A diagnosis of Crohn's disease didn't derail the path to becoming a chef for Douglass. His approach to food was only heightened by having to chew each morsel 30 times, focusing on the feel, texture and taste of each bite. After working in world renowned kitchens, Douglass made building a community and creating a lasting legacy the focus of how he approaches being one of the few Black chef-owned restaurants in Boston. Today, Douglass is a two-time James Beard Award nominee as the Head Chef and Owner of MIDA with sights on expanding his empire to other metropolitan cities.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Dapper Dan, Jeff Staple, Karleen Roy and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories and @bimmawilliams

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Growing up in foster care, early childhood was anything but ordinary for Essie. Transitioning from different homes until she was the age of 6, Essie was luckily adopted by a family that poured into her and was the first successful Black family she ever saw. Essie started to step into her confidence after attending a HBCU, but that high she was riding on was short lived after she flunked out of school. Trying to find her purpose, Essie decided to move to NY where she immediately felt like she had found her place seeing plus sized models inspiring her to pursue a career in fashion. Instagram became the perfect place for Essie to garner attention and become a source of inspiration for plus sized women. She launched her blog Golden Confidence, a cornerstone of the Body Positivity movement and later created of the sneaker community, Thick Laces. Today, Essie continues to make it her business to not only take up space in fashion but make space for other women who look like her working on campaigns for brands like New Balance, Torrid, Amazon and more.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams.

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Since he was a youngin, Daniel has always been about community and having the back of his homies and loved ones. When he was only 18, his sister unexpectedly passed away and it sent Daniel into a very dark place of rage. He started getting in trouble a lot and was even arrested for silly things like trespassing. After making a promise to himself to never go back to jail, Daniel would shift into social work and help kids who grew up like him in Brooklyn. From there, Daniel ended up moving around a bit, ultimately landing in LA where he was given a job as a tour stylist for Kehlani after his initial gig fell through. Inspired by the grind and seeing the world, Daniel later decided to set out on his own entrepreneurial path. He and his business partner Wehleh didn’t know exactly what they wanted to do, but they had the name Kids of Immigrants. Soon, they would be inspired to translate their vision to clothing. Kids of Immigrants officially launched in 2016. Daniel and his brand live through their purpose of supporting your friends, spreading positivity, and making your wildest dreams come true every single day.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams.

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Being surrounded by Black Excellence in and outside of her home, Karleen grew up with the confidence that she could do whatever she put her mind to. Making her way to Howard and working in a myriad of jobs post-college, one thing always rang true...Karleen approached every opportunity with excitement and resourcefulness. This work ethic got her noticed and she finally received a break getting into the entertainment space working at Def Jam. From there, she went on to Bad Boy Records to personally serve as Diddy's Senior Executive Assistant. Having a front row seat into the inner workings of everything Mr. Combs was involved in was all the fuel she needed to ultimately step out on her own and claim that entrepreneur title. In 2013, Karleen took her side hustle of planning events to the next level and officially launched The Vanity Group. Fast forward to today, the agency has been a go-to shop for Hollywood's biggest names and Karleen has carved a space for herself as an on-camera personality, lifestyle and event expert.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Hailing from Chi-town Terrence and Brandon dove immediately into the DC night scene when meeting at Howard University. Brandon found a knack with throwing parties and actually went on to hire his now business partner, Terrence to help him out. When both were finished with school, Brandon worked in hospitality and Terrence was going door to door as point of sales salesman but the discomfort of code switching got to be too much. What started off as a curiosity in wine ultimately led to an intense focus on Terrence wanting to create his own premium wine brand. It was a no-brainer to bring his friend Brandon into his mix given his hospitality and operations background. The need to be 100% themselves and their love of liquor and spirits would set them on a path that many people who look like them don't always find.

Launched in 2020, Michael Lavelle Wines is a black-owned premium wine label (one of the few in this space). Today, the guys alongside their two other business partners, Aaron and Devin, are proud to own a brand fused with art, education, and most importantly, unmatched wine experiences.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Going to a predominantly white college, Sandro quickly learned that other peoples worlds weren't as colorful as where he grew up. The lack of representation combined with his Filipino upbringing made Sandro competitive and he initially jumped into traditional career fields. None, however, felt quite right until he fell into the world of entrepreneurship...more specifically Sandro started noticing the seltzer water boom. At the same time, the Asian food scene was bumping and he knew he wanted to find a way to combine the two to complement each other. While balancing his day job, Sandro launched Sanzo Sparkling Water...he ultimately went all in and grew the business 600% during the pandemic. Today, Sandro has raised over $10 million in funding and has since partnered with Whole Foods and brands like Marvel on Asian-inspired sparkling water combos featuring ingredients like lychee and yuzu.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

A naturally curious person, Sonja has held many different careers before arriving to where she is today. From writing as an editor in tech to becoming an interior design expert on TLC's show Trading Spaces. When she found herself suddenly unemployed, Sonja used the unexpected break to dive headfirst into politics to help register voters during Obama's first run for president. While campaigning in Los Angeles, she discovered different local businesses and makers that could use some help. A storyteller at heart, Sonja wanted to bring attention to these wonderful local makers...this ultimately led to the idea of her unique markets business where shoppers would pay to get access to these goods. Today, Sonja continues her mission of lifting up communities and has successfully kept Unique Markets on the map for over 14 years.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Growing up art wasn't just art, it was a way of life in the home Maggi grew up in. She loved to make things from candles to her own pants. Looking to escape Portland, Maggi enrolled in college in LA but dropped out shortly after. She started to work for a woman who had her own jewelry line. It was an eye opening experience for Maggi. Both good and bad. She was immediately promoted to designer, but maintained the same pay. And while she was still struggling financially, her designs would end up in Nordstrom. Recognizing how few Black women were represented in the jeweler space, Maggi took a leap of faith and launched her own business. Through workshops and trunk shows, she was able to build her network and land her first engagement ring commission. Today, Maggi Simpkins' jewelry is known for narrative-driven engagement rings and future family heirlooms. In 2021, she designed a bespoke ring valued at a million dollars for the Brillant & Black exhibition for Sotheby's auction house.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

Feeling profoundly misunderstood during her adolescent years, Heather realized early in her career she had a knack for building community for the misfits. A job at Karmaloop brought Heather into the streetwear world, where she learned that work culture could be fun, but understanding work politics was just as important. She eventually moved on to working in marketing for brands like Puma and New Balance. Being in the sneaker industry, Heather regularly attended fitness classics but often left annoyed at the dull music and energy. She saw an opportunity to make working out a little more lit. Today, Heather is the Founder & CEO of TrillFit, a purpose-driven wellness business changing the face of boutique fitness with studios in Boston and Brooklyn.

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista

A self proclaimed, “underground designer” Dan’s journey began in 1980, when he started making bootleg versions of high-end designers for the streets. He’d even buy left behind equipment at auctions supplied by fashion manufacturers that moved overseas. Although Dan felt like he was fashion’s best kept secret, more affluent Black communities didn’t connect with what he was doing. But that didn’t stop the gangsters, rappers, and athletes from coming through for Dan’s styling services. He's been in the game for over 40 years now, priding himself on translating the culture to high fashion.

Today, Dan is focused on working with more accessible brands in order to engage with a larger community. His collaboration with Puma is set to launch this month (Oct 28)which even includes a sneaker…a first for Dan.   

Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses.

From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more.

Follow Claima Stories and Bimma Williams on Instagram: @claimastories @bimmawilliams

And watch us on Youtube powered by Vista