Black Business Live Podcast

Philanthropy, Power, and the Roadmap to Legacy

Most business owners think their biggest hurdle is capital, but the truth is often deeper: it’s a connection problem. In this episode of the Black Business Live Podcast, host Tolu Akindunni sits down with Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew, CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, to peel back the layers of what it truly takes to lead and last. Moving far beyond surface-level networking, Dr. Froswa’ challenges us to look at relationships as our most valuable currency. From the heavy reality of being the "only" Black woman in a corporate boardroom to the grounding, intergenerational wisdom found on a front porch, this conversation is an invitation to do the "deep work." It’s a roadmap for the Black and African business community to move past the daily hustle and start building a legacy that survives (and thrives!) long after we’ve stepped away from the desk. In This Episode, We Discuss: * Why "favor capital" and "informational capital" are the hidden engines of business growth. * How to navigate the weight of collective representation without losing your authentic self. * Why you don’t need a million-dollar check to change your community. * The vital importance of intentional mentorship and passing the torch within our communities. * Why facing your past traumas will protect your team and your future. 5 Moments to Skip To: * 05:40: The Power of Multigenerational Legacy: Why legacy and mentoring should be practiced throughout your life rather than just at the end. * 13:59: Redefining Philanthropy: Breaking down the "love of humanity" and how to practice it through time, talent, treasure, and testimony. * 19:24: Social Capital as Currency: Why relationships are a form of currency that can accelerate professional growth. * 27:14: The "Front Porch": The inspiration behind the Front Porch Wisdom book and the importance of creating intentional community. Featured Guest: Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is an award-winning philanthropic strategist, author, and the CEO of Soulstice Consultancy. With over 30 years of experience in systems change and community engagement, she specializes in building trust-based relationships and social capital for organizations and leaders. * Connect with Dr. Froswa’: www.drfroswabooker.com [https://www.drfroswabooker.com/services]  * The Book: Front Porch Wisdom by Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew (2026 Most Outstanding Book Award Winner): rebrand.ly/front-porch [http://rebrand.ly/front-porch]  * Heritage Giving Fund: www.heritagegivingfund.org [http://www.heritagegivingfund.org] Thank You For Listening! If this episode hit home, leave us a review and share with a leader who is ready to scale. Help us amplify Black excellence by: * Sharing on your social media * Tagging @bblivepodcast * Inviting a friend to tune in Connect With Us: * Website: www.blackandb.com/podcast [http://www.blackandb.com/podcast] * Discover the network: www.blackandb.com/community [https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.blackandb.com/community] * Email: contact@bblivepodcast.com [contact@bblivepodcast.com]  * Partnership & Sponsorship: collab@bblivepodcast.com [collab@bblivepodcast.com]  This podcast is built from the grind up; showcasing the real, the raw, and the rise of Black business.                "Representation drives aspiration. When you see the path, the impossible becomes a plan."

