Dollars & Sense

Is it possible to go from freelance to an executive? The answer is YES and in our interview with Blake Newby, she shares her journey and offers the pros and cons - and how it's important to bring others up who are on our journey. Blake has had an incredible career as beauty writer with bylines in publications such as Allure, Cosmo, and NYLON, just to name a few. She is now Beauty & Style Editor at Essence. A longtime beauty obsessive, she's transformed her longtime love of all things hair, makeup, skincare and fragrance into a career. You won't want to miss this truly inspiring episode.Connect with Blake: www.instagram.com/blakelawrenFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

In this episode, part of our VISA She's Next Grant winner series, we get geared up for the approaching holiday season with, Founder of Greentop Gifts Jacquelyn Rodgers! In this episode we dive into the importance of representation in images for our youth, get in the Jolly spirit with the famous black Santa, Clarence Claus, and hear how this card carrying member of the Beehive reacted when Beyonce featured her on her site.To learn more about Visa's She's Next Grant Program, visit Visa.com/shesnext For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

In this episode part of our VISA She's Next Grant winner series, we have an incredible conversation with Lorielle J Hollaway, Founder + Dreamer, Cultured Books Literacy Foundation (www.culturedbooks.org). We discuss the importance of literacy and books for our children, why having a mentor is key to going to the next level, and great tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome. To learn more about Visa's She's Next Grant Program, visit Visa.com/shesnext For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.comThis podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

In this episode in our VISA She's Next Grant Winner Series, we speak to the one and only Sonic SommelierTM Keanna O'Quinn of Honey + Vinyl (www.honeyandvinylmusic.com). In this conversation we hear her insights on the importance of honing your craft as a creative, how a clear vision is essential for success, and what makes her experiential music and sonic branding company stand out from the rest.To learn more about Visa's She's Next Grant Program, visit Visa.com/shesnextFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.comThis podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

In our first episode of our VISA She's Next Grant Winner series, we speak to founder Brandelyn Green, Founder of Voice of Hair (www.voiceofhaircare.com). In this conversation we chat about the importance of growing a community and listening to them to build your brand, why hair education is important, and how she successfully made the leap from the corporate world to a business owner.To learn more about Visa's She's Next Grant Program, visit Visa.com/shesnextFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Could a Crypto address be as important as a mailing address in the future? In this conversation with Cuy Sheffield, Head of Visa's Crypto - we explore what the near future for Crypto holds, how Visa got into the NFT space, and how finding a career that aligns with your passion is the dream.Cuy Sheffield is the VP and Head of Visa's Crypto team. Leading the global crypto product team within the fintech product organization. Cuy is a fellow at the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, a co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies and a member of the advisory group for the Digital Dollar Project. Before Visa, Cuy worked on business development and partnerships for TrialPay, a fintech startup that Visa acquired in 2015.  Recent Blog: NFTs mark a new chapter for digital commerceFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Erikan Obotetukudo is the Founder and General Partner of Audacity, a crypto venture fund investing in untapped markets globally that will shape the next 100 years, starting with Africa. She's also the Co-Founder and President of Crypto for Black Economic Empowerment (CBEE), an ecosystem and community of black/African crypto founders, investors, and artists across 20 countries. Prior, Erikan was a financial services relationship manager at LinkedIn where she advised asset management, hedge fund, venture capital, and private equity executives. She also serves on the board of the Henry Kravis Leadership Institute and is a global keynote and TED speaker. For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

After working in Fashion Design for over 12 years Shannon returned to her hometown to launch her storefront and dynamic brand - Yowie. In this conversation we explore her passion to create, how leaning into what you don't know can lead to great results, the future of her brand, and more.YOWIE is a Black-owned lifestyle shop and design studio founded in 2016 by Philadelphia native Shannon Maldonado. After working in Fashion Design for over 12 years (Ralph Lauren, American Eagle Outfitters, and Urban Outfitters), Shannon returned to her hometown to launch her storefront and dynamic brand. YOWIE's brand includes collaborative artist objects, interior design for hospitality spaces and Art Direction for clients like The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Past collaborators include Fred Segal, Lisa Says Gah, CB2, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Ethel's Club, The Deacon and Dye House. In 2022 YOWIE will open a new mixed use space that includes a hotel, cafe and expanded shop.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene is CEO of PopCom, an automated retail company that uses facial recognition, A.I, and blockchain technology to help retailers collect valuable customer insights. The first CRM, data, and analytics software provider for unattended retail, PopCom has developed technology to make kiosks and vending machines intelligent through data and analytics at the point of purchase. As a serial entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in marketing and business development, Dawn launched four successful cash flow positive companies since 2002.  Her most recent ventures include Flat Out of Heels (rollable flats for women to get relief from painful heels), and PopCom, after identifying a need to make vending machines more intelligent.  Dawn has received numerous awards and accolades for her business savvy and pitching skills, and has been invited to speak on numerous panels and workshops.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Cecil White is an Agent at WME Sports focused on building businesses around athletes and multihyphenate celebrities. His primary focus in securing brand partnerships and equity-based endorsements. Outside of these duties, he served on the programming team for the Social Justice Now Festival and has a hand in several non-scripted television projects including Why Not Us, a docuseries Executive Produced by NBA Superstar Chris Paul. Cecil was an Echols Scholar at University of Virginia where he received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce with concentrations in Finance, Management and Business Analytics and a minor in African American studies. In 2020, Cecil was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 and Sports Business Journal's New Voices Under 30.Most recently, Cecil helped steer the creation and monetization strategy behind The Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, an HBCU cultural festival and basketball showcase being presented by Michael B. JordanFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Nikki Merkerson is a Community Development and Housing Specialist. She is a real estate investor, advocating for and empowering others to make smart investments.​Nikki is passionate about making wealth-building opportunities attainable. She is the founder of Urban Leisure, a co-living space based out of Brooklyn, New York. Co-living is one of the best and most direct means to achieve optimal density using a shared housing model that encourages social interaction, collaboration and connections.​Nikki is also the founder of Pairgap, an innovative web platform that matches ideal partners to one another with the intent of buying property together. The platform makes homeownership both accessible and affordable. Nikki strongly believes that by leveraging today's shared economy and matching potential buyers to one another, more people will have the opportunity to build wealth through co-ownership.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Jaden is a student at the University of Central Florida graduating in 2023 pursuing a Bachelor's Degree of Mechanical Engineering. He's held several jobs growing up, on top of going to school and being a part of some amazing competitions in his field. He's an AIAA Member with being a part of the Aviation Design Competition and also was in the Quadcopter Design Competition. While he is finishing his degree, he has started an internship at NASA.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative &  with Matthew Jones as Senior Producer + Editor, and Jason Waggoner as Audio Engineer. Find out more about how to create a podcast for you or your business at http://rainbowcreative.co

Our guest, Opal Tometi is heralded as a feminist freedom-fighter in the U.S. and now a global icon. She is one of the most influential human rights leaders of our time. As one of the three women co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement, her name is etched in American history. Join us for this incredible conversation about how we all have agency to make a difference, and much more.Connect with OpalWeb: opaltometi.orgInstagram: instagram.com/opalayoTwitter: twitter.com/opalayoFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Terrence J—actor, host, Oscar-winning producer, author, and philanthropist—has added Strategic Advisor of Financial Education at First Boulevard to his impressive résumé. Follow Terrence JInstagram: instagram.com/terrencejTwitter: twitter.com/terrencejFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Aaron Samuels, Co-Founder & COO of Blavity shares about creating that magic, power, and strength that is Blavity - sharing the importance of celebrating and investing in our communities. Connect with Aaron & BlavityAaron SamuelsTwitter: @PoetryAaronInstagram: @PoetryAaronBlavityTwitter: @BlavityInstagram: @BlavityFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

April Johnson joins us on this episode for an incredible conversation about her journey as Founder & CEO of Happied. Hear how she made the jump from being a lawyer to an entrepreneur building a company that keeps communities connected through top-of the line virtual experiences that feel real.Connect with Happied & AprilApril Johnsoninstagram.com/aprilndecemberHappied: happied.coFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

How can you make your money work so you don't have to? In this episode, investing expert and writer Kevin L. Matthews II drops gems of finance knowledge that are sure to set you on a path to success.Kevin L. Matthews II is a number one bestselling author and former financial advisor. He has helped hundreds of individuals plan for their retirement in addition to managing more than $140 million in assets during his advisory career. By 2017, he was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors by Investopedia. Kevin launched BuildingBread in 2010, to inspire millennials to set, simplify and achieve any financial goal. Kevin regularly speaks to young adults across the country and has been featured in several media publications and productions including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Black Enterprise, and many others. Follow KevinTwitter: www.twitter.com/buildingbreadInstagram: www.instagram.com/buildingbreadFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Is it possible to pay down 100K in debt in 3 years? If you live Broke On Purpose you can. Join us for an eye opening episode on financial literacy knowledge from our guest Melody Robinson Wright Ph.D., CFEI.In this episode we speak to Melody Robinson Wright Ph.D., CFEI. She's a Financial Empowerment Coach, Certified Financial Education Instructor, and the Director of Financial Education here at First Boulevard.She knows what it feels like to be facing a mountain of debt so large that all you want to do is run and hide. She also know how it feels to stand up to your financial situation and tell that mountain to move. She has developed a proven framework that helped her family pay off over $100K in less than three years. Now they're living their version of a rich life. In this episode she shares her story and valuable tips to help you to maximize your financial life. You should be prepared to take some great notes on this one!Follow MelodyTwitter: https://twitter.com/brokeonpurposeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokeonpurpose/ For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

New York Times Bestselling Author + Activist Kimberly L. Jones drops knowledge in this powerful episode on the racial wealth gaps in the US, exploring how the cards have been stacked against Black Americans.Did you know that between the 1920s and the 1960s the US government underwrote 200 Billion in lending for home ownership. 98% went to White America, 2% went to everybody else, which is Black, Latinx, Asian, and Native America - combined. Kimberly L. Jones leaves us with this and other gems of knowledge that help us be the change we want to see.Follow Kimberly:instagram.com/kimberlylatricejonestwitter.com/kimlatricejonesFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

