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Bringing the blues back home

This year, the Chicago Blues Festival will again include shows on the west and south sides as well as in Millennium Park. The agendas of these…

Lifestyle

Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab boosts small local businesses with grants, mentors: ‘Entrepreneurialism is the soul of American business’

From interior design to sociology to three jobs at education nonprofits, Danielle Tubbs’ journey to baking took a bit of a circuitous path. The Miami transplant, now an East Garfield Park resident, is trying to make her passion for baking boldly flavored, Jamaican-inspired vegan, nut and soy-free cookies into a household name. Tubbs filed for an LLC and bought a domain name eight years ago for Tubby’s Taste Vegan Cookies. Since then, her work has been featured on ”Good Morning America,” ABC 7, WGN and NBC 5.Living blocks from the business incubator The Hatchery Chicago, Tubbs has been taking food classes at the site since 2015 and producing cookies that meld mango, coconut and lime; grapefruit, pineapple and hibiscus; and coconut, oatmeal and cinnamon from the site since September 2020. It was with plans to bring on more help and machinery that she applied to be a member of the sixth cohort of the Allies for Community Business’ Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab in 2021.AdvertisementDeveloped in partnership with the Chicago Community Trust, NEL gives entrepreneurs a $20,000 grant and pairs them with advisers to provide assistance and networking opportunities. The lab experience is the idea of Robert Crawford Jr., created to build entrepreneurialism, strengthen neighborhoods and increase employment. Since 2016, the lab has aided 60 small businesses across the city.Danielle Tubbs of Tubby’s Taste Vegan Cookies, at the Allies for Community Business’ Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab celebration at The Hatchery in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood on May 26, 2022. Tubbs was one of the award recipients at the event, receiving a grant worth $20,000 to grow her business. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“I believe in capitalism so strongly … the way it’s been a cornerstone of the American experience, the small farmer, everything,” he said about why he created the endeavor with the Chicago Community Trust. “I felt very strongly that where we’ve missed as a country is we haven’t encouraged enough people that hadn’t come from more affluent backgrounds, particularly people who are Black, brown, Native Americans. I just felt strongly that would strengthen the community so strongly.”AdvertisementWith his late father’s business acumen as inspiration, he went to the trust’s former president and CEO, Terry Mazany, to work together to support entrepreneurialism in disadvantaged communities that need their services. A test with one entrepreneur has turned into a nine-month program where over two dozen small business owners are assigned mentors to help entrepreneurs strategize on how to grow the business with the grant money they received. Specialists in finance, technology, advertising and human resources also come to speak to cohort members.“The $20,000 allowed me to put money toward getting into stores, which has proven challenging with the COVID climate right now,” Tubbs said. “I had goals of getting into 10 boutique grocery stores and a lot of them weren’t really bringing on new products.”The pandemic. Supply chain disruptions. Inflation. Lack of staff. Small businesses have endured real challenges as of late. And as of January 2022, the number of open small businesses decreased by 10.4% compared with January 2020, according to an Economic Opportunity Insights Tracker, which tracks the economic effect of COVID-19. Couple that with a 2019 market study that shows significant disparities in the number of businesses along racial, ethnic, gender and geographic lines, and Crawford says that’s why the lab is needed. When individuals and neighborhoods find themselves locked out of access to resources and opportunities, the lab is one avenue of support.Crawford says Chicago has to get small business numbers up and help those shuttered small businesses start up again.“Entrepreneurialism is the soul of American business,” he said. “These are the people that become leaders of the community.”Kia Smith, right, of South Chicago Dance Theatre, talks with Bob Crawford at the Allies for Community Business’ Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab celebration at The Hatchery on May 26, 2022. Smith’s repertory company was one of the small businesses honored at the event. Crawford’s collaboration with the Chicago Community Trust resulted in the creation of the Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Crawford spoke at a cohort graduation ceremony at The Hatchery on May 26. Tubbs was among the 25 graduates, as was Jacques Sarr, proprietor of Jacques International Language Academy in Rogers Park. Where Tubbs has been refining her wholesale practices, drumming up more awareness of the business, selling online and figuring out how to work with distributors, Sarr has been focusing on creating multiple, affordable language academy locations locally and internationally. A former freelance translator who knows nine languages, Sarr runs academies offering 16 languages to students of all ages.“When I opened it in 2017, I wanted to make languages accessible for everybody. Not just those who can afford the luxury,” Sarr said. “My main goal — I want people with low income and their children to have access to languages.”He will be opening a Paris academy this summer. Sarr said he couldn’t open the location without the NEL grant funds. “It’s common to go to more than one location to learn a language,” Sarr said. “I wanted to be different, go to one place and learn many languages.”AdvertisementKarl Herbert Grabbi, Waleed Khan and Jacques Sarr attend Sarr’s French advanced conversation session on June 1, 2022, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Tubbs talked strategy with her mentor and adviser every other week. Her mentor sold his own bakery and offered specific advice. As a team of one, Tubbs said it helped to have others to bounce ideas off of, to share with. They offered insights and provided accountability, and the grant money provided wiggle room for Tubbs to take more chances — all things Tubbs welcomed.“There’s so much need in these communities for these services, and there’s a lot of business opportunities,” Crawford said. “In these communities that have been hollowed out … a store leaves and there’s an opportunity for somebody to get in there and provide some service. There’s need, and there’s also tremendous entrepreneurial spirit.”Next year, NEL will expand its program to include five more entrepreneurs, Crawford said. Roughly 75 applications were submitted for the sixth cohort, which only had 25 openings. Applications for the seventh cohort are double that already. The new cohort will begin in September.“Most of the companies have been in business two, three years,” Crawford said. “We’re in the process of perfecting this, but every single one (business) that we’ve invested in, they’re all still in business.”drockett@chicagotribune.com

