Janice Malone founded the non-profit Vivian’s Door after 25 years of entrepreneurship. Her goal in founding Vivian’s Door in 2018 was to provide resources – such as business training, mentoring, and networking – that would allow minority-owned businesses to succeed. We had the chance to interview Janice all about Vivian’s Door and were inspired by her passion!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised here in Mobile, AL.
What services does Vivian’s Door provide?
- Business Education: The core component of Vivian’s Door’s model focuses on providing tailored skills training in key business areas such as planning and strategy, marketing, operations and financial management, and community and customer engagement to small business entrepreneurs. In partnership with Interise, a national nonprofit focused on supporting the growth of established small businesses that are minority-owned and/or located in low- and moderate-income communities, Vivan’s Door utilizes a cohort model tailored for twenty organizations and supplements it with community town halls to communicate and encourage the benefits of entrepreneurship.
- Business Plans: Vivian’s Door’s Executive Director utilizes her decades of entrepreneurial experience and cultural competence within Southern Alabama to provide new and aspiring entrepreneurs with a 10-week virtual and in-person hybrid program focusing on developing and utilizing business to develop, implement and obtain funding for new and growing small businesses. The first cohort of 14 entrepreneurs completed the program in 2022, and two additional cohorts will complete the program by the end of 2024.
- Business Support Services: Though financially rewarding, entrepreneurship can be a lonely and exhausting endeavor. Vivan’s Door incorporates a holistic approach of supportive services that address the human side of entrepreneurs, acknowledging that fulfilled people make better business decisions and make better bosses. Vivian’s Door provides supportive coaches and subject matter experts in 1-on-1 and small group settings throughout its training processes to help entrepreneurs build the perfect network, workshop and make key business decisions, and to map out tailored plans for their individual business success. Following the completion of any of Vivian’s Door training programs, alumni have continued access to coaches for the life cycle of their business.
- Community Outreach: Small businesses do not exist in a vacuum, they are integral to and dependent on the community members and broader community in which they operate. To support the broader environments of small businesses, Vivian’s Door reaches out beyond its in-house training programs into the broader community and hosts a book club, a community conversations series featuring guest speakers who cover culturally relevant topics, and multiple community engagement events such as festivals and open house holiday gatherings.
- Farmer’s Initiative: Vivian’s Door also supports specific groups within the community such as underserved farmers through a partnership with the USDA. Bi-annually it hosts town halls which act as hubs to pipeline information and connections between local underserved farmers and the organizations and resources necessary to grow and scale their farming businesses. Vivian’s Door conducts outreach for the events by visiting farms and rural communities across South Alabama, Central Alabama, and the Gulf Coast conducting listening sessions to truly understand entrepreneurial farmers’ lived experiences and what their businesses need to achieve success.The relationship with USDA expanded in 2024 enabling Vivian’s Door to offer paid internships to thirteen young aspiring farmers aged 14 – 24 who interned at the organization learning about agriculture, from seed starting to pathway to careers in agriculture and what it takes to become a farmer and run a successful farming business.
How long have you been in operation?
We started in 2016 and officially founded the organization in 2018.
What convinced you to start Vivian’s Door?
I come from a long line of Black business owners and have been an entrepreneur myself for well over 25 years. Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve had success, but I didn’t have the success that I thought I should have had based on the business education I’d received. For a long time, I couldn’t put my finger on why. But I realized that minority-owned businesses face unique challenges that other businesses don’t have to deal with.
In 2018, after a dream, I felt called to found Vivian’s Door, which is named for civil rights hero Vivian Malone Jones, my husband’s cousin. In 1963, she defied Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s attempts to deny her an education by marching through the doors of the University of Alabama’s School of Commerce and Business Administration with state troopers at her side to become their first Black graduate. I knew that I had to try to get all the partnerships and resources I could to help these disadvantaged businesses.
What are some challenging and rewarding parts of your work?
One of the most difficult aspects of my work is balancing the diverse needs of our community members. Each entrepreneur and small business owner we work with has unique goals and challenges, requiring personalized attention and tailored solutions. Managing these diverse demands can sometimes be overwhelming as we strive to ensure everyone feels supported and valued.
On the flip side, the most rewarding part of my work is witnessing the growth and success of our community members. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing a business owner thrive after implementing the strategies we discussed and knowing that we are contributing to small business owners’ success and making a positive impact in our community. It keeps me motivated and inspired every day.
How did you decide on your office location? When did you move into your current location?
One of our clients had a natural beauty products and gift shop at the location previously. When they told us they were moving, we got the contact information for the property. We moved into the space in January 2022, before we were ready to start our project, but we thought the space would be ideal for the business center. We would see clients at the property, but we knew we needed to renovate the space to intake our clients properly, have a space for our staff to work, and have a space for meetings and training. We won the AARP Purpose Prize in 2024 and used some of those funds to renovate the space.
What people or businesses would you consider your MVP’s in keeping Vivian’s Door running smoothly?
Our most valuable players are our staff, our board, our clients, our donors, our funders, and our partners.
What’s one piece of advice you have for other business owners?
Stay Passionate and Persistent! Passion for your work will keep you motivated, and persistence will help you overcome obstacles. Believe in your vision but be willing to make adjustments as needed.
What’s one reason someone should consider connecting with Vivian’s Door?
You will become part of a community that is committed to addressing systemic inequalities, advocating for policy changes, and providing critical support to underserved populations. It’s an opportunity to make a real impact, align with like-minded individuals, and contribute to building a more just and equitable society for all.
