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Back in the 1970s, the use of credit cards by consumers was an emerging phenomenon, one that would ultimately fuel the growth of the U.S. economy to unprecedented heights.

The use of credit cards by entrepreneurs, by contrast, didn’t even exist.

Except in my world.

I was a teenager up in Nantucket when I opened my first moped rental company. It started out with my customers paying all cash, but ultimately, I was able to get a merchant account because credit cards were just coming into vogue. This was great for my business because it made it more convenient for my customers.

It would also become a powerful way to fund my purchase of additional inventory. While my customers were starting to use credit cards, I was personally receiving lots of offers from credit card companies. Back then, they would mail them to you, and you just used them or chose not to. I remember one of the Visa cards had a $25,000 limit. I soon realized that I could process my own credit card through my merchant account. If I timed it right, this afforded me 55 days of interest-free money. I did this for months before it caught the attention of the FBI, which came calling. That was a rude awakening and a harbinger for what would one day be outlawed by some credit card companies — that is, processing your personal credit cards through your merchant account as a way to raise capital for your business.

While credit cards can be a valuable tool for business growth, it’s also important for entrepreneurs to understand the risks and costs as well as best practices associated with it.

Related: 8 Ways to Get the Most From a Business Credit Card

So, let’s review:

Risks and challenges of credit card usage

High interest rates:

Credit cards typically carry higher interest rates compared to other kinds of financing, such as term loans or lines of credit. Businesses that carry balances from month to month may incur significant interest charges, which can lead to long-term debt accumulation and financial strain if not managed effectively.

Debt accumulation:

An overdependence on credit cards for business expenses can lead to debt accumulation, cash flow challenges and financial instability. This is especially true if businesses exceed their credit limits or fail to make timely payments. High levels of credit card debt can negatively impact credit scores, hinder access to future financing and make borrowing costs prohibitive.

Fees and charges:

As we all know, using credit cards may subject an entrepreneur to various fees and charges, including annual fees, late payment fees, foreign transaction fees and cash advance fees, to name a few. These additional costs can erode profitability, diminish the value of rewards earned and strain cash flow if not accounted for in the entrepreneur’s budgeting and expense management.

Related: 5 Small Business Credit Pitfalls to Consider Avoiding

Best practices for credit card usage — the fun part

Strategic spending:

Entrepreneurs should adopt a strategic approach to credit card usage, honing in on essential business expenses, recurring bills and high-impact purchases that contribute to revenue generation or cost savings. By prioritizing strategic spending, while avoiding unnecessary expenses that drain cash flow, businesses can better maximize the value derived from credit card rewards and minimize debt accumulation.

Payment discipline:

Maintaining payment discipline is critical for entrepreneurs. Doing so will avoid late fees, penalty rates and negative credit implications associated with missed or delinquent payments. Obviously, entrepreneurs should strive to pay credit card balances in full and on time each month to avoid interest charges and preserve cash flow for growth initiatives.

Monitor credit utilization:

Entrepreneurs should monitor their credit card utilization ratio — the percentage of available credit being used — to ensure they are not overextending their borrowing capacity or negatively impacting their credit scores. Keeping credit utilization below 30% of available credit limits can help businesses maintain healthy credit profiles as well as improve access to future financing.

Review terms and conditions:

Before applying for or using a credit card for business purposes, entrepreneurs should carefully review the fine print, or terms and conditions. This can relate to interest rates, fees, rewards programs and liability provisions. Understanding the terms and conditions can help entrepreneurs make informed decisions and mitigate financial risks.

Related: How to Choose a Credit Card for Your Startup

A note on diversification of financing sources

Explore alternative options:

While credit cards can be a valuable tool for short-term financing and working capital needs, entrepreneurs should explore alternative financing options, such as business loans, lines of credit or merchant cash advances, which will optimize their financial strategy. Each financing option has its own advantages, limitations and suitability based on business needs and objectives.

Build business credit:

Establishing and building a strong business credit profile is essential for entrepreneurs to access favorable financing terms, secure higher credit limits and expand borrowing options beyond credit cards. By responsibly managing credit card accounts, making timely payments and maintaining low credit utilization, entrepreneurs can improve their creditworthiness and incrementally increase their access to financing.

