Black Fridays

What Up Doe?! Detroit City Council President James Tate pulled back up to Black Fridays for a real conversation about leadership, service, and what it actually takes to fight for Detroiters every day. From stepping into his role as Council President to staying connected with District 1, Councilman Tate breaks down why government has to be personal, why young people need to learn the process before...

What Up Doe?! On this episode of Black Fridays, we’re sitting down with Jasmine Pitts, also known as The Attachment Healer, to talk about emotional intelligence, attachment theory, childhood patterns, trauma healing, and the real work it takes to become safe within yourself. Jasmine breaks down how her own healing journey started after divorce, self-sabotage, anger, and a life-changing attachment...

What Up Doe?! This episode is a monumental one as Detroit’s own Jemele Hill pulls up to Black Fridays for a powerful conversation about identity, journalism, storytelling, and building a media career that can’t be boxed in. From growing up in a city where Black leadership and Black ownership were everywhere, to learning the difference between being a journalist and being an influencer, Jemele brea...

What Up Doe?! Sharea Ayers is back on Black Fridays, and this time she returns as the COO of Black Leaders Detroit with a deeper conversation on capital, culture, Juneteenth, and what it really means to build for your people. In this episode, Sharea breaks down how BLD uses community dollars to fund no-interest loans and grants for entrepreneurs of African descent, the impact of serving over 900 b...

What Up Doe?! This episode is for every creative, entrepreneur, photographer, filmmaker, content creator, and business owner trying to turn their gift into something that can feed their family and impact the community. We sat down with husband-and-wife photography team Tay Lee and Shawn Lee of Lee Media House to talk about how they each found photography, how COVID pushed Tay to finally pick up th...

What Up Doe?! This week on Black Fridays, we got family in the building with Jenell Mansfield, a Detroit daughter, lobbyist, educator, organizer, mother, and candidate for Wayne County Commissioner District 5. This conversation breaks down what county government actually does, why local elections directly impact property taxes, transit, healthcare, seniors, youth, and neighborhood resources, and h...

What Up Doe?? Former Detroit Lions running back, Wayne State legend, entrepreneur, and community leader Joique Bell joins Black Fridays for a powerful conversation about growing up in Benton Harbor, building discipline through sports, becoming a father in college, and turning life’s hardest moments into purpose. Joique shares how poverty, faith, family, football, and mentorship shaped his mindset,...

In this special Black Fridays interview from the Midnight Golf 25-Year Celebration, Detroit native, actor, comedian, and Cass Tech alumnus David Alan Grier reflects on the mentors who shaped his life, the importance of giving back, and why programs like Midnight Golf matter. From stories about influential teachers who made learning exciting to lessons learned throughout his career, David shares ho...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of Black Fridays, Denzell breaks down how creators, entrepreneurs, and podcasters can take one long-form video and turn it into 20 different pieces of content across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, LinkedIn, email, blogs, websites, flyers, press releases, and even ebooks. The conversation focuses on working smarter with the content you already have, using tools l...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Karlyta Williams , founder of Mockery Zero Proof , to explore the growing world of zero-proof culture, wellness, and intentional community building. Karlyta shares how a personal shift away from alcohol during the pandemic evolved into Mockery, a Detroit-based non-alcoholic bottle shop and social space designed to help pe...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Ed Jones II , founder of Beyond The Field and creator of the Player Development Summit , to talk about what it really means to build a life beyond your title, your job, or your identity. Ed breaks down how he’s helping athletes and professionals transition into purpose-driven careers, the importance of ownership and skill...

What Up Doe?! In this special episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Detroit legend and founder of College Career & Beyond, home of the legendary Midnight Golf Program , Renee Fluker , to celebrate 25 years of transforming lives through mentorship, education, and opportunity. Renee shares the real story behind building Midnight Golf from the ground up with no funding, working m...

What Up Doe?! In this solo episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, Denzell breaks down why podcasting is one of the most underrated tools for creators, entrepreneurs, and small business owners heading into 2026. He shares how podcasting can serve as a content creation hack, a powerful networking tool, a way to build your personal brand, and a marketing engine to drive real revenue. If you’ve been th...

What Up Doe?! In this solo episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, host Denzell Turner gets real about one of the biggest killers of Black entrepreneurship — starting strong and stopping short before success ever has a chance to show up. Denzell breaks down the four core reasons entrepreneurs keep quitting on their own ideas, and delivers a no-fluff framework for building clarity, systems, audience,...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, host Denzell Turner sits down with Tiera Moultrie, founder of Autism In The D, to talk about what it really takes to build a movement from scratch when your community has nothing to offer you. Tiera shares how two sons diagnosed with autism, a broken Detroit school system, and a city without a single inclusive sensory space pushed her to...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Nina Idemudia , founder of A Planner with a Purpose , to talk about building a career rooted in purpose, community, and doing things on your own terms. Nina shares how her background in urban planning, leadership in national organizations, and real-life experiences pushed her to create intentional spaces, host impactful a...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Milwaukee entrepreneur and media creator Kayla Lewis Allen , co-founder of Full Circle TV, a family-centered streaming platform focused on real conversations about marriage, faith, and entrepreneurship. Kayla shares how she and her husband built their own platform from the ground up, the lessons they learned creating a business...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Detroit photographer, entrepreneur, and creative educator Katrina Cross-Daniels , founder of Katrina Cross Photography and KCD Creative Studios. Known for her empowering boudoir, branding, and portrait photography, Katrina shares how she transitioned from corporate life to full-time entrepreneurship and built a business focused...

Public relations is more than getting on TV or landing a headline. It’s about storytelling, preparation, and building trust with the audience you want to reach. In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast , host Denzell Turner sits down with Kiana Montgomery , founder of Ki Takeaways Communications , to break down how entrepreneurs can use public relations to grow their brand and amplify their st...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with the founders of Round One Gaming Lab Tyrell and Terrance to unpack how they built a competitive gaming space in Detroit designed for serious players, streamers, and community events. Inspired by the idea of bringing gaming back to what it was meant to be experienced like, together, they share how Round One evolved into a...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Bree Flemings, founder of Jem Social, to break down how she pivoted from DJ to tech founder and built an AI-powered influencer marketplace connecting creators with over 30,000 brands. Bree shares hard truths about influencer vs creator identity, how to pitch brands the right way, building scalable tech products, landing p...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Nkem Bernard , founder of Detroit Finds 313 , to unpack how she transitioned from full-time nurse to one of Metro Detroit’s most influential lifestyle creators. Nkem shares how consistency, understanding the Instagram algorithm, brand alignment, and community-first storytelling helped her build a monetized content platfor...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Barry Jennings , founder of The Uprising Network , to unpack a decade-long journey of independent media, creative sacrifice, and telling Detroit’s story from the ground up. Barry opens up about changing the narrative of the city, the cost of building for the community, why creators must stop waiting for permission, and ho...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Rachel Simone , aka Producer Bae, to unpack her journey from legacy media to building Production Bae, a platform focused on access, training, and real credits for Detroit creatives. Rachel breaks down why producing is an act of service, how relationships fuel long-term success in media, and what it really takes to build s...

What Up Doe?! In this episode of the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Vince Perkins from Ready to Love: Detroit to go beyond reality TV and unpack his journey as a Detroit native, former athlete, community mentor, and public servant. Vince shares real talk on accountability, masculinity, fatherhood, and what it truly means to live with purpose and abundance. Don’t Forget To Tap In With Our...