Having accumulated multiple degrees in business, a successful career in the federal government and investment banking, and years of teaching business courses, Ebony Blackmon found herself contemplating the idea of starting her own business. Despite her extensive experience, she had never taken the leap of faith to become an entrepreneur. However, when her children graduated from high school, Blackmon felt the time was right to embark on this new venture. In November 2019, she founded XO PDX, a commercial and industrial cleaning company serving various counties in Oregon and Washington.
XO PDX currently employs 17 individuals and offers a wide range of janitorial services, including office cleaning, dusting, lobby and reception cleaning, and sanitization programs. Blackmon has obtained a CCB license and is exploring opportunities in renovation projects and commercial facility management, encompassing construction and landscaping services. One of the aspects she enjoys most about her business is building relationships with her staff, and she also finds excitement in the pursuit of growth, expansion, and acquiring new clients.
As a long-time resident of Portland with a robust professional network developed through her previous careers, Blackmon values her membership in NAMC-OR as a means to strengthen existing connections and forge new relationships within the organization. She recognizes the importance of pursuing one’s ideas and advises fellow small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to do the same. Blackmon firmly believes that by starting a business, support will come, often from unexpected sources, including strangers rather than those closest to you.