Tylitha Stewart

Part 2 explains the operational challenges of scaling and going retail. Although this is a challenge for most indie brands in general, it's more of an obstacle for Black owned brands. "Black founders encounter some of the most daunting obstacles in propelling their businesses beyond the startup phase and into large-scale retail, especially as they often navigate the journey alone and face limited access to capital. Being retail-ready entails having operational support, such as a seamless supply chain process with a reliable manufacturer and fulfilment centre, as well as a team capable of handling marketing, branding and influencer partnerships. "

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On this day one year ago, I resigned from my corporate role. It was truly poetic that on Juneteenth, a commemoration of Black emancipation, I liberated myself from other people’s expectations and from playing it safe. The past four years have included not only a plethora of losses and heartache, but also a myriad of joys, resilience and opportunities. In the midst of it all, I restarted my marketing business, The Peculiar CMO to reimagine how businesses leverage marketing for sustainable growth. My values-based marketing approach prioritizes: Integrity. Not taking the “standard” ethical shortcuts that others consider table stakes in business is certainly the road less traveled, but it’s worth it for long term business health. Empathy. I greatly appreciate the business and overall community I’ve created to treat others and be treated by others with dignity, kindness, and respect.  Intention. I craft thoughtfully considered and highly purposeful marketing strategies to ensure the right target consumers can make informed decisions about my clients’ offerings. If that sounds of interest to you, hit my inbox or schedule a virtual chat via my website: https://lnkd.in/gt-W_u6S

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Wow! Terri Burns, 26 makes history in Venture Capital 💰👏🏽 Over the past few days, I've been discussing #VentureCapital, VCs, and equity as pertains to the lack of representation of Black & LatinX investors. Especially, since I saw several posts on the launch of inVest Ventures on LinkedIn 😢 💙 Perfect timing. Here's an example of VC diversity (age, race, gender) A Black Woman, an underrepresented minority in Venture Capital. #Kudos Terri Burns. Wishing you continued success as the youngest Black female partner! 📈 🎓 I plan to invest time at my #Whartonreunion to re-educate myself and have a more informed perspective, especially when advocating for equity or the lack thereof with tech leaders/allies. P.S. More to come, after I consult and strategize with peers in #finance #venturecapital #tech #equity 🙏🏿 Daniel Smith, MBA, thanks for sharing this story of GV (Google Ventures) & Terri Burns.

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Terri Burns, 26, the youngest partner in GV (Google Ventures)’s history and its first Black female partner, is launching her firm, Type Capital according to Fortune. Burns’ firm will aim to have checks written without signals from other investors: “I want to move quickly and move efficiently and not over-index on heat.” Through this approach, Burns intends to eliminate the over-dependence on market trends and focus on genuine innovation. Type Capital is in its early stages. It focuses on pre-seed and seed investments, particularly in areas like digital consumer platforms, developer tools, and AI. It is especially interested in ventures led by Gen Z founders. Her strategy is geared towards finding and supporting founders before they become widely recognized in the VC ecosystem. “Not being super caught up in this ecosystem of heat that is really popular right now is the path to winning, and also the path to more collaboration and respect from founders,” said Burns. #google #venturecapital #diveristy #news #tech https://lnkd.in/gDNFGGpc

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I know this sounds obvious but the best time to prepare for… a lay off is while you’re gainfully employed. Black women have been affected by tech layoffs in an astounding way. I conduct research interviews to understand what’s affecting Black women in STEM regarding financial freedom and many share they’ve been laid off for a year or two.😬 In an online forum, a member posted that she exhausted her severance and her savings. I could sense the feelings of overwhelm and fear in her cry for help.🙏🏾 Many were in the same boat & others shared ideas for how to stay afloat during these desperate times. Life is unpredictable but partnering with a financial planner helps you prepare for the unexpected. Here are 6️⃣ areas for monitoring financial wellness before, during and after an unexpected lay off. 1️⃣ Have at least 6 months runway I’d even venture to say, save 12 months. I actually call it Liquid term (Lt) as it’s one of the 12 Elements of Financial Wellness I measure. If you are relying only on one stream of income, then you need at least a half year of savings that is liquid. This money is not invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or anything of that sort. 2️⃣ Start a side hustle Having multiple streams of income is a game changer. Honing in on your skills and building a clientele while you’re working will provide something to fall back on if/when you get laid off. If you are laid off you can work your side hustle instead of exhausting your severance and savings. Here’s examples of what you can do: • Consult using your expertise • Provide a service for running errands • Clean houses • Deliver meals or transport people • Become a secret shopper • Use Fiverr/Thumbtack pro to market services • Develop an online course • House sit and so on… 3️⃣ Figure out your financial independence number I call this Total term(Tt). It’s takes into account all your assets in proportion to your spending. It answers the question: How long can I live off my assets? Knowing this provides clues on what salary to negotiate for your next role. 4️⃣ Understand your cash flow I don’t prescribe to budgeting in the traditional sense as I’ve adopted Behavior-Based Cash Flow Planning. I show you how to compartmentalize your money to take care of your committed and spendable expenses. I help you determine your Money Found and allocate that towards your goals. 5️⃣ Have a community Have a community of friends, family, or colleagues you can reach out to who are supportive. Let them know how you’re feeling. Seek counseling, if necessary. 6️⃣ Build and nurture your network Your net worth is tied to your network. Reach out to your network, consistently, using Linkedin, previous employers, friends, colleagues and so on. You’re in the driver’s seat and if you are proactively monitoring your Financial Wellness you can face a life transition, like a lay off, with peace of mind. That’s what I want for you. What else would you add?

