From Tech to Entrepreneurship: How Ibukun Orefuja Built Black Business Edmonton
In January 2023, Ibukun Orefuja founded Black Business Edmonton (BBE) to bridge a gap he noticed in the local business community.
The tech savvy founder has a background in system analysis and has worked for numerous companies.
“I felt I was using my skills for other businesses and groups,” said Orefuja. “That realization led me to venture out to other black-owned businesses in Edmonton.”
Orefuja invested $30,000 Canadian dollars of his own money into launching BBE and continues to fund the initiative with $200 each month.
The money, he said, “goes into maintaining and growing the organization.”
Orefuja noticed the gap in the business industry and how it lacked a bridge connecting specifically black businesses in the community – so he built the bridge.
He highlights that his vision of Black Business Edmonton is to “create a platform that showcases businesses, side gigs, talents and events.”
One of the challenges Orefuja said he faced starting up is marketing to existing businesses with a low follower count, on how he could promote their business. “It took a lot of convincing,” said Orefuja, “but they liked the way I created content differently from what they had before.
“Three months after the launch of BBE, I hosted the company’s first business meet and greet with about six people in attendance, at my house,” said Orefuja.
By June 2023, the next meet and greet he held at a local restaurant had a turnout of about sixty people.
As interest in Black Business Edmonton grew, Orefuja attended various networking events hosted by other companies to expand his knowledge.
Orefuja stated that his “work has been recognized with a certificate of acknowledgement from the Member of Parliament for Edmonton, Hon. Randy Boissonnault,” recognizing his contributions to entrepreneurship.
Orefuja’s connections presented doors of opportunities which he said led to the web designer he currently works with at Black Business Edmonton.
Looking to the future, Orefuja envisions the company’s projections for 2025 is set on scaling the BBE Trade fair initiative and expending the resources available to better support black-owned businesses in Edmonton and beyond.
