BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — In 2019 the U.S. Census estimated there were more than 134,000 Black owned businesses across the country.
While that may seem like a larger number, a Bakersfield non-profit believes more needs to be done to help African American entrepreneurs and is doing just that.
Let's continue our celebration of Black History as 23ABC’S Taylor Levesque introduces us to a local gym owner who was able to start his dream thanks to their help.
Watch Me Work Fitness is a business featured by the Bakersfield Black Dollar Initiative. It’s also a local Black owned business here in Bakersfield which hopes to help you become a better version of yourself.
“Giving the people what they want and making them happy, making them feel comfortable with themselves, just changing their life and I love doing it,” said Tavorus Teague.
Tavorus Teague, also known as Swiftee, is a one-man band, acting as both the Owner and Trainer at Watch Me Work Fitness.
“I start at 5:30 a.m. in the morning, all the way to 7:30 and then I come back at 5:30 p.m. and I’m here all the way until basically 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sometimes just growing I also have a full-time job in between so I just work around my schedule and they all work around my schedule.”
Swiftee opened the gym in 2019 with the help of the Bakersfield Black Dollar Initiative.
“I help him see the marking and exposure like my site I expose his business with photos and he does it as well with photos and word of mouth and he’s gotten a few clients from exposure and the promoting,” said Michelle Rainey.
Rainey with the initiative said she loves helping Black-owned businesses like this, gain business: “He is very informative he is very supportive. He pays attention and he is motivating. 'You can do it, come on one more', and then when you’re sweating and panting and everything he laughs and says that what he wants to see”
Swiftee currently trains 23 clients and hopes to expand in the future.
“I want to be something bigger and my business name to be franchised and things like that. Michelle has been really awesome she’s been my client for a whole year, she’s been doing a great job, 64 years old able to lift weights and do crazy things that we were able to accomplish during this journey.”
