As a Black entrepreneur, you’ve probably felt the pressure to pick one lane or play it safe. But what if your breakthrough is actually in the blend? When bold style, conscious sustainability, and smart technology come together, they create real power in your brand and purpose. Whether you’re building a product or offering a service, your audience is craving more than just a look or a label. They want meaning, function, and innovation. This episode helps you explore how to build with all of that in mind.

In this powerful conversation, we’re joined by Daryl “DJ” Riley Jr., engineer, innovator, and co-founder of Tendaji, a fashion tech company known for its solar-powered wireless charging apparel. DJ shares how a college senior design project grew into a nationally recognized business, why sustainability and culture matter at every stage, and how Black entrepreneurs can create value-driven brands across any industry. If you’ve ever wondered whether your big idea was too different or too early, this episode will help you believe in your vision and take action.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why blending style, sustainability, and tech creates long-term business value

• How to turn a college project into a nationally recognized innovation

• Practical ways to embed purpose and culture into your product or service

• How to stay committed to your mission even when you face setbacks

• The mindset shifts needed to pursue bold, innovative ideas

• How tech and sustainability will shape the future of Black entrepreneurship

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/261

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

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When you’re building a business, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle, the metrics, and the systems. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by team challenges, struggled to motivate others, or wondered why your leadership isn’t landing the way you hoped, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sam Adeyemi, a globally respected executive coach, leadership strategist, and author who has trained over 52,000 leaders through his Daystar Leadership Academy. He’s coached CEOs around the world, and what sets Dr. Sam apart is his passion for people-centered leadership. In this conversation, he breaks down why your people, not your processes, are your most valuable asset and how learning to lead with empathy, strategy, and vision can transform your business from the inside out.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why focusing on results and processes alone leads to burnout and turnover

• The mindset shift every leader must make to become people-focused

• How to build trust and loyalty without sacrificing accountability

• Ways to create a values-driven culture

• Why empathy, love, and emotional intelligence are leadership superpowers

• How Dr. Sam’s SHIFTS framework can help you transform how you lead

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/260

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Also, connect with us on Instagram:

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We’re officially in July, and if you’re feeling like the first half of the year flew by, you’re not alone. This week’s solo episode is all about pausing, reflecting, and realigning without shame. Because growth doesn’t always look like a revenue spike or a launch. Sometimes it looks like clarity. Sometimes it looks like letting go.

If you’ve been feeling tired, behind, or just unsure where to focus next, this mid-year check-in is for you.

Monique is guiding you through a step-by-step reflection and reset that’s both practical and personal. We’re talking about how to recalibrate your goals, your energy, and your expectations with intention, especially as Black entrepreneurs navigating unique pressure, responsibility, and noise in today’s climate.

This is your permission to start fresh without guilt.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why reflection without shame is the foundation for realignment

• How to release goals that no longer fit who you are or where you’re headed

• What it means to check in with your needs, not just your business needs

• The step-by-step framework for setting aligned goals for Q3 and Q4

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to “The Black to Business Podcast” and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/259

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

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Let’s be real. A lot of us have been out here trying to follow someone else’s version of success. Copying the routines. Following the “rules.” Pushing ourselves to work in ways that don’t even feel natural. But if your business still feels off, it might not be about doing more. It might be about working differently. Working in a way that actually supports how you move.

In this solo episode, Monique is getting into the step that too many early-stage entrepreneurs skip: learning how you personally work best. This isn’t about another hustle routine or productivity hack. It’s about tuning into your rhythm, your energy, and your capacity and building a business that actually fits your life.

Especially as Black entrepreneurs, we’ve been told to push through, power up, and work twice as hard. But we don’t often hear that it’s okay to pause, reflect, and choose a way of working that protects your peace. That’s what this conversation is about.

If you’ve been checking all the boxes but still feel drained or stuck, this is your reminder that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of your well-being.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why many Black entrepreneurs feel stuck mimicking productivity instead of finding flow

• How to identify your natural work rhythm and align your schedule around it

• The difference between being productive vs. performing productivity for validation

• Practical ways to create systems that match your energy instead of drain it

• How to build flexibility into your routine so it supports you through changing seasons

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to “The Black to Business Podcast” and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/258

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

Connect with us on Instagram:

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We talk about freedom a lot, especially around Juneteenth. But what does it actually look like in your business?

