This week, Nevell and Corvell are joined in the studio by a remarkable young Black woman who is redefining what is possible for youth entrepreneurs. Twelve-year-old Jahtaya is the owner and operator of Taya Ties, a tie-die apparel company that makes custom shirts, hats, and more. On top of her growing business, Jahtaya juggles school life, friends, and family all while funding a local food pantry with her company's proceeds.

Started during quarantine to pass the time, Jahtaya's tie-dying business officially launched in September of 2020, offering unique and fun fashion to customers who want to see their money used to support the community they are buying from. Tune in to this can't-miss episode to hear how one young, Black entrepreneur took a hobby and, with a little bit of help from family, turned it into a thriving business.

Learn more about Taya Ties

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

In this week's episode, Nevell and Corvell sit down with scrappy and successful visual artist Nessy. A Preston native, Nessy used her connections in community to build a highly-skilled team that saw her first-ever NTF collection, Muse, sold out after appearing on the front page of OpenSea.

Muse is a collection depicting Black experience and expressionism. Each individual piece uses shape, movement and purposeful deconstruction of features to project the intellect, changing thought and creativity of the mind. Listen to hear how Nessy first broke out into the world of NFTs and crypto, how she leveraged community relationships to start strong, and how she continues to develop her brand as an artist.

Learn more about Nessy's MxSe

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

Fresh off of her flight from Montreal is this week's guest: Mona-Lisa Prosper of Futurpreneur. Defined by her insatiable hunger for challenge and fulfillment, the twists and turns of Mona-Lisa's life have seen her become a lawyer, attend fashion school, work for the government, and change the business world in her current position at Futurpreneur's Black Entrepreneur Startup Program.

The BESP provides startup loan financing and up to two years of mentorship, plus access to resources and networking opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs across Canada for Black entrepreneurs aged 18-39. Tune in to hear how Mona-Lisa pivots from one opportunity to the next, forging a path that is distinctly her own.

Learn more about Futurpreneur and The Black Entrepreneur Startup Program. 

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

This week, Nevell and Corvell sit down with an unstoppable serial entrepreneur and all-around inspiration: Tia Upshaw. Tia first turned to entrepreneurship as a means to support her family, but after years of success in founding and scaling a variety of businesses, she's focused her attention on empowering other Black women to do the same. 

Blk Women in Excellence is a not for profit organization that supports the education and empowerment of Black Women in Nova Scotia to be self-employed in sustainable businesses. Listen in to hear how Tia and Blk Women in Excellence are building the business and community leaders of tomorrow, today. 

Learn more about Blk Women in Excellence.

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

This week, Nevell and Corvell’s guest takes the guys back to school to talk Black success in post-secondary education. After her own academic experience left her feeling like more needed to be done to foster the success of Black students in college and university, Ashley Hill decided to create a solution in The PREP Academy. 

The PREP Academy is a community based non-profit organization that inspires and prepares African Nova Scotian students for college and university. Hear Ashley’s story from academic probation to business inspiration, how she manages her busy schedule, and her tips for success in your start-up. 

Learn more about The PREP Academy.

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

After a quick hiatus, Nevell and Corvell are back with an all-new season of I'm A Business, Man! This season shines a spotlight on Black women in entrepreneurship. So, tune in each Monday to hear the stories, wisdom, and passion of Black women who are shaking up the business world.

This series is brought to you through the Black Start-Up Project, powered by Tribe Network.

Nevell and Corvell take a dive into the MetaVerse. Explaining what NFTs are, why they will be so important in the future while dispelling some of the myths and naysayers. 

This episode takes a look to history at previous new technologies and revolutions, and how those have impacted people and the world today. They break down how people were able to make a lot of money on the backs of new technology, and the new opportunity here. 

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

Sam Kakembo (@SamGSK) is a great friend, mentor, and personal consultant in our personal lives. He’s helped us make a lot of money!

Sam is originally from Uganda, and grew up right here in Halifax. Sam has been invested in the real estate market for over 15 years, buying and flipping houses here in Halifax all the way to Atlanta Georgia. 

This episode we peel back some layers to hear Sam’s story, and share the wealth of knowledge around how he’s become a Millionaire! 

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

Ross Simmonds is the founder of Foundation Marketing, a content marketing agency that combines data and creativity to develop & serve ambitious brands. Foundation Marketing provides content marketing services to organizations all over the world ranging from some of the fastest-growing startups & consumer products to global Fortune 500 brands. Ross and the team at Foundation have launched marketing initiatives that reach millions of people on channels like Instagram, Slideshare Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

In addition to running Foundation Marketing; Ross is the founder of a wide range of different businesses including Hustle & Grind, an eCommerce brand described as the voice of modern entrepreneurs. Ross has invested in a handful of start-ups and sits on the board of directors for a handful of non-profit organizations.

Over the years, Ross has been published or featured in publications such as Forbes, Venture Beat, Huffington Post, Mashable, BET, CBC, and more. He’s spoken at global conferences about digital marketing for small, medium, and enterprise brands at events like MozCon, SearchLove, LearnInbound Webbdagarna, CTAConf, and more. He was named in Mashable as one of the top Snapchat marketers in the world and writes regularly about marketing at RossSimmonds.com

Follow Ross:
@thecoolestcool

http://rosssimmonds.com/

www.foundationinc.co

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep

TREV clothing is one of the fastest growing clothing brands on the East Coast. We dig into his startup story: early days, leaving school, the hustle and grind! 
We dig into his marketing tactics, branding, products + more. His use of influencers: how he was able to get names like Coi Leray and Pressa to wear his brand.

Trevor is a dear friend; and a true Business, Man. Check it out!

I'm A Business, Man on YouTube

Websites:

www.smoothmealprep.com

www.rnbkitchen.com

Follow:
@vellsmooth
@cbvelly

@rnbkitchen902

@smoothmealprep