Today we’d like to introduce you to Alisia Hutchinson.
Hi Alisia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Buy Black Market East Tour derived from a vendor event platform called Nxt Big Thing Charlotte. Nxt Big Thing Charlotte’s mission is to help black-owned businesses thrive through monthly pop-up markets where they can gain exposure for their business, network, and make sales. We started on 7/2021 and could only be where we are today with the community’s continuous support of our monthly events. Last year around August, I got the idea to go on a tour up and down the East coast. The Buy Black Market East Tour kicks off in Durham, NC, at The Link Center of Durham on 3/25/23. We will also have an event in Raleigh, NC, and Atlanta, GA. Columbia, SC; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Richmond, VA; Montgomery, AL; Jacksonville, FL and Tampa, FL. We will also have events in Charlotte, NC, during this time.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been some obstacles during our almost 2yrs of hosting vendor events. The biggest hurdle we faced was when inflation hit last summer. It took a lot of work to get vendors to sign up for our events during this time. It forced us to take a small 2-month break; we were back at it strong by the end of 2022. Regarding the new Buy Black Market East Tour, when you try to get vendors in other cities, operating in a city where no one knows you are a bit more challenging. Building a network in a new city takes time, but everything is coming together!
We’ve been impressed with Nxt Big Thing Charlotte, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
We help black-owned businesses thrive through monthly pop-up markets, offering them exposure, sales, and networking opportunities. Aside from our main goal of helping black-owned businesses thrive, here’s what sets us apart from any other pop-up shop!
- We feature vendors on our social media accounts throughout the month of the event.
- We consistently host successful events monthly and are now a “hub” for black-owned business support.
- The average pop-up shop only has 10-20 vendors. Our events have upcoming 30-90+ vendor opportunities per event. The more people, the more exposure for your brand will have. More people are advocating for the pop-up to make it successful.
- We advertise our events through several marketing channels starting at least 2 months before the event date.
- We ensure that each event has various vendor types.
- Our events usually get 100+ Guest Tickets RSVP’d for. We get guests to RSVP in several different ways.
- Our organization was recognized by Spectrum News 1 Charlotte, The Charlotte Post, QCity Metro, and Spectacular Magazine.
- We always give away FREE stuff to guests! Event entry is ALWAYS FREE!
- Clear, easy-to-read, and attractive event flyers; which will attract guest.
- This is not our first rodeo! Hosted by an experienced pop-up shop event host, we assure you of top-of-the-line customer service, organization, and coordination.
- Promote your business FREE in our Facebook Group!
- We collect data, analytics, and feedback and use the information to make our events better each time.
- We have had several repeat vendors at every event. No one will sign up again for an event they didn’t find beneficial.
- We allow vendors to share tables
- We have taken the time to develop an informative step-by-step video to ensure our vendors are successful at any pop-up shops they attend. Optimize Your Pop-Up Shop Experience.
- We are now doing in-person and virtual pop-up shops! This is also how Charlotte, NC, black businesses can connect with the rest of the world! We utterly believe in leveraging every platform possible to support the cause.
- See 60+ REAL (UNSOLICITED) reviews in our Instagram highlights.
- We understand that having a small business can sometimes be financially difficult. However, we want your business to grow, gain exposure and thrive! We do offer payment plans for our large events!
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
I am a risk-taker. Without risk, there is no reward. I took a risk by investing money to start this platform, wondering if the community would support it. Yet, here we are, almost 2 yrs later, still thriving and expanding.
Pricing:
- Vendor fees avg around $100
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nxtbigthingclt.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nxtbigthingclt
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nxtbigthingclt
Image Credits
Alisia Hutchinson
