Seasoned tech executive Omar Johnson is leveraging his experience to revolutionize how brands market themselves. Raised in Brooklyn, NY, Johnson’s exposure to technology was initially limited to video games and consumer electronics. However, his inquisitiveness grew and ultimately helped him secure roles with major tech giants. “A lot of my curiosity was sort of like self-driven,” he told AFROTECH™ in an interview. Tech Journey Johnson’s interests also lay in marketing, leading him to earn an MBA from Emory University in 2004. Following a brief stint at Campbell Soup Company as an associate brand manager, he transitioned to roles with brands such as Coca-Cola and Nike. At the latter, he began as an assistant brand manager before being promoted to content manager of advising and innovation, which remained his focus. “Find the most important things that the company is betting on for the future and work on those things,” Johnson explained. “I always had that sort of lean when I was at...

Shaw-naé Dixon is behind a popular soul food restaurant in Staten Island, NY. Dixon’s interest in cooking dates back to her time in the kitchen with her grandmother, her website reads. She would continue to nurture her skills at church and a local soup kitchen. “My grandmother was a dietician for over 40 years, and I know that my grandmother taught me a lot of different recipes when I was growing u p,” Dixon said during an interview with Bon Appétit . “ And it wasn’t necessarily about the recipes and the food, it was about the technique and making sure that I could feed a lot of people at one time. “ In her adult years, Dixon first pursued a career in education. For over a decade, she was a teacher. However, she was pushed into her true calling of becoming a restaurateur after spending time in a coma. “Following a very, I won’t say difficult time, but a pivotal time in my life when I was in a coma, when I woke up, I said, ‘ Chase your legacy and not the luxury.’ Opening up a...

Tyrre Burks has raised new funding that will benefit younger athletes. The Chicago, IL, native is the founder of Players Health , a platform providing support solutions for sports organizations, teams, leagues, and clubs. These solutions include insurance offerings and an athlete safety suite that encompasses education and training, injury management forms, incident reporting, compliance forms, and tools to support name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, its website mentions. As a former college athlete who went pro in the Canadian Football League, Burks understands firsthand the importance of athlete safety. During his playing career, he endured multiple injuries, including an experience during his college freshman year when he was paralyzed on the field for 45 minutes. “My freshman year of college I was catching a low ball with my head down, and I get hit. I’m paralyzed on the turf, could not move. This happened… It’s probably the most bizarre feeling you could ever have where you...

Lesa Milan, star of “The Real Housewives of Dubai,” credits Beyoncé as an inspiration for her fashion business success. In 2016, Milan launched her fashion brand Mina Roe, catering to pregnant women because she felt there was a lack of trendy maternity items on the market, notes WWD. “I love that Rihanna was out there with her bump, being sexy and bold because that’s what Mina Roe has always been about — celebrating your pregnancy rather than hiding it,” she told the outlet in 2022 . “You can still add that fashion twist and your own personal style to your bump. I think that’s the hole that we filled with Mina Roe.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by MINA ROE (@minaroe) Milan had ambitious goals for her brand from the start, launching it with the support of just one female employee. In an interview with radio station Hot 97, she shared how she initially reached out to entrepreneurs and celebrities, hoping they would wear Mina Roe. Ultimately, her breakthrough came through...

Kawana Jefferson is living out her dreams with three hospitality ventures under her belt. The Virginia State University alum began her journey into hospitality during her college years, taking on roles like bartending and hosting, as reported by MadameNoire. While her early experiences hinted at a career in hospitality, Jefferson ultimately pursued psychology, earning a Bachelor’s degree in the field in 2003 and a Master of Science in school psychology in 2011, her LinkedIn mentions. Jefferson spent eight years working as a school psychologist, but she also maintained an aspiration to become a businesswoman and venture into the restaurant space. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit inside of me and hospitality spoke to me. It was something that I’ve always wanted to do. It was kind of like an itch that just wouldn’t go away. So I just took the leap of faith,” she said, according to the outlet. Sweet Brooklyn Bar And Gril In 2016, Jefferson became the proud owner of Sweet...

Former NFL player Mark Clayton sketched his vision for entrepreneurship while in business school. Clayton founded LIVV Audio, which offers high-performing headphones designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The product was inspired by his experiences as an athlete. Drafted to the NFL in 2005 by the Baltimore Ravens, he signed a five-year deal valued at $8.2 million, according to Spotrac. Around 2008, he was among the many athletes sporting Beats headphones. Over the years, Clayton recalled breaking two pairs. In 2010, he was traded to the St. Louis Rams but suffered a season-ending injury. During his recovery, he turned to aquatic therapy but faced challenges using over-the-ear headphones during his sessions. “I made it to St. Louis and had a season-ending injury. And a lot of the rehab we did was in the swimming pool,” Clayton told AFROTECH™. “So, of course, I want to wear my over-ear headphones, but they would start to fall off, and then I have to take ’em off because I...

Maryland’s first Black family-owned wine company is expanding! As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Boyd Cru Wines is led by married couple Matthew and Jon’ll Boyd, who pursued separate career paths for over a decade before collaborating on a shared business venture in the wine industry. For over a decade, Jon’ll worked in the event planning industry, while Matthew built his career in the pharmaceutical and chemistry sectors. In the wake of COVID-19 in 2020, Jon’ll’s industry came to a standstill, leading to a greater focus on what became Boyd Cru Wines in April 2023. “I think the pivotal point for us came right about during the pandemic because that, of course for me, brought my event planning business to a very quick and fast halt as you can imagine with people not being able to gather,” Jon’ll told the Washington Business Journal. “It afforded us an opportunity to delve deeper into the wine industry, and simultaneously, I think at that time, I was seeing that there was some shifting...

A TikTok ban could result in the loss of substantial earnings for small businesses and social media creators. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the China-based platform, with over 1 billion users globally and 170 million in the U.S., is at risk of being banned as a result of the intention to “protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications.” The ban is expected to go into effect on Jan. 19, 2025, depending on whether the platform is unwilling to sell the application, per ABC News. On Dec. 6, 2024, the federal appeals court denied TikTok’s push to overturn the ban. Within days, TikTok doubled down and requested an emergency injunction to allow the Supreme Court to review the decision to ban the application at the start of the upcoming year. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional...