Blog

Best Apps For Investing In Stocks

There are quite a few “how-to’s” on how to invest in stocks, but those how-to’s methods require manual labor and effort that are unnecessary when there are apps out there that can have entrepreneurs investing with the click of the button. 

Still, there are pros and cons to every app out there, so today we are presenting to you all the best apps to use for investing in the stock market, while also weighing the pros and cons of each.

Fidelity Spire

Fidelity Spire tops all other investment apps since it provides users with fractional share investing, which allows you to buy less than one share of a particular security. 

Though opening an account with Fidelity costs $50, you get your money’s worth in returns, since there are no account fees and no account or investment minimums. 

Plus, the app doesn’t practice selling order flow (also known as PFOF, Payment For Order Flow), which is when brokers are compensated for directing customers’ orders to market makers, which leads to the upselling and down selling of stocks that customers buy or sell. 

Sofi

Sofi is excellent for beginners thanks to its user-friendly platform and affordable pricing. You can start investing with Sofi for as little as $1, and you won’t find yourself paying commissions for trades, nor will you have to deal with recurring account fees. Even Sofi’s automated investing product is free, so all your investments will be picked and managed for you at no extra cost.

The app features ETFs and stocks listed by category, which makes it easy to browse and discover more profitable investment opportunities. And for all you crypto aficionados out there, the app does also offer cryptocurrency trading (for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and more than 27 other coins), so it’s an ideal trading platform for regular and digital currency.

Ally

This application does well with supporting users who are still getting the hang of buying and selling stock with its straightforward investment platform. And like Sofi, you won’t have to worry about recurring fees or a minimum balance requirement.

With Ally, you can trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions; however, its other features will come at a cost. Mutual fund trades cost $9.95 for its commission fee, while Ally’s robo-advisor, which creates a personalized portfolio (e.g. Core, Income, Tax-optimized, and Socially Responsible) of ETFs for you will cost you a pretty penny too for $100.

Acorns

Acorns is an investment app for people who want Passive income. For $5 per month, you will be taken care of and provided with: automated transfers, banking perks, retirement account saving, and more.

However, this app loses steam with its $3 monthly fee. And if you want more accounts and features, you’ll have to pay $5 per month.

Binance

For those who want a pure crypto app and exposure to “digital gold” then consider Binance your best option. Binance provides more cryptocurrencies than its competitors, like Robinhood, with such digital currencies as Bitcoin and Ethereum and countless lesser-known altcoins.

TD Ameritrade

Though TD Ameritrade doesn’t offer “digital gold” like Binance, it does give users detailed research on everything from stock market research to metrics on various companies and stocks and even a host of educational videos on investing strategies. 

After you’ve gotten an education on the companies you’re interested in, you can trade stocks and ETFs commission-free, while concurrently monitoring your investments.

E-Trade

If you’re looking for the most varied selection of stocks, E-Trade will have you sorted. E-Trade’s app gives you access to the regular selection of stocks, ETFs, and options, as well as mutual funds and futures. Like TD’s app, E-Trade gives users access to a countless selection of research and market news. 

E-Trade is also available for both Apple and Android users alike. 

Robinhood

Robinhood has changed the game for the no-commission brokerage model, so it remains a worthy choice for investors who want to invest in stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency with zero commissions. Though the usual suspects of stock and ETFs are accessible to users free of charge if you want a premium account, which offers more features, then you’ll be happy to know that monthly fees for these accounts start at only $5 a month.

However, Robinhood comes later in this list, due to its notorious history of controversies including how it allowed users to enter into extremely risky trades that they didn’t understand. So if Robinhood is your prime choice for an investment app, it’s important to recognize the risks of what you’re doing, so you’ll meet your goals and won’t incur unexpected losses.

Stockpile

Stockpile gives Robinhood a run for its money since it also offers commission-free stock and ETF trades, as well as great features that support its $0 commission fee model. 

Stockpile is also kid-friendly; it supports the gift of stock through gift cards. For parents, grandparents, or relatives that want to teach the younger generation about money and passive sources of income, the platform is a great tool to teach kids with, particularly with its “mini-lessons” that teach how to invest and how easy it is to keep an eye on the account of a minor. 

10. Firsttrade

This app seems a bit lower-tech; however, Firstrade is extremely user-friendly and offers affordable trades, including commission-free mutual fund trades.

