Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

Pioneers who built the Greenwood District of Tulsa, OK and other thriving Black communities are my inspiration. Founders who have mission driven brands that provide products and services that improve the quality of life for their customers are my inspiration. My current inspirations are Melissa Butler of The Lip Bar, Telfar Clemens of Telfar, and Luis von Ahn of Duolingo.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by remembering why I do my work. I want to change the lives of my family and community by making Black communities more prosperous and more healthy. I know that this improves the world but also improves my quality of life and well-being.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would spend the funds on marketing, business compliance, and improving processes. The marketing is necessary so that people hear about us and see the work we do. The compliance helps us mitigate risk to the operations of the business. Improving processes allows us to set ourselves up for growth; good processes allow for delegation, duplication, and expansion.