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Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne is gaining traction in the investment world for her medical device known as the “Band-Aid for nosebleeds.” As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Dr. Clayborne is the founder of NasaClip, which was inspired by her time in residency in Washington, DC. Various patients were coming into the emergency room for an issue professionals in the medical field described as a “lower acuity issue.” “Nosebleeds are most common in kids age 2 to 10, older adults 55 to 80, who might be on blood thinners, it’s really the least likely population to manage it well. So when they can’t get that bleeding to stop, they show up to me in the ER, and they want me to treat them right away. They’re bleeding all over the waiting room demanding to be seen. But for us as ER docs, this is a lower acuity issue, but it happens to be really kind of time-consuming and cumbersome to deal with,” she said over a Zoom webinar held on Oct. 31, 2024. She continued, “I was frustrated as a resident. Often...
A hub geared towards Black business owners has opened in Madison, WI. The Black Business Hub is made possible through the efforts of The Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM), which was established in 1968 to educate and empower the Black community both personally and professionally, per its website. Their programs have been geared towards the youth, families, job seekers, and employers. The enterprise center aims to reduce the disparities faced by Black entrepreneurs. In 2022, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $2.9 million to The Urban League of Greater Madison — bringing the project’s total raised to $22 million at time — and a portion of the proceeds was used to support its development. “We’re honored and grateful that Ms. Scott and her team have recognized the Urban League’s value and impact to the community,” Ruben L. Anthony, Jr., president and CEO of ULGM said in a statement, per Chanel 3000. “By placing racial equity and social justice at the forefront of her...
A popular chicken spot loved by Oprah Winfrey is spreading its wings. Ezell’s Famous Chicken, a Seattle, WA-based chain co-founded by Lewis Rudd in 1984 is preparing to bring the business to Kirkland, WA. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Rudd opened the restaurant with his sister, Faye Rudd, and a high school friend Ezell Stephens, according to Oregon Live. Then in 1989, it scored two visits from Oprah Winfrey. The media mogul was impressed with the menu, featuring Louisiana-style fried chicken made fresh daily in pure vegetable oil, baked rolls, barbecue beans, and mac and cheese. She even hired Ezell’s Famous Chicken to cater her 36th birthday celebration in Chicago, IL. The exposure from Winfrey led to an increase in customers for Ezell’s Famous Chicken. “We had people literally driving from Longview, Washington, to get chicken,” Rudd said, according to Oregon Live. “We couldn’t keep up with the demand.” Over the years, other notable names have stopped by to support the...
Black businesses are profitable. The University of Cincinnati Alpaugh Family Economics Center for the Greater Cincinnati released a report that examined 1,417 Black-owned businesses across eight counties in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky in partnership with the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce (AACC). The report revealed that Black-owned businesses generated over $2.8 billion in 2023. This total includes $1.5 billion in direct sales, supporting 9,024 jobs, and $1.4 billion in indirect sales, resulting in 7,448 additional jobs. “Business ownership provides an opportunity to build wealth for Black or African American individuals,” the report’s authors wrote. “Such an opportunity is particularly significant for Black or African American families, whose median net worth of $24,100 was 7.8 times lower than the median net worth of white families in 2019. Furthermore, Black- and other minority-owned businesses bring additional...
Few Black-owned bookstores exist in Chicago, IL, yet Danielle Moore now owns two. ABC7 reported that Moore is the founder of the Semicolon Bookstore. Her vision for the store was to create a space that reflected her likes and interests: books and the arts. “Semicolon’s creation was a complete accident,” she told The Newsette. “I wanted a space where I would want to hang out all day, and my favorite things are books and art, so it just made sense. I wanted the space to feel like home, and I believe that it does.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery (@semicolonchi) Per the company’s website, Semicolon Bookstore’s mission is to increase literacy rates in the city by creating access to and generating interest in books. “We were created with one thing in mind — community . We are committed to having a direct impact in raising literacy rates in Chicago and beyond,” the website mentioned. Semicolon Bookstore hosts monthly events for Chicago Public...
