NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Black Entrepreneurs Day, presented by Chase for Business and curated and hosted by Daymond John, the founder and CEO of FUBU and Co-Star of ABC’s four-time Emmy Award-winning show Shark Tank, held its second annual celebration of Black business live from the legendary Apollo Theater last night. Anchored by motivating dialogue about the entrepreneurial journey, the show also provided bottom-line financial support to Black businesses by awarding $250,000 in NAACP Powershift Grants to 10 inspiring entrepreneurs.
“Black Entrepreneurs Day was created on the premise that as business leaders and community figures, we had the opportunity to share our success through mentorship and conversations. I also understood that in order to both celebrate and support the Black businesses, it would take a solid commitment from like-minded individuals and corporations really putting in the work to make great change for the Black and Brown communities that they serve,” said John. “The quarter-million dollars in grants that we issued with the help of the NAACP were made possible by the exceptional brand partners who enthusiastically said ‘yes’ when I picked up the phone and told them about this idea.”
The grant recipients awarded the NAACP Powershift Grants during last night’s live stream include:
- Courtney Pettway creator of KidVestors in Louisville, KY, presented by JPMorgan Wealth Management
- Dawn Skeete, owner of Jam’It Bistro in Brooklyn, NY, presented by Chase for Business
- Straw and Wool in Phoenix, AZ, presented T-Mobile for Business
- Staci Childs owner of Sunnyside Legal in Houston, TX, presented by Salesforce
- Phil Terril owner of Sole Safe in St. Paul, MN, presented by The General Insurance
- Jessica Spaulding owner of Harlem Chocolate Factory in New York, NY, presented by QuickBooks
- Karl Jackson owner of Black Beard Brigade in Spring, TX, presented by Klaviyo
- Tafari Roberts owner of The Tafari Group’s Rove Brands Biodegradable Soap in Detroit, MI, presented by Johnson & Johnson
- Imani Lee owner of Black Stock Footage, LLC, Tampa, FL, presented by Logitech,
- Michelle Olomojobi, owner of Llulo in Missouri City, TX, presented by Shopify
The second annual event featured important conversations with some of the country’s most prominent celebrity entrepreneurs and brand partners, ranging from investments to raising capital, start-up mistakes and growing your personal brand. Keynote speakers included Kevin Hart, Shaquille O’Neal, Tyra Banks, Marcus Samuelsson, Rev Run, and Janice Bryant Howroyd, as well as a performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Khalid.
Daymond continued, “Hosting this year’s event at the legendary Apollo was a coming of home of sorts for me. I grew up in New York, and I started my business selling hats outside of the theater. So to be able to share my own entrepreneurship journey on that stage, to a full house, is really beyond measure. And being able to welcome in an inspiring group of friends and business leaders to amplify the message that with education and grit, you can turn failures into learning, and learning into success, is exactly what we aimed to accomplish.”
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About Black Entrepreneurs Day
Black Entrepreneurs Day, presented by Chase for Business, is a primetime special at the intersection of business and entertainment. The inaugural event in 2020 attracted over 7 million viewers and won two Webby Awards for the best Remote Business & Finance event on the internet. The 2021 event took place live from the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY.
The event is curated and hosted by Daymond John and produced in conjunction with Medium Rare and The Shark Group.
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