5 Questions: Habib Salami, Home Grove Media
Photo courtesy of Habib Salami.
EDITOR’S NOTE: August is Black Business Month and Front Runner New Jersey.com will highlight numerous small businesses owned by Black businesspeople and others people of color in celebration of their efforts.
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP — Habib Salami said when he first embraced the idea of owning his own business as a teenager, he saw it as more than making money, but a sense of freedom.
The graphic artist has been growing and making a name for himself in the field for the past four years. His Home Grove Media company has been doing work for clients around South Jersey.
“I believe that when people are free, they become who God truly made them to be,” Salami told Front Runner New Jersey. “When someone is able to pursue self-actualization, they become a light — for themselves and for the people around them.”
Salami said he is well aware of the stereotype surrounding young Black men, where people see them as menaces to society rather than a group striving for excellence and bettering their communities. He said he hopes his venture shatters some of those myths.
“Society often sees Black men as thugs, gangsters, or criminals,” Salami said. “But when the world sees successful, grounded, purpose-driven Black men — especially ones who didn’t ‘make it out’ through sports or music — it widens the possibilities for everyone. It expands the consciousness of our community.”
Salami tells FRNJ in his own words about his business and inspirations.
The Habib Salami File
Name: Habib Salami
Name of Business: Homegrove Media
Address: 41 La Gorce Boulevard, Burlington Township
Years in business: 4 years
Specialize in: Marketing
Contact info: habibzk@homegrovemedia.com
5 Questions
1. FRNJ: What made you become a business owner?
Habib Salami: I began walking the path of entrepreneurship at 18, but the seed was planted at 16, when I first encountered the concept. In high school, we took a career placement test, and one word jumped out at me from the list: “entrepreneurship.”
That word stuck with me. It felt aligned with what I really wanted — freedom.
Growing up, I watched my mother go to work night after night, no matter how she felt. As I got older, I realized that unless I made a change, that same routine would become my future.
So, at the core, my reason for becoming a business owner is freedom — physical, mental, and spiritual.
I believe that when people are free, they become who God truly made them to be. When someone is able to pursue self-actualization, they become a light — for themselves and for the people around them.
If more people were free to become who they were created to be, I believe the world would be a better place. We’d all be released from the mental shackles that society often puts on us.
My goal is to be an example of that kind of freedom — the kind that inspires others to pursue their God-given gifts.
And my job? It’s to help others uncover the monetary value of those gifts, so they can reach their highest level of potential.
2. FRNJ: Why did you select your current field?
Habib Salami: I started my entrepreneurial journey in the e-commerce space. My first business was an online clothing line called “Skill,” and I chose e-commerce because it offered the most potential for growth, freedom, and scalability.
To succeed, I had to learn digital marketing — and once I did, I was hooked.
That’s when I realized something important: my true skill set belonged in marketing. I saw that marketing is the single most powerful tool for making dreams real.
It connects people. It drives change. And for many, it’s the missing link to the life they want.
I believe marketing and advertising are the most important skills for helping people gain freedom and step into who they were created to be.
So I shifted into this space — and I haven’t looked back since. I know there are people out there who need what I offer.
3. FRNJ: What do you enjoy the most about being a business owner?
Habib Salami: One of the things I enjoy most is the ability to set my own schedule.
Aside from being a business owner, I’m also an athlete. Health and training are a big part of my life — and having control over my time allows me to prioritize both.
But beyond the personal freedom, what I love most is the opportunity to dive into the worlds of others.
Marketing and advertising require deep empathy. You have to understand people on a deep level to serve them well.
I love exploring the lives, stories, and passions of my clients, then connecting them with the people who need them most.
It’s an adventure — one that lets me travel through different corners of human experience, while making powerful connections that uplift lives.
4. FRNJ: How important is it for you to have positive People of Color role models in business?
Habib Salami: As a Black man in business, it’s extremely important.
Positive role models are essential because they help combat the harmful stereotypes that are placed on us.
Society often sees Black men as thugs, gangsters, or criminals. But when the world sees successful, grounded, purpose-driven Black men — especially ones who didn’t “make it out” through sports or music — it widens the possibilities for everyone.
It expands the consciousness of our community.
It shows Black youth that there are thousands of ways to succeed, to escape poverty — and more importantly, to escape the mindset that comes with it.
At the end of the day, positive role models create hope. And sometimes, hope is all someone needs to turn their life around.
5. FRNJ: Anything else you’d like to add?
Habib Salami: Yes. I’d like to say that my business is not just about making money for others — it’s about helping them become who they were meant to be.
In today’s world, money is important because it gives us the power to build the life we dream of.
But to me, it’s deeper than that. It’s about giving people the means to fulfill their purpose on this Earth.
When someone steps into their purpose, they naturally inspire others to do the same. This creates a domino effect — a society filled with people who are happy with their work, who contribute joyfully, and who live lives full of meaning.
That’s how I believe we build a kind of utopia — both as a society and as individuals.
Because on a personal level, building your dream life — where work doesn’t feel like work — is a rare luxury. And I’ve made it my mission to help others experience that luxury, too.
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