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- Black-Owned Businesses (February)
Black-Owned Businesses (February)
February 2, 2021 | Faded and Company | Antoine Carey
Just off a Jefferson Davis Highway service road is a barber shop tucked away in a Fredericksburg office building. The bell clangs as you walk in the door and you are immediately greeted by a warm group of barbers, barber shop students, and of course, the owner. If you playfully yell out, “Faded!” a chorus chimes back at you, “Faded!” This is Faded and Company, the barber shop created by Antoine Carey that services the community beyond just a haircut. We had the opportunity to interview him about his journey to being a barber, owning a small business in Fredericksburg, and the important role community service plays in his life.
Did you always want to be a barber, what is your story to how you ended up owning your own barber shop?
Antoine: Unlike most barbers, I never had the desire to be a barber. I never cut my little brother’s or cousin’s hair growing up. It wasn’t until my incarceration…… where during my incarceration where you had to be on a waiting list for your GED or a trade. I was blessed to be at Haynesville Correctional Center at the time, which they had electrical, they had brick masonry, and they had barbering. I’m definitely not fighting with any bricks and I’m definitely not going to play with any electrical so I got on the waiting list for the barber class. At the time that was the only place because everyone has to have a compliant haircut. Once in the class, I was like, “ok I’m actually kind of good at this.” Upon coming home, I was licensed so I was easily able to be gainfully employed and I loved the fact that there are no glass ceilings in the barber industry. Faded and Company, to me, has been the most rewarding thing that I have ever done.
Where did the name Faded and Co. come from?
Antoine: Urban guys, we get a fade, as opposed to straight hair guys may get a layered cut or tapered cut. So urban guys, we get a fade, and I wanted to add some type of prestigious look to it so on paper there comes the “and company.”
A lot goes into a name and it took a long time for me trying to decide what I wanted the shop to be. Once I settled on Faded, from that moment, the first time I got the SCC certificate in the mail and I actually seen Faded and Company on paper…. like, I’m married to this. Everything is Faded.
What does it mean for you to be a small business in Fredericksburg? How has the community influenced you?
Antoine: Fredericksburg has humbled me because I began my career here. I’m so blessed to be in a community that knows us for more than just a barbershop. The bible tells us, “to whom much is given, much is required” and we’ve been blessed tremendously. Every time that we are afforded an opportunity to be somewhere or be a part of something, we try to take advantage of those opportunities because each one of those has yielded their own blessing.
Where some may not look at a haircut as a major thing, we know that the haircut is the first thing as far as boosting morale and confidence and really being able to tie into self worth.
What is your favorite part about owning your own business?
Antoine: The favorite part for me about owning my own business is my potential. To be surrounded by such a great group of people who are doing great things, positive things, to be considered someone worthy of having an influence on other people whether by inspiration or motivation or possibility of things that could take place, to be afforded a lot of the opportunities. I literally do not know what the next email or door may open up for us and that’s a great position to be in. That potential is what is most rewarding to me.
How have you adapted since COVID?
Antoine: In order to protect the health and safety of the public, we already pride ourselves on vigorous safety infection control procedures anyway as being a licensed professional in this field. So COVID gave us a more intensive cleaning regime in terms of maintaining the cleanliness of the shop, but outside of that it has really been a humbling situation.
During this time, yes we were forced to shut down, but you’d be surprised if the clients that during this time still reached out, still wanted to pay for their haircut as if they were still getting their haircut. A lot of people showed a lot of care and consideration for us. It really shed light on how much a part of these families we really were.
Where do you see your business in the future?
Antoine: Moving forward, I would like to offer Faded and Company franchise opportunities. I would like to make a partnership with the Virginia Department of Corrections in order to offer the same opportunity that was afforded me while incarcerated- make that opportunity to guys that missed that opportunity due to smaller class sizes. Ideally I’d like to have a Faded and Company Academy close to any halfway houses, so guys can be afforded this opportunity. I would like to also be able to partner with the VA so we can be a VA approved facility so that we can accept veterans and I would like to see those that came through Faded and Company to go on and open up their own businesses so that they can employ others and offer the same opportunity even further.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Fade in Full Documentary
February 6, 2021 | NIRAY | Ernisha Hall and Tracey Hall
Partners and co-owners Ernisha Hall and Tracey Hall began their graphic design career by simply doing favors for their friends and family. What started out as just a few baby shower and event invitations, quickly turned into NIRAY, a custom website and graphic design company. Combining their passions for design with their Master’s degrees in Business Administration, Ernisha and Tracey Hall expanded their clientele nationally, as well as began the Virginia Black Business Directory (VABBD). We had the opportunity to virtually interview Ernisha and Tracey about their journey to being business owners in Fredericksburg and creating the VABBD, an invaluable resource to help support Black-owned businesses.
When and how did your passion for website development and design begin? Who helped nurture your talents and skills that lead you to the professional you are today?
Ernisha and Tracey: Our passion for website development and graphic design started with family and friends asking Ernisha to design invitations for special events, to include a baby shower and an engagement party. As people began noticing the work Ernisha was producing, we began to see an increase in requests. From there, friends looking to launch their own businesses would request assistance with their branding which included the design of their websites. Through word of mouth, we continued to acquire more clients across the United States.
As far as who helped to nurture our talents, as a married couple we helped nurture each other’s talents and skills to get where we are today. We both have our Master’s in Business Administration, and so we are knowledgeable in understanding how to operate a business; however, we are self-taught when it comes to graphic design and website design. We dedicated time to learn and understand the varying Adobe software programs and website design platforms. We attribute what our skills are today to pushing one another to learn as much as we could to become a sustaining business in the industry.
How did you come to start NIRAY?
Ernisha and Tracey: NIRAY was officially started in 2018. Again, our support system encouraged us to launch our business. Initially, we were designing as a favor and it quickly flourished into more.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do and owning your own business?
Ernisha and Tracey: For the both of us, we enjoy working with business owners. Each business owner has a different story as to why they started their business, and you can see that story develop into their brand. Many come to us for branding consultations to get started from the conception of their business idea, while others consult with us because they need to rebrand and relaunch. We enjoy the journey with our clients and the empowerment it brings to business owners when they start to see their business flourish because they have invested in the potential of their products or services.
What does it mean to you to be a business in Fredericksburg, Virginia? How has being a member of this community influenced you?
Ernisha and Tracey: Being a business in Fredericksburg has been a journey. Initially, we found that it was difficult for businesses in the community to trust our work because they did not know who we were. It took a lot of networking to get to where we are today.
Explain the start of your non-profit organization, the VABBD, and the importance it serves in supporting black-owned businesses in Fredericksburg, as well as the state of Virginia.
Ernisha and Tracey: The VABBD was founded in 2020 prior to the pandemic. Again, Ernisha had an idea to build a repository of black businesses in the area so people looking to patronize black businesses could freely do-so without searching tirelessly. Ernisha phoned a friend who thought the idea was great, and the rest is history. The evolving theme of a strong support system is important to highlight because what started as a for-profit quickly transformed into a pending 501(3)(c) with a few different programs and initiatives to include: Fredericksburg Black Restaurant Week, Fredericksburg Food Truck Festival, The Virginia Black Business Directory Expo and coming soon The Virginia Black Restaurant Week. Each of these programs and initiatives were developed to highlight the region’s (Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania) black-owned businesses, but to connect the community to these businesses. The directory is for the state of Virginia; however, it is inclusive of DC and Maryland since we are the DMV area. We have grown exponentially over the year to now having more than 1100 black-owned businesses in our directory. We have a mobile app which you can download for free from the Google Play Store and Apple Store, or you can visit our website at: www.vablackbusinessdirectory.com. Last but certainly not least, we have a strong support system which we rely heavily on and are profoundly grateful for. Our Board of Directors includes Michelle Riddick of Riddick Entertainment & Events, Tortica Anderson of A Family Affair (AFA) Event Management, Vernon Green of GCubed, Inc., and Marlon & Nyesha Wilson of Algiers Diamond Productions.
February 13, 2021 | Beverley’s Ribinator Food Truck | Tony and Vicky Beverley
Beverley’s Ribinator BBQ is a family affair. It began with Tony Beverley surprising his wife with a towable grill after he returned home from his station in Okinawa, Japan. Now, Beverley’s Ribinator has been serving the Fredericksburg region classically unique BBQ for over a decade. Their BBQ recipe combines all the classic flavors from historic BBQ cities across the country and makes something for everyone. The star of the show isn’t just their ribs or macaroni and cheese. It’s their daughter Mya, who just entered the 2nd grade, and greets customers at the food truck window. She even has her own special- Mya’s Mini Special- 2 wings, 2 ribs, & pulled pork! We had the opportunity to taste their delicious BBQ and to interview Tony and Vicky Beverley about what it means to own a food truck in the Fredericksburg region.
What’s the origin of Beverley’s Ribinator? Did it come from a passion for cooking?
Tony: My grandmother, she was a cook in a restaurant for many many years. She loved to cook, and as I grew up, I saw her cooking. When we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I was given orders to come back stateside. So, when I got here I called my wife and said, “Hey.… I want to get a grill.” Long story short, she thought I was just going to get a regular small grill but it was an actual towable grill that went behind a vehicle. I sent her the picture and she was like, “WHAT are you doing?!” I’m like, “Hey you know… I want to go into business, I want to do barbecuing!” Pretty much that 250 gallon fuel drum on two wheels is where we started from.
