By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times

In May 2024, Naila Jackson launched Network Navigator as a one-day event designed to connect Greater Birmingham-based small business owners with the resources they needed to grow their companies. But she couldn’t stop there. Today, Network Navigator is an independent nonprofit organization serving local entrepreneurs year-round with an online platform of resources and a variety of educational programming.

“I am really hyper-focused on access,” Jackson said, explaining the mission of her nonprofit. “I think access is where our biggest gap is. People think it’s funding, but it’s actually access, so that’s my goal. Network Navigator is the access point for entrepreneurs.”

Network Navigator Small Business Week

Right now, Jackson is gearing up for Network Navigator Small Business Week. For more than 60 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Network Navigator Small Business Week will coincide with the national observance, which is set for May 3-9.

The week will begin Sunday, May 3, at 5 p.m. at The Fennec with the Network Navigator Small Business Awards, which will recognize local business leaders shaping the city’s economic future. A portion of proceeds will support the launch of the Navigator Startup Fund, which will provide early-stage financial assistance to individuals entering entrepreneurship after a layoff or other financial disruption.

“I want to make sure that these people, who are going to have to pour the last that they have into something, start off right and start off strong,” Jackson said.

On Tuesday, May 5, Network Navigator will partner with the Birmingham Public Library to launch the NavigateBHM Kiosk, an initiative designed to embed business resources within the city’s public library system.

On Wednesday, May 6, Network Navigator Day will return for its third year at the Auburn University Urban Studio in downtown Birmingham. With the theme “Tech Meets Main Street,” the free all-day summit will feature hands-on workshops, live demonstrations, industry roundtables and opportunities to connect directly with capital providers and technical assistance organizations.

“Network Navigator Day gets bigger and bigger every year,” Jackson said.

A key component of this year’s event is Capital Connect, an initiative designed to address barriers to funding. The program will match entrepreneurs with capital providers for focused 10- to 15-minute sessions, offering real-time feedback on funding readiness, introductions to lending and investment opportunities and guidance on next steps.

“My goal is for everybody to walk away with something so that they’ve moved the needle in some way in their business,” Jackson said. “They walk away with new ideas, new resources, new tools, something so they can say, ‘I came today and it was worth my time.’”

Resources and Understanding

Network Navigator was born out of an idea Jackson had in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was birthed out of Covid and just witnessing what it looked like for our culture and our people to struggle with the world shutting down,” she recalled. “A lot of them didn’t have their businesses legalized. They didn’t understand what it meant or how important it was to actually have federal documentation, state documentation, business bank accounts. They didn’t understand the importance of the structure.”

And they couldn’t apply for federal funding or other resources being allocated to small businesses in need. At first, Jackson wanted to create a directory of Black-owned small businesses. But she realized that entrepreneurs needed more.

“I started to understand more about the needs for the resources and understanding,” said Jackson, who previously worked for the Birmingham Business Alliance.

Initially supported by a grant from the City of Birmingham, Network Navigator was incubated at Prosper, a nonprofit dedicated to building the most inclusive and thriving economy in the Southeast.  In January 2026, Network Navigator became an independent nonprofit that powers an online resource platform for entrepreneurs across Birmingham and the Greater Metropolitan Area and hosts a variety of programming.

Throughout the year Network Navigator hosts entrepreneur-focused workshops, networking events, and roundtables, as well as community conversations that help entrepreneurs understand policies, systems, and opportunities that impact their businesses. Additionally, through the CORE Program, entrepreneurs can get hands-on business support for marketing and branding, human resources, bookkeeping, and more.

Servant Leaders

The only child of Robert and Clara Jackson, Naila Jackson says she was raised in a “God-fearing household” of servant leaders.

Her mother worked for the social security administration for 43 years and her father worked in sales. Through the years they both kept busy serving at church – first at New Hope Baptist Church and later at The Worship Center.

“It was their goal to make sure that if it was your very first time, or if you had chosen this church, that you were going to feel welcome, there was something there for you and there was somebody there for you,” Jackson said of her parents. “They were always available and accessible.”

Jackson’s mother passed away in 2017, and she can still recall the touching comments from the funeral.

“Several people at her service came up to me and said, ‘Your mom was my mom. She was my second mom. She was my work mom. She was my champion.’ That really made me feel good that she left a legacy with other people.”

Jackson feels her passion for helping others is in her blood. At first, she thought she’d do this as an educator. After graduating from Midfield High School, she went to Alabama State University to study education. But instead, she’s teaching a different kind of student.

“I feel like I was called to serve entrepreneurs,” she said.

Collaboration Over Competition

One thing she hopes to teach entrepreneurs is the power of collaboration.

“I think people don’t understand the value and the power in collaboration and partnering with someone else who’s in your industry,” she said. “I think people are not aware that there’s enough for everyone.”

Jackson wants more Black entrepreneurs to consider taking over already established businesses.

“I wish our people would look more into mergers and acquisitions,” she said. “There’s no shame in just taking over where somebody else left off because the dollar is still green, and you may actually start off with more green dollars than you would if you were starting from scratch.”

She also wants entrepreneurs to let go of fear.

“Fear of not being enough, not measuring up, because there’s so much out here that makes you believe that you should be a certain way, look a certain way, have a certain thing, and so people feel like they won’t be accepted,” Jackson said. “So, they stay out of the circle of where that information might be or where that access might come from.”

All Eyes on Birmingham

Jackson believes now is a great time to build a business and build a life in Birmingham.

“Everybody’s eyes are on Birmingham right now,” she said. “Birmingham is a hot market, so it’s a beautiful place to be.”

When she’s not working, Jackson loves taking advantage of all the live music Birmingham has to offer. “I feel like I’ve been to every single concert we’ve had this year,” she said. She also enjoys spending time with her sons – Khalil, 24, and Jason, 10. And she loves to travel. But there’s no place like home.

“The beauty of Birmingham is its culture and its community,” she said. “And I think it’s just a beautiful place to be because there’s so much that’s happening here. There’s so much growth here, and there’s so much opportunity.”

Learn more at www.navigatebhm.com. To register for Network Navigator Day, visit www.networknavigatorday.com.

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