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On the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast, hosts Mike, Ken, and CJ welcome Chef J.C. Pinckney, CEO of The Bougie Palate, a Tampa-based luxury catering and private chef brand inspired by her Barbados roots and love of Louisiana Creole cuisine. J.C. shares how she started cooking for friends during COVID, formalized the business in 2022, and learned entrepreneurship through free one-on-one support from the SBDC, including financial literacy, pricing strategy, and post-event “autopsies.” She explains why she avoids opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant, how she prices luxury catering (including retainers and paid tastings), and what customers often misunderstand about catering costs. J.C. discusses staffing, project management systems, marketing through social media and word of mouth, catering events up to 700+ people, and her goals to open a commissary/ghost kitchen, expand revenue streams, and create a cookbook and cooking classes.

Website: https://thebougiepalate.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebougiepalate

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• Ken

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On this episode of the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast, hosts introduce Erica Hughes, founder of Morningstar Counseling Services in Louisville, Kentucky, a practice supporting teens and adults through depression, anxiety, trauma, and major life transitions with a gentle, empowering approach.

Erica shares her path from sociology and criminology studies to Child Protective Services, then earning a master’s in mental health counseling and opening her private practice in 2018 without a formal business plan. She discusses learning business essentials like finding mentors, hiring support, getting an accountant, managing taxes, insurance, networking, and social media, and balancing therapy work with leadership, motherhood, and boundaries.

The conversation covers increased openness to therapy post-COVID, especially among Black clients and men, how to suggest therapy sensitively, and ways to reduce stigma. Erica also highlights her children’s book, “The Courage Within,” and her goals to expand into hospitals and corporate mental health education.

Instagram: @mstar_counseling

Website: Morning Star Counseling

00:00 Podcast Cold Open

00:27 Madrid Jet Lag Banter

01:40 Meet Erica Hughes

03:17 Louisville vs Chicago Check In

04:19 Morningstar Services Team

05:23 From CPS to Counseling

09:01 Launching the Practice

11:19 Moving Through Fear

14:15 Therapy in Black Communities

18:00 Entrepreneur Lessons Learned

21:10 Creating a Safe Space

22:24 Therapist Self Care Boundaries

23:28 Minority Hurdles Ahead

23:54 Breaking Into Louisville

25:06 Building Without A Plan

27:08 Mentors And Mistakes

28:17 Boundaries And Self Care

30:39 Friends As Employees

32:37 Finding The Right Therapist

35:02 Proud Of Morningstar

36:18 Bigger Vision Ahead

37:38 Talking About Therapy

39:33 Dispelling Black Stigma

42:22 Children's Book Journey

44:16 Where To Find Erica

45:22 Culture And Closing

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Hosts:

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• CJ
• Ken

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This week on the Blackbridge Mindset Podcast, the hosts discuss Midwest weather and long TSA lines at Atlanta’s airport before welcoming Chicago-based people and talent leader Deshawn Barrett, Director of Talent Development at SpotHero, with 15+ years in HR and talent roles at ADP, PowerReviews, Victoria’s Secret/PINK, and more. Deshawn explains HR as a broad system beyond hiring and firing, covering benefits, fair pay, growth and development, compliance (including I-9s), policies, and balancing business needs with employee support. He shares guidance for entrepreneurs on when to use fractional HR or hybrid office manager roles, what to look for in a first HR hire, how culture is built through behaviors and feedback (not perks), and how leaders set the tone. He also advises addressing toxic high performers quickly, and emphasizes knowing your business and desired culture before hiring.

00:00 Podcast Welcome
00:27 Spring Weather Banter
01:41 ATL Airport TSA Chaos
04:01 Meet Deshawn Barrett
06:24 Deshawn Origin Story
10:18 What HR Really Does
15:06 When to Hire HR
15:51 Quick Like and Follow
16:27 Fractional HR Options
19:47 Hiring Your First HR
33:01 Culture vs Perks
35:27 Feedback Without Negativity
36:48 Accountability and Listening
38:54 Culture of Fear Warning
40:07 Lead by Example
41:12 Recognition and Rewards
43:17 Preparing to Hire HR
45:49 Templates and Shortcuts
47:21 Like and Follow Break
47:57 Retaining Your HR Leader
53:08 Toxic High Performers
57:17 Advice Before First Hire
01:00:05 Contact and Closing Ritual

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Contact us:

• Email: blackbridgemindset@gmail.com

Hosts:

• Mike
• CJ
• Ken