Is it more time with your kids? Being able to say no to the wrong clients? Finally unplugging for a weekend without everything falling apart?

In this week’s solo episode, Monique is breaking down what entrepreneurial freedom really means beyond the quotes and buzzwords. Because if your business is running you instead of supporting you, something needs to shift.

And we’re naming it. Too many of us are building businesses that look successful on the outside but feel heavy, draining, and unsustainable behind the scenes.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN DURING THIS EPISODE:

• Why freedom in business is less about money and more about choice
  
  

• The small (but powerful) signs that your business isn’t freeing you, it’s boxing you in
  
  

• How to simplify your offers and systems so you’re not tied to your laptop 24/7
  
  

• What it means to build in a way that honors your energy, your values, and your peace
  
  

• A personal story on why reading for joy became her biggest marker of success
  
  

If you’ve been in go-mode for so long you forgot why you started, this episode is your reminder. You’re not just here to hustle. You’re here to live.

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to “The Black to Business Podcast” and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/257

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

Connect with us on Instagram:

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When you’re starting a business, it’s easy to feel like you need to look the part before you fully understand what your business even is. And for Black entrepreneurs, that pressure hits different. We’re often expected to appear polished and professional from day one, even when we’re still figuring things out behind the scenes.

The thing is, visuals won’t fix confusion. A great logo and a sleek website won’t do much if you can’t clearly explain what you offer, who it’s for, and why it matters.

In this solo episode, Monique is breaking down why clarity should always come before branding. She’s walking you through the exact questions you need to answer before spending a dime on design.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN DURING THIS EPISODE:

• Why branding feels like the first step and why that’s not where you should start

• The three core questions you need to answer before working on your visuals

• How to use real conversations and feedback to sharpen your clarity

• A simple formula to clearly explain your business in one sentence

• When to know it’s actually the right time to invest in your branding

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to “The Black to Business Podcast” and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/256

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

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Ever feel like you're working your tail off but somehow going nowhere? Like you're checking all the boxes (posting on social, networking, building your offers) but the progress just isn't showing up the way you want it to?

You're not imagining it, and this is way more common than you think.

In this episode, Monique T. Marshall is getting into the real reasons why so many Black entrepreneurs hit that frustrating wall where they're busy but not productive. She's breaking down what's actually keeping you stuck and giving you a clear path forward that doesn't involve working yourself into the ground.

This isn't about hustling harder. It's about getting strategic with a plan that actually makes sense for your life and your reality.

• Why building in isolation is keeping you stuck (and what to do about it)

• The difference between being busy and being productive

• How to create a plan that actually works with your life, not against it

• Why focusing on your "one thing" beats trying to do ten things halfway

• The mindset shifts that turn exhausting hustle into sustainable progress

• How to start moving forward with just one conversation

Thank you so much for listening! If you liked this episode, please subscribe to “The Black to Business Podcast” and rate and review on Apple Podcasts:

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/255

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

Connect with us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/

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When you’re a Black entrepreneur building from the ground up, the pressure to have it all figured out can be overwhelming. You’re told to have a perfect brand, a full team, and six months of savings before you even get started. But for many of us, that kind of access just isn’t our reality. And still, we’re expected to make it work. This episode is your reminder that you don’t need to wait for the stars to align. You can start and grow your business with what you already have.

In this conversation, startup strategist and educator Boomy Tokan shares a practical system designed for those of us who have had to figure things out without a blueprint. With over two decades of experience helping thousands of entrepreneurs navigate the early stages, Boomy breaks down how to grow a sustainable business without burnout, overspending, or second-guessing every move. This episode speaks directly to those navigating entrepreneurship as a first-generation builder, showing you how to grow smarter while honoring your journey.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why traditional business advice can keep Black entrepreneurs stuck and how to break free from it

• How to uncover business ideas rooted in your unique skills, gifts, and lived experience

• Boomy’s 11-step system to grow your business sustainably with what you have

• How to validate your idea and build traction without spending money you don’t have

• The value of starting small and building trust within a specific niche

• How to create consistent income and move forward without constantly hustling for new clients

Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/254

Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Got a question? We’d love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA

Connect with us on Instagram:

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