While the journey of an entrepreneur is incredibly rewarding, it’s not easy. The need for capital is a major challenge all entrepreneurs face. Luckily, resources like Accion Opportunity Fund can come to the rescue. No one understands Black entrepreneurs’ need to have access to funding more than Sheena Allen , the founder and CEO of CapWay . CapWay is the revolutionary fintech company that’s removing barriers and closing gaps through digital banking and other financial services for millennials and Gen Z. AfroTech spoke with Allen about how crucial funding opportunities like the Accion Opportunity Fund are for Black entrepreneurs. AfroTech: Becoming the youngest woman in America to own and operate a digital bank is an incredible accomplishment. Considering your non-tech background, what inspired your journey as an entrepreneur in the tech and fintech industries? Sheena Allen: It’s interesting. I double-majored in film and psychology and minored in marketing, but the truth is I...
“The Marathon Continues” is more than just a slogan for late rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose life was tragically cut short in March 2019. Since his passing, the rapper/entrepreneur has posthumously been at the forefront of multiple business and brand deals in the fashion , film , and tech space. Now, with the help of friends, colleagues, and his elder brother, Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom, another vision of Nipsey’s is coming to fruition. On June 18, The Marathon (Collective), a premier THC and CBD retail store, is set to officially open its doors at 7011 Canoga Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. Legally breaking into the cannabis business has long been a dream of Nipsey Hussle’s and his loved ones have made it their mission to see it through. Photo Credit: Ann Marie Clark “This is something we always spoke about,” says Samiel Asghedom. “Nipsey, Fatts, Adam, and I had a goal to get a legitimately licensed store and have our brand in other stores across the state. We’re so honored to be able to...
In less than a year, Rory Farrell and Jamil ‘MAL’ Clay have gone from being supporting acts on the popular Joe Budden Podcast to carving out their own lane in the digital space and securing a $10 million bag. If there’s ever been a better example of the saying “what’s for you is for you,” the success of the New Rory & Mal podcast would be it. On November 2, the New Rory & Mal podcast made its debut on Stitcher’s More Sauce label just months after a public, yet messy, split from their previous platform. AfroTech got the chance to speak with the duo about their new Stitcher deal, life post-JBP, and how other aspiring podcasters can get turn a hobby into a lucrative business. When Rory & Mal began their podcast journey roughly six years ago, they had no idea it could transform into a career. It wasn’t until they sat with the late Combat Jack, who is credited for spearheading the hip hop podcast industry, that they realized its potential. “[At first, podcasting] was just some fun thing...
Earlier this week, Gabrielle Union announced the launch of Flawless by Gabrielle Union , an affordable, moisture-rich haircare line for Black hair. However, this was not her first journey into the world of African American hair care. In fact, Union’s first attempt at launching the line came in 2017 but she quickly halted the project when she began to lose her own hair as a result of IVF treatments. “When we first launched in 2017, the brand coincided with a lot of hair loss due to my fertility journey and having multiple rounds of IVF. From ear to ear, where a headband would sit, I was bald,” Union tells Harper’s Bazaar . “When you’re launching a line called Flawless and you feel anything but flawless, you actually feel like a fraud. I didn’t feel confident or transparent, and the investors and ownership group we had at the time didn’t want to wait for my hair to grow back in. They only cared about deadlines, and I wasn’t being listened to.” It was then that Gabrielle Union had to...
At the age of 12 years old, Philadelphia native Trey Brown launched his very own clothing line, SPERGO . The initial collection was simple and consisted of red, black, and blue logo printed t-shirts. Now, at the age of 14, Trey has expanded the SPERGO line to include sweatsuits, hoodies, boxer briefs, bags, and other apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. @spergobillionaire Instagram SPERGO has been seen on celebrities from Meek Mill to DaBaby but one celebrity Trey has always admired was music mogul and business tycoon, Sean “Diddy” Combs. On a recent episode of Ellen, Trey spoke highly of Diddy, calling him his “biggest inspiration.” “When I started, I looked at Mr. Sean for inspiration,” he said. “He’s from New York. He’s a hustler, just like me.” It was then that the young CEO was surprised by the man himself. It turns out, the admiration was mutual. “This kid would call me every single day. I don’t know how he got my number. And he didn’t regular-call me neither....
In the weeks leading up to Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the president received backlash for wanting to host his first rally of the year on Juneteenth in the city that was once home to Black Wall Street. He pushed the rally to June 20th, but that was not good enough for those who did not want the streets of Tulsa overthrown by his racist followers. On June 15, Donald Trump took to Twitter to announce that nearly one million MAGA supporters would be attending his campaign rally in downtown Tulsa. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1272521253136498690?s=20 “Almost One Million people request tickets for the Saturday Night Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” he tweeted. At every turn, he made it a point to brag about the huge attendance at his upcoming rally. Compilation of people bragging about a million people signing up for the rally pic.twitter.com/X9EHPSvv8Z — Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2020 In anticipation of such a large turnout, the BOK Center, which only has a...
