This week we have a rewind episode for you with Domonique Brown, the artist and founder behind DomoINK, a lifestyle brand that contributes art, apparel, and home decor in celebration of Black art. Domonique got her start in real estate and marketing before deciding to become a full-time artist-entrepreneur.  In today’s episode she shares: How her side hustle went from Instagram posts to Target carrying a line of her products How she approaches conversations with major brands regarding...

In this week's rewind episode, in the guest chair we have former Side Hustle Pro guest Imani Ellis, CEO and Founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC. While working as Vice President of Communications at NBC Universal, Imani founded The CCNYC and began her journey to becoming the full-time CEO of her company and CultureCon.  In this episode she shares: How CultureCon and The CCNYC has hugely expanded since we last spoke The steps she took to firmly make the decision of...

In this week's rewind episode we have a very special episode featuring a real-life Podcast Moguls student of mine, Lori Tharps. She is the founder of the platform and podcast Read, Write & Create, which offers bite-sized, creative pep talks for BIPOC writers. She is also the author of critically-acclaimed books like Hair Story and Kinky Gazpacho.  In this episode she shares: How she knew it was the right time to leave her tenured teaching job at Temple to pursue writing full time ...

In this rewind episode, I sat down with Terri-Nichelle Bradley, the founder of Brown Toy Box, an educational toy company producing STEAM toys, media, and experiences for centering and celebrating Black children. While working full time, Terri-Nichelle took Brown Toy Box from being a side hustle to a full-scale business.  In this episode she shares:  How she expanded to being sold in every Target nationwide Why she pivoted from being a subscription box to direct to consumer  How she...

This week we have a very special bonus episode with fellow Comcast RISE recipient Cassandra Williams. Cassandra is the founder of Love By The Slice, a Tacoma-based cake and treats company that is beloved by her community.  In this episode she shares: How she started as a side hustler and has remained in business for more than 20 years How she was able to scale and grow as a small business with little funding How she has navigated the challenges of post-pandemic business  What she...

This week in the guest chair we have Kunbi Odubogun, an industry leading Business Attorney and entrepreneur. She is Partner at Oduberg, a boutique business law firm that provides legal services to creative entrepreneurs. Kunbi also founded two online businesses: Legally Set, a contract template shop offering ready-made contract templates for creative entrepreneurs; and Perfete - a renowned luxury events and lifestyle resource.  In this episode she shares: How she created passive income by...

This week in the guest chair we have Mandi Woodruff-Santos, a globally recognized career expert, founder of the MandiMoney Makers, and co-host of the three-time WEBBY award winning podcast, Brown Ambition. With 6 million podcast downloads, and over 80,000 followers across socials, Mandi is on a mission to help women of color achieve their wildest financial ambitions.  In this episode she shares: How to be professionally selfish and achieve your dream salary The risks she’s taken by...

This week in the guest chair we have visionary creator April Showers, the entrepreneurial expert behind Afro Unicorn. April became the first Black woman to own a fully licensed character brand, putting her with the likes of Disney. Afro Unicorn has rapidly expanded its footprint, being stocked in over 3,500 stores.  In this episode she shares: How she established a presence in seven major retailers across the U.S. and Canada including Walmart and Target The ins and outs to becoming a...

This week we are getting a masterclass in content-based business with Bola Sokunbi. Bola is a  finance expert, 4-time bestselling author, and founder of Clever Girl Finance, one of the largest personal finance media/education platforms for women in the U.S.  In this episode she shares: Her start as a financial advisor while side hustling Clever Girl Finance  How she expanded past 1 to 1 business by creating courses and repeatable content  How she was able to financially thrive while...

This week we’re back for a very exciting update episode with Denise Woodard is the Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, the allergy-friendly company inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Created in 2016, Denise started the business by self-distributing cookies around NYC, this year it became a Certified B Corporation, and launched a collab with Ben & Jerry’s.   In this episode she shares: Her strategies to getting investors interested, including big names like HER...

This week in the guest chair we have Donyale Walton, founder of Hoop Mobb, Home of the Hoop Earring. Coming from Flint, Michigan, Donyale made her way to New York to learn the business ropes and was inspired to pursue her own ventures.   In this episode she shares: How she went outside of the box of where she’s from and gained unique skills by working in fashion  Her process of finding and working with the best manufacturers  How she’s able to build the best team and balance hiring...

This week I invited back Khadijah “Kay” Polly, who I first spoke to in 2019. Khadijah is the owner of Kay’s Kettle Corn, a gourmet popcorn company in Houston. In addition to her popcorn company, Khadijah is the founder of Ankara Beauty, a social enterprise that sources fair trade all natural ingredients for beauty products from women owned cooperatives and solo entrepreneurs in African countries.  In this episode she shares: How she scaled her popcorn side hustle large enough to fund...

