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From the founder of Atlanta''s thriving Village Market comes an inspirational guide for entrepreneurs and leaders, showcasing the transformative power of community support to overcome systemic barriers to success. Support is a verb. Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon keeps that phrase pinned to her wall, as a reminder of the transformative power of community. As she began pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams, she quickly realized the racial disparities impacting Black owners of small businesses. In Atlanta, she found that many brilliant creators and small business owners resided there - but that their future prospects were limited by larger systemic issues. She founded The Village Market, a collective of Black small business owners, to harness the power of community in growing many Black-owned businesses. The Village Market funneled millions of dollars into local businesses, building generational wealth and prosperity within Atlanta. Dr. Hallmon was delighted to find that her beliefs were true: that by rooting our lives and work in community, we find the resources to create economic mobility. Equally important, we can sustainably grow our dreams. No One Is Self-Made is an inspirational narrative weaving together themes of community, cooperative economics, and debunking the myth of being self-made. Professionals at any stage in their careers will appreciate Dr. Hallmon''s narrative as to how she founded The Village Market, and the advice she dispenses for those trying to find success in business. She explains the economic and social factors at play, and outlines the tools necessary for entrepreneurs to create their own thriving village. Along the way, it becomes clear why working within community is a more powerful path to success than going at it alone. At its core, No One is Self-Made is a love letter to community, and a nuanced guide to building together.
About the author
Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon has transformed the lives of thousands of Black entrepreneurs across the world through her flagship brand The Village Market, and sister organizations The Village Retail, a storefront featuring premier Black-owned brands and nonprofit Our Village United, which revitalizes small businesses by providing funding and technical services. Her love of community, paired with her mantra, Support Is a Verb, inspires Black entrepreneurs everywhere and the communities who support them with intention. As an award-winning expert in education and business development, Hallmon’s innovative village model has become highly sought-after and has facilitated 8.3 million dollars in sales to Black businesses.
Summary
From the visionary behind the groundbreaking Village Market, this inspirational guide dares to dismantle the myth of individualism and reveals how collective support can shatter systemic barriers to success.
It’s a bold roadmap for entrepreneurs and leaders determined to rewrite the rules of business.
No One Is Self-Made is an inspirational narrative weaving together themes of community, purposeful businesses, and collective economics. This book debunks the myth of being self-made and empowers readers to abandon the notion and lean into community on their pathway to success.
Entrepreneurs at any stage of growth will appreciate Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon’s story—with all the ups and downs of founding The Village Market—and the road-tested advice she dispenses for those striving for success in business, career, and life. She breaks down economic and social factors, missteps that can derail goals, and the tools necessary to create their own thriving village.
Along the way, it becomes clear why working within a collective is a more effective path to success than going it alone. That’s where her guiding principle comes in: Support is a verb.
