Black Fridays

What Up Doe?! This week, we’re joined by Christian Black — author of the new Christian thriller Battleground and founder of Sanctuary House Publishing. Christian blends faith, fiction, and real-life experience to explore spiritual warfare, trauma, and generational healing through storytelling. From crafting Dragon Ball Z fan-fiction as a kid to building a publishing company focused on protecting a...

What Up Doe?! This week, we’re chopping it up with Jon Genius — a Detroit creative, designer, and storyteller whose work has shaped the city’s visual culture from streetwear to album art. Known for his brand Corner Store Goods and collaborations with icons like Big Sean, Jon has built a career rooted in community, intentional storytelling, and paying homage to the city that raised him. A self-taug...

What Up Doe?! This week, we’re sitting down with LaNasia Angelina, a powerhouse mindset and business coach helping women and entrepreneurs break through limiting beliefs and build lives rooted in purpose, confidence and intentional strategy. As the founder of Transformations Coaching Agency and creator of Life Coach University, LaNasia has guided clients nationwide through inner healing, skill-bui...

What Up Doe?! This week, we’re honored to sit down with Dimitrius Hutcherson, President and Chief Operating Officer of First Independence Bank, the only Black-owned bank in Michigan. A Detroit native with roots on the east side and degrees from Morehouse and Harvard, Dimitrius brings over 30 years of financial, tech, and leadership experience to one of the country’s most historic community-driven...

What Up Doe?! This week, we’re honored to have Andre Ebron, the President & CEO of Ebron & Associates and a senior DEI leader who’s been shaping the future of leadership, culture, and impact in education, non-profit and consulting. With deep roots in service, entrepreneurship, and transformation, Andre leverages his experience to help individuals and organizations build inclusive environme...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast , I’m joined by Cierra Seay , marketing strategist, author, and founder of The Revive Group . From dropping out of college three times to helping her clients earn over $75 million in revenue , Cierra’s journey is all about grit, growth, and knowing your audience. She breaks down the psychology of effective marketing, how to build real connection...

What Up Doe?! In this special crossover episode between Black Fridays Podcast and Thanks But No One Asked You , hosts Denzell Turner and Britt Hunter sit down with Blake Stoner , founder and CEO of Vngle — a civic insights company on a mission to revolutionize local news. Based in Atlanta, Vngle trains everyday citizens to become verified community reporters, ensuring that real stories from underr...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Brittini Ward , Detroit-based poet, designer, and founder of Eye N Eye LLC , a storytelling platform that fuses creativity, healing, and community. Through her work as a multifaceted storyteller , Brittini uses poetry, visual art, and design to help others express their truths and preserve their stories through meaningful mediu...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we move to the rhythm of culture, history, and healing with Ajara, founder and director of TeMaTe Dance Institute, a Detroit-based organization preserving and teaching traditional West African dance and drumming. What started as a personal passion has grown into a cultural movement that empowers youth, connects generations, and celebrates the b...

