Welcome back for season 3 of A Bright Idea Podcast! In this episode of A Bright Idea, I reflect on my journey as an entrepreneur and podcaster. There was no other person who could help me tell this story but my sister, Kayla. Join us to discuss our childhood in Pittsburgh, the entrepreneurial spirit instilled in us, and my transition from media sales to launching her podcast. Our conversation highlights the importance of storytelling, the challenges faced in the media industry, and the motivation behind creating a platform for black and brown businesses. Don't miss my insights on personal growth, the significance of supporting each other, and the diverse guests expected in the new season. Enjoy!

Tori, an investor at Vera Equity, specializes in early-stage enterprise software and AI startups. She earned her MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. During her time at Wharton, Tori was awarded the inaugural Hettie Simmons Love fellowship and the Edward B. Shils/Leonard L. Zeidman Fellowship in Entrepreneurship. She also held key positions as Managing Partner of the Dorm Room Fund and VC Fellow at Harlem Capital. She previously worked at Tesla, Intel, BCG Digital Ventures, and Goldman Sachs in roles that span Engineering, Product Management, Venture Building, and Investment Management. She’s a proud HBCU graduate of Spelman College and the University of Michigan where she earned dual degrees in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering. Above all, she is deeply passionate about creating opportunities for minorities in entrepreneurship and tech.

While this show focuses on the stories of small business and start-up entrepreneurs, today we’re switching it up to discuss a common challenge among many business owners: FUNDING.

In this episode, Tori will dive into what Venture capitals are, if venture funding is necessary all businesses, and the steps and approaches you can take to raise venture funding for your business. 

On this week’s episode - we are joined by Doug Adams the owner of ⁠New Brooklyn Farms⁠. New Brooklyn Farms is an independently owned and operated urban farm and green event space, located on a formerly vacant residential lot in the heart of the Washington DC suburb Mount Rainier, MD.During his off time from his advertising career, Doug Adams made smoothies and juices made of natural ingredients. He sold his smoothies and juices at local farmers markets and to coworkers, but he always wondered where his produce was coming from. Even though he was using organic ingredients, Doug was unsettled with the fact that his fruit was coming from miles away. He thought “what if I grow my own fruits and vegetables?”

When was the last time you read newspaper?
According to a 2022 survey conducted by the media insights projects, 44% of Gen Z report never received news and information from traditional sources compared with 45% of younger millennials and 31% of older millennials.
Kelsey Russell is looking to change that.
Kelsey Russell is a content creator and full time graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia University. Through her platform, Russell breaks down articles from national and local newspapers and magazines to help her viewers discern information in a more palatable way.
Kelsey believes education should be entertaining and entertainment should be educational. This mantra comes to life on her TikTok page of almost 100K followers where she dynamically reads different forms of print media to her audience. By promoting an approach to new information from a state of curiosity and nostalgia, she hopes to make generations fall back in love with learning.
In this interview, we discuss:
- Growing up in an entrepreneurial family
-Her rise on Tiktok
-How she is teaching media literacy to multi-generations
-How she's helping to financial contribute to print media outlets
-How her career in content creation is paving a new path for how she sees herself as an entrepreneur.
Episode Resources:
Kelsey Russell Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kelscruss
Kelsey Russell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelscruss/
Join the Bright Idea community on IG: @abrightideapodcast
Rate, Subscribe, and Review the podcast on Apple and Spotify
Stay in touch with me: [email protected]
Thanks for all the love and support. Tag me in your shares while you are listening @abrightideapodcast
Edited: @chrisj.kraemer

On this week's episode- we’re Joined by the founder of Chosen Advisory Group, and Wealth Management Advisor Bilal Afolabi

Bilal was born in Togo, Africa, and moved to Hartford, Connecticut at 8 years old.

Bilal started his wealth management journey at 19 years old through a nationally ranked internship program at Northwestern Mutual. He was the number one intern in the Northeast, ranking Top 10 nationally out of twenty five hundred interns in 2014 and 2015.

 Today Bilal Afolabi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, a Chartered Financial Consultant, and founder and wealth management advisor at Chosen Advisory Group where he specializes  in working with pre-retirees/retirees and the emerging affluent.

Bilal is a nationally ranked speaker on financial planning, speaker at the national medical conference, and has been in articles from the certified financial planning board. He currently serves on the Goodwin University School of Business Advisory Board to assist in shaping their curriculum and improving enrollment for new students. For his hard work, Forbes recognized him as Best-In-State Top Financial Security Professional in 2023, and he was awarded Bilal as the youngest ever 4 under 40 in the state of Connecticut in 2016.

