By Tenita Joi Abraham
TECHNOLOGY
AI is here, and it’s changing the game for businesses— especially minority-owned businesses. We’ve faced challenges like limited access to resources, capital, and tools for years. But guess what? AI is leveling the playing field! Whether it’s saving you time, helping you connect with customers, or growing your bottom line, AI is making it possible for businesses like yours to thrive and compete with the big players. Let’s talk about how.
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- Smarter Marketing Made Simple
Imagine running campaigns that feel like they’re speaking directly to your customers without spending hours figuring out how. AI tools like HubSpot and Mailchimp do the heavy lifting. They analyze your customer data and help you create personalized campaigns that actually work.
For social media, tools like Hootsuite use AI to tell you when and what to post for maximum impact. It’s like having your own marketing team, but without the massive expense. That’s power in your hands!
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- Run Your Business Like a Pro
Let’s face it—keeping up with day-to-day operations can be overwhelming. That’s where AI comes in. Tools like Quick-Books automate your bookkeeping, and Zoho Inventory tracks your stock so you never run out of your best sellers.
Got employees? Gusto handles payroll and HR tasks like a breeze, so you don’t have to stress about compliance or paperwork. These tools let you focus on what you do best: building your business.
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- Breaking Barriers to Capital
Access to funding has always been a struggle, but AI is flipping the script. Platforms like Fundbox and BlueVine evaluate your business’s realtime data instead of relying solely on credit scores, making loans and lines of credit more accessible.
Need quick cash flow? Kabbage provides fast funding and offers tools to help you manage your finances smartly. AI is making financing fairer, faster, and more transparent— exactly what we need.
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- Supercharge Your Customer Service
You can’t be everywhere at once, but AI can. Tools like Zendesk and Drift use AIpowered chatbots to handle customer questions 24/7. Whether it’s answering inquiries, suggesting products, or resolving complaints, these bots keep your customers happy and coming back.
Think of it as having a top-notch customer service team that never clocks out— and your customers will notice the difference.
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- Make Data Work for You Data can be your secret weapon, and AI tools like Google Analytics and Microsoft Power BI make it easy to understand what’s happening
some athletes.
Let’s be clear. One fight is too many and there have been a few of them lately. Unwanted publicity has come to some HBCU programs. You know those programs and the embarrassment they are facing.
Some players and coaches have been suspended by their conferences. I have maintained that student-athletes are ambassadors for their schools. There is a responsibility they have to conduct themselves properly. I would opine that all student-athletes today are on scholarships. Many of them are paying zero dollars to attend college.
HBCUs have rich histories of both academic and athletic excellence. These reputations have been earned. Our institutions have made it through tough and turbulent times. Despite these challenges, they have been successful in educating thousands of young men and women, most of whom are African Americans.
Sports halls of fame are filled with the names and statues of HBCU graduates. The same can be said for HBCU conference halls of fame. Those enshrined have conducted themselves in a manner that made their schools proud of them. I was blessed to have been inducted into an HBCU conference hall of fame. The experience is one that I will never forget.
Parents and love providers attend athletic contests to cheer for our children. We have invested our time, energy and love hoping they will be successful. When a studentathlete is on the playing field or court, they are representing their families.
I can only imagine how those involved in the recent skirmishes are feeling right now. They are ashamed of their behavior. It only takes a minute to lose control, yet the consequences stay with you for quite a while.
Many college athletes want to get NIL (name, image and likeness) agreements. NIL agreements are the talk of the sports world now. Everyone has one or wants to get one. These deals can make instant millionaires out of these student-athletes.
It is my thinking that companies look at not only athletes on the field or court performance, they also look at how they carry themselves. We know that despite what some say that character does count in their assessment. I wonder if those young men thought about character when they decided fighting was better than fortune. Obviously, they did not.
Post-season opportunities will await teams in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see how the suspensions affect them playing going forward.
Let’s hope that those affected will have learned from those momentary lapses and not be repeat offenders. College
students in the athletic arena are role models. They are admired by young boys and girls who are just starting to play sports. Our children and grandchildren are watching you. Don’t disappoint them.