BlackConnect.com Releases 4 Features: Prepares to Premiere a National Business Pitch Competition

TAMPA, Fla. - Feb. 28, 2019 - PRLog -- Only two percent of the five million businesses in the United States are Black-owned.  Spread across fifty states, it is often difficult for Black business owners and entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, or compete.  BlackConnect.com is on a mission to level the playing field and decrease the racial wealth gap by facilitating collaboration between Black-owned businesses, professionals, and consumers in the United States and abroad.

"Black Connect brings the mission of the Black Wall Street pioneers, who built a self-sustaining community, to social media," said Angela Majette, President.  "During that time, the dollar circulated within the Black community for almost a year.  Now, the dollar leaves the Black community within a matter of hours. We see that when others invest in and capitalize on our talent and culture, it's good business sense.  Investing in ourselves, therefore, is common sense. The challenge has been for it to become common practice, which is difficult because of the scarcity of Black-owned businesses and the lack of awareness of existing businesses." To address this issue, BlackConnect.com recently released 4 features that foster collaboration between freelance professionals, business owners, and entrepreneurs:

• The Business Development Forum allows entrepreneurs and small business owners to get answers and advice from professionals and other business owners in the areas such as finance and accounting, sales and marketing, manufacturing, human resources, technology, insurance, and international commerce.

• Business owners can post job openings, partnership, barter and other business opportunities in the Jobs section.

• Find Freelancers allows professionals to advertise their services and business owners can find skilled and talented contract professionals to provide services to fulfill their business needs.

• BC Music is a space for producers, podcasters, songwriters, vocalists, spoken word artists, and musicians to connect, collaborate and share their creative works.

These newest features are in addition to BlackConnect.com's existing business features. The Business Directory enables entrepreneurs to create a portfolio within their listings, post updates, and create promotions, contests, and events to attract and engage with consumers.  Small businesses and entrepreneurs can create a customized store and sell products without the excessive fees charged by other platforms.

"Black Connect is the truest reflection of business networking," said Marshawn Kelly Dickson, Black Connect HBCU Ambassador, entrepreneur, and Morehouse College senior. "When we attend networking events, we don't just talk business. To establish a rapport and begin to cultivate a relationship, we look for common interests and personal connections.  We discuss things such as sports, currents events, hobbies, politics, and our families.  Black Connect facilitates social interactions that can spark or deepen business relationships."

The social features of the network allows all members to share photos and videos, create blogs, and post status updates. Black Connect gives members the ability to organize groups, promote events, and speak freely about issues that directly impact their lives without getting suspended, harassed, or banned from the network.

"Building upon this expanded platform, we look forward to collaborating with our new partners to further enhance our ability to connect and grow Black-owned businesses, said Majette. This includes leveraging our existing features, as well as the introduction of new functionality and opportunities."

Plans are underway for FeverPitch, a business pitch competition for Black Connect members, which is slated for 2019 in partnership with Legacy Social Media Management, Lighter Tech, and Just Write Legal. Details will be posted on BlackConnect.com as they become available. Contact feverpitch@blackconnect.com for more information and sponsorship opportunities.

About BlackConnect.com

BlackConnect.com is a business network with social features created in 2017 by a Morehouse Mom to connect HBCU students and other millennials with entrepreneurial pursuits. The platform was acquired by 3rd Party Media Corp. in 2018.  BlackConnect.com is a unique business community that provides tools for business owners, consumers, professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs to engage across all areas of the network to promote their business, sell products and services, build partnerships and more while connecting on a professional and personal level. The mission of Black Connect is to elevate existing Black-owned businesses and to encourage millennials and successive generations to pursue entrepreneurship.The network fills the void left by other social media platforms by connecting business owners, entrepreneurs, and consumers in a holistic way.  Download the Black Connect mobile app for Android in Google Play and IOS in the App Store.