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If female founders, especially Black female founders, got funded at the same level as male founders, (only 1.7% of all VC funding last year went to female founders, and virtually none of that went to Black female founders); if female founders, especially Black female founders, got the same opportunity as male founders to be championed, doors-opened, influential-investor-intro-ed, promoted, talked about, written about, celebrated, recommended, exited, acquired, IPO-ed; if female founders, especially Black female founders, because of that equalization of opportunity were able to scale, exit and IPO our unicorns for billions of dollars..... Black women would be calling the shots and flexing their funds in Silicon Valley, and the future of democracy would be assured. TechCrunch Margaux MacColl https://lnkd.in/eGDpdU6w #FundFemaleFounders #FundFemaleFoundedFunds

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🌟 When they ask what I do, I just show them the headlines. 💁‍♀️✨ Honored to be featured in Blkpreneurship.com! Check out the scoop on how we're shaping the future at Dimensions.

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I feel this deeply, and in my core. The painful truth in this post may startle some or may be confirmation to others of their own capital-raise experiences. I started my business with my own capital, and when I found I would get no investment help, I took out a small loan to pay for the startup of my technology infrastructure, marketing, solutions development, state registration, etc. Since I started The Board Curators, I am blessed to have a wonderful team, and we have served public, for profit, not for profit organizations, and individual senior level executives. Why did Fearless Fund get frozen? Why do so few women get funding (2 pct)? Why do black women get only 1/2 pct of all funding? Is it intentional? Is it that we just dont know how to do it? Funding is designed to be an accelerator. To enable the company to get to a minimally viable product (MVP) as soon as possible to drive change in their market and enable economic success. Why do folks not want black women to do that? It boggles my mind, and hurts me deeply. We need to look at this as a business opportunity and not through the lens of hatred, sexism, racism. Thank you Netta Jenkins CEO, Aerodei for calling this out. Only when we see the problem, can we then fix the problem. Remember that most disparities are systemic, and we must do our fair share to vote against, petition about, look into and question those behaviors and principles that seek to stall or minimize contributions of others. #winwhentheysayyouwont #promoteprosperity #blackbusinessfunding

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We do not live in a merit-based society. We never have. Advancement based on merit alone is impossible in a society that created a 300+ year headstart for one group of people at the expense and detriment of another group. We live in a society that has ALWAYS granted certain people special access, resources, and value based on their relationship to and memembership amongst those in the seat of power. What we are seeing now is that the white-male led power group is attempting to enforce their hegemony by trying to close the doors that they held open for one another for generations. We've got to continue to kick these damn doors in or we will never get anyhere, because the bootstraps are NOT bootstrapping!!!! https://lnkd.in/dEu5hVAt 

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Raising Awareness for Black Maternal Health 🖤 As a mother going through two pregnancies, I know firsthand the weight of the disparities in maternal health. As Black Maternal Health Week comes to a close today, I’m raising my voice for all the mothers who’ve faced more than their share of challenges. The Reality is we are three times more likely to suffer from pregnancy-related complications. The fear, the stress, the silent battles - they take a toll on our minds. Seek support from your village, find a therapist, join a support group, and most importantly, continue advocating for yourself to each and every doctor!!! If they don't listen, switch doctors, find a doula, research, research, research. You know your body!! It’s time to shine a light on the mental health struggles that accompany the joy of motherhood for Black women. Resources for Support: Black Mamas Matter Alliance Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance Psychologytoday.com Therapyforblackgirls.com Let’s demand better care, more understanding, and the end of the stigma surrounding our mental health. We deserve to be heard, supported, and treated with dignity. Together, we can change the narrative for Black maternal health. #BMHW24 #BlackMomsMatter #blackmaternalhealthweek #blackmamasmatteralliance

