Standout Black Small Business Owners From The Next 1000 on Forbes

By Maneet Ahuja,Editor-at-Large. Editor-at-Large at Forbes covering billionaires and beyond

he United States is home to three million Black-owned businesses, 88% of which are sole proprietorships, according to the Census Bureau. And yet, these businesses generate more than $150 billion in annual revenue, per the Minority Business Development Agency.

When Covid-19 started to spread across the country last year, it took a disproportionate toll on this community, with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reporting the number of Black-owned businesses dropped a whopping 41% from February to April 2020—marking the worst decline among all demographics during the darkest months of the pandemic.

Still, these entrepreneurs have remained resilient, and entering 2021, nearly half say they expect revenues to increase and the economy to improve, according to a Bank of America study. Moreover, nearly 25% expect to hire, a surefire sign of optimism.

With this in mind, it should come as little surprise that Black business owners shone brightly on Forbes’ inaugural Next 1000 list of small-scale superachievers redefining what it means to build and run a business today. They represent nearly 32% of applicants (thus far—nominations are open year-round) and 20% of our first group of 250 honorees.

Jy Maze
CEO, Maze Freight Solutions
Sector: Manufacturing & Industry

Maze, 40, is CEO of Kansas-based shipping and logistics startup Maze Freight Solutions. Founded in 2017 after working in transportation and supply chain management for over 12 years, her company is completely self-funded and was recognized locally as one of Kansas City’s top minority-owned businesses by the Kansas City Business Journal last year.