This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we tee up with Jason Malone of College Careers and Beyond (formerly The Midnight Golf Program) and Trey Zachary of Trill Golf , two trailblazers using golf to build community, opportunity, and culture in Detroit. From empowering thousands of young people to pursue college success to redefining golf as a space for everyone, both leaders are proving that the g...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Denzel McCampbell, a Detroit native, lifelong community advocate, and candidate for Detroit City Council District 7. From his work with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib to his leadership as a Detroit Charter Revision Commissioner, Denzel has dedicated his career to amplifying community voices and fighting for transparency in governm...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Lauren Stovall , brand strategist, creative entrepreneur, and self-described “Legacy Preserver” at Hot Sam’s Detroit — the city’s oldest men’s clothier, founded in 1921. For over a century, Hot Sam’s has been more than a store; it’s been a cultural institution where Detroiters have marked life’s biggest moments — from first sui...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re back in Detroit and sitting inside the Social Media Store , the brainchild of Robert Courtney Collins — entrepreneur, agency founder, and visionary behind Robert Courtney & Associates, CreatorCon, and now a bold new space redefining how creators and business owners access resources. Robert breaks down the vision for the Social Media S...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re on location in Atlanta at the Fanbase headquarters , the Black-owned social media platform founded by Isaac Hayes III. I’m joined by two dynamic voices in leadership and innovation: Britt Hunter , a former Division I basketball star turned leadership coach and host of the podcast Thanks But No One Asked You , and Regnault Sanders , founde...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we sit down with Alex Ennis, MBA, Digital Media Manager for the City of Detroit’s Media Services Department. Alex is one of the creative minds helping shape the city’s digital voice through Engage Detroit, the platform responsible for telling Detroit’s story across social media, web, and broadcast. Known for adding authenticity and personality...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re bringing you another conversation recorded during Black Tech Saturdays’ Coworking Day. Our guest is Christopher Shah, founder of Onyx Tax & Financial Services in Detroit. With years of experience helping individuals and businesses navigate the complex world of taxes and financial planning, Chris is on a mission to make financial liter...

What Up Doe?! We’re bringing you one of our conversations recorded live at Black Tech Saturdays’ Coworking Day. Our guest is Grace Moore , founder of Moore Grace Solutions, a purpose-driven financial empowerment firm based in Detroit. As a financial strategist, speaker, and advocate for economic resilience, Grace is on a mission to help families and communities break free from cycles of financial...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re joined by Detroit’s own Delo Brown—comedian, actor, and producer making waves as one of the city’s rising voices in comedy. From studying political science at Michigan State to finding her true calling on stage, Delo’s story is one of risk-taking, resilience, and refusing to wait for permission. After a bold move to Los Angeles that lande...

What Up Doe?! We wrap up our Black Business Month series at The Lip Bar Detroit with Part 3, spotlighting three trailblazing Detroit creatives and strategists: Gail Perry-Mason – Founder of Money Matters for Youth , bestselling author, and financial literacy champion who empowers Detroit youth through summer investment camps and programs that teach economics as community power. Erica Banks – Manag...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we continue our Black Business Month celebration at The Lip Bar Detroit with Part 2 of our special series. Our guest is Jamilah Jackson , Community Manager at The Lip Bar and founder of Jaxon Strategies, a boutique social media agency serving entrepreneurs and creatives. With nearly a decade of experience in media and community engagement, Jami...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re joined by Sean Gray, Vice President of Small Business Services at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC). Recorded on location at The Lip Bar Detroit during their Black Business Month celebration, this episode highlights Sean’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening Detroit’s small business ecosystem. The DEGC is...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re joined by the founders of  Belong Lending , Detroit’s first Black-owned mortgage company. Born out of a vision to close the wealth gap and rewrite the narrative around homeownership, Belong Lending is making the path to buying a home more accessible, transparent, and culturally rooted for Detroiters. We dive into how the founders came tog...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, I sat down with Amber M. Lewis, the creative powerhouse behind Social N The City and one of Detroit’s leading voices in digital storytelling and culture. Known for her role as the City of Detroit’s former Director of Digital and Social Media—where she grew engagement by over 400%—Amber has mastered the art of building authentic connections betw...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we’re joined by Matthew Burnett, Founder and CEO of Roundhere.io, the platform designed to connect entrepreneurs with the funding, talent, spaces, and opportunities they need to thrive. A 2X VC-backed founder and serial entrepreneur, Matthew is on a mission to bridge the gap between local founders and the resources that can take their businesse...

What Up Doe?! This week on the Black Fridays Podcast, we're joined by Brooklynn Jackson—a Detroit-born fashionpreneur and the creative force behind FormFit. From launching her first business in high school to creating a viral athleisure brand during the pandemic, Brooklynn has built a name rooted in confidence, community, and culture. Her passion for fashion and empowering others is driving a...