Voices of the Triad: Temoura Jefferies

By: Nancy Tuohy

Scout Guide chatted with creative entrepreneur Temoura Jefferies to learn more about the success of her latest endeavor: The Buy Black Guide.

 The Buy Black Guide was founded on Juneteenth 2020 after finding it challenging to locate Black-Owned businesses in the North Carolina Triad area. Its intention is to create a local directory that can be used to help circulate the black dollar in our community.  Its mission is to aid in mending the systematic and economic gaps that plague the African American community today. Since its 2020 launch, it now has hundreds of Black-Owned businesses listed from all over the Nation.

You can check it out at https://www.buyblackguide.com/ and https://youtu.be/UPhrwIezwQA.  

We are coming up on the first anniversary of your founding of the Buy Black Guide. Tell us about the last 12 months.

 The last 12 months have been insane, lol. Insane in a good way of course. The Buy Black Guide started off as a passion project for other people like me who were looking for Black-Owned businesses in the Triad area.

 I had no idea that it would be received so well by the community. Since our Juneteenth 2020 launch, we have hundreds of businesses listed with us from all over the nation. While it started as a local project, it gained momentum and now we are nationwide.

How will you celebrate Juneteenth 2021 and your anniversary?

We are celebrating with a launch party for our Black Business Coupon Book that we created in partnership with Primo Partners — owners of Ben & Jerry’s in Greensboro. We are so excited to launch this product and provide shoppers with exclusive savings while shopping black-owned businesses, it’s the first of its kind in the area. Everyone is invited to come celebrate with us in the Friendly Shopping Center in Greensboro from 1 to 3 pm on Saturday, June 19. We will have ice cream, music, giveaways and more! Fun for the whole family. This launch party will continue to aid in our mission to increase the brand awareness of black-owned businesses.

 Tell us about your journey as a woman entrepreneur.

 My journey as a woman entrepreneur has been very rewarding thus far. I’m a wife and mother, educator and a creator. I have learned so much about myself and my purpose. I’ve launched several projects over the last 10 years but I can honestly say that The Buy Black Guide has been the most impactful.

Tell us more about your journey.

I’m a creative at heart. I went to school for family and consumer science at NC Central and also work as a teaching assistant. I started blogging in 2009 about natural beauty and I’ve created a natural hair magazine.

 I’ve prayed about this business idea. Other people needed this resource. Small businesses need brand awareness. I want people to support black-owned businesses. I’m always looking for ways to grow my own brand and want others to be successful too. It’s about building community. As much as I grow my brand, I aspire to grow everyone else’s. We are stronger together.

 All of this is surreal for me. My journey of self love has rewarded me with just being myself. It’s too much energy to try to be someone else. This is me–this is what I do!

For this to take off like it did, I am just wowed. Everything I have done in my past has led to this.

How do you balance it all?

Yes! I work on balance all the time. I’m also a mother of two and they keep me busy! I’m creating a lot of systems and business ideas. I try to schedule certain days for certain things. I’m good at a lot of things and want to use the gifts God gave me. Everything I do is for service. 

What do you love about Winston Salem and/or the Triad?

 Being a native of High Point, I love to see the growth of that city and the new opportunities that come with it. I am also excited about taking my children to explore the new High Point Children’s Museum. My family and I are fairly new to the Winston-Salem area and with things beginning to open up we have enjoyed exploring our new city. No matter where we live, the Triad will always be home. It is filled with family and memories.

 What would be on an itinerary for a long weekend? Especially if a person wanted to support black-owned businesses in the Triad.

 Hmm, for a long weekend in the Triad, visitors can check out:

Food:

Maho’s Bistro

Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie

Gillespie Grill

Nik-Nak Shack

The Godmother of Soul Food Restaurant and Catering Services

Stephanie’s

Drinks:

Gametime Sports Bar

Unwind

Elm Street Lounge

Desserts:

Uncle Cheesecake

Ben & Jerry’s

Shopping:

Kindred Spirits

African American Arts & More

Social Status

Thick’ems Clothing Boutique

 Art:

Gallery On Main

 Visitors can find more online black businesses and brands, by visiting The Buy Black Guide or Follow Us on Instagram @TheBuyBlackGuide and Like The Buy Black Guide on Facebook

Nancy is a native of Durham, North Carolina and has lived in Winston Salem (off and on) for 20 years. The city has transformed itself since her days as a student at Wake Forest University. She attended The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia prior to college. In between stints living in Winston Salem, she has also lived in Nashville, Tennessee and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Dubbed by her friends as “the spa fairy,” Nancy loves to travel and be pampered. Her favorite vacation includes lots of hiking and outdoor activities followed by a massage and then a delicious dinner. She feels lucky that North Carolina is a state with never ending options for her favorite ventures!  

She is an avid reader but loves people too much to not have conversation so she also is a needlepointer–because you can still chat with someone while you stitch! She loves to garden and cook and hopes she is teaching her two sons to do the same