It's another day and more work for Jamel Newsome of Mastermind New York, filling envelopes and writing addresses for tickets to the Mastermind Gala.

The Central New York entrepreneur counts his blessing with every bead of blood, sweat and tears he's shed to build the business. Now, he's throwing a gala for the business he and others have cultivated in the 315.

"I'm trying to stretch 500 people having a ball," said Newsome.

Before we got a chance to look at Newsome's three locations with a fourth on the way, he preceded this success by meeting Drew Shoup.

“I just we've been in the business for like two months,” said Newsome. “I've met Drew eight years ago [in] East Syracuse, he had this little closet shop.”

It's been a partnership that's embodied professional growth and networking.

“Drew had one business. I had another business and we grew together. That's where we at, eight years,” said Newsome.

All this time later, from a corner shop to a thriving press factory.

“We've all been just like grinding super hard,” said Shoup.

That's a bit of an understatement, not just for Jamel and Drew, but Black-owned businesses across the nation.

The Census, just within the last year, estimated that more than 130,000 of those businesses have more than $133 billion in sales and services, per 2020 numbers. While it's great to see an upward trend across the country, there's always more pride with a personal touch.

“A lot of our bigger, like, retail clients aren't even local to Syracuse,” Shoup added. “But it's really cool because it's a little bit different, to be like working with someone that's in your city, doing the same thing.”

The Print Hub and Mastermind working together shows the support building in communities across the Empire State and beyond.

“Whether it's business, school, whatever. It's like you always want to see like your friends that you care about succeed,” said Shoup. “And then being able to do that with your friends is like the next step because it's like, 'oh shoot, like, now we're doing this like together and helping both of us, like, get bigger and grow.'”

And so in the Salt City, there will be a gala to further promote that.

“It's about networking, friendship, staying loyal and just understanding the process,” said Newsome. “You got to trust the process.”

And for potential business owners eyeing up eight-plus years of success?

“Don't quit, don't quit promotion," he said. "Don't quit. There's an audience out there for you. You just have to find it.”