Ariane Kirkpatrick was undeterred by the limited presence of Black entrepreneurs in the cannabis sector. In 2017, she made her official foray into the space, according to WKCY-3. “We made the decision that we, despite the barriers, despite the obstacles, despite being Black and female, we were going to make this work and we did,” Kirkpatrick told the outlet. Per Kirkpatrick’s LinkedIn page, she served as the CEO of several large-scale medical, cannabis cultivation, and dispensary companies, such as Harvest Grows, Harvest of Ohio, and Harvest Processing, which had operations in the Ohio cities of Ironton, Beavercreek, Columbus, and Athens. She mentioned that her aim was to transform lives and strengthen economies by providing jobs and economic development opportunities through marijuana. However, Kirkpatrick would hit a major roadblock after falling out with her business partner, multi-state operator Harvest Health and Recreation, when it was acquired by national cannabis and...
Byron Cogdell Sr. is scaling his million-dollar business. According to Buffalo Business First, he is the founder of The Hoagie Stop, a Buffalo, NY-based venture he began after committing 15 years to the restaurant industry, including 10 years at Cole’s. His motivation to start his own business came from grilling and selling hoagies right in his backyard. He also prepared his own sauces. Now the business has grown to three establishments, with two located in Buffalo at 220 Allen St. and 183 Hertel Ave., and another at 2195 Clinton St. in West Seneca, NY. All locations opened between 2021 and 2023. Furthermore, a fourth Buffalo location is set to open in September 2024 at 2285 Main St. The venture has faired well for Cogdell, crossing $1 million in revenue, the outlet notes. Now, he is preparing for new scenery, because he is moving to Dallas, TX. He became fascinated with the city after visiting his mother-in-law. Now, he plans to open a restaurant in that city too. “We were just...
Marcus Williams is behind the only Black-owned bookstore in Clayton County, GA, per a report. According to The Atlanta Voice, Williams is the founder of Nubian Books, which had previously been located near a Barnes & Noble until the franchise closed its doors in May 2024. As a result, more locals made their way to Nubian Books. “Business-wise it’s been good for me,” Williams told the outlet. “It kind of helped me corner the market.” What’s more, the increase in foot traffic has also led to more sales. “I’ve had a lot of customers who are trying to find that Barnes and Noble on Mount Zion Road, so they’ve been coming to me and ordering books from me. So I’ve seen a spike in sales,” he mentioned to Atlanta News First. Nubian Books has been a fixture in the community for at least 25 years, opening first inside Southlake Mall in Morrow, GA, and later relocating to Southlake Parkway in 2013. For Williams, owning a bookstore became a dream of his after securing a job at Medu Bookstore,...
Issa Rae has landed a deal with a major retailer. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Rae joined forces with Hannah Diop’s Sienna Naturals in 2020, becoming a co-founder of the haircare line focused on Afro-textured hair. Per its website, Sienna Naturals uses Rooted Technology in its formulations to restore hair health beginning with the scalp. “It is our clean technology promise to our textured hair community. The result is a clean haircare formula with performance superior to that of conventional haircare,” the company website mentioned. Now, the company will be able to reach more individuals in the textured hair community after securing a deal with Sephora to sell its products on the cosmetic retailer’s online store, a press release sent to AFROTECH™ mentioned. “We are excited to partner with Sephora to make Sienna Naturals even more accessible for consumers,” said CEO and co-founder Diop, per the press release. “Our mission is to empower everyone to embrace their natural hair with...
History has been made by Sheila Jackson and Natasha McCrea. They are reportedly the first Black women entrepreneurs to own a whiskey brand in the state of California. The founders’ vision stemmed from a 2020 conversation held over dinner when they bonded through a shared interest in whiskey. It was then that they came to an understanding they could make their mark in the industry by entering into business together. “…Many women love whiskey but we are never included in the conversation,” McCrea said during an interview with Canvas Rebel. “We talked about how whiskey sales were on the rise and how we had both thought about starting a whiskey brand. In that moment we decided we should be the women who disrupt an entire industry.” In 2022, Jackson McCrea was launched. Both founders bring together past career experiences in separate fields. Jackson helms a production company uplifting Black woman and leads “The Good CEO” podcast, speaking with “bold, unapologetic CEOs.” “My entire...
