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Category: Black Entrepreneurship and Wellness

  • Dawn Kelly’s Nourish Spot: A Queens Wellness Empire

    Imagine facing a sudden layoff after dedicating years to a fulfilling corporate career. For Dawn Kelly, that setback became the catalyst for an incredible journey. Today, she’s not only celebrating nearly a decade of her beloved health food eatery, The Nourish Spot, but also building a lasting legacy in Jamaica, Queens. This milestone arrives perfectly timed with Black Women’s History Month, highlighting Kelly’s resilience and vision.

    From Layoff to Legacy: The Birth of The Nourish Spot

    Kelly’s story is a powerful testament to betting on yourself. After being laid off from her role as Vice President of Global Communications at Prudential Financial at age 52, she entered a period of grief. Simultaneously, she was navigating her own health challenges, having been diagnosed with pre-diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. It was her daughter, Jade Duncan, who encouraged her to channel her determination into action.

    “I was in my room crying, and my daughter… came in my room and said to me, ‘Could you find my mother? Because my mother is a fighter. I don’t know who you are,’” Kelly recalled. This pivotal moment spurred her to research and build The Nourish Spot, not just for her own healing but to serve her community.

    Nourishing a Community, One Bite at a Time

    The Nourish Spot has become a cornerstone on Guy R. Brewer Boulevard in Southeast Jamaica, Queens—an area historically underserved by nutritious food options. Kelly, who lives in the same community, felt a deep responsibility to address this need. “I feel delighted, I feel proud… I feel grateful that I’m able to deliver the change that my community needed,” she shared.

    The menu features customizable smoothies, fresh salads, natural juice blends, and wraps. A personal favorite of Kelly’s is the ‘Berry Crazy’ smoothie, a delightful mix of berries and natural sweeteners. The shop’s mission extends beyond just serving food; it aims to inspire healthier lifestyles and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

    A Family Affair and Community Impact

    Kelly runs The Nourish Spot with her children, most notably her daughter Jade, a trained chef from Johnson & Wales, who brings culinary expertise and helps shape the menu. This family involvement underscores the business’s commitment to generational impact.

    Beyond its daily operations, The Nourish Spot actively builds community. Kelly partners with local Black-owned businesses, like She Got The Juice and Tribe & Oak, for collaborative projects. Furthermore, through partnerships with nonprofits, the shop serves as a culinary and hospitality training ground for local youth, offering hands-on experience and connecting them with fair-wage employers.

    Expanding Reach and Making History

    The Nourish Spot’s influence extends far beyond its storefront. In 2020, Kelly made history as the first Black-owned vendor at Forest Hills Stadium. The momentum continued with a partnership at the U.S. Open’s food concession program in 2022, and vendor runs at Citi Field in 2023. Travelers can now also find The Nourish Spot concessions at JFK Airport.

    Kelly’s journey is a powerful example of resilience, vision, and community spirit. In a time when many Black women face economic challenges, her success offers a beacon of hope. Her advice to those facing uncertainty? “Think broadly. Take all the limits off. Don’t put yourself in a box. Nobody can keep us down.”

    What inspires you most about Dawn Kelly’s journey with The Nourish Spot? Share your thoughts and favorite menu items in the comments below!

  • Uncle Bobbie’s: Expanding Roots in Germantown

    Great news for Philadelphia! Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books, a cherished Black-owned bookstore and café, is embarking on an exciting new chapter. After nearly a decade serving the Germantown community, this beloved spot is moving to a larger space just a few blocks away. The best part? It’s staying right in the heart of the neighborhood that helped it thrive.

    Rooted in Germantown, Growing in Germantown

    The announcement, shared on social media, made it clear: “Started in Germantown. Staying in Germantown.” This commitment is significant for a business that has become a vital cultural anchor. Founded in 2017 by scholar and activist Marc Lamont Hill, Uncle Bobbie’s has blossomed into much more than just a place to buy books; it’s a vibrant hub where literature, conversation, and community intersect.

    As the venue’s popularity has grown, so have the challenges of accommodating its enthusiastic patrons. Crowds for author events and community programming have often outgrown the current space. The move to a new location within a mixed-use development at Germantown Avenue and Washington Lane promises to solve these growing pains.

