HBCU News

In this episode we speak with Co-Founder Desmond Wiggan about his company BatteryXchange. 

Desmond is an alumnus of Winston Salem State University. 

BatteryXchange is based in Charlotte,NC. This tech startup makes charging your phone on the go so convenient. 

Have you ever been out and couldn't find an outlet or you don't have your charger with you? Well BatteryXchange helps you solve that issue and it's easy to use all you need to do is follow these simple steps below.

Go to your Google Play or Apple App store and search “BatteryXchange”. Select download and fill in all the necessary information within the app upon open.

Once you’ve logged into the app, select kiosk search. The app will locate the nearest kiosk in your area and direct you to it.

Once you’ve located a kiosk, simply pull up you Charge & Go code within the app. Hold the code in front of the kiosk and unlock our portable battery pack.

Plug the power pack into your mobile phone and #LiveLifeCharged! Once you’ve gotten the juice, don’t forget to return the battery pack to a kiosk that’s most convenient for you.

This is  a great tech startup and for all the businesses that put on events we advise partnering with them!

You can follow this company on Instagram @BatteryXchangeInc

Visit their website today at https://batteryxchange.co

In this episode we speak with the Founder of Heavy On It Accessories Glenver Terry.

He is a current student at Fort Valley State University and a native of Georgia as well.

Glenver sells high fashion phone cases that are attached with various high brand names.

It reminds us of a what Dapper Dan did with Gucci, Louis, and other high designer items with his own twist.

Glenver is doing a great job of getting his college community involved to help promote his brand. This is exactly what HBCUstartups is all about supporting your local community.

You can follow his business on social media @heavyonitaccessories

Visit his website at www.heavyonitaccessories.com

In this episode we speak with Erica Baker Founder of Black & Bilingual. Erica is extremely passionate about education and you hear it showcased in this interview. When asked about why she started Black & Bilingual she wanted to show that people in the black community do speak various languages across the globe. 

She promotes her brand by offering various apparel that sheds a positive light on this. Black & Bilingual shares testimonies of various people that speak various languages on their social media pages.

This company is great and does various service projects in their local community in Atlanta. 

You can follow them on Instagram @blackandbilingual1 to stay up to date with their company.

In this episode we discuss all things fashion with Business Partners Kathy & Trachel of Couture BR Boutiques. This business has everything from jewelry, dresses, sunglasses, and other accessories for women. 

Kathy & Trachel run a family business both graduates of Southern University in Louisiana. Kathy is the mother in which she taught her daughter Kathy about all things fashion. 

Both of these partners explain why it's important that HBCU Business Owners support one another and give back to the community which served them. They want to partner with more organizations to host fashion shows and get their products directly in front of their consumer. 

One thing we found interesting is that they want more young girls to represent themselves professionally while still having quality designs that match their personalities. 

They have great African style prints as well in all types of styles.

You can follow them on social media @couturebr_boutique.

Visit their website as well at www.couturebr.com

Support this HBCU Business today!

In this episode we speak with Christian Sargent CEO of Vicky Cakes Pancake Mix which is a healthy substitute for pancakes for vegans and for people who want another alternative. We discuss health eating options in the black community and our ways to access better food. Christian is from Gary, Indiana and she speaks on the importance of buying locally in her community. She wants people to know that her business is ready to compete with the company Aunt Jemima who holds the majority of market share in her industry. 

Christian knows that this is a big goal but she wanted to point out the fact that Aunt Jemima isn't a real person. Also, that this character is being used to target the black community and that no one black owns this company. Christian states that she will be the person to promote Vicky Cakes for the fact that she is a real black woman and that her identity is not imaginary. 

Lastly, we touch on how black culture is being used to make others wealthy and that we need to apply this same system to our own businesses. Changing the mindset first is what Christian aims to do which is aligned with everything we do with @HBCUstartups.

We are excited to see this business grow!

Follow them on social media @vickycakespancakemix

Visit their website today at www.vickycakesonline.com

In this episode we speak with Founder/CEO Jovante Ham and learn more about his app Melanoid Exchange. He's created an app that connects various black businesses from their phone. We discuss his book the Hood Scholar where he dives into his life thus far. Jovante Ham is from Ft. Lauderdale, FL and you hear him talk about his community and how he is trying to make it better. 

Melanoid Exchange is close to hosting their first equity crowdfunding campaign where people from the community can support and invest in the apps success. Jovante stated "It's important that the app is for us and by us as black people." 

You can follow his journey online @melanoidexchange

Download the app on your local app store. 

In this episode we dive in deep on psychology and the black community. Shelby Parris shares his books and what his future goals are for 2020. We discuss sports and what is next for a lot of great athletes. Pursuing your passion is about first taking the necessary steps to operate in your purpose and Shelby Parris can show you how to do it.

You can purchase one of his great books at www.shelbyparris.com

Follow him on social media @thehiphopauthor

In this episode we discuss all things Rugby. From the culture in the US, Africa, the Caribbean, and so much more. Gift has a lot of passion for the sport of Rugby and you hear it in this episode as he combines his passion for media with the sport. He is even creating opportunities for various HBCUs to compete against one another across the country. Gift shares how he got introduced to the sport and how it brings him joy today. Listen to this interview to hear how you can support his mission and you'll be surprised a lot of black people actually do play Rugby.

You can visit their business online at gifttimerugby.com 

Follow them on social media at @gifttimerugby and @hbcurugbyclassic

In this episode we learn from Global Touch Foundation Inc. Founder Jonathan Bertrand on all things social media.

We dive into bullying, your brand, etiquette, and how social media may be giving you a disorder. Attention is important to us sometimes as humans but can it become toxic? Listen to this episode to hear more about this great foundation and what they are doing to impact future generations to come. 

You can reach them online at socialmediaawarenessindustry.com

In this episode we discuss HBCU basketball, entering the new school semester, Hampton University in Italy for Rome's New Years Parade, Business Owners, Professionals, Scholarships, D9 Founders Days, and so much more.

This is our first episode in 2020 so take a listen and tell a friend.

If you're interested in being interviewed on our podcast we are opening up the application process now. Send an e-mail to [email protected]

Have a great week everyone!