Megan Graham is the Founder and CEO of Ries, a new brand addressing single-use plastic waste in the beauty industry with refillable, reusable travel-size bottles designed for beauty.

Megan spent her formative years in Atlanta, where her father was an anchor for CNN. She attended Florida State University, choosing to major in Textile Science and Fashion Merchandising. Megan translated this into a career in media and fashion, ultimately helping to run beauty marketing at Vogue. Her roles over those years involved extensive travel. And it was this context that led to her insight around wasteful plastics in personal care items, particularly those used on-the-go. She would discover that 150 billion pieces of plastic are created by the beauty industry annually, and 30% of single use plastic ending up in the landfill comes from personal care and grooming products. So, as the saying goes, she thought there had to be a better way. And so Ries was born.

Megan was part of the inaugural cohort of the Sephora Accelerate. Ries has gone to be carried by Sephora and Goop, and be recognized by Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines as one of the hottest innovations in the industry.

Megan has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Megan and Dan discussed:

The realization that she appreciated looking at fashion more than creating
The growth the comes from hard environments
How Ries ended up featured at Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop
Why success for her is defined by pushing the industry forward in sustainability
What a trend forecaster actually does

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event near you.

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #travel #beauty

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Naza Shelley is Founder and CEO of CarpeDM, an exclusive member-only dating community, created for singles seeking meaningful relationships with professional Black women.

Naza is the daughter of military parents, so she lived in many places growing up. She eventually settled down in Virginia for high school, and then the University of Virginia for college. From a young age, she had aspirations to become an attorney. She pursued this journey, with a law degree from Howard University. Naza says it was a year post law school teaching in China that reinforced her desire to practice. And so she did when she returned to the US. As a successful black professional woman in DC, she still found something missing.

As she explored the various online dating experiences, she became more and more frustrated: why wasn’t there anything for her specifically? And so, the idea for CarpeDM was born. Fast forward through milestones, like landing a co-founder, going through Techstars, and launching a truly unique hybrid service that is part online dating and part matchmaker service. Naza has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed round, gaining her membership into the group of black women founders who’ve raised over $1M in venture capital.

Naza has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Naza and Dan discussed:

Growing up in a military family
The impact of spending a year in China after law school
How dozens of dates in a year left her exhausted, with no real connections
The power of 'friends and family' signals
Why $86,000 was the right amount for her first fundraise

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

BLCK VCA focused community built for and by black investors.

If you ever thought about getting into Venture, you definitely want to connect up at blackvc.com or

follow @BLCKVC for more about their exceptional programs and events.

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #onlinedating

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JUNETEENTH 2023 - Part II

In honor of Juneteenth and the 3rd anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, we thought we’d do something a little different this month. Back in June 2020, we did two episodes with black men and black women founders, capturing their raw thoughts, emotions, and insights at the time. These were two of our most popular episodes of all time. And the sentiments shared, and vulnerability shared are as powerful today as they were then.

This is part two, where we were honored to have Dr. Ivor Horn step in as guest host, moderating a panel of black women founders:

Helen Adeosun, Stella Ashaolu, Cherae Robinson, and Ashlee Wisdom

In some ways, that time in 2020 was a catalyst for progress. Unfortunately, though - with an extended pandemic, a tough economy, and frankly the passage of time – we have not seen enough continued focus, and a loss of priority. One thing that history teaches us…its that where society’s gaze lands, progress and achievement follow. The founders from these episodes certainly show a representative slice of the founder journey. Some have startups that are prospering with investment capital. Some have pivoted. And some have sunset. But all of these founders are still wise and fierce leaders today.

Take time to ponder on what you hear...

In this throwback episode from June 2020, we discussed:

How it feels to be a black woman in America
Moving between exhausted and determined
Honoring the moment: with voice, intention, and self-care
The desire to reach back and lift up
How office hours are a poor substitute for a check

Audience References:

Stella's panel discussion
Ashlee's TEDx Talk
Cherae's Podcast
More about Ivor

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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JUNETEENTH 2023 - Part I

This is part I, with me moderating a panel of black men founders: Kahlil Ashanti, Bara Cola, AK Ikwuakor, and Claudius Mbemba.

In some ways, that time in 2020 was a catalyst for progress. Unfortunately though - with an extended pandemic, a tough economy, and frankly the passage of time – we have not seen enough continued focus, and a loss of priority. One thing that history teaches us…its that where society’s gaze lands, progress and achievement follow. The founders from these episodes certainly show a representative slice of the founder journey. Some have startups that are prospering with investment capital. Some have pivoted. And some have sunset. But all of these founders remain wise and fierce.

Take time to ponder on what you hear...

In this throwback episode from June 2020, we discussed:

How it feels to be a black man in America (June 2020)
What it's like to be a black entrepreneur in the midst of two American crises
What steps are they taking, in light of the protests, George Floyd, and their own mental health
Recommendations for others, including allies

Audience References:

AK's Post
Bara's Post
Claudius' Post
Dan's Post

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Kofi Gyekye is a serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Lane, the world's largest and most innovative workplace experience platform, connecting 300+ properties across 22 cities and 8 countries.

We are trying something a little different with this episode. Kofi along with his cofounder Clinton, has actually built and sold Lane, so not really still unfound.

But he was so interesting and the journey so compelling, I couldn’t resist sitting down with him as a guest.

Kofi grew up in Europe with African parents. He was good at school and realized that he loved the dual pursuit of creativity and analysis - the perfect foundations for his journey as product visionary. A serendipitous meeting at university party, resulted in Kofi’s partnership with his co-founder Clinton across 3 separate ventures. It was when Kofi was considering an RFP for a marketing campaign, for office buildings, that he decided to do something he had never done before in his career – see what’s like to work in a office. So, he spent a day exploring and observing at big skyscraper office. The epiphany hit him: why can’t the office environment be as convenient and seamless as home. And so Lane was born.

In the whirlwind that followed, the company did Techstars, grew from 10 to 200 people, landed clients all over the world, and then in late 2021, sold for $200M to unicorn Proptech company VTS.

Kofi has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Kofi and Dan discussed:

Growing up as an African in Italy
How the combination of analytical and creative make him great at product
The evolution of fulfillment and its connection to impact
The journey of selling your company
The future of work, and oh the way, real estate

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #b2b #proptech

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Melissa Brogdon is Co-Founder and CEO of FourthParty, a justice technology company that increases access to mediation services so that people can resolve legal conflicts outside of court.

Proud to hail from Oakland, Melissa was raised by an incredible role model - her great grandmother. Despite opportunities to stay local for college at Berkeley, she followed the urging of a mentor and went to Spelman, a premier HBCU in Atlanta. Emerging from undergrad with confidence and curiosity, Melissa was initially a teacher, but ultimately pursued a successful career in the nonprofit sector. But then came the opportunity to work with her partner and husband to build his law practice. It was there that Melissa saw firsthand the impact of mediation, AND the clear needs mediators had. And so FourthParty was born.

Melissa has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Melissa and Dan discussed:

Growing up in Oakland
Her journey from teaching to philanthropy to entrepreneurship
How the pandemic drove an explosion in the need for mediation
When she found out she was part of the first Google for Startups class
Why "first" isn't always best

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event near you.

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #legaltech

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Chiko Chingaya, Co-Founder and CEO of Talisman, a company building the next generation of software management, offering companies a centralized overview of all their software and SaaS.