April Anderson left a comfortable job to bet on herself. According to The Detroit News, the entrepreneur exited a corporate finance role that paid her six figures to pursue entrepreneurship and become a baker. Since age 9, Anderson envisioned this career path, making treats for her family, ILITCH Companies News Hub mentioned. “I have always loved doing things with my hands. I think that’s why I love working with doughs like yeast rolls, cinnamon rolls, and biscuits. I am a hands-on learner,” she told Food & Wine in 2019. Anderson launched Good Cakes and Bakes, alongside Michelle Anderson, her spouse and co-owner, in 2013 in Detroit, MI. Their joint efforts earned the shop national recognition for its organic desserts and baked goods. By July 2023, they launched a second store in Detroit, MI. “We are thrilled to expand our presence [in] Detroit,” said Anderson at the time, per ILITCH Companies News Hub. “Columbia Street is a great opportunity to expose visitors and locals to our...
Two Black women are entering into business to help other Black- and woman-owned businesses thrive. Aya House According to Crain’s Detroit Business, Nina Love and Tequion Brookins are opening Aya House, a 3,000-square-foot co-working space that will be a home to other businesses. The founders also will donate a portion of monthly proceeds to a nonprofit. The space will be located at 2055 Gratiot Ave in the Eastern Market area of Detroit, MI, and open towards the end of August. The founders are fueling the venture with their background knowledge as well as their respective experience in hospitality (Love’s The Love Experience) and event production (Brookins’ Tequion Brookins LLC). It will also be supported through a $130,000 investment from the founders in addition to a $40,000 cash grant from Motor City Match. As for what customers can expect, there will be monthly and annual memberships available. Additionally, private events can be held at the location for a rate of $300 per hour,...
A college connection that birthed Topicals Founder Olamide Olowe changed the trajectory of her life. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Olowe is behind the popular skincare company Topicals, which sells skincare products for people with chronic skin conditions such as eczema and hyperpigmentation. Founded in 2020, by 2022, it had become one of Sephora’s fastest-growing brands, selling one product every minute. Meeting Richelieu Dennis Olowe’s trajectory to founder was not her initial calling. In fact, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on a full-ride scholarship to participate on its track team. Additionally, she was studying to become a doctor, she said during an interview on the “God Is My Creative Director” podcast. While there, she was introduced to another student, Rechelle Dennis, the daughter of SheaMoisture Founder Richelieu Dennis. “My freshman year, I’m standing there with one of my teammates, and a woman comes over to me and is like, ‘Hey, you...
A Black-owned pharmacy is opening in St. Louis, MO. According to a news release, GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness has opened in St. Louis to serve 45,000 residents who had been without a pharmacy in their area. St. Louis native Dr. Marcus Howard founded GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, the first Black-owned pharmacy in Missouri. He had left the St. Louis area to pursue a degree in higher learning, obtaining a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. “I went to North Carolina to pursue my undergrad degree and my Ph.D., and I returned home to really take all the things that I learned out in the community in other places and bring them back home because I know St. Louis is a great place. It’s my home. I just wanted to just bring something back and make a difference,” he said in an interview with Nine PBS. Dr. Howard wanted to become a doctor because he recognized the disparities in the local area, especially in healthcare. He aimed to eliminate those disparities. “Growing up in North City, you...
A new shared space has opened in Newark, NJ, to support minority-owned businesses. According to Tap into Newark, Equal Space, a 50,000-square-foot, multi-floor, space opened its doors to entrepreneurs on May 14, 2024. A s co-founder and CEO, Citi Medina leads the concept, which was 10 years in the making, Blavity reports. The Brooklyn, NY, native who moved to Newark observed there was not a safe shared space for talent of color. So, alongside his co-founder and COO, Ralphie Roman, they turned their attention towards creating a solution and birthed Equal Space in 2014, which had previously opened a 16,000-square-foot shared space and incubator ES89. The location includes meeting spaces, an event area, and content creation suites, its website mentions. Now, the Newark area will receive further support through the new downtown ES550 Tech & Innovation Campus at 550 Broad St., which boasts spaces for single founders and teams, “state-of-the-art event spaces” for 300 people, and a fully...