Stephanie Ogbogu

Let’s face it, being a professional athlete can make you a lot of money, but it’s the moves you make off the court that will have you set for life. These days, we’re seeing more and more athletes making smarter financial decisions after watching the unfortunate mistakes made by a lot of the greats that came before them. However, while it’s great to make smart financial investments for the future of you and your family, what good is it if you don’t use your privilege to reach back and pay it forward for others who may not be in the same fortunate position that you’re in? Steph Curry is a 4× NBA champion, 8× NBA All-Star, and was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player twice. He’s arguably one of the best basketball players of our generation — especially when it comes to draining shots from the three-point line.  When he’s not leading the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Finals in hopes of clutching another championship title or being a loving husband and proud father of three, he’s...

While the journey of an entrepreneur is incredibly rewarding, it’s not easy. The need for capital is a major challenge all entrepreneurs face. Luckily, resources like Accion Opportunity Fund can come to the rescue. No one understands Black entrepreneurs’ need to have access to funding more than Sheena Allen , the founder and CEO of CapWay . CapWay is the revolutionary fintech company that’s removing barriers and closing gaps through digital banking and other financial services for millennials and Gen Z. AfroTech spoke with Allen about how crucial funding opportunities like the Accion Opportunity Fund are for Black entrepreneurs. AfroTech: Becoming the youngest woman in America to own and operate a digital bank is an incredible accomplishment. Considering your non-tech background, what inspired your journey as an entrepreneur in the tech and fintech industries?   Sheena Allen: It’s interesting. I double-majored in film and psychology and minored in marketing, but the truth is I...

“The Marathon Continues” is more than just a slogan for late rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose life was tragically cut short in March 2019. Since his passing, the rapper/entrepreneur has posthumously been at the forefront of multiple business and brand deals in the fashion , film , and tech space. Now, with the help of friends, colleagues, and his elder brother, Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom, another vision of Nipsey’s is coming to fruition. On June 18, The Marathon (Collective), a premier THC and CBD retail store, is set to officially open its doors at 7011 Canoga Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. Legally breaking into the cannabis business has long been a dream of Nipsey Hussle’s and his loved ones have made it their mission to see it through. Photo Credit: Ann Marie Clark “This is something we always spoke about,” says Samiel Asghedom. “Nipsey, Fatts, Adam, and I had a goal to get a legitimately licensed store and have our brand in other stores across the state. We’re so honored to be able to...

In less than a year, Rory Farrell and Jamil ‘MAL’ Clay have gone from being supporting acts on the popular Joe Budden Podcast to carving out their own lane in the digital space and securing a $10 million bag. If there’s ever been a better example of the saying “what’s for you is for you,” the success of the New Rory & Mal podcast would be it. On November 2, the New Rory & Mal podcast made its debut on Stitcher’s More Sauce label just months after a public, yet messy, split from their previous platform. AfroTech got the chance to speak with the duo about their new Stitcher deal, life post-JBP, and how other aspiring podcasters can get turn a hobby into a lucrative business. When Rory & Mal began their podcast journey roughly six years ago, they had no idea it could transform into a career. It wasn’t until they sat with the late Combat Jack, who is credited for spearheading the hip hop podcast industry, that they realized its potential. “[At first, podcasting] was just some fun thing...

On October 29, Josephine & Billie’s opened its flagship Los Angeles location, priding itself on being a safe space for women of color, especially Black women, to shop and be educated on cannabis. “Most stores are designed and built by white people with one perspective. And women of color rarely get the opportunity to feel comfortable in those spaces,” said COO Ebony Anderson in a press release. “But Josephine & Billie’s was designed and built by, and for, women of color with that in mind.” AfroTech got the opportunity to attend the grand opening of Josephine & Billie’s to meet with the owners and check out what the space had to offer. Located at 1535 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, this Black-women owned dispensary is the first-of-its-kind speakeasy-style cannabis concept and is inspired by ‘tea pads’ that once thrived in Black communities during the 1920s and 30s. Photo Credit: Stephanie Ogbogu for AfroTech Photo Credit: Stephanie Ogbogu for AfroTech “So many people have asked me,...