Born in post-colonial Zimbabwe, Chiko moved to the US when he was 7, growing up in and around Dallas. With parents always working, Chiko developed a sense of independence, pursuing early passions for writing and the arts. He entered college under the premise that he would pursue law potentially, But, a trip to his homeland midway through undergrad left him humbled and determined. What followed was a masterclass of career stints - product, marketing, sales, and client success. Then one evening, watching Shark tank with a glass on wine in hand, he had the epiphany that would become Talisman. Keep listening to hear how it happened.

Chiko and Talisman have a great story.

In this episode Chiko and Dan discussed:

What changed when he moved from Zimbabwe to the US
How a $500 trip to Costco landed Talisman its first investors
Is it me or is it my business? The black founder inner question
The power of relationships and your network
Why everyone should learn to code

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #b2b #saas

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Donald T Boone, Founder and CEO of BoxedUp, a B2B equipment rental marketplace, similar to the Airbnb for camera gear.

Growing up in Maryland, Donald came from humble beginnings and followed his older brother in pursuit of an engineering degree at the HBCU North Carolina A&T. Donald had distinguished roles at companies like Exxon and Amazon. But as a 3-time founder, the call of entrepreneurship has always been loud in his ear. And talk about conviction. He has borrowed against his 401k for a previous startup and taught himself how to code from scratch. And get this, in the middle of the pandemic, with an incredible compensation in Amazon in hand, he decided to take BoxedUp’s early insights and traction, quit his job and set out to make his company the success he knew it could be.

Donald has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Donald and Dan discussed:

Growing up in Maryland
How following his brother led to an HBCU education
The stark reality of giving up Amazon-level comp to be a founder
How COVID 19 changed his business almost instantly

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Entrepreneur Struggle

A compelling podcast with host Chris Colbert from DCP Entertainment.

Listen anywhere you get podcasts or go to dcpofficial.com/entrepreneurstruggle

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #ecommerce

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kistein Monkhouse is Founder and CEO of Patient Orator, a startup that improves healthcare access and breaks down health inequities through an easy-to-use app.

Original Episode: No.16, July 2020

foundersunfound.com/patient-orator-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON KISTEIN AND PATIENT ORATORKistein:

@KisteinM

linkedin.com/in/kisteinmonk45/

vimeo.com/ondemand/humanizinghealthcare

Patient Orator:

patientorator.com

linkedin.com/company/patientorator/

twitter.com/PatientOrator

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Wole Ayodele is Co-Founder and CEO of Fincra (formerly Fliqpay), a startup that makes it easy for fintech firms, platforms and global businesses to accept local and international payments through an easy-to-integrate API and merchant portal.

Original Episode: No.14, June 2020

foundersunfound.com/fliqpay-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON WOLE AND FINCRAWole:

twitter.com/AyowoleOA

linkedin.com/in/woleayodele/

Fliqpay Pitch on Techstars Demo Day

Fincra:

fincra.com

linkedin.com/company/fincrahq

twitter.com/FincraHQ

instagram.com/fincrahq

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Roger Roman, Co-Founder of AfriBlocks, the global Pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform. They are building THE resource for devs, designers, and virtual assistants.

Original Episode: No.39, July 2021

foundersunfound.com/afriblocks-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON ROGER AND AFRIBLOCKSRoger:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerroman/

https://twitter.com/RogerLRomanII

AfriBlocks:

https://www.afriblocks.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/afriblocks/

https://twitter.com/afriblocks

https://www.instagram.com/afriblocks/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Patrice Darby Neely is Founder and CEO of GoTackle, the first automated consulting and data analytics platform for small business owners and the vast network of small business supporters.

Original Episode: No.40, August 2021

foundersunfound.com/gologic-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON PATRICE AND GOTACKLEPatrice:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrice-darby-neely

GoTackle:

gotackle.app

linkedin.com/company/join-tackle/about

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kirt Debique is the Co-Founder and CEO of SyncFloor, a company revolutionizing discovery and acquisition of music for productions of all types – from advertising to podcasting, filmmaking to fitness, TV to eSports.

Original Episode: No.22, November 2020

foundersunfound.com/syncfloor-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON KIRT AND SYNCFLOORKirt:

linkedin.com/in/kirtdebique/

twitter.com/katewayo

twitter.com/BrickLaneRecs

instagram.com/katewayo/

SyncFloor:

songsforpodcasters.com

syncfloor.com

linkedin.com/company/syncfloor/

twitter.com/SyncFloor

instagram.com/syncfloor/

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Evan Leaphart is the Founder and CEO of Kiddie Kredit, a mobile chore tracking app that teaches kids about credit.

Original Episode: No.29, March 2021

foundersunfound.com/kiddie-kredit-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON EVAN AND KIDDIE KREDITEvan:

linkedin.com/in/evanleaphart/

twitter.com/evanleaphart

instagram.com/evanleaphart/

blackmentalktech.com

Kiddie Kredit

kiddiekredit.com

twitter.com/kiddiekredit

instagram.com/KiddieKredit/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Amira Rasool is the Founder and CEO of The Folklore, a conglomerate of B2B, consumer, and media products that enable the global ecosystem to seamlessly discover, connect with, and shop African and diasporic designer brands.

Original Episode: No.33, May 2021

foundersunfound.com/the-folklore-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON AMIRA AND THE FOLKLOREAmira:

instagram.com/amirarasool

twitter.com/amirarasool

linkedin.com/in/amira-rasool-52359855

The Folklore:

instagram.com/TheFolklore

twitter.com/TheFolklore

linkedin.com/company/the-folklore

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kwame Boler is Co-Founder and CEO of Spritz (formerly Neu), an app that helps house cleaners automate and grow their business.

Original Episode: No.2, April 2019

foundersunfound.com/coming-soon-neu-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON KWAME AND SPRITZKWAME:

linkedin.com/in/kwameboler

twitter.com/KwameBoler

instagram.com/kwameboler

Spritz (Neu):

usespritz.com

linkedin.com/company/usespritz

twitter.com/useSpritz

instagram.com/usespritz

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Cheraé Robison is Founder and CEO Tastemakers Africa, a company that connects black millennials to culture forward experiences.

Cheraé is also the Head of Community for Skybridge Capital Partners

Original Episode: No.11, April 2020

foundersunfound.com/tastemakers-africa-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON CHERAÉtwitter.com/sasyrae

linkedin.com/in/cheraerobinson/

instagram.com/sasyrae/

flybridge.com/cherae-robinson

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Serge Amouzou is Founder and CEO of Datatrixs (formerly Finmod), a startup building the best data-capture and analytical reviews software for accounting firms, financial institutions, and beyond.

Original Episode: No.45, November 2021

foundersunfound.com/finmod-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON SERGE AND DATATRIXSSerge:

linkedin.com/in/serge-amouzou-65b76841

twitter.com/sergeamouzou

instagram.com/amouzou.serge

Datatrixs (Finmod):

datatrixs.com

linkedin.com/company/datatrixs

twitter.com/datatrixs

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Melanie Akwule is Founder and CEO of MINWO, an economic development tech company that helps organizations provide culturally informed business development support to the Black founders they serve.

Original Episode: No.37, July 2021

foundersunfound.com/minwo-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON MELANIE AND WINWOMELANIE:

linkedin.com/in/melakwule

twitter.com/mel_anuchi

instagram.com/mel_anuchi

MINWO:

minwo.co

linkedin.com/company/minwo

twitter.com/minwo_co

instagram.com/minwo.co

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Baratunde Cola is Founder and CEO of Carbice, a company revolutionizing thermal cooling for the global electronics market.

