LLC Twitter and Instagram will have you believe that the only way to achieve success is through countless work hours and minimal rest and self-care time. The social media gurus would also attempt to convince you that entrepreneurship is this magical, stress-free journey toward economic freedom. That’s not the case. There are many benefits to having a side hustle, grinding until you win, and having the autonomy of business ownership. However, most successful entrepreneurs would tell you that the growth journey isn’t entirely black and white. It is also filled with gray areas, as every business, person, and idea is nuanced. And while LLC Twitter and Instagram provide some false sense of reality through meme culture, some universal truths exist that can help every aspiring business owner thrive. This is where Luke Cooper enters the chat.

These Black men in business are going the extra mile to create opportunities for their community, all while creating a seat at the table for themselves. André Walters and Derrick Brown — co-founders of Charlotte-based hybrid investment firm Free Fenix — have announced their latest move in the franchise space. The two are partnering with investment firm New Spring Capital to close a deal that makes them part-owners of Duck Donuts — a Mechanicsburg, PA -based chain of donut franchises. As part-owners of the franchise, Walters and Brown also hold board seats at the company, which makes them the one of the first Black men to hold such positions at Duck Donuts. “We believe the world is just getting to know Duck Donuts and when they do, they will notice what we noticed,” they tell AfroTech. “It took many long hours, conversations, compromises and perseverance to get this deal done, but in the end we accomplished the objective we established over a year ago and we think this is a win for...

Hip hop’s first billionaire, Jay-Z, is shattering the glass ceiling yet again. This time with his venture capital firm, Marcy Venture Partners (MVP), a San Francisco based VC co-founded by Jay-Z, his long time business partner, Jay Brown, and Larry Marcus. According to Forbes, MVP has raised $85 million toward its fund and SEC filing documents show the VC firm has a total of 54 new investors. Does this mean the business mogul has something new in the works? Although only time will tell — MVP has already invested in a number of startups last year. According to Crunchbase , the VC invested in Wheels, an electric transportation company, and Hungry Marketplace, a food tech company. The firm also led the $70 million funding round for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie brand. Jay-Z and his team are not new to the business of investing. In its early stages of funding, Jay-Z invested in Uber , and Larry Marcus, a seasoned investor, has invested in industry giants like Netflix and Pandora via...

John Henry has announced his departure from Harlem Capital after three years with the New York-based venture capital firm. Henry made the announcement yesterday via a Medium Op-Ed , and took to his Instagram to share his sentimental farewell. View this post on Instagram   What an incredible journey it was to be part of @harlemcapital. Today, I announce my departure. Full medium post in bio. ? A post shared by John Henry (@johnhenrystyle) on Feb 16, 2020 at 5:36pm PST “I learned a great deal being part of this team. Made memories that will last a lifetime. Formed a special kind of bond that only partners of a like-mission will know. Put my own little touch in the firm’s DNA. And ultimately, served passionately until I contributed all I felt I was meant to,” Henry wrote in the Medium Op-Ed. Founders of Harlem Capital Henry joined Harlem Capital in 2017 working alongside managing partners, Henri Pierre-Jacques and Jarrid Tingle, as well as venture partner, Brandon Bryant . Harlem...

The diversity numbers in venture capital (VC) are even worse than the numbers in tech as a whole. According to Tech Crunch, 81 percent of VC firms don’t have any Black investors at all. A study released by Harvard in 2017, indicated that women have accounted for less than 10 percent of the entrepreneurial and venture capital labor pool from 1990-2016 with about two percent having been Hispanics, and less than one percent African Americans. A more recent Stanford study indicates that even successful Black VCs have a tougher time in the industry than their white counterparts. Here are five Black VC making a mark: 1. BLCK VC According to their website , “BLCK VC was formed to connect, engage, empower, and advance Black venture investors by providing a focused community built for and by Black venture investors.” Their goal is to increase the number of Black venture capitalists from 200 to 400 by 2024. BLCK helps VC firms incorporate effective diversity and inclusion practices in their...

Culture Shift Labs , a consulting firm that helps find diverse talent for companies,  is hosting an invitation-only summit in New York City for black and Latino-led venture capital firms to find funding. The three-day event begins on November 1 and includes panel discussions, workshops and other networking opportunities. Culture Shifting Weekends , bi-coastal conferences in Silicon Valley and New York City, shines a light on black and Latino founders and VCs. Each location offers a different format — Silicon Valley’s April events focus on black tech, social impact and innovation leaders, while New York City’s November events foster relationships and deals between black and Latino executives, entrepreneurs and investors. Culture Shifting Weekend in New York City will feature over 20 VC founders and gives them direct access to institutional investors, social impact investors and corporate VCs. Investors attending the conference include Toyota AI Venture, Ford Foundation and IBM...