Main Street Success
BUTO is excited to announce the launch of Main Street Success—a self-paced business education series of carefully curated video modules designed to assist Black-owned and legacy businesses along Toronto's main streets. By providing essential knowledge and strategies, we aim to support these businesses in overcoming challenges and achieving sustainable growth.
Let’s work together to show what can be done when the power of community meets entrepreneurship!
What are these modules about?
The Main Street Success Business Modules is a 7-part video series aimed at main street entrepreneurs, especially in culturally significant areas like Little Jamaica.
Created by Black Urbanism TO (BUTO) and the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance (BEA), it provides practical, accessible, and culturally relevant business education for Black-owned and community-focused businesses.
Why we created this series
We developed this program to tackle the challenges faced by businesses on Little Jamaica's main street, a historic Black cultural hub affected by disruption and underinvestment. These businesses confront unique issues like infrastructure construction, reduced foot traffic, and rising rents. Traditional programs often overlook the needs of Black-owned, community-rooted businesses by assuming they have the same access to capital and networks.
The Main Street Success modules fill this gap by providing culturally informed, relatable business education grounded in lived experiences, offering practical tools for immediate use. Although tailored for Little Jamaica, these modules benefit the broader Black business community, addressing common challenges and offering insights for any community-based business.
Module 1: Laying the Groundwork
Lesson 1.1: Business Planning for Traditional Commercial Space
In this lesson, we’ll explore how to create a solid business plan and conduct market research. You’ll learn how to define your goals, identify your target audience, and understand the local market to set your store up for success.
Watchtime: 14 mins
Contact US!
Please complete our contact form and one of the BUTO team will follow up with more information.