{"id":96425,"date":"2025-10-22T06:47:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T06:47:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/96425\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T06:47:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T06:47:19","slug":"live-from-the-2025-forbesblk-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/96425\/","title":{"rendered":"Live From The 2025 ForbesBLK Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reported by Asia Alexander<\/a><\/p>\n

A<\/p>\n

ll eyes are on Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia this week as Forbes hosts the third annual ForbesBLK Summit\u2014a powerful gathering of Black changemakers, innovators and leaders shaping the future of business and culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we dive in today, just remember the Summit isn’t just about exchanging ideas. It’s about creating real and meaningful connections,\u201d said Ayisha Mendez, community manager of ForbesBLK, welcoming the audience. \u201cIt’s about sharing those ideas and making sure we push forward as a collective in a time where collaboration and innovation are more important than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before attendees gathered for a day of panels and firesides, ForbesBLK members spent Wednesday volunteering across Atlanta, giving back to the community through local service projects that reflected the Summit\u2019s mission of empowerment and connection.<\/p>\n

With the theme \u201cToday\u2019s Challenges, Tomorrow\u2019s Opportunity: A New Path to Economic Prosperity,\u201d the Summit challenges Black business leaders to chart what\u2019s next as entrepreneurship and creativity continue to shape global culture.<\/p>\n

Serial Founder Emma Grede Built A Multi-Million Dollar Empire, Starting With A Sandwich<\/p>\n

\u201cLife has chapters,\u201d said Emma Grede during a fireside chat with Jabari Young, senior writer at Forbes and editorial lead for ForbesBLK.<\/p>\n

Grede, now founding partner and chief product officer of Skims, shared how her career started with a moment of everyday excellence. \u201cI got my first work experience because I made the best sandwich,\u201d she said. \u201cA woman who worked in fashion PR, Alex Silver, used to come in and wait for me to make hers. One day she said, \u2018I\u2019m going to wait for that girl,\u2019 and that\u2019s how I got my start. Whatever you do, approach it with excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the same mindset continues to guide her success. \u201cI think I operate on a set of principles, and one of my principles is to always be in learning mode, because you don’t know what you don’t know,\u201d she said. \u201cMore than anything, it\u2019s about flexibility \u2014 flexibility of thought, flexibility of style, flexibility to open your mind and figure out what might be the next big thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Named one of America\u2019s Richest Self-Made Women by Forbes<\/a> in 2025, Grede is worth an estimated $405 million. Most of her fortune comes from Skims, but she is also the CEO and cofounder of denim brand Good American, which made history with a $1 million launch day in 2016.<\/p>\n

Beyond Skims and Good American, Grede\u2019s ventures include Frame, Cakes Body, and collaborations with the NFL, Fanatics and Kristin Juszczyk. She also sits on the Obama Foundation board and hosts her podcast Aspire with Emma Grede.<\/p>\n

AI Can\u2019t Afford Bias\u2014And Neither Can We<\/p>\n

Moderated by Forbes Senior Law Editor Liane Jackson, the AI panel at this year\u2019s ForbesBLK Summit brought together leading voices to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming industries, ethics, and opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI is transforming industry, it\u2019s transforming business, it\u2019s transforming the world,\u201d Jackson said as she opened the conversation. Her words rang true but as the discussion unfolded, panelists also examined the technology\u2019s challenges, particularly the issue of bias.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no room for bias,\u201d said Brian Laung Aoaeh, reflecting on how AI must remain accurate and transparent as it integrates into complex systems.<\/p>\n

For Candace Mitchell, the discussion was deeply personal. As CEO of Myavana, a beauty-tech company that uses \u201chair AI\u201d to analyze textured hair and recommend personalized care products. She\u2019s seen firsthand how data can drive inclusion. \u201cWe need to be the ones that are creating and managing these data sets,\u201d she said. Mitchell explained that her company\u2019s technology was built by Black women scientists and cosmetologists. She created the largest database of textured and multicultural hair data\u2014proving that when Black women lead in tech, representation becomes innovation.<\/p>\n

Together, the panelists painted a picture of an AI-driven future grounded in responsibility, diversity and human purpose.<\/p>\n

Flying Cars By 2050? The Future Of Travel May Be Closer Than You Think<\/p>\n

\u201cSoon, maybe in 30 years or so, there will be flying cars,\u201d said Forbes Senior Writer Jabari Young, opening the Future of Transportation panel at the ForbesBLK Summit. He referenced a Morgan Stanley estimate valuing the urban air mobility market at $9 trillion by 2050, noting that the future of travel is already taking shape.<\/p>\n

The conversation featured Josh Aviv, founder and CEO of SparkCharge and Sondra Sutton Phung, General Manager of Global Truck at Ford Motor Company. Both agreed that innovation must be paired with access and safety. \u201cThe future is electric,\u201d said Aviv, emphasizing that electrification is not a trend but a transition already underway. Phung added, \u201cWhat I see in the future is absolutely a flying car\u2026 It\u2019s not a matter of can it be done, it\u2019s about when it will be done and what infrastructure will be required to actually make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panel also examined how shifting government policies could shape EV adoption. \u201cWhen we think about electrification here in the United States, the first thing we did was make it very political instead of focusing on the dollar and the penny,\u201d Aviv said. \u201cOwning an electric vehicle saves money\u2014it\u2019s low maintenance, cheaper to fuel, and the experience is better than owning a gas vehicle.\u201d He added that fleets, too, are increasingly switching to EVs because of the lower costs. \u201cOn a global scale,\u201d Aviv concluded, \u201cwe\u2019re playing defense instead of offense, but electrification isn\u2019t slowing down\u2014it\u2019s only gaining ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Bermuda\u2019s Premier David Burt Is Steering A Small Nation Toward Big Innovation<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re down the street from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. You could fit the entire population of my country inside that football stadium \u2014 we\u2019re that small,\u201d Premier David Burt, who is the youngest leader in the history of Bermuda, said in conversation with Ali Jackson-Jolley, Assistant Managing Editor for DEI at Forbes. \u201cBut the reality is that allows us to move very quickly. And so, we learn lessons early on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burt serves as the head of the executive branch for the country. International business and tourism remain Bermuda\u2019s top economic drivers, with the re-insurance industry covering substantial liabilities in the United States.<\/p>\n

He outlined several initiatives driving Bermuda\u2019s growth, including a mortgage-guarantee program to help first-time buyers, reduced interest rates, and policies aimed at fairness. \u201cYou cut taxes for low-wage earners, you increase taxes for high-wage earners, you introduce a minimum wage, and you provide daycare for working parents,\u201d he said. \u201cThe reality is, it works.\u201d Bermuda recently achieved its first balanced budget surplus in 23 years and a record number of Bermudians working in high-tech and finance fields.<\/p>\n

For other small nations, Burt\u2019s message was clear: stay intentional and embrace innovation. \u201cI am incredibly passionate that digital finance is going to change the way the world works \u2014 the way we exchange value and raise money,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce people feel and sense the confidence and buy into your vision, then those companies do come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Googling Your Feelings? Experts Warn AI Isn\u2019t Always the Answer<\/p>\n

During the Unspoken: Black Mental Health Unfiltered session, panelists explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health \u2014 both as a lifeline and a liability. The panel included Derek Anderson, Founder and President of the Stamina Foundation; Dr. Judith Joseph, Psychiatrist and Author; and Latham Thomas, Founder of Mama Glow. The discussion was moderated by Ayisha Mendez, Community Manager at ForbesBLK.<\/p>\n

Recent data shows that 36% of Gen Z and millennials are open to or already using AI for mental health care, and 48% of youth say seeking professional help would be their last resort.<\/p>\n