    A Bigger Space for Bigger Dreams

    The expanded square footage means Uncle Bobbie’s can finally host larger author talks and community events, offer more seating, increase retail space, and improve accessibility. General Manager Justin Moore emphasized the priority of staying in Germantown, stating, “We’ve been here more than eight years and wanted to continue to be a part of the growth and development of this awesome neighborhood.”

    The new development itself includes 47 residential units, a rooftop terrace, and additional commercial spaces, integrating Uncle Bobbie’s into a broader ecosystem of neighborhood revitalization. This thoughtful expansion ensures the business can continue to serve its community effectively while contributing to the area’s economic vitality.

    Anchoring the Community, Ensuring Longevity

    In a landscape where Black-owned brick-and-mortar businesses often face significant challenges to longevity, Uncle Bobbie’s success and commitment to its roots are inspiring. The confirmation that the business would remain in Germantown, after over a year of uncertainty, was met with relief and excitement, reinforcing its status as a neighborhood staple.

    By anchoring Germantown’s commercial corridor and drawing both locals and visitors, Uncle Bobbie’s has proven its cultural and economic impact. This expansion is not just about a new building; it’s about deepening its commitment to the community that built it and ensuring its vibrant presence for years to come.

    What’s your favorite memory or experience at Uncle Bobbie’s? Share your thoughts on their expansion in the comments below!

  • Mompreneur Johane Filemon: Gut Health & Healing

    What if the key to healing and preventing disease wasn’t in a prescription, but on your plate? Nutrition expert Johane Filemon, a board-certified Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and mother of five, is on a powerful mission: to help people heal from the inside out. She joined the Mompreneurs podcast to share how our food choices profoundly impact everything from digestion to overall wellness.

    Food as Medicine: The Root Cause Approach

    Filemon’s philosophy is simple yet profound: “Food is medicine. The foods we eat can help reverse our body’s symptoms, or it can harm.” Since founding Wonderfully Nutritious Solutions in 2014, she’s focused on personalized nutrition counseling that digs deep to find the root cause of health issues, rather than just managing symptoms. “What you’re eating, and the quality of your food, influences a lot of the symptoms that you’re experiencing,” she emphasizes.

    This dedication stems from her own health journey. After passing her board exams, Filemon experienced unexplained health issues. Despite seeking answers across Atlanta, she noticed a pattern: certain foods worsened her symptoms. This led her to discover she had H. pylori, a bacterial infection impacting her gut. Frustrated with the limitations of harsh antibiotics, she turned to intensive research and became her own first patient.

    Healing the Gut, Healing the Body

    Through targeted testing, Filemon identified foods her body tolerated best, allowing her system to calm down, reduce inflammation, and heal her gut. She reversed her symptoms in just 14 days. This personal triumph fuels her passion for helping others prevent disease by addressing inflammation, which she notes is often the silent precursor to many common ailments.

    The importance of the gut microbiome is gaining recognition, and Filemon highlights its foundational role in health. “If your digestive system is not functioning as it should, it starts impacting everything else,” she explains. Conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease can all stem from gut health issues, which begin developing from birth. She points out that many ultra-processed foods common in the U.S. contain preservatives that disrupt the microbiome, leading to these health problems.

    From Side Hustle to Full-Time Mompreneur

    Filemon transitioned her practice into a full-time venture during the pandemic. Having already established a virtual client base since 2014, the shift to remote work was smoother for her than for many colleagues. “The pandemic allowed me to focus fully on my private practice and helping as many people as I could,” she recalls.

    The Power of a Village

    As a mother of five, Filemon’s children are her primary motivation. She wants them to see the power of hard work and leadership. Her support system extends beyond her immediate family; she emphasizes the crucial role of a “village” – whether it’s family, friends, or a community – for mompreneurs navigating the challenges of building businesses and raising families.

    What are your thoughts on the connection between gut health and overall wellness? Share your experiences with nutrition and healing in the comments below!

  • Gen Z Student’s Startup Eyes $1M+ Revenue

    What if you could build a million-dollar business while still working on your college degree? For 22-year-old Elijah Khasabo, that’s not a hypothetical – it’s his reality. This Gen Z entrepreneur is the founder of Vidovo, a user-generated content platform that’s projected to bring in over $1 million in revenue in 2025, all while he’s balancing his senior year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

    From Discord to a Million-Dollar Platform

    Khasabo’s entrepreneurial spirit ignited early. As a teenager, he created a Discord server focused on stock market ideas, which rapidly grew to an impressive 30,000 members in just two and a half months. This early success hinted at his potential, but balancing his burgeoning career with academic demands has been a constant challenge.

