Bet on Black

In this extra long episode, Monique sits down with Tim Daly, Brooklyn-based hairstylist, to talk about something we all have an opinion on: Black hair.

In This Episode:

Monique sits down with Krystal Vega and Naomi Wright, co-founders of Fortune & Forks, to talk about how a dinner between friends turned into a community with over 500+ members rooted in mentorship, accessibility, and true community.

In This Episode:

• How Fortune & Forks grew from a singular idea into a thriving network

• Balancing friendship and business

• What is the Fortune & Forks Foundation? Plus, more details on the F&F Gala.

• The balance between having boundaries and showing up for your community

In this episode of Bet on Black, Monique sits down with Matthew and Reginald Reismann, the married styling duo behind Love Island's Olandria Carthens' legendary looks.

We're talking about:

• How being married helps the business, and sometimes poses challenges
• Quitting their full-time jobs to fully support their passions
• Their favorite looks on Olandria thus far
• Rules of thumb for working with talent in high-pressure situations

Follow the conversation on social!

Matthew: @matthewreisman

Reginald: @reginaldreisman

Bet on Black: @betonblk.media

Me (host): @moniquewnyc

Listen, subscribe, and share this one with a friend who is trying to break into a new industry and keeps hitting walls. This one is for them!

Season 2 kicks off with Owen Herrera, founder of Peak and Pace, who tells us how he created a run club that’s not really a run club. We talk about community through movement, and what it means to build community outside the usual boxes.

We're getting into:

• • How Owen went from running a 5k in 44 minutes to under 20 minutes
  • Why Peak and Pace is different than other "run clubs"
• • What it takes to create spaces that actually feel inclusive
  • The power of betting on yourself and your community

  
  

Follow the conversation on social!

Owen: @vidadeowen | @peakandpace

Bet on Black: @betonblk.media
Me (host): @moniquewnyc

Listen, subscribe, and share this one with a friend who’s been searching for a new community.

"Shout out to the social media managers!"

For Bet on Black's season one finale, host Monique Wilson breaks down how and why she came up with the idea for Bet on Black (00:43) and why it's important to do your research before you start something new (7:00). She shares how much she spent (10:48), and how tools like ChatGPT and Canva helped her in the process (16:05). Then, of course, she ends with thanking everyone for supporting on the journey so far (26:00), and ends with details on Season 2!

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"Today, someone hit me up for Doechii for the Met Gala, so that's crazy." –

In Episode 5, Monique and Georgina Ogirri get deep, each sharing stories of loss (03:18) and how grief can inspire creativity. Ogirri dives into the business side of things: how to build a lifestyle brand in 2025 (19:54), making sure your brand is accessible on all platforms (23:02), and how to spot fake jewelry for beginners (27:06). The pair round out the convo talking past and future celebrity collaborations (34:06) as well as 'just starting' (39:40).

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Follow Grisé @grise-nyc

Follow Georgina @simplygeorgina

Grisé Website

Follow Bet on Black @betonblk.media

Follow Monique @moniquewnyc

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In Episode 4, Monique sits down with Gabriel Guisado to talk about the beginning of Vino Fridays (02:43) and how to building a strong online community (09:50). Guisado explains how he balanced working full time and creating two digital brands (14:06), as well as the ins and outs to choosing the right venue (19:58) and standing out in the oversaturated nightlife in NYC (32:30).

Follow Gabe @gabreeaal on IG.

Follow Vino Friday @vinofriday on IG.

Follow Bet on Black @betonblk.media on IG.

Follow Monique @moniquewnyc on IG.

Monique and Maxine talk about the struggles with dating in your 20s (0:00) before jumping into if Bumble or Hinge is better for Black women (01:37), but are ultimately left wondering if it's still possible to meet men in real life? (11:33) Then, the conversation switches gender dynamics in relationships (15:10) and tries to answer the age-old question: can men and women be platonic friends? (20:03). The pod ends with the pair discussing dating in NYC vs. the South (30:06) and internationally (32:37).

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Follow Maxine at @maxinecoolin on IG.

Follow We Met IRL at @wemetirl on IG.

Follow Bet on Black at @betonblk.media on IG.

Follow Monique at @moniquenyc on IG.

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"I'm Nigerian. I have a different understanding of being Black in America, but Black nonetheless." – In Episode 2, Samuel Oni shares how he created Bushboy, a bold and culturally-rooted clothing line that redefines streetwear through an African lens. He shares how his experiences at Georgetown University planted the seeds for entrepreneurship, and how his Nigerian heritage influences his creative vision.

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Follow Sam on IG @_oneandoni_ and the Bushboy @bushboybrand.

Don't forget to follow me on IG @moniquewnyc and Bet on Black @betonblk.media

Subscribe and watch the full episode on YouTube!

"The moment she mentioned Kerry Washington, I had to mute myself for a minute to, like, gag." – For the season premiere, Elianel Clinton shares how his Puerto Rican and African American identities influences his storytelling; the BTS on his first celebrity photoshoot; and the importance of faith throughout his journey.

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Follow Eli on Instagram @ohyeahitseli to keep up with his work and upcoming projects!

Don’t forget to follow me @moniquewnyc and Bet on Black @betonblk.media. 

Subscribe and watch the full episode on YouTube at Bet on Black Media.