SHOPPE BLACK

In this interview, Ashley Cleveland, founder of Ashley in Afrika and the Afrika Investors Academy, takes us on her transformative path from the United States to Africa. She shares the driving force that led her to make the momentous decision to relocate.

Delving into the origins of the Afrika Investors Academy, Ashley sheds light on its inception and how it has grown into a thriving online community with members from across the globe. She highlights the Academy’s mission of fostering entrepreneurship and investment in Africa, showcasing the remarkable businesses and projects being built by its members.

Drawing from her own experiences, Ashley identifies lucrative business opportunities and investment sectors in Africa, emphasizing the significance of staying attuned to geopolitical developments. With insightful anecdotes, she reflects on the reception of Black Americans in Africa and explores the evolving relationship between the diaspora and the continent, unearthing both the immense potential and the challenges that lie ahead.

For aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals considering a move or starting a business in South Africa or Tanzania, Ashley offers invaluable advice, drawing from her firsthand encounters and lessons learned. Furthermore, she shares her unique insights and experiences on dating and socializing in Africa, providing a captivating glimpse into the vibrant cultural landscape.

Join Ashley Cleveland on this entrepreneurial journey as she unveils the motivations, triumphs, and invaluable wisdom gained from her transformative move to Africa and the establishment of the Afrika Investors Academy.

The post Crossing Continents: Ashley Cleveland’s Entrepreneurial Journey from the U.S. to Africa appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

The Agaciro Development Fund (Agaciro) was established in 2012 with the purpose of fostering Rwanda’s self-reliance and advancing economic development. Currently managing assets worth approximately $284 million, Agaciro has made strategic investments in 29 companies.

In this conversation, Mr. Gilbert Nyatanyi, the CEO of the Agaciro Development Fund, discusses the fund’s objectives, its diverse investment portfolio, and emphasizes the significance of collaborating with international investment partners and African sovereign wealth funds.

Mr. Nyatanyi also highlights the upcoming African Sovereign Investors Forum, a pivotal event designed to promote cooperation among sovereign wealth funds in Africa. The forum aims to facilitate the identification of joint projects, co-investment opportunities, and partnerships, with a focus on achieving tangible and substantial outcomes.

https://youtu.be/LIMh2hzAqHo

Eric Taylor is the CEO of Trident, a private equity firm focused on acquiring US-based small businesses in the industrial, consumer, and healthcare sectors.

In this conversation, Eric demystifies the world of private equity investing and provides a comprehensive overview of Trident’s approach. From identifying and assessing potential acquisitions to addressing the racial wealth gap through a specific emphasis on Black-owned businesses.

Eric also delves into the current state of the Industrial, Consumer, and Healthcare sectors, as well as discussing the transfer of wealth and its potential to address the racial wealth gap.

https://youtu.be/MN5hocUAyFw

Mitch Gilbert is the Co-founder & CEO of Oya, a femtech apparel brand that uses innovative fabrics and sweat absorption technology to provide performance wear engineered for feminine health and comfort. She has successfully raised $1.3 million to date for her Los Angeles-based company.

Notably, over $100,000 of that funding was raised on Seed at The Table, a Black-owned equity crowdfunding platform.

We caught up with Mitch to gain her insights on navigating the fundraising landscape as a Black founder.

In this interview, Mitch shares:

• Her experience fundraising for her company.

True to its commitment to access, Seed is considering opening up an investment round to the community to allow investment participation in its growth journey. This is a unique opportunity that is typically only afforded to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals.

Ready to fund your business growth and get connected with resources? Sign up on Seed at the Table to connect with potential investors who share your values and other viable resources to grow your business.

• Seed LinkTree 

The post Black Founder Raised Six Figures on a Black-Owned Equity Crowdfunding Platform appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

African Ancestry is the world leader in tracing maternal and paternal lineages of African descent. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Rick Kittles and Gina Paige, it is also the first Black owned DNA testing company.

With the industry’s largest and most comprehensive database of over 30,000 indigenous African DNA samples, African Ancestry determines specific countries and specific ethnic groups of origin with an unrivaled level of detail, accuracy, and confidence.

In this episode, co-founder Gina Paige discusses:

• The origin of AfricanAncestry.com

-Tony O. Lawson

The post African Ancestry, the FIRST Black Owned DNA Testing Company appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Scotch Porter is a New Jersey-based company that makes handcrafted, vegan, and all-natural men’s grooming products.

The company’s mission is “To provide healthier, multi-purpose beard, hair, and face care products that are highly effective and easy to use.” 

Within the first 12 months of operation, Scotch Porter generated more than a million dollars in sales and has been growing rapidly ever since with distribution in major retailers such as Target and Walmart.

In this interview, Calvin Quallis, Scotch Porter’s founder and CEO, shares:

Attiyah Blair is a self-made millionaire, real estate investor and coach, licensed realtor, and professional speaker. She bought her first home at age 23 and has been successfully investing in real estate since 2007.

Her company, The Real Estate Reset, focuses primarily on rehabbing severely distressed properties and turning them into beautiful homes primarily in the Philadelphia area.

In this interview, Attiyah shares:

• Her thoughts on the current state of the market

-Tony O. Lawson

The post How Attiyah Blair Built a Multimillion Dollar Real Estate Portfolio appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

The Chicago-based company’s mission is to provide managed care Medicare Advantage plans that address social determinants of health to reduce healthcare disparities among historically underserved populations.

Dr. Eric E. Whitaker has more than 30 years of experience working in both the public and private sectors to create cutting-edge healthcare solutions for medically underserved populations.

He is also one of the first Black entrepreneurs to raise over $180 million in Chicago.

In this interview, Dr. Whitaker shares:

• His thoughts on health equity and addressing racial disparities in healthcare

-Tony O. Lawson

The post Physician-Entrepreneur Founded Company Has Raised $190M To Combat Health Inequity appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Pierre Laguerre is the founder of Fleeting, a trucking and fleet management services company that he grew to $4.5 million in revenue in just 3 years. He is also the first Black man to raise over $1 million via crowdfunding platforms.

In this interview, Pierre shares:

• Thoughts on the current state of the trucking industry

-Tony O. Lawson

The post How to Make $5,000 a Month Running a Trucking Business From Home appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Tara Darnley is the founder of  Darlyng & Co., an innovative line of baby products and apparel.

Darlyng & Co. is also the first Black-owned baby registry with more than 100 kid’s products and the fastest-growing clean beauty brand with products formulated for locs, Peculiar Roots.

Darlyng & Co. brands are currently sold by retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Sally Beauty, and more.

In this interview, Tara shares:

https://youtu.be/eK8mF8FpVRg

-Tony O. Lawson