Multicultural Business Service Center at the Villager Mall
Budding businesses
By Jonathan Gramling

After several years of planning, the Multicultural Business Resource Center was launched at its
new office in the Villager Hall on Madison’s south side on April 12. Several dozen stakeholders
and future users were on hand to witness the inauguration of this important business resource in
the heart of South Madison.
Spearheaded by the Madison Area Technical College, the African American Black Business
Association, the Latino Chamber of Commerce and the City of Madison, the center has
attracted 15 additional partners including Edgewood College, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Campus Community Partnerships, and the Workforce Development Board of South Central
Wisconsin.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz was on hand to participate in the celebration. His administration has
undertaken important revitalization efforts in South Madison in cooperation with Alderman Tim
Bruer and South Madison business leaders. The cornerstone of that revitalization is the total
revamping of the Villager Mall. Cieslewicz sees the resource center as a vital part of that effort.
“The Villager Mall is the heart of this neighborhood and we’re revitalizing it,” Cieslewicz said.
“This is another step in that direction. There are a lot of exciting things going on here. The
physical space has been inadequate and that’s about to change. So the combination of
programs like this and the physical revitalization of the Villager Mall speaks volumes about how
the south side is coming back.”
“We’ve already got the synergy and a nice combination of efforts like this one, non-profits, a
health center, a library and small businesses all together here in one place,” Cieslewicz
continued. “It is already powerful. But through increased efforts like this one and the physical
redevelopment of the mall will give us better facilities for people to work in and to visit. That is
so important.”
Cieslewicz also noted how important it was for the beginning entrepreneur to have a center like
this to get the assistance they need. “The center is all about promoting entrepreneurship in
communities of color,” Cieslewicz said. “I know from starting a small non-profit myself how
important it is to have some advice and support when you start out because people have a lot
of ideas, energy, and enthusiasm. People don’t always have the expertise they need to make a
business work. It’s very important in that respect.”
One of the biggest obstacles that emerging businesses face, particularly minority owned businesses, is the lack of access to capital and credit. Nedra Bobo, the
chair of the African American Black Business Association, feels the center will be an important step in narrowing the capital gap. “Most definitely, I think the
center will connect people to capital sources,” Bobo said. “In fact, one of the services we offer is helping businesses find those financial resources that they are
looking for and even helping them with issues in the area of credit if they need to correct that through our partnership with UW-Extension. We’ll have classes to
make sure entrepreneurs can work on credit repair. We will also help them look at funding sources for small business loans. Getting loans in the business’s name
is a great thing. Too often, you have to take out loans in your personal name. Some people just don’t want to go that route. It’s nice to know you have that
option as well.”
No sooner had the Multicultural Business Resource Center opened its doors than it had ten beginning entrepreneurs ready to use its services. An MATC class
that had just finished a business course will be the first customers of the center to ensure the services will be relevant to the needs of beginning business people.
Bobo was happy with the inauguration of the center. “We were able to see the spirit of community with our own eyes today,” Bobo said. “It took quite a bit of
effort to bring all of these different strategic and collaborative partners together. In the end, even though you have your own organization, we can still all come
together and work together in harmony.”
And hopefully, there will be many businesses growing in harmony together in South Madison.
Above: The many partners who have made the Multicultural
Business Service Center possible.
Below: Latino Chamber of Commerce chair Gabe Sanchez
(far left) and African American Black Business Association
chair Nedra Bobo (center in red) pose with the first group of
start-up entrepreneurs who will be the first to use the new
center.