Black Elites

Curated By The Desk

Editor Pick

Inside Richard Parsons’ Turnaround of Time Warner Following the Failed $165 Billion AOL-Time Warner Merger

Richard Parsons took over a company struggling from one of corporate America’s worst mergers. By the end of 2002, AOL Time Warner reported what was then the largest annual corporate loss in U.S...

How Christopher J. Williams Built a Firm That Helped Underwrite Over $330 Billion in Corporate Offerings

Christopher J. Williams recognized an opportunity where others saw a closed market. In 2001, he founded The Williams Capital Group with a strategy focused on institutional transactions, with expertise...

The Anti-Ad Strategy: How Elfried Samba Turned Organic Followers into a Billion-Dollar Asset

In 2015, the fitness apparel market was a bloodbath. Nike and Adidas dominated with massive advertising budgets, while Gymshark was a struggling UK startup with £8 million in revenue and a problem:...

How T.I. Liquidated His Rap Crown to Build a $50 Million Corporate Empire

By 2026, Clifford “T.I.” Harris Jr. had spent over two decades dictating the terms of Southern hip-hop. The industry playbook for a 45-year-old rap icon is predictable: a nostalgic legacy tour, a few...

How IShowSpeed Turned Unfiltered Chaos Into a $40 Million Empire

January 21, 2026. Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. stands in the middle of Lagos, Nigeria, surrounded by a sea of fans during his “Speed Does Africa” tour. The crowd has...

How Damola Adamolekun Is Using $60M And A Four-Pillar Plan To Rebuild Red Lobster 

For decades, Red Lobster was one of America’s most popular restaurant chains. By 2024, it faced significant challenges.  Falling sales, expensive leases, and years of poor strategic...

Why Monique Woodard Ignored Silicon Valley’s Favourite Investment Playbook

While most venture capitalists were chasing the next app for twenty-somethings, Monique Woodard was asking a different question: what happens when the fastest-growing market isn’t young at all?...

Aston Hall: The $10 Million Morning Routine

In 2022, Ashton Hall hit rock bottom. His NFL dreams had crashed after playing just 5 games at Alcorn State University, totaling a mere 6 carries for 8 yards. He was depressed, had stopped training...

The Boardroom

Business

The Biggest Tax Mistakes Costing Black-Owned Businesses Thousands Every Year

Black-owned businesses play a significant role in the American economy. In 2023, the United States had around 201,000 Black-owned employer businesses that generated about $249 billion in revenue...

Inside Richard Parsons’ Turnaround of Time Warner Following the Failed $165 Billion AOL-Time Warner Merger

Richard Parsons took over a company struggling from one of corporate America’s worst mergers. By the end of 2002, AOL Time Warner reported what was then the largest annual corporate loss in U.S...

How Christopher J. Williams Built a Firm That Helped Underwrite Over $330 Billion in Corporate Offerings

Christopher J. Williams recognized an opportunity where others saw a closed market. In 2001, he founded The Williams Capital Group with a strategy focused on institutional transactions, with expertise...

The Anti-Ad Strategy: How Elfried Samba Turned Organic Followers into a Billion-Dollar Asset

In 2015, the fitness apparel market was a bloodbath. Nike and Adidas dominated with massive advertising budgets, while Gymshark was a struggling UK startup with £8 million in revenue and a problem:...

Which US Grant Fits Your Black-Owned Business? A No-Guess Breakdown

Finding a grant is one thing. Finding the right grant is another. A restaurant owner looking for funds to buy kitchen equipment should not spend three days applying for a technology accelerator. A...

How T.I. Liquidated His Rap Crown to Build a $50 Million Corporate Empire

By 2026, Clifford “T.I.” Harris Jr. had spent over two decades dictating the terms of Southern hip-hop. The industry playbook for a 45-year-old rap icon is predictable: a nostalgic legacy tour, a few...

Sport

Black Entrepreneurs Launch Draft Ready to Prepare Student-Athletes for the New Sports Economy

A new leadership and career readiness program is emerging to ensure student-athletes are prepared for economic success beyond sports. On July 1, 2026, influential Black entrepreneurs Cimone Casson and...

After Leading Knicks to Historic NBA Title, Jalen Brunson Set to Release First Children’s Book

After leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in over five decades, captain Jalen Brunson is expanding his influence beyond basketball. He has announced his debut children’s...

Angel Reese Becomes Fastest Player in WNBA History to Reach 1,000 Rebounds

Angel Reese solidified her place in Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) history on Sunday night by becoming the fastest player to reach 1,000 career rebounds. At just 26 years old and...