Dr. Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist and researcher, shared how AI can sometimes do more harm than good. \u201cI saw a patient the other day \u2014 I\u2019ll disguise the case \u2014 but they came in saying they thought they were depressed because they searched, \u2018I feel off,\u2019 and AI told them depression could be caused by sleep issues,\u201d she said. \u201cSo they started taking over-the-counter medicine, and it turned out the medication was actually causing brain fog and cognitive issues. It can be very dangerous \u2014 but the reality is, that\u2019s where they\u2019re getting their information.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the discussion turned to solutions, mental health advocate Derek Anderson said the focus must move from awareness to action. \u201cYour mental wellness, which I call mental wellness, is like a diet. If you don\u2019t put a full plan for diet, you ain\u2019t going to work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Joseph closed the session by offering a framework for emotional wellness called the Fives, which centers on validation, venting, values, vitals, and vision. \u201cJoy is built into your DNA,\u201d she said. \u201cYou just have to learn how to reclaim it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fashion As Protest, Power and Pride\u2014How Black Designers Are Redefining Luxury<\/p>\n

Fashion in the Black community has long been more than self-expression \u2014 it\u2019s been a form of protest, pride and power. At the ForbesBLK Summit, Antoine Gregory, founder of Black Fashion Fair; Brandon Blackwood, founder and CEO of Brandon Blackwood New York; and Janee\u2019 Naylor, founder of 12 P.M. Studios, joined Forbes\u2019 Ali Jackson-Jolley to discuss how they\u2019re redefining luxury and community through fashion.<\/p>\n

\u201cRealizing that it gave people strength and it gave people strength when there wasn’t space for them to say how they felt,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cWhen you look at the civil rights movement, dressing was a big part of making it look like we were very respectful people. Through history, the Black Panthers used aesthetics when they weren’t allowed to protest, and these T-shirts became forms of protest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naylor is the founder of a luxury Eyewear brand. \u201cFashion is like my armor,\u201d she said.. \u201cPeople are getting priced out of the ability to feel confident. Luxury isn\u2019t just about a high price point but quality, experience and inclusion. Everyone deserves to experience it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blackwood, who owns 100% of his company and is celebrating 10 years in business, said independence remains key to his success. \u201cNot having investors has been great because I can do whatever I want,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything you see \u2014 activations, collections \u2014 is fully funded by my customers. They\u2019re my investors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregory also addressed how Black designers are often held to stricter standards. \u201cIf it comes to a Black-owned brand, you want the Black-owned brand to prove themselves to you,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don’t require that of anyone else but each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that the diversity wave of 2020 has since faded. \u201cWe saw this big wave of support \u2014 but it was a \u2018we see you\u2019 moment, not a \u2018we\u2019ll build with you\u2019 moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blackwood closed by crediting his success to the people who believe in him. \u201cIt\u2019s very apparent that community is the reason my brand exists,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s always a responsibility, especially being a Black, queer designer, because you\u2019re always under a microscope especially the more popular you become.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephen A. Smith for President 2028?<\/p>\n

Stephen A. Smith, the outspoken sports commentator, author and host of The Stephen A. Smith Show, has built a career on confidence, candor and conviction. Known for his fiery takes and relentless drive, Smith brought that same energy to the ForbesBLK Summit \u2014 where talk of a potential presidential run stirred the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe I can beat them all,\u201d said Stephen A. Smith when asked if he would run for president in 2028 . \u201cIt is very unlikely, but I leave the door open.\u201d If he ever ran, he said his running mate would be \u201cWes Moore of Maryland or Josh Shapiro,\u201d and his campaign slogan would be \u201cBuckle up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jabari Young introduced Smith on stage as his mentor. He took the audience down memory lane as he showed his appreciation to the man that influenced his career. \u201cStephen A. Smith is the reason I am here right now,\u201d he said. Then Smith joined Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer at Forbes, on stage where they talked about his views on race, and his rise to becoming one of the most recognizable voices in sports and media.<\/p>\n

\u201cRacism is a part of life,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt exists and you know it exists, but you can\u2019t pay attention to it because it\u2019s not going away.\u201d He compared racial inequity to the saying, \u201cIf white folks catch a cold, Black folks catch pneumonia,\u201d explaining that it\u2019s always harder for Black people. But he emphasized perseverance over defeat: \u201cYou don\u2019t become fixated on the obstacles that stand in your way. You look at them and say, \u2018How do I overcome it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith also reflected on his work ethic and brand. \u201cI\u2019m fearless in pursuit of my aspirations and of excellence,\u201d he said. \u201cMy mentality is to shoot for the stars and you\u2019ll catch something.\u201d<\/p>\n

