Get to Know These Upcoming Black Businesses (and Owners)
This thriving beverage company inspired by founder Mikaila being stung by bees and her great-grandmother’s special flaxseed lemonade recipe. After entering a few children’s business competitions, she combined her winning recipe with honey, and Me & the Bees Lemonade started. Eventually, Mikaila shared her lemonade at youth entrepreneurial events and her home lemonade stand. The brand gained nationwide attention following her appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank.
The award-winning company has expanded to five flavors with placements in major retailers like Whole Foods and Target. The beverage can also sell in restaurants, food trailers, and natural food delivery companies. A portion of the profits go to organizations dedicated to saving honeybees and her non-profit Healthy Hive Foundation.
This local bookworm treasure was started by founder Noëlle Santos as a weekly event at the Barnes and Noble in the Bronx. Unfortunately, the national bookstore closed its doors. That closure led to this Black-owned bookstore forming, officially opening its doors on April 27, 2019 (National Indie Bookstore Day). The spot has become the local hangout for literary and community gatherings alike. The open wine bar allows patrons to read and sip. The bookstore curated its book selection, gift items, and programming dedicated to local interest.
Founded by a Sudanese-American brother-sister duo, this shoe brand was a tribute to Sudanese history and tradition. They grew up surrounded by their fashionable father and grandfather. However, it was their great-grandmother who inspired their gender-neutral shoe line. She owned the traditional men’s shoe Markoub at a time when Sudanese men wore the fashion staple. They wanted to honor the ancestral strength of their foremothers and fathers.
The shoe brand had built a reputation around traditional craftsmanship, reintroducing artisan styling and detailing. Each shoe was forged in a long-established family-owned factory. Its carefully stitched and constructed shoe led to the brand being highlighted by notable fashion and culture sites like Instyle and Marie Claire.
Nicole Lynn
As an avid sports fanatic, Nicole Lynn dreamt of being a sports agent at a young age. Her determination led her to study law at the University of Oklahoma. She interned at the National Football League Players Association, acting as a liaison between the sponsors and players. She joined PlayersRep as the agency’s first female sports agent. The agency was eventually absorbed into Lil Wayne’s Young Money Sports Association. Her time with Young Money Sports saw she became the first black woman to represent a draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft as defensive tackle Quinnen Williams’ agent.
The following year she became quarterback Jalen Hurts’ agent after sending him an Instagram message. In 2021, she joined Rich Paul’s successful Klutch Sports as a president of football operations. Lynn made history again when she helped Hurts ink his monumental 5-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, worth $255 million. This set a precedent for NFL quarterbacks.
Black Girls Code (Kimberly Bryant)
Science and technology have been part of Kimberly Bryant’s life since she was a young girl. As a self-proclaimed “nerdy girl,” Bryant excelled in science and math, leading to a scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University. Originally set on being a civil engineer, she switched to electrical engineering. Bryant spent her early career working for conglomerates like Westinghouse Electric, DuPont, Pfizer, and Merck.
Her years dealing with science, tech, and math showed Brytant the harsh realities women face in STEM. After her daughter Kai’s disappointing experience at a computer camp, the single mom decided to solve the problem by founding and creating Black Girls CODE. The program was a way to improve the pipeline in tech for young Black women. Starting in Oakland, Calif., the non-profit organization has expanded to multiple locations in the U.S. and Johannesburg, South Africa. The enrichment program has encouraged young girls to enter the STEM field since 2011.
The Gathering Spot (Ryan Wilson)
Ryan Wilson first came up with the concept of The Gathering Spot with his friend TK while studying at Georgetown Law School. The duo’s goal was to cultivate a hub that brings a diverse collection of professions together. After some fine-tuning, their idea came to fruition after they raised enough capital to open the first location in Atlanta. The private-membership club served as a destination for creatives, entrepreneurs, and business professionals and a gathering place for culturally relevant events.
Soon, Wlison’s management skills and vision spread with multiple locations in cities like Washignton, D.C. and LA were established. The brand’s reputation led to membership communities in thriving Black professional pockets like NYC, Houston, Detroit, Charlotte, and Chicago. Wilson even established a digital platform TGD Connect.
The club’s continuous expansion led to the fintech company Greenwood, Inc. acquiring the Gathering Spot brand in 2022. This historic partnership led to one of the few black-on-black M&A transactions at scale. It established the largest fintech and community platform for Blacks and minorities. Both companies are working together to close the minority wealth gap through community building, entrepreneurship, group economics, and wealth building.
Wilson has gone beyond The Gathering Spot to become the CCO of digital baking service Greenwood and a key figure in the annual music, film, and tech festival A3C.
Originally published at http://adreonpatterson.net on August 15, 2024.
