From benefits to ballin’, this Black woman millionaire story is nothing if not inspiring. Arnita Johnson-Hall told her inspiring story to CNBC, and her achievements are nothing if not remarkable. The story begins in 2007, when she was a single mother living in Dallas, TX, and working a dead-end job making a measly $12/hour. Because she was making such a pittance, this future millionaire qualified for all sorts of public assistance programs — including Section 8 housing. And without it, there would be no way she’d have survived. “ My entire income went towards rent, gas, daycare, and, regrettably, payday loans in order to survive until my next paycheck,” she explained to the outlet. When Johnson-Hall was offered a $60,000/year job, it looked like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. But then, when the company ran her credit, she was denied for having a score below 400 (It’s worth noting that while some states — including Texas — permit employers to run credit checks on their...

We’ve all heard the stories about Black millionaires making their dreams come true through impossible odds. But Jherrod Thomas of the Tomco Service Group has a very different story. The 32-year-old engineer from Mississippi is a walking testament that success can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and a 9-to-5 job. Yes, you read that correctly: a 9-to-5 job. That’s not something the Instagram hustling crowd necessarily wants you to hear or see, but it still is quite relevant — and a much more reliable way to make that coveted million. “After years of working in my 9-5 job, and barely making it through the month, I determined that I would need to do something different if I wanted to live a more bountiful life,” Jherrod Thomas said in a statement. “I started to grab as many books I could find on wealth building, investing, financial literacy, and engineering. I knew that if I combined my current skills with wealth-building knowledge, I could achieve the goal of earning one...

Some of the world’s biggest athletes have climbed their way to the top, not just off their stellar abilities on the court, but their prowess in the business world as well. The secret to athletes keeping their legacy going is making money moves outside of their sports careers. Nowadays, athletes having a business reputation is just as important as having a championship title to their name. Smart investments, sponsorships and partnerships go a long way in securing the bag long after their playing days are over. Between money from their sports salaries, fame as elite athletes and their many business ventures, today’s sports figures are all about stretching their wealth to build major business empires. In case you didn’t know, here are some former and current sports stars who have defied the odds to make a fortune beyond sports:

Before the world recognized social media as a lucrative industry, influencers — before the proper term was coined — were stigmatized across platforms for choosing a field that wasn’t considered a “real” career. Lifestyle influencer and mother JaLisa Vaughn-Jefferson experienced this firsthand from her own family after she left her corporate job to pursue her new passion as a full-time content creator. “They lost it,” the influencer tells AfroTech after breaking the news of her decision. “It was so funny because they were trying so hard to be supportive. For their generation [this field] just doesn’t make sense. [At first] I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I was prepared to just try out different careers. I knew I wanted to be in technology and I knew I loved social media, but I wasn’t sure what the exact job title would be.”

A new Cleveland retail development named after Madam C.J. Walker — America’s first Black woman self-made millionaire — is underway. According to News5Cleveland, the development will be located in the Hough district of the city. A portion of the space will be specifically dedicated to Black entrepreneurs in the hopes that it will entice Black businesses to grow in the area. Kareem Abdus-Salaam of Structures Unlimited, the Maryland-based developer of the retail space, said that he modeled the development after Madam C.J. Walker, herself, and the philosophy she had throughout her life. “She [Walker] made sure that dollar turned over in the community four to five times before it left,” he said to News5Cleveland. “Not so much a nostalgic but a way to show folks we, too, can do this renaissance again to really turn that money in our community again in modern times because we have much more money. And in terms of GDP, we should be able to do that faster and quicker to revitalize our...

If you love Black comedy, then you’re likely familiar with Broderick Stephen Harvey, better known as Steve Harvey. He’s a successful comedian, broadcaster, author, game show host, and businessman. His strong drive and talent are major contributors to his success. Just how successful is Steve Harvey? Let’s take a look at his net worth. How Steve Harvey Went From Rags to Riches Steve Harvey has an estimated net worth of $200 million. He’s well-known as the host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” as well as the popular game show “Family Feud.” Harvey also starred in his own sitcom, “The Steve Harvey Show” for five seasons. Steve Harvey hosted “ Showtime at the Apollo” and has appeared in many stand-up comedy acts. Not to mention, he’s an accomplished author of the self-help book “Act Like a Woman: Think Like a Man.” As a man who has seemingly done it all, it’s no surprise that Steve Harvey has a quite considerable net worth. With a total net worth of $200 million, Harvey’s estimated...