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The U.S. Census Bureau finds there were 2,653 minority-owned businesses registered in the Birmingham area in 2022. Twenty-nine percent of them were Black-owned, and they brought in an estimated $4.23 billion. Business leaders said that number has likely changed in the past three years, and they’re doing their own business census to keep track of the numbers.>> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Community coverage from �������� 13Representatives from the Birmingham Black Business Census said businesses open and close all the time, so that makes it difficult to count them all. Since the study started in January, Autumn Sanders with Quire Consulting said census volunteers found nearly 650 Black-owned businesses in Birmingham �� but there are more out there.The federal government does an economic census every five years. That makes it difficult to count which businesses are still operating because Sanders said some businesses don’t last five years. She told �������� 13 the Birmingham Black Business Census is designed to fix that by keep track of which businesses are staying afloat and which ones need help and the best resources available.“Maybe we over-index in businesses that are three years old or older, and they don’t necessarily need the startup support, but they need the sustainability support,�� Sanders said. “Another example I give is maybe we have a higher number of health and wellness businesses than we realize. We may be focusing on restaurants because we were looking at Main Street businesses and things that people want to come in and spend time in person. That changes the landscape, but the health and wellness space has the strong potential to grow. It could be that we find that in our data when we do our analysis.��>> �������� 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our app for freeBusiness owners like Quinton Craig feel that’s why it’s important to participate in this year’s study. He and his wife Natalie, who co-own Blind Dog Biscuit Company, said that the Black Business Census could’ve made finding their footing as entrepreneurs much easier.“When we first bought the company, we only had dog treats, and then we expanded to bandana and bow tie collars,�� Quinton said. “We just didn’t sit to where we were with just dog treats, and we expanded, and we go out and do a lot of shows, and we do a little bit of more networking at the Pepper Place Farmers Market. It’s very important that we stand out and go get what we need to go get. It’s not that easy because we are a minority, and it’s not that easy.”If you’re a Black business owner and you haven’t taken the census yet, there’s still time. The deadline is April 30. Click here to take it online, or click here to request a volunteer to help make sure you’re counted.>> SHARE WITH US: Upload your photos and videos via uLocal