Minority-owned businesses are growing, but they're still struggling

The national economy is nearing 10 years of economic growth. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the national unemployment rate is 4.1 percent. For the state of Minnesota, it is 3.3 percent, with a 2.3 percent unemployment rate in the Twin Cities.

For the first time since 2001, the number of unemployed Minnesotans has dipped under 100,000, to 96,674, per the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The strong economy has led to a growth in minority owned-businesses, but entrepreneurs of color still face challenges in getting their business up and running.

Associate Vice President for University Relations and International Programs at Concordia University St. Paul Bruce Corrie, Vice President of Business Solutions for the Metropolitan Economic Development Association Joanna Ramirez Barrett, and KMS Air Duct Cleaning owner Ken McCraley joined MPR News contributor Chris Farrell for an in-depth discussion on minority-owned businesses in Minnesota.

Use the audio player above to hear the full segment.