Our Story

When Ronni-Michelle (Ronni) Martin was in college, a Jewish woman, ‘Susan’, came to work with us part time. Her husband, also Jewish, was a very wealthy businessman. She was wealthy, bored at home, and needed something to do.

She could take off to accompany him on business trips whenever she wanted (she had the hook-up at work) and they would go on extravagant business trips. We worked with a nosey ‘sistah’ who had NO FILTER and would ask Susan all kinds of questions about her life, lifestyle, and the money they had and spent. (I didn’t have to ask questions. She asked enough for four people!).

One day, before Christmas break, Susan and her husband were going on a 7 day trip to a resort with 30 other couples. My sistah asked her the price of the resort. It was $10,000/night!! And this was back in the 80’s!! 30 couples could afford to stay at a resort for seven days at $70,000!! (I want you to SEE the zeros!). 

My sistah TOLD HER that she’d BETTER BRING BACK PICTURES WHEN WE GOT BACK FROM BREAK! And she did!! To this day, this was one of the most stunning, incredible places I’ve ever seen!

Every day, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that 30 couples could afford to go to a resort that cost $70,000 for ONE WEEK!”

THE CONVERSATION THAT PLANTED THE SEED FOR TBP (and changed my life):

“One day, Susan and I were the only ones in the office. She was preparing to go on another business trip with her husband. I walked into her office and said, “Susan, may I ask you a question?” She looked at me, stopped what she was doing, and sat down. Why? I NEVER asked her any questions. I just listened. 

“Sure Ronni Ask me anything!” I thought for a moment, and then asked, “Why are Jewish people wealthy?” 

She looked stunned for a moment. (I was 24 at the time). She thought about it.  I could tell that she was trying to figure out ‘how’ to answer. This was the simple response that changed my life:

“Ronni, from the time that we can ‘walk’ (she didn’t say talk), we are ‘taught’ that if you live next door to a bakery, and you need a loaf of bread, but your Jewish brother or sister has a bakery 25 miles away, you drive 25 miles to purchase one loaf of bread from your Jewish brother or sister! We are just firm believers of keeping ‘our money in our community’.  “Does that make sense?” she asked quietly.”

I didn’t say anything. I just kept looking at her. She looked at me, concerned. I could tell that she didn’t want to offend me, because the bottom line of what she was saying, indirectly, was that ‘if Ronni owned the bakery next door to her, she wasn’t buying a loaf of bread from Ronni’. (My interpretation).

I was messing with her by not responding. Just when she looked as if she regretted saying anything, I jumped up, smiled at her and said, “Makes sense to me!”

THE SEED IS GROWING:

I didn’t return to work there after the break, but God used that conversation to plant that seed FOR MY PEOPLE within me!

Years later, after many trials, tribulations, and various life events: 

The Business Promoter. LLC is here to introduce the

National ‘BUY BLACK’ Business Guide & Directory!

It’s time for us to truly learn how to start keeping

OUR MONEY, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WITH EACH OTHER!

IT IS TIME!

Ronni.