Dream Beyond the Ordinary: Stretch Your Imagination and Dream BIG!

By Dr. Billie P. Grant
Entrepreneurship begins with imagination, but extraordinary businesses begin when we dare to dream beyond what is familiar. Restaurants, beauty salons, retail shops, and lawn services are valuable
enterprises. Yet entrepreneurship can also mean owning hotels, developing technology, investing in
commercial property, or building a company that creates jobs for generations.

Recently, I enjoyed the company and inspiring lecture of Kendra Plummer, founder and CEO of Elise
Capital, who was invited to speak with students in the newly formed Tuskegee University College
Chamber of Commerce about Building Generational Wealth Through Hotel Ownership. The event was
hosted and facilitated by Mr. Jerry Mitchell, Director, Alabama State Black Chamber of Commerce.

Founded in 2019, Elise Capital seeks to make wealth-building opportunities through hotel ownership
more accessible. Through investment and education, the company works to narrow America’s economic
wealth gap. Its portfolio has included three hotels. Plummer’s journey offers a powerful reminder:
someone who begins by imagining a career working in a hotel can expand that vision to include owning
one.

Kendra’s story is inspirational because it speaks to the power of broadening perspectives of possibilities.
It can be said that if you don’t see it, you can’t be it. Consider three practical suggestions:

1. Exposure
Expands Possibilities. When individuals are exposed to traditional careers and businesses, their dreams
may become limited by what they see around them. Introducing aspiring entrepreneurs to hotel
ownership, commercial real estate, technology, and other industries opens doors to possibilities they never
imagined;

2. Representation Makes the Unimaginable Feel Achievable. Seeing successful entrepreneurs
who share similar backgrounds or experiences helps individuals believe that success is possible for them,
too. Kendra Plummer’s journey in hotel ownership demonstrates that entrepreneurship can extend beyond
conventional businesses into industries where ownership may have seemed out of reach. When you see
someone who looks like you accomplishing what you thought was impossible, the question changes from
“Can I?” to “Why not me?”;

3. Vision Must Become Action – Seeing It Is Only the Beginning. Exposure
creates inspiration, but education, mentorship, financial literacy, strategic planning, and access to capital
help transform dreams into reality. Aspiring entrepreneurs must move beyond simply admiring success to
understanding the steps required to achieve it.

Stretch your imagination beyond the ordinary and dream BIG! A student interested in agriculture might
someday operate a food-processing plant. A skilled tradesperson might build a construction company. A
hospitality employee might become a commercial real estate investor.

With that, one misconception deserves attention: starting a business does not always require paying every
expense from personal savings. Having personal funds certainly helps, but aspiring entrepreneurs can
explore investors who provide capital in exchange for an ownership stake and crowdfunding campaigns
that invite contributions from many supporters. Not only did Ms. Plummer acquire a business loan, she
tapped in to resources made possible by other investors.

Small-business loans, including SBA-backed financing, microloans from eligible community-based
lenders, and competitive grants are a few available resources for aspiring entrepreneurs. Grants for ordinary startups are limited, and every funding option carries eligibility requirements, costs, or trade-
offs. Investigate the terms before committing.
How do you write a business plan after you have identified a need and a solution to the need (develop
a strategy, register your business and obtain a permit)?

Write an Executive Summary: A brief overview of the business, its mission, goals, products
or services, and potential for success.
Provide a Company Description: Business name, purpose, location, legal structure, vision,
and the problem the business will solve.
Conduct Market Analysis: Identification of target customers, competitors, industry trends,
market demand, and competitive advantages.
Determine the Organization and Management: Ownership structure, management team,
staffing needs, responsibilities, and qualifications.
Identify the Products or Services: Description of what the business will sell, its benefits,
pricing approach, and what makes it unique.
Consider the Marketing and Sales Strategy: Plans for advertising, attracting customers,
generating sales, retaining customers, and growing the business.
Request Funding: How much startup or expansion capital is needed, how it will be used, and
possible funding sources such as investors, loans, or crowdfunding.
Evaluate Financial Projections: Startup costs, projected revenue, operating expenses, profit,
cash flow, and break-even analysis.
Include an Appendix: Supporting documents such as licenses, permits, resumes, research,
financial statements, contracts, and other relevant materials.

For help starting in Alabama, contact the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division at 334-242-5324
or www.sos.alabama.gov/business-services. For business advising, reach the Alabama Small Business
Development Center Network at 1-877-825-7232 or www.asbdc.org.

Big dreams require preparation, courage, and persistence so, do not allow the size of your bank account,
your neighborhood, or yesterday’s expectations to determine tomorrow’s possibilities. Dream beyond the
ordinary, plan with purpose, and pursue ownership that can outlast you.