Something I have learned over the last five decades is that credit cards can play a significant role in supporting small business growth by providing access to capital, convenience and rewards. However, entrepreneurs must balance the benefits of credit card usage with the risks of high interest rates, debt accumulation and fees. By adopting best practices such as strategic spending, payment discipline and monitoring credit utilization, entrepreneurs can leverage credit cards effectively to fuel growth and mitigate financial risks.

Additionally, exploring alternative financing options and building a strong business credit profile can enhance financial flexibility and resilience, enabling entrepreneurs to achieve their long-term goals and aspirations.

3 Benefits of owning a Poolwerx franchise:

1. Start at any level of business models; upscale convenience.
2. Extensive training, marketing assistance, and executive support.
3. Benefit from a well-established, globally recognized brand.

Poolwerx, established in 1992, dominates as the largest global pool and spa maintenance franchise, with a strong presence in multiple countries including over 70 locations in the United States. The brand promises client satisfaction and provides comprehensive services such as pool and spa maintenance, remodeling, and supplies. Click Here to learn more about Poolwerx.

Show Me More Franchise Options

Key Facts:

• Minimum Initial Investment: $107,000 – $406,500
• Initial Franchise Fee: $49,500
• Liquid Capital Required: $50,000 – $150,000
• Net Worth Required: $100,000 – $300,000
• Veteran Incentives: 10% off franchise fee

It’s every entrepreneur’s nightmare. Our own version of Home Alone. You finally carved out some time for a much-needed break, only to return to work to find that everything went off the rails while you were gone. Projects are stalled, morale is in the dumps, and chaos seems to have taken up permanent residence. The minute you stepped away, the wheels fell off, and you’re left wondering if taking a break was even worth it. Sound familiar?

When this happened to me, my mind went running. One thing I know about myself is I will always try to figure out the root cause of moments like these instead of overanalyzing the symptoms — and in this case, I realized the root cause was fear.

I think of a leader as a stabilizer. Just like a capacitor in a circuit, they provide the steadying force that keeps everything running smoothly. When a leader is present, they absorb shocks, manage the flow of energy, and ensure that the entire system operates efficiently. But what happens when the stable force is removed?

1. Identify the root cause of resistance

Why are employees hesitant to take initiative when the boss is out? It is likely rooted in how we chastise and blame decision-makers. Sometimes, we hyper-fixate on the single point of failure, but the single point of failure is rarely a subject matter expert. They are usually a decision-maker.

It all comes back to fear — even experts will defer decisions because they fear things like job loss. Leaders often don’t recognize how pervasive this fear is in the current economic climate. It contributes to overreliance on a single decision-maker instead of empowering others to make choices based on their expertise.

Your first step in solving the problem of fear should be to create a culture that tolerates mistakes — or rather, where the shouldering of responsibility is incentivized. After all, failure stifles innovation. How can we do this? Get to the bottom of the fear.

I prefer a head-on, fact-based discussion where I ask questions like: What is fear to you? What is the worst-case scenario, or the worst, that can happen by speaking your truth right now? Then, I consider the impact. If you narrow it down to the worst-case scenario, you may find out that it is not actually that bad.

Related: Taking Breaks Doesn’t Make You Lazy — Here Are 4 Ways It Actually Makes You More Productive

2. Build trust through transparency

In doing business with folks from all over the world, I’ve ultimately learned a lot more about us as workers. The English language can be very unspoken and nuanced, especially in the workplace. Messaging can come with tones that sometimes divert people from hearing the intended meaning.

Your second objective is to foster a dynamic where feedback is direct and frequent — that cuts through the ambiguity. Clear, written feedback ensures everyone knows exactly what is expected of them. It eliminates guessing games and helps people understand how they can improve and contribute more effectively. Communicate openly about the reasons for and benefits of change to involve others in planning. Solicit feedback through multiple channels and address concerns to build buy-in.

