In a city where Black-owned businesses are three times more likely to close within the first five years, Nashville’s Shop Black Fest is fighting back. On Saturday, August 23, the group will host Shop-Black-A-Thon 2025 — a one-day virtual event built to help Black entrepreneurs survive, scale, and sell. The day blends real talk business training with a live shopping showcase that connects local brands to buyers in real time.
“Black Business Month is more than a hashtag — it’s a call to action,” said Taniesha Westbrook, who co-founded Shop Black Fest with her husband, Greg. “If we don’t create spaces for Black businesses to grow, we risk losing them entirely.”
Bootcamp by Morning. Buy Black by Afternoon.
The event kicks off at 10 a.m. CT with a Business Bootcamp — a rapid-fire series of 20- to 30-minute sessions covering marketing, sales, business credit, AI tools, and leadership. By 2 p.m., the livestream shifts into a HSN-style shopping experience, where viewers can discover, watch product demos, and buy from Black-owned brands — all from their screens.
Black-owned businesses drive billions into the economy yet remain underfunded and overlooked. In Nashville, they make up a vibrant but vulnerable piece of the small business ecosystem. This year’s Shop-Black-A-Thon doubles as a marketing megaphone and a masterclass for business owners.
How to Take Part:
- Business Owners: Apply for a virtual vendor booth to showcase your brand live.
- Organizations & Sponsors: Co-host sessions, sponsor the program, or support vendors.
- Consumers: Tune in, shop, and share to keep dollars in the Black business community.
Details and registration at shopblackfest.com/shopblackathon.
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