The Power of the Purse continues with a deeper question: What happens when we understand the power of our dollar and decide to use it differently?

In Part 2, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor move from awareness to action, examining the difference between buying power and wealth, the history of economic protest, and what it could look like to intentionally redirect spending toward Black-owned businesses and communities.

Drawing from history, current events, and their own experiences as entrepreneurs, they explore why economic power extends beyond what we spend. From access to capital and corporate accountability to entrepreneurship, community investment, and ownership, this conversation looks at the systems that shape who gets to build, compete, and create lasting wealth.

They also unpack the role of technology through the Reckond app by Seneca Connor, the importance of visibility through TrooRa Magazine by Trystanne Cunningham, and why access to information can help consumers make more intentional choices about the businesses they support.

In this episode:

• The difference between buying power and building long-term wealth
• What the history of boycotts teaches us about economic power
• How redirecting spending can support Black-owned businesses and create jobs
• Why access to capital remains critical for Black entrepreneurs
• Corporate accountability and the power of conscious consumerism
• How Reckond helps consumers make more informed purchasing decisions
• Entrepreneurship, ownership, and creating alternatives within our communities
• Why community, collaboration, and sharing resources matter
• The relationship between cultural influence and economic ownership
• Moving from conversation to lasting economic change

Whether you're an entrepreneur, consumer, or simply thinking more deeply about the relationship between money, ownership, and community, Part 2 is an invitation to recognize the power already in our hands, and consider what we can build when we use it intentionally.

Listen to Issue Zero.

___________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - ⁠@issuezero.show⁠

⁠https://IssueZero.Show/⁠

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - ⁠@trooramagazine⁠

⁠https://troora.com/⁠

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore ⁠The Womb Issue⁠

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG ⁠@reckond.app⁠

⁠https://Reckond.com/⁠

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - ⁠@thebagicon⁠

⁠https://TheBagIcon.com/⁠

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - ⁠@editor_in_t⁠

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

1. IG - ⁠@senecaberniardconnor⁠

The Power of the Purse begins with a simple question: What if every purchase was more than a transaction?

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor examine the relationship between spending, visibility, and economic power. Together, they explore how everyday financial decisions shape businesses, communities, and culture, and why understanding where our money goes is an essential part of understanding the systems we participate in.

Drawing from current events, consumer behavior, and the research behind Seneca's Reckond app, they discuss corporate accountability, conscious consumerism, and the role economic participation plays in creating lasting change. Rather than telling listeners what to think, this conversation invites them to ask deeper questions about the choices they make every day and the impact those choices have beyond the checkout line.

In this episode:

• Why economic power extends beyond the ballot box
• The philosophy behind The Power of the Purse
• Consumer choice, corporate accountability, and conscious spending
• The relationship between visibility, economics, and community investment
• How the Reckond app helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions
• Why data and transparency matter in everyday spending
• The difference between buying power and building long-term wealth
• Why this conversation is only the beginning

Whether you're an entrepreneur, consumer, or simply curious about the connection between economics, culture, and community, this episode is an invitation to think more intentionally about where your money goes, and what it helps build.

Listen to Issue Zero.

___________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - ⁠@issuezero.show⁠

⁠https://IssueZero.Show/⁠

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - ⁠@trooramagazine⁠

⁠https://troora.com/⁠

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore ⁠The Womb Issue⁠

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG ⁠@reckond.app⁠

⁠https://Reckond.com/⁠

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - ⁠@thebagicon⁠

⁠https://TheBagIcon.com/⁠

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - ⁠@editor_in_t⁠

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

1. IG - ⁠@senecaberniardconnor⁠

April Vaughn Shabazz joins Issue Zero for a conversation about holistic wellness, entrepreneurship, stewardship, sustainability, and what it means to build a business rooted in purpose.

As the owner and lead formulator of Earth Tu Face, April shares how her personal healing journey, decades of experience in holistic health and education, and passion for herbalism led her to acquire and lead a plant-based skincare brand built on integrity, intentionality, and care. Together, they explore founder transitions, conscious consumerism, and why true wellness begins long before the products we put on our skin.

In the second half of the episode, Desirée Rogers joins the conversation to expand on leadership, brand stewardship, and the evolving beauty industry, offering an executive perspective on building enduring brands and creating businesses with lasting impact.

In this episode:

• April Vaughn Shabazz's journey from holistic health practitioner to entrepreneur
• Acquiring and leading Earth to Face
• Herbalism, holistic wellness, and lifelong learning
• The evolution of clean beauty and conscious consumerism
• Founder transitions and preserving a brand's mission
• Leadership, stewardship, and sustainable growth
• Executive insights from Desirée Rogers on brand-building and the future of beauty
• Why education is at the heart of meaningful entrepreneurship

Whether you're building a brand, leading a business, or simply curious about the intersection of wellness, purpose, and entrepreneurship, this conversation is an invitation to think more intentionally about the products we use, the businesses we support, and the impact we create.

Listen to Issue Zero.

Dr. Akilah Cadet joins Issue Zero for a conversation about leadership, systems of power, entrepreneurship, disability, storytelling, and what it means to create change from the inside out.

As the founder and CEO of Change Cadet, author of White Supremacy Is All Around Us, and co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul Sports Club, Dr. Cadet shares how personal experience shaped her work, and why learning and unlearning are essential to building stronger organizations, communities, and leaders. Through stories of navigating the workplace, advocating for herself, launching a business, and helping organizations rethink culture, she offers a perspective on how power, identity, and opportunity intersect in everyday life.

In this episode:

1. Dr. Cadet's journey from healthcare executive to entrepreneur
2. Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for change
3. Learning, unlearning, and challenging systems of power
4. Workplace discrimination, leadership, and advocating for yourself
5. Disability, identity, and leading authentically
6. The role of education, civic engagement, and critical thinking
7. Building organizations where people can truly thrive
8. Why meaningful change begins with honest conversations

Whether you're building a company, leading a team, or simply trying to better understand the world around you, this conversation is an invitation to ask deeper questions, think more critically, and lead with greater intention.

Listen to Issue Zero.

Purchase Dr. Akilah Cadet's Book:

White Supremacy Is All Around Us

Connect with us:

1. Issue Zero Website
2. Issue Zero Instagram
3. Issue Zero TikTok
4. Issue Zero LinkedIn

Issue Zero is Sponsored by:

1. TrooRa Magazine
2. The Bag Icon
3. Download the Reckond App

Every great business begins with someone asking a simple question: "There has to be a better way."

In this episode of Issue Zero, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor sit down with entrepreneur Carla Truitt, founder of Eight Royale, to explore the story behind building a luxury brand from the ground up. From sketching her first ideas between board meetings and red carpets to navigating manufacturers, bootstrapping her business, and building a brand rooted in purpose, Carla shares what it really takes to create something that lasts.

Together, they unpack the realities of entrepreneurship that rarely make the headlines, from funding challenges and finding the right partners to why collaboration, community, and consistency matter more than perfection. Because every meaningful brand begins long before it becomes visible.

1. The moment Carla realized women deserved a better solution
2. Building Eight Royale from one simple idea
3. Finding manufacturers who believe in your vision
4. Bootstrapping a business without outside funding
5. Why consistency matters more than having all the answers
6. Collaboration over competition
7. Creating a legacy that empowers women
8. Why purpose has always been at the center of Eight Royale

Whether you're building your first product or your next chapter, this episode is a reminder that every meaningful business begins with someone willing to solve a real problem.

Listen to Issue Zero.