Earlier than Black Enterprise Month ends, we’re spotlighting a sensational serial entrepreneur and restaurateur who’s selling her line of stone-ground grits with an HBCU-benefiting twist.
Ebony Austin, the visionary behind Nouveau Bar & Grill, Nouveau Noir, Nouveau Creations, and Stir Home Atlanta, is increasing her philanthropic efforts with “Grits That Give Again.”
Devoted to supporting HBCU college students by contributing 100% of proceeds to scholarships, the stone-ground grits line that carries a aim of creating increased schooling extra attainable for college students nationwide is out there in Publix shops in 180 areas.
Amid the thrilling information, Austin detailed to BOSSIP how Langston College impressed her philanthropic efforts, her current addition to Inc. Journal’s “Inc. 5,000” listing, and why she believes “all nice issues come from HBCUs.”
So you will have Nouveau Bar and Grill, Nouveau Creations, Nouveau Noir, and Stir Home; inform us how your entrepreneurship journey started.
Sure, however earlier than all of that I owned my very own actual property firm, which I at the moment nonetheless have. I began in Chicago with one property at a time. I purchased my first property at 29, after which from there I made a decision to repair it up, flip it–and that’s what actually allowed me the additional income to have the ability to begin any of my eating places. My past love is and at all times has been actual property. I actually simply completed constructing my very own home that I constructed floor up. I constructed property in Dallas, Orlando, in fact, Chicago, the place I’m from. And in order that’s how it began popping out of company America, saving cash from company America. I might save 30% of my checks and at one level I labored three jobs and I might save two checks and hold one verify for my on a regular basis residing payments and that’s what helped me actually get into the actual property a part of my life.
You made the listing of Inc. Journal’s 5,000. How does it really feel to be acknowledged in your work? You’ve been doing this for some time and you’re positively getting the popularity you deserve.
Thanks. It doesn’t really feel actual since you’re doing the work and generally you by no means get an opportunity, actually, to take a seat again and say, “Wow, we actually did this.” And so the day that [my publicist] Eboyné despatched me the message, I noticed the e-mail and it was a second of simply full gratitude to God, my group, the group. And that was the primary outing of getting Nouveau that I can bear in mind truly having tears of pleasure. That was my first second to really feel like, you and your group actually, actually, actually did this. As a result of, once more, I don’t consider that one particular person can do any of this by themselves and it takes the best group. And God has actually blessed me with a tremendous group. Actually the day that I bought the information, I actually simply cried and advised God, “Thanks.” I don’t even know if I may have stated thanks anymore as a result of we actually did the work. We actually put within the work, wWe actually concerned our group in order that it wasn’t simply worthwhile for Nouveau, it’s for the people who work at Nouveau. However we actually concerned our group so far as our day-to-day giving again and ensuring that we pour into the group and hold our footprints locally. So this was in all probability the biggest accomplishment that I’ve actually obtained. And so it simply nonetheless don’t really feel actual.
A hundred percent of the proceeds for “Grits That Give Again” fund HBCU scholarships. Discuss to me about why that was necessary for this initiative.
As a result of I used to be as soon as these college students on the yard and sitting in these lecture rooms. I used to be a kind of college students crying as a result of I couldn’t determine how I used to be going to give you the cash to complete college. And so for me, once I consider something HBCU, I am going again to my battle. I am going again to these days once I would lock the doorways of the closet in my dorm and simply get on my knees and cry to God as a result of I knew that I needed to complete college and I didn’t know the way he was going to do it, however God will put folks in your path. And this gentleman [on campus] known as my mom and requested “Hey, are you able to give her $50 a month? We are able to scale back this, that, and the opposite.” And my mom was like, “No, she’s going to determine college for herself. I need her to be in a spot that if I’m not at all times right here, she is aware of the right way to get out and make issues occur.”
