Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Vincent

Eric, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

My entrepreneurial journey started inauspiciously. A high school dropout at 16, I was the quintessential Gen X rebel. My first venture, sign painting, was a baptism by fire. I quickly learned there’s more to it than meets the eye. Sign painting is an artform all its own, and being a naive self employed teenager, getting paid had its challenges. That was in ‘89, I had no software to design with, there wasn’t an Amazon to buy supplies and certainly no social media to reach a national audience.

For over a decade, I stumbled through a series of failures and successes, fueled by equal parts ambition and naiveté. Marriage, parenthood, and financial pressures compounded the challenges. I was married with a kid by 23 and had to have a sustainable income. That was a challenge since I couldn’t keep my mouth shut long enough, at that age, to not piss off the boss. I still worked at building my entrepreneurial empire though, learning and growing as a professional.

My breakthrough really came in 2000 when I found my niche in brand development and marketing for commercial real estate and the capital markets. This combination of data analysis and creative problem-solving was a perfect fit. Within three years I had two businesses and I partnered with another entrepreneur and financial wizard, Mark Slotnick. This propelled the business forward until the 2008 market crash which blindsided us. My ego was a problem too. I thought we were untouchable in that shitstorm. The company folded and then the real fun began.

Those years were a rollercoaster. Divorce, business setbacks, and a return to school led to the launch of Black Ink Creative Partners in 2013. Yet again, I miscalculated. I thought I was just going to be a single owner operator doing small jobs in the creative spaces to sustain my family. That did not happen.

By 2015, Mark and I reunited, because I couldn’t do it alone anymore, and scaling up was happening whether I was expecting it to or not. I directed Black Ink into government contracting. It was a steep learning curve, filled with countless bid responses and bureaucratic hurdles. We eventually found our footing.

Through a series of client based interactions and our government contracting I saw there was a need for a unique government contracting event brand, and by 2018 decided to develop it. We launched the ProcurementCon brand in 2020 only to be slapped by the shut down of the world. The silver lining is it gave us another couple years to really test the brand, build feedback loops and refine the strategies. The official launch happened in 2022 and we held the first annual event October ‘23. We had our second annual event in Atlantic City, NJ this year at The Golden Nugget, and this was our first 2 nights and 2 days effort, scaling up from a one day.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Far from smooth. The 2008 financial crisis was devastating, both personally and professionally. Navigating the complexities of government contracting was equally challenging. But the most persistent obstacle has been the constant need to adapt and pivot.

I’ve learned to embrace the chaos and find opportunities within challenges. While there are countless memes about the struggles of small business, I’ve found a way to turn those frustrations into fuel for innovation.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

Black Ink Creative Partners (Black Ink) is my core business. We’re a creative strategies, marketing, and brand development company (begrudgingly, an agency). We’re government contractors and today we’re lucky enough to get to choose who we want to work for. There’s over 30 years of marketing, creativity and branding fueling Black Ink. I’ve built an amazing team of professionals and thought leaders who know their stuff. We aren’t about the staid and status quo but still embrace the proven methods. We’re not trend setters, we’re brand builders. We look to build sustainable, long term, valuable and memorable brands for our clients. www.blackinkcreativepartners.com

Black Ink owns the ProcurementCon brand, which is our government contracting and small business development event brand. We put federal, statel and local small business and procurement resources under one roof to help small businesses access the plethora of low cost and no cost resources available to them. This wholly owned brand is the result of what we wished we had when we first entered into the government contracting sector. www.procurementcon.com

Finally, I and my business partner Mark, are co-founders and partners in a 501(c)(3), The National Center for Local Business and Workforce Development (The National) which focuses on educating entrepreneurs, creating career opportunities, and training workforce within communities across the country. www.mynational.org

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?

Initially, my rebellious nature and the fact that I was told I would never amount to anything was a driving force. However, over time, I’ve realized that listening, learning, and adaptability are key. The ability to see the big picture, coupled with a willingness to take calculated risks (still a rebel), has also been essential.

I am the founder of Black Ink Creative Partners and The ProcurementCon Brand, but I can’t do it alone, I’m also one of the founder of The National Center for Local Business & Workforce Development, but none of it’s possible alone. Being a team player and finding like minded individuals is invaluable. Being accepting of other perspectives that help you grow is a huge factor.

Ultimately though, staying true to myself and my goals, while navigating the complexities of the business world, has been a core foundation of my successes so far. I’ve been labeled; Relentless, Determined, A Troublemaker, Crazy, Disruptive, Pragmatic, and a few additional titles I probably shouldn’t repeat… these are all qualities and characteristics I embrace and wear as a badge of honor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackinkcreativepartners.com
• Instagram: @BlackInk_CP
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@procurementconbrand
• Other: https://www.procurementcon.com