Advertise on podcast: Black Entrepreneurs Survive & Thrive

This is “IRON” Mike Steadman,  host of Black Entrepreneurs Survive and Thrive, happy to announce we’re back with another Season of the Show.   Our first 12 Episodes allowed to highlight  the impact of patient capital, the BEST Fund, and the resilience of black entrepreneurs here in the great state of New Jersey. When we initially launched, we were still coming out of the pandemic and the new normal.   A lot of support was thrown at Black Entrepreneurs in the aftermath of the  George Floyd and the economic devastation caused by COVID-19. Now, nearly three years later, as much of the support  has waned and inflation has skyrocketed, patient capital is more important now than ever.   Thanks to M&T Bank, the official sponsors for Season 2 and stewarts of the BEST Fund, we’re able to highlight more black entrepreneurs and continue to spread the word about patient capital.   New Episodes new drop two weeks from today, so make sure you hit that subscribe button and spread the word.  

On this Episode of the BEST Podcasts, I’m joined by Kelly Broznya, The State Director and CEO of The New Jersey Small Business Development Center Newark, Kelly oversees twelve centers around the state, working with small businesses of all shapes and sizes. On the show, Kelly shares insight into the NJ SMDC’s effort throughout the pandemic, success stories from the entrepreneurs they’ve worked with, and the role of patient capital in supporting a thriving ecosystem.

On this episode of the Best Podcast, I’m joined by Shannon Lazare, North New Jersey Regional Manager for M&T Bank. On the show, Shannon discusses how M&T supports black business owners, why they’re excited to be part of the BEST Initiative, and shares her perspective on how the banking system can help more black entrepreneurs survive and thrive. To learn more about M&T Bank, visit: https://www3.mtb.com/personal

On this episode of the BEST Podcast, I’m joined by Ayana Morris, Co-Founder of Newark Moonlight Cinema, a drive-in movie theater located in Newark, NJ. Ayana and her husband Siree, launched Newark Moonlight Cinema in the middle of the pandemic to create a fun and entertaining experience for the City’s residents, despite being in the midst of so much chaos. Newark Moonlight Cinema has been featured by multiple media outlets including CNBC, NPR, and countless others To learn more about Newark Moonlight Cinema , visit: https://www.newarkmoonlight.com/

On this episode of the BEST Podcast, I’m joined by Sharif Muhammad, Founder and CEO of Unlimited Capital Advisors, a certified public accounting firm in New Jersey that delivers customized financial solutions for a diversified spectrum of clientele. Sharif has over 21 years of experience working in the financial services industry.On the show, Shariff opens up about his lean operation and the importance of having technology enabled business in order to survive and thrive in the future. He also discusses the success of his educational content and his plans for using it to continue to grow his firm. To learn more about Unlimited Capital Advisors , visit: http://njcpablog.com/

On this episode of the BEST Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Pedro Santana, Founder and CEO of Deal With It Management, a full-service management and consulting firm dedicated to providing top quality solutions and services to government clients, business, K-12 and higher education leaders. To learn more about Deal With It Management , visit: https://dealwithitmanagement.com/

On this episode of the BEST Podcast, I’m joined by Keisha Wright Daniel, Owner and Director of Care for Me Children’s Learning Center, a private learning center offering a quality educational program for children from ages 6 weeks to 13 years old. Keisha shares how resilience and the responsibility of serving her youth and staff, have kept her going through the pandemic, despite the uncertainty in the early days. To learn more about Care For Me Children’s Learning Center, visit: http://www.careformeclc.org/

On this episode of the BEST Podcast, I interview David Langlieb, Senior Underwriter at New Jersey Community Capital, a non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) dedicated to creating thriving communities through strategic investments and knowledge. To learn more about New Jersey Community Capital, visit: https://www.newjerseycommunitycapital.org/ Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://thebestpodcast.substack.com/welcome

On this episode of The BEST Podcast, I sat down with Jason Martin, Founder of Jason Martin Productions, a leading digital multimedia service company that specializes in corporate photography and video marketing. Jason opens up about his journey to survive and thrive, despite the pandemic, what led him to starting a business in the first place, and the challenges he faced receiving access to capital, despite being a business owner for over 15 years. To learn more about Jason’s company, visit : https://jmartinproduction.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://thebestpodcast.substack.com/welcome

On this episode of The BEST Podcast, I’m joined by Marcus Crawford, a young & hungry entrepreneur who Co-Founded Bro-Ritos Food Truck with some friends in 2016. Despite operating at zero revenue for several months, Marcus found a silver lining through all the chaos and has managed and shares how he’s thriving during the pandemic. To learn more about Bro-Ritos Food truck, visit here: https://www.broritosfoodtruck.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://thebestpodcast.substack.com/welcome

On the following episode of The BEST Podcast, I sat down with Mitchell Greene, who’s leading the ground efforts with the New Jersey BEST Fund, which includes identifying, screening, and working with black entrepreneurs, in order to get them access to patient capital through our partners. Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://thebestpodcast.substack.com/welcome

On this episode of The BEST Podcast, I sit down with Kristine Smith, CEO/Co-Founder of the InSpira Performing Arts & Cultural Center, a dance and music center for children and adults, currently operating two locations in New Brunswick and Newark, NJ. Kristine started InSpira in 2002 in the basement of a church with 14 kids and now is currently serving nearly 300 students, between her two locations. To learn more about InSpira Performing Arts & Cultural Center visit: https://inspiraarts.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://thebestpodcast.substack