We are living in the days where the people who beg for forgiveness vs. ask for permission are going to be in position to succeed. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to start your thing, you’ll be at a disadvantage. There's a lot going on in AI as of late. The stuff happening, both in the actual tech as well as in the ecoystem of AI, is at a fever pitch. Things that used to play out over months are now happening in a matter of hours. It's time to bust a move if you're 'bout it. Jessica O. Matthews, CEO and founder of Uncharted, stopped by the AfroTech Executive conference in Seattle 2023 to ..read more

Rodney Williams is Co-Founder and President at Solo Funds, one of the leading financial technology companies for underserved communities. On this episode, Rodney speaks with AfroTech's Will Lucas about how to launch a fintech startup MVP with no venture capital, how challenging disruption can be in a highly regulated industry, and finding success when facing existential threats. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram: @willlucas Follow Black Tech Green Money: @blacktechgreenmoney, @btgmpodcast Learn more at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnys ..read more

Education has the power to show students a path they’d never considered before. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Dr. Laurie Santos take on tech education at HBCUs with Dr. Derrick Warren, associate dean at the Southern University College of Business. They talk about the partnership between IBM SkillsBuild and Southern University to co-create a cybersecurity leadership center for HBCU students and discuss how exposure to first-experiences inspires creativity. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information ..read more

Marcus Collins is Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy and is a Clinical Marketing Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. He previously led iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple (iTunes Partner Marketing) before running digital strategy for Beyoncé. On this episode, Marcus speaks with AfroTech's Will Lucas about the power behind what we buy, do, and who we want to be. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram: @willlucas Follow Black Tech Green Money: @blacktechgreenmoney, @btgmpodcast Learn more at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodca ..read more

Vernon Coleman is Co-Founder and CEO at Click (fka Realtime), an invitation-only social media app. On the app, users create video chat rooms where they can talk and connect with each other, and also host conferences and group meetings. On this episode, Vernon speaks with AfroTech's Will Lucas about how social media is evolving, fundraising during COVID, and the human need for real-world experiences. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com https://instagram.com/afro.tech Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio ..read more

Angela Yee is a radio hall of fame inductee and multi-business entrepreneur who runs companies in various industries. She recently started her solo radio show, Way Up with Angela Yee, after her long tenure at The Breakfast Club. In this episode, Angela Yee speaks with AfroTech's Will Lucas about her holdings, being a 'serial' entrepreneur, and how to decide what to focus on. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com https://instagram.com/afro.tech Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ..read more

Drew Henson is an award-winning designer, entrepreneur and founder of twenty2b, a lifestyle and technology product design studio based in Toronto, Canada, founder/CEO of SEAM Technic, an IoT personal safety platform, and founder of TOQi, a cannabis accessory technology company. Armed with both a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from The University of Saskatchewan and a Masters in Industrial Design from Italy, Drew balances the requirements of both fields naturally in any design strategy. On this episode, Drew speaks with AfroTech's Will Lucas about designing cannabis related hardware, how to test ..read more

From AfroTech 2022 in Austin, TX, Blavity Inc’s Tammy Gordon is on the MainStage with talking ‘Revisiting the Talented Tenth’, a concept of creating leadership in Black communities via education, and missionaries of cultur and expansion of thought. That is a simplification, but you can do your homework on W.E.B. Dubois. She’s talking with Torian Robinson is in biz dev at Alkeme Health. Brigette Jones is "The Hood Historian" is a Tennessee-based historian focusing on race relations and the lasting legacy of US slavery. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com ..read more

From AfroTech 2022 in Austin, TX, Stephanie Ogbogu, who was Associate Director of Editorial at Blavity, speaks with Tim Henshaw, Head of Hip Hop & R&B at Amazon Music, and Wallace Joseph, VP of A&R at Warner/Chappell Music. There’s a lot of money in the music business, some of it is pretty obvious even to laypeople, but the fine print on the contracts is where the real money is. Find it in publishing, streaming, music rights, and more.  Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com https://instagram.com/afro.tech Learn more about your ad-choices ..read more

At AfroTech 2022, we spoke with Ruben Harris, Co-Founder and CEO at Career Karma and Sydnee Sampson Blackwell, an engineer who came through Career Karmas pogromming about how we better prepare ourselves for the changing demands of the workforce. Career Karma is technology which helps match students to educational opportunities like boot camps, to better prepare you for product and technical careers. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com https://instagram.com/afro.tech Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/l ..read more