And I bear in mind simply crying. And this gentleman made it, with the assistance of God, that I used to be capable of end college. And I bear in mind praying and telling God thanks and saying, “God, once I get to a spot in my life, I promise that I’m going to provide it again to those college students.” And so as soon as I completed college and began company America, I might do stuff as small as reward baskets for the children that have been going to varsity in my church. I began off on a small scale after which I might return to my highschool and provides reward baskets with $200 and sheets and comforters and issues like that. I’ve been giving again to college students at HBCU for over 20 years, simply not at this scale. And so my grits line allowed me to have the ability to give the entire proceeds to college students and be able that we by no means have to inform a pupil, “No.” And we’ve been actually blessed to by no means have to take action.
How did attending Langston College aid you embark on this entrepreneurship journey?
I positively assume it was a part of molding me into the individual that I’m as we speak as a result of at Langston College, I bought the chance to see my pal begin promoting dinners and I stated; “Oh, okay, you promoting dinners? Let me begin promoting chocolate chip cookies.” I might go to the grocery retailer and purchase Pillsbury bulk cookies and promote them, put them in plastic, and promote them at school. It began as a hustle deal nevertheless it additionally confirmed me if I caught to something that I actually believed in, and I actually labored laborious for it, that the reward was positively on the opposite facet. So going by an HBCU, and going to Langston positively helped mould me into the individual that I’m as we speak as a result of it positively confirmed me rather a lot from the opposite facet of being away from your loved ones, and never getting your mother to hold every thing. I labored in school. And simply being round so many specialists and that’s why I advised folks on a regular basis, I consider that every one issues nice come from HBCUs.
So if there’s a present Langston College pupil who needs to comply with in your footsteps, what recommendation would you give them?
I might say, simply do it. And as loopy as that sounds, that’s been my motto. No matter it’s that I need to do in life, I put the work behind it and I do it. And I do it persistently now. So even once we have been making $12, actually perhaps in a day, proper? I by no means gave up. I actually ran my restaurant as if it was utterly full on either side. So I feel that the aim, the mission, and the main target must be in being constant in no matter it’s that you simply love. Not what it appears like as we speak, however keep targeted on what, in your thoughts, you’re going to develop it to be. And that’s what helped me tremendously as a result of even once we weren’t earning profits, I used to be nonetheless out celebrating the scholars who graduated from highschool who have been going to varsity. For all of our Noveau clients that have been graduating from highschool, we gave them cash. So it doesn’t matter what your state of affairs is correct now, the aim is, the place do you intend to be within the subsequent 5 years? The place do you intend to be within the subsequent yr? And I feel that generally we go and we do these lengthy reaches. “Oh, I plan to do that within the subsequent 20 years”, however what’s going to occur within the subsequent 90 days to get you to the plan that you’ve got for the subsequent 10 years? The following 5 years? So I feel it’s setting life like targets, simply in your thoughts, not when no one going to create issues, but when my aim is to do 2 million within the grocery retailer, proper? How do I get there? How do I get in these grocery shops to have the ability to create that? After which what’s subsequent from there as soon as we accomplish that? So I simply assume that it’s actually betting on your self, believing in your self, protecting God first, and staying constant and the remaining will come.
What’s subsequent for you?
I simply signed a contract on a plaza. It has 9 items and it is going to be my first business actual property challenge. So I’m tremendous enthusiastic about that. It’s going to permit people who seem like me an area and a possibility to begin their very own companies. I need to assist be part of change that enables us to do this. Actually not even 5 minutes in the past, I simply signed a contract for a group that I might be constructing in Dallas. So I’m enthusiastic about that for those who seem like me they usually’re first-time dwelling consumers. They’ll be capable of purchase a home and we’re truly constructing; we’re beginning with 5 after which we’re going to construct the subsequent 20. So it’ll be our personal group, I’m tremendous enthusiastic about that. Then I simply completed constructing my home and closed on my first home, so loads of nice issues are coming and I’m going to create areas for seven entrepreneurs which might be new to have their very own house and actual property. So I’m enthusiastic about that.
The place can we comply with you?
@ebonyakira or nouveaubaratl.