Black Business Month Roundtable: Insights for Small Business Growth

“Behind every thriving business is an ecosystem — a strong CPA, a trusted banker, and the right partners.”

That message was at the heart of our Black Business Month roundtable on August 20th, in partnership with City National Bank (CNB). Held at CNB’s downtown Los Angeles offices, the event brought together Black entrepreneurs for a candid dialogue on credit, capital access, and financial readiness, along with valuable networking opportunities.

A highlight of the afternoon was a conversation between Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, President & CEO of The Center, and Jabari Grant, Vice President and Business Community Manager at CNB. Their back-and-forth covered the realities small business owners face when pursuing capital and the practical steps they can take to strengthen their financial footing.

Jabari shared several key insights that apply to any entrepreneur looking to grow:

• Don’t sacrifice long-term growth for short-term tax savings. Overstating expenses to reduce tax liability can make a business appear unprofitable, closing the door on lines of credit that could fuel growth.
• Build your ecosystem. Every entrepreneur needs two trusted professionals: a CPA/bookkeeper and a business banker. And critically, those two should be in conversation to balance tax strategy with financial readiness.
• Tell your business story clearly. Be prepared to walk lenders through your operations, from how you deliver your product/service to how and when you get paid.
• Think of CDFIs and banks as partners, not competitors. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) often support early-stage businesses, while banks like CNB help businesses “graduate” into larger lines of credit as they scale.
• Lean on technical assistance. Guidance through the credit application and underwriting process can help you position your business for success.

As Tunua reminded the room, it’s not often that underserved business owners get the chance to sit face-to-face with leaders from major banks, be heard, and ask hard questions. Opportunities like this matter because they build trust and provide a space where entrepreneurs can connect with one another as well as with institutions.

At The Center, we’re committed to creating more of these opportunities, where education, technical assistance, and access to capital come together to help diverse entrepreneurs thrive.

Thank you to our partners at CNB for making this important conversation possible: Adey Tesfaye, SVP and Head of CRA; David Cameron, EVP and Head of Consumer Banking; and Jabari Grant, VP and Business Community Manager.