DISCLAIMER: We do not take responsibility for your investments with these companies, please do all due diligence before signing up with any of these companies for your protection.

Blavity Inc., the diversified digital media company behind AfroTech, 21Ninety, Travel Noire, Shadow and Act, and Blavity News, announced the relocation of the AfroTech Conference – the nation’s largest tech conference for Black innovators and founders – to Austin Texas. AfroTech 2022 will take place November 13-17, 2022 at the Austin Convention Center and surrounding venues located in the heart of Austin.

AfroTech Conference 2022 will be filled with the signature pillars you’ve come to know from AfroTech – exclusive programming, the world’s top Black innovators, sought-after networking, and for the first time, a new live music series extension all with the mission to bring Black disruptors together for connection, career development, and entertainment.

“After 2 years in the Metaverse we are thrilled to be back together in person in Austin. As our attendees have continued to grow from 650 attendees at our Inaugural AfroTech to 20,000 annual participants, we searched for a host city that is accessible to our diverse audience and provides the infrastructure for the vibrant experiences and connection we craft for our attendees.

Austin is that home. I can’t wait to see everyone in person in November to learn, make connections and revel in the Black excellence that has become a hallmark of our AfroTech experiences” says CEO, Morgan DeBaun.

Blavity has made incredible investments in the leadership of our AfroTech team to ensure they are building a best-in-class experience for their community. Jeanne Procope, the VP of Conference Operations & Strategy, joins the team with 15+ years of experience in the conference & events business and reports into an expanded organization under Gautam Ranji, Blavity Inc. Chief Operating Officer, who has led the operational and strategic vision for Viacom, CBS, and Hearst.

To purchase your tickets for the 2022 AfroTech Conference, please visit https://www.experience.afrotech.com/afrotech-conference and to stay up to date on speaker and entertainment announcements, follow @afro.tech on Twitter.

KISS Colors & Care is dedicated to celebrating individual empowerment and self-expression in its consumers’ hair journeys by bringing them the hottest trends and highest-quality, game-changing products to style with confidence. With Jayda’s impressive entrepreneurial spirit, iconic hairstyles and trendy fashion, the brand is excited to partner with this beauty ambassador.

“I never really get excited about brand deals, but this one felt different from the rest. To be working with KISS Colors & Care has me super excited because I’ve been wearing and buying their products since I was in middle school. So now to be able to say I’m working with them makes me feel so accomplished. I know it’s going to be magic and there’s plenty in store for us together,” said Jayda Cheaves.

Jayda will serve as a brand ambassador and content creator through editorial, press, and store events. Additionally, she will be taking to her Instagram and TikTok pages to show followers how she incorporates KISS Colors & Care products into her daily style routine.

“Jayda’s bold entrepreneur spirit and fearless self-expression embodies the values core to KISS. As a style icon and source of inspiration to fans around the nation, she is the ideal ambassador for the brand’s new women’s collection. We are truly excited to grow our relationship with Jayda and inspire the textured hair consumer to express their individual style and creativity with confidence,” said SVP of Global Marketing Annette DeVita-Goldstein.

The collection includes Edge Fixer GLUED  Edge Control Gel, 3-in-1 Edge Brush with a protective case, Soft Satin Wrap Scarves in a variety of trendy patterns, Pre-Tied Top-Knot Turbans in black & leopard print, Silky Satin Edge Scarves, and a Glamour Glitter Bonnet all available at KISSColors.com and Walmart.com, with select products available at Target, CVS and Kroger stores.

• The KISS Colors & Care Edge Fixer Glued is formulated with biotin to keep edges strong without flaking. Its non-greasy, water-based formula is designed to provide 24-hour hold. Edge Fixer Glued comes in six delicious scents (sweet peach, very cherry, strawberry acai, pineapple, grape, and watermelon.)
• The 3-in-1 Edge Brush with Case provides ultimate edge styling control. This multipurpose 3-in-1 edge brush features a slip-free rubber grip, 100% boar bristles to smooth hair, a fine-tooth comb to style, and a protective click & lock case to protect the boar bristles and comb.
• The Glamour Glitter Bonnet is made with luxurious, hypoallergenic, holographic glitter fabric. Designed for day or night use to defend against dryness, friction, and split ends. Extra-large size provides versatility for all hair types and styles.
• The Top Knot Pre-Tied Turban’s hassle-free and time-saving design allows you to instantly style your hair while minimizing breakage. Its fabric is super soft and stretchy to accommodate a range of hairstyles. Available in black or leopard print.
• The KISS Colors & Care Silky Satin Edge Scarf is a chic way to get a perfect hair day. Created with quality satin material to help lay edges and protect hair. This scarf also melts down lace frontals and wigs into your skin for less visibility. Made from silky satin material to help retain moisture and prevent frizz all day long. Available in 60″x 4″, the optimum styling length.
• The Soft Satin Luxury Wrap Scarf provides the perfect balance of function and fashion. Stop bad hair days in its tracks by minimizing frizz, preventing breakage, increasing the longevity of wigs and securing hairstyles with premium satin material.