Original Episode: No.4, September 2019

foundersunfound.com/carbice-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON BARATUNDE AND CARBICE

Baratunde:

linkedin.com/in/baratundecola

twitter.com/baratundecola

Carbice:

carbice.com

twitter.com/carbice

linkedin.com/company/carbice

https://youtu.be/m7jCPyNzF4Q

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Ashlee Ammons is the Co-Founder of Mixtroz, a company that creates serendipity at live and virtual events using real-time surveying along with their unique algorithm.

Original Episode: No.30, April 2021

foundersunfound.com/mixtroz-black-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON ASHLEE AND MIXTROZAshlee:

linkedin.com/in/ashleeanneammons

instagram.com/shemixalot87

Mixtroz:

mixtroz.com

twitter.com/Mixtroz

instagram.com/mixtroz

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kevin Dedner is Co-Founder and CEO Hurdle (formerly Henry Health), a platform that provides culturally sensitive self-care and mental health services.

Original Episode: No.10, April 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/henry-health-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON KEVIN AND HURDLEKEVIN:

https://twitter.com/kdedner

linkedin.com/in/kevin-dedner-mph-

HxD Conference Video

HURDLE:

hurdle.health

twitter.com/hurdle_app

linkedin.com/company/hurdleapp

instagram.com/hurdle.app

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Dr. Sonja Ebron is Co-founder and CEO of Courtroom5, a company that makes an automated legal toolbox that helps people represent themselves in court.

Original Episode: No.343, June 2021

https://foundersunfound.com/courtroom5-black-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON SONJA AND COURTROOM5Sonja:

linkedin.com/in/sonjaebron

twitter.com/SonjaEbron

Courtroom5:

courtroom5.com

instagram.com/courtroom5legal

twitter.com/courtroom5legal

linkedin.com/company/courtroom5

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Wemimo Abbey is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, the leading financial technology platform that leverages data solutions to empower tenants and improve property performance.

Original Episode: No.23, November 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/esusu-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON WEMIMO AND ESUSUWEMIMO:

linkedin.com/in/wemimo-abbey-62382a2a/

ESUSU:

esusurent.com

esusurentrelief.com

linkedin.com/company/esusu/

twitter.com/getesusu

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Tiffany Kelly is Founder and CEO of Curastory, a company that allows anyone to shoot and edit high-quality video, monetize shows, and distribute to all of their video channels, 100% free.

Original Episode: No.17, August 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/curastory-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON TIFFANY AND CURASTORYTIFFANY:

twitter.com/tiffmkell

instagram.com/tiffmkell/

linkedin.com/in/tiffmkell

CURASTORY:

curastory.co

twitter.com/curastoryus

instagram.com/curastory/

linkedin.com/company/curastory/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Khalid David is Founder and CEO of TracFlo, a company with a predictive financial management platform that is empowering America’s contractors.

Original Episode: No.41, August 2021

https://foundersunfound.com/tracflo-black-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON KHALID AND TRACFLOKhalid:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalid-david-34a55824/

https://www.twitter.com/kdpegasus

https://www.instagram.com/kdpegasus

TracFlo:

https://tracfloapp.com

https://republic.co/tracflo

https://www.linkedin.com/company/tracflo

https://www.instagram.com/tracfloapp

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blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Stella Ashaolu is Founder and CEO of WeSolv, a company using performance data and predictive analytics to help companies reduce bias and hire a more diverse workforce.

Original Episode: No.1, April 2019

https://foundersunfound.com/stella_ashaolu_wesolv_diversity/

MORE ON STELLA AND WESOLVStella:

linkedin.com/in/stellaashaolu

twitter.com/StellaAshaolu

WeSolv:

WeSolv.com

Twitter

Medium

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Marcus Bullock is Founder and CEO of Flikshop, a company which helps families stay connected to their incarcerated loved ones.

Original Episode: No.12, May 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/flikshop-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON MARCUS AND FLIKSHOPMARCUS:

twitter.com/_marcus_bullock

Marcus TED talk

FLIKSHOP:

flikshop.com

twitter.com/flikshop

linkedin.com/in/flikshop/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Shanel Fields is Founder and CEO of MD Ally, a platform that allows emergency personnel to triage non-emergency callers to telemedicine.

Original Episode: No.13, May 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/mdally-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON SHANEL AND MD ALLYSHANEL:

linkedin.com/in/shanelfields/

New York Times feature

MD ALLY:

mdally.com

twitter.com/mdallyinc

linkedin.com/company/mdally/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Su Sanni is Co-Founder and CEO of Dollaride, a mobility company for communities under-served by public transit.

Original Episode: No.18, August 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/dollaride-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON SU AND DOLLARIDESU:

@TheSuSanni [TW]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sulaimansanni/

Startup Grind Fireside Chat

DOLLARIDE:

@Dollaride [TW]

@Dollaride [IG]

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dollaride/

https://republic.co/dollaride

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kameale Terry is Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, a company that enables on-demand repair of electric vehicle charging stations, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs.

Original Episode: No.15, July 2020

https://foundersunfound.com/chargerhelp-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON KAMEALE AND CHARGERHELP!KAMEALE:

@KamealeC

linkedin.com/in/kamealecterry

CHARGERHELP!:

chargerhelp.com

@ChargerHelp

linkedin.com/company/chargerhelp

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Stephen Ajayi is the Co-Founder and CEO of YearOne, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs. But getting jobs for Bootcamp grads is not all they do.

Original Episode: No.32, May 2021

https://foundersunfound.com/yearone-black-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON STEPHEN AND YEARONEStephen:

linkedin.com/in/stephenkajayi

twitter.com/stephenkajayi

YearOne:

joinyearone.io

linkedin.com/company/yearonecareers/about/

twitter.com/YearOnecareers

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye is the Founder and CEO of SKNMUSE, the premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for the modern black woman.

Original Episode: No.35, June 2021

https://foundersunfound.com/sknmuse-black-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON EZINNE AND SKNMUSEEzinne:

twitter.com/ZMuse_

linkedin.com/in/ezinne-iroanya-adeoye-567a6515b/

instagram.com/avenue_z/

SKNMUSE:

sknmuse.com

instagram.com/sknmuse/

twitter.com/sknmuse

linkedin.com/company/sknmuse/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Kahlil Ashanti is the founder and CEO of weshowup, a company that brings the concept of "pay what you want" to entertainment and events. Kahlil has since gone on to also found Mantis XR,

a company that creates 3D fan engagement and commerce experiences for the metaverse accessible by URL from any device. No wearables, downloads or extra equipment required!

Original Episode: No.8, March 2020

foundersunfound.com/weshowup-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON KAHLIL AND WESHOWUPKahlil:

twitter.com/kahlilashanti

kahlilashanti.com

TED talk

weshowup:

weshowup.io

Mantis XR (his new company):

mantisxr.com

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Jim Gibbs is Co-founder and CEO of MeterFeeder, a company that predicts parking availability, and enables vehicles to pay for parking with no human interaction.

Original Episode: #20, October 2020

foundersunfound.com/meterfeeder-founder-profile-podcast

MORE ON JIM AND METERFEEDERJIM:

twitter.com/heezo

linkedin.com/in/james-gibbs-4ab8/

METERFEEDER:

meterfeeder.com

twitter.com/meterfeeder

instagram.com/meterfeederapp

linkedin.com/company/meter-feeder-inc

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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For the month of February, we are publishing flashback clips from some of our wonderful past episodes. Please a take some time enjoy (again) the full episodes from these founders.

