Step into the lives of extraordinary Black women entrepreneurs who are bossing up and making a critical impact in their various industries! We truly hope that their stories leave you as inspired as they did us!
Brandi Day, Founder/CEO at iD.A.Y.dream | Ontario, California
Brandi, when did you realize that you wanted to become an entrepreneur?
Brandi: After I had my third kid (a son) and realized that my then full-time corporate job wasn't fulfilling my purpose.
Lillian Hewitt, CEO at "Like No Other Vegan" | Birmingham, Alabama
How about you, Lilian?
Lillian: 30 years ago.
Obatalia Yemoshunya, Founder at Kongo Square Foundation | Chicago, Illinois
And you, Obatalia?
Obatalia: When I was about 11 and started offering my best version of cornrows then!
It's never too late or too early to embark on the entrepreneurial journey! When traditional paths no longer fulfil our sense of purpose, it's okay to take a step back and decide to pursue our entrepreneurial dreams. Don't ever feel like you are stuck working a 9-5 job for the rest of your life. With some courage, you can achieve great things and change the course of your life for good!
Diving deeper into their stories.
iD.A.Y.dream - helping the next generation develop positive identities and realize their dreams
"My organization iD.A.Y.dream draws on my lived experiences as a young black nine-year-old who became the primary caregiver for her two younger siblings after seeing my mother become addicted to drugs and a father who became incarcerated and homeless. Inundated with school bullying, frequent moves, economic instability, and academic barriers faced as a single parent, iD.A.Y.dream seeks to leverage the lessons and insights gained through my lived experiences to create a platform of nurturance and safety for young men and women in the community," said Brandi Day.
iD.A.Y.dream's mission is to help the next generation develop positive identities and realize their dreams by providing inspiration through character-building, career exploration and community engagement.
Based in Washington and California, we provide outreach services to Middle and High School youth between the ages of 12-18 years old, that inspire youth to dream out loud by transforming the minds of young people for positive change. Our commitment is to bring youth together in and outside of school to deepen their leadership and entrepreneurship and foster active youth participation.
I want to inspire youth to turn their dreams into realities by providing them with community service opportunities, leadership development, and tools to help them achieve success in college.
My vision is about empowerment through programs that benefit youth and their families. I am the first-generation college graduate in my family and was raised by a single mother who had her own share of trials. Through my journey, I was taught hard lessons that have essentially led me to my successes (and still learning), including being denied admission into Washington State University. Because of this, I have a strong sense of adaptability and an innate ability to quickly build enduring relationships.
What does a typical day look like for you as an entrepreneur?
Brandi:
Getting my kiddos off to school (High schooler, Middle schooler and Pre-schooler)
Self-care (working out)
Reading (staying up to date with data and school reports)
Tackling my ever-growing to-do list
Meetings or some form of networking
Cooking dinner and getting ready for the evening happenings with kid activities/homework
Did you have any fears about venturing into entrepreneurship?
Brandi: The road over the course of the 7 years hasn’t been easy. Entrepreneurship takes a lot of guts, smiles, tears and consistency. Some of my major challenges have been:
1. Funding (Sponsorships, Grants, Donations)
2. Learning and navigating the field of running a non-profit
3. Partnerships (the good, the bad and the ugly)
4. Staying on top of being an effective leader and mentor
I’ve been able to overcome the challenges by remaining faithful, relying on my strong support system and cheer squad, and consistently pushing forward because I know youth are counting on me. As hard as it may get, I have to often have self-talk moments that fuel me to elevate and inspire me to do more and strive for excellence. I must walk the walk and talk the talk. People are always watching!
What does your support system look like today?
Brandi: My support system starts at home! I have a very supportive husband and kids who have been with me from day 1 of iD.A.Y.dream and they've seen it grow and evolve.
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Brandi, your dedication, resilience, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of young people is truly remarkable! Your journey serves as a shining example of the impact that one person can have when driven by purpose and supported by loved ones. Keep pushing forward, girl! And always know that your efforts are noticed, admired, and appreciated!
Like No Other Vegan - educating, engaging and empowering people, especially Black women, to make informed health decisions
"Like No Other Vegan" was birthed out of seeing the health disparities in the community and the increase death rate from having an unhealthy lifestyle," said Lillian Hewitt.
Like No Other Vegan's mission is to educate, engage and empower people, especially Black women, to make informed health decisions. We serve the underserved and all individuals. We offer Vegan food options and The Black Women Heart Healthy App.
What does a typical day look like for you as an entrepreneur?
Lillian: Prayer, devotion, meditation, exercising, working etc.
What does your support system look like today?
Lillian: Family, friends, church family, Innovation Depot, Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business, Blaze Group LLC, etc.
What were your greatest fears stepping into entrepreneurship?
Lillian: My greatest fear was - Where will I get the funding? My counter - If God gave me the vision, He will provide the resources with hard work and connections. We cannot be lone rangers. We need help.
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Your reliance on faith, the power of community, and the belief in your vision are guiding lights that will continue to lead you towards success, Lillian. Keep persevering, knowing that the resources and connections you need will manifest through your hard work and faith!
Kongo Square Foundation - amplifying Black sisters' access to resources designed to restore mental healthiness and spiritual wellness
"Kongo Square Foundation was created to amplify sisters access to resources designed to restore mental healthiness and spiritual wellness by breaking though barriers of intimacy, integrating their shadow, parenting their inner child and discovering their own unique ingredients to conjure a healthy and wealthy love potion of life," said Obatalia Yemoshunya.
Kongo Square Foundation leverages the power of sisterhood to create safe online and in-person containers for sensual feminine rights of passage transformations through self-reflection practices, nutritional intake awareness, physical movement, hypnosis, chants/mantras, meditations, as well as, other tools, and formulas to heal from childhood traumas, enhance self valuation and reaffirm their bodies as holy temples of pleasure.
We currently serve the millennial community of indigenous/Moore self-identifying female-bodied (cis) beings born in the 1980s and 1990s who are turning inward for a more self-loving lifestyle.
Our services include:
Sensual Movement Online Elixirs
Telegram Group Chat(s)
Weekend Immersive Experiences
Retreat Facilitation
Boudoir Photography
Black Love Tantra Sessions
Month-long Self-Love Immersions
Financial Domination
Can you walk us through a typical day in your life?
Obatalia: After a full and potent evening of rest, I place both hands on my head and begin to affirm what I have yet to see but know I am destined to create in the form of what is referred to as an “Ori” prayer. I literally gas myself up as if I’m the baddest bitch ever born.
After intentional hydration, I move through a few bed yoga postures paying special attention to my breath and conclude with womb reiki. I then proceed to shake my whole body for about a minute or so just waking everything up.
I commence with a skincare routine and oral hygiene care that concludes with me speaking affirmations of love into the mirror.
While having my tea (and sometimes breakfast), I like to look at my calendar and see what needs my immediate attention for the day. I turn on some Lofi music and dedicate time to self-study and studying ways to enhance, automate, and scale my business as I have failed more times than I can count, so every day I do my best to learn from each failure.
I do my best to take one thing I have learned and immediately implement it. I take regular breaks in between meetings and “work” to simply be, lay, take a walk, read, laugh or call my Moma— I do my absolute best to integrate my masculine “go-getter” energy with my feminine receptive and “allowing” essence to curate a balanced and aligned life.
What was your greatest fear before stepping into entrepreneurship?
Obatalia: Cold calling, direct messaging, and prospecting. I think much of it had to do with rejection. I face these fears by cold calling, direct messaging, writing proposals and continually refining my business offerings to make them more clear and concise.
What does your support system look like?
Obatalia: My family, my sisters, and global network. As a traveler, I have been honored to develop some incredible connections that I consciously garden and nurture to keep the thread alive and active.
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Girlll, the way you balance your day out to make time for such a deep level of self-care is THE dream! It all sounds so peaceful and soothing! And the fact that you are intentional about balancing your masculine “go-getter” energy with your feminine receptive and “allowing” essence is so beautiful. Thank you for reminding us about the importance of BALANCE as entrepreneurs! Continue to grow and thrive, Obatalia!
The diverse experiences of these Black women entrepreneurs have shed light on the intricacies of their daily routines and the obstacles they have overcome. They continue to face their fears daily, paving the way for personal and professional growth. Through their support systems, they have found encouragement, guidance, and unwavering belief in their abilities. As we celebrate their journeys, let their stories serve as a source of inspiration, reminding us of the power within us to pursue our dreams and make a lasting impact on the world!
Thank you, Brandi, Lillian and Obatalia for sharing your inspiring journeys with us!
If you are a Black woman entrepreneur looking to build your business and attain growth and scale much faster, be sure to get the Blaze Group app today! Access a safe community of Black women in business + easy-to-use tools at your fingertips. We can't wait to see you inside! :)
Really loved reading this and learning about all of my sisters gifts and callings 🙌🏾