    He’s even considered dropping out, famously returning to campus just 14 hours before his first class of a semester. Khasabo launched Vidovo after noticing the potential in user-generated video content when a clip he purchased went viral, racking up 15 million views. He saw a gap in the market and created Vidovo as a space for users to create, share, and monetize short-form videos.

    Juggling Studies and Startup Growth

    Running Vidovo means Khasabo is constantly juggling product development, customer outreach, and the complexities of running a company. This is all happening while he’s navigating his final year of university, attending classes, and experiencing campus life. It’s a demanding schedule, but one he finds incredibly rewarding.

    Despite the pressures, Khasabo values the connections he’s building through his studies. He sees his university network as a significant asset, stating, “The more I can learn from other people, the more people I can meet, having a healthy social life, and being able to provide value to others – that makes me happy.” He understands that the people he meets today could be crucial contacts in the future.

    Gratitude for the Journey

    Khasabo appreciates that Vidovo’s success didn’t happen before he started college. He believes that if the startup had taken off earlier, he might have forgone his degree. Now, he’s grateful for the balance he’s learning, fulfilling a promise to his mother to earn her degree while growing both personally and professionally as an entrepreneur.

    What are your thoughts on Gen Z entrepreneurs like Elijah Khasabo? Share your insights on balancing education and business in the comments below!

  • Strands Of Faith: Curls, Cancer Research & Confidence

    Ever thought of hair care as a spiritual practice? For Ameka Coleman, founder of Strands of Faith and a featured vendor on WeLoveUs.Shop, it’s exactly that. Her journey from cancer research to creating a celebrated haircare line is a testament to how personal healing can blossom into a mission to empower others.

    From Lab Precision to Loving Your Curls

    Coleman’s path wasn’t a straight line to beauty entrepreneurship. Before launching Strands of Faith, she worked in a cancer research lab, developing nanoparticle systems for targeted drug delivery. This experience instilled in her a deep appreciation for precision, meticulous formulation, and the integrity of ingredients – principles she now applies to every product she creates.

    This scientific background gives Strands of Faith a unique edge. It’s not just about making products that smell good; it’s about crafting clean, high-performing formulas rooted in scientific understanding, designed to truly honor and nourish textured hair.

    A Journey of Self-Acceptance and Fighting Texturism

    Coleman’s personal hair journey began in college, where styling her natural hair became a grounding ritual. It was a way to process pain, spark creativity, and reclaim parts of herself lost to trauma. This intimate connection with her mane inspired Strands of Faith, a brand dedicated to celebrating every curl, coil, and kink.

    Like many Black women, Coleman grew up relaxing her hair, unaware of her natural texture. She recognized how societal biases often glorify certain hair types while marginalizing others, impacting self-worth. This realization fueled her mission to create products that counteract texturism and affirm the beauty of all hair.

    The Power of Intentional Formulas

    Strands of Faith is committed to clean beauty. Their formulas are handcrafted without sulfates, silicones, parabens, or other harsh ingredients that can strip textured hair of essential moisture. The focus is squarely on deep hydration, promoting length retention, and ensuring scalp health – key concerns for those with textured strands.

    • Deep hydration for moisture retention
    • Length retention support
    • Scalp wellness and health
    • Formulas free from sulfates, silicones, and parabens

    Beauty with Purpose on WeLoveUs.Shop

    Coleman’s decision to join the WeLoveUs.Shop collective was driven by a shared mission. “Strands of Faith was built to redefine care for texture-diverse strands through clean, nourishing products that also nurture confidence and mental wellness,” she explains. This partnership aims to expand their reach and connect with more individuals seeking products that truly celebrate them.

    Each formula we create is a reminder to keep the faith because when your hair flourishes, your spirit does too. Our products are daily affirmations of joy, wellness, and faith. — Ameka Coleman

    By supporting Strands of Faith on WeLoveUs.Shop, you’re not just buying haircare; you’re investing in a brand that champions self-love, scientific integrity, and the celebration of natural beauty in all its forms. It’s a beautiful fusion of science, spirit, and stunning curls.

    Have you tried Strands of Faith products or other brands from WeLoveUs.Shop? Share your experiences and favorite curl care tips in the comments below!