Nate Dillard has a simple explanation for his entrepreneurship journey: He followed in his father’s footsteps.

“When my dad left the military, he started his own IT business,” Dillard said. “That’s why I followed that legacy. My dad did it. I saw it happen. So, I did what I saw — and I’ve done it in my own way.”

As a young man growing up in Detroit, Dillard witnessed firsthand the powers of generational wealth and community reinvestment. But for many minority business owners, securing enough capital to turn growth-stage ventures into self-sustaining enterprises remains a challenge, he said.

That’s why after serving eight years active duty for the U.S. Air Force, Dillard joined the reserves and launched the National Black Business Directory (NBBD) — a business development platform designed to empower Black entrepreneurs.

Its primary goal is to help minority business owners leverage the best available resources to maximize access to capital.

Late last year, NBBD teamed up with two other Black-owned consulting companies — AgencyX and Intensify Design — to launch a new venture: LunarX Agency, a full-service design and development consulting firm featuring a team of more than 20 independent contractors and strategic outsourcing partnerships.

curated from: Dayton Business Journal

Do you know of any local black entrepreneurs or businesses breaking new ground or giving back to the community? Let us know about them in the comments so we can shine a light on them.