In this rewind episode, I sat down with Keewa Nurullah. Keewa is mom of two, a fourth generation Black Wall Street descendant, and founder Kido Chicago, a wildly popular children’s brand and destination in the Southside of Chicago. In this episode she shares: How she scaled her business from a single onesie to carrying 1000s of children’s products online and in her storefront Why she created a community gathering space for parents on Chicago’s Southside  How she’s carrying on the...

This week we’re taking it back to when I sat down with Cat Peoples, an actor, producer and entrepreneur who is giving us a masterclass in getting in alignment with your purpose. Starting as a side hustler, Cat has become a household voice that you may hear on commercials, audiobooks and more. In this episode she shares: How she got her start and built her portfolio as a voice actor How she leaned into her natural talents to create a stable income for herself  Why having unwavering...

We’re back for an update episode with Jacquelyn Rodgers, founder of Greentop Gifts. I first spoke with Jacquelyn in 2020, when we learned Greentop Gifts aims to create products that represent what the holidays look like for Black and Brown families. Since then, Jacquelyn has gotten Greentop Gifts into retailers like Target and Amazon.  In this episode Jacquelyn shares:  What it took to get into Target retail and the village that supported her journey there The many grant competitions...

This week we’re rewinding it back to when I sat down with Trina Small, the founder of Supermom Culture. After leaving her logistics job, growing her blog, and blowing up on social media, Trina took a leap to start her brand that empowers mothers through streetwear.  Starting off on her own packing orders with her daughter out of her apartment, Trina took risks and bet on herself to build a solid brand.   In this episode she shares: How she slowly and steadily scaled her business while...

We’re dropping double the gems this episode as I sit down with DMV moms Nikki Osei-Barrett and Simona Noce Wright, founders of the premiere organization for millennial moms of color, District Motherhued and the first and only conference for millennial moms of color, The Momference.  In this episode Simona and Nikki share:  What it took to successfully launch The Momference while working full time jobs and raising kids How they secured Kelly Rowland as a keynote speaker at The...

This week I got to sit down again for an update with Rochelle Porter, founder of Rochelle Porter Design, a lifestyle brand and design house specializing in sustainably-made home and fashion textiles. When I first sat down with Rochelle in 2019, we learned she launched her business as just a side hustle. Today her products are being sold in major retailers and being featured on outlets like The Today Show and Oprah Daily while consistently maintaining profitability.  In this episode she...

This week in the guest chair we are back again with Lisandra Rickards, founder & CEO of Soul Career. When we first spoke in 2018, Lisandra was the CEO of the Richard Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship. Using her experience in the corporate world, she then went on to start her own company coaching individuals to discover their true soul’s calling.  In this episode she shares: The knowledge and experience gathered from working alongside Richard Branson How she created the metrics to...

This week I sat down for a very inspiring chat with Mignon Francois; mom of seven, best-selling author of Made from Scratch: Finding Success Without a Recipe, and founder of a multi-million dollar cupcake empire, The Cupcake Collection.  In this episode she shares: Why having a great product and determination got her community to support her vision The different financial methods she used, like cash stuffing, to reinvest into her business and employees How she leveraged $5 and...

This week in the guest chair we have a very special episode featuring a real-life Podcast Moguls student of mine, Lori Tharps. She is the founder of the platform and podcast Read, Write & Create, which offers bite-sized, creative pep talks for BIPOC writers. She is also the author of critically-acclaimed books like Hair Story and Kinky Gazpacho.  In this episode she shares: How she knew it was the right time to leave her tenured teaching job at Temple to pursue writing full time ...

This week in the guest chair we have Kalyn Johnson Chandler. Starting as a career lawyer in big law, then transitioning to fashion, Kalyn has now evolved into a full time artist and entrepreneur as the founder of Effie’s Paper: Stationery & Whatnot, a lifestyle brand empowering women and presenting on-trend accessories for work, travel and daily life.  In this episode she shares: How she seamlessly transitioned from field to field through confidence and discipline  How she learned...

This week in the guest chair we have Eunique Jones Gibson, a personal entrepreneur shero of mine. Eunique is the creator of the hit-game #CultureTags and CEO/CCO of several brands including Because of Them We Can, The Happy Hues Company, and the innovative agency, Culture Brands.   In this episode she shares: How she created one of the most well known campaigns and platforms for Black culture How reinvesting her skills and money into each new venture provided solid foundations Why...

This week in the guest chair we have Len Ellis, the Co-Founder and CEO of Everlasting Love Fulfillment, a brand-centric third party logistics partner that provides next-level fulfillment.  In this episode she shares: How she started her company with multiple clients and while working full time How providing personalized service created loyal client relationships How being one of the only Black-women owned 3PL companies gave her a unique platform to support other black women, and...

This week in the guest chair we have Jasmine Taylor, founder and owner of Baddies and Budgets, a financial education platform that aims to make products and provide a community to empower women of color who are struggling with their finances. In this episode she shares: How she turned her $1200 stimulus check into a $1M business  How she uses social media as her sole marketing platform Her top tips and the resources she provides to take control of your money Check out this...