And when asked about legacy, he kept it simple: \u201cI want my legacy to be that I didn\u2019t forget us\u2014that I made sure to reach back, provide a helping hand, and to make sure that I was true to my word when I said Jay-Z, Shaq and Lebron and people like that, that’s a pipe dream. You can’t be them. They’re 1 in 1,000,000,000 shot. But you can be Stephen A. Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andre Dickens Kicks Off Day 2 of ForbesBLK Summit<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome to the A, everybody,\u201d Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said, greeting the crowd on Day 2 of the ForbesBLK Summit at Morehouse College.<\/p>\n

The morning opened with Jabari Young, senior writer and editorial lead for ForbesBLK, who introduced Dickens with a lighthearted story about the two getting stranded together on a trip after an airline unexpectedly went bankrupt. The laughter that followed set an upbeat tone for the day.<\/p>\n

Before a packed audience on the historic Morehouse campus, Dickens reflected on Atlanta\u2019s legacy as the \u201cepicenter of Black excellence.\u201d He paid tribute to former Black mayors and civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Morehouse alumnus, and Maynard Jackson, the city\u2019s first Black mayor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAtlanta\u2019s history is full of people who saw a need and obstacles and took that as an invitation to get to work,\u201d Dickens said. \u201cIf anybody is built for this moment, we are built for this.\u201d<\/p>\n

He emphasized that Atlanta thrives because of its innovation, collaboration and community spirit. \u201cEconomic prosperity is not at the exclusion of a domain for just a privileged few,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s for us to be inclusive and to raise up as we climb.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before closing, Dickens encouraged attendees to take advantage of the opportunities to connect and invest in the city. \u201cAtlanta is open for business,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re helping minority entrepreneurs with everything from grants to low-cost loans and for us to partner together in my administration. Let\u2019s have a great time as we enjoy this ForbesBLK Summit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert F. Smith Champions Economic Freedom <\/p>\n

Billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith returned to Morehouse College for the ForbesBLK Summit, where he discussed the importance of capital and how his company, Vista Equity Partners, is adapting to new technology. The conversation was moderated by Jabari Young, senior writer and editorial lead for ForbesBLK.<\/p>\n

According to Forbes, Smith is worth about $10 billion and ranks No. 123 on the Forbes 400.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSeventy-five percent of Black communities don\u2019t have branch banks in their neighborhood,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a digital capacity to manage loans at scale, then you can\u2019t deliver that money.\u201d<\/p>\n

He explained how the Student Freedom Initiative \u2014 conceived after he paid off the student debt for Morehouse College\u2019s 2019 graduating class \u2014 has evolved into a long-term model for economic mobility. When Smith first partnered with the Southern Communities Initiative, he aimed to help establish banking infrastructures in select Southern cities through locally led and sustainable programs. He said the initiative and similar efforts in five other cities have unlocked between $6 million and $30 million in new lending.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on his upbringing in what he called an all-Black \u201cbeloved community,\u201d Smith described the values that shaped his worldview. \u201cIf you wanted to learn to play piano, you went to Mrs. Buckner\u2019s house. If you wanted to be a carpenter, you went to Mr. Robbins,\u201d he said. \u201cMy mom would make us check out 10 books, and we had to read those 10 books that week in addition to the school work.\u201d<\/p>\n

He emphasized the importance of protecting progress and honoring legacy. \u201cIt\u2019s important that we maintain those rights \u2014 the right to vote, the right to be educated, the right to live anywhere you want, to marry who you want,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAll those are important rights that were hard fought by people who led the charge out of this community, out of Atlanta.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to the future, Smith spoke about the role of artificial intelligence in closing opportunity gaps. \u201cYou have to understand and embrace this technology,\u201d he said, noting that the Student Freedom Initiative offers free online coursework in AI and other subjects. \u201cBe more entrepreneurial. Take more risks. Build relationships. Invest in each other and in yourself to create businesses that can change the direction of your life .\u201d<\/p>\n