Sports

Chicago Bears chalk up penalty for too much contact in OTAs to younger players eager to prove themselves

With one day remaining in the Chicago Bears’ voluntary offseason program, there’s little question new coach Matt Eberflus has gotten his “HITS” principle across to players.The hustle or at least intensity in some previous OTAs led to the NFL docking the organization a planned day on the field Tuesday. The Bears were back at it Wednesday at the Walter Payton Center with fewer collisions and less contact than they’ve had in these sessions, which are without full pads.AdvertisementSafety Jaquan Brisker collided with wide receiver Velus Jones on a play in the flat for a pass breakup, with both players going to the ground, but that was about the only notable contact teams are supposed to avoid in rules collectively bargained for the purpose of player safety.The defense was the big winner on the day. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson also had a nice pass breakup (without a collision), and safety DeAndre Houston-Carson intercepted quarterback Justin Fields twice. Eberflus noted that the offense was victorious in Monday’s session — held without media — saying he counted 11 chunk pass plays.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears forced to cancel Tuesday’s OTA practice as punishment for violating the NFL’s offseason practice rules ][ [Don’t miss] The spring praise for Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields is flowing. But how much does it really mean? ]Eberflus said neither he nor the organization was fined by the league. One issue the Bears face: The NFLPA will be on the lookout for potential repeat violations.The players association had a representative at an OTA in May, when sessions were too physical. The Bears were warned, and when video of subsequent OTAs showed similar issues, the NFL forced them to cancel Tuesday’s session. Future penalties could be more severe — the team could lose minicamp dates. In some instances draft picks have been stripped.“Hustle can be there and it is, and you can see that,” Eberflus said. “You guys were at practice. They run on offense. They run on defense. Man, we run. But the intensity part. The focus part of intensity can be there but not the physical part until we get the pads. Once we get the pads on in training camp, that’s when we’re going to focus on how we play the intensity piece. That cannot be done this time of year. We’re excited where we are with that. There’s guys, they’re flying around, they’re really moving to the ball. It looks fast to me.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 15New Bears coach Matt Eberflus speaks after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Third-year tight end Cole Kmet said a significantly younger roster with a lot of new faces eager to impress a new front office and coaching staff has created more vigorous sessions at a time when more veteran and established programs don’t have the foot on the gas pedal.“We’re going 100% and you’re being asked to go 100% and you want to show out for a new staff,” Kmet said. “You have young guys and guys like me that want to stick around here and be around here. … And I think it’s a balance. As players, I am a player so I’ll take it on myself, we’ve got to learn as a group how to practice correctly and take care of each other and keep guys off the ground. And practice in a way that’s beneficial for everybody, where we’re able to go 100% full effort, which you can do in these things, but still keep everybody safe and everybody off the ground.“I think since Day 1 … it’s just been night and day with how we’ve been practicing.”Left guard Cody Whitehair said it’s difficult to go full speed as a lineman in practice when not wearing pads.“But this team is young and we need that intense practice and expectation from the group,” he said. “We do have a lot of young guys and the expectations are high, so you’ve got to expect an intense practice. I feel like the guys have really worked hard and have gotten a lot out of it.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] The Arlington Heights Bears? Here’s what to know about the team’s possible move from Chicago’s Soldier Field. ]Despite the penalty, the players have a pretty good understanding of what coaches will expect at training camp, when and legitimate football evaluation begins.“When we get pads on, it’s going to be full-go,” said Kmet, who used his unplanned off day Tuesday to golf. “We’re going to be going at it, and it’s going to be good for everybody. We’re building up to that right now.“We’re getting this break here soon. It’s going to be on everybody to take care of their bodies during this time and making sure they’re staying in shape and ready to roll when Day 1 comes around.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 24New Bears coach Matt Eberflus and new general manager Ryan Poles pose with a helmet after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

News

Listen to your friends and your therapist

Q: I’m trying to date again after back-to-back negative relationship experiences. Experiences that have made me question my own judgment and ability to set good boundaries.…

News

Tugging does not mean yanking!

My laptop died last week. My laptop couldn’t die when I was in the office, with capable tech support people close by. Oh, no. My laptop…