***EDIT*** We’d like to address a special thank you to Athena Gonzalez, a military spouse in the UK, for the information and resources she was able to provide in order to support this article and the military spouse community. Athena had created a similar list back in April and shares it weekly on local and non-local spouse pages. She encourages spouses to email her their business links with a 2 line paragraph description. These businesses are owned and operated by members of our BIPOC community and allies. I have also extended the invitation to members and allies of the LGBTQIA and Disability communities. Here is a link to Athena’s list.
Right now is a crucial time to support small businesses in America, with an extra focus on showing up for Black owned businesses. In our military community, many veterans and military spouses have started amazing businesses through grit and creative thinking.
27 Black Military Entrepreneurs You Need to Know Now
We’ve sourced incredible military-connected businesses that you’re 100% going to love – and that you need to know about right now.
Clothing & Accessories
She Swank
Owner Lakesha Cole, 2014 AFI MSOY and USMC veteran spouse, started She Swank as an online and brick-and-mortar boutique for those in search of a social shopping experience.
Hooked on Micah
Find all the sweetest handmade baby clothes from Hooked on Micah! Founded by Micah, an active duty Air Force service member stationed OCONUS, you’ll find gorgeous baby layettes and clothing. Micah also offers the option to custom order pieces that are just for your little one.
The Unique Bee Boutique
Outfit yourself in stylish level clothes for your busy, modern life with The Unique Bee, an inclusive clothing boutique.
Princess Leah Designs
Add some extra beauty to your look with unique, handcrafted accessories from Princess Leah Designs, located in Richlands, NC. We especially love her creative earrings and stamped text charms!
Honey Bee Hive Shop
For gorgeously unique earrings, shop at Honey Bee Hive! From colorful fabric studs to feathered tassels, this military spouse owned business is ready to add beautiful character to your outfits!
Simplistic Design
UK-based military spouses Crystal Nicole Smith and Jami Floyd are serving their community with custom vinyl designs, available for purchase through the business’s Facebook page and can be shipped to anywhere in the US.
Hush by Tai
Tai Trammel curates a gorgeous online boutique, Hush by Tai, that allows for colorful, chic personal expression. Tai, who is based in the UK, also offers options to support fellow business owners with branding packages at reasonable prices.
Kallie & Co.
Military spouse-owned Kallie & Co. specializes in fair trade-sourced unique footwear. They recently launched a completely vegan line of designer shoes!
The Bautista Project
Marla Bautista, a military spouse, turned her experiences with homelessness as a teen into a business that donates 10% of profits to charity. Shop The Bautista Project for unique home goods, apparel and vinyl items.
Food & Fitness
She Makes Delicious
Save time on meal prepping with this done-for-you service! Chef Nina Bryant, a military veteran, makes delicious meals with locally sourced, whole food ingredients. She Makes Delicious offers incredible meal prep options, all shipped directly to you!
Tatiana Mone
Tatiana is a military spouse offering realistic personal training programs that fit your lifestyle. She’s currently serving as the in-house fitness and nutrition expert for InDependent’s Wellness Lounge and Wellness Summit through 2020.
Mahogany Drinks
Add some yum to your mug with ethically sourced luxury teas, hot chocolates and coffees! Mahogany Drinks also offers beautiful mugs and accessories to make your first sip extra soothing.
Health, Beauty & Self-Care
Ergantos
Military spouse Gem Henry provides gorgeous Black-focused beauty, body and hair products with shipping available.
The Kulture Kabinet
Providing bath, beauty and aromatherapy products, the milspouse owned Kulture Kabinet helps families live better through luxury products. There’s even a line just for kids.
True Urembo
This veteran owned skin care line based on botanical ingredients. True Urembo hand crafts their products and are located in North Carolina.
Phor Mars
Owner Eryka Wakanda is on a mission to empower women to embrace their natural beauty through incredible self-care moments. She’s committed to creating all Phor Mars beauty products without harsh chemicals!
Candle Chronicles
Self-love comes in all forms and Candle Chronicles believes in power of fragrance to improve your mood and mindset!
Business & Financial Services
The Social Crown
Kia Young, an MD-based military spouse, guide small businesses to the ideal social media strategies as the CEO of The Social Crown.
MakeHER
Kia Young, Lakesha Cole and Krystel Spell teamed up to create MakeHER, a unique business-owner conference aimed at female military spouses.
Write to Influence Online
Develda Edington supports business owners with custom copy for their websites and print materials as the owner of Write to Influence Online.
Katrina Carrington, CPA
Military spouse Katrina Carrington, along with her team of financial professionals, provides expert accounting and financial advice to families and businesses
Military Influencer Conference
Veteran Curtez Riggs created a conference where military connected influencers and entrepreneurs could network and build their skills. Since 2016, MIC has hosted exciting conferences for business owners in the military community.
Leadership LINKS
A faith-based leadership institute, Leadership LINKS helps individuals channel their talents and passions for the greater community good.
Ingram Financial Management
Attiyya Ingram, AFC, is a military spouse who specializes in making money work for military families.
Find Black-Owned Businesses Near Your Duty Station
There are so many incredible military-connect, Black-owned businesses that it’s impossible to list each and every one in just one article. Which is why we love resources that help us to do the work individually.
The Black Wallet
Military spouse Jasmine Grant launched The Black Wallet to help you find Black-owned businesses in your community. Grant also offers support and services to help entrepreneurs launch their own business!
FindMe Mobile
Military spouse and lawyer Jennifer Brantley, owner of More Than a Mrs., was looking for ways to connect with BIPOC and support local businesses. FindMe Mobile is an app and website designed to connect, collaborate and communicate!
AMSE MilSpouse Black Owned Business Directory
Military spouse Moni Jefferson has long served as a resource and support for entrepreneurs in the military community. With the recent launch of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs, a small business network, she and co-founder Flossie Hall are also highlighting Black military spouse business owners with a new directory!
Coins and Connections is a black owned Podcast and Apparel business based out of Fort Lee, Virginia
This is wonderful. I am a AF Spouse and started CenCon Cowork for women and their allies to have an entrepreneurial community where rhey can connect, collaborate and partner to grow their business and share resources. Find me @cenconcowork and my business coaching page @thetruedrv
Hi Meg! This is such a great, comprehensive list. I am a military spouse in the UK and started a list similar and inspired by BLM back in April and hope to share it as well. It includes businesses owned by members of the BIPOC community and allies who support human rights. Some of the companies overlap but it’s never a bad idea to keep promoting these wonderful businesses
https://www.canva.com/design/DAD-UoL2JPg/CEMvCRrkp5rLHffHcQoMYg/view?utm_content=DAD-UoL2JPg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
Hi Meg, thank you for this amazing list. I will definitely be sharing it with my community. I am a military spouse here in the UK and I’ve created a similar list back in April and am hoping to also share it with everyone. It also has some of the wonderful businesses listed in this article as well. These businesses are owned an operated by members of our BIPOC community and allies.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAD-UoL2JPg/CEMvCRrkp5rLHffHcQoMYg/view?utm_content=DAD-UoL2JPg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
Hi Meg, thank you for this amazing list. I believe we have spoken before. I am a military spouse here in the UK and I’ve created a similar list back in April and share it weekly on local and non-local spouse pages. I also encourage spouses to email me their business links with a 2 line paragraph description. It also features some of the wonderful businesses listed in this article as well. These businesses are owned an operated by members of our BIPOC community and allies. I have also extended the invitation to members and allies of the LGBTQIA and Disability communities.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAD-UoL2JPg/CEMvCRrkp5rLHffHcQoMYg/view?utm_content=DAD-UoL2JPg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink