Black Elites

Founders. Startups. The making of enduring companies.

Playbooks, teardowns and interviews from the operators building the next generation of category-defining brands.

In Entrepreneurship

Ron Kenoly: 6 Decades of Faith, Music, and Inspiration

Ron Kenoly, the American worship leader, singer, and songwriter, whose career spanned over six decades of faith and music, died on February 3, 2026, at the age of 81. The world of gospel music mourns...

Detroit Empowers 140 Small Businesses with Tech Microgrants

The City of Detroit, together with community organizations and the Rocket Community Fund, has started a new initiative to help small businesses in the neighborhood use modern technology and stay...

Everything About Brittney Griner’s Zennjet and Its Mission

Brittney Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA player, co-founded Zennjet. Sennjet is a travel membership and support service that helps people safely travel with prescription. The company...

DEI Cuts Are Fueling a New Wave of Black Women Entrepreneurs

Corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are facing cuts across industries, often framed as budget decisions. But for many Black women in the workforce, these reductions have become a...

Warren McVea, Trailblazing University of Houston Star and Chiefs Super Bowl Champion, Dies at 79

Warren McVea, the electrifying running back who became the first Black athlete to receive a football scholarship from the University of Houston and later won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs...

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Turns 48: The Writer Who Changed How We Tell Stories

Today, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie celebrates her 48th birthday. As a journalist who has followed her career, I can say she’s one of the most important writers of our time. Why She...

Shaquille O’Neal Launches First-Ever Fragrance with JCPenney

Basketball legend and entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal has expanded his business empire into the fragrance industry, debuting his first self-titled scent, Shaquille O’Neal, in partnership with JCPenney...

Kenny Clark: From San Bernardino Roots to NFL Defensive Force

When the Dallas Cowboys pulled off the blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons in August 2025, one name in the deal carried both weight and experience, Kenny Clark. For nearly a decade, Clark was the...

How Black Entrepreneurs Can Win Startup Grants: 10 Insider Tips

For many Black founders, raising capital remains one of the toughest barriers to growth. Venture capital still overwhelmingly flows to white-owned businesses, and traditional bank loans often come...