Again, incentivizing is key. Consistent validation is like giving a helping hand to those who feel unsure or are uncomfortable with ambiguity. Regular encouragement and clear feedback can make all the difference. When roles and expectations are clearly defined, it eliminates the guesswork and helps people focus on their tasks with confidence.

3. Drive accountability for cultural evolution

When people feel comfortable failing, and your lines of communication are well-structured, your last goal is to establish clear roles and responsibilities aligned with the new vision. This step is crucial in reducing anxiety because everyone knows exactly what they need to do and how they fit into the bigger picture. This clarity not only boosts productivity but also ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals, making the transition smoother and more efficient.

Then, you should monitor progress holistically. Sometimes, being a leader is about constantly supporting and validating your team. Keep an eye on the broader organizational goals and make sure everything is on track, but also pay attention to individual efforts and successes. Regularly check in with your team, celebrate their achievements and offer guidance when needed.

Conquering fear with strategic leadership

Recognizing fear as the core obstacle to change allows for strategic planning. By continuously reflecting on and refining organizational systems, you can sustain a culture that evolves rather than stagnates. Put simply, leadership requires a balance of providing stability while empowering others to embrace necessary shifts. If you can foster an environment where failure is accepted, communication is clear, and roles are well-defined, you create a resilient and adaptable team ready to tackle any challenge, even when you’re out of office.

What is Skill Success?

Skill Success is an online learning platform with more than 4,000 online course videos on a wide variety of topics. Entrepreneurs looking to grow their understanding of given industries or fields can come here for video courses on business, finance, technology, cooking, music, and so much more.

How does Skill Success approach learning differently?

Skill Success makes learning new topics immersive and fun with gamified learning. By giving users incentives like earning badges and showcasing achievements, Skill Success keeps making progress fun and motivating.

Are the courses easy to access?

Skill Success courses are accessible from any device, anywhere, and at any time. All that’s needed to log in and watch a video course on a given topic is a reliable internet connection. The one-time payment for a lifetime membership makes it easy to revisit when you need it without any extra worry or planning.

What if I get tired of the Skill Success course catalog?

With thousands of courses on a variety of topics, it would take a lot of time to review, let alone get tired of the content available. At the same time, Skill Success also continuously updates its catalog with new options so that you always have something fresh to learn.

Is Skill Success recommended?

It is. Skill Success has been recommended by PCMag, Entrepreneur, and CNN, among other notable names.

Invest in a lifetime of learning with this lifetime membership to Skill Success, which is on sale for only $99.99 (reg. $540), the best price for this subscription online.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Amazon’s Alexa unit has historically been unprofitable, losing billions of dollars since its introduction in 2014 — but AI could help turn things around.

According to a Friday Reuters report citing eight sources “with direct knowledge” of Amazon’s plans, including current and former Amazon employees who worked on the voice assistant, Amazon is considering putting a higher AI-powered Alexa behind a subscription paywall.

Amazon is currently working on upgrading the free version of Alexa to one with AI capabilities, per Reuters, and plans to add a higher, subscription level of the voice assistant that can process more complex AI prompts.

The two levels of Alexa are internally known as the “Remarkable Alexa” and the “Classic Alexa.” Sources told Reuters that Amazon has thought about a $5 to $10 per month subscription for “Remarkable Alexa” to differentiate the two.

“Classic Alexa” will remain free, according to the report.

If implemented, the subscription would be the first major reframing of the voice assistant since Amazon introduced it.

^{Amazon Echo Show 8 previewing new Alexa AI features. Credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

Amazon’s Echo smart home devices with Alexa have been surprise hits since they launched, but a 2022 BI report showed that even though they’re bestsellers, most of them sold at cost.

Related: Amazon Swaps Plastic Pillows For Paper Shipping Materials

Amazon already previewed a generative AI version of Alexa in September and showed off how the voice assistant could talk with more personality and take in more context.

Amazon stated then that it had sold more than half a billion devices with Alexa and that AI features “will be available to Alexa customers in the U.S. soon.”

While many top business leaders continue to express concern over the unchecked development of AI, the CEO of SoftBank, a Japanese investment company, has a big prediction for its future.

In a rare public appearance to shareholders at the bank’s general meeting on Friday, CEO Masayoshi Son spoke about his desire to create a world powered by artificial superintelligence, or ASI.

Related: Most Employees Haven’t Used AI, Don’t Trust the Tech: Report

“SoftBank Group has done many things until now that have all been a warm-up for my great dream to realize artificial super intelligence,” Son told shareholders of the Japanese company, per Reuters.

He also said AGI, or artificial general intelligence, which refers to artificial intelligence that is smarter than the human brain, will be here within the next three to five years and that we could see ASI technology reach a level that’s 10,000 times smarter than the human brain within the next 10 years, according to CNBC.

Son’s futuristic comments did not include an actionable plan for how the company plans to step into the space of ASI, but he mentioned that SoftBank would be working to produce robots with AI capabilities that could be used across all sectors and require “immense capital” to complete.

Over the last year, dozens of billionaires and business leaders, including Elon Musk and Richard Branson, have signed letters calling for regulation of the technology despite the positive benefits the advancement in technology could signal.

Related: 3 Things to Look for to Determine If AI Is Being Used Ethically

“I’m more excited than worried about AI,” Branson recently told Entrepreneur. “I think it’s going to transform people’s healthcare, it’s going to transform operations, it’s going to transform many, many aspects of life.”

SoftBank was up nearly 27% year over year on Friday afternoon.

One of the great truisms in the retail and restaurant businesses is that it’s all about “location, location, location.” You can fix bad systems, bad management and bad staff, but fixing a bad site is a challenge most companies should avoid at all costs.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.

Location is paramount

A bad location may save money on rent in the short term, but it will cost you more over time. The best form of marketing for any restaurant or retail store is its location. A good site also gives you two chances to make serious money — while you’re operating the business, and then when you want to sell the business. Don’t forget, a lease is a contract. If, for some reason, your business doesn’t succeed, you can’t walk away from the lease. You must keep paying for that shuttered store or restaurant until you negotiate an exit.

That’s one of the benefits of franchising — the franchisee owns and runs the business but has access to the real estate expertise and discipline of a much larger company, reducing time and risk.

Related: Become a Franchise Owner in 5 Easy Steps

Solo vs. franchising

Let’s imagine you want to open a hamburger restaurant. If you go it alone, you’d have to know site availabilities — are there any existing restaurants for rent or sale that fit your criteria? Finding those can entail subscribing to pricey real estate databases, and those databases won’t tell you why a space is available: owner retirement, changing demographics, or a poor operator.

Driving around the market won’t give you the most important information, either. Shopping center managers track their tenants carefully, know who on the rent roll is struggling (late payments, requests for relief) and already have a plan for when that lease is up. By the time you see a “For Lease” sign, it has already been picked over by the insiders — and they’ve passed on it.

Location demographics are crucial; you need to know where your target customers live or work and how far they are willing to travel for what you sell. Demographic reports also show how much people spend on categories such as restaurants, beauty, and pets. If you are opening a pet brand in a new market, you want to know where the highest concentration of your target customers is. Additionally, consider co-tenancies— what neighbors complement your offerings? Coffee and healthy foods often do well if they’re located near a gym or spa.

Market rents are another factor; the asking rents on listings could be real or wishful thinking on the part of the landlord. You need to compare that number to other nearby locations since factors like which side of a street gets afternoon sun can change the rent per square foot significantly. You also need to gauge how motivated the landlord is to negotiate. Do they need to get someone in quickly, or will they wait for the number they want? Zoning is important as well. Can the site accommodate the drive-through you need to succeed? Are there radius restrictions because the site is near a school? Will you need some easements? Finally, competition is a critical consideration. You might find the perfect building in the perfect neighborhood at the perfect price, but this could be undermined if your main competitor is just down the street.

Related: Is Franchising Right For You? Ask Yourself These 9 Questions to Find Out.

Smart analysis

One of the smartest forms of analysis is supply and demand in a market. A case in point is Times Square NYC, where everyone misfires. The area is so dense that restaurants pay five times more rent for that trophy site, only to see low sales. Why? Because of all the other restaurants in the area. Even weak competitors will still take some customers.