Unapologetically Whole: The Grace of Becoming with Lola Dada-Olley

"Wholeness is not the absence of struggle; it is the presence of your full self in the midst of it." In this powerful episode of The Black Business Live Podcast, Tolu Akindunni sits down with Lola Dada-Olley, an attorney, author, and "Hope Multiplier." Born to first-generation immigrant parents, Lola was raised with a focus of excellence that led her to the top of the corporate legal world. But behind the professional accolades was a lived reality that required a different kind of "tactical grit." Lola shares her journey of caring for her two autistic children. She managed 70 hours of pediatric care per week for four years while also being a lifelong advocate for her younger brother, who is profoundly autistic and intellectually disabled.  We dive into how she transitioned from "performing resilience" to becoming Unapologetically Whole. In This Episode, We Discuss: * The Immigrant Blueprint: Shifting from a performance-based identity to a purpose-driven life. * The Caregiver’s MBA: How decades of navigating neurodiversity and the ADA created a sharper, more empathetic corporate leader. * The Influence of Storytelling: Using platforms like her podcast, Hulu, TEDx, and new book to move rooms and shape national culture. * Sustainable Ambition: How Black leaders can set boundaries and seek support without self-erasure. * Generational Healing: Reclaiming a version of success that honors both high-impact leadership and personal wholeness. 5 Moments to Skip To: * 02:52 – The Immigrant Blueprint: Growing up in a first-generation household where performance was the metric of success. * 05:46 – The "Year of the Tear": A raw look at the double autism diagnosis that forced a shift from a "perfect" success story to radical emotional truth. * 21:46 – The Strategic Pivot: How Lola leveraged "Tactical Grit" to move from the courtroom to the TEDx stage and global leadership. * 31:57 – The Five-Minute Pocket: A practical tool for busy leaders to find grounding in the midst of professional and personal chaos. * 44:02 – The Permission to Become: Lola's final mandate on why wholeness must always come before performance. Featured Guest: Lola Dada-Olley Lola leads the ADA legal team for a global banking institution and is the host of the Unapologetically Whole podcast. Her forthcoming memoir, "Unapologetically Whole," is a must-have for caregivers and high-achievers looking to redefine success after life-altering events. * Connect with Lola: https://loladadaolley.com [https://loladadaolley.com]  * Pre-Order the Book: Unapologetically Whole (Available May 12) https://rebrand.ly/unapologetically-whole [https://rebrand.ly/unapologetically-whole]. Get $3 off with code WHOLE  Thank You For Listening! If this episode hit home, leave us a review and share with a leader who is ready to scale. Help us amplify Black excellence by: * Sharing on your social media * Tagging @bblivepodcast * Inviting a friend to tune in Connect With Us: * Website: www.blackandb.com/podcast [http://www.blackandb.com/podcast] * Discover the network: www.blackandb.com/community [https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.blackandb.com/community] * Email: contact@bblivepodcast.com [contact@bblivepodcast.com]  * Partnership & Sponsorship: collab@bblivepodcast.com [collab@bblivepodcast.com]  This podcast is built from the grind up; showcasing the real, the raw, and the rise of Black business.

Mission Driven, Market Dominant: The Scarlet by RedDrop Story

How does a physician-founder scale a brand to reach 1 million girls in an industry where Black-owned businesses only make up 3%? In this special Women’s History Month feature, we move beyond the narrative to the roadmap of Black excellence. We are joined in-studio by the brilliant Dr. Monica Williams: the physician-founder recently recognized on Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 500 and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. From winning the $1M Black Ambition Grand Prize to achieving 91% YOY growth, Dr. Monica reveals the "full lowdown" on how she transitioned from radiology research to orchestrating a puberty revolution. Alongside host Tolu Akindunni and guest host Sammi Bivens, we explore the strategy of scaling a category-expanding brand into 350+ Ulta Beauty stores and securing a major retail partnership with Walmart. Strategy Gems: What You Will Absorb * The Innovative Edge: Moving beyond marketing to engineer period products specifically for "growing bodies" and tween physiology. * Financial Rigor for Scale: Why Dr. Monica prioritizes a daily cash flow statement to manage debt and prepare for mass retail distribution. * Channel Diversification: The "lowdown" on balancing multiple channels: D2C, Amazon, Partnerships, and National Retail to protect your business from volatility. * The Power of Three: Building a high-performance founding team with complementary expertise in education, execution, and finance. TIMESTAMPED CHAPTERS  * 00:00 - Introduction: Celebrating Black Innovation & Women's History Month. * 04:44 - The HBCU Journey: Transitioning from Medicine to Serial Entrepreneurship. * 07:31 - Identifying the Gap: Why adult period products fail young girls. * 08:43 - Body Literacy: Using education as a tool for market dominance. * 20:14 - Retail Strategy: The road from 350 Ulta Beauty stores to Walmart. * 24:30 - The 10-Year Overnight Success: Final advice for mission-driven founders. ABOUT THE GUESTS * Dr. Monica Williams: CEO of Scarlet by RedDrop, HBCU Alumna (Howard & Meharry), and award-winning entrepreneur. tryscarlet.com [https://tryscarlet.com/] * Sammi Bivens: CEO of Digital Marketing Maven and 2025-26 President-elect of NAWBO Dallas/Fort Worth. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.sammi-bivens.com/https://digimarketingmaven.com  RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * Free Access to Period Prep 101 Resource: https://tryscarlet.com/tryscarlet.com [http://tryscarlet.com] (Use code SCARLETPODCAST):  * Join NAWBO DFW: https://www.google.com/search?q=https://nawbo.org/dallas-fort-worth/nawbodfw.org [http://nawbodfw.org] * Black Ambition Prize Competition: blackambitionprize.com [https://blackambitionprize.com] PRODUCT SPONSOR * LNK Mezcal: lnkmezcal.com [http://lnkmezcal.com]  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  If this episode hit home, leave us a review and share with a leader who is ready to scale Help us amplify Black excellence by: * Sharing on your social media * Tagging @bblivepodcast * Inviting a friend to tune in CONNECT WITH US: * Website: www.blackandb.com/podcast [http://www.blackandb.com/podcast] * Discover the network: www.blackandb.com/community [https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.blackandb.com/community] * Email: contact@bblivepodcast.com [contact@bblivepodcast.com]  * Partnership & Sponsorship: collab@bblivepodcast.com [collab@bblivepodcast.com]  This podcast is built from the grind up; showcasing the real, the raw, and the rise of Black business.

