David and Aaron Cabello made history in February by launching the first Black-owned delivery service in Philadelphia.
In a recent interview with The Philadelphia Tribune, David explained how the idea for Black & Mobile came into fruition.
“I taught myself how to design websites and apps. I was making extra money on the side. I was delivering for other services and that’s how I came up with the idea,” said the 24-year-old entrepreneur. “We’re trying to make it easier to support Black-owned businesses.”
David was studying at the Shippensburg University’s College of Business when he dropped out in 2016, feeling stifled by the overwhelming majority of white professors at his school.
“How the hell would they know what the black community needs?” David told Philly Mag. “Only 2.5 percent [of] businesses in Philly are black-owned, so I feel like college is just us teaching us how to work for the white man for the rest of your life, and I didn’t want to do that.”
David says he has been an entrepreneur from a very young age.
“It definitely adds to the revenue. It’s all about group economics,” said Charisse McGill owner of Lokal Artisan Foods, a Black-owned food truck in Philadelphia. “If that’s what David wants to do I would be remiss not to support.”
The two brothers took turns sharing their favorite parts of managing Black & Mobile, most of which revolved around getting the youth involved and giving back to the community.
“In the city you see a lot of younger kids riding their bikes all the time. Put a backpack on them and they could deliver some food. At the businesses they’re going to they get to see familiar faces in the community, learn about new businesses, and you making money,” Aaron told The Tribune.
“We want to keep people off the streets, keep young people off the streets. Give them a job and give them a role model,” David added.
