hands of big corporations that don’t care about the community at all.
the Black Contractors Network creates a space where contractors can meet other like-minded
professionals and share ideas about how best to run their businesses or improve their skillsets.
This kind of professional community has been shown time again as an invaluable support
system for entrepreneurs everywhere—so don’t neglect it!
- We’re really lucky to have a community of people who make us feel good, and we’d like
to build on that. The more friends we have in our lives, the better.
- It’s important for other people to know when things are going well for us—we need to
let them know so they can feel good too! Often times you’ll want to bring your best self
when you approach someone new, because you want them to meet your best self and
you know they will respond positively. By being honest about how you’re doing, it
becomes easier for others to be honest with you as well. And reciprocating honesty
from others is an incredibly human thing to do.
-
There’s no shame in asking for help and providing it when needed: if you haven’t seen a
doctor lately or if your computer broke down or if something was hard for you today,
don’t be afraid to reach out to the people around you who might be able to offer support.
You won’t feel weak or less capable of handling things on your own just because someone else has offered help; rather, it makes both of your worlds just a little bit
better. - Being kind and compassionate towards yourself helps other people see that kindness in
yourself: maybe it’s not always easy being kind toward yourself, but I promise that by
being kind and compassionate toward other people is ‘easier’.
We believe in creating a community with shared values and a common mission. Our mission is
to connect people through movements that encourage compassion and freedom for all beings.