We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

The work keeps changing, the tech keeps changing, and the expectations on leaders keep rising, but nobody tells you what to do with the human side of it. I’m joined by Laura E. Knights, LCSW, an executive coach and leadership strategist, to talk about what it really takes to lead and grow as a Black professional and as a Black entrepreneur when AI is moving fast and workplaces can feel intense, messy, and sometimes downright traumatic.

Laura shares how her early entrepreneurship started with tutoring, invoices, and family examples of relationship-driven sales, then expands into what it looks like to take your identity as an entrepreneur seriously. We also get practical about AI in the workplace: how tools like ChatGPT can create efficiency for a small team, and why “use it now” without AI governance, ethical guidance, and legal guardrails puts leaders and employees at risk.

We also go straight to the leadership tension so many Black women leaders face: moving from technical excellence to strategic leadership. We break down why being the one who always executes can block the next promotion, how “pet to threat” shows up through ageism and workplace dynamics, and why boundaries at work are not optional if you want long-term performance and well-being. The bigger takeaway is simple: headwork and heart work have to grow together if you want real influence.

If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people find Black Businesses Matter.

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To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

A website can look perfect and still do nothing for your business. That’s the problem we dig into with Lenora Blackamore, CEO of Mecca Marketing Group Incorporated, a Black-owned marketing and web development firm with deep roots in digital technology going back to the 1990s. We talk about what separates a site that simply exists from an online presence that actually drives leads, sales, and long-term growth.

We get practical about the modern small business tech stack: why a CRM matters, how Go High Level can replace a pile of disconnected subscriptions, and where AI fits when you want speed without losing strategy. Lenora explains her real process, from one-on-one discovery and website audits to building a stronger foundation that can scale. We also get into content management, why “content is currency,” and how storing and organizing your assets saves you time and keeps your marketing consistent.

Then we widen the lens to community impact. We share thoughts on social media marketing, why it’s still powerful, and why kids under 15 or 16 shouldn’t be navigating that world unchecked. We talk mentorship, tech exposure in schools, and what it takes to keep our communities growing. Lenora also reflects on working at Johnson Publishing Company and what Ebony’s digital pivot teaches every entrepreneur about innovation and leadership.

If you’re building a Black-owned business, growing a brand, or trying to modernize your marketing systems, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these stories.

Support the show

To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

The South Side story most people never hear is the one built on ownership, pride, and neighbors choosing each other on purpose. We’re joined by Ghian Foreman , President and CEO of Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative, to talk about what it really takes to generate community wealth in Chicago’s Mid-South Side and why the economic ripple effects around the Obama Presidential Center have to land beyond a single campus.

We get into his path from early real estate investing and corporate mergers and acquisitions to leading mission-driven work where breaks down how leadership changes when you’re accountable to a community, why planning high matters, and how mentorship can’t stop at “my own kid.” If we want safer neighborhoods and stronger Black entrepreneurship, we have to share information, open doors, and treat young people like the future workforce and founders they already are.

Then we zoom out to the tools shaping what comes next: AI, technology adoption, and the practical skills needed to stay competitive while closing the racial wealth gap. We also talk about the emotional side of building in real communities including trauma, therapy, and what it means to redefine wealth as health, relationships, and collective wins. You’ll hear concrete examples like vacant land activation strategies that reduce violence, plus why Black businesses matter through cultural competence, local hiring, and an ecosystem that finally gets to be in balance.

Subscribe, share this with someone building something, and leave a review so more people find these stories and put them to work.

Support the show

To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter