Tech in the Hood

As we wrap up Season 3, we sit down with Terrance Muse, a real estate entrepreneur from Chicago and a longtime friend of our host. Join us as they reminisce about their first meeting and explore Terrance's journey from athlete and basketball player to his entrance into the real estate field. They discuss the impact of technology and AI on the industry and highlight the crucial role of brokers and...

Semhar Amdemichael, a prominent figure in digital marketing and AdTech joins Flex to discuss her career trajectory and role in Chicago’s tech ecosystem. Semhar breaks down the unique strategies that set Chicago apart as an entrepreneurship hotbed, her participation in LongJump VC and shares her insights on the dynamic landscape of AI in advertising. We’ll uncover challenges in AI adoption, share t...

Our guest this week is a disruptor. Matthew Moore, owner of Artist Replete, sits down with Flex to talk about how he built his business online before transitioning to a brick-and-mortar establishment. Matthew breaks down his strategy for scaling Artist Replete and uncovers the unconventional marketing and sales approaches that took him from a digital store all the way to Michigan Ave. We’ll spill...

We're back! And who better to kick off the second half of Season 3 than special guest, Candice M. Smith, a mentor, a mom, a STEM Advocate, and Executive Director of Engineering Excellence at Boeing. Candice shares her inspiring journey from her military beginnings to her impressive career at Boeing, emphasizing the pivotal role of mentorship, her deep connection to Chicago, and her experiences as...

This is a segment about The Kulture Museum, a unique art center in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. It combines an art gallery, creative workspace, and community hub. The founders, Roger, a former coder turned artist, and Nicole, an author and marketer, aim to empower artistic expression and make a positive impact on their community. The segment discusses the role of art in connecting people and Rog...

Genesis, a mompreneur, founder, and more, juggles her various roles while remaining a trusted advisor for businesses. This episode explores her secrets to success, her passion for empowering new entrepreneurs, and her commitment to self-care, all while she writes her first book and continues making a global impact.

Fine artist Shawn Michael Warren is back in the studio this week to talk about his recently-unveiled portrait of Oprah Winfrey in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery This episode reveals the intriguing story behind the portrait of Oprah Winfrey, highlighting the collaborative efforts and human connections that give depth to Shawn's impactful art. Tune in for a candid conversation about patie...

In this episode of "Tech in the Hood," we’re flipping the script as regular guest Martina Matthews takes over and interviews Flex. Martina and Flex discuss the show's impact on the community, stressing the importance of what Flex calls "social currency" in the tech scene. They also dig into some new AI trends, and highlight the crucial role of humans in all tech operations, including AI. There’s a...

Presenting part two of Flex’s interview with 8x Grammy Award-winning artist Malik Yusef! The powerful conclusion to this conversation covers everything from tech to service, to the transformative power of music and the arts.

We are ending Season 2 with a bang! In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, Tech in the Hood presents a 2-part episode with 6x Grammy Winner Malik Yusef. Malik is a true Chicago OG, and a legend in the music industry; he has worked with artists such as Kanye West, Vic Mensa, Beyonce, Common, and too many others to count. In this conversation, Malik shares his journey as an...

In this episode of Tech in the Hood, the host Flex interviews Joe Brocato, a multi-talented individual known for his book "HIT IT OFF: 21 Rules for Mastering the Art and Science of Relationships In Life and Business." Joe, an attorney, public speaker, and professional coach, reveals the secrets to achieving personal and professional success through meaningful relationships. The discussion also tou...

In this episode of Tech in the Hood, Jenny Vyas, a self-taught Contemporary Fine Artist and Muralist from the Chicagoland area, shares her unique journey. After a career in E-commerce and graphic design, she delves into painting to explore vulnerability and human connection, developing a distinctive style. The conversation with Flex goes deeper into the human condition, touching on topics like con...

It’s a full house this week on the Tech in the Hood Podcast as we’re joined by regular guest Bashir Muhammad along with his co-founders and business partners at Net-Telligence (NTG), Tavarian Dinkins and Brian Franklin! We’ll hear the NTG founding story, the evolution from Web1 to Web3, and their team’s formula for success in the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity. The episode also touches o...

Our guest this week is Lauren Mogil, a Senior Bioinformatician at the University of Chicago, where she works at the cutting edge of human genomics and cancer research. We’ll get into the mechanics of gene sequencing and how scientists are using AI to assist in the process. Lauren also shares her thoughts on education in the sciences, from Higher Ed. all the way down to elementary school, and why i...

It's all about recruitment this week on Tech in the Hood with our guest, Kevin Davenport, Author, Founder, and CEO of The Ideal Candidate. On the show, Kevin and Flex discuss trends in recruitment, and dig into some of the biggest challenges facing young people entering the workforce. It's an inspiring conversation that covers everything from Kevin’s upbringing on the Southside, to his founder jou...

In Season 2 of Tech in the Hood, Martina Matthews, Bashir Muhammad, and Flex recap Season 1, discuss their summer activities, and explore the theme of relationships in technological innovation, including maintaining long-term partnerships and the impact of technology on parent-child relationships, with a fun mention of AI-powered soccer-playing robots.

Tech in the Hood is back with a special Juneteenth Bonus Episode! Flex sits down with Temitayo "Tayo" Ade-Oshifogun, an MBA entrepreneur and founder of Real Ppl, for a real talk about putting in the work. Flex and Tayo talk about centering intentionality and service in their professional lives, and the discipline it takes to become indispensable in any role.

What does it take to launch a successful startup? A great idea? A great team? A whole lot of tenacity? You need all three, according to this week’s guest Martina Matthews. Martina has helped to launch and build some serious businesses in her career, including Chegg, GetNectar.com, SitterCity.com, HelloChime.com, and many others.

This week’s episode is good for your health! We’re talking to physician, author, and community leader, Dr. Dominic Gaziano about everything from Medtech to meditation. Flex and Dr. Dominic talk about the rapid acceleration of telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic, and discuss the intersection of mental and physical health in the workplace and at home. In addition to tech in healthcare, our conve...

In the start-up world, we hear about B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) business models all the time, but what about B2G? Business-to-government is the central topic of this week’s episode with this week’s guest, Sara Agate, founder and CEO of Munitask. Sara and Flex talk about the barriers to access in government tech careers, and the challenges of engaging young people in...

In Episode 3 of Tech in the Hood we welcome Stephanie Yousif, whose dynamic journey in tech has spanned a variety of roles in the corporate sector and beyond. Flex and Stephanie talk about nontraditional careers in tech, social enterprise and entrepreneurship, and emerging positions and opportunities in technology. They also discuss gender disparities in tech and why diversity and inclusion are cr...

This episode, we go back to where it all started, as Ahmed Flex Omar sits down with his friend and mentor, Bashir Muhammad, to talk about tech in the West Side of Chicago in the early 2000s. Their conversation covers the history of “internet deserts” and racial inequity in Chicago, the role of tech in community learning, and an honest conversation about our successes and lessons-learned over the p...

Ahmed Flex Omar sits down with fine artist and Chicago native, Shawn Michael Warren, to talk about his journey as an artist, and how technology increasingly plays a role in the artistic process. The two also discuss the role of Shawn’s work in building equity and representation for marginalized communities, as well as confidence-building strategies for young Black artists, and why Chicago is such...

In “Episode Zero” of the podcast, Host Ahmed Flex Omar talks to our producer, Tom Brown, about the genesis of Tech in the Hood, and what listeners can expect from Season 1. We’ll hear about why Flex has chosen this moment to launch Tech in the Hood, and how his own journey has led to here.