Black to Business

There is a very specific kind of frustration that shows up in business when you are not new, not careless, and not doing nothing wrong, yet the results no longer match the effort.

This episode is about that season.

The one where the strategies you trusted start feeling unpredictable. The routines you mastered feel heavier instead of supportive. The systems that once made things easier now require more energy just to maintain.

In this solo episode, Monique T. Marshall talks honestly about what happens when business rules expire. Not because you failed, but because the environment changed. The pace changed. The way people buy, decide, and engage changed.

This conversation is for entrepreneurs who feel stuck between what used to work and what comes next, and need language, perspective, and direction that does not involve burning everything down or pretending nothing is wrong.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why effort alone stops working when a season shifts

• How to tell the difference between consistency and forcing something that no longer fits

• What pivoting well looks like without panic or constant reinvention

• Why holding on too long can drain you faster than changing direction

• How to respond when your business asks you to move differently

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/289

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

There are seasons in business where nothing is technically "wrong," but everything feels heavier than it should. Decisions take longer. Progress feels slower. Motivation comes and goes. The work still matters, but the ease you once felt feels distant.

This episode is for the entrepreneur who is still showing up and still committed, but quietly wondering why things feel so difficult right now.

After more than a decade in business and hundreds of conversations with Black founders, Monique has noticed a clear pattern. When business feels hard, it is rarely because you are failing. More often, it is because something needs to be addressed, adjusted, or supported differently.

In this solo episode, Monique breaks down what a business rut actually is, why it shows up, and how to work your way through it without burning yourself out or questioning everything you have built.

This is not a "push harder" conversation. This is a grounding, honest conversation about choosing the right kind of hard and learning how to move forward with intention during demanding seasons.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why feeling stuck does not mean you lack discipline, vision, or ability

• What "hard" really means in business and how to define the kind of hard you are willing to work through

• The Rut Breaker Method and how to apply it in a realistic way

• How to strengthen what is already working instead of starting over

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/288

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

You can build something beautiful, grow it, scale it, and still protect the people and culture that made the community what it is. You've probably seen the opposite happen, a neighborhood gets "improved" and suddenly the folks who stuck it out through the hard years cannot afford to stay, local businesses get priced out, and the history gets wiped clean. That tension is real, especially when you are a Black entrepreneur trying to build with integrity, not just build for profit.

This episode matters because wealth building is not only about money, it is also about who has access, who has voice, and who gets to benefit long term. Logan Herring Sr. joins the show to break down how to create wealth and opportunity without displacement, using lessons from real redevelopment work in Wilmington, Delaware, while keeping the conversation practical for entrepreneurs across any industry.

Logan is the CEO of The WRK Group, which includes The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center. He shares how his team is replacing outdated public housing with high quality mixed income housing, creating pathways for education, health, and economic vitality, and doing it without pushing existing residents out. You will also hear how he thinks about capital, trust, and community partnership, plus the behind the scenes choices that make revitalization ethical and sustainable.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• The three types of capital that shape wealth

• Why opportunity and access are not the same, and how outsiders often confuse the two

• How displacement can happen culturally and economically even when residents stay put

• What it takes to revitalize a community without repeating the harm that created the conditions in the first place

• Why Black entrepreneurs need collaboration more than control, and how sharing the pie can create real stability

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/287

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

If you have ever looked at your to do list and thought, "I know what my business needs next, I just do not have the money for it yet," this episode will feel familiar. Stretching resources is not about cutting corners, it is about making smart decisions in a system where Black founders often have to do more with less.

For many Black entrepreneurs, building a business means navigating limited access to capital, smaller margins for error, and the pressure to figure everything out on your own. That reality can slow growth and lead to burnout, even when the vision is clear. This episode speaks directly to that experience and introduces bartering as a practical way to keep moving forward without waiting on funding, grants, or permission.

Joining us for this conversation is Nicole Murphy, founder of Barter Black®, a tech platform and community designed to help Black entrepreneurs exchange products and services using trade credits instead of cash. Nicole shares how the pandemic revealed just how fragile many Black businesses were when income stopped overnight, and why she believes collaboration and structure are essential to building stronger, more sustainable businesses. This conversation focuses on how bartering can be used intentionally to stretch resources, protect your value, and build support around your business in a way that actually works.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• What bartering really means in a business context and how it differs from favors

• How Black founders can use bartering to stretch limited resources without lowering their value

• How to identify skills, products, or resources you already have that others need

• What to clarify upfront so bartering stays professional and respectful

• How to protect your time and relationships when exchanging value

• How to think through when bartering makes sense and when paying is the better move

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/286

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

Trusting yourself in business sounds simple, but in practice it can feel complicated. Especially when you are capable, prepared, and still hesitating at the moment it matters most.

In this solo episode, we unpack what audacity really looks like for Black entrepreneurs. Not the loud or performative version, but the quiet conviction it takes to move without guarantees, stop self editing, and let your own judgment lead even when the outcome is uncertain.

This conversation is for the entrepreneur who knows they are ready, but keeps waiting. Waiting for better timing. Waiting for more confirmation. Waiting until it feels safer.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why hesitation often shows up after you've done the work, not before

• How self editing quietly costs Black entrepreneurs opportunities before a "no" is ever given

• What audacity looks like in everyday business decisions, not viral moments

• How to tell the difference between seeking perspective and avoiding responsibility

• Why waiting for certainty keeps you stuck in preparation mode

• How to rebuild trust in your own judgment one decision at a time

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/285

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

Planning comes easy to entrepreneurs. Especially when things feel uncertain, heavy, or unfinished. The notes app fills up. The goals start forming. The urge to do something different kicks in fast.