The easy solution is to work with a local real estate expert. But there are challenges, there, too — how do you find one? You can look up local brokers and contact them , but how many do you want to interview? Do you want to meet with someone relatively new to the business who will really want to help you, or a veteran broker who has a lot of market knowledge — but probably a lot of deals in the pipeline?

It’s important to remember that brokers are only paid when a deal is done. The industry pays 6% in commissions on the lease term. For example, an annual rent of $100,000 on a 10-year lease results in $1 million in gross rents paid to the landlord. The landlord pays out 6% of this, half to the listing rep and half to the tenant rep — $30,000 to each side. That’s significant money, and one reason why most tenant reps don’t like doing penetration plans. A really objective penetration plan tells you where you should go. But if there are no vacancies in that area, there’s no lease and they don’t get paid.

And what do you do when it’s time to invest in your second, third and 10^th locations? Don’t forget, you’re investing your profits from your first location into more and so on, to build wealth.

the good news is, you don’t have to do this yourself. A franchisor has this expertise, and franchisees are paying for site selection and lease negotiations assistance. The franchisor knows what locations work, have relationships with brokers nationwide to help you negotiate and will help you avoid an oversaturated market. They won’t sell you a territory if it doesn’t need more units. That’s because for franchisors, a lease is an asset. (In fact, franchisors’ primary two assets are franchise agreements and franchisee leases.) They make sure they have the rights to sell a business including the proper assignability and transfer language.

The important thing to remember is that real estate is its own business for a reason, requiring market-specific knowledge and relationships. Franchisors have that knowedge and relationships and are eager to help.

When I transitioned as Bigleaf’s CEO in 2022, my day-one goal was establishing a solid, high-performing team. This required my focus on identifying and establishing clear goals, ensuring everyone was on the same page regarding the company’s mission and vision, especially the 102 employees scattered across 38 states. But, as all effective strategies start, this huge step was characterized by trial and error.

A team’s strength lies in its people’s skills and how they synergistically come together. I invest heavily in our people, providing ongoing training, encouraging open communication, and ensuring every team member feels valued and heard.

Although we’ve achieved this goal, I also recognize that markets constantly shift, trends come and go, and technology evolves. We may have succeeded in solid recruitment, training and retention strategies, but I still needed to ensure everyone could roll with the punches. Every day, I aim to develop further a team that can seamlessly pivot and adjust to evolving market demands.

1. Clear mission alignment, role clarity and accountability

One of the first steps we took was ensuring every team member understood the company’s direction and aspirations. We clarified our product-market fit, value proposition, and the milestones critical to customer satisfaction.

Moreover, we focus on reaching business goals by strategically tying job functions to them. For example, high-quality growth is measured through a key metric at Bigleaf: our Annual Revenue Run Rate (ARR). We do this at least once a year to ensure the entire team’s focus is headed in the same direction.

Related: 10 Growth Strategies Every Business Owner Should Know

2. Thoughtful performance metrics

Beyond ARR, we learned to balance our performance metrics carefully. Prioritizing one metric over another could lead to unintended consequences. For example, focusing on service quality alone could lead to inefficiency and vice versa. Our practice has evolved to meticulously analyze and strategically balance performance metrics. We incentivize the right behaviors aligned with the core of our business, which has worked wonders so far, helping us achieve desired outcomes across the organization. This also minimizes the risk of unforeseen repercussions.

3. Intellectual safety

Creating an environment where every team member feels safe sharing ideas and challenging the status quo significantly influences our performance levels. Intellectual safety in the workplace can drive creativity. This open-door policy encourages open communication, innovation and risk-taking, allowing the team to collaborate and pioneer solutions to our unique challenges in the workplace and the business.

We strive to maintain and solidify this culture to consistently boost morale, engagement and productivity and, ultimately, drive bottom-line results.

Related: Why You Should Care About Psychological Safety in the Workplace

4. Preventing burnout

To prevent burnout, I focus first on maintaining my own equilibrium. As the saying goes, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” As for the team, we keep our mission and goals clear, ensuring every task has a purpose.