He also urged attendees to challenge traditional thinking about success. \u201cBe a more effective entrepreneur. Encourage people to take risks,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the things in our community that is important is for us to take more risks, to become more entrepreneurial. My generation was truly a generation of \u2018Get educated so you can go get a job.\u2019 And you know, I got lots of criticism from my family about leaving my job to start a business, but I think we have to change that narrative more in our community to say be more entrepreneurial. Take more risks. Build relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alden and Todd McDonald: Generational Wealth in Action<\/p>\n

Alden McDonald Jr., CEO of Liberty Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in America, and his son, Todd McDonald, the bank\u2019s incoming CEO, joined Jabari Young, senior writer and editorial lead for ForbesBLK, to discuss Black wealth, Hurricane Katrina and the future of community banking.<\/p>\n

McDonald, who founded Liberty in 1972 after being recruited by Dr. Norman C. Francis, reflected on his journey. \u201cI turned him down three times,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t know whether I was ready to run a bank. I was 29 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said his passion came from wanting to help people achieve what his family could not. \u201cMy dad was a waiter. We didn\u2019t own a house, and my passion at that point was, how do I help people buy a house with no money down?\u201d<\/p>\n

That mission became Liberty Bank\u2019s foundation. \u201cBack then, banks didn\u2019t make loans to people of color,\u201d he said. \u201cSo my passion and my mission was to serve the community, grow the community, and the community wrapped their arms around us and helped us grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Liberty Bank has been profitable 48 of its 52 years, with only one disruption \u2014 Hurricane Katrina. \u201cWe lost everything,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWe had to look for an opportunity from that obstacle, and we made it back the first year afterward in a better place than before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Todd McDonald, who will take over the bank’s leadership, said he has yet to watch the HULU documentary on the tragic event. \u201cWe started acquiring field banks, because right in 2005 was Hurricane Katrina, but right behind that was the financial crisis. My dad’s saying, \u2018when there’s an obstacle, take the O and make it into an opportunity,\u2019 is very real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alden McDonald also underscored Liberty\u2019s commitment to financial education. \u201cWe\u2019re going beyond teaching people how to open a bank account,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to educate our community on what to do with their retirement program, what to do with their 401(k).\u201d<\/p>\n

Todd McDonald said the focus is clear as the next generation prepares to lead. \u201cIt\u2019s an honor to be a banker because you are helping change people\u2019s lives by the stroke of a pen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Hustle Is Personal: Entrepreneurs On Owning The Brand And The Story<\/p>\n

\u201cGone are the days where you buy a product and you have no idea who’s behind it. You couldn’t even name them,\u201d said Asahi Pompey, who oversees Goldman Sachs\u2019 community impact initiatives like One Million Black Women. \u201cNow we want to know who’s behind that product, and we want to direct our funding there. That\u2019s one of the macro trends that we’re seeing across entrepreneurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pompey\u2019s observation rang especially true given the powerhouse lineup joining her on stage for a panel moderated by Forbes Under 30 reporter Zoya Hasan: musician and entrepreneur Earl \u201cE-40\u201d Stevens, Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole, and Honey Pot\u2019s Bea Dixon.<\/p>\n

For Cole, building a brand with a strong personal identity has never been more important. After launching Slutty Vegan in 2018 and rapidly scaling it into a multi-location sensation, she recently faced a major setback. Mounting debt outpaced revenue, triggering a company-wide restructuring and forcing the brand onto the market. \u201cI had the super popular company. It’s a household name. Everybody loved my brand,\u201d Cole said. \u201cAnd I look up and I’m like, \u2018Damn, I’m about to be a Netflix documentary if I don’t fix this fast.\u2019\u201d She pulled off a turnaround, securing funds to buy back her business. Now, she\u2019s relaunching it as Slutty Vegan 2.0.<\/p>\n

At the other end of the entrepreneurial spectrum was Dixon, who last year sold 85% of Honey Pot in a $380 million all-cash deal\u2014turning down even higher offers for the sake of alignment and retaining a say in the business. \u201cWhoever you take money from, y\u2019all go together,\u201d she said. Dixon urged aspiring founders to take risks, identify problems and build bold solutions\u2014like she did with Honey Pot. \u201cIt takes you breaking the rules to break through and do something that\u2019s never been done before,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

