A report from Forbes shows that Black-owned businesses still face major challenges. With that in mind, ABC Action News sat down with one local business owner to learn more about the struggles she faces in the industry.
Accent Styles Boutique is full of color and culture. The owner said her goal is to bring Kenyan style and representation to the Tampa Bay area. She explained that stereotypes have come with that goal.
“We are so much more than the stereotypes or the shackles that people may try to limit us to being,” Anji Degante said.
Degante opened the store five years ago. She said it is so much more than a business—she’s working to create a bridge between African and African American culture.
“It’s really important to have it here in Tampa because it’s a very beautiful and different business, but there is not a lot of African accents throughout the city of Tampa,” Degante said.
She said she has faced stereotypes and doubts while working in the fashion industry.
According to Forbes, 86% of Black business owners surveyed believe their businesses are judged more critically than nonblack businesses, and 95% say they are motivated to disprove racial stereotypes.