Meet Tranette Williams. Williams is a businesswoman who didn't go the traditional route of obtaining a business degree but has made money moves all the same. A couple of years ago, she created The Ultimate Couple's Massage, and used the power of the Internet to implement marketing skills and learned how to design her website.

According to WTTW Chicago, Williams took that knowledge to expand and build the black business community by launching the inaugural Chicago Black Women's Business Week. The week kicked off this past Monday and features panels and workshops to help women of color who hope to level-up their businesses.

“I just want us to get a really deep, strong community of black women and business owners in Chicago and pool our resources, our time, our knowledge and help each other build our businesses or create projects – whatever it is you’re working on,” Williams said. “It’s good to be part of a community.”

When Williams left the administrative temp industry, which she described as a "horrible" experience, she decided to leave the traditional 9-5 sector in pursuit of her own businesses. Williams pointed out some of the challenges that come with that.

“When you’re outside of that, people have a lot of preconceived notions of what your life is like,” she noted. “A paycheck you could count on would be nice, paid days off and benefits would be nice. It’s hard getting people to understand there’s a trade-off and even though you’re not at a job, you’re still at work.”

In addition to the general struggles, Williams noted the specific racial-based and gender-based struggles that black women uniquely face. With Chicago Black Women's Business Week, Williams wanted to create a support network, especially for the underrepresented.

“Here are some businesses you can throw money at if you feel the need of [creating] equity in communities of color, women-owned businesses or trans-owned business,” Williams said. “I’m trying to be as inclusive as possible because I feel like if you liberate the least of us, you liberate all of us and black women are at the bottom.”

Chicago Black Women's Business Week runs through Dec. 4. Chicago residents and visitors can register for the free events at https://chicagoblackwomensbusinessweek.org/.

Chicago Black Women's Business Week

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