Bet on Black

In this extra long episode, Monique sits down with Tim Daly, Brooklyn-based hairstylist, to talk about something we all have an opinion on: Black hair. In This Episode: Tim's upbringing as a queer Afro-Caribbean boy in Brooklyn Going TikTok viral and doing Clarke People's iconic braids Why we shouldn't only get bohemian knotless braids for vacation The number one hair concern when clie...

Monique sits down with Krystal Vega and Naomi Wright , co-founders of Fortune & Forks , to talk about how a dinner between friends turned into a community with over 500+ members rooted in mentorship, accessibility, and true community. In This Episode : How Fortune & Forks grew from a singular idea into a thriving network Balancing friendship and business What is the Fortune & Forks Fou...

In this episode of Bet on Black, Monique sits down with Matthew and Reginald Reismann, the married styling duo behind Love Island's Olandria Carthens' legendary looks. We're talking about: How being married helps the business, and sometimes poses challenges Quitting their full-time jobs to fully support their passions Their favorite looks on Olandria thus far Rules of thumb for working...

Season 2 kicks off with Owen Herrera, founder of Peak and Pace , who tells us how he created a run club that’s not really a run club. We talk about community through movement, and what it means to build community outside the usual boxes. We're getting into: How Owen went from running a 5k in 44 minutes to under 20 minutes Why Peak and Pace is different than other "run clubs" What it...

"Shout out to the social media managers!" For Bet on Black 's season one finale, host Monique Wilson breaks down how and why she came up with the idea for Bet on Black (00:43) and why it's important to do your research before you start something new (7:00). She shares how much she spent (10:48), and how tools like ChatGPT and Canva helped her in the process (16:05). Then, of course, she ends with...

"Today, someone hit me up for Doechii for the Met Gala, so that's crazy." – In Episode 5, Monique and Georgina Ogirri get deep, each sharing stories of loss (03:18) and how grief can inspire creativity. Ogirri dives into the business side of things: how to build a lifestyle brand in 2025 (19:54), making sure your brand is accessible on all platforms (23:02), and how to spot fake jewelry for beginn...

In Episode 4, Monique sits down with Gabriel Guisado to talk about the beginning of Vino Fridays (02:43) and how to building a strong online community (09:50). Guisado explains how he balanced working full time and creating two digital brands (14:06), as well as the ins and outs to choosing the right venue (19:58) and standing out in the oversaturated nightlife in NYC (32:30). Follow Gabe @gabreea...

Monique and Maxine talk about the struggles with dating in your 20s (0:00) before jumping into if Bumble or Hinge is better for Black women (01:37), but are ultimately left wondering if it's still possible to meet men in real life? (11:33) Then, the conversation switches gender dynamics in relationships (15:10) and tries to answer the age-old question: can men and women be platonic friends? (20:03...

"I'm Nigerian. I have a different understanding of being Black in America, but Black nonetheless." – In Episode 2, Samuel Oni shares how he created Bushboy , a bold and culturally-rooted clothing line that redefines streetwear through an African lens. He shares how his experiences at Georgetown University planted the seeds for entrepreneurship, and how his Nigerian heritage influences his creative...

"The moment she mentioned Kerry Washington, I had to mute myself for a minute to, like, gag." – For the season premiere, Elianel Clinton shares how his Puerto Rican and African American identities influences his storytelling; the BTS on his first celebrity photoshoot; and the importance of faith throughout his journey. --   Follow Eli on Instagram @ohyeahitseli to keep up with his work and upcomin...