Season 4 of Founders Unfound starts in March!

Ashlee Wisdom is the Founder and CEO of Health in Her HUE, a digital platform connecting black women to culturally competent healthcare providers, health content, and community.

Original Episode: #28, March 2021

foundersunfound.com/healthinherhue-black-founder-profile-podcast/

MORE ON ASHLEE AND HEALTH IN HER HUEAshlee:

linkedin.com/in/ashlee-wisdom-mph-7114a040/

twitter.com/AshleeWisdom

instagram.com/ashleejwisdom/

Health in Her HUE:

healthinherhue.com

twitter.com/HealthInHerHUE

instagram.com/healthinherhue/

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bhm

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Anthony Gantt is Founder and CEO of atease, a company that qualifies and lists temporary lodging rental inventory which enables per diem government travelers to stay in accommodation types beyond hotels.

Anthony grew up in Miami, in a large family with modest means. He had gifts for math, STEM, and athletics. When he got to Florida A&M University, he was quickly hit with the sticker shock of college expenses, even at public HBCU like A&M. Urgency for solutions led him to take up the suggestion of the military as a way to subsidize his college experience.

What followed is a 22+ year distinguished career in the United States Marine Corp. Thank you so much for your service Anthony!

It was during his military tenure that he discovered that a number of the lodging options you and I now take for granted, weren’t allowed for those working in the various areas of the US government. As a father of six, he realized that small hotel rooms don’t meet the need when called to move across the country for a new assignment. And so, atease was born.

Anthony has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Anthony and Dan discussed:

Growing up in Miami and attending an HBCU
How he tried to enlist in two other branches before landing in the Marines
Why he thinks it's hard for civilian companies to appreciate veterans' experience
How his military experience and training prepared him for entrepreneurship
What he has in common with Jeff Bezos

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Entrepreneur Struggle

A compelling podcast with host Chris Colbert from DCP Entertainment.

Listen anywhere you get podcasts or go to dcpofficial.com/entrepreneurstruggle

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #travel #OTA #USmilitary

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Chantal Emmanuel is Co-Founder and CTO of LimeLoop, a company that is delivering a world without waste with their reusable smart packaging.

Chantal grew up in Queens, in a neighborhood without many people of color, but with a strong sense of her Caribbean heritage, surrounded by a large extended family. She brought a calling to serve with her after college, leading to work in AmeriCorps, but it was her analytical and logic-driven intellect that soon brought her to data, and software.

With a pivot through coding bootcamp and relocation to the Bay Area, Chantall found herself working for Red Clay Design, a company developing software to bring together industrial designers and retail companies. It was at Red Clay that Chantal would come across both the core idea for Lime Loop, and her co-founder Ashley. This would lead to the start of her founder journey years later.

Chantal has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Chantal and Dan discussed:

Growing up with a supportive, big family
Going from AmeriCorps to software development
How she joined the small club of black women who've raised $1M
The inefficiencies and cautions of how we ship today
What wakes her up at 2am

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Entrepreneur Struggle

A compelling podcast with host Chris Colbert from DCP Entertainment.

Listen anywhere you get podcasts or go to dcpofficial.com/entrepreneurstruggle

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #commerce #3PL #shippinglogistics

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Oluwasoga Oni is Co-Founder and CEO of MDaaS Global, a company that is building Africa's largest network of physical and virtual diagnostic and primary care facilities, ultimately to provide quality and affordable healthcare for the continent's next billion.

Soga, as he’s known, grew up in a rural town in Nigeria, surrounded by a family of doctors and medical professionals. And while he didn’t have the calling himself, he saw firsthand the gaps and challenges faced by providers. His love of tinkering and problem solving led him to software development and work in the US. But it was his time at MIT where he was challenged by one of his professors: come up with a business that will impact a billion people. And so MDaaS was born.

Since inception the company has pivoted from a medical equipment supplier to a full stack of diagnostic and testing centers, where MDaaS focuses on patient experience on site, and prevention and wellness when patients are at home and on the go. The company is backed by the likes of Techstars, Google for Startups, and the Jack Ma foundation.

Soga has a great story. You will want to listen in.

In this episode Soga and Dan discussed:

Seeing medical care's challenges from his dad's doctor office
Adjusting to life and college in the US from Nigeria
Why African healthcare has nowhere to go but up
Life as husband-wife co-founder team
Reading signals - from investors and customers

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.

Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #healthtech #nigeriastartups

Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Rod Johson is Co-Founder of BLK & Bold, the preeminent black-owned coffee company in America. Black & Bold was founded with the desire to unite coffee and tea lovers worldwide through a common interest of investing in community.

Rod grew up in the working-class city of Gary Indiana and eventually went on to Indiana University and a career in development and giving. But he soon developed a restlessness that only business ownership could fix. Along with lifelong friend Pernell, Rod set out to find their entrepreneurial calling, one that could match purpose with profit.

And so BLK & Bold was born in 2018. Since then, Rod and Pernell have grown BLK & Bold into a national brand carried by the likes of Target and Whole Foods. They have a rare licensing deal with the NBA and have been celebrated by Dwanye Wade on the Ellen show. All this, completely bootstrapped from their headquarters in Des Moines Iowa.

Rod has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Rod and Dan discussed:

Growing up in Gary and the Midwest
How a basketball hoop brought Rod and his Co-Founder together
Why starting a business built on giving back is so important
How the fire department was a part their early product development
Tradeoffs when doing a start up with a 'day job'

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #blackowned #coffee

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SPECIAL EPISODE! OUR 3RD ANNIVERSARY 🎉🎆

What an amazing three years!

Since we started in 2019, we’ve had 50 episodes interviewing 50 founders from 48 companies. As of mid-2022, our guests employ close to 500, and have collectively raised over $213M in outside funding. Incredible when you think about the challenges in fundraising that have faced all entrepreneurs, especially founders of color.

They would make a pretty great portfolio!

To celebrate our anniversary, we decided to go back to the beginning, 2019, and catch up with the 5 founders we had on the show that first year:

Stella Ashaolu of Wesolv, Kwame Boler of Neu (Spritz), Ikechi Nwabusi of TRiBL, Bara Cola of Carbice and Coack AK Ikwuakor from E-LETE Styles

I wanted to find out what the world of 2022 looked like compared to 2019, from their eyes.

Thanks to Stella, Kwame, Bara, Ikechi and Coach AK for catching us up and reflecting on their journeys.

Make sure to listen in.

In this episode:

We review the last three year and where our past guests are collectively
Updates from the 5 guest founders who first came on the show in 2019
Insights from our 2019 guests on being a black founder in 2022 vs 2019

EPISODE GUESTSStella Ashaolu:

linkedin.com/in/stellaashaolu

twitter.com/StellaAshaolu

wesolv.com/

Kwame Boler:

linkedin.com/in/kwameboler

twitter.com/useSpritz

usespritz.com

Bara Cola:

linkedin.com/in/baratundecola/

twitter.com/baratundecola

carbice.com

AK Ikwuakor:

linkedin.com/in/akikwuakor

instagram.com/ak.ikwuakor

sociatap.com/coachak

Ikechi Nwabuisi:

linkedin.com/in/ikechi-nwabuisi

twitter.com/buisi_x

jointribl.com

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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

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Francisco Baptista is Founder and CEO of TeamSportz, a company building an AI sports platform to help team athletes enhance their performance.