Presence, Purpose, and the Boardroom Reset

In this high-energy second episode of Season 2, Tolu sits down with Karen "KJ" Johnson, a powerhouse executive leader and sought-after public speaker. While KJ serves as the 2025-26 Chapter President of NAWBO Dallas/Ft. Worth, our conversation dives deep into her life’s work: helping leaders move from the exhaustion of survival to the impact of sustainability. KJ pulls back the curtain on the Black Charity Boardroom, explaining the "Boardroom Reset" necessary to save nonprofit leaders from burnout. We also explore her new book, Poised & Positioned for Purpose, and the W.O.M.A.N. Framework: a leadership and identity model designed to help high-achieving women own their presence in every space they occupy. The Big Three Gems: - On Presence: "You have Presence. When you enter a room, you've gotta own it because,  you do." -On Authenticity: "You need to own all of who you are, in all the spaces you are in." -On Resilience: "The hills and the valleys that you go through? It's okay. Because you are going to get a testimony out of it!" Key Takeaways: -The "Working Board" Trap: KJ discusses the common pitfall where nonprofit boards focus on day-to-day operations rather than long-term strategy. -Strategic vs. Operational Leadership: KJ explains how defining clear roles allows leaders to sustainably fuel their passion without hitting a wall of burnout. -The Accountability Shift: Why mission-driven work still requires high-level business discipline. KJ discusses the necessity of introducing performance reviews and setting clear, measurable objectives to ensure an organization’s vision becomes a reality. -The W.O.M.A.N. Framework: A breakdown of KJ’s signature identity model, helping women of color reclaim their worth, own their voice, and activate their authority. -Owning Your Presence: Why you must bring your whole self into every space you occupy; from the community to the executive suite. RESOURCES FROM THE Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/4bdfaf33/transcript] EPISODE -Purchase the Autographed Copy of Poised & Positioned for Purpose: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/LWB4B8XV6CDWW  -The Black Charity Boardroom: linktr.ee/blackcharityboardroom  -The Konfident Woman:  linktr.ee/konfidentwoman  -Connect with Karen “KJ” Johnson: -Instagram: @the_karen_kj_johnson -LinkedIn: Karen "KJ" Johnson PRODUCT VENDORS: -Folly’s Arts & Crafts (IG: @follyscrafts) -I LUV YOU (BLK) (IG: iluvyoublk) THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  If KJ’s insights on the "Boardroom Reset" or owning your presence hit home, leave us a review and share this episode with a leader who is ready to scale Help us amplify Black excellence by: -Sharing on your social media -Tagging @bblivepodcast -Inviting a friend to tune in CONNECT WITH US: -Website: www.blackandb.com/podcast -Discover the network: www.blackandb.com/community -Email: contact@bblivepodcast.com  -Partnership & Sponsorship: collab@bblivepodcast.com  This podcast is built from the grind up; showcasing the real, the raw, and the rise of Black business.  #BBLPodcast #Episode2 #BlackCharityBoardroom #TheKonfidentWoman #ExecutiveLeadership #BoardroomReset #PoisedAndPositioned #WomensHistoryMonth Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/4bdfaf33/transcript]