In this episode- Bilal and I discuss his upbringing, how he worked to achieve a healthy relationship with money, and how his client can make their money work for them.

00:00 - Introduction

2:41 - What would you 8-year-old self think of your success?

4:14 - Background on being from Togo

6:40 - What jobs did your parents have in Togo?

7:55 - How would your parents describe you as a kid?

9:50 - Adjusting and assimilating to American culture

13:10 - Establishing friendships in the USA

14:32 - How did you decide on college and your career?19:26 - 35th Street Builders sponsorship

20:18 - What was your and your family's relationship with money?

25:40 - Wealth management journey and your goals

29:15 - Lessons from your internship at Northwest Federal 

30:30 - Working full-time for Northwest Federal 

33:40 - Career before starting Chosen Advisory Group

35:50 - Intrapreneurship

36:30 - Steps taken to starting your own firm

40:15 - Leadership style

44:45 - Target audience and why retirees & boomers are your top clients

47:55 - What makes C.A.G. different from other firms?49:35 - How to set up families and next generation for success

53:45 - Behaviors and lessons of highly successful people

54:45 - Savings advice for solopreneurs 58:30 - Relationship with money today

1:01:00 - Conversations about money, and how he is setting up his family for financial success

1:04:00 - Social media contact

1:04:50 - Rapid fire questions and answers

Show notes:

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilalafolabi/

Website: https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/bilal-afolabi/

Today's Sponsor:

Ready to build your next app? 35th Street Builders can help you do that. Click here to schedule a free consultation -⁠ https://www.3sb.io/

Jan wasn’t always a golfer.. the first time she ever picked up clubs was in a golf elective in college.. but after a 30 year career with The Hillman Company, a prominent Pittsburgh Family office where she worked in Data systems, she realized the profound impact golf has on both business and personal relationships. While discovering this, she also noticed golf left many people outside of the circle - those people being women.

The led Jan to take matters into her own hands… create a space where all people can enjoy golf and the benefits the sports have on strengthening relationships. With an idea in the midst of a global pandemic and cashing out on her 401K to build a dream - Jan built OnPar Now from the ground up.

In this episode, Jan and I discuss the idea that started it all, the bet she took on herself, and the team of people who stood behind her to ensure this aha moment came to life.

01:45 - Background

05:05 - What did you think your purpose was going to be when you were in college?

07:05 - Working in information systems in Pittsburgh, PA for 30 plus years

09:30 - How 'OnPar Now' came to be

13:35 - Where did your fight to create 'OnPar Now' come from?

15:18 - 35th Builders sponsorship

16:20 - How did you get support when your business was created at the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic?17:00 - Golf and business: Why women should be out on the course

22:40 - Success stories from 'OnPar Now' clients

24:25 - Chosen Advisory Group sponsorship

25:00 - Building 'OnPar Now' from the ground up

35:50 - Creating the 'OnPar Now' dream team

38:10 - Advice to women who have bright ideas that might rock the boat

41:25 - Being a mother

42:50 - Growth plans for 'OnPar Now'

43:50 - How can people find you and 'OnPar Now?'

45:40 - Rapid fire questions

On this week’s episode of a bright idea, we are joined by Zsameria Rayford - founder of Swapdc . Swap DC is a creative recycling event in Washington, D.C. That fosters a diverse community around swapping clothing for residence who want to reduce reuse and live a more sustainable life.

01:10 - Growing up in DC and developing her own style

04:20 - How would your friends describe you growing up?

05:48 - What led you to starting Swap DC?

07:25 - Describe the changes you saw when you left DC for school, and then came back home

08:10 - Where did you grow up in DC?

10:48 - 35th St. Builders sponsorship

11:45 - Where did the idea for Swap DC come from?

14:20 - What was the reaction to Swap DC when you first started? 

15:15 - How did you get the word out about events?

16:35 - Process of putting Swap DC events together

20:25 - Swap DC and its emphasis on community

23:00 - How are you educating people on how Swap DC is saving the planet?

24:20 - Chosen Advisory Group sponsorship

25:10 - Success stories from Swap DC events

27:10 - Fast fashion and diversifying sizes for all people

29:05 - Fashion and its effects on the planet

31:10 - Swap DC and collaborating with other businesses

32:10 - How are you making money? 

35:15 - What strategies have worked for you and Swap DC over the years?

36:20 - How can someone who isn't from DC contribute to the community of DC?

37:30 - Are swaps here to stay?

38:15 - What's next for Swap DC?

40:20 - How can people volunteer with Swap DC?

41:30 - Rapid fire questions

49:55 - Contact information