For more information, please visit the brand at KISSColors.com and on social @KISSColors.

---

The three Black leaders of Primo Partners want to use their business to dismantle white supremacy.

Primo Partners was recently awarded The Big O for operational excellence.Tweet this

It helps that they’re franchisees of Ben & Jerry’s, an iconic ice cream company known for its business activism, bold flavors, and fight against systemic racism. Primo Partners was recently awarded The Big O for operational excellence, the first minority-owned business to receive the award in Ben & Jerry’s 43-year history. At the same time, Primo Partners became Ben & Jerry’s largest franchise organization, with 10 Scoop Shops across six states.  

The Big-O is given to the Operator of the Year and it’s the highest accolade a Ben & Jerry’s franchise can win. It is prestigious, much-coveted, and comes with its own silly Big O hat. Winners of the award demonstrate excellence in sales trends, financial management, marketing, community involvement, and store operations.

Primo Partners does all that and develops promising Black entrepreneurs through diverse hiring and mentorship. “I moved from scooper to shift leader to shop manager,” Primo Partners CEO Antonio McBroom said. “Then I bought my first shop and I haven’t stopped. Primo Partners exists to create opportunities for historically marginalized people. That’s how we’re going to grow generational wealth in our community.” 

Led by McBroom, Eric Taylor and Phillip Scotton, Primo Partners makes sure its franchises maintain an unwavering commitment to hospitality while fighting for racial and socioeconomic equity. In the last ten years their franchises have donated thousands of scoops of ice cream to hundreds of organizations, including those focusing on voting rights and changes to the criminal legal system. 

“This award is such a blessing,” McBroom said. “I hope that Primo Partners being recognized in this way can serve as a testament for what is possible for others.” 

SoLa Impact, a leading minority-led real estate fund focused on affordable and workforce housing in California’s Black and brown communities, today announced that the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (“CalSTRS”), the world’s largest educator-only pension fund, via their joint venture with Belay Investment Group, has anchored SoLa’s second close with a $50 million equity commitment into its “Black Impact Fund.” 

CalSTRS’ investment combines commitments from the pension fund’s Real Estate and Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies (“SISS”) units thorough its partnership with Belay Investment Group, CalSTRS’ emerging manager conduit. With the investment, CalSTRS joins other leading institutional investors such as PayPal Holdings, Equitable Insurance, the Skoll Foundation, Ally Bank, Potenza Capital, Pacific Premier Bank, Adirondack Capital and senior partners of some of the nation’s premier private equity firms that have collectively invested over $250 million in SoLa’s Black Impact Fund. The fund plans to formally close once it reaches its $300 million target.

“We are honored to have CalSTRS anchor our second close with such a significant commitment,” said Martin Muoto, Chief Executive Officer of SoLa Impact. “We looked for a mission-aligned investor that operates in a true partnership with emerging managers, has an appreciation for the diversity of our team, and has deep experience in institutional investing. CalSTRS and Belay are a perfect fit for SoLa Impact.”

“Our mission is to provide a secure retirement for California’s public educators and beneficiaries,” said Kirsty Jenkinson, CalSTRS’ SISS investment director. “Our dedicated portfolio seeks to achieve superior financial returns while creating demonstrable social and environmental outcomes. The investment with SoLa Impact is our first real estate investment within SISS and aligns with our goals. We are delighted to work with the SoLa team, our colleagues in the CalSTRS Real Estate team and our partners at Belay to expand affordable and workforce housing in California.

“After extensive due diligence, Belay has been impressed with the senior team at SoLa Impact, their thoughtful, disciplined approach to building their platform, and with the positive change they continue to affect in Los Angeles through their affordable housing investment strategy and related social programming.

