Eshe Ukweli's blog

When his high school track coach suggested he take karate lessons to overcome a mental block around increasing his speed and improving his hurdling technique, Renard Beaty was puzzled. How could learning karate help with hurdling? 

But it was there, at a local school, that Renard discovered not only martial arts but the power of discipline and building strong self-esteem, skills that would shape his life and future career. More than 40 years later, now a black belt, a father of two black-belt daughters and owner of a successful karate school in Atlanta, Renard is passing those same lessons on to his community.

In recent months, Congress passed legislation that will make healthcare coverage more expensive for small businesses and failed to take other important steps to reduce healthcare costs. This follows an extension of tax laws that do not provide Main Street businesses with meaningful tax relief. To help ensure that entrepreneurs have a seat at the table and that their concerns are heard by policymakers, Small Business Majority helped small business owners from across the nation take advantage of August recess to meet with their representatives and to advocate on important topics including relief from the high costs of healthcare.

After being laid off from her job as a graphic designer, Jackie Huebbe found herself unemployed and with a house in foreclosure, uncertain of what would come next. It was then that her passion for helping those in need and offering second chances was born. Years later, after rebuilding her life and facing another corporate layoff, Jackie decided to bet on herself and take control of her future, launching her small business, SugarBot Sweet Shop & Creamery. 

Inspired by his dream to change the world for the better, Daniel Ryave joined the Peace Corps at 22 years old as a volunteer teacher. While in Togo, West Africa, teaching high school  English as a second language, he fell in love with empowering the next generation and building connections through education. 

“[It] really gave me the desire to keep working one-on-one and making those meaningful connections with people,” Daniel said.  

Takeerah Jones did not set out to be an educator or a business owner. But after pivoting away from a career in writing, she found herself in a substitute teacher position. That’s how she fell in love with educating children.

“The first day, I just fell in love with the kids. They were my happy place, and I just never left,” Takeerah said.