Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals

What Up Doe?! Robert Courtney Collins is back on the Black Fridays Podcast for his third appearance, and a whole lot has changed since we first connected in 2023! As the founder of Robert Courtney and Associates, the Social Media Store, and the driving force behind Creator Kind and BUILD Detroit, Robert has spent the last three years turning big ideas into real opportunities for Detroit entrepreneurs and creators. But building multiple businesses comes with some serious lessons about money, leadership, mentorship, and knowing when to pivot. In this episode, we break down the real cost of scaling a business, how Robert is building systems that allow his companies to operate without him, why entrepreneurs need to rethink how they market themselves, and the importance of creating spaces where Black businesses and creators can grow. We also get into his honest thoughts on rejection, seeking validation from the wrong people, creating economic opportunities in Detroit, and what success looks like when you start prioritizing family, freedom, and community impact. If you're building a business, growing your brand, or trying to figure out your next move, this conversation is packed with lessons you can put to work. Tap in!

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Guest Website: https://www.robertcourtneyandassociates.com/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-fridays/id1596422513

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! What happens when you turn your creativity into a business that celebrates your culture and actually makes money? This week on Black Fridays, we're tapping in with LaToya Simpson, founder of The Candidly Speaking, a Detroit-born greeting card and stationery brand bringing Black culture, humor, and real-life experiences to the greeting card aisle. LaToya takes us through her journey from 20 years in corporate America to building a product-based business, landing wholesale partnerships, and expanding her reach beyond Michigan. We get into the real costs of vendor events, how she turned conversations into retail opportunities, why building relationships matters, and the importance of staying true to your brand as you grow. She even shares how a $1,500 conference turned into a $700 sales lesson. If you're building a product-based business, trying to get into retail stores, or figuring out how to turn your side hustle into something sustainable, this conversation is full of lessons you can apply. Tap in, subscribe, and share this one with somebody building a brand!

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Guest Website: https://thecandidlyspeaking.com/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-fridays/id1596422513

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! What happens when you stop creating for everybody else and start building something that truly represents who you are? This week, we tapped in with Parrish, the creator of Pardon Me TV, a Detroit-based edutainment platform bringing together Black culture, politics, media literacy, and entertainment. Parrish takes us through his journey from classroom teacher to content creator, how he transformed Pardon Me With P into a multi-show media network, and why authenticity has become the foundation of his brand. We get into the pressure creators face to chase trends, the influence corporations have on content, and the responsibility that comes with educating your audience. He also shares the powerful story of walking away from a business that once made him $20K in a month, what happened the same day he made that decision, and his vision for building a Black-centered television network. If you're a creator, entrepreneur, or somebody trying to figure out how to turn your talents into something bigger, this conversation will challenge how you think about content, ownership, and impact. Tap in!

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Guest Website: https://pardonme.tv

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-fridays/id1596422513

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! Everybody wants funding for their business, but are you actually prepared to receive it? This week on Black Fridays, we're tapping in with Warren Galloway, founder of the National Microloan Conference, to break down how entrepreneurs can access capital and make smarter moves with their money. With decades of experience in financial services, Warren shares how microloans help small businesses grow, why relying on grants can slow down your progress, and how capital stacking can help you secure the funding you need. We also get into building relationships with lenders, preparing your business plan and financial projections, securing sponsorships, and creating opportunities that bring money back into our neighborhoods. If you're trying to launch, grow, or scale your business, this conversation will help you understand what lenders are looking for and how to build a strategy around your next move. Tap in!

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Guest Website: https://www.warrengalloway.com/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-fridays/id1596422513

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! This episode is a little different because we’re sitting down with Jasmyn, one of the first interns in Black Fridays Podcast history and a film student at Howard University who is already putting real work behind her creative goals. Jasmyn shares how missing out on Howard’s acting program pushed her toward film production, what she learned directing her passion project Free, and how working behind the scenes with Black Fridays expanded her skills in podcast production, outreach, editing, and creative collaboration. We also get into navigating college as a creative, building community, keeping your creativity active, and one of the biggest lessons she took from the internship: send the email, make the post, ask the question, and give yourself a chance to create the opportunity. If you’re a student, young creative, filmmaker, content creator, or anybody waiting for permission to start building your portfolio, tap in.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re tapping in with Detroit educator, STEM advocate, robotics coach, and Michigan Regional Teacher of the Year Calvin Nellum. Calvin’s journey took him from earning a physics degree and imagining a future in research to realizing that his real impact would come from helping the next generation understand science, engineering, and what is possible for their lives. We get into the importance of Black representation in STEM and education, creating learning environments that actually connect with students, the role robotics can play in building confidence and problem-solving skills, and what it means to use your gifts to serve your community. Tap in for a conversation about education, representation, purpose, and preparing Detroit’s young people to build the future.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d 

What Up Doe?! Amber Lewis of Social N The City is back on Black Fridays, and this time we’re digging deeper into what it takes to turn creativity into a real economy in Detroit. Amber breaks down what she learned traveling through creator ecosystems across the country, teaching the business of influence at Michigan State, building a coalition of Detroit creator organizations, and producing the first Detroit Creator Weekend. We get into creator pricing, building multiple income streams, creating your own products before depending on brand deals, designing events people can actually learn from, building systems that allow you to step out of the weeds, and why Detroit creators deserve more opportunities to build profitable careers without constantly leaving the city to find them. If you’re a creator, entrepreneur, community builder, or somebody sitting on an idea that needs to become real, tap in.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with legendary Detroit architect and entrepreneur Rainy Hamilton Jr., President of Hamilton Anderson Associates, for a conversation about building businesses, building wealth, and literally helping build the city of Detroit. Rainy takes us from discovering architecture as a kid at Cass Tech to growing a practice that has spent more than three decades leaving its fingerprints across Detroit through major projects, neighborhoods, schools, entertainment spaces, and community development. We get into the reality of running an architecture firm, the lack of Black representation in the profession, what Detroit still needs to reach its full potential, and why Rainy believes property ownership can create leverage and generational opportunity. If you care about Detroit, entrepreneurship, real estate, Black ownership, design, or leaving something behind that outlives you, tap in.

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Guest Website: https://www.hamilton-anderson.com/

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Sam White, founder and artistic director of Shakespeare in Detroit, for a powerful conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, community, and the Detroit spirit that keeps builders moving forward. Sam shares how Shakespeare went from childhood punishment to a lifelong calling, why she intentionally learned startup strategy outside of the traditional arts world, and how Shakespeare in Detroit has remained standing for more than a decade by combining artistic vision with real business infrastructure. This one is for every entrepreneur, creative, and community builder trying to create something that lasts.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vMobyyYrvRySGy1MbUTrF?si=1ff56aa6689a472d

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re sitting down with Dr. Madeline Walker Miller, scientist, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of NexTiles, a Detroit-based textile recycling company giving new life to waste from the fashion, automotive, and aviation industries. Madeline breaks down how studying environmental issues led her into entrepreneurship, how she built NexTiles through grants and startup programs, and why founders do not have to follow one blueprint for raising money or building a company. We also get into Detroit’s place in the clean energy economy, why Black communities need a seat at the table when major developments are planned, the importance of exposing young people to STEM careers early, and the work happening through Walker-Miller Energy Services and the RECESS conference.

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