Francisco was born in Angola, growing during a period of civil war in that country. He used basketball as an escape from this harsh environment, first by watching his mother play, and then finding sanctuary on the courts himself. Francisco moved to Brazil for his teenage years, then to Portugal, and finally now in the UK. All the while pursuing his dual passions for hoops and software development. It’s the meeting of these two loves where TeamSportz, with a zed as they say, was born. The company now boasts notable investors including Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava and Rand Fishkin of Moz fame.

Francisco has a great story. You will want to listen in.

In this episode Francisco and Dan discussed:

growing up in war and in different countries
how his upbringing matured him past his contemporaries while in school
how Portuguese differs from Angola, to Brazil, to Portugal
how asking for advice, led to an investor, and another, and another...
playing university-level basketball as a teen, by "being Francisco Sr"

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event near you.

MORE on FRANCISCO and TEAMSPORTZFrancisco:

twitter.com/tomboa

linkedin.com/in/baptistafrancisco

TeamSportz:

teamsportz.pro

linkedin.com/company/teamsportz

twitter.com/teamsportz_

instagram.com/teamsportz

Follow Founders Unfound: Like and share - help us grow!

PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #sportstech

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Keara Kindelynn is Founder and CEO of Foreverly, a company with a mission to make dealing with death--a little less stressful. Foreverly helps organizations support their employees who have experienced the death of a loved one.

Kera was born to a family with deep roots to her hometown of Brooklyn. She emerged from college and business school, climbing the corporate ladder. Leading all the way to Seattle and Microsoft. But it was her calling to volunteering and service that led her to the world of hospice, end of life, and the underserved season of bereavement. Kera saw that the death of a loved one is an unguided, stressful, and lonely experience - for those grieving and for those who want to support them. It’s from this transformative understanding that Foreverly was born. We spoke with Kera recently just after finishing the Techstars program.

Keara has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Keara and Dan discussed:

growing up in Brooklyn
parents who supported continuous curiosity
being mind-blown by her first experience with affluent black America
the "tragedies in 3's" that spurred on starting Foreverly
pivoting from selling service to customers, to a benefit for companies

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.

This hot-off-the-presses publication is THE playbook for those at the earliest stages of the startup journey.

Or even if you are just contemplating the jump to entrepreneurship. To get this great resource, go to dkparker.com or find anywhere you buy books.

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #bereavement

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Sabrina Williams is Founder and CEO of SEED, a company that helps consumers and underserved farmers grow smart and feed more by democratizing access to agriculture technology.

Sabrina is a native Californian, born and raised in Compton. Her curiosity and passions led her to pursuits in architecture, law, and urban planning. Through her non-profit, she dedicated herself to social justice challenges in urban communities. It was in this arena that Sabrina discovered the core issue that would lead to SEED: food insecurity amongst the most vulnerable, lower income populations. Now her company is bringing together technology, climate policy, and food equity to create more and better access to growing.

Sabrina has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Sabrina and Dan discussed:

the journey from architecture to law to urban planning
how SEED started as a big idea and morphed into a huge one
the link from food equity and social justice
the connection between Elvis, Karl Marx, and the Blues
balancing the startup life by playing in a ska band

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.

Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #agritech

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Sean Bovell is Founder and CEO of Invidica, a company building a marketplace platform that is transforming the reseller economy one product at a time.

Sean has an amazing background. Born in the UK, raised in predominantly white communities in Utah and Idaho, before landing in Oakland for his formative year. A natural at math and STEM, Sean has been drawn to tech from an early age. He built his first ecommerce company from the ground up, alternately celebrating and struggling with the highs and lows of rules and technology that seem to change constantly. But it was through this bootcamp of sorts that Sean zeroed in on the key insights that would lead to the creation of Invidica. With funding from 500 Startups, and comparisons to the likes of Aliba and eBay, it’s no wonder he has many investors filling up his inbox these days.

Sean has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Sean and Dan discussed:

realities of being one of the few black kids in a white school
the spark of his entrepreneur ambition in college
starting his first ecommerce company from his bedroom
a lucky encounter with a mentor from 500 startups
how ecommerce today is broken, and why he wants to fix it

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #ecommerce

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James Chapman is Founder and CEO of Plain Sight, a company that helps you make the right connections at events and workspaces, or connect online from anywhere.

James started as an aspiring NBA player from Chattanooga Tennessee. He made it to the NBA’s D-league, but that's where that dream ended, and the next season began. Basketball’s loss was entrepreneurship’s gain. James started loading boxes for FedEx. His hustle led him to new opportunities, and eventually starting two different businesses. All along the way sharing his amazing hustle inspiration on Twitter, later turning the collection into a book, aptly named #TheHustle. But it was a chance to work with legendary Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert that led to his 3rd startup journey, Plain Sight.

James has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode James and Dan discussed:

growing up a passionate athlete
going from the basketball court to the warehouse
hard lessons from his first startup
insights from running a coworking space
his connection to Dan Gilbert
why Plain Sight has no profile pictures

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

To get Founders LiveFest 2021 tickets

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #networking #futureofwork #eventtech

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#TheHustle: 500 Encouragements to Ignite Your Fire

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Serge Amouzou is Founder and CEO of Finmod, a startup that helps companies forecast financials 10X faster. Finmod’s predictive-financial projection technology uses company data sources to give decision-ready data and actionable next steps for growth.

Serge was born and raised in Togo. He came to the US at age 12, determined and curious. He set out to master English and assimilate. He thought he would be a neurosurgeon, but a pursuit of coding and tech led him to a career of being a repeat tech founder, starting his first company while still in High School. It was a pain point he personally experienced at one of his past startups that sparked the idea that would become Finmod.

Serge has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Serge and Dan discussed:

moving from Togo to the US at 12
mastering English as a 3rd language
building his first coding company in high school
how the dream of being a doctor was overtaken by his startup chase
whether you should wear your ambition out loud

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #fintech

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Navalayo Osembo is Co-Founder and CEO of Enda, a company that is building on Kenya’s reputation as the global leader in distance running. With “Run Kenyan” as its motto, Enda makes running shoes in Kenya, for runners around the world.

Navalayo is the first guest we’ve had on from the place of my ancestral heritage - Kenya. She grew up with a military father and a teacher mother, which meant strong themes of discipline and excellence. Combined with her gifts of curiosity, intelligence, and grit, she set out to master accounting, law, and global development. But it was her return to Kenya from the US and UK, that helped her find the calling where she could make her impact. “Run Kenyan.” And so Enda was born.

Navalayo has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Navalayo and Dan discussed:

growing up in Kenya
convincing her dad to start farming fish
here experience working with the UN
How the Williams sisters inspired her to start a Kenya tennis academy
the power of "Run Kenyan"

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Aperture Venture CapitalVC for the Multicultural Mainstream

Aperture is the new $75M fund that wants to amplify the voices of diverse founders

Share your story at aperturevc.com/founders

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #fintech #UCBerkeley

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Isaac Lymon is Co-Founder and CEO of Raxplay, a company that enables music artists to perform live real/time concerts via virtual reality. Raxplay puts fans in the front row, VIP, and backstage - all in the comfort of their homes.

Isaac was born and raised in Detroit. At an early stage, he felt called to music. But after a taste of the grind artists endure, Isaac gravitated to what made music happen behind the scenes. It was then that he really came to appreciate the power that technology could have on the industry. And like many famous tech entrepreneurs before him, he made the tough call to pursue his startup dream instead of focusing on college. A hustled-for internship, a hack-a-thon, and a call from Google Startups followed, changing everything. And so Raxplay was off and running.

Isaac has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Isaac and Dan discussed:

growing up in a Detroit suburb
how he relentlessly pursued an internship in music
perspectives on raising money in the LA ecosystem
his thoughts on the future of VR

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Aperture Venture CapitalVC for the Multicultural Mainstream

Aperture is the new $75M fund that wants to amplify the voices of diverse founders

Share your story at aperturevc.com/founders

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #futureofwork

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Roger Roman, Co-Founder of AfriBlocks, the global Pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform. They are building THE resource for devs, designers, and virtual assistants.

Roger hails from Chicago, and in his home neighborhood there the Roman name is well known. He was pre-ordained to be a lawyer, but Roger took a different path: business. He leveraged his degree from Howard University to immerse in industries as varied as construction, video game development, and eventually marketing. Roger has been spotlighted in The New York Times, Black Enterprise, and VentureBeat. But it was when co-founder Tongai Choto came calling that Roger saw a chance to take on a massive opportunity: the emergence of Africa in the global tech marketplace. The continent has over 450M Gen Z and young millennials, all eager, ambitious, and tech-enabled. Fertile ground for a startup like AfriBlocks.

Roger has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Roger and Dan discussed:

growing up in Chicago
how a chance encounter at graduation led to his first job
the opportunity for law school - avoided repeatedly
how one mentor changed his career
why Africa should be on everyone's mind

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #futureofwork

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James Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Ownors, an AI-driven Fintech platform that helps artists retrieve payouts from streaming services.

Ownors isn’t James’ first startup. Inspired by his upbringing, James became an attorney. But he saw the gaps in the system. The fundamental way that legal services are sold and distributed is a straight-up disconnect with the vast majority of people who need it. So he and his wife formed Court Buddy, where he became Black Enterprise Entrepreneur of the Year. After successfully fundraising and scaling that business, James was eager to scratch the startup itch again. Leveraging his legal experience and personal passion for music, he set out to solve a different inefficiency he saw: creators being paid equitably and timely for their music. And so, Ownors and its flagship brand Bump was born.

James has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode James and Dan discussed:

growing up with a brilliant father
learning about justice by visiting courtrooms as a seven-year-old
turning an IT job in college into an entrepreneurial venture
his first startup and what's different with his latest journey
how his clients as an attorney opened him to the inefficiencies for creators

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

BLCK VCA focused community built for and by black investors.

If you ever thought about getting into Venture, you definitely want to connect up at blackvc.com or

follow @BLCKVC for more about their exceptional programs and events.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #entertainmenttech #hbcualum

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Melanie Akwule is Founder and CEO of MINWO, a DE&I tech company that connects companies with organizations that have a specific mission to support Black-owned businesses on their path to scaling.

Originally from Virginia, Melanie was an NCAA track athlete who did her undergrad at Georgia Tech.She worked and excelled in the corporate world with GE. But it was at the Haas School, Cal Berkeley where she built her startup muscle. She used her time in school to conceptualize and develop MINWOA. Melanie is off to a great start in 2021 completing the Techstars program and gearing up for the launch of MINWO's flagship product Rialto.

Melanie has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Melanie and Dan discussed:

life as an NCAA student-athlete
competing in the Olympic trials
developing a passion for using tech to help businesses succeed
how one rejection led to her pursuit of an MBA
the highs and lows of early stage entrepreneurship
the serendipity of the stumble

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #dei #haasberkeley

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Daricus Releford is Founder and CEO of StoreCash, a company that provides mobile banking for teens, as well as for unbanked and underbanked adults.

Daricus is the twin son of a mom in the military. And as you just heard, he came home one day as a kid to find that his dad had taken everything from the house. Since that fateful event, Daricus has been on an entrepreneurial journey, that's gone from cutting lawns to building a FinTech startup in Silicon Valley. Along the way, he's had to persevere through college, hustle his first company into getting promotion by Steve Harvey, to landing roles with Google, Facebook, and Apple.

Daricus has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Daricus and Dan discussed:

driving hours with his mom to buy a hotdog stand
getting through Penn State, initially without a dorm room or place to sleep
finding a crafty way to get his products on the Steve Harvey show
working for THREE or the big five tech giants
how a chance request from his nephew led to his current startup

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #fintech

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Black Entrepreneurship & Fundraising in 2021- have we made any progress?

In this special episode, we bring you the fireside chat moderated by Dan with:

Amira Rasool, CEO of The Folklore

Daricus Releford, CEO of StoreCash

Kwame Boler, CEO of neu

In the session we talked about the state of black entrepreneurship and fundraising in 2021.

As we experience Juneteenth for the first time as a National holiday, we ask:

What has changed? What has remained the same?

Where are the opportunities for improvement?

The panel kept it real, as the conversation covered everything from exasperation to optimism, and everything in between.

This event took place on June 24, 2021 and was hosted by the Techstars Seattle Accelerator and Managing Director Isaac Kato

Audience Resources and Shout outs:

Kwame's episode
Amira's episode
Daricus' episode - coming soon
Techstars Seattle, office hours
shoutout: Marlon Nichols, MAC Venture Capital
shoutout: Paystack
shoutout: fellow black Techstars alum Ikechi Nwabuisi

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Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye is Founder and CEO of SKNMUSE, the premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for the modern black woman.

Ezinne was born and raised in Nigeria. After graduating from high school at 15 and ace-ing her SATs, she came to the US for college. She thought she was going to be a petroleum engineer. Lucky for the rest of us, that didn’t happen. Ezinne never forgot the joy she found in the soothing remedies her mom and grandmother prepared for her dry skin. She’s paying it back now, with her luxurious balms, oils, and body butters. For Ezinne, beauty is culture, and she’s on a mission to make the beauty counter reflect more inclusively.

Ezinne has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.

In this episode Ezinne and Dan discussed:

Changing majors 3 times in college
How her brand wants everyone to feel like "Omalicha Nwa" (beautiful one)
The day her brand was featured by Beyoncé
How her mom is even more of a fashionista than she is
Her vision to create a space that re-imagines beauty for black women

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #beauty #blackskin

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

In this episode Sonja and Dan discussed:

growing up in Durham NC
The call to engineering
The career arc between academia and entrepreneurship
Why the legal system can feel rigged
How African Americans are, by necessity, innovative and entrepreneurial

Dr. Sonja Ebron Co-founder and CEO of Courtroom5, a company that makes an automated legal toolbox that helps people represent themselves in court.

Sonja has one of the amazing backgrounds, engineering academia, a repeat entrepreneur, but it took a challenging experience of our own with the legal system to unleash your mission and passion for the startup life. She has a strong conviction that fairness and the justice system shouldn't depend on inequitable access to knowledge or resources and our conversation. She talked about the allure of engineering doing a startup in Durham, North Carolina, and so much more.

Sonja has a great story. Be sure to listen in.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #legaltech

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The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.

Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.com

In this episode Amira and Dan discussed:

growing up in the same town as Zach Braff and SZA
The blog that explored Bobbie Austin's Closet
Her college experience in CapeTown South Africa
How her vision for The Folklore originated long before the company
Her great advice for other black women founders

Amira Rasool is the Founder and CEO of The Folklore, an omnichannel platform that is bringing luxury and emerging designer brands from Africa online for the first time.

Amira has that fearlessness that just draws you in. She says it got her in trouble when she was younger, but we're betting it will help her succeed as a founder. She and The Folklore have been featured everywhere from Forbes and Fast Company, to Vogue and Essence. Amira has just recently completed the Techstars program here in Seattle. Dan sat down with her to talk about The Folklore and how she sees it as so much more than a fashion brand.

Amira and The Folklore have a terrific story.

Make sure to listen in.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #ecommerce #fashion #Africadesigned #Africainspired

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.

In this episode Stephen and Dan discussed:

growing up in an Oregon suburb
how a chance elective sent his life on a new path
working with his brother as co-founders
why a developer's non-coding background matters

Stephen Ajayi is the Co-Founder and CEO of YearOne, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs. But getting jobs for Bootcamp grads is not all they do. YearOne also supports new employees through their early careers within technology companies - setting them up for long-term success as well.

Stephen knows the journey of the YearOne community, intimately. He moved away from a pre-med track in college to pursue programming, all from the chance selection of taking an elective course in computer science. He went on to dive headfirst in a coding school and ultimately emerged as a Sales VP for a Silicon Valley startup. So, he’s seen from both sides the challenges and friction in the hiring process. And YearOne is particularly focused on coders coming from less traditional backgrounds. And to him, those backgrounds are a major strength. YearOne has a great journey - through the Portland tech ecosystem, to Techstars, and now with backing from great investors like Zeal Capital Partners and Black Founders Matter.

Stephen and YearOne have a terrific story.

Make sure to listen in.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #techplacement

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.

In this episode Patrick and Dan discussed:

growing up in a Haitian household with 6 older siblings
serendipitous customer discovery in a coffee shop
the dynamics of a diverse founding team
the attraction of the Pittsburgh tech scene

Patrick Paul is the Co-Founder of Ikos, a start-up using data and information to allow property owners to execute and manage the vital, day-to-day tasks of investment property ownership. Patrick was raised with a strong Haitian heritage starting in New Jersey and ending up in Southwestern Florida. He grew up an athlete, ended up going to a military academy, then college, and into the world of finance and real estate. Now based in Pittsburgh, Patrick has helped to transform the modern rental experience with Ikos, along the way raising millions and weathering an industry hard hit by the economic crisis from COVID-19.

Make sure to listen to his incredible story.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #renttech

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator

powered by VertueLab and CleanTech Alliance

This 15-week program delivers mentorship, connections, funding opportunities, and more.

For early-stage cleantech startups looking to launch and scale their businesses. Checkout at cascadiacleantech.org

In this episode Ashlee and Dan discussed:

Interning for LeBron James
How an awkward networking event gave birth to Mixtroz
Working alongside her mom as Co-Founder
The journey from Cleveland to NY to Nashville to Birmingham
Where to find the best rollercoasters in the world

Ashlee Ammons is the Co-Founder of Mixtroz, a company that creates serendipity at live and virtual events using real-time surveying along with their unique algorithm. Ashlee has an amazing journey - from Ohio to New York, Tennessee, and eventually to Alabama. She’s gone from interning with Lebron James to becoming one of the first few African American Women to raise over $1M in venture funding. She's also been named as Entrepreneur Magazine's "100 Powerful Women" of 2019.

To top it all off, Ashlee has known her co-founder literally her whole life (spoiler alert, they're related!).

Make sure to listen to her incredible story.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #eventtech

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Cascadia Cleantech Acceleratorpowered by VertueLab and CleanTech Alliance

This 15-week program delivers mentorship, connections, funding opportunities, and more.

For early-stage cleantech startups looking to launch and scale their businesses.

Applications are open until April 16th. Don't miss out, apply today at cascadiacleantech.org

AfriBlocksThe global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.

Tell them "Dan sent you" for 10% off your first order. More at afriblocks.com

Special Guest Co-Host:

Veronica Parks from Maveron (@VPinVC)

In this episode Evan, Veronica, and Dan discussed:

Growth from having side hustles as a kid
Why it took years to start Kiddie Kredit
Evan's three filters to vet investors
How credit score has such influence but is so misunderstood
Whether Miami really is the next tech hub

Evan Leaphart is the Founder and CEO of Kiddie Kredit, a mobile chore tracking app that teaches kids about credit. The company is out to demystify credit scores with fun, but analogous habits and rewards. They currently focus on young children but their goal ultimately is to serve anyone new to credit.

Evan grew up in the Baltimore area and is one of those founders seemingly born to be just that, a founder. His mom was a flight attendant and he was an only child. So Evan learned at a young age how to be self-sufficient and confident. From lemonade stands and snow removal to cleaning services and auto transport. Evan has been fearlessly taking on venture after venture.

He has called Miami home for over 15 years, so he's definitely an OG in the newly blossoming Miami tech scene. In addition to Kiddie Kredit, Evan is a Co-founder of the Miami-based Black Men Talk Tech Conference.

Make sure to listen to his compelling story.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #finhtech

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.

Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.com

In this episode Ashlee and Dan discussed:

Growing up in the Bronx - and still living there!
Her personal experiences with healthcare inequity
How her view working 'inside' healthcare moved her to launch her startup
The legacy of courageous and inspirational women in her family
How even Serena Williams was not immune to inequity in care

Episode Shout Outs:

Eddwina Bright (Co-founder)

Females Founders Alliance

Vital Voices

Dr. Ivor Horn

Ashlee Wisdom is the Founder and CEO of Health in Her HUE, a digital platform connecting black women to culturally competent healthcare providers, health content and community. Ashlee has Jamaican and Bahamian roots, but grew up in New York where she diehard represents her home burrow - the Bronx. Her career AND startup reflect a deep passion and dedication to tackling healthcare inequity. It's immediately evident in her voice, her writing, and all of her efforts. Ashlee's work has been recognized by Female Founder Alliance, Vital Voices, and the one-and-only Serena Williams. A true founder to watch!

Make sure to listen to her compelling story.

MORE on ASHLEE and HEATH IN HER HUEAshlee:

linkedin.com/in/ashlee-wisdom-mph-7114a040/

twitter.com/AshleeWisdom

instagram.com/ashleejwisdom/

Health in Her HUE:

healthinherhue.com

twitter.com/HealthInHerHUE

instagram.com/healthinherhue/

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blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #healthtech

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Multicultural Mainstream: Reimagining Humanity and TechnologyA virtual venture conference hosted by the Columbia Venture Community

Access great content and breakouts with venture capitalists. March 5-6th 2021

Check out bit.ly/CVCMM for tickets. Don't miss out!

In this episode Genevieve and Dan discussed:

Starting life in Haiti
How she's combined science and finance into a career
The lessons of "timing" from 2000 and 2008
How distributed blockchain can INCREASE trust
What happens to mangoes shipped to the US

Genevieve Leveille is the Founder and CEO of AgriLedger, a company that is revolutionizing the agriculture value chain using distributed ledger and blockchain technology.

Born in Haiti, Genevieve came to the US and New York for high school. She was a science major and researcher, and eventually found her way into banking and over to the UK. Genevieve burst onto the blockchain world with force a few years ago. And it all started with a crypto hackathon. She’s been nominated by the Financial Times to the top 100 BAME in UK technology, and was a winner of the ComputerWeekly 2020 Women in Software. She is also currently the Vice-chairman of TechUK’s Distributed Ledger Technologies Working Group.

Genevieve is now building a company that is using distributed ledger to RE-distribute value and reallocate margin and wealth across our food supply chain. All with the source -- the farmer -- at the core.

Make sure to listen to her compelling story.

MORE on GENEVIEVE and AGRILEDGERGenevieve:

linkedin.com/in/genevieveleveille/

twitter.com/GinouInLondon

AgriLedger:

agriledger.io

linkedin.com/company/agriledger/

twitter.com/Agriledger

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blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #underestimated #founderAfricandescent #blockchain #agritech

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WE ARE BACK!

WELCOME TO OUR NEW SERIES FOR 2021

OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Multicultural Mainstream: Reimagining Humanity and TechnologyA virtual venture conference hosted by the Columbia Venture Community

Access great content and breakouts with venture capitalists. March 5-6th 2021

Check out bit.ly/CVCMM for early-bird tickets. Don't miss out!

In this episode Ayinde and Dan discussed:

Growing up in DC
How his name is as much an 'American' name as anyone else's
That radio mimic mom's voice in the womb (what!?)
nēdl as his THIRD startup in mobile radio
Crashing a private party for a shot at pitching a prospect CEO
His perspective on the latest Clubhouse hype

Episode Shout Outs:

WOTP

Backstage Capital

Sweet Capital

Ayinde Alakoye is the Founder and CEO of nēdl (as in 'the haystack'), a company that lets anyone create their own live call-in talk radio station in seconds and make money while they broadcast. nēdl gives everyone a chance to grab the mic, and be live to the world in moments.

Ayinde proudly wears his name, which means “we gave praise and he came." He grew up in DC in a single-parent household, after losing his father at an early age. From a young age, Ayinde has had a lifelong appreciation for the escape and 'theater of the mind' provided by radio. And his entrepreneurial spirit has been evident throughout his journey - from excellence in sales, to television, speech-writing for Obama, and a career spanning 20+ years in the radio media world.

All preparing him for the epiphany that would become nēdl.

The company's app lets users set up their own radio stations - complete with instant share links, audience call-in support, and a clever feature that allows listens to tip. Ned'l is Ayinde's THIRD startup focused on mobile radio. He's been ahead of the curve with each endeavor. And given the amazing growth of experiences like Clubhouse and Instagram Live, his timing for this latest effort seems right on the mark.

Ayinde has raised over $1.6 Million in funding from investors including Backstage Capital and Sweet Capital.

Make sure to listen to his compelling story.

blackfounders #blackentrepreneurs #founderstory #underrepresented #founderAfricandescent

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

In this episode:

We review 2020 and where our past guests came from
The effects of George Floyd on these founders, their companies and communities
To be a black founder in 2020 is to be...
Founders speak with optimism about plans for 2021

For our last episode of the year, we've brought together a handful of founders from our first 20 plus episodes. In this two-parter, we cover everything from fundraising, and running a business, to motivating employees, to finding time for self care and mental health. All against the backdrop of Coronavirus, George Floyd, and a climate of political tension.

Thanks to Kala, Marcus, Kwame Claudius, Bara, Kameale and Wole for catching us up and reflecting on this historic year that is 2020.

Make sure to listen in.

EPISODE GUESTSBara:

https://twitter.com/baratundecola

carbice.com

Ways you can help: stay tuned for 2021

Kala:

https://twitter.com/thekalafleming

diasporaai.com

Ways you can help: refer clients who need help managing

water infrastructure not connected to the grid

Kameale:

https://twitter.com/kamealeC

chargerhelp.com

Ways you can help: looking for investors

to close out their seed round

Kwame & Claudius:

https://twitter.com/mbembaships

useneu.com

Ways you can help: referrals to rental hosts

in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Seattle

Marcus:

twitter.com/_marcus_bullock

flikshop.com

Ways you can help: become a Flikshop Angel

flikshopangels.com

Wole:

twitter.com/AyowoleOA

fliqpay.com/

Ways you can help: refer clients who do

cross-border financial transaction settlements

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

In this episode:

We review 2020 and where our past guests are collectively
Updates from 7 previous guest founders
Insights on COVID-19's impact for: business, employees, fundraising

Thanks to Kala, Marcus, Kwame Claudius, Bara, Kameale and Wole for catching us up and reflecting on this historic year that is 2020.

Make sure to listen in.

EPISODE GUESTSBara:

https://twitter.com/baratundecola

carbice.com

Ways you can help: stay tuned for 2021

Kala:

https://twitter.com/thekalafleming

diasporaai.com

Ways you can help: refer clients who need help managing

water infrastructure not connected to the grid

Kameale:

https://twitter.com/kamealeC

chargerhelp.com

Ways you can help: looking for investors

to close out their seed round

Kwame & Claudius:

https://twitter.com/mbembaships

useneu.com

Ways you can help: referrals to rental hosts

in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Seattle

Marcus:

twitter.com/_marcus_bullock

flikshop.com

Ways you can help: become a Flikshop Angel

flikshopangels.com

Wole:

twitter.com/AyowoleOA

fliqpay.com/

Ways you can help: refer clients who do

cross-border financial transaction settlements

Follow Founders Unfound : Like and share - help us grow!

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Follow Founders Unfound : Like and share - help us grow!

A preview of our Updates episode. We caught up with former guests to see where they are today and where they are headed for 2021. And we reflected on what will certainly be considered an historic year, 2020.

Be sure to listen in.

EPISODE drops December 18th!

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Founders Unfound tells the stories of exceptional entrepreneurs and tech founders from underrepresented backgrounds – starting with founders of African descent. We have a regular podcast and complimentary blog created to shine a light on the broad spectrum that reflects all the diversity in startups today.

Hosted by season tech entrepreneur Dan Kihanya (@dkihanya), the show explores the origin stories of under-the-radar tech entrepreneurs working on venture-worthy, big opportunity ideas.

We know behind every founder is a story that deserves to be boldly told.Follow us (@foundersunfound) and listen in!

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OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.

Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.

In this episode Abbey and Dan discussed:

Growing up in the slums of Lagos Nigeria
Key philosophies: fall forward + you are enough
The transition from balmy Nigeria to frigid Minnesota
his first startup which gave access to water for quarter-million people
Pitching 300+ investors

Episode Shout Outs:

Samir Goel (Co-founder)

Beth Noveck

Acumen

Global Good Fund

Sinai Ventures

Zeal Capital Partners

Impact America Fund

Abbey Wemimo is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, a revolutionary fintech platform transforming the connection between data, tenants, and property. Esusu empowers renters around an important financial identity: the credit score.

Abbey was born in Nigeria, and as he puts it, "raised in the slums" of Lagos. His mother sacrificed over half her salary to make sure Abbey was able to reach beyond and attend the best schools. He studied alongside the children of the country's elites, taking him to the US, with stops and degrees from the University of Minnesota and NYU. His early career covered politics, finance, and international development. And his first entrepreneurial endeavor led him to providing clean water for over a quarter of a million people in developing regions.

Abbey and his co-founder Samir started Esusu with a major innovation at its core: using rent payments to enhance credit score. By tracking and using data, Esusu can transform the credit prospects for the 70 million Americans who have little or no credit history. Meanwhile, Esusu provides property managers with insights, analytics, and tenants who are motivated towards timely payments.

The company is now in half a million rental units, across 40 US states. Abbey and Samir have raised over $4 Million in funding from investors like Impact America Fund, Zeal Capital, and Global Good Fund.

Esusu is a word with origins in Nigeria. It essentially means a form of societal cooperation where groups of individuals together contribute for their mutual benefit. But if ask Abbey he will tell you a much simpler version:

"If you want to go fast, you go alone. But if you want to go far, you fundamentally go together"

Make sure to listen to his wonderful story.

Founders Unfound: Recent Episodes

Daniel Kihanya

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