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(left to right) William Gist, Department of Small
and Local Business Development;
Barrett T. Johnson, Niyyah Electrical, LLC;
Tim Flanagan, WACIF program director.
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As someone who “learned everything about anything” by growing up and going to school in Southeast Washington, DC, Ward 8 was the obvious choice when Barrett Johnson decided where to open his small business.
Meaning “intentions” in Arabic, Barrett named his business “Niyyah” to represent the philosophy that “if we went in with good intentions, we would be successful.” While serving in the US Marine Corps he learned the skills of his trade, which he improved as a five-year apprentice with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and ultimately perfected while earning his master electrician’s license.
Even as an apprentice, Barrett and his good friend and frequent business partner Greg Ledbetter began thinking about starting their own business, which Barrett finally did in 1998. Despite the fact that Niyyah Electric’s first job was providing electricity to a fountain in his own grandmother’s backyard, Barrett grew his business to include larger and larger residential projects. Though with the economic downturn and declining housing market, he was forced to rethink and refocus his work.
He decided to make the move from residential to commercial; however, with bigger projects came bigger costs for equipment, supplies and staff. And so after becoming a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) under the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), he was given the first loan under the Washington Area Community Investment Fund’s (WACIF) pilot microloan program from the District.
In the business world’s version of chess, Johnson made a great move.
Niyyah was provided with a microloan of $25,000 which he was able to pay back, in full, in only 45 days. “Being the first in the program” Barrett says, “I wanted to set the standard for how it should be done.”
He continues, “The access to this capital has allowed me to execute projects for the FBI building and the District’s Fire Department. We’ve been able to go after larger contracts because of it.”
The microloan also allowed Niyyah to grow. To complete the larger projects he is now able to get, Barrett has brought on three more employees.
Niyyah Electrical’s commercial work has included projects with the Airport Authority, DC Department of Transportation, DC Water and Sewer Authority, Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI building. Johnson said that he is grateful for the assistance he has received from WACIF and DSLBD. “I want Niyyah to be a company known for excellence, quality and professionalism with the ability to execute projects on time and on budget,” he said. He also wants to “give back to the community” by eventually establishing an educational center to teach others the electrical trade.
Opening an educational mentoring program in Ward 8, like his business, is where Barrett’s story comes full circle. Again, it’s where he has lived his life and “learned everything about anything.” For teens and young adults it will be a place where they can learn a skill for the electrical industry. If you already have a skill, they will provide business consulting. It will also be a place to continue your education if you want expand or further what you and your electrical business already do. He even has a plan for the center to include a transition program for former inmates to help them rejoin the work force and the community.
“Without this program,” Barrett says, “I would be in the unemployment line.” He continues, “DSLBD is customer-oriented. It’s in their culture. They’re an absolute jewel of the DC government. And Donna and Tim from WACIF were great. They come up with solutions. They’ve allowed me to not only keep my business up and running but to grow.”
Niyyah Electrical is located at 1915 Fifth St. NE. Call 202-529-2225 for more information. |
