An unprecedented leap of faith would lead Kiesha Nix to achieve history with the Lakers, serving as the first Black woman to become a vice president within the Los Angeles Lakers organization, Sports Illustrated reports. During Nix’s career spanning nearly 30 years, her heart of philanthropy has remained at the forefront of her professional objectives. Before landing the historic position, she initially worked as a project manager at Merrill Lynch, but a company merge would lead Nix to manage contracts under Bank of America. Thriving in her role as a managing investor, Nix landed high net worth clients and CEOS, Sports Illustrated reports. Working outside of her job description, Nix dedicated countless hours and nearly two decades to curate events and raise fundings for the bank’s charitable foundations. “It was not part of my normal day-to-day job responsibilities, but I did that work for 18 years,” Kiesha Nix says in a press statement, according to Sports Illustrated. “I saw it as...

Tennis star Naomi Osaka has become a force in the sports world, and now the decorated player is adding even more accomplishments to her long list of titles. Osaka took to Instagram to announce that she has been appointed as a creative consultant and investor for premium sake brand SOTO — widely recognized for its authentic taste and high-end quality. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEAZT_PpYbE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link “As a native of Japan, I am proud to be involved with a product that is authentically Japanese,” Osaka said in a press statement , according to Black Enterprise. “SOTO’s status as a made-in-Japan, traditional ‘Japanese sake’ is another major reason I’m supporting the brand.” As a new asset to the brand, she will lend generational and cultural insights, according to Drinks International , as it targets more sales growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. “Naomi’s elegant, serene demeanor and philosophical outlook on her life and young career are big reasons we wanted her...

Roughly one in four businesses are unable to receive the funding they need.  According to the SBA, business loans and credit cards account for about three-fourths of financing for startups. However, these methods of funding can be difficult to acquire due to business age, revenue criteria, or credit considerations. Some businesses can benefit more by securing funding from an investor. Here’s how. 1. CREATE A PLAN It’s very important to have a plan before presenting your proposal to investors. If you don’t, they won’t take you seriously. So make sure you have a growth plan in place, which will show investors that you have a long-term, detailed plan for development. Also, you’ll need a budget to acquire your first customers. Calculate your reliable revenue and expenses for the year. Investors want to have confidence that you know what you’re going and that you have clear goals about the direction you want your company to go. 2. NETWORK Finding the right investor for your startup is...