"Start Where You Are. Use What You Have. Do What You Can."

This quote from the late tennis champion Arthur Ashe has a lot of meaning for Black entrepreneurs today. Many of us are in situations where we have to launch our companies with minimal resources, such as money and time.

Arthur Ashe encouraged us to just use what we have to get started. Don't resort to not pursuing your entrepreneurial goals, just because you don't have an ideal situation. Lack of startup money is completely normal, and lack of support from family and friends is typical. Even more, not having a whole of time to invest in your ideas is a part of the challenge.

A thousand mile journey starts with the first step. So get it going, and watch your business grow. A slow pace is better than not moving forward at all.

This period that you are going through will humble you in the long-run, and will ensure your success. In the near future, you will look back and reflect on the times when you struggled and had little to work with. This will make victory all the more sweeter when you achieve it.

I highly recommend that you go and watch Will Smith's movie Pursuit of Happyness on DVD (or read the book). It's a great story inspired by the life of Chris Gardener - an African American entrepreneur who never gave up on his goals, despite his horrific situation.

If you've already seen this movie, watch it again.