Black Business Live Podcast

We’ve all felt it at the grocery checkout lately. Between shifting global markets and rising supply chain costs, keeping the family table full and the business budget balanced takes a lot more strategy these days. Dropping just in time for Juneteenth week, this episode is a timely reminder that true freedom and economic peace of mind start right at home, in our own communities. As we get ready to...

What happens when you face over 300 rejections from investors? You go out and build it yourself. In this episode of The Black Business Live Podcast , host Tolu Akindunni sits down with Wale Mafolasire , the founder and CEO of Givelify : the digital giving platform that has processed billions of dollars for over two million donors. From walking away from the medical career his parents expected to s...

In this high-impact conclusion to the Small Business Month segment of our Podcast Season 2, Tolu Akindunni is joined by "Your Multi-Gen Leader," Krishna Powell, the CEO of HR 4 Your Small Biz. Throughout this month-long exploration, we have focused on the leader behind the business; digging into what it truly takes to sustain resilience, command influence, and build community. We have sat with the...

Most business owners think their biggest hurdle is capital, but the truth is often deeper: it’s a connection problem. In this episode of the Black Business Live Podcast , host Tolu Akindunni sits down with Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew , CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, to peel back the layers of what it truly takes to lead and last. Moving far beyond surface-level networking, Dr. Froswa’ challenges us to...

"Wholeness is not the absence of struggle; it is the presence of your full self in the midst of it." In this powerful episode of The Black Business Live Podcast , Tolu Akindunni sits down with Lola Dada-Olley , an attorney, author, and "Hope Multiplier." Born to first-generation immigrant parents, Lola was raised with a focus of excellence that led her to the top of the corporate legal world. But...

How does a physician-founder scale a brand to reach 1 million girls in an industry where Black-owned businesses only make up 3%? In this special Women’s History Month feature, we move beyond the narrative to the roadmap of Black excellence. We are joined in-studio by the brilliant Dr. Monica Williams: the physician-founder recently recognized on Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 500 and Fast Company...

In this high-energy second episode of Season 2, Tolu sits down with Karen "KJ" Johnson, a powerhouse executive leader and sought-after public speaker. While KJ serves as the 2025-26 Chapter President of NAWBO Dallas/Ft. Worth, our conversation dives deep into her life’s work: helping leaders move from the exhaustion of survival to the impact of sustainability. KJ pulls back the curtain on the Blac...

Commence Season 2 of the BBL Podcast with an exclusive fireside chat recorded at The BOW Collective's 5th Annual Conference. Dissect the $4 Billion roadmap of an organization where a 70% internal trade rate scales Black women-owned businesses into the top 1% of their industries. Join Nic Cober, Ticki Favaroth, and FIFA Dallas CMO Noelle LeVeaux to learn how to secure enterprise contracts and build...

A CEO who ran a successful 7-figure business after decades in the corporate world. A foundational leader of The BOW Collective, architecting success for Black women business owners. A Faith-Driven executive. What's her secret? In this exclusive conversation, hosts Belva and Tolu sit down with Ticki Favaroth to get the unfiltered truths that keep her grounded while building a blueprint for multi-ge...

Target Bags to the Big Leagues: The Sherrill Mosee Story A cut-up Target bag, cardboard, glue, and staples. That’s how Sherrill Mosee started, turning a simple idea into MinkeeBlue, a patented organizational bag that landed a $100,000 Macy’s purchase order. Tolu and Belva sit down with Sherrill to discuss the engineering mindset that turned a commuter’s frustration into a market-ready brand. Today...

How does a woman go from running her own makeup shop to landing a deal that makes her the first Black-owned clean brand on Ulta.com? And how is she still winning on Nordstrom, JCPenney, and HSN? Belva and Tolu got chatting with Kim Roxie, Founder and CEO of LAMIK Beauty and a pioneer who has been pushing for real inclusion in the beauty game since 2004. At 21, Kim opened a successful brick-and-mor...

This powerful episode, recorded during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), features the incredible Darlisa Diltz, known as the Queen of North Texas Entrepreneurship. Hosts Tolu and Belva sit down with Darlisa - a first-generation college student, entrepreneur, leader of the 6-countywide North Texas GEW initiative, and Chief  Entrepreneurship Strategist for Foundations Entrepreneur Development Comp...

We’re dedicating this segment of our episode to businesses making waves right here in our community! Join Belva and Tolu as they sit down with the phenomenal Felicia Wright, founder of Mygani (acronym for My God and I). Felicia tells us all about her journey, from her deep love for all things fashion and creativity to discussing the powerful connections that are opening up doors for her business....

Ever wonder how the Black Business Live Podcast really got started? Well, your hosts, Belva and Tolu, are sitting down for a laid-back, honest conversation to give you the scoop! They're diving deep into the powerful community that supports the show and sharing some of the key resources and network connections that have truly impacted them and other entrepreneurs. Plus, they're pulling back the cu...

One conversation can transform your business, and this one could be the catalyst. In this episode of the Black Business Live Podcast, award-winning storyteller, filmmaker, and business strategist Dr. Cheryl Polote-Williamson, a woman on a mission to empower and elevate others, shares how to build legacy, lead with authority, and expand your influence globally. Underpinned by faith, this is the Mar...

In this episode of Black Business Live , we explore the extraordinary journey of Karla Trotman , who stepped into leadership not by starting something new, but by acquiring and evolving the business her family built. From breaking barriers in manufacturing to navigating the complexities of ownership and succession, Karla is rewriting the narrative of legacy and generational wealth. Her story revea...