Being a boss is no easy task, so who better to get tips from than rapper and multi-hyphenate businessman, Rick Ross ? On September 7, Rick Ross answers all of your entrepreneurial questions in his new book, The Perfect Day To Boss Up: A Hustler’s Guide To Building Your Empire . With writer and former XXL Magazine editor Neil Martinez-Belkin on the assist, Rozay discusses how he was forced to pivot his business strategies during the pandemic, the importance of having a solid team, and drops nothing but gems for those who have their own business, are thinking about starting a business, or just need a little motivation to get them going. AfroTech not only got the opportunity to preview the book early, but we also got the chance to speak to the Biggest Boss himself. Check out just a few of the many major keys we walked away with.  

Kanye West is gearing up for what might be his most highly anticipated release in years, and with the help of Apple Music , he was able to give fans a sneak preview of what’s to come. On July 22, Kanye held the first listening event for his upcoming DONDA album at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The sold-out event made history when it was announced that the livestream broke Apple Music Global Livestream record with 3.3 million total viewers, surpassing the 1.8 million viewers who tuned into the Verzuz battle between Jeezy and Gucci Mane on Apple Music late last year. Photo Courtesy of BFA / Yeezy / Philey Sanneh   On Thursday, August 5th, ahead of the DONDA’s projected August 9th release, Kanye returned to the stage at Mercedes Benz Stadium (where he had been living for the past week), to let fans hear the new and improved version of the album. Photo Courtesy of BFA / Yeezy With Demna Gvasalia working as creative director to bring Kanye’s vision to life, Thursday’s...

Black excellence was on full display this weekend as Kerby Jean-R aymond, the first Black American designer to present at Paris Haute Couture Week , showcased the  Pyer Moss Fall 2021 Couture Collection at the estate of the late Madam C.J. Walker . AfroTech was invited to the Villa Lewaro to witness this historic event and it was nothing short of breathtaking. The ambiance was set from the minute guests arrived. With an all-Black live band decked out in all-white attire, it was as if you walked into a Harlem Renaissance party set in the digital age. However, the most jaw-dropping moment of all was the fashion. Embed from Getty Images   The Pyer Moss Fall Couture Show paid homage to Black inventors in the most ingenious way.  As the show began, models were met with gasps and awe as they walked the runway outfitted in garments resembling peanut butter (George Washington Carver), a traffic light (Garrett Morgan, 1923), a mop (Thomas W. Steward, 1863), a hot comb (Madam C.J. Walker), a...

Dr. Gladys West is a mathematician known for her contributions to the mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, and it wasn’t until 2018 that she would finally be recognized for her very important work that led to the development of one of the most necessary tools we use in our everyday lives — the GPS. This is Gladys West. If you’ve ever used GPS, you should thank her. She is the mathematician whose model accurately represented the Earth making GPS possible. #BlackHistoryMonth2020 #WomenInSTEM pic.twitter.com/Jz54MxVZXw — Dr. Anne Wils⌬n (@amwilsonin) February 2, 2020 Hired at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia in 1956, Dr. Gladys West was only one of four Black employees, and the second Black woman ever hired. West worked as a programmer and analyzed satellite data. She was able to use satellite data to put together altimeter models of the Earth’s shape with extreme precision. She was then recommended to work as the project manager for the Seasat radar...

Born October 6, 1949, in Mobile, Alabama, Lonnie Johnson is an engineer and inventor who holds more than 120 patents, one of which is for the iconic top-selling water toy — the Super Soaker. Johnson’s love for science came at an early age, drawing inspiration from historical figures such as George Washington Carver. In 1968, Johnson represented his high school as the only Black student in a science fair at a time when African Americans did not have a large presence in science. He created a robot named Linex and took home first prize. He went on to graduate from Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering. To kick off Black History Month, let’s recognize Lonnie Johnson, an engineer, inventor, and business owner. He is notably known for inventing the super soaker, a top selling water toy! pic.twitter.com/kybjMbSagI — NSBE at UVA (@NSBEatUVA) February 1, 2020 Following college, Johnson joined the Air Force where...