Ice Cube’s BIG3 Set to Go Public in Landmark $290 Million Deal

Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league is set to enter a new phase after agreeing to go public in a significant deal that values the league at $290 million. This move represents a key moment not just for...

Jalen Brunson Reveals Why He Sacrificed $113 Million to Help the Knicks Win a Championship

Jalen Brunson has finally explained the reasoning behind one of the boldest financial choices in modern NBA history: he chose long-term stability, team flexibility, and championship goals over...

Why Jordyn Woods Said ‘Two Rings in One Year’ After Karl-Anthony Towns’ NBA Triumph

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns capped a remarkable season by leading his team to its first NBA championship in 53 years. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals. This...

Culture & Living

Lifestyle

Zendaya Swings into Action: The Actress’s New Tennis Film ‘Challengers’ Promises Drama and Romance

Zendaya, known for her role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, is transitioning from web-slinging to tennis in the film Challengers.  The movie, first announced in February 2022, follows the story of pro...

Tiger Woods Ranks Among Highest-Paid Black Athletes with $67.2 Million Earnings

Tiger Woods, the legendary golfer and one of the world’s Black billionaires, has once again secured a top spot among the highest-paid athletes in 2024.  The 48-year-old golfer ranks 23rd...

Meet The Black Designers Who Shaped Fashion History

The global fashion industry, with an estimated value of over $1.5 trillion, stands as a testament to human creativity and cultural expression. Throughout its evolution from the exclusive salons of...

Kobe Bryant’s 2000 NBA Championship Ring Fetches Nearly $1 Million USD at Auction

Iconic NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s legacy continues to captivate fans as a prized possession from his illustrious career heads to auction this month. The ring, symbolizing his first championship...

7 Ways to Elevate Your Style as a Black Man in 2024

Refining your personal style as a man is more than just following trends; it is about expressing yourself with confidence and sophistication.  Elevating your style goes beyond simply wearing a...

Sprinkle Sprinkle: How to Recognize a Low-Quality Man

Low-quality men are everywhere, and, sadly, women fall victim to their tactics. It is important to know the quality of the man you want to be with. While seeing the good in people is important, it’s...

Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani Indicted in U.S. Over Bribery and Fraud Allegations

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and seven others, including his nephew Sagar Adani, were indicted in New York on Wednesday by U.S. prosecutors for their alleged involvement in a multi-billion-dollar...

What to Know About Nowruz, an Ancient Festival Celebrated for 3000 years

Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Persian, spans 13 days of vibrant rituals. Millions around the globe are embarking on their annual celebration of renewal and connection with nature, marking...

Curated By The Desk

Black Elites

The John W. Thompson Playbook: Three rules, two turnarounds, and $1.5 trillion in Created Value

In February 2014, Microsoft was a company in crisis. The tech giant had lost its innovative edge, was missing the mobile revolution, and was perceived as having a toxic, siloed culture. The board had...

How Adebayo Ogunlesi Built a $100B Empire From Essential Assets

Few people thought an airport needed reinventing. In 2009, in the bleak aftermath of the global financial crisis, London’s Gatwick Airport was put up for sale. A Competition Commission order had...

Tristan Walker’s Education and the Lessons That Shaped His Career

Tristan Walker’s story is often framed through the lens of startups: Foursquare, Andreessen Horowitz, Walker & Company, Bevel, Procter & Gamble, and influence in boardrooms. However, the true...

Before ‘Michael’: Who Is Jaafar Jackson and How Did He Land the Role?

When Michael, the 2026 biographical drama about Michael Jackson’s life and legacy, opened globally on April 24, one name quickly became the focus of conversation: Jaafar Jackson. Not only was he...

Alexander Karp Tops Forbes List as America’s Leading Black Billionaire

In a significant shift in global wealth rankings, Alexander C. Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, has become the richest Black billionaire in America, according to the latest Forbes...

Erin Jackson, The First Black Woman To Win Winter Olympic Gold

Erin Jackson, the American speed skater from Ocala, Florida, made Winter Olympic history as the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games, which continues to...

Shirley Raines, Founder of Beauty 2 The Streetz, Dies at 58

Shirley Raines, the founder and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Beauty 2 The Streetz, has died at the age of 58, the organization announced Wednesday on Instagram. Her family and the...

10 Black-Owned Businesses Worth Billions in the USA

Black entrepreneurship in the US has grown to levels that were previously unattainable in recent years. Many Black-owned and Black-led companies have reached billion-dollar valuations. These...