Larvetta L Loftin-Arnold

Black Businesses Matter (BBM) Podcast

Business EN ↓ 133 episodes

Black Businesses Matter is a weekly podcast show on the impact of collaborating and advocating for Black Businesses to drive impact. It is hosted by Larvetta L. Loftin. Founder of The L3 Agency, a full service influencer marketing and communications agency. Hear from investors, thought leaders, supply chain leaders, DEI practitioners and business owners on why engaging minority businesses should be a social responsibility when black businesses are the largest employers of black people. Each episode will provide inspiration and actionable tools to help you become culturally sensitive in growing...

Author

Larvetta L Loftin-Arnold

Episodes

CEO Nicole Jordan-Reed Shares How Corporate Skills Can Build A Food Empire 22.06.2026 1:08:21

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. A catering company can serve amazing food and still lose the room if the operations fall apart. We sit down with Nicole Jordan-Reed, founder of Nicole Jordan Catering in Chicago, to talk about what actually makes events feel seamless: leadership, systems, and the kind of customer service that guests remember long after the...

Honor Your Flow with CEO Cecelia Towns-Scott 15.06.2026 1:08:00

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. A lot of products claim to be “game changers," but this one is literally patented. We’re sitting down with Cecilia Towns-Scott, a south side Chicago attorney, founder, wife, and mom who spent ten years building Honor , a sustainable period and bladder leak brief designed for how life actually moves. Her innovation is s...

What If Boundaries Are Your Real Strategy with Laura Knights 18.05.2026 55:58

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. The work keeps changing, the tech keeps changing, and the expectations on leaders keep rising, but nobody tells you what to do with the human side of it. I’m joined by Laura E. Knights, LCSW, an executive coach and leadership strategist, to talk about what it really takes to lead and grow as a Black professional and as a Bl...

Stop Treating Your Website Like A Business Card says Lenora Blackamore 11.05.2026 1:02:39

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. A website can look perfect and still do nothing for your business. That’s the problem we dig into with Lenora Blackamore, CEO of Mecca Marketing Group Incorporated, a Black-owned marketing and web development firm with deep roots in digital technology going back to the 1990s. We talk about what separates a site that simply...

Technology And Collective Action Can Shrink The Wealth Gap with Ghian Foreman 04.05.2026 1:07:55

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. The South Side story most people never hear is the one built on ownership, pride, and neighbors choosing each other on purpose. We’re joined by Ghian Foreman , President and CEO of Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative, to talk about what it really takes to generate community wealth in Chicago’s Mid-South Side an...

Chef Chloe Gould Blends Southern Roots With Southeast Asian Flavor 27.04.2026 1:01:52

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. A tiny restaurant can hold a whole neighborhood together if the intention is right. We’re back in the studio for Season 11, and we’re joined by Chef Chloe Gould, the owner of Dixie Pura Kitchen, a Black-owned restaurant tucked into Chicago’s Bronzeville community. Chloe doesn’t just cook, she translates. Her “Southern meets...

Kim Rudd on Building A Business Beyond You 20.04.2026 1:30:03

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. AI is loud right now, but Kim Rudd is clear on what still wins: imagination, systems, and real service. We’re sitting down with the CEO of Rudd Resources to unpack what it takes to grow a sustainable communications agency, especially when your work is rooted in Black community impact, cultural perspective, and relationship-...

Pivoting With Purpose with Larvetta L. Loftin- Arnold 13.04.2026 35:07

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. We kick off Season 11 by naming the changes we’re making across our agency and our show, and why pivoting can be a sign of strength. We unpack what sustainable growth really looks like for Black founders, from systems and tools to community support and long-term legacy. • Season reset and why pivoting yields profit • L3 A...

“I definitely want to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty ” says Susanne Mariga 20.10.2025 1:11:25

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Susanne Mariga Guest Business: The Mariga Group EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Susanne Mariga, CPA, Fractional CFO, and CEO of The Mariga Group, a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business firm named the 2021 Profit First Professional Firm of the Year. Growing up...

“I tell my clients, T + F = A. Your thoughts lead to feelings, and your feelings lead to actions,” says Dr. Lakeba Williams 13.10.2025 1:07:26

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Dr. Lakeba Hibbler Williams Guest Business: Fresh Hope Counseling Center EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast , we chat with Dr. Lakeba Williams, Director of Fresh Hope Counseling Center, LLC (FHCC), a multidisciplinary behavioral health practice she founded in 2012 to help in...

“What’s different about LAB is we have taken into consideration not just data but stories from people,” says Jannice Newson 06.10.2025 41:44

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Jannice Newson Guest Business: Lillian Augusta Beauty Episode Summary In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast , we chat with Jannice Newson, social entrepreneur and Co-Founder & CEO of Lillian Augusta Beauty, a company creating plant-based hair extensions that merge beauty and sustainability....

“Nonprofits are the backbone of the community ” says Marc Alexander 29.09.2025 1:07:33

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Marc Alexander Guest Business: Lite Raise EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Marc Alexander, visionary entrepreneur, Co-Founder & CEO of Lite Raise, and Founder of Lite Tuition. Through his ventures, Marc is transforming how nonprofits fundraise, engage co...

