SistersInc.

LaTecia Johnson, who has long worked at the intersection of culture and technology, foundered INGENIUS, an AI-powered operating system that maximizes marketing programs for creators, agencies, and brands such as Reebok

April Showers became the first Black woman to own a licensed character brand that's sold in major retailers when Afro Unicorn products—which now span 25 categories, from apparel to toys to home décor—launched in Walmart in 2022

The head of the only national organization dedicated to the well-being of Black women talks about the link between business and health

Arana Hankin-Biggers and The Travel Agency, a dispensary with four locations in New York City, are working to change how people view cannabis and to leverage profits from its legalization to benefit the communities most hurt by the war on drugs

Natasha Suber Perry served our country for more than a decade and now serves more than 400 small business clients as the founder of Suber & Company, providing coworking spaces and virtual office services in Southern Maryland

Chef Helene Henderson started by teaching cooking classes and hosting dinners at home. She now has multiple Malibu Farm restaurant locations across California, Hawaii, New York, and Japan.

Maya Smith, the CEO, co-founder, and creative director of multimillion-dollar beauty brand The Doux, talks about how her Mousse Def styling foam has exploded on TikTok with 18 million posts—and what it means for the company.

Kathy Mason founded a real estate brokerage before expanding into construction and, most recently, into agricultural spaces with a 40-acre farm and event venue

Chef Lorious shares how she secured a golden ticket at Walmart's Open Call to get her line of wine-infused jams into the retailer's stores in 2025

Shauna Jackson launched Lamore Lifestyle PR in 2017 and ran it for four years as a one-woman show before bringing on a team of employees

Lynnette Dodson and her husband opened a physical home for their tea business, Cuples Tea House, in 2021 in Baltimore and have since opened two more retail stores

In 2023, Zakia Blain, founder and CEO of 12-year-old body-positive lifestyle brand FBF Body, set off on an adult gap year to find the joy in entrepreneurship again

Harlem's Fashion Row founder Brandice Daniel creates bridges between fashion designers of color and mainstream brands such as Nike, Gap, Target, Marriott, and Coca-Cola

Sisters Alisa Lawrence and Nilaja Young, along with their husbands, and with investment from their mom, bought New England Sweetwater Farm & Distillery from their cousin

Tisha Thompson spent 15 years working on other beauty brands before launching LYS Beauty, the first Black-owned clean makeup line sold at Sephora.

Career coach Octavia Goredema shares how she secured six figures of funding—despite the odds—for her AI-enabled startup, Fire Memos

Serial entrepreneur Eunique Jones Gibson founded The Happy Hues Co., maker of inclusive baby essentials Big Ups training pants and Wipe Me Down wipes

Capital City Mambo Sauce CEO Arsha Jones shares how she continued to run and grow the business after the sudden death of her husband and co-founder

Aisha Taylor Issah represents more than 500 women of color-owned brands in The Sistah Shop, her brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retail platform

Melva LaJoy Legrand, founder of an award-winning events management firm, shares how her approach to business has evolved almost 20 years in

The Curvy Fashionista founder Marie Denee, shares how, 15 years into her business, she got strategic about its growth

Engineer turned handbag designer Sherrill Mosee founded MinkeeBlue, a patented line of bags that blend fashion and function

The Folklore Founder Amira Rasool built The Folklore Connect as the first B2B wholesale platform focused on diversity and sustainability.

Award-winning brand growth strategist Brianna Régine Walston shares tips for building your company's awareness, credibility, and revenues

Kadisha Phillips created Cecilia's House, a home decor e-commerce brand, to empower high-achieving Black women to reach their full potential

After a rebrand in 2019, Lesley Riley's gourmet biscuit company attracted national retailers and experienced tremendous growth

“The Queen of Natural Hair” Taliah Waajid runs the World Natural Hair Health & Beauty Weekend, the largest event celebrating natural beauty

“Everyone's Favorite Closing Attorney” Tiffani Hawes has built The Hawes Law Firm into a multimillion-dollar legal practice

Kesi Gibson founded Club Debut to provide the infrastructure and technology that helps creative entrepreneurs run successful businesses

Monique Wilsondebriano and her husband have turned a backyard grilling hobby into big business with Charleston Gourmet Burger Co.

Janell Stephens grew all-natural hair and skincare company Camille Rose into a multimillion-dollar beauty brand in just three years

Shaw Bernard, founder of Black-owned, woman-owned agency STRUT Models, is building a more inclusive industry one model at a time

Aishetu Fatima Dozie founded Bossy Cosmetics, which she calls a women's empowerment business masquerading as a beauty company

Jordan Karim founded Flora & Noor, an inclusive skincare that will be the first halal-certified brand to launch at Ulta Beauty

LP took home $100K as the winner of Drink Masters, a reality competition show for mixologists on Netflix

Melissa Hill is the design force behind Ooshie, a resort wear brand known for its hand-drawn prints and vibrant colors

Sticking to Your Values

Keewa Nurullah founded Kido, a children's boutique in Chicago, to spread love and change the world through culture, kindness, and community

Melissa Orijin was inspired by her 6-year-old daughter to create Orijin Bees, a line of multicultural dolls celebrating the beauty of diversity

Germaine Bolds-Leftridge founded I KNOW, a skincare line for women of color over 50, after 30 years of bringing other beauty brands to market

Through The Village Market's marketplaces, retail, and campaigns, Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon has facilitated $7.3 million to Black entrepreneurs

Shanayla Sweat is growing her men's watch and accessories brand, A Few Wood Men, through an ambassador network of “men of distinction”

Alma Ocean is the first Black-owned, female led startup designing patent-pending, culturally inspired pool floats and water accessories

Michelle Johnson is the co-founder of plant-based milk Ghost Town Oats, which has raised more than $230,000 in a community round of financing

Tamarra Lewis Johnson is a serial entrepreneur who is bringing her children along on her business journey, building wealth across three generations

UOMA Beauty founder Sharon Chuter is working to advance the economic wellness of Black communities by inspiring change at the corporate level

Chef Liz Rogers' Creamalicious Blissfully Southern Artisan Ice Cream is one of the only Black-owned national ice cream brands in mass production

With Body Complete RX sold nationwide at The Vitamin Shoppe, Samia Gore is a pioneer in the male-dominated nutritional supplement industry

Toni Gilliard is the founder of Tipsy Lady, a new line of premium, ready-to-drink, Caribbean-inspired cocktails that celebrate heritage, culture, and flavor

After a traumatic experience with a toxic boss, Deborah T. Owens founded Corporate Alley Cat, the go-to community for professionals of color

Jessamyn Stanley, a leading voice in wellness, is building The Underbelly as an inclusive and accepting wellness community