Who or what is your inspiration in business?

The black women in film and TV (Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, Quinta Brunson), as well as authors like Maya Angelou, Nicola Yoon, Tia Williams, Tiffany D. Jackson, etc. My inspiration also comes from black entrepreneurs like Daymond John. I watch Shark Tank with my mom and we love it. I'm always inspired by all of the creative business concepts presented on the show.

How do you stay motivated?

Knowing that there's limited quality content for black and brown people that's not stereotypical or that focuses on negativity fuels me to create content that celebrates black joy and shows the diversity of our people within the diaspora. I'm motivated by my desire to see stories that uplift and entertain black audiences. I want to create a large traditional publishing company that rivals the Big Five, writing my own stories and finding authors whose stories match my vision for SP Publishing.

What would you do with the $25,000?

First, I would expand my publishing company, investing in a professional editor, cover design, and marketing infrastructure so that my projects - and the projects of the authors I take on - can reach larger audiences. Second, I would grow my book-focused blog into a larger media hub for readers and writers. I want it to be a destination for literary discovery, author interviews, and conversations about storytelling. Third, I would invest in the development of my screenplays.