While their track record speaks for itself, we believe that SoLa is an organization that helps prove that ‘Doing well by Doing good’ is a viable business model. And Belay is particularly aligned with their commitment to investing in historically overlooked Black and brown communities, as well as their deep engagement with the communities in which they invest,” said Eliza Bailey, Belay’s Managing Principal in charge of Investment Team activity.

To date, SoLa Impact has invested in the development of over 3,000 affordable and workforce housing units located primarily in Los Angeles. SoLa’s strategy includes the renovation of existing multifamily properties, as well as new ground-up construction projects in Black and brown communities.

SoLa takes a somewhat unique approach to investing in market rate workforce housing by embracing Section 8 vouchers and going beyond housing, using SoLa’s social programs offered through their affiliated non-profit, the SoLa I Can Foundation, that provide practical solutions for ending homelessness by equipping tenants with vocational training, financial counseling, scholarships, and pathways to self-sufficiency.

“Over the last several decades, demand for affordable housing in California has far outpaced supply, and SoLa’s strategy directly addresses this issue,” said Julie Donegan, a portfolio manager for CalSTRS’ Real Estate team. “SoLa’s replicable development model and strong in-house capabilities enable them to deliver quality new construction at a cost basis that allows for attractive investor returns while offering rental rates that low- and middle-income residents can afford.

SoLa’s model has demonstrated that a high-caliber operator with a disciplined investing approach, combined with intentional social impacts, can deliver returns that benefit investors and community members alike. We look forward to working with SoLa through our long-standing relationship with Belay, our dedicated partner for emerging manager private equity real estate investments.”

“If we’re going to end homelessness and build a more equitable city, we need to partner across sectors and bring all of L.A.’s creativity and innovation to bear,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “SoLa Impact is poised to double down on the important work it’s doing to both build much-needed affordable housing in underserved communities and provide Angelenos with the tools they need to transform their lives.”

Kroger Announces $1.1 Million Investments to Advance Racial Equity
Mission of scholarship program and ‘Changemaker’ grant helps build Black wealth and improve access to higher education

The Kroger Co. Foundation (NYSE: KR), America’s largest grocery retailer, today announced two major initiatives through its Racial Equity Fund, totaling $1.1 million in philanthropic investments. Both the Changemaker grant and Next Generation scholarship program reflect measurable progress toward Kroger’s Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion plan, a 10-point commitment to help build more equitable, inclusive communities.

Kroger Announces $1.1 Million Investments to Advance Racial Equity

The Changemaker Grant
The Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund is awarding a combined $600,000 in Changemaker grants to build black wealth and improve racial health equity in Ohio through partnerships with The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and FundNOIRE. As a continuation of the Foundation’s previously awarded grants to Black Girl Ventures, Everytable, LISC, and Thurgood Marshall Fund, totaling $3 million, the Changemaker grant reflects the organization’s commitment to mobilizing its people, passion, scale, and resources to transform its culture and communities.

“The Racial Equity Fund Changemaker grant supports Kroger’s commitment to invest not only in new and innovative strategies to build and sustain Black wealth but also strengthen long-standing partnerships with local institutions to advance health and social equity,” said Keith Dailey, president of The Kroger Co. Foundation and group vice president of corporate affairs for Kroger. Kroger is proud to support the work these organizations are doing to uplift and inspire true change throughout Ohio.

The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio will receive a $300,000 grant to advance workforce development, financial literacy, and social justice work in Southwest Ohio;
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will receive a $200,000 grant for its Hunger and Race Equity Programming: Freedom Foods Initiative to bring awareness and inspire activism around health disparities and equitable access to healthy food for underserved communities of color; and FundNOIRE, a fund dedicated to helping 24 small black-owned businesses launch and grow by way of non-diluted capital over the next several years in Cincinnati, is receiving a $100,000 grant to advance and retain Black entrepreneurship in the region.

The Next Generation Scholarship Program The Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund is investing $500,000 in the Next Generation scholarship program in partnership with LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN, part of the network of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis. The scholarship program will promote access to higher education for local students by awarding scholarships to graduating seniors of Booker T. Washington High School who are academically motivated and want to attend LeMoyne-Owen College in the fall semester.

