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September 30, 2025

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'We’re In This Together: How MBEs Can Turn Job Losses into Opportunities

A message from Don Cravins Jr., interim president and CEO of the National Minority Supplier Development Council

I’m excited to launch the NMSDC Weekly Pulse – a new weekly blog dedicated to keeping our network informed, engaged, and inspired.

Each week, we’ll highlight key issues facing certified MBEs, share insights on policy and economic trends, and invite dialogue on how together we can drive inclusive growth.

Our first installment is live: “We’re In This Together: How MBEs Can Turn Job Losses into Opportunities.”

This is about more than news—it’s about reclaiming NMSDC’s role as a thought leader and evidencing how certified MBEs fuel America’s prosperity.

Read. Reflect. Join the conversation. Sincerely, Don Cravins, Jr., Interim President & CEO, NMSDC

MBEs Can Turn Job Losses into Opportunities

Recent data show the labor market pain is not evenly distributed. For example, the April Jobs Report revealed Black women lost 106,000 jobs in a single month – the highest among all groups. Their unemployment rate spiked from 5.1% in March to 6.1% in April, while the overall U.S. unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%.

The problem persisted into the summer of 2025. From July to August, unemployment rates increased for nearly every group. And even though the Asian American community did not experience the same one-month trend, data shows that when unemployed, their median duration of unemployment is high. For example, in 2021 the median time Asian Americans were unemployed was ~ 21.9 weeks – longer than for other major demographic groups.

Just this week, The Washington Post noted that long term unemployment is at a post-pandemic high. Truly, we’re all in this together.

This wave of high-profile job losses has shaken industries and communities across the country. The ripple effects are being felt everywhere—from tech hubs grappling with downsized innovation teams, to retail workers displaced by automation, to manufacturing plants letting go of skilled workers in response to global supply chain shifts. In healthcare, restructuring threatens vital community care positions, especially in rural and minority communities. In finance, consolidation has displaced mid-level professionals who once formed the backbone of client services.

What This Means for MBEs

For certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and historically underutilized entrepreneurs, these disruptions represent both a challenge and a unique opening. Every layoff releases not just workers, but talent, ideas, and entrepreneurial energy back into the marketplace. The key question becomes: how can MBEs capture this moment, transforming today’s losses into tomorrow’s opportunities for growth, innovation, and resilience?

When MBEs secure contracts through inclusive supplier programs, they don’t just grow profits, they hire. More often than not, they hire from their local communities. Each procurement opportunity won is an opportunity to bring unemployed workers back into the workforce – reducing unemployment and circulating wealth to communities that have been historically underutilized.

“This moment also underscores why inclusive supply chains matter.”

This moment also underscores why inclusive supply chains matter. Diverse suppliers bring agility, innovation, and cultural insight – tools that make corporations more resilient in times of disruption. By investing in MBEs and underutilized entrepreneurs, corporations not only strengthen their supply chains but contribute to stronger local economies.

That is why the mission of NMSDC and its entire Network is as important as ever. For over 50 years, NMSDC and its regional Affiliates have been the bridge between MBEs and the nation’s largest corporations. It is why the MBE certification must continue to represent the “gold standard” and why the Network must continue to focus on helping underutilized minority-owned businesses secure opportunities, scale their operations, and—most importantly – create jobs in the communities that need them most.

The road ahead will not be easy, but we’re in this together. And together, we can transform layoffs into launchpads for inclusive economic growth. Join NMSDC in Miami, November 2-5, at the NMSDC Annual Conference and Exchange where these and other important discussions will take place!

Register Today!