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Black founders are leading the way in reshaping the AI landscape with tailored ChatGPTs for a more personalized experience, addressing the lack of cultural nuance in mainstream AI models. Latimer.AI and ChatBlackGPT are championing answers that resonate with Black and brown communities, while Spark Plug in Canada and innovative African models cater to diverse languages and dialects often overlooked by Western AI. Tamar Huggins emphasizes the importance of owning systems for data integrity in this evolving space. Pocstock's diversity data efforts and visual tagging system are driving inclusivity in imaging by training AI models with culturally accurate data, combating bias issues. The future of AI hinges on personalization, paving the way for enhanced understanding and inclusivity in the digital realm. #AI #DiversityandInclusion #Innovation #Tech #BlackFounders #PersonalizedAI

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As someone who shows up authentically but gets penalized for it, I wholeheartedly agree with this: "Black women are expected to embody excellence and perfection and nothing less." We work twice as hard for half as much and get thrown off glass cliffs or blamed for a company's failures. No wonder most of us don't have any emotional reserves left at the end of the workday. If you are a company leader of any sort, you should ensure that your workplace is psychological safe for Black women. This article shares some ways on how you can do just that. If you're at Black woman, there are suggestions for how we can operate in the workplace that gives us buffer and safety. https://lnkd.in/dAtaJ6vY

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The Google for Startups Founders Fund is back for the fifth year and is funding 20 Black and Latine AI companies in the US. The fund first launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment towards racial equity: - Akeptus (Glenwood, MD) provides a smart home energy management system that helps homeowners optimize their energy usage and reduce costs. - Beta Financial Services (Chicago, IL) removes bias in financial services through tools like BetaScore, a proprietary credit model designed to help SMBs obtain loans. - Bountiful (San Francisco, CA) helps farmers and food industry professionals with forecasts and critical insights for speciality crops. - Cambio AI  (New York, NY) provides software that helps commercial landlords and corporate tenants reach their net zero goals by decarbonizing their facilities. - EdVisorly (Los Angeles, CA) helps community college students explore and apply to public and private universities. - Elis (Pound Ridge, NY) helps product and marketing teams efficiently collect rich insights from their customers via interviews. - HacWare (Frisco, TX) helps businesses combat phishing attacks through experiential learning. - Hire Henry (St Louis, MO) develops industrial robotic mowers for large greenspaces. - Hue. (Boston, MA) helps brands source and integrates authentic customer testimonials on their marketing channels. - Improving Aviation (Tampa, FL) provides AI and emerging vehicle technologies to enhance public safety, aviation and wildfire management operations. - InOrbit.AI, (Mountain View, CA) helps developers and operators virtually manage and scale their robotics fleets. - JustAir (Detroit, MI) equips community leaders with health and environmental insights through air quality monitoring networks. - Maverick (San Francisco, CA) helps ecommerce stores create personalized customer experiences with generative AI. - Pagedip (Boulder, CO) is a no-code content publishing app that helps teams work more effectively and efficiently. - Raincoat (San Juan, PR) provides governments, financial institutions and insurers with automated and scalable climate insurance tools. - Sensagrate (Scottsdale, AZ) aims to reduce traffic and decrease traffic related fatalities with cutting edge computer vision and AI solutions. - Sortile (New York, NY) is a waste management system that uses AI to identify, sort and trace textiles. - TackleAI (Schaumburg, IL) turns unstructured documents and datasets into intelligible and immediately accessible data. - Trustible (Arlington, VA) helps companies surface hidden AI risks, check compliance requirements and accelerate responsible AI development. - Waterplan (YC S21) (San Francisco, CA) is a water sustainability platform which helps organizations gather, report and act on water related risks. #startups #entrepreneurship #google #diversity #tech https://lnkd.in/gHUWVF_3

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Just to frame up this story clearer, only 1%-3% of all Venture Capital goes to women & people of color. I’m just sayin. This fund should not be hindered. Wanna good story? “Movie Pass/Movie Crash”. Watch it. Two black entrepreneurs found it, grow it to profitability, two old white men take it over and kick them out, then run the whole thing into the ground in SPECTACULAR fashion. Oh…they’re currently on trial for securities fraud😂 Spoiler!: the original black founders bought Movie Pass from the junk heap of Bankrupcy court, dusted it off, turned it profitable again! And it’s a huge win-win-win for studios, theater owners, consumers. Data analytics for studios, increased concessions for theaters, cheaper prices for consumers https://lnkd.in/gtXutkDX

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