Curate Noir, Women Crushing It Conference Help Elevate Black Owned Businesses
Photo of Nika Corbett, of Curate Noir, courtesy of Curate Noir.
BY NATHALY SUQUINAGUA | For AC JosepH Media
MOORESTOWN — In recent months, Nika Corbett, founder and CEO of Curate Noir and Noir 365, has been hosting the third annual Women Crushing It Conference, a series of events dedicated to empowering and celebrating women in business.
Starting her business by curating a subscription box called the Black Owned Business Box, Corbett would pick out items owned by Black and Brown-owned businesses and send them out to their subscribers.
Now operating storefronts in both the Moorestown Mall and Camden, Curate Noir has been in business for 4 years, featuring products from approximately 60 to 70 different small businesses.
Founded in 2024, NOIR 365 is a nonprofit organization that supports up-and-coming entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing resources and programs designed to help them grow and succeed throughout the year.
That said, Corbett hosted a conference designed to train and develop entrepreneurs.
“We really want to bring in local businesses that focus on their struggles they may have and how they’ve overcome them, and keep it local more than we’ve done before,” she said.
“People would solicit and we would solicit other people to come, but we really kept it local, so that way people may even be familiar with these businesses—it’s more relatable.”
This year’s conference stood out from previous ones as the first to be ticketed, whereas attendance had always been free in the past.
However, due to companies rolling back DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs and funding, the conference had a noticeable decline in organizational support for diversity and inclusion-focused initiatives. Funding wasn’t what it had been in prior years.
Despite initial nerves about charging for entry, the decision proved successful, and the event sold out. Attendees not only exchanged business cards, but they were able to make real connections with other people and support each other.
Nor did the conference just focus on Black business; it was about ensuring that all small businesses could thrive and gain opportunities that they might not otherwise have.
Lashaun Crawford, a panelist, was also at the conference speaking about her business, “Girl with a Grill,” a restaurant located in Voorhees and recently rebranded from The Original Hot Dog Factory. The keynote speaker was Kimberly S. Reed, a bestselling author and global speaker.
There are ongoing efforts to build strong partnerships with larger corporations, as well as guidance, training and development opportunities for people who may need it.
With Noir 365, their goal is to increase resources for business owners who have ideas and drive but lack the means or capital.
Recognizing this gap, Noir 365 has been able to launch two new programs centered around capital, finance, and procurement. They aim to support businesses beyond their initial launch phase by helping scale once they’ve developed their product, established their branding, and find opportunities that can make their business grow.
“I think it’s so important, if you can get a tribe around you, some support around you—you’ll be surprised,” Corbett said. “[About] the things that you could visit or be missing out on.”
For those with products and an interest in retail opportunities, Curate Noir continues to welcome new vendors, who can visit their website to access the application and begin the process of becoming a featured brand in the store.
For those who don’t see an active course but are still interested in support, inquiries can be sent to partnership@curatenoir.com, and someone from the team will follow up with information about additional available programs.
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