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Monique Rodriguez is turning a new leaf. Rodriguez is the founder of organic and natural haircare line Mielle Organics, which she founded in 2014. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, her company achieved early success scaling from her garage into major retailers, including Target, Walmart, and CVS, among others. By 2021, the company had been worth over $100 million. Although this achievement stands as a remarkable milestone for Rodriguez, her path to securing investments hasn’t always been paved with ease and success. Inc. Magazine reports she bootstrapped her business for the first seven years and then shifted her attention to securing capital. However, in the process she was met with rejections and unexpected changes to term sheets. In fact, a group of investors once presented her with a $2 million deal for 40% stake in the company, which she turned down. “I knew in my spirit that they were not the right investors, but I felt that because I wanted to continue to grow my business, I...
When it comes to scaling and growing Black-owned businesses, Richelieu Dennis is the man with the master plan. He played a pivotal role in spearheading the largest consumer products transaction between a majority Black-owned company during his negotiation of the acquisition by Unilever of the company he co-founded, Sundial Brands.
Talk about taking the saying “if you don’t like how something is done, do it yourself” to a whole new level! After working in corporate human resource roles for years Antisha Walley found herself disagreeing with the ways operations were being run. At the top of 2020, she made the decision to take matters into her own hands and launched her very own human resources consultancy company, Make the Change, LLC, according to Insider. Despite kick-starting her own business in January 2020, the 39-year-old Air Force veteran did not quit her day job until 2021. By then, her sales grew to over $50,000. However, in the beginning, she had one paying client who brought in $3,000 in sales. On the other hand, her full-time job brought in a guaranteed $80,000 per year.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we are not talking about Christmas. The world is in the middle of Amazon Prime Day, and packages are being shipped out like an Oprah giveaway — everyone gets a box! However, in good AfroTech fashion, Amazon Prime Day is an opportunity to support all Black-owned businesses and brands. As a company, Amazon has been intentional with its support of Black-owned businesses. As a part of its support over the last several years, the e-commerce giant has amplified the voices of Black business owners by creating a landing page for consumers to navigate. We took some time to navigate through all of the brands created by Black people, and we found some dope stuff. From beauty brands to cooking essentials, there is literally something for everyone during this “prime” shopping season. Check out this list of brands and creators available to shop with on Amazon below:
Blossoming from the heart of Houston, another Black-owned vodka company has hit the market. Houston Chronicle reports 10 Black entrepreneurs and peers from Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, The University of Texas at Austin, Wiley College, University of Houston, and Cornell University have joined forces to launch General Orders No. 3. (GO3) — named after the order which freed enslaved people on on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas. The group wanted to launch a Houston-made vodka encapsulating the spirit of Texas’ heritage and culture.
Dr. Juliette Nelson is making way for Black women in the eyewear industry with her luxury eyewear brand, NURILENS . With its signature wooden frame and imaginative designs, NURILENS seeks to enrich the lives of all through its quality. Being of Haitian heritage, Dr. Nelson understands what it means to be a trailblazer. That belief has helped drive her initiative. AfroTech was able to catch up with Dr. Nelson on the heels of Haitian Heritage Month to highlight her vision for this eyewear brand, and to encourage us all accordingly.
Black owned businesses in Atlanta are getting prime exposure with some help from the BeltLine and The Village Market . According to local news station , KESQ News Channel 3, the BeltLine MarketPlace is an inaugural program a part of the BeltLine’s initial small business incubator. Used as unconventional storefronts, Black business owners will have access to shipping containers and possibly food trucks to host their businesses. Set up along the Westside and Eastside trails, there will be room for up to six businesses at a time. Atlanta entrepreneur and owner of Mr. Cake Me Happy, Jerard Brown, was excited about the news. Brown sells his pastries and desserts to millions of patrons each year along the popular city trail. “The BeltLine is of course one place I’d love to open my business,” Brown said. “It’s a lot of customers out here, very busy, that’s why I’m out here today.” In a press release from the BeltLine, Inc., the mission of this installment of the small business incubator...