Having a dispersed work environment comes with its unique perks and challenges. Some members may feel tracking their time and productivity is a form of micromanagement; some may understand that it’s a tool to keep their focus on what really matters and spend less time on other tasks. Regardless, building that personal connection is essential. We hold regular in-person meetings, monthly all-hands-on-deck calls and an annual company gathering to strengthen that sense of belonging and unity. These initiatives are not merely logistical but crucial to maintaining our team’s overall health and morale.

Related: The 10 Warning Signs of Employee Burnout and How to Handle It

5. Learning from mistakes

Every mistake has been a step toward understanding what it truly takes to build a high-performing team. Leaders, as much as you want things done sooner, remember there are no shortcuts, especially in growing a team. Yes, following the more straightforward route or listening to a single opinion is tempting, especially in recruitment, but building comprehensive training programs is worth it.

Gradually integrating new hires into your company culture but leveling expectations upfront yields more efficient results and drives the business forward more consistently. This realization has driven us to prioritize transparent and comprehensive approaches to our recruitment and training processes, cementing our reputation as a leader in the tech industry.

The path forward

Adaptability, curiosity and open-mindedness have become our guiding principles. Our work demands that we remain flexible and eager to learn from successes and failures. Similarly, resilience, commitment and an open heart are the key ingredients to building a high-performance culture focused on team well-being and business growth.

I hope to have highlighted the undeniable truth that a company is only as strong as its culture and people. For founders and business leaders alike, investing in your people goes a long way. Listen to the folks outside your bubble, and take insights with an open ear. Stay curious, stay open-minded and don’t be afraid to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. Building an empire requires grit, and it takes learning from mistakes.

“I’m the little boy who loved to draw, who never grew up,” Reginald Adams, professional artist and founder of Houston-based public art and design firm Reginald C. Adams LLC, tells Entrepreneur. “And thanks to an incredibly supportive family, I’ve always been encouraged to do what I loved.”

As Adams entered his teenage years and added other mediums to his creative repertoire, his circle of family supporters expanded to include paying customers. Thirty years later, he’s traveled the world to create artwork with a social impact — including the Absolute Equality Juneteenth Mural Project.

“From 2014 to 2020, a lot of my work [was] rooted around cultural icons [and] historical figures, primarily in the African American community, that some organization or individual or entity wanted to recognize or pay homage to,” Adams says. “So I found myself painting portraits or creating sculptures honoring historical figures.” Adams’ extensive portfolio caught the attention of the Juneteenth Legacy Project, which commissioned his work to honor the holiday.

Before Adams went into business himself, he was the executive director of the Museum of Cultural Arts, Houston (MOCAH) for more than a decade. There, he focused on community-based public art; Adams built his skill set around community engagement and facilitating groups involving youth in creating public art. However, because Adams worked at a nonprofit organization, the pieces he made during those years were in the public domain.

Related: The 6 Do’s and Don’ts for Engaging in Juneteenth Conversations

“I think it’s wonderful how you serve the community, but what legacy will you leave for your children?”

One day, a “very wise businessman” sat down with Adams and asked him a “powerful” question. “He said, ‘Reginald, this is great what you’re doing, and I think it’s wonderful how you serve the community, but what legacy will you leave for your children?'” Adams recalls. That businessman encouraged Adams to start a private company and commissioned a large piece of art to provide a year’s salary.

So Adams established his LLC and continued to create community-based work — now with full ownership and control of all his projects and designs.

When Adams went into business for himself, one of the biggest challenges he faced was his own mindset. “Coming from the nonprofit world where a lot is expected for nothing or for free, I had to establish value for what I was doing,” Adams explains. “And I realized my work was valuable because it was tangible. I’ve always dreamed big, so all of my projects are very large-scale. But with many artists, it’s a challenge if you’re not trained to know how much your work is worth and then be confident to speak it.”

The shift took some getting used to, but thanks to his supportive community, Adams gained the confidence to speak up about and stand behind the value of his work, he says. Now, he has six professional artists, who are independent contractors, working with his firm, and he hires additional artists as needed.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of ©2024 Reginald C. Adams LLC. Absolute Equality Juneteenth Mural Project in Washington DC. Artist: Reginald C. Adams and Creatives 2024.}

Related: How Inclusive Leaders Can Understand and Harness the Power in Juneteenth

“I would encourage other artists to really look around [at whom you] are standing next to.”

