Braze is the leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging™. Founded in 2011 and working with 2,600+ brands, Braze helps brands deliver great customer experiences that drive value for both consumers and their businesses. From cross-channel messaging and journey orchestration to AI-powered decisioning and optimization, Braze enables companies to turn action into interaction through autonomous, 1:1 personalized experiences. POCIT sat down with Madison DeJesus, a Strategic Customer Success Manager at Braze, at the company’s headquarters in New York City to discuss her role, career journey, and
Emma Grede recently announced on her book tour why she didn’t invest in Diarrha N’Diaye’s company, Ami Colé. On the “She’s So Lucky” podcast with host Les Alfred, Grede shared that she doesn’t back first-time founders unless she sees something “extraordinary” about both the person and the company, explaining she didn’t see that with Ami Colé. Emma Grede hiring Diarrha N’Diaya at SKIMS Whilst Grede did not think Ami Colé was worth supporting, she evidently thought she was worth hiring. After Alicia Scott of Range Beauty introduced N’Diaye to Grede,
PatMcgrath Labs has exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a new owner, according to Business of Fashion. GDA Luma will hold a controlling equity interest by creating a new holding company. McGrath will remain in her role as chief creative officer, but her equity will be transferred to GDA Luma. “Pat McGrath Labs is an iconic brand with extraordinary creative equity and global potential,” said Gabriel de Alba, Founder and Managing Partner of GDA Luma, in a press release. “Our priority has been to stabilize the foundation of the business, implement
WNBA player Angel Reese partnered with 2K Foundations to give young female athletes access to mentorship and sports programming, according to AFROTECH. Reese returned to her hometown, Baltimore, for the partnership, which supports female student-athletes at Crossroads Middle School through nonprofit STEM organizations Living Classrooms Foundation and Project Scientist, with a six-week STEM initiative. “The Living Classrooms’ partnership with Angel Reese, the Angel C. Reese Foundation, and 2K Foundations reflects a shared belief that girls thrive when they are given access, encouragement, and real-world opportunities to explore who they can become,”
TikTok and Issa Rae’s HOORAE are launching a new micro-series of content available on TikTok and PineDrama. HOORAE Digital has produced the first series, Screen Time, which launches later this month, according to a press release. This collaboration marks a return to Rae’s digital roots, she said at TheWrap’s Creator x Hollywood Summit. She added that her team created Screen Time for today’s content audience, with the series launching across TikTok and PineDrama. Issa Rae launching a series on TikTok Screen Time opens with a couple on a double date, only to be
This Married Couple Built a $38M Haircare Brand. And They Just Raised Capital while Keeping Control.
The Doux, a Black-owned hair care brand, has received a minority investment from VMG Partners, according to WWD. Maya Smith and Brian Smith launched the brand in 2011 as a salon in Germany, where Brian was stationed as a US Air Force veteran. “I opened a salon because at the time, there weren’t really any hair spaces overseas that really focused on curly hair. I started developing [the product line] in 2010, but we launched in 2012, and then when we came back to the States, our official mass launch was
White Influencer Lauren Blake Boultier used AI to place her face on a photo of Black influencer Tatiana Elizabeth, according to People Magazine. The image was a 2-year-old photo of Elizabeth at the US Open. Boultier shared the image to her 1.6 million followers last month, leading them to believe she attended the Miami Open. Social media users started to notice that the image belonged to Elizabeth. On March 30, Elizabeth posted a screenshot of Bouliter’s photo next to her original on threads. The image showed that Boultier was wearing the
Fenty Beauty has launched Rose Amber,” an AI-powered beauty advisor built for WhatsApp, as reported by Glossy. Users can get reviews, product recommendations, and tutorials through the chat. This marks the brand’s first partnership with Meta in the US. “We’ve always wanted to partner with Meta more deeply,” Nanette Wong, global VP of marketing and communications at Fenty, told Glossy. “WhatsApp is so widely used all over the world, and our community and accessibility are important to us. So, we’re always thinking of new ways to connect with them.” What
A judge has granted two Black women permission to proceed with their lawsuit against McDonald’s, Reuters reported. In the lawsuit, Victoria Guster-Hines and Domineca, two former McDonald’s VPs, claim that they faced discrimination because they were Black women and forced to leave after speaking up. The lawsuit is filed against McDonald’s USA, LLC; McDonald’s Corp.; Steven Easterbrook; Christopher Kempczinski; and Charles Strong. In a 2020 lawsuit, a regional president critiqued “Black woman attitude” and said that one of the plaintiffs and other McDonald’s employees were “angry Black women,” according to
Farm Credit is accusing Uncle Nearest of fraud, which includes an attempt to conceal a $20 million loan from Jay-Z, as stated by the Lexington Herald Leader. Nearest Green Distillery and the flagship Uncle Nearest whiskey brand have been under the management of a receiver since September, after lender Farm Credit Mid-America claimed the Weavers defaulted on more than $108 million in loans. Farm Credit Mid-America claims that Fawn and Keith Weaver have “egregiously mischaracterized” a $20 million loan from Jay-Z’s venture capital firm, MarcyPen. Jay-Z loan to Uncle Nearest being questioned