“Are you building yourself into a trap?” asks Rachel Bernier-Green 22.09.2025 50:00

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Rachel Bernier-Green , Guest Business: EJ Consortium EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Rachel Bernier-Green, the Founder & CEO of EJ Consortium, a serial social entrepreneur, and a recovering public accountant who has devoted the past decade to building b...

“If there’s an impact that you want to make that out of yourself, know that you need community, ” says Jayla Head 15.09.2025 1:06:51

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Jayla Head Guest Business: Advaco Collective Care & Consulting EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast , we chat with Jayla Head, a psychotherapist, speaker, writer, and founder of Advaco Collective Care & Consulting, a mental health consultancy providing compassionate, i...

“Success is not done in a silo it’s done in community,” says Canetha Amour-Porter 08.09.2025 59:36

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Guest Name: Canetha Amour-Porter Guest Business: Amour Women Work Community and Amour Women Foundation EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Canetha Amour-Porter, visionary entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of the Amour Women Work Community and the Amour Women Foundation. C...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Evolution of Entrepreneurship 01.09.2025 1:16:47

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Special Episode : Guest Name: Marc Brooks Guest Business: Hyde Park Hospitality EPISODE SUMMARY In this special live episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we sit down with Marc B. Brooks, CEO of Hyde Park Hospitality, a privately held hospitality company specializing in foodservice management, airport concess...

“Journey to mastery is much more than a business it’s a calling, "says Elzie Flenard 25.08.2025 59:53

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 116: Guest Name: Elzie Flenard Guest Business: Journey To Mastery EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Elzie Flenard, the Founder of Journey to Mastery, an organization that equips leaders with faith-centered strategies to align mindset, mission, message, and metho...

“Why don’t we dig into how trauma shows up in our businesses? ,"says Larvetta L. Loftin 18.08.2025 46:46

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 115: Guest Name: Larvetta L. Loftin Guest Business: The L3 Agency EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast , host Larvetta L. Loftin kicks off Season 10 with powerful updates and reflections. She shares how the podcast has grown over the past nine seasons, highlights lessons from...

“Inclusive leadership is just good leadership. You cannot lead a team where you don’t recognize that you have a lot of differences,"says Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross 05.05.2025 1:03:50

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 114: Guest Name: Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross Guest Business: SP Grace EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast , we chat with Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross, the Founder of SP Grace, a management solutions company dedicated to delivering high-quality, results-driven strategies for businesses, school...

All Butter’d Up mission is to give us practical ways to implement self-care in our daily lives, ”Says Lorè Enjoli 28.04.2025 1:01:14

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 113: Guest Name: Lorè Enjoli Guest Business: All Butter’d Up EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Lorè Enjoli , the Founder of All Butter’d Up , a luxury skincare brand specializing in oil-based, non-greasy body care products that empower busy women to prioritize s...

“I just waited for my turn in regards to finding what that unique disruption would be into this industry into this market place,” Says Deida Massey 21.04.2025 1:05:12

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 112: Guest Name: Deida K. Massey Guest Business: Bixa Beauty EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Black Businesses Matter Podcast we chat with Deida K. Massey is the Founder and CEO of Bixa Beauty; a vegan friendly product line that empowers individuals by celebrating beauty through the richness of cultural diversi...

“Come up with your exit strategy right now so we can put things in place ” says Sanja Noble 14.04.2025 1:08:57

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 111: Guest Name: Sanja Noble Guest Business: Premier72 EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Black Businesses Matter Podcast , we sit down with Sanja E. Noble, Director of Treasury Operations, where she manages multi-billion-dollar budgets annually. Sanja is also the founder of Premier72, a firm dedicated to help...

“ Deals are not made unless you’re in front of somebody because people do business with people they know like, trust”, says Sarah Ware 07.04.2025 1:08:36

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 110: Guest Name: Sarah Ware Guest Business: Ware Realty Group EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we sit down with Sarah L. Ware, Principal and Designated Managing Broker of Ware Realty Group. With over twenty years of experience in real estate, Sarah has made her mark across vario...

“I wake up and go to bed with ‘ how can I move the community forward?’,” Says James Parker 31.03.2025 1:11:26

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 109: Guest Name: James Parker with Surprise Guest Guest Business: 1921 EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we sit down with James Parker, the CEO and Founder of 1921 Coworking, Inc. and 1921 Incubator, NFP. Named to honor the historic Black Wall Street of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1921 is...

“I don’t create things if I’m not passionate or in love with it” says Kudzai B. Mutasa 24.03.2025 56:22

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300. Episode 108: Guest Name : Kudzai Blessing Mutasa Guest Business: Kudzai B. Mutasa Fine Art Summary Style EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Black Businesses Matter, we sit down with Kudzai Blessing Mutasa, the CEO and artist behind Kudzai B. Mutasa Fine Art. Based in Chicago, Kudzai creates impactful work that celebrat...