It’s important to surround yourself with people who believe in you, Adams says — and that may not necessarily be family or friends. Early in his career, the artist joined various business groups, like The American Leadership Forum and The Center for Houston’s Future, to be “in the midst of decision-makers.” “I would encourage other artists to look around [at whom you] are standing next to because your network really becomes your net worth,” he adds.

In January 2020, Adams completed a series of mosaic monuments in Emancipation Park, the oldest municipal park in Houston and Texas, which was founded by formerly enslaved people Rev. John “Henry” Jack Yates, Richard Brock, Richard Allen and Rev. David Elias Dibble. Then, the Galveston-based Juneteenth Legacy Project approached him about creating a piece. The project’s founder, Sheridan Lorenz, wished to honor Juneteenth with a mural in Galveston; her family owns the Old Galveston Square Building, which sits next to where headquarters for the Union Army stood back in 1865 — the Osterman Building.

“The Osterman Building no longer exists,” Adams says. “It’s currently a parking lot, but that parking lot is directly adjacent to the wall that is now host to the Juneteenth mural in Galveston. And so essentially, the mural is at ground zero of this historic moment in American history.”

The piece was a “little intimidating,” Adams admits — the 5,000-square-foot wall, which is 44 feet high and 125 feet long, would hold the biggest mural he’d ever tackled. But Adams was up for the challenge, “especially given the nature of the project.” So, with his team of six artists and about 320 gallons of paint, Adams created the piece over 27 days and 1,300 man-hours. It was dedicated three days after President Biden announced Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Related: Formerly Enslaved Black Man Nearest Green Taught Jack Daniel Everything He Knew About Whiskey. Today, the Founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey Celebrates His Legacy.

“[Juneteenth] means something different in every part of the country. So I’m learning.”

“If you’re in Texas, you know about Galveston, but a lot of folks, [are like], ‘Galveston where?’ So it was great for the cultural tourism of Galveston,” Adams says. “Because of the scale of the mural [and] the visual content, the mural in many ways became the poster child for Juneteenth in that virtually every media network that focused on a story around Juneteenth or Galveston showcased the mural.”

Adams’ pieces had never received so much media attention, and the realization hit him: This is a lane for you, Reginald. Now a national holiday, Juneteenth wasn’t just a trend, he says, and Adams wanted to “take this story beyond the shores of Galveston, across the country.” So, with Capital One‘s support, that’s exactly what he did. Since 2021, the Absolute Equality Project has expanded to 13 murals across cities, including Los Angeles, Shreveport, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of ©2024 Reginald C. Adams LLC. Absolute Equality Juneteenth Mural Project in Shreveport, Louisiana. Artist: KaDavien Baylor 2022.}

Before the Galveston mural, Adams says he “really didn’t think a whole lot about Juneteenth” or attend celebrations around the holiday. But “that has changed because of my awareness of what Juneteenth means,” Adams adds, noting that his work on the Absolute Equality Project has taken him across the country and deepened his appreciation for what the holiday means to people — “And it means something different in every part of the country. So I’m learning.”

Related: To Be a Real Ally, You Need to Support Black Employees Beyond Juneteenth. Here’s How.

“My journey has only unfolded because I’m working on things that are important to me.”

On Juneteenth this year, Adams says he plans to attend the Los Angeles dedication of the Absolute Equality piece created by Samson Bimbo Adenugba, an artist from Nigeria who now resides in Los Angeles. Adenugba’s mural is located inside one of the Capital One Cafés, “a very different environment for all of the murals in the collection,” Adams says, and one he’s excited to see in person.

For any artist or entrepreneur who wants to create work with a social impact, Adams has some words of wisdom: “Focus on what’s important to you. My journey has only unfolded because I’m working on things that are important to me. And I think when we focus on what is important to us, our attention around it increases. We’re being more authentic to who we are as creatives. The messaging becomes more authentic.”