"I am wealthy, I am talented, I am successful, I am healthy. I am wealthy, money comes naturally to me. Everything I touch turns to gold. And I provide value in everything that I do." - Vivian KayeIn this episode of Dollars & Sense, Vivian Kaye, Founder & CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki shares a powerful message of her story and her journey to success. Her presence and genuine desire to continuously learn and grow while keeping it REAL quickly made her a personality who transcended the title of Founder and CEO. Ultimately, she organically grew her personal platform by exchanging tips and tricks that she learned on her personal entrepreneurial journey.  As a Business Empowerment Coach, ecommerce expert, TV, radio and podcast personality, Vivian sets out to empower, uplift and educate her audience into action. Along with her philanthropic efforts through mentorship and her position with the Founders Fund, she has worked with many notable brands such as Shopify, Ted Talks, Uniliever, LG, Porsche Canada, RBC and Rogers Sports & Media, to name a few. Follow Vivian & KinkyCurlyYaki http://instagram.com/itsviviankaye  http://kinkycurlyaki.com http://viviankaye.com  Shop.viviankaye.com  For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Sometimes starting a business starts as a one person shop, yet that drive and hustle can grow into something quite beautiful - especially when it is for a good mission. In this interview Donald speaks to Dr. Kristian Edwards, Founder of BLK + GRN about how she solved a problem of not having a place to purchase Black owned products that were good to the earth. Through her business they have increased visibility for 70+ Black owned brands. Check out the show to hear the story and connect with them below:Website: https://blkgrn.com/Instagram: www.instagram.com/blkandgrnFacebook: www.facebook.com/BLKandGRN/Blog: blog.blkgrn.com/Podcast: blog.blkgrn.com/category/podcast/For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Is it possible to go for your big idea and turn it into a success? We learn from Co-Founder of The Future Party Boye Fajinmi on his journey of taking the leap to entrepreneurship, the journey, and pay off to that hard work.  Subscribe to The Future Party at www.thefutureparty.comInstagram: instagram.com/futurepartyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureparty/Follow BoyeInstagram: instagram.com/boyeTwitter: twitter.com/Boye_FajinmiFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

In this interview with Sandy Kemper, Founder and CEO of C2FO shares his focus on fixing systematic racism and problems in the financial system, and the importance of education.Find our more about C2FO at C2FO.com.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

What if we were taught credit concepts at a young age? In this episode, we talk to Evan Leaphart, Founder at Kiddie Kredit who has created an excellent solution for credit education for youth. Evan is also the co-founder of the Black Men Tech Talk Conference, an entrepreneurship collective which promotes collaboration between Black men and other members of the tech ecosystem in order to build "unicorns"​.Kiddie Kreditinstagram.com/kiddiekredit/https://www.kiddiekredit.com/The Black Men Talk Techhttps://www.blackmentalktech.com/For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Money for the black community is power, and Khadijah Robinson has put in the work to empower people to buy Black through The Nile List. In this episode we discuss Georgia going Blue, how to not spend money in places that furthers the prison system, and much more in between. Connect with Khadijah on all the platforms:Twitter URL - https://twitter.com/theNileList?s=09 Instagram URL - https://www.instagram.com/thenilelistFacebook URL - https://www.facebook.com/theNileListLinkedIn URL - https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenilelistPinterest URL - https://www.pinterest.com/thenilelist/Youtube URL - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq9P-ISwE2Z__WvqhfMBGnQ?view_as=subscriber  For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

John Saunders, a serial entrepreneur and founder of 5Four Digital & blackwallet.org shares his recipe for success, and impact his companies have on the Black community.Follow John:twitter.com/johndsaundersinstagram.com/johndsaundersFor more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

In our inaugural episode, we spoke to—and got inspired by—Mykail James. Mykail (aka “The Boujie Budgeter”) is on a mission to show anyone how to make positive money moves while still controlling their finances. As she says, you can only live your best life when it's properly financed! Upon graduating with her MBA focused in accounting, Mykail became a Certified Financial Literacy instructor. She has refreshing new ideas on managing money and finances, which she shares with her audience at boujiebudgets.com. If you're confused by budgeting, saving, investing, and other financial topics, one, you're not alone, and two, Mykail makes them easy to approach—even if you feel like you should already know how to do it. Connect with MykailWebsite: www.boujiebudgets.com Instagram: instagram.com/theboujiebudgeterTwitter: twitter.com/boujiebudgeterWorkbook: https://www.boujiebudgets.com/shop/financiallyinnovative For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit www.firstboulevard.com/

Money permeates everything that we do. Whether you rent or buy, save or splurge. Though currency has been around for centuries, most people don't have a clue how it really works. Dollars & Sense explores the concept of money and the relationship it has in our lives. Hear from game changing entrepreneurs, influencers and everyday people. You will hear how they made their first dollar, first million, and everything in between. Tune in as we discuss ways to change the narrative of money and the control it has on our communities.For more information about the sponsor of this show First Boulevard, a financial technology company designed to build generational wealth for Black America, visit firstboulevard.com.