So you didn’t know he wanted to make a business out of it? You thought he was buying a George Foreman or something?
Vicky: I thought it was going to be something simple, you know I didn’t think it was going to be where it’s at today. It obviously got big!
What year did you start?
Tony: It started in late 2010. 2010 was when we got our flagship, the little 5 x 8 trailer we first had, but in 2007 or 2008 is when we got the towable one that she thought was going to be a regular grill!
Why BBQ?
Tony: Folks love BBQ! And we get asked the question, “do you do the North Carolina style, do you do the St. Louis style, do you do the Memphis style?” and to be honest with you, we do our own style. We buy different seasoning, we mix everything up to our tastes that we think would appease anyone that comes up to the window, and we just go from there. There’s no set region in the BBQ. In my opinion, I try to incorporate everybody into it.
How has the Fredericksburg community or region influenced your business?
Vicky: We’ve always traveled to the local counties: Spotsy, Fredericksburg, Stafford, Caroline County. It’s our normal pop-up. What has increased is neighborhoods. [They] have reached out to local food trucks and that’s how we have kept ourselves going, which helped a lot.
What is your favorite part about owning the Ribinator food truck?
Vicky: The hours! If we want to take a month off, cool! If we want to keep going everyday, cool! We’re our own boss.
Would you like to talk a bit about your military service?
Vicky: Well you [Tony] retired, I did 8 years [in the] Army. We met in Okinawa, Japan. I was Logistic and he was Signal, so the unit that I just happened to be assigned was Signal, so that’s how we met. It was like at first sight!
Tony: It was at first sight. You know that saying… you know when it’s that person.
What would you like to see for the food truck in the next 5 years?
Tony: Nothing against a brick and mortar, but with a brick and mortar, there’s going to be an influx of people that will want to come everyday. You have to be open if you’re a brick and mortar, no if ands or buts. With the food truck, if we want to open up, we open up. If we want to close down, we close down. We have the capability to move pretty much anywhere in the state of Virginia. For us, within the next 5-10 years, I think it’s still going to be the food truck that we have. Unless the man upstairs has a different plan upstairs with us, we have peace of mind with the food trailer.
Vicky: Not only that, but we’re family-owned, so we love to take breaks. Especially for our daughter because she’s in dance classes. We make sure we work around her schedule as well. We’re busy all around.
Tony: By being a family-owned business, she [their daughter] gets to see what goes on. She interacts with folks all the time! We work for her. Because when folks come to the window it’s, “Where’s Mya? Is Mya in there?” They just want to see Mya.
February 25, 2021 | Whatever It Takes Fitness and VIBES Entertainment | Kenneth Monsanto
Kenneth Monsanto (left) is a man who wears many hats. After being in the Fredericksburg region for just six years, VIBES Entertainment and Whatever It Takes Fitness are just two of the many endeavors he has already pursued here. We had the opportunity to get to know Kenneth, his inspirations, and what his businesses offer. VIBES Entertainment hosts decked out themed paint night events and Whatever It Takes Fitness goes a step above and beyond a traditional personal training program.
What is the concept of VIBES Entertainment?
Kenneth: VIBES Entertainment, the reason why I did it is because being Black in this area, there’s not too many places that I felt was conducive to what I wanted to do. There wasn’t really anywhere outside of Hard Times. I don’t really like the smell of cigarette smoke and there just wasn’t really anything conducive. I was looking at different things going on in Florida, Georgia, California, Vegas and it was just like, bring it all in here, together. We do themed paint events- I do listening parties, fundraisers for high schools, day parties. Let’s say it’s a Reggae night, I would do the Caribbean food, decorations, a painting inspired by that, I might have a spoken word, I might have an artist. I just make sure I’m providing an experience that you could go to Dallas or Houston to get.
The Juneteenth event this past year, that was an outside event. We painted a Black Lives Matter fist, but it was a tree rooted. We pick something themed, that will really resonate with people and cause emotion. We’re not looking for something just for you to paint, we’re looking for an experience, and something that you actually want up in your house. It’s been a blessing man, that people have been supporting it and how there’s so much diversity.
Do you put together the playlist?
Kenneth: I do. I’m actually very intentional with everything- the playlist, the food, the performances, timing, just every aspect. I don’t leave anything to chance, down to the security. I’m big on prevention being the best cure.
Do you do all your events at other locations?
Kenneth: I usually rent out a space, I might do it outside. I’ve done… I don’t know how many breweries, wineries, I rent out places in D.C., we go to this thing every year for this church convention in Lynchburg where there’s 1500 kids. I’ve been thinking about getting a brick and mortar for VIBES, but thank God I didn’t. COVID kind of blessed my business. I was able to scale everything I’ve got going on. I was thinking, “How do I transition everything I do good in person, over technology?” So now I do art boxes online, I do entrepreneurship events online, we have a whole virtual training platform that does kids classes, adult classes, and senior classes.
What are some of the popular themed nights you do?
Kenneth: I think the world’s favorite is Reggae night. Trap and Paint is fun, cuffing season, I do an ugly sweater party every year. I would say Reggae night, I always have to turn 20 or 40 people away, it’s unbelievable every time we throw that.
Let’s talk about your other business, Whatever It Takes Fitness. Is it a personal training program?
Kenneth: It’s bigger than a personal training program, it’s a philosophy. My mantra is, “If you want to live in that body, you got to pay rent.” So what I teach to my staff, my team, everyone, is we base everything off of physical, mental, and spiritual refinement. I’m a firm believer that refinement brings value, value brings significance, significance brings influence. Whatever It Takes Fitness is my biggest platform now. We have a subscription based membership there with anything and everything you can do from healthy classes, to tips, we do 21 live classes a week, we have pre-recorded classes, we have an exercise library, there’s so much value on that thing that it’s almost unbelievable. It’s just a blessing to have the team that I have, to cast a vision and find people that really saw it and bought in. It’s been a blessing.
That leads me to my next question, what’s the idea behind “if you want to live in that body, you got to pay rent?”
Kenneth: That’s just that holistic approach. Literally, reading and working out changed the whole trajectory of my life. I didn’t find education and things of that nature, valuable until the past four or five years. I’ve been in this area for about six years and prior to coming here, I’ve been in the newspaper, but not for the things I am now. Refinement, refinement, refinement. What I tell my clients is when they wake up in the morning after you pray, you need to look at yourself in the mirror and say if you want to live in that body you have to pay rent.
What do you enjoy most about being a business owner?
Kenneth: The most rewarding thing is opportunity freedom. I’m in a position where I empower my family and my friends. Before, I felt like I didn’t handle that responsibility well. It was a selfish look, it was about me. Once I took the approach of being selfless and understanding why am I being given these platforms? Why have all these things fallen into place for me? It’s not because I’m so smart, that’s God’s grace. That’s the biggest thing about being a business owner, it’s that opportunity freedom and the effective change that you cause if you have the power to see.
February 27, 2021 | Inspired Selections Boutique | Lakeya Hunt
Much like her boutique, Inspired Selections, Lakeya Hunt cannot help but radiate positivity and joy. Her women’s clothing and accessories store is about much more than fashion- it’s about cultivating self love and inspiring confidence within every customer that walks through her doors. From the color coordinated racks to the eccentricity blinged-out Coca-Cola purses, it’s no secret that women call this store their “happy place.” We were fortunate to interview Lakeya about her positivity philosophy, motivations, and the many services she offers to women in the community.
How would you describe Inspired Selections Boutique? Because it’s more than just a retail store, right?
Lakeya: Inspired Selections- we are basically a group called Inspired Women. We’re a non-profit group and we have positives that we do to motivate and inspire women. The boutique is like a big inspiring closet, actually the women call it their happy place. So you come in, you get motivated and you love on yourself. Self love is very important and that’s what we’re offering to the community.
You’re also a motivational coach, is that correct?
Lakeya: I am! Giving positives to people, working with people, making sure that they are focusing on life moving forward, looking at the positives, especially during the pandemic time, it’s really been a big help.
Given that you’re also a motivational coach, what inspired you to start your own business?
Lakeya: What inspired me was seeing a lot of women with their heads down, not feeling positive, knowing that a lot of women didn’t have those positive-perspective people in their lives, and growing up in church and just coming into contact with a lot of women who needed lift and love. So I said, “Hey! I need to do something to give back to the women in the community.”
Do you want to talk a little bit about the service you offer? Because as we said, it’s not just a store, you offer things like makeovers, you do parties, etc.?
Lakeya: Yes! We do makeovers for women, we offer free services for women, help them with their resumes, we get them prepped for interviews, we also provide them with free clothing to go to their interviews and a week’s worth of clothes to start their job. We go out to the community and do empowerment events- we host them ourselves or we join others, and that’s a lot of positivity, so women are getting lifted, educated, and taking courses and trainings. We do shelter give back as well. We have a group of women, we go into the shelters and we feed them and clothe them.
What do you find the most rewarding about having your own business?
Lakeya: The most rewarding is giving to another. Inspiring another. Encouraging another. Seeing another smile. So they come in one way, but they leave out a better way. That’s what motivates me and makes me feel great about being an owner of the business.