Inside the $4 Billion Blueprint: A Strategic Fireside Chat with The BOW Collective & FIFA Dallas

Commence Season 2 of the BBL Podcast with an exclusive fireside chat recorded at The BOW Collective's 5th Annual Conference. Dissect the $4 Billion roadmap of an organization where a 70% internal trade rate scales Black women-owned businesses into the top 1% of their industries. Join Nic Cober, Ticki Favaroth, and FIFA Dallas CMO Noelle LeVeaux to learn how to secure enterprise contracts and build the capability to dominate the 2026 and 2031 World Cup global stages. Are you ready to move beyond the conversation and into the high-stakes world of scaling globally and positioning for large international sporting events? The Black Business Live Podcast is back, commencing Season 2 with a powerful conversation on the Black Economic Agenda. Recorded live during the "Welcome to Texas" VIP Reception (sponsored by HR&Co) at the 5th Annual BOW Collective Conference: Phenomenally BOW, this episode dissects the roadmap of an organization representing over $4 Billion in collective annual revenue, and growing. With over 250 Black business CEOs in attendance in Arlington, Texas, this session explores a bold new chapter for expanding enterprise presence in the global marketplace. Join us for a transparent, high-level exchange on what it takes to scale, secure enterprise contracts, and build a legacy that lasts. The Powerhouse Panel: * Nic Cober, Esquire | Founder, The BOW Collective * Ticki Favaroth | President, BOW Enterprises & Managing Partner, HR&Co * Noelle LeVeaux | CMO, FIFA World Cup 2026 Dallas In This Fireside Chat, We Unpack: * The $4 Billion Blueprint: The specific strategies The BOW Collective uses to leverage sisterhood and the power to dominate in unchartered waters and scale businesses into the top 1% of their industries. * Cooperative Economics in Action: Why a 70% internal trade rate is the ultimate strategic advantage for scaling past the $1M mark and fostering the connections necessary for the Black Economic Agenda. * The FIFA Opportunity: Noelle LeVeaux reveals how Black-owned enterprises must position themselves for the FIFA World Cup Dallas global stage. The work starts now. While the world looks toward 2026, the strategic leader is already building for the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Use this season to identify your gaps, sharpen your operations, and build the enterprise capability required to support the next decade of large-scale international sporting events. RESOURCES MENTIONED:  * The BOW Institute: www.thebowcollective.org [http://www.thebowcollective.org] * FIFA Dallas: https://www.dallasfwc26.com [https://www.dallasfwc26.com/] CONNECT WITH US: * Website: www.blackandb.com/podcast [http://www.blackandb.com/podcast] * Email: contact@bblivepodcast.com * Partnership & Sponsorship: collab@bblivepodcast.com FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: * FB / IG / LinkedIn / YouTube / TikTok: @bblivepodcast DISCOVER THE NETWORK: * www.blackandb.com/community [https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.blackandb.com/community] Thank You for Listening! This podcast is built from the grind up; showcasing the real, the raw, and the rise of Black business. Love the episode? Help us amplify Black excellence by: * Sharing on your social media * Tagging @bblivepodcast * Inviting a friend to tune in * Leaving a review on your favorite streaming platform