For many business executives, doing what they are good at, and doing what they love are two different things. However, being successful in what you do can allow you the space to do what you love.
Ruben Lindo, the owner of Black-Mar Farms, a craft cannabis industry farm owner, is looking to fund his passion in 2023. Lindo has had several professional lives.
The retired professional football player is currently considered one of the best at his craft. Lindo’s company is expected to triple in revenue in 2023 and grow to provide craft cannabis servers in two more states. The company is currently in three states.
Lindo, along with his associates, is in the final stages of building a fund that would allow him to help fund and partner with those that look just like him.
“As Black men, it is so hard sometimes to get the funding you need for a great idea or business,” Lindo said.
“We would like to be able to fund other Blacks for their own cannabis farms or whatever they want to do in business.”
Lindo has a personal goal to create the kind of funding resources that equals the playing field for minorities who have been left out of achieving the American dream.
“It’s about restoration, not reparations,” Lindo explained. “We as Blacks need to move beyond looking for reparations. We need to begin to create opportunities for restoration.”
Lindo believes that there is an opportunity for Blacks to help themselves by coming together to fund the ideas and businesses that could impact the entire race. Blacks have always had amazing ideas. History tells us that Blacks are responsible for some of the world’s best inventions. But skin color and a lack of access robbed many of those who invented or developed great business ideas meant that they didn’t get the riches that came with these great ideas. Lindo wants to change that in 2023.
“I am done waiting for the government to come to save our communities,” Lindo added. “We all understand how the war on drugs killed the Black community in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The government is not coming to save us. We are going to have to do it ourselves.”
Lindo is on to something. American communities where Democrats have ruled still suffer from the same waves of crime and poverty today, like it was 1965. The communities still suffer from no access to jobs, capital, and opportunity.
As the Chairman of Empire State Commerce, a Black Chamber based out of Albany New York, Lindo hopes to drive the conversation of Blacks providing the funding to help other Black businesses find and obtain the capital that is needed to birth and grow Black businesses.
Lindo has always been a champion for seeing others do well and win.
“I am about diversity. Not just about working with all kinds of people. But I believe in having diversity in business. I want to build businesses across all kinds of landscapes,” Lindo said.
Lindo rarely mentions his success in college athletics and professionally. He feels it’s important for Black kids to know that they can be more than athletes. He wants them to know that they can own a hotel, they can own a manufacturing business, and they can venture into areas where Blacks rarely go.
Lindo is putting his money where his mouth is.
“I’m starting this fund with my own money,” he said. “I am looking for other Black funders to add to what I’m doing so we can help Blacks start great businesses.”
Lindo is starting the fund by putting up 1 million dollars of his own money. The momentum is building for Blacks to thrive over the next 24 months and business professionals like Ruben Lindo are building the foundation for other Blacks to stand on. ●