No one understands the power of personal brand quite like E-40. But he\u2019s quick to point out that celebrity alone doesn\u2019t make a business.\u201cA lot of celebrities that have their own brands, or they might be the brand ambassador of a brand. Some of them don’t take it serious,\u201d he said. \u201cYou got to get out there and push that thing. That’s how you get that billion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Stevens runs an expansive food and beverage empire: more than 17 wines under his Earl Stevens Selections label, multiple liquors, the Goon With The Spoon food brand\u2014offering sausages, burritos, and six flavors of ice cream\u2014and part ownership of The Lumpia Company. He\u2019s even published a cookbook under the Goon With The Spoon name.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s always good when you make revenue off something you love to do,\u201d he said, urging the crowd to fully leverage social media. \u201cWe got to start using this free advertisement. It can work against you and it can work for you. It just depends on how you play your game. So use your socials to the fullest.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Black Founders Can Scale <\/p>\n

Investors and entrepreneurs shared insights on navigating the venture capital landscape during a conversation featuring Melissa Bradley, general partner at BEA Venture Fund, and Hannah Bronfman, creator, investor and activist, moderated by Liane Jackson, senior law editor at Forbes.<\/p>\n

\u201cVenture capital is not patient capital,\u201d said Bradley. \u201cIt is focused on scale. People can grow a business and people can scale a business \u2014 they are two very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradley, who also leads 1863 Ventures and appears on the ForbesBLK 50 list<\/a>, offered advice to founders on understanding their market. \u201cKnow your customers. And it can’t just be people like us. No disrespect,\u201d she said, adding that \u201call skin folk are not kinfolk,\u201d and founders should make sure their businesses appeal to a broader audience.<\/p>\n

Bronfman emphasized that investors should bring more than just money. \u201cWe\u2019re strategic partners,\u201d she said. \u201c We’re helping you know, we’re helping operate. We’re opening doors to distribution. We’re giving you cultural fluency. We’re giving you access.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panel discussed how venture capital requires speed, preparation and accountability. It also highlighted how the right partnership can turn capital into long-term impact.<\/p>\n

Don Peebles on Risk and Reward<\/p>\n

Don Peebles, founder and chief executive officer of The Peebles Corporation, was introduced by singer-songwriter and actor Tyrese Gibson before joining Randall Lane, Forbes\u2019 chief content officer, for a conversation about legacy, opportunity and building wealth through ownership.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned from my mother,\u201d Peebles said. \u201cMy mother had me when she was 19 years old. She had bigger dreams \u2014 she got her real-estate sales license, started a brokerage business, worked at Fannie Mae. But as a Black woman in America in the late 1960s and early \u201970s, it was very challenging for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching her perseverance, he said, pushed him to pursue ownership. \u201cI saw the injustice she confronted,\u201d Peebles said. \u201cIt inspired me to want to be on the other side of the equation so that I could make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peebles began his career in Washington, D.C., under then-Mayor Marion Barry and built his first building at 26. \u201cI thought there was no limitation to what my dreams were,\u201d he said. \u201cWith some hard work and the willingness to take some risk, I had nothing to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

He recalled a setback early in his career. \u201cWhile I had the votes on the city council, ultimately Barry lost his nerve and he pulled my deal,\u201d Peebles said. \u201cI was 34, my son was just born, and I thought, here I was, $58 million less expensive \u2014 and I can\u2019t win. That means there\u2019s not going to be a fair opportunity for me here.\u201d<\/p>\n

That realization led him to new opportunities. While vacationing in Miami Beach with his wife for their anniversary, Peebles read a newspaper article about the city seeking a developer to build the nation\u2019s first African American-owned hotel in South Beach. The story caught his attention. \u201cI saw it as an opportunity for a Black developer to take on a project of that scale,\u201d he said. \u201cBy June of 1996, we had won the rights to build the Royal Palm Hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about making a difference and being part of change,\u201d Peebles said.<\/p>\n

