COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the past three years, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has offered the Midlands Minority Business Accelerator program -- and applications for next year are already open.
Some business owners like Chris Williams, owner of Roy's Grille, say the program has made a difference. Williams said his passion is food.
"Food, no matter your race, color, creed -- wherever you're from, how you grew up -- food brings everybody together," Williams said.
Already in business for ten years, Williams said his goal is to open two more restaurants by 2028. He said the minority business accelerator program is helping him achieve that goal.
"The reason that the Midlands Minority Business accellerator was created initially is because there has been a disparity of information for minorities on how to run a business, how to start a business, and how to continue the success of that business," Naomi Walton, the director of Small and Minority Business with the Columbia Chamber, said.
Williams said the program is rare, and there needs to be others like it.
"Oftentimes, as a minority, you're just so happy that people are willing to do business with you," he said. "Sometimes, you'll kind of accept anything, not really knowing your value, not knowing how to set market price for your -- for your product."
DeQuena Niles, the CEO of 3D Nail Academy is also in the program. She said her passion is nail art and making people feel beautiful.
"I remember being a little girl practicing in the back of my mom's shop -- practicing nails," she said.
She said she hopes to continue growing her nail salons and 3D Nail Academy by helping more technicians get their licenses, adding more pictures of her classes to the wall and showcasing their projects. She said the program has been a game-changer.
"It was so refreshing to see it was people just like me," she said. "Other entrepreneurs just like me who may have had a different route, different path, may have been in a different journey, but ultimately, we all shared the same aspirations and the same goals and we had the same questions."
The latest application window closes on Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. A qualifying business must be majority-owned by someone in a minority, have a minimum revenue of $200,000, have at least one full-time employee besides the owner and have been in operation for three years or more.