“Kroger’s Framework for Action features actionable goals we want to implement to achieve success in our workplace and the communities we serve,” said Teresa Dickerson, corporate affairs leader for the Kroger Delta division. “Through the Next Generation scholarship program, we’re thrilled to uplift and invest in local students and support LeMoyne-Owen College – the only HBCU in Memphis – and the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis.”

The application period for the Next Generation scholarship program will launch this spring via the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis website.

Ten things every entrepreneur should be doing

Putting 20% of all earnings in a separate bank account

You will be amazed at how much money you will save by putting away 20% of everything you earn each time a check comes in and putting it in a separate bank account. This is very easy to do by opening up a new account at another bank and transferring it online each time you get paid.

Have you noticed that you don’t understand where your money is going when you waste it, it’s because you are not paying attention. The same thing when you save it, you won’t even miss it and have to live slightly below your means to see the benefits, and before you know it you’ll have a substantial amount of money for your reserves in the bank. This concept of saving 20% is just like insurance; as long as you have it, you are less likely to need it; it’s when you don’t have it that all hell breaks loose.

Go to bed early at night

The early bird indeed catches the worm. Going to bed late at night and working late at night and then getting up late in the morning, you’re always chasing and running and never able to see the benefits of what you’re doing because you don’t get much rest. Then you will be exhausted and need to take a nap too.

When you go to bed at 8:30 or 930 at night, and you get up at four or five in the morning, you’re already ahead of the curve, especially if you’re on the West Coast and you have East Coast clients, your day is pretty much over by noon, and you have the rest of the day to coast.

Working out

One of the other benefits of going to bed early and getting up early, is that once your day is practically over at noon, you get to go to the gym and work out between noon and 4 PM, which is generally the slowest hours at most gyms.

You get to have most of the gym to yourself and what you decide to do after that is on you, whether you want to catch up on some more work. Still, you’ve already gotten quite a bit in.

If you go to the gym after 4 PM, you’re likely to run into crowds and get frustrated because you can’t work out. After all, all the machines are taken. This is what I mean by chasing and running. It’s better to go in the late afternoon between 12 and 4 PM.

Take small road trips.

Once again, my favorite saying is, ‘you can’t blow up a balloon from the inside.’ You have to get away and see things in perspective. Wherever you live, there’s bound to be a couple of attractions nearby within a couple of hours in other cities. Do yourself a favor and rent a nice hotel room and relax for the weekend or a couple of days out of the week and then come back raring to go. It works, believe me.

Eliminate any and everything negative from your life. First and foremost, anybody sitting around talking about people and gossiping get them out of your life.

Anybody who’s not motivated or not doing things with their life has to go. Snoop Dogg, and I’m actually shocked I’m going to quote him, stated that once you reach a certain level, other people have to meet you at that level; otherwise, you’ll be going down to their level to meet them instead of them coming up to yours. That was an excellent point, you’ve worked hard to get to where you are, and some people expect you to come back down to get them making no effort to have their success.

You can never feel guilty for being successful, but people will try to make you feel guilty if they’re not on your team and in your circles. Sometimes you have to cut people off.

Aim higher

Look at the big picture first and always ask for more than you need. If you sell something and it costs $3000, and it’s a service, ask for $6000. Why? Because you will end up around $4500, that’s still above what you expected if you had asked for $3000, people generally ask for discounts. Put yourself in front of the 8ball.

Donate

The more you help others, the more the universe helps you. I’ve seen it firsthand. It’s true; find a way to donate your services or your products to people in need and watch your returns quadruple. The key is don’t do it expecting in return. It’s something that has to be done from the heart. If you do it expecting something in return, you will not get any returns.

Treat yourself

I used to feel sorry for people who ate in restaurants by themselves: now I admire them.

Sitting back, picking up a magazine to thumb through it, and being served by waiters and waitresses is the ultimate pampering. You control the conversation and the thoughts because it’s just you.

You don’t need to sit around and talk to other people who are probably talking about nothing but you need to spend time quality time with YOU and sit in your feelings there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a nice lunch or dinner by yourself a lot of the times we work so hard we lose ourselves and this is a great way to get to know yourself again.

Work from another location.

This is a tough one, but it has its benefits. I find hotels are great places because you’re not bombarded by noise, kids and homeless people like Starbucks. There is nothing wrong with kids, noise, and homeless people except when you need to focus and work.

You deserve to have a space as well but if you want to relax and get some work done. Check out hotels in your area, and buy something and hang out in the lobby.

They usually don’t mind if you sit there and work and you can use their electricity and get your business taken care of. Restaurants are also a good place because then you can also have lunch. When was the last time you sat in a restaurant for two or three hours, ate and then got some work done? It’s great to see and be around great connections by the types of people coming in and out.

5 ways to make more money with your business

Who of us does not want to make more money with our business and that many of us and there are ways to increase the income that we may be overlooking. Here are a few ways you can increase your earnings with your business.

Focus on website revenue

Are you using Google AdSense or any affiliate ad company to increase your revenue each month with your website? Suppose you have a decent amount of visitors.

In that case, there’s no reason why you can’t make it anywhere from five dollars a day to $5000 a month or more just by running Google AdSense on your site. It’s called affiliate income. One reason you may not want to run it is that your competitors may pop up as ads if they buy google ads (full disclosure), but you can also show up on their sites if YOU purchase google ads.

You can sign up for adsense.com here. Your payments, which are every 30 days, will go up or down, and it’s a very convenient and easy way to make additional money.

STOP offering discounts

You may think this is not a good idea, but it is. When you offer discounts, clients expect that discount and expect another deal when they come back to you the next time.

Discounts indicate desperation. Not only that, the people you offer discounts to will tell other people that they got your lower rate and now you have a problem.

Nobody ever gets a discount then offers full price the next time; they keep asking for discounts. Respect your brand and your business. Charge the full rate.

If you find that you are begging to get business, it’s time to reevaluate your products.

Hire a salesperson

Good quality salespeople are undoubtedly hard to find, but it is not impossible. If you are frustrated in your efforts, don’t give up because that’s money you are leaving on the table. Keep looking until you find the right person. Whether it takes a month or five years, you will find the right person.

Take a break

One of the most profound statements I’ve ever heard is you cannot blow a balloon up from the inside, and that is the absolute truth. You have to step away to see what you need to do to your business at a distance at times.

You’ll come back to the business with a fresh perspective, and you’ll be ready to take on new challenges. If all that you do is work, you’ll never be able to see the forest for the trees. Give yourself a weekend off or take small excursions and trips to reward yourself for the hard work you put into the business to see the benefit. When you come back, you’ll be more hungry.

When hiring people, especially those you want to telecommute, check job sites like Indeed. Indeed is an excellent job site, and I’ve had a lot of good fortune with it; it’s not easy because you have to do some due diligence before doing your interviews, but it’s a good idea to do it.

If you’re looking on craigslist, you will get the Motel 6 type worker, sorry, Craigslist. If you find someone looking to pay the gas bill or a phone bill versus a young college student looking for a career, I highly recommend Indeed.

Go over your monthly expenditures.

Pay attention to your credit card bills. You’ll be amazed at how much money you waste each month on different things you’re not even aware of like subscriptions.

Where are you spending money when you don’t have to pay it? A penny saved is a penny earned. As I stated earlier, subscriptions will get you every time, but not just that you might be paying too much rent or you might be paying too much for utility bills.

If you don’t need a cable box, get rid of it. A friend just got off his cable when he was paying close to $300 a month when he realized that having a Smart TV, he earns hundreds of free digital channels. If he wants to watch HBO or Showtime, he can get it for a minimal fee, usually under $10 and turn it off whenever he wants versus paying an exorbitant price each month.

Enrollment is now open for Pronghorn’s incubator and accelerator programs. Pronghorn is an independent company dedicated to expanding diversity within the alcohol industry by cultivating and investing in the next generation of Black founders, executives, and entrepreneurs in a sustainable and scalable way.

The initiative is committed to generating $2.4 billion in economic value for the Black community by 2032. Black founders are eligible to submit their spirits brand for consideration and brands will be selected based on a variety of criteria. To learn more or apply for the Pronghorn initiative. visit www.PRONGHORN.co/.

According to Pronghorn research, while Black Americans represent 12% of alcohol consumers across categories, they make up just 7.8% of the sector’s labor force and 2% of executives in the industry. To address these issues, Pronghorn’s plan is two-fold:

• To address the employment gap, Pronghorn will work with the Black community to develop a pipeline of talent that will fill 1,800 roles within the industry; roles that will be committed to by suppliers, distributors, and retailers.
• To generate wealth and drive acquisitions, Pronghorn will serve as a hybrid incubator and accelerator, making capital investments in 57 Black-owned brands, while also providing supercharging capabilities that allow brands to leverage industry-leading knowledge and resources to realize their brand’s ambitions.

