August is National Black-owned business month — and one New Mexico business is set out to inspire.

When it comes to products to help protect hair, there are plenty. But for Juperi Johnson and her daughters, creating a hair wrap that worked for their hair type became their business.

"When we first started this, they were about 6 years old and so I needed something that would work on braids, or if I wore my braid my hair natural or curly," said Juperi Johnson, owner of Kena Wrap. "Something that would work on all three of our different hair types."

Johnson is a mother of three. She's also the creator of the Kena Wrap. The goal was to create something that worked for everyone.

"What started as a series of hand-drawn sketches from one of my friends that's an artist turned into about eight or nine different prototypes," she said.

Johnson said it was important to be an example for her daughters.

"It's invaluable to be able to inspire my daughters. You know, they go to school telling their teachers and their friends that they're inventors," she said.

She said her business is also about giving back and empowering others.

"If there's any message I can give to young Black women in our community, it's to utilize the tools that are around you," Johnson said. "If I can give back in some sort of way with knowledge and education that's worth its weight in gold."

Johnson said in the future, she would love to create a nonprofit and teach kids about math, science and finances. Most importantly, show how to start a business.

The African American Chamber of Commerce encourages anyone interested in becoming a business owner to contact them.

Watch the video above for the full story.

CINCINNATI — This story was reported in partnership with The Herald.

About this time last year, Donny Harper opened his new Go(o)d Company Apparel store on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine.

Before he could schedule an official grand opening, COVID-19 hit.

“This is a location that I’ve been, like, praying for,” said Harper, who launched his clothing brand in 2014 and had a shop on Race Street before moving to his new location. “We opened the doors at the beginning of March and, you know, the pandemic was stirring. And in the middle of March, they said, ‘Shut it down. We’re shutting down everything.’ And so it was super disappointing and disheartening.”

His store stayed closed until July 1, 2020, but that didn’t stop Harper.

He ramped up marketing on social media, focused his efforts on building online sales and designed face masks and other new products to sell, he said. He also took advantage of the help available to him. He got a Paycheck Protection Program loan, a Facebook loan and a PUSH Grant, designed specifically to help the region’s minority entrepreneurs persevere.

“Those funds really helped to sustain our business and help us continue to thrive and get more merchandise,” he said. “And to continue to market our brand to the public to let people know that we were still – we were still breathing.”

Lucy May | WCPO

Weathering the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic has been especially difficult for African American entrepreneurs like Harper. Nearly a year into the COVID-19 economic crisis, WCPO 9 and the Cincinnati Herald teamed up to report on how the region’s Black-owned businesses are faring.

Black-owned businesses have an economic impact of $1.44 billion in Greater Cincinnati, according to a January 2021 study by the University of Cincinnati Economic Center. The 800 businesses included in the study support more than 8,600 jobs with earnings of more than $542 million, and they generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, the analysis found.

That makes the health of Black-owned businesses important to everyone, and the past year has threatened many of them, said Eric Kearney, the president and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce.

“The pandemic has really had a devastating effect on Black-owned businesses and on our members,” Kearney said. “Some national surveys say that 40% of African American-owned businesses went under during this pandemic. Our statistics say that it’s about 30% in the Cincinnati marketplace.”

RELATED: Black-owned businesses feeling weight of difficult 2020

That amounts to as many as 300 local businesses that have closed permanently, Kearney said.

“Typically they’re smaller businesses, but they’re still just as important,” he said. “They still feed a family.”

‘You have to overcome those moments’

In Bond Hill, Davis Cookie Collection is feeding more than the Davis family.

The cookie business opened its first brick-and-mortar location on Reading Road last year after months of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lucy May | WCPO

Contractors working on the storefront experienced delays getting the materials they needed, and the electrician working on the project had trouble getting the supplies he needed, too, said Christina Davis, the company’s owner and CEO.

“What could have been a short turnaround time for us to get open took a long time,” she said. “We looked at this place in November 2018. We signed our lease in August 2019, and we didn’t get to open until Oct. 10 of 2020.”

Those delays forced Davis to get more creative than ever.

She lost important in-person marketing opportunities, such as the weekly pop-up location she used to operate at Jungle Jim’s. But Davis developed new business strategies that have helped her company grow.

“We really had to re-evaluate and pivot our business in a different direction,” she said. “Now we’re really targeting corporations where we can sell them individualized bags of cookies that they’ve been ordering for their employees. We’ve been shipping nationwide. A lot of different companies -- P&G to name one of them -- they order a lot of cookies for their employees.”

Davis also thought of new ways to make her shop stand apart once it did open, developing her “create a dozen” concept. Customers pick from a variety of toppings that get mixed into cookie dough and baked while they wait. The shop also sells ice cream and allows customers to customize ice cream sandwiches by selecting their own cookie and ice cream combination.

RELATED: Cookie shop opens with sweet new concept

“I do a lot of marketing research. Like, most times I’m up really late at night researching on how we can pivot our business, what we can innovate,” she said. “When the pandemic first happened and all the businesses were shut down, as well as ourselves, that was my moment to become creative. I spent a lot of downtime just thinking, OK, what are we going to do once we open?”

