Just over two percent of Springfield’s population is comprised of African Americans—even though African Americans make up nearly 13 percent of the national population. And local business leaders say the gap between minority-owned businesses on the local and national levels is even greater. Springfield leaders are trying to make the city’s workforce more diverse, and they face some specific challenges.
At Big Momma’s Café on Commercial Street, the smell of coffee beans mixes with the sound of patrons and the foaming machine.
Justyn Pippins works here as a barista. He’s also a volunteer for Minorities in Business, founded in 2009 to provide networking and business opportunities for women and minority business owners. He’s trying to keep minority college students in Springfield to work here after graduation, which is a challenge.
“I think college kids get off campus and they don’t see a lot of diversity, so they feel like they can’t stay here or they’re intimidated with them being the only diverse person working in a company," Pippins says. "So it’s easier for them to run back to St. Louis or Kansas City where there’ll be plenty of diverse people.”
Pippins says people from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds report having a hard time finding high paying jobs in the Springfield area.
On the positive side, Pippins says the feedback he hears about Springfield as a place to live is very positive—and that’s one thing keeping minorities here.
“Well, you have the low cost of living, so they’re able to save a little more money – college kids," he says. "But at the same time it’s a college town, so there’s a lot to do. You have Branson, and all the fun stuff in Branson, and just the outdoors life.”
Alyssa Brown is a sophomore at Missouri State University studying information technology. She interns for Minorities in Business and says it’s helped her gain perspective on what Springfield has to offer.
“There’s so many organizations that I was unaware about, and I’m like, ‘wow'”, Brown says. "I really think that this really opened my eyes to the other small businesses that we have in Springfield."
Samuel Knox is the executive director for Minorities in Business and a board member for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. He says Minorities in Business tries to connect businesses owners to help them prosper.
“I think the biggest challenges for minority businesses are the same as all businesses, and that’s connecting with, and cultivating new, and repeat customers," says Knox. "And after you grow your business, finding and hiring and training the staff that can help you grow to the next level.”
Minorities in Business holds meetings the third Tuesday of every month.
