How small businesses can survive, thrive in Central Texas

TEMPLE, Texas — On Monday, we talked about Black owned small businesses in Bell County and how they are growing. Coming out of the pandemic was a very challenging time, despite the tough inflation and growth numbers we are seeing nationally, those who have a dream are following it. 

Marquita Frank, owner of J & M’s Dogs and Panini’s, has been running her small business for a year in downtown Temple with her husband along her side. They told 6 News that they hope to become one of the 21,139 Big Businesses in America someday. Until then, they will be one of the 99.9 percent of businesses in America that are classified as small business. 

“We started with the first business a year ago and that gave us the courage to go ahead and do this and everything,” said Frank. “So, we want to basically be able to provide a place in the Temple area, for people alike to have something to do. Temple is growing bigtime, we’ve got the new condos that are being built right now so we see this as a hub for afternoon life, weekend life, after work life.  And that’s the difference we want to be able to provide something for people so that they can do different things than just go sit down and eat.”

RELATED: Black Owned Small Business | Understanding how the pandemic affected small businesses in Central Texas

Khandiese Cooper is a photographer and is the owner of Khanetic Images. She’s also a member of the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce in Killeen. She has run the numbers and small business is exactly what Killeen needs.

“So not just Black owned business but Hispanic owned,” said Cooper. “In the city of Killeen as Black citizens we make up 41.9% of the community. So, it’s how many of those small businesses are actually being educated on how to grow to the point where we are hiring? To the point where we are getting contracts, we are connected to Fort Hood.”

But for businesses to grow, Marquita Frank said capital must flow and it has to be affordable!

“Lower the interest rates! You know I don’t follow politics as much as someone else would like to see me follow politics however I do watch the news, I kind of pay attention to what’s going on and everything,” said Frank. “And you know every now and then there’s times when unfortunately people have to take out loans and that’s , interest rates are a big deal to me and to my husband so you know a lot of people’s credit probably got hit during the pandemic, so thankfully we were able to stay on an even scale and everything but I do know that other people have suffered so interest rates do play a big part in our everyday lives.”

Khandiese Cooper also told 6 News, “The use of media has never been more important on getting yourself out there, especially because of COVID. You had to find a way that if I can’t touch you, I can’t be in front of you, how do I get you to me? “