Having grown up with parents who were small business owners, Angela Dotson developed a deep understanding of the challenges entrepreneurs face. Actively involved in the day-to-day operations, she witnessed firsthand the stress her parents experienced due to working with an unreliable CPA.

Her curiosity about accounting led her to take accounting classes at the University of Georgia, where she discovered her passion was also fueled by her desire to help business owners like her parents. “I had a desire to do something with a career that I could tangibly see and know how I had helped,” she said.

Fostering Inclusive Business Practices Through the Black Business Forum

In 2022, Yelena Epova, Aprio’s Atlanta Office and International Practice Leader, approached Angela with the idea of starting the Black Business Forum. Like Angela, Yelena participated in the Leadership Atlanta program, where she met many talented Black business owners. This experience, in addition to the successful Black clients she worked with at Aprio, opened Yelena’s eyes to the opportunity to empower the significant Black business community in Atlanta, serve new clients, and attract talented Black team members to Aprio. Yelena turned to Angela, Professional Services Tax Team Leader and Partner at Aprio, to help bring this vision to reality.

After thoughtful conversations with Yelena, Angela reached out to Aprio Partners Cardell McKinstry and Thomas Scott to help shape the foundation of the Black Business Forum. From the outset, the trio was committed to building the Black Business Forum together—with full engagement and a shared vision. Shortly thereafter, Breanna Spain, Senior Operations Manager, came on board and was entrusted with driving momentum across all initiatives. The Black Business Forum launched in 2023 with a mission to provide Black business owners with financial education, networking opportunities, and the ability to overcome barriers to success. The Black Business Forum has since flourished and proudly includes Partners Jeff Duncan and Fred Davis, along with Director Kelli Lyde, bringing even more strength and perspective to the team.

“Based on what I see in my role and what I saw in my family, I know the areas of struggle and where there’s a financial literacy gap,” said Angela, co-chair of the Black Business Forum. “We’re trying to fill that gap a little bit and support the growth of Black-owned businesses and help them scale to the next level. There are a lot of successful businesses, but they just need some help and guidance getting to the next stage. We’re here to bring that all together. We’re here to let Black business owners know that there are people who understand where they’re coming from and that we’re here to meet them where they are.”

The Black Business Forum has gained momentum over the past two years, hosting several notable events with Atlanta business legends such as Jerome Russell from H.J. Russell & Company, one of the largest Black-owned construction companies in the country, and Mack Wilbourn, the first Black McDonald’s owner/operator in Atlanta. Another event hosted by the Black Business Forum featured Andrew Young, former U.N. ambassador, congressman, Atlanta mayor, and an early leader of the American Civil Rights Movement.

As Aprio’s first Black partner, Angela understands the value for business owners to hear advice from someone with shared experiences. “We’re getting lots of thanks from business owners who say that no one else is doing this,” Angela said. “When the community sees us working together, I think that sends a powerful message.”