While Davis never feared her business would close permanently, she said, it wasn’t always easy to keep going.

“I remember one day I broke down. I was like, ‘We’re not going to get to open.’ But then our faith kicked in, and we knew everything would work out,” she said. “You have to overcome those moments to be able to see what’s on the other side.”

Lucy May | WCPO

Ultimately, the challenges made the business stronger, said Miles Davis, Christina Davis’ husband and the company’s co-owner and chief operating officer.

“I think in life period any time you go through stuff, and you make it through it, you always come out stronger,” he said. “We’ve learned, we’ve gained experience and we’re immediately trying to hand it to other people so that they don’t have to go through as much as we did.”

‘Super excited’ about the future

A survey by the African American Chamber found that the chamber’s members tend to need help in four crucial areas:

• Members needed a better relationship with their bankers, beyond knowing the teller. They needed a strong connection to get assistance with the government loans that have been available during the pandemic.
• They also needed a solid relationship with an accountant who could quickly provide financial statements required for government loan applications.
• Many members also lacked a strong relationship with a lawyer who could advocate for them and ensure their records were in order.
• And members also had a general need for more capital to operate their businesses.

“Typically our businesses are undercapitalized,” Kearney said. “That’s true of most small businesses, but it’s particularly true with African American-owned businesses, and so we took steps to address each of those concerns.”

Chamber staff offer counseling and technical support to help business owners navigate the various programs and loans available to them, he said. The chamber teamed up with the Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative and MORTAR to offer PUSH grants last year to help businesses stay afloat.

In February, the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio and the city of Cincinnati announced a similar grant program called the “Resiliency Fund” to help small Black- and brown-owned businesses devastated by the COVID-19 economic crisis.

Kearney said he hopes some of the businesses that had to close will be able to reopen.

WCPO

“I really believe when people get vaccinated and the weather gets warmer, the economy will really rebound,” he said.

Even so, technology remains a challenge for some chamber members who were not ready for online sales and services when most in-person business halted, he said.

Harper said being able to sell his products online made all the difference for Go(o)d Company Apparel when his store had to close last March.

“But our store is our core,” he added. “This is where people can come and hear the story about Go(o)d Company, why we exist, why we started the brand.”

The name Go(o)d Company expresses the importance of being a good person to be around – and the importance of surrounding yourself with good people, Harper said. And the parentheses around the second “o” in the name have a special meaning, too.

“For me, I believe that keeping good company is important, but keeping God company is even more important,” Harper said. “When you take that ‘o’ out, we’re saying keep God company as well.”

Lucy May | WCPO

Harper’s faith – in God and in the community that supports his business – helped see him through the worst of the COVID-19 economic crisis, he said.

Now he’s looking forward to a better 2021.

“I’m super excited for what’s ahead,” Harper said. “At the end of the day, we have to wear clothing, right? We have to wear something. So that gives me hope. The message of my brand is my hope, is that people will continue to wear something that they can relate to, that represents who they are and that pushes a positive message.”

Donny Harper said he wanted to highlight businesses that have been his “good company”: BrownsKorner for health and fitness; MidWest Promo Source for promotional items; Pivot Commercial Services for commercial and residential cleaning; Robert Smith for real estate needs; and Happy’s Pizza for late-night snacks.

Information about the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce and the services it offers is available online.

More information about how to apply for grants through the new “Resiliency Fund” is available online, too.

Nailah Edwards did an in-depth video interview with a dozen local business owners for the Cincinnati Herald. You can watch that interview online.

Lucy May writes about the people, places and issues that define our region – to celebrate what makes the Tri-State great and shine a spotlight on issues we need to address. She has been reporting on women- and minority-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati for more than 20 years. To reach Lucy, email lucy.may@wcpo.com. Follow her on Twitter @LucyMayCincy.

WEST END — Ollie’s Trolley owner Marvin Smith knows most of his customers by name, even though many of them are new and he serves between 100 and 200 people a day. As he first explained to us last June, his food establishment has experienced a remarkable surge in business because of COVID and gentrification over the past year.

Since that last report, his business has only gotten better.

“[I]t just won't stop,” Smith said.

The intense demand for his food keeps Smith on his feet from sunup to sundown. He has no time to go out and enjoy other restaurants because he’s so busy tending to his own.

“I'm not complaining," he said. "But you know, 12 hours a day is a lot of work, a lot of time. So, I'm looking forward to retirement.”

Due to all of the customers, Smith is hiring new employees to manage the long lines that appear at lunchtime. Construction workers from the FC Cincinnati Stadium across the street and the Samuel Adams Brewery next door regularly stream in to get their fix of burgers and soul food plates. Affluent residents of Over-the-Rhine’s newly renovated luxury apartments nearby make up the other significant part of his new clientele. Smith said they appreciate the healthy, hearty takeout option that still lets them socially distance.

“I couldn't ask for any better customers – loyal customers,” Smith said. “They come every day, rain and shine. Even when it was cold and snowy and wet in zero weather, they still came and stood in line to get something to eat. And that's remarkable. That's a testament to their faith in me and our good food and good service.”