“The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in North America. And the second-fastest land mammal in the whole world. A cheetah would beat a pronghorn in a sprint. But in a marathon, a pronghorn will win every time. We have centuries of inequity to catch up from. We need to go far, but we need to go fast” said Dia Simms, Co-Founder, Pronghorn.

“So there are a lot of interesting things about the animal that inspired the way we wanted to build Pronghorn…. It’s a template on how to effectively diversify any industry. And we’re starting with the spirits industry. And we’re starting with the Black community.”

The $2.4B approximation of economic value is based on the estimated direct impact on supplier-tier, employee, and entrepreneurial participation. This estimated direct impact plan will potentially raise the national average hourly salary of Black Americans to $34 per hour within the Spirits industry.

“We are focused on granting access and removing barriers that have put Black people and other communities of color at a disadvantage when it comes to ownership, investing or just working within the spirits industry in general,” said Erin Harris, Co-Founder, Pronghorn. “Pronghorn will work to open as many doors as possible to help uplift our communities for the long term. Just like the beautiful animal we chose to name our company after, we are prepared to go the distance to make our vision reality.”

In 2021, Diageo North America became an anchor investor in Pronghorn. For more information on how to participate in the Pronghorn initiative, visit www.PRONGHORN.co/.

As one of the first African American information and entertainment forums on television for 40 years, with a 15-year hiatus, ABF returned to the airways in October 2021 and is more relevant than ever. The show is hosted by National Urban League president and CEO Marc Morial. “This show is such a great asset to the African American community, and I feel so fortunate to be working with Central City Productions to continue to have these important conversations,” says Morial. “This show reinforces the importance of us telling our own stories.”

Each weekly episode brings something new for its growing audience, which currently has a distribution reaching over 200 markets and 95 percent of total TV households. Episodes feature such topics as the plight of the Black farmer, healthy eating, mental health, business entrepreneurship, entertainment profiles, changemakers, community activists, infertility, and more.

Show guests include Pinky Cole, a Jamaican-American restaurateur who owns and operates the Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger restaurant chain in Atlanta, GA; Charles Alexander, Mark Edmond, and Jamel Lewis, three best friends from Chicago who started the first Black-owned sliced bread company; California U.S. Senator Steven Bradford, who signed the landmark “reparations” bill into law; and Eddie Taylor of Boulder, CO, a member of The Full Circle Everest Expedition, an all-Black mountain climbing team set to make history. Here is the link to the ABF presentation video: https://vimeo.com/572247271/67e56f2f8c

ABF airs nationally on Saturdays at 7:00 a.m./EST. The show is sponsored by P&G, Toyota, and Verizon and produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Mario Tharpe. HBCU fans will want to stay tuned immediately following ABF to watch the highly-competitive season of Black College Quiz (BCQ), which is hosted by comedic giant Nephew Tommy. The CCP-produced BCQ airs immediately following ABF at 7:30 a.m./EST, also on Bounce TV. Tune in to watch HBCU students compete for cash prizes to advance and further their education.

America’s Black Forum and Black College Quiz both are produced by Central City Productions. The shows are executive produced by Don Jackson with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as Executive in Charge of Production. ABF station listing can be found here.

“As we celebrate 50 years of producing Black Excellence, the goal of Central City Productions has always been to proudly serve and support the African American community with uplifting, positive and aspirational programming. We are excited to offer shows like America’s Black Forum and the Black College Quiz,” says CCP Chairman and CEO Don Jackson.

“CCP makes it a point to continue to raise up the members of the African American community with shows like America’s Black Forum and the Black College Quiz to promote the positive aspects and happenings in Black America.”

Founded in 1970 by Don Jackson, Chicago-based Central City Productions, Inc. is a producer of original targeted programming to television. CCP’s award-winning television programs include the Stellar Gospel Music Awards (www.stellarawards.com), Black Music Honors (www.blackmusichonors.com), Stellar Tribute to the Holidays, The Black College Quiz Show Series (www.blackcollegequiz.com), and Mentoring Kings (www.mentoringking.com), among many others. CCP is a full-service Black-owned and -targeted television production company that produces, syndicates, and manages advertising sales for all of its Black-targeted programs.