Tam Hawkins {Women: A Force for Change}
President and CEO of Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce
Tam Hawkins is a small business’s biggest cheerleader. “I’ve been dubbed an eternal optimist,” she laughs. “I think because I’ve seen so many people succeed in business and overcome in spite of obstacles, I have this view that [anyone] can do it, too.”
This optimism and drive has shaped not only how Tam approaches her work as president and CEO of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce but also how she has navigated her own entrepreneurial pursuits.
When Tam and her late husband started a commercial real estate business, they knew exactly what they were getting into as they were both third-generation entrepreneurs, something Tam notes “is a rarity in the Black community.” Growing up in an entrepreneurial environment and running her own business instilled in Tam a passion for mentoring others, specifically minority entrepreneurs.
Tam ultimately found her way to the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce in 2013 when she joined as the membership manager. She stepped into the role of President and CEO a few years later.
In her current role at the chamber, Tam uses her impressive corporate background—she spent part of her career working with Fortune 500 companies—and unparalleled entrepreneurial spirit to oversee the chamber’s programs which fall under three pillars: advocacy, social networking, and business development. The first pillar, advocacy, is something that particularly strikes a chord in Tam; the chamber often finds itself advocating for minority-owned businesses most when it comes to money. According to Tam, the biggest challenge Black business owners face is access to capital.
“Black business owners aren’t that different from anyone else. They just need access to capital and the opportunity to be in the same room.” She further explains that even if a minority business owner has the same education, experience, or financial history as their non-minority counterpart, they are still underfunded anywhere from 25-50% comparatively. Driven by this unjust reality, Tam has made it a priority to not only connect Black-owned businesses to funds but to also educate banks on institutional racism and the unintended consequences their prejudices may cause.
At the end of the day, Tam’s goal is to ensure that Austin prioritizes minority business as part of its growing ecosystem. “I often ask people ‘what kind of city do you want [Austin] to be 50 years from now?’” she states. “It’s about making sure that the generation after you has nothing to worry about. What do you want to leave for the [next] generation?”
Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce hosts one of the largest events for elected officials in the state of Texas called Black Elected Officials Reception. The signature event is meant to give residents and elected city, county, and state officials a chance to network and strengthen their ties to the community.
Contact:
austinbcc.org
@atxblackchamber
