Featured Businesses

Episode 4 - Grant Writing for For-Profit Businesses: Genius Black and Rose Barboza discuss applicable skills and knowledge for grant writing. Based on feedback from the first One Maine Group pilot cohort, they are offering basic, technical grant-writing advice and specific sources for For-Profit grants in Maine. They cover the general approach to writing a grant, how to understand the application process, and the importance of clarity - over 'fanciness'. They dig into the need to communicate both emotionally and qualitatively. Then they focus on state-oriented grants and outline a series of grant-giving organizations throughout Maine. They cover the Maine DECD, MTI, CEI, and some of the funds coming into Maine to support after COVID-19 have negatively impacted many businesses.

Episode 2A - Resources - Finding Resources and Becoming a Resource (Part A): Genius Black and Martha Bentley (Director of Economic Development at Maine Department of Economic and Community Development) discuss ways to demystify business resources, how Martha thinks about systems change, opportunities, and the responsibility to create new connections in the social change ecosystem - "loosening the roots" as we call it. They explore the roles entrepreneurs need to occupy for each other, encouraging up-and-coming businesses to practice taking risks. Follow Martha on Twitter.  Episode 2B - Resources - Finding Resources and Becoming a Resource (Part B): Genius Black and Sherry Butler discuss how giving exposure to Black-owned businesses around the Dallas - Fort Worth area was Sherry’s initial goal. Now she is the administrator of a large Facebook group called “Black Owned Businesses around DFW,” and actively curates the experience and promotions within the group. They discuss how Sherry utilized her local "Pan-African Connection," and the local SBA who is exploring diversity. Sherry encourages entrepreneurs to trust their intuition to guide them. She also exposed ‘front’ businesses who falsely appeal to African Americans, as if they are ‘Black’ owned. The trickery is real. 

Episode 1 - The Mindset: Genius Black and Gimbala Sankare discuss the mindset needed to be a successful entrepreneur. They talk about Fintech, and the need to demystify financial planning, the current status of the American Dream, and explore a problem-solving mental 'circuit jump'. And we learn about Gimbala's beginnings in Ghana, and how that translated to the Bronx, USA! Gain perspective, inspiration, and knowledge about an effective mindset. (Since this recording, Gimbala has accepted a position as Head of Talent Acquisition for the National Basketball Association {NBA} )

Episode 0- The Vision: Outlines our plans to create a pilot BIPOC business incubator, in a state that is entrepreneur-friendly but lacking resources for the BIPOC experience.