Pausing rarely feels as natural.

In this episode of the Black to Business podcast, we slow the conversation down on purpose. This is not about setting better goals or building a more ambitious plan. This is about understanding where you are before deciding where you are going.

Because planning without reflection often leads to repetition. New goals. Same pressure. Same habits. Same exhaustion.

This episode is an invitation to pause long enough to see clearly. Not to quit. Not to check out. But to gather the information your business is already giving you.

If you have ever felt like you keep restarting, carrying fatigue into new plans, or setting goals that feel heavy before you even begin, this conversation is for you.

• Why planning feels safer than pausing and what that habit costs you over time

• How skipping reflection turns intention into pressure

• What a real pause actually looks like without disappearing or falling behind

• The three things every pause should help you identify

• How awareness creates stronger plans than motivation ever will

• Why pausing helps you stop starting over and start building forward

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/284

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

There is a quiet frustration a lot of entrepreneurs are carrying right now. The work is happening. Effort is being put in. Progress is not obvious yet. So the instinct becomes to scrap everything and start again.

New idea. New offer. New strategy. New direction.

In this solo episode of the Black to Business podcast, we are slowing that impulse down and telling the truth about what is really happening when you feel the need to start over.

After speaking with more than 200 Black entrepreneurs on this podcast, one pattern shows up again and again. The founders who eventually find their footing are not constantly resetting. They stay long enough to learn. They adjust with intention instead of reacting out of pressure.

This conversation is about resourcefulness, self-trust, and building forward instead of burning everything down when things feel uncomfortable.

Inside this episode, we talk honestly about why starting over feels productive, how outside noise and urgency can cloud decision-making, and how to tell the difference between a thoughtful pivot and panicking too soon.

This is not about forcing something that is clearly not working. This is about recognizing when you already have more than enough to move forward and learning how to work with it.

• Why starting over often feels like progress even when it keeps you stuck

• The real difference between pivoting with intention and reacting out of pressure

• How constant resets prevent you from gathering the information you actually need

• What it looks like to leverage your existing work, relationships, and systems

• Why trusting yourself is a business skill, not just a mindset

• How to strengthen what you already have instead of abandoning it too soon

If you have been feeling the urge to scrap everything because things are moving slower than expected, this episode will help you pause, reassess, and move forward with more confidence.

You do not need to start over to grow. Sometimes you need to stay.

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/283

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

Being the "best kept secret" sounds cute until you realize it is costing you money, opportunities, and peace of mind. Many Black founders are doing excellent work behind the scenes yet feel stuck, overlooked, or invisible. The grind is real, but the results are not matching the effort.

This episode is a truth-telling conversation about why moving in silence is not a flex and why hiding your work hurts your business. Visibility can feel risky, especially when you care about how you show up. It can also feel necessary if you want people to actually find, trust, and choose you. This solo episode walks you through the mindset, the fear, and the practical steps to start showing your work in a way that feels honest and sustainable.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why hiding feels safer than being seen and how that shows up for Black founders

• How staying quiet about your work can limit your growth, opportunities, and impact

• What it looks like to treat visibility as service instead of self-promotion

• Simple ways to show your work without feeling like you are "doing too much"

• The shift from posting to be seen to sharing to be useful

• Practical steps for entrepreneurs who feel scared, shy, or anxious about being visible

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/282

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

December is here. This is the time of year when a lot of people are talking about what's next. Before you rush into planning mode, this episode is your opportunity to pause and get honest about what needs to be left behind.

As a Black entrepreneur, you know that business comes with more than strategy and systems. Sometimes, it's the mindset that does the most damage. Maybe you told yourself you weren't ready. Maybe you hid your brilliance because you didn't want to be seen. Maybe you kept trying to do everything alone because that's what you thought it took.

You do not have to carry that into another season.

In this episode, Monique T. Marshall helps you identify the quiet beliefs that shaped your business this year. She walks you through how to let them go and how to choose a new mindset that actually supports where you're headed next.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• How to recognize the beliefs that kept you stuck in survival mode

• What shifting your mindset looks like in daily decisions

• How your thoughts impacted your offers, marketing, and leadership

• Why clarity matters more than hype when it comes to growth

• Ways to reinforce a new belief system that supports your next season

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/281

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist

This is the time of year when reflection and gratitude are everywhere. The calendar is winding down, timelines are filled with celebrations, and many entrepreneurs start asking, "Did I do enough?"

In this solo episode, Monique shares a powerful reminder that gratitude and ambition can coexist. You can honor your growth and still know there's more in you. This is not about rushing to the finish line. It is about moving with clarity, intention, and purpose in this final stretch of the year.

Whether you are listening on a holiday or it is just another Thursday, this conversation is your space to pause, reflect, and recommit to what matters most.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why gratitude is more than a feeling. It is a strategy.

• How to recognize the power of what you have already built

• What it means to finish the year your way, not everyone else's

• Three guiding questions to help you close the year with purpose

• A challenge to help you stay grounded and intentional

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to "The Black to Business Podcast" and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/280

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter:

https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist