In the story, “Roots,” an African father holds his son up to the Universe and says “Behold, the only one greater than thee.” Traditionally, African fathers and mothers treasure their children. In some parts of Africa, a woman who could not bear children was considered cursed.
Slavery and Jim Crow interrupted that love affair. African men were treated as studs. Their only mission was to donate sperm. If slaves were not considered human, then Black families were not considered real. Then Jim Crow brought with it welfare. Men could not take care of their families, so they left it up to the state to provide welfare. The problem was, a woman could not receive welfare if a man were in the house, so husbands would have to hide, or leave when the social worker came calling.
We survived it all. Black Father’s love may have been crippled momentarily, or temporarily disabled, but it was always there, and it has emerged stronger and more vibrant than ever in recent years.
A notable example of Black fatherly love can be cited through the family life of Josh Mercer. In fact, his life, his love for family, and his great successes as an entrepreneur are so impressive, that South Side Drive wants to tell the world at least our world about his story.
To say Josh is an entrepreneur is an understatement. He doesn’t have just one business. Nor does he only have two. He has several businesses, including Eventnoire, the Move makers, the Mercer Insurance Agency, List with
Mercer, Mercer Capital, and Go Fish Village. These are not small businesses. They are important and they are growing. When Eventnoire produced the Howard Homecoming Bar Crawl, it was, to date, the largest Black bar crawl in the world. “Seeing over 3,000 people from around the world download your platform and attend your event is a blessing,” he told us.
Josh will quickly tell you that it is his family that inspires and that is the motivating force behind why he works so hard and smart. “As a father, I try my best to be a positive example of the endless benefits that entrepreneurship has to offer,” he says. He reminds us that time is something that we can’t get back, which is why he is very intentional about making quality time for family, “whether it’s trips, extracurricular, dinner, movies or playing cards. All these things are put in my schedule and planned out thoroughly. Family time is sacred,” he says.
Josh never stops involving his children in his business. He teaches them the benefits of ownership, follow through and staying true to your passions. “Whether they go into business or not, they must own their decisions and take responsibility.”
We survived it all. Black Father’s love may have been crippled momentarily, or temporarily disabled, but it was always there, and it has emerged stronger and more vibrant than ever in recent years.
He also strives to instill important values into his children. Values such as integrity, responsibility, faith, excellence, and communication.
He factors his loved ones into every aspect of his business, including the challenges he has faced, such as time management, uncertainty, and effective leadership, admitting these are all things that he is still learning. Yet the challenges are made easier because of the people he has in his corner his family. “It’s very important that your loved ones know and be onboard with your walk as an entrepreneur,” he says, “It’s a delicate balance and unfortunately there are times when family events have to be put on the back burner.”
Being a father has influenced his approach to business and leadership in a number of ways. Two are legacy and responsibility. “Like most entrepreneurs, what I’m doing is bigger than myself,” he says.
There will always be obstacles and discrimination as a minority businessperson to face and when faced with those obstacles, Josh believes emotional intelligence is key.. He uses his business life to teach his children these kinds of life lessons.
Josh never forgets community, nor does he ever forget his obligation as a business owner to build community and empower others. Thus, his company provides best practices and resources for event organizers to run their businesses more effectively, He reminds us that he also intentionally highlights Black and brown owned businesses, as well as provide their users with opportunities to connect.
To other Black fathers who are also aspiring entrepreneurs, trying to balance their dreams with their family responsibilities, Josh offers a few words of advice: “Your business must solve a problem,” he would tell them, “Fathers, identify and stay true to your “why” statement whether things are getting tough or whether things are growing great, don’t forget why you started your journey. Your mission and vision must be clear. Also seek out mentorship and ways to become a leader. A leader is one who makes others better.”
Josh Mercer is a true leader. But most of all, he is a true Black father, husband, and family man.
