Afro-Caribbean Business Network | Fireside Chat with Chantelle Quow-Craig, President and CEO, CQ Business Consulting | Saturday, October 31, 2026 | Online
Most people picture entrepreneurship as starting from scratch: a new idea, a new name, a new business. Yet there is another path that is often faster and less risky. Instead of building from zero, you can take over a business that already has customers, staff and revenue.
That path is buying an existing business in Canada, and it may be one of the biggest untapped opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. According to research highlighted by Pitch Better, 1 in 5 small business owners plan to retire within five years. As a result, thousands of profitable businesses will need new owners.
So on Saturday, October 31, the Afro-Caribbean Business Network closes the Black Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Conference 2026 with a virtual fireside chat featuring Chantelle Quow-Craig, President and CEO of CQ Business Consulting Inc., on inclusive succession and helping entrepreneurs scale through stronger operations and strategy.
Who Is Chantelle Quow-Craig?
Chantelle is a strategic leadership and operations professional with an MBA. Early on, while running her own venture and working with bookkeeping clients, she noticed that many entrepreneurs had no business plan and were operating in survival mode. So she turned her side consulting into a full-time firm focused on helping others build successful businesses.
Today, CQ Business Consulting provides fractional COO leadership, operational audits, process improvement and AI-powered systems for growing businesses. In other words, she helps owners turn strategy into action. In addition, she has developed programs for Black communities and took part in the 2021 FoundHers research on Black women entrepreneurs.
A team is everything. You can only get so far alone. (Chantelle Quow-Craig)
What Is Inclusive Succession?
Working with Pitch Better, a national nonprofit, Chantelle’s firm helped lead a study called Inclusive Succession. It explored entrepreneurship through acquisition, where entrepreneurs buy and grow existing profitable companies rather than starting new ones.
The opportunity is huge. According to the research, entrepreneurship through acquisition represents a $2 trillion market opportunity in Canada, with about $300 billion in revenue available through business acquisitions. However, the study also found that education and capital gaps keep many entrepreneurs, especially from underrepresented communities, from taking part.
Thousands of viable, profitable businesses are without successors, often closing when their owners retire. (Chantelle Quow-Craig)
Why This Conversation Matters for the Black Community
1. Buying can be faster than building
A business with existing customers, staff and cash flow skips the hardest early years. Consequently, acquisition can be a faster route to ownership and wealth for Black entrepreneurs who are ready to lead.
2. Keeping good businesses alive
When owners retire without a successor, businesses close and jobs disappear. Therefore, Black entrepreneurs stepping in as buyers can save local businesses while building their own wealth.
3. Operations turn growth into profit
Many small businesses grow revenue without growing profit. Chantelle’s work shows that strong systems, clear roles and good decision-making are what turn growth into lasting success. (For more on growth, read our Day 17 spotlight on how to scale a Black-owned business.)
4. Breaking all four strikes at once
At ACBN, we name the Four Strikes™ that hold Black entrepreneurs back: small teams, difficulty attracting talent, overconcentration in professional services and systemic barriers to capital, credit and networks. Notably, buying an established business can address several at once: it comes with a team, trained staff and often a presence in new industries.
5. Acquisition needs readiness and capital
Of course, buying a business takes planning, due diligence and financing. This is where ACBN’s 3C Framework™ comes in: Clarity → Connection → Capital. First, get clear on the kind of business you want and what you can afford. Next, connect with advisors, brokers and sellers. Finally, access the capital to close the deal and grow. (See our Day 8 spotlight on Black business loans in Canada for financing options.)
Ready for your next move, whether you build or buy? ACBN’s Growth Pathway program walks you through the 3C Framework™ with coaching, community and a direct route to funding. We are welcoming 100 entrepreneurs into the program.
What You Will Walk Away With
- What inclusive succession and entrepreneurship through acquisition mean
- How to evaluate whether buying a business is right for you
- How strong operations help businesses scale profitably
- What a fractional COO does and when you might need one
- A live Q&A with an operations leader and business strategist
Frequently Asked Questions
Is buying an existing business better than starting one?
It depends on your goals, skills and capital. Generally, buying a business offers existing customers and cash flow, which can reduce risk, while starting one gives you more control over the concept. Either way, careful planning and advice are essential.
What is a fractional COO?
A fractional COO is an experienced operations leader who works with a business part-time. Typically, they help improve systems, processes and decision-making without the cost of a full-time executive.
I missed the live session. Can I watch the replay?
Yes. Replays of BEEConference sessions will be shared on the ACBN YouTube channel.
Join Us for the Final Day
Day 31 closes a full month of workshops as part of the Black Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Conference 2026. Thank you to every speaker, partner and entrepreneur who joined us this October. So join us for this final conversation, and let us keep building together long after the conference ends.
Fireside Chat with Chantelle Quow-Craig | BEEConference Day 31
Saturday, October 31, 2026 | Online
Can’t make it live? Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a replay, workshop or conversation: youtube.com/@acbn_canada
Connect. Build. Grow.
