Nashville Business Journal 1995

10 years of influence: Small Business Advocate

Developing entrepreneurs Robinson’s goal
By Elizabeth Niendorf

Marilyn Robinson begins each workday to the sound of gospel music in her office.

"I listen to this," says Robinson, "so I know I’m keeping my heart in the right place."

For the last decade, this Memphis native has been helping minority business owners learn to land government contracts and loans. As project director of the Nashville Minority Business Development Center, she’s seen more than a few changes in the business climate for minorities here.

"Ten years ago, we were just getting established," says Robinson. "We have to introduce ourselves as a leader in the community."

One way Robinson and the Nashville Minority Business Center have done that is through Minority Enterprise Development Week, an annual event held in October to recognize minority business owners across the country.

Robinson is happy about the attention minority businesses receive, but she’s also anxious to change the attitudes about helping minority-owned businesses thrive.

In the last 10 years, she’s changed her focus from programs to policy, she says.

"I used to deal with programs, going strictly by what things we’re measured on - the amount of contracts awarded, the number of loans approved, the volume of assistance rendered and the quality of those services," says Robinson.

"I discovered that you have to make changes at the policy level if you want to open more doors," she says. "It makes my job easier to remove policies that inhibit growth."

Her major project lately has been urging Metro government to do a disparity study.

Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions - Richmond v. Croson in 1989 and Adarand v. Pena earlier this summer - have called for government bodies to do detailed disparity studies in order to implement programs to benefit ethnic minorities. Analysis of purchasing, purchasing procedures and codes and looking at the ethnic composition of business owners and staff would be required.

"It’s a very scientific approach," says Robinson. "It can reveal a trend and is an excellent planning tool. It enables an organization to see why it’s not improving and take corrective action.

"If Nashville wants to be like Charlotte, Atlanta and Dallas, that’s what they did. This city can be viewed as a place open to minority enterprise."

Meanwhile on the financing front, one of the accomplishments of which Robinson is most proud is the Nashville Minority Business Development Center’s lending program. Fourteen banks committed to providing financing for minority-owned companies.

The Tennessee Minority Loan Program allows minority loan seekers to submit loan applications to the first three banks, which are chosen on rotation basis, and find out within three to five days whether their applications have been approved.

"We’re pleased with the response from banks,"

says Robinson. If we have a customer who needs to borrow money, we can find out if their bank of account is interested in the loan. If not, there are 14 other possibilities. The business owner doesn’t have to go to a branch office and wait three or four weeks for a decision."

Another good sign, she says, is renewed attention to Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in the distribution of public funds.

"It’s been around for 30 years but has never been implemented," says Robinson.

Robinson’s vision for the future is of a thriving business district along Jefferson Street, once the retail and commercial center of Nashville’s black community.

"Where there are vacant lots. I’d like to see pretty courtyards with green grass and flowers instead of trash," she says.

I’d like to see a facelift of the buildings with replacement windows. I’d like to see policemen riding on their bicycles patrolling the area.

"And I’d like housing for professionals near TSU, Fisk and Meharry. Think about how that would wake up the entire area."

Copyright 1995 Nashville Business Journal Inc. with all rights reserved.