Turning Creativity Into Opportunity<\/p>\n

Wyclef Jean and Everette Taylor shared how creativity and imagination shaped their journeys. The discussion, moderated by Ali Jackson- Jolly, Assistant Managing Editor of DEI at Forbes, explored how both men turned culture into capital.<\/p>\n

As kids Jean remembers playing the game \u201c I\u2019m going to America\u201d with the kids in the local community. The game essentially gave the kids a sense of hope. He went around on his imaginary friend \u201cBoo Boo the donkey\u201d and pretended to bring gifts back to all of the children.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was raised in extreme poverty behind a cemetery,\u201d Jean said, recalling his childhood in Haiti. \u201cYour greatest gift is your imagination. Once you can\u2019t dream and you can\u2019t imagine \u2014 that\u2019s when it\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, said creativity gave him direction growing up on the south side of Richmond, Virginia. Kickstarter is an online crowdfunding platform that helps creators raise money for their ideas. \u201cMy imagination was through creativity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I think about marketing, I always think about human connection \u2014 the beauty of storytelling,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cEveryone feels heartbreak, love and anger. Those emotions connect us, no matter where we come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both agreed that innovation depends on evolution. \u201cRules are limitations,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cEvery day has to be an evolution,\u201d Jean added.<\/p>\n

The Rollercoaster Journey of Kandi Burruss<\/p>\n

For the final panel of the ForbesBLK Summit, multifaceted businesswoman Kandi Burruss graced the stage to share her journey and the lessons learned along the way. The Atlanta native\u2014known as a singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and entrepreneur\u2014has built a career that spans more than three decades. The panel was moderated by Jabari Young, , senior writer and editorial lead for ForbesBLK.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like this year has been transitional,\u201d Burruss said. \u201cI started the year off on fire\u2026 everything was on point, and then somewhere around six or seven months in, I was like, \u2018Wait, what is going on? What is life?\u2019 What’s happening in life?\u2019… But now I feel like I\u2019m getting back to my best self.\u201d<\/p>\n

An Atlanta icon, Burruss proudly declared, \u201cI am so ATL,\u201d reflecting on how her upbringing shaped her foundation. She shared memories of attending church conventions with her father\u2019s side of the family while being raised mostly around her mother\u2019s side\u2014\u201cMama Joyce,\u201d as fans know her from The Real Housewives of Atlanta.<\/p>\n

She recalled the times her mom would drive by expensive neighborhoods in hope of one day owning one. \u201cThe neighborhood I live in is one of the neighborhoods I used to drive past every day that we couldn’t get in because of the gate.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked to describe her career in one word, Burruss didn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cRollercoaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout my career, sometimes I\u2019ve had really, really high highs, and then it dips down,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then, you know, on a roller coaster, it dips down. But I just stay on the journey. So it comes back up. \u201d<\/p>\n

That determination has carried her through music, television, Broadway, and business. Still, she admits entrepreneurship has its challenges. \u201cOut of all the businesses that I\u2019ve done, the restaurant industry was the hardest and has been the hardest\u2014the biggest headache,\u201d she said. \u201cIt depends so much on the people that are working for you, and since COVID, it\u2019s been high turnover in the service industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges, she takes pride in what she\u2019s built. \u201cMy goal was to one day be able to say I employed at least 100 people\u2014and I did that,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n

Through it all, Burruss continues to evolve, embodying the drive and creativity that define Atlanta\u2019s entrepreneurial spirit. As she put it, \u201cI\u2019m always working on my next move while I\u2019m on my current move.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Reported by Asia Alexander A ll eyes are on Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia this week as Forbes…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":96426,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[4531,60354,72,52653,176,11925,60353,61,60,960,174,175,55325],"class_list":{"0":"post-96425","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-black","9":"tag-black-power","10":"tag-business","11":"tag-emma-grede","12":"tag-finance","13":"tag-forbes","14":"tag-forbesblk","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-leadership","18":"tag-personal-finance","19":"tag-personalfinance","20":"tag-summit"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}