This should prove to be an excellent opportunity to build networks for your business. The conference also promises to provide speakers that will supercharge your business drive, sneak peaks on future trends, and workshop sessions designed to give you the cutting edge in the upcoming months.

Check here for further information, the agenda is absolutely packed for this event!

Hustletown readers: Do you attend conferences regularly for networking or business building purposes — or find them to be a drain on your time? Let us know your thoughts!

Statistics from MarketingProfs provides several encouraging assessments:

The drive to open a new business comes from within: Nearly two-thirds (66%) of entrepreneurs say they were inspired to start a business by innate desire, not by education or training.

People most likely to be involved in entrepreneurial activities are adults age 55-64, while younger adults (age 20-24) are the least likely to be involved in such activities. Meanwhile, 39 is the average age of US-born technology entrepreneurs at the time they started their companies.

Read the full post here.

Hustletown readers: What was the key factor that led you to start your own business? What is driving your success despite the recession?  Please share your experiences below!

The 2010 Black Business Conference is open to African-American entrepreneurs in Detroit on March 31. The event is designed for people serious about starting a business and will run from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile Road, Detroit.

Opening remarks will feature Mayor Dave Bing, and Sandy K. Baruah, incoming Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO, will deliver the luncheon keynote address.

Currently in its ninth annual offering, the Black Business Conference is sponsored by Chase, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. The five workshops will cover the following topics:

• Small-business funding through U.S. Small Business Administration guaranteed loans and the American Recovery Act
• Professional advice on how to start a small business
• Minority business certification guidelines for government or corporate supplier contracts
• Non-traditional funding sources for small businesses
• Social media marketing tips

“Now more than ever, Michigan is dependent upon its small businesses to revitalize our economy,” said Richard Temkin, district director of SBA’s Michigan district office. “We will provide information on the programs SBA has in place, including the Recovery Act, to help conference attendees.”

Head to Businesswire for the full release and registration information.

Hustletown readers: Are you in the Detroit area and/or planning to attend this conference? We welcome your feedback!

The site hosts an informative blog, business tips, Black authors section and much more. If nothing else, take a look for the multitude of links available from several progressive and savvy sisters making their way online.

As more Black businesses recognize how crucial web presence is to their success, the networking connections made online today will undoubtedly provide tomorrow’s wave of power brokers and gatekeepers in the online diaspora.

Are there any Black resources or blogs you would like to see showcased on Hustletown? Contact us with site information, and for potential interviews!

In the Chicago area, the number of African-American businesses grew by 67 percent from 1997 to 2002, the latest year for which census data is available, while revenue growth lagged at 17 percent.

“There is a glut of new entrepreneurs out there all vying for the same opportunities and what little financing is available,” said Dave Thomas, executive director of the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Center.

Research suggests blacks are 50 percent more likely to try to start a business than whites, yet they face an uphill battle in finding the capital and connections to make their companies successful, said Daryl Williams, director of research and policy for minority entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Mo.

The Tribune examines additional challenges such as low employee rates, qualifying for loans from traditional lenders, and establishing solid business partner and mentorships. Link here to read the article in its entirety.

Hustletown readers: Does your experience as an entrepreneur mirror the Tribune story? Leave us your feedback in the comments section below!

Black History Month

Entrepreneur Wayne Sutton’s inspiring project is bound to ensure that Black contributions continue to be recognized, through 28 Days of Diversity.

Sutton’s goal is to highlight people of color who are impacting the social web. “As someone in the technology/web/social space, I often travel and attend various events in the industry and notice a huge lack of diversity,” he says at SocialWayne.com. “When it comes to getting attention from mainstream media/tech blogs it’s almost impossible.”

Thus far the 28 Days of Diversity has featured the CEO of Black Web Media, a Stanford-bred tech entrepreneur, and a filmmaker/best-selling author.

Diversity on the web is strong in 2010–and February is just getting warmed up! Check out SocialWayne.com for a daily dose of inspiration.

“Far too often, minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs encounter hurdles to getting capital, contracts and other assistance to help them succeed in the marketplace,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “Making sure we do all we can to remove these hurdles is a top priority for SBA and the Obama Administration.”

MBRT is a national membership organization for minority CEOs that serves as a unified voice for minority businesses. The strategic alliance is part of SBA’s ongoing effort to support small business development initiatives in underserved communities.

Since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009, minority-owned small businesses have received more than $4 billion in SBA-backed loans, about 23 percent of the more than $18.5 billion in small business lending SBA has supported under the Recovery Act. Minority-owned businesses continue to account for about 29 percent of the agency’s overall lending and 37 percent of its microloans, according to Businesswire.com.

Minority-owned small businesses also have reportedly received more than $3 billion worth of federal contracts under the Recovery Act, although there are rumblings in the African American community that the funding does not always reach Black businesses.

Hustletown Readers, how do your community’s Black businesses fare in 2010? Let us know in our comments section!