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Character,
Culture, Concentration, and Courage. Those are the four C's to success
that Bonita
Coleman's father taught her. It was his nature of freedom and courage
as a pilot that inspired this 1979 Howard grad to become an entrepreneur
once...and then once again.
Bonita is
a seasoned entrepreneur. She, along with business partner Cheryl Mayberry,
owned "One Moment In Time" - a chain of retail stores that rented
formalwear for women. They operated stores in Michigan, Chicago, Birmingham,
and San Fransisco between 1989 and 1993.
Several
years later, Cheryl Mayberry contacted her with an idea for a company
that could fill the current void that exists for services dedicated to
African American women. Funded by angel investors, together they launched
Nia Enterprises in January 2000, and now they are seeking their first
round of financing. Their company was 1 of 25 businesses chosen from 225
applicants for Springboard,
a national non-profit venture dedicated to woman entrepreneurs and investors.
As a result, they will have the opportunity to present their business
to close to 100 venture capitalists and will receive coaching from business
and finance leaders.
Nia Enterprises
is named for the fifth principle of Kwanzaa that means "purpose"
- to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community
in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
And that
is what exactly what Bonita is striving for...this Howardite is doin'
her thing!
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"Throughout
my career I have had mentors �someone who has touched my life...someone
to provide encouragement."
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Character :
College and Life Experiences
HBCU
NETWORK:
So what brought
you to Howard University and what do you remember most about your experience
there?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
Coming from Denver, we basically have a ten
percent population of African Americans. Having gone to mostly white majority
schools, going
to Howard was a cultural experience. It
was quite rewarding because there were many opportunities to participate on
a leadership level. I was the advertising manager for The Hilltop (Howard's
campus newspaper) and participated in the African Americans in Advertising Association.
I was also Miss Howard.
HBCU
NETWORK:
(LAUGHS) Wow! So
we're speaking to the former Miss Howard!
BONITA
COLEMAN:
(LAUGHS) Yes, I
was Miss Howard in '76-'77.
HBCU
NETWORK:
Well, we just have
to know....what was the talent you performed to win that crown?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
A dance to Eli's
Coming by Laura Nyro.
HBCU
NETWORK:
Well alright then!
What other hobbies and talents do you have?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
I still take ballet
classes. Now that I am in New York City, its just a sheer delight to take classes
here. I enjoy traveling and skiing and I'm trying to play golf. I'm working
on it...could be a lifetime sport.
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Culture
: Nia Enterprises, a company with "Purpose" dedicated to African
American Women
HBCU
NETWORK:
Tell us a little about Nia Enterprises and what
you do.
BONITA
COLEMAN:
Nia Enterprises actually has two divisions, the
main one currently being NiaOnline (www.niaonline.com). Our objective
is to build a world class marketing services company that helps corporations
obtain greater access to African American women. We like to provide a
number of consumer touchpoints such as our consumer advisory board, a
catalog that provides over 500 ethnic gifts, and offline events.
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HBCU
NETWORK:
Sounds great! How many African American women are
online today?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
60% of African
Americans online are women. We saw that 45% of African American women are head
of household versus only 13% for the general market. Typically the phrase says
that women influence 80% of buying decisions. But in 1 out of 2 African American
households we ARE the decision maker. Corporations don't recognize this.
HBCU
NETWORK:
So what has been your greatest challenge so far with
Nia Enterprises?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
Following in the
footsteps of poorly managed dot-coms. Right now there is a lingering dark cloud
over the internet. But as a marketer I know that the internet is the best enabling
technology for marketing. It's the only medium that provides a 2-way dialogue
with a consumer -- you can gather information and you have speed that you can't
get from print or TV. It's a beautiful marketing tool. Its also the best way
to test your ideas because if it doesn't work you can easily revamp your marketing
strategy. Speed, quality, and access is what the internet provides us.
We're slowly and
quietly building our company because we know that the corporations will come
back around. This is not a technology that they will be able to avoid. What's
important for the African American market is that we're working with corporations
to make sure that as they are building their brand, they make it culturally
relevant.
Concentration
: Focus on learning, success, and giving back
BONITA
COLEMAN:
I actually worked for IBM after graduating from Howard. After 2 years, I took
an educational leave of absence and attended Harvard to pursue my MBA. After
our first business venture was completed, I was able to return to a corporate
environment and be an intrapreneur....and had a lot more confidence. I credit
IBM for the building of confidence, professionalism, and the managerial experience.
They send you through constant training.
At Chrysler, it
was about learning how to run a lean operation. Chrylser was known for its leanness
and frugalness [before the merger]. For example. they wouldn't give frequent
flyer miles to the employees. They would keep those miles and then use them
for tickets for the company. But at the same time, they were the most innovative
in their industry.
HBCU
NETWORK:
Did you find the
MBA invaluable for your success in business?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
Absolutely. And I actually was considering law school, but when I looked at
both degrees I thought the MBA would be more valuable over the long term...it
really offers an opportunity for financial empowerment.
HBCU
NETWORK:
Many of us were
taught to the philosophy of "Each One, Reach One, Teach One." Throughout
your career have you used mentors and career coaches? And now that you are a
successful entrepreneur, do you mentor others?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
I'd like to do more of that and be more involved
with Howard. The further up you go, the more you want to look for opportunities
to reach back. Throughout my career I have had mentors...someone who has touched
my life..someone to provide encouragement.
Courage : Dust
yourself off and try again
BONITA
COLEMAN:
[Nia Enterprises]
is actually my second entrepreneurial venture and actually its easier the second
time around. The first time you're learning. And I don't know how many first
time entrepreneurs have actually been successful. The first time you usually
just test the water. I always tell people I received my Ph.D. when I did the
first venture (LAUGHS). It's very easy the second time because you're more courageous
and you realize that you can stand on your own two feet. You can ask yourself
"What's the worst thing that can happen?" And people don't realize this, but
partnerships are very difficult. Cheryl and I have been business partners for
two businesses...and yes, we're still friends (LAUGHS).
HBCU
NETWORK:
What has been your
greatest success since starting Nia Enterprises?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
The people. Building a quality organization.
It made all the difference. Building a team that is committed to the vision.
HBCU
NETWORK:
So what's next
for Nia Enterprises? Where do you see the company in the next 1-5 years?
BONITA
COLEMAN:
I see Nia Enterprises growing as a profitable,
full service integrated solution for companies seeking access to African-American
women and their families.
HBCU
NETWORK:
Well, we're looking
forward to following your company's successes. Thanks so much for taking time
to speak with us!
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