Earlier this week, Gabrielle Union announced the launch of Flawless by Gabrielle Union , an affordable, moisture-rich haircare line for Black hair. However, this was not her first journey into the world of African American hair care. In fact, Union’s first attempt at launching the line came in 2017 but she quickly halted the project when she began to lose her own hair as a result of IVF treatments. “When we first launched in 2017, the brand coincided with a lot of hair loss due to my fertility journey and having multiple rounds of IVF. From ear to ear, where a headband would sit, I was bald,” Union tells Harper’s Bazaar . “When you’re launching a line called Flawless and you feel anything but flawless, you actually feel like a fraud. I didn’t feel confident or transparent, and the investors and ownership group we had at the time didn’t want to wait for my hair to grow back in. They only cared about deadlines, and I wasn’t being listened to.” It was then that Gabrielle Union had to...

What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned out to be a day of mourning after the online community learned the news of YouTube star Nicole Thea’s death at age 24. Thea, who has nearly 77,000 subscribers on YouTube, was based in the U.K. and known for sharing many aspects of her life including her travels, beauty regimen, and relationship with fellow YouTuber, Global Boga. Two months ago, Nicole released a video revealing that she and Boga were expecting a baby. The two were planning to have a son, which they named Reign, and had been using their channel to share the progress of Nicole’s first pregnancy. Unfortunately, as Nicole was expected to give birth on Saturday morning, something went wrong. In an Instagram statement from Nicole’s family, it was revealed that both mother and son did not make it. She was 8 months pregnant. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole Thea – QR2 (@nicoletheatv) Nicole had already pre-scheduled videos to go out and, according to her...

At the age of 12 years old, Philadelphia native Trey Brown launched his very own clothing line, SPERGO . The initial collection was simple and consisted of red, black, and blue logo printed t-shirts. Now, at the age of 14, Trey has expanded the SPERGO line to include sweatsuits, hoodies, boxer briefs, bags, and other apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. @spergobillionaire Instagram SPERGO has been seen on celebrities from Meek Mill to DaBaby but one celebrity Trey has always admired was music mogul and business tycoon, Sean “Diddy” Combs. On a recent episode of Ellen, Trey spoke highly of Diddy, calling him his “biggest inspiration.” “When I started, I looked at Mr. Sean for inspiration,” he said. “He’s from New York. He’s a hustler, just like me.” It was then that the young CEO was surprised by the man himself. It turns out, the admiration was mutual. “This kid would call me every single day. I don’t know how he got my number. And he didn’t regular-call me neither....

From her executive role at Apple Music to her CBO position at Uber, Bozoma Saint John has proven herself to be quite the marketing powerhouse. Now, after serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavor since 2018, Saint John is heading to Netflix, as the company has just announced she has been named their new CMO. “I’m thrilled to join Netflix, especially at a time when storytelling is critical to our global, societal well-being,” she says in a statement.  “I feel honored to contribute my experience to an already dynamic legacy, and to continue driving engagement in the future.” #WATCHmework has taken on a whole new meaning…. I’m so honored, excited and ready!!! LET’S GO TEAM NETFLIX!!! I pic.twitter.com/sN8o1BY6jT — Bozoma Saint John (@badassboz) June 30, 2020 A nearly 20-year veteran, Bozoma Saint John spent almost 10 years at PepsiCo, where she served as Head of Music and Entertainment Marketing up until she was personally recruited by Jimmy Iovine to become Head of Global...

In the weeks leading up to Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the president received backlash for wanting to host his first rally of the year on Juneteenth in the city that was once home to Black Wall Street. He pushed the rally to June 20th, but that was not good enough for those who did not want the streets of Tulsa overthrown by his racist followers. On June 15,  Donald Trump took to Twitter to announce that nearly one million MAGA supporters would be attending his campaign rally in downtown Tulsa. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1272521253136498690?s=20 “Almost One Million people request tickets for the Saturday Night Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” he tweeted. At every turn, he made it a point to brag about the huge attendance at his upcoming rally. Compilation of people bragging about a million people signing up for the rally pic.twitter.com/X9EHPSvv8Z — Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2020 In anticipation of such a large turnout, the BOK Center, which only has a...