Interviewer
Kaniya Simpson
Files
Abstract
This interview was conducted by Winthrop student Kaniya Simpson with Shauntoria Currence as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History on the Coronavirus Global Pandemic, with specific emphasis on Black women in business. Currence, a Rock Hill, South Carolina, native, discusses her experiences as a Black woman and business owner, including balancing her roles as an entrepreneur, accountant, mother, wife, and community member. She describes the pride she takes in operating a Black-owned business and her desire to serve as an example to other Black women interested in entrepreneurship. Currence discusses the importance of organization and financial management, separating her personal and business finances, and balancing family responsibilities with the demands of running a business.
Currence and her husband own and operate New Generation Installation and Repair, LLC, formerly New Generation Electrical Contractors, in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The company provides residential and commercial electrical contracting and installation services. Currence discusses the company’s commitment to providing quality and affordable services, as well as mentoring individuals and serving local churches and community organizations. She describes her educational background in psychology and entrepreneurship and explains how her career path ultimately led her into business ownership. She also discusses her plans to expand the company beyond South Carolina and create a business that can be passed down to future generations.
A significant portion of the interview focuses on Currence’s vision for her company as an employer. She discusses her desire to provide employees with livable wages and good benefits and to create a workplace where employees are proud to work. She also reflects on the importance of having a strong support system when navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Currence discusses her role as a Black woman in a predominantly male industry and her desire to demonstrate to other members of the Black community that successful business ownership is possible.
Completed as part of Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight’s HIST/AAMS/WMST-517: Black Women in American course in the fall of 2021, this interview is part of a subseries titled Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History on Black Women Business Ownership.
Publication Date
11-30-2021
Unique Identifier
OH 727
Format
M4A
Length
00:08:16
Restrictions
Open under the rules and regulations of the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University
Keywords
Black Women, Black-Owned Businesses, Entrepreneurship, Race, 2020
Recommended Citation
Shauntoria Currence, Black Women, and Small Businesses, "Interview with Shauntoria Currence - OH 727" (2021). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 727.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/642
Notes
Completed as part of Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight’s HIST/AAMS/WMST-517: Black Women in American course in the fall of 2021.