Smith anticipates having continued business from the construction workers and their families, customers who ate at his establishment before the pandemic who will eventually return, as well as the new crowds from the FC Cincinnati games. He is also expecting a hefty profit from his plot of land if he decides to sell, because developers keep making handsome bids to buy.

What makes Smith's prosperity at this time so remarkable is that many of his fellow Black business owners have been forced to close their doors because of COVID-19 – the very factor that has bolstered Ollie's Trolley's success. The Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce reports that about 300 Black-owned businesses have folded in Cincinnati during the pandemic.

"We have seen a number of our members who have gone out of business due to the pandemic," said Eric Kearney, president and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce. "We're not sure if they'll come back or not, but we did PUSH grants to try and help them succeed. But some people were able to make it through; but I'd say about 25% to 30% were not."

Monique John/WCPO

Smith plans on buying more stock, putting his tables and canopies back up and adjusting a few things for the soccer crowd to prepare for the big upcoming games.

But Smith might move on from Ollie’s Trolley in a few years' time, since his business and plot of land have become so valuable due to all of the development in the West End and Over-the-Rhine. He continues to get competitive offers at around $1 million to give up his space at the junction of Liberty Street and Central Avenue. For now, Smith is refraining from entering a contract. He says he has gotten the property appraised and is holding out for a better deal.

Smith thinks it is best to wait another year to gauge what his business is like once FC Cincinnati Stadium opens. That way, he can then decide if it’s best to stay in business or if he should sell and make a huge profit off of the lot where he’s been serving his acclaimed comfort food for almost 30 years. Outside of running Ollie’s Trolley, he has a host of creative interests like writing a book, getting into film and television, and transitioning into teaching at Chatfield College full time.

But the pushback Smith has received from fans about him potentially leaving his post has further complicated his ability to make a decision. The West End and Over-the-Rhine have changed dramatically in recent years with various development projects that have brought the stadium, luxury apartments and other recreational spaces like Washington Park and Findlay Market. Yet the gentrification has also wiped out crucial housing developments and cultural establishments for low-income and Black residents. Those who have already been impacted by the gentrification dread the idea of losing one of their favorite food spots, too.

“It puts me in a position to not really know whether I should accept some of the offers that people have offered me – mass amounts of money, you know, for this corner, the site," Smith said. "So I have to make that decision. Do I stay and expand? Or do I take the money and move on and do some other things?”

In addition to offering pickup orders, Ollie's now takes orders through DoorDash, Uber and Grubhub. Smith said he looks forward to the stadium's grand opening, as well as to the early sneak peek that will be specially offered to people in the neighborhood. When that big day comes, Smith says his tall stacks of burgers and buns will be ready.

Monique John covers gentrification for WCPO 9. She is part of our Report For America donor-supported journalism program. Read more about RFA here.

If there are stories about gentrification in the greater Cincinnati area that you think we should cover, let us know. Send us your tips at moveupcincinnati@wcpo.com.

A Black-owned yoga studio is a rare find in Cincinnati — so rare that it pushed a local woman to create her own in Madisonville.

InoarG Yoga was opened in February by certified yoga instructor Blu Cauthen.

“InoarG, it directly means movement towards purification within, and that’s my goal here — for us, especially, because we need it,” she said Friday.

Cauthen said she opened the studio out of a need for peace during a stressful time in her own life.

"I didn’t have any time to do anything except work, work, work," she said. "I found myself on Instagram doing the yoga challenges, and I was like, ‘Whoa, I feel amazing.'”

Cauthen believes yoga helped her learn how to center herself in times of chaos. It’s a skill she’s hoping to teach anyone who enters, especially those in the Black community.

“We don’t see enough of us doing great things, bettering ourselves," she said. "We don’t see enough of us balancing everything, so, when I think of myself, I think I can reach someone that looks like me and they can come in here and feel comfortable."

The studio is open to anyone curious about yoga. Cauthen teaches classes daily and often creates special programs based around mental and physical wellness.

“We need to learn to get better within ourselves. We need to learn to start reflecting what’s within outwardly to other people,” she said. “That is really important for us especially with everything going on in the world and in the media. This right here, we are allowed to center ourselves.”

Sundays at InoarG are "community days," when classes are offered free for people hoping to try different forms of yoga and fitness.

A Black-owned rideshare service by women for women is being rolled out in Portland. It's called Go Girl Ride.

The owner's mission is to provide a service for women and non-binary people to ride and feel safe.

Founder Trenelle Doyle says the idea was sparked while she was an Uber driver and would hear stories about people feeling unsafe in other rides.

She says it's also something she experiences firsthand. Pairing that with rising sex trafficking crimes, Doyle says she wants to inspire change.

Go Girl Ride is launching on Juneteenth.

Doyle says that's the perfect launch date because it's about the liberation of Black people.

After being rolled out in Portland, the ride-share service will expand to other cities that have high rates of sex trafficking.

Eliana Moreno and Alex Livingston at Newsy first reported this story.