Welcome to The Black Butterfly Network
The Black Butterfly Network is an innovative, culturally-rooted initiative to connect and unlock the power of Baltimore’s Black business community.
Our “WHY” is clear: Create a thriving city where Black businesses can excel, grow and transform generational disenfranchisement into sustainable community prosperity. We have built a robust network of Baltimore’s Black businesses, and tailored resources that bridge historical and systemic hurdles that make building community wealth an often insurmountable challenge. The Black Butterfly Network provides essential resources for success — first amongst those is each other.
Through opening access to information and opportunity and building a vital community, we are determined to unlock the full power of Black business in Baltimore. This will lift not only the businesses themselves, but will open the only real door to Baltimore realizing its incredible potential — economically thriving communities.
Rise With Us!
By Us | With Us | For Us
Our Vision
Our Vision is to cultivate the connectivity, innovation, and leadership of Black Baltimore as a model for thriving, equitable, entrepreneurial ecosystems of the future!
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect Baltimore’s Black business owners in a mutually supportive network, and steward a movement that aggregates the power of Black businesses to create economically-sustainable thriving communities by providing access to vital information and collaborative resources to seed, nurture and scale Black-owned enterprises.
By Us | With Us | For Us
"By Us | With Us | For Us" embodies the essence of culturally rooted collaboration to grow economic freedom that is the anthem of the Black Butterfly Network. It represents our commitment to nurturing a movement that is driven by the Black community and supported by allies from all cultures for the advancement of Black enterprise in Baltimore and beyond. Through our collective efforts, we stand together to overcome challenges, innovate opportunities, and uplift one another. By joining forces with our community and allies, we harness our collective potential to soar over barriers, creating lasting and sustainable community transformation.
Equitable Entrepreneurship
Challenges Faced By Black Businesses
National Picture
Revenue
Source: Pew Research Center
Black-owned firms accounted for just 1% of gross nationwide revenue while Black adults comprised 12.4% of the overall U.S. population, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center study.
Ownership
Source: Lending Tree
The percentage of Black owned businesses with employees in the U.S. is 2.5% while white owned businesses made up 85.6% of the market share, according to a Lending Tree article based on the 2021 census.
Growth
Source: Brookings Institution
Roughly 96% or approximately 3 million Black-owned businesses are sole proprietorships, according to a 2021 Brookings Institution report.
Baltimore Picture
Resource: Self Financial research on US Census Bureau 2019 American Community and Annual Business Survey
Maximizing Assets for All
Enabling Black business owners to reach their individual and collective potential is not just essential for the success of Black entrepreneurs, it positively impacts everyone in society. When we ensure access to mutual peer support, information, growth channels, and capital, we unlock the incredible talent, innovation, and economic capacity that can benefit us all.
More Money in Circulation
Promotes Equality
More Jobs
Source: Brookings Institute
Source: Pew Research Center
Source: Solar Industries Association
According to the Brookings Institution the transition 15% of Black-owned sole proprietorships to firms with employees would add $55 billion to the U.S. economy.
58% of Black adults say “buying Black” or supporting Black businesses is an “extremely or very effective strategy for moving Black people toward equality in the United States,” reported by Pew Research Center.
If Black-owned businesses caught up with non-Black businesses, they would add approximately 1.6 million jobs, as reported by Solar Energy Industries Association.
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems of the Future
During the Pandemic we went out into Baltimore’s Black business community, and with the support of Startup Maryland, we asked Black business owners three questions.
Why are Baltimore’s Black businesses where we are now?
What is needed to change the current reality?
What is your hope for the future?
Here's what we heard:
As a result of that feedback, we implemented a three tiered response. Each component builds upon and supports the others in a regenerative cycle.
Place: We concentrate activity in neighborhoods with some economic footing but are in need of infusion of energy to grow economically.
People: Our Black Butterfly Network cohort alumni are connected to each other, applying growth strategies through collective action. We employ a cohort process that focuses on building deep connections within the cohort and across the engaged members.
Platform: The BlkBtrFly.exchage provides access to desperately needed resources to support small business growth, and serves as a source for communication, information and collective action.
Explore the links below for more information.
Business Directory
Info-sharing
Cohorts
Rise With Us
Join us in our mission to connect and uplift Baltimore’s Black entrepreneurs by becoming a sponsor or donor for the Black Butterfly Network. By investing in this effort, you will play a crucial role to foster a vital business ecosystem, support diverse voices and perspectives, and promote social and economic equality. To express your interest and explore collaborative possibilities, please share your information below. We will reach out to you to schedule a meeting and discuss how we can work together to make a meaningful impact.