Growing up in the vibrant, evolving neighborhood of South London, Ete Davies discovered his love for the arts and creativity, embarking on a journey that took him down a non-linear path. Meanwhile, in the lush, rugged landscapes of Galicia, Spain, nestled just north of Portugal, a young Kika Douglas cultivated her own creative passion through music…

In this episode, we are joined by Lara Adekoya, the inspiring CEO and founder of Fleurs et Sel Bakery, as we revisit our live show in honor of National Black Business Month. Lara shares her remarkable journey of transforming her baking hobby into a thriving business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her story is one of transformation, com…

Two former colleagues turned friends detail what led them to embark on their journey from being Ivy-league corporate lawyers to building Sip & Sonder, an Inglewood-based coffee shop. It’s a story of creating a third place and empowering community through coffee in a changing neighborhood.Hauwa Otori

As a longtime fan of comic books, Shequeta Smith wanted to see herself reflected in those stories as the main characters. Today, she runs Sherocomics, a media company focused on films, comics, and gaming and is tapping into the roughly $350B gaming industry and $16B comic books market. Recorded live in Los Angeles. This episode was produced by Hauw…

In this episode, the Building Black Podcast’s host, Hauwa Otori, shares our 2023 theme word of the year and how we got here!Hauwa Otori

Dr. Angelique Johnson is the Founder & CEO of MEMStim LLC, a Kentucky-based startup that develops a fully automated, low cost, advanced manufacturing process for implantable nerve stimulators. In this episode, Dr. Angelique details how her upbringing put her on a path to math and science to discover her passion for innovating at the intersection of…

Anthony Frasier is the founder and CEO of ABF Creative, an award-winning, audio first company that’s produced podcasts for the likes of Essence Magazine as well as programming like African Folktales series, which is a collection of traditional bedtime stories originating in Africa for kids today. In this episode, Anthony discusses how discovering c…

Ifeoma Ozoma is the Founder and Principal of Earthseed, a consulting firm that advises individuals, organizations, and companies on tech accountability, public policy, and health misinformation among other topics. Within a year after leaving social media platform, Pinterest, she set out on a year-long campaign to fight for workers’ rights in Califo…

In this episode, the Building Black Podcast’s host, Hauwa Otori, looks back at 2021 and shares a brief holiday message. And, she also reveals our 2022 theme word!Hauwa Otori

Marcel Benson is the Founder of the Benson Watch Company. The company’s slogan is “Time should be spent doing what you love.” Marcel left a career in consulting to pursue his love and passion for watches. In the four years since deciding to pursue his company full time, the Benson Watch Company has developed its own pieces, been covered by major pu…

Nohoa Arcanjo is the Co-Founder and Growth Leader of CREATORS, Trusted Creative Net (Creators.LLC), a Brazilian platform that connects independent creators and creative talent with companies who need their support. Nohoa initially pursued the business side of the fashion industry before transitioning to a marketing career and then ultimately findin…

The second season of the Building Black Podcast with Hauwa Otori is on its way! We’re excited to bring you even more incredible stories of Black builders, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs from around the globe who are building successful businesses across various industries. Don’t miss it!Hauwa Otori

Chris Bennett is the co-founder and CEO of Wonderschool, a platform that supports educators in starting early child care programs out of their homes. Chris started his entrepreneurial journey as a kid growing up in Miami with side hustles ranging from selling baseball cards online to selling spring break trips in high school. He found a sense of be…

Adeshina Adewumi is the founder and CEO of One Kiosk Africa, a Nigerian e-commerce platform that connects local store owners with customers based on location. Think Instacart for the African continent. In this episode, you’ll learn about Adeshina’s story of how he pushed through his setbacks, created side hustles, learned lessons, and ultimately la…

Jehiel Oliver is the founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, a social enterprise agriculture business that connects tractor owners and farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa through a farm equipment sharing app. Prior to this, the Ohio native had a career in traditional finance. In this episode, learn how luck played a role in his transition from finance to build…

Everette Taylor is the Chief Marketing Officer of Artsy, an online platform for discovering, buying and selling fine art. Prior to this role, Everette built a career as a serial entrepreneur starting at 19 years old. Learn more about how Everette is stepping into his second act - addressing inequities in the art industry and democratizing art. For …

Marie Farmer is the founder and CEO of Mini Mealtimes, a family nutrition app that provides parents with expert advice and guidance on their kids’ nutrition. Learn how Marie transitioned from a digital advertising career to unintentionally becoming an entrepreneur on a mission to democratize nutrition information for families. For this episode and …

Sherrell Dorsey is the founder & CEO of The Plug, a subscription-based digital news and insights platform covering the Black innovation economy. Sherrell shares how she developed the confidence to turn her freelance reporting on Black tech news and her side newsletter project into a data-driven platform and why she made the decision to pursue it. F…

In this episode, Hauwa Otori (our host) explains her path to creating the Building Black Podcast with Hauwa Otori. She reflects on finding alignment with her life purpose - telling stories that inspire and move people to act. For this episode and more, join the Building Black Podcast community at www.buildingblackpodcast.com!…

Beny Ashburn and Teo Hunter are the co-founders of Crowns & Hops, a Black-owned craft beer company. They each share their paths that led them to teaming up to create space and community for Black and Brown people in the craft beer industry. For more on the Building Black Podcast with Hauwa Otori, join our community at www.buildingblackpodcast.com.…

About a year and a half ago, Lenoria Addison decided to launch her clean beauty brand called Cazza. In this episode, Lenoria shares her journey from medicine to the beauty industry. It's a story about following your passions.Hauwa Otori

In 2016, Mariama Dashiell left her home state of Texas for Los Angeles to grow her brand - Beauty by Mariama. Her journey wasn't all glitz and glam. Now four years later, Mariama is a successful celebrity hairstylist and is building a beauty brand that represents blackness, resilience, and power. Join our community at www.buildingblackpodcast.com.…

Introducing the Building Black Podcast with Hauwa Otori. This podcast is about Black builders, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs from around the globe who are building successful business across various industries.Hauwa Otori