When Nicole Triplett of
Black Wall Street Kalamazoo and Nicole Parker of
Sisters in Business joined forces during the COVID-19 pandemic, it marked the beginning of a powerful collaboration rooted in advocacy, access, and action.
Both women were already leading efforts to support Black entrepreneurs in their hometown of Kalamazoo. But as they watched systemic gaps widen for Black-owned businesses during the crisis, they knew they could do more together and regionally.
"We launched
Black Wall Street Kalamazoo in 2018 with one goal: to develop and resource local entrepreneurs," says Triplett. "Our community didn’t just need motivation, we needed structure, education, and capital."
Around about the same time, Parker was inspired to do something similar.
"We started
Sisters in Business in 2017 after hosting a brunch for 50 women. That number doubled at the next event. The need was obvious. So we built a space that not only celebrates Black women in business but supports them through pitch competitions, mentorship, and emergency microgrants."
Their shared work laid the groundwork for a broader collective: the West Michigan Black Economic and Business Development Group (WMBEBDG), a regional coalition of Black-led entrepreneur support organizations formed in 2021. Born out of the pandemic’s inequities, WMBEBDG aimed to connect Black businesses to resources and capital often inaccessible through traditional economic development channels.
State grant supports work
Now, their vision has been recognized. WMBEBDG has been awarded the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)’s Trusted Connector Grant, which supports organizations that engage underrepresented small businesses through mentorship, technical assistance, and community-building.
"WMBEBDG being selected as one of the grant recipients shows what’s possible when we Black-led organizations align, collaborate, and lead with intentionality," says Triplett. "We are committed to building a stronger, more connected ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs across West Michigan."
The founding organizations of the group include:
- Black Wall Street Kalamazoo: Empowering Kalamazoo's Black-owned businesses through structured education and funding. It creates a space to support and circulate dollars within the Black community by connecting Black-owned businesses to the people who need them.
- Sisters In Business: Supporting and amplifying Black women entrepreneurs through mentorship and business development.
- Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses (GRABB): Providing capital access, one-on-one coaching, and ecosystem navigation.
- Black Wall Street Muskegon: Advocating for equity and investing in business training and growth in Muskegon.
Together, they operate under a unified mission: to build larger Black businesses and advance Black economic resilience across the region. Their vision: “One Ecosystem. Regional Reach. Collective Power.”
"Receiving a grant isn’t just funding, it’s a launchpad," says Lashae Simmons II, founder and president of
Black Wall Street Muskegon. "We take that opportunity, multiply it, build on it, and pass it forward so under-represented entrepreneurs can rise higher."
‘We built our own’
At the heart of their work is connectivity. Jamiel Robinson, founder and CEO of
GRABB, says the collective was born out of necessity.
"During COVID, everything was happening at a regional level, but Black businesses in communities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo were being left out of those conversations and resources. That’s why we came together," Robinson says. "We weren’t waiting for someone to create a table for us. We built our own."
Robinson believes the Trusted Connector Grant will strengthen both the individual organizations and the broader ecosystem they support. "This grant is helping us do two things: strengthen our organizations and build a regional network that connects Black entrepreneurs across city lines. That’s the kind of collective power that creates lasting change."
Triplett points to systemic failures that have historically excluded Black entrepreneurs. In response, in 2021 her team created the Black Entrepreneurship Training Academy (BETA), which has supported participants through training, support, and direct funding. Their impact: more than $1.2 million in capital and resources mobilized.
"Too often, Black businesses are left out of funding conversations because they don’t have the ‘right paperwork,’ or haven’t been invited into the right rooms," Triplett says. "We realized we could change that by preparing entrepreneurs for capital and holding institutions accountable for access."
Real change
Parker’s organization has distributed close to $500,000 to women-led businesses through its SIBS Fund and other initiatives.
“These aren’t just conversations. They’re transactions," Triplett says. "People post a service, and someone hires them. Our platforms both in Muskegon and Kalamazoo see tens of thousands of interactions each month. We’re seeing real revenue increases; most businesses see an average 33% growth.”
In Muskegon, Simmons also sees the impact of grassroots-led economic development. "Many of the entrepreneurs we work with didn’t start with business plans. They started with survival," she says. "Our role is to help legitimize that hustle, turning it into something sustainable."
Her Black Business Expo and training symposiums have directly supported over $260,000 in funding and helped entrepreneurs unlock an additional $300,000 through connections and partnerships.
As WMBEBDG looks to the future, its members are focused on breaking down what Robinson calls "invisible barriers."
"There’s no reason a business in Muskegon shouldn’t be getting contracts in Kalamazoo. There’s no reason a Grand Rapids entrepreneur shouldn’t be part of supplier diversity opportunities in Battle Creek. Our job is to connect those dots," he says.