Explaining your business idea can be an excruciating experience for anyone, especially at a dinner party. So, what exactly do you do when your business proposal comes with unwarranted feedback? In a recent LinkedIn post, founder and CEO of The Stack World, Sharmaden Reid MBE, broke down the many steps entrepreneurs must take when faced with negative feedback about their business idea. “I had a female founder friend call me recently – they had been to an event, a dinner party, and they had to pitch, but some man has completely shut
Former Facebook employees Meena Harris and Helen Min have come together to launch their first-ever VC firm, Phenomenal Ventures. Meena Harris, who just so happens to be a lawyer, author, and the niece of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, is no stranger to the journey of building a brand from the ground up. Before the launch of her latest venture, Harris turned her side hustle into a global empire by selling activist statement T-shirts. The brand’s hero product was a T-shirt with the words “Phenomenal Woman” printed across the front. Some of the hottest celebrities, including
Dr. Tori Brown, the founder of Fresh Digital Media, is the latest founder to join Apple’s Entrepreneur camp. Fresh Digital Media, founded in 2018 by psychologist and business consultant Dr. Tori Brown, is a social tech enterprise providing business education to children and families. The company works to engage and support communities’ business education and financial literacy using augmented reality (AR), interactive learning content, and music and art entertainment. Dr. Tori Brown will join a cohort of 17 developers as part of Apple’s Entrepreneur camp and gain insight and inspiration from top
Sparkee, a Black woman-owned tech company, is revolutionizing how we charge our phones. Their new product – which is currently available for pre-order – is the fastest charging device for those constantly on the go. It is compatible with all phone models and holds two USB-C Ports, allowing users to charge three devices simultaneously. The Sparkee device is the sleekest device modernizing how we charge our phones through its wire-free programming, giving users multiple ways to charge their devices. It takes away the idea of having to “put your phone
To commemorate Black History Month, we have been spotlighting the Black pioneers in tech who have paved the way for up-and-coming Black technologists. From completely revolutionizing the technology world to creating the everyday tech items we can’t live without today. As a collective, this group has helped inspire a whole generation of Black professionals in tech. So, let’s meet them. Frank Greene Frank Greene was one of the first Black technologists who broke new ground for Black engineers to break into Silicon Valley in the 1960s. Greene wore many hats throughout
Alexis Williams is an engineering student using her coding skills to design a platform that makes it easier for the Black community to incorporate social justice into their everyday routines. Alexis Williams founded PB-Resources in 2020 during the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Despite not knowing exactly what to do at the time, Williams decided to put her coding skills to use by building a platform in honor of George Floyd. “I was itching to get involved but didn’t know how I could do anything impactful from my living
To commemorate Black History Month, we are spotlighting the pioneers in tech who have paved the way for up-and-coming Black technologists. You can check out part one here! From completely revolutionizing the technology world to creating the everyday tech items we can’t live without today. As a collective, this group has helped inspire a whole generation of Black professionals in tech. So, let’s meet them. Lonnie G. Johnson One thing summer always brings out is water guns. Thanks to Lonnie Johnson, our most iconic childhood memories include playing outside with our
It’s time for all journalists to get into their bag. Black-owned digital media and tech company, Hero Media, has launched Goodfeed, a social wellness platform for women from diverse backgrounds. On Goodfeed, in-house journalists get paid royalties for their work using money generated from ad rolls. The online platform – which has built a community for Black and brown women – has been described as another version of YouTube where users can share their editorial content, written articles, audio, and videos. Through Goodfeed, Black women can connect and share fitness,
To commemorate Black History Month, we will be spotlighting the pioneers in tech who have paved the way for up-and-coming Black technologists. From completely revolutionizing the technology world to creating the everyday tech items we can’t live without today. As a collective, this group has helped inspire a whole generation of Black professionals in tech. So, let’s meet them. Gerald A. Lawson You can’t think of game consoles without mentioning the legendary Gerald A. Lawson. The chief hardware engineer – who recently had a Google Doodle dedicated to him – has been
I longed for a tech career as a stay-at-home mom with three academic degrees, including one from Yale. I attended my first hackathon over a decade ago and was immediately intrigued. Despite my impressive educational background, I found landing a tech role challenging. However, instead of giving up, I leaned into the affirming websites and platforms like POCIT that helped motivate me to pursue my dreams of a tech career. Read on to learn my story of perseverance and determination. How it All Started I gave birth to my daughter
