Everyone Has a Story
Everybody has a story. No two entrepreneurial journeys are the same, and the challenges people face can come from many different directions. Age, race, education, where you live, or even your social and economic status can all shape the road you walk. Every business owner knows there are difficulties along the way, and those challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming before you even get started.
Why National Black Business Month Matters
This month is National Black Business Month, a time to specifically recognize the contributions and experiences of Black-owned businesses. It is also a moment to pause and reflect on what perseverance and purpose look like when you see it up close.
Tamekia Dolan’s Journey
Before we met, Tamekia Dolan was a single parent doing everything she could for her children. Part of that included working hard to put them in the best schools, even though that meant they were often a single digit percentage of the school population. That reality came with more concerns and more weight.
She had to think about stereotypes, about how she and her children were being perceived, and about how even small incidents in the classroom could carry deeper meaning. What might be brushed off as minor by others was more significant to her as a Black parent. She carried those concerns while still showing up, pressing forward, and building something greater for her family.
Building Businesses with Purpose
At the same time, she was running her own business. She built Unity Salon to provide not just services but education around ethnic hair care, helping families and communities understand and celebrate diverse hair needs.
She has also studied and earned her certification as a doula, launching She Deserves a Doula, reflecting her passion for mothers, babies, and supporting women through life’s most important moments.
Meanwhile she created Salongevity, a line of compression socks designed for people who spend long hours on their feet. Together with me, she has also been working on Rollin’ With the Dolans, an extension of our family’s journey to support other families.
That does not even capture it all. She has explored and expanded on past ventures such as her Braidful business, and she continues to grow through more education, new opportunities, and creative ideas that she turns into action.
A Personal Reflection
Tamekia exemplifies hard work, dedication, perseverance, creativity, and compassion. These are just a few of the reasons why I admire her as an entrepreneur. And on a more personal note, they are also some of the reasons why I feel incredibly fortunate that she is my wife.
Pressing On During National Black Business Month
National Black Business Month is about recognizing the challenges and contributions of Black-owned businesses. For me, it is also about pausing to appreciate the everyday strength, resilience, and creativity that drive those businesses forward.
Watching Tamekia’s journey has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to create, to lead, and to keep moving forward even when the odds seem stacked against you.
So this August, I want to say thank you, not only to Tamekia, but to all the entrepreneurs out there who keep showing up, building, and pressing on. Your work matters. Your example matters. And your communities are stronger because of you.