By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
Nichelle Johnson is the first minority business enterprise (MBE) ombudsman in Maryland’s history. In her role, Jones will primarily be responsible for resolving problems that arise between prime contractors and MBEs in state procurement. (Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs.)
Nichelle Johnson is now the first minority business enterprise (MBE) ombudsman for the state of Maryland. Governor Wes Moore appointed her to the post in January.
In her new role, Johnson will serve in the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs and work to enhance state procurement for MBEs.
“I am grateful that Nichelle raised her hand to serve Maryland in this new leadership position,” said Moore, in a statement. “Our entire administration is confident in her ability to advocate for our minority-owned businesses and help us grow a more equitable economy.”
A Baltimore native, Johnson grew up in the Lafayette projects, known today as Pleasant View Gardens. She became interested in entrepreneurship at a young age through watching her mother run businesses.
In her most recent role, Johnson served as an MBE compliance manager in the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs. She was responsible for collecting annual and quarterly performance data from 70 state agencies, and she developed best practices for MBE compliance.
The AFRO recently connected with Johnson to learn more about her new role. The responses below have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What is an ombudsman, and why is it significant that you’ve become Maryland’s first MBE ombudsman?
A: People like to say an ombudsman is a “fixer” or “problem solver.” I love that because I love to help people solve problems they’re having. It’s right up my alley. As the MBE ombudsman and– particularly, as Maryland’s first–I feel this position is very much needed by small, minority- and women-owned businesses. The reason why is because they have been experiencing some issues on state contracts.
Our office receives information from business owners, and we’re often at outreach events. In speaking with business owners, we hear about some of the troubles they’re having. I believe we have done a great job of assisting business owners when they need us to, but this position is specifically targeted to help them. My role primarily will be to work with prime contractors and MBEs to help resolve issues that arise on contracts with MBE goals and to develop policies that can assist state agencies in better implementing the MBE program.
The other part of my role is helping small business owners navigate state procurement, whether they’re just getting started or they’re looking for resources. I feel very humbled and honored to have this opportunity, and I am excited because I know I can help them maneuver through this system better.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges MBEs are facing when it comes to the state procurement system?
A: What we hear often is access to capital. They want to know where the financial resources are and how they can get funding for their businesses. We provide training classes, and we do events where businesses come in and provide information on securing capital. Payment issues on contracts is another challenge. One of my main purposes is to resolve these issues.
Opportunity is also a challenge. I’ll be collaborating with other state agencies, like the Office of State Procurement, to see what opportunities can be created for MBEs and what information can be gathered and given to business owners to make them aware of the opportunities they didn’t know existed.
Q: How do you feel your background will shape the work you do in the role?
A: I feel it gave me a perspective that no matter where you come from, you can do whatever you want as long as you put in the work. Yes, we need opportunity, but I think we’ve all heard the adage that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. That’s something I definitely want to speak to our business owners about.
I want to make sure they are positioned to capitalize off of opportunities when they are presented. That way they can grow and scale their businesses, which is what we ultimately want our minority and small business owners to do.
Q: How would you recommend MBEs learn more about state procurement and engage with your office?
A: I definitely invite business owners to go to our website because we have a wealth of resources. They should also engage with our Training and Insights for Procurement Success Webinar Series. This is an excellent series that provides good information to business owners, like tips on writing a proposal, crafting a capability statement, how to operate as a subcontractor and MBE rights and responsibilities. All of these trainings and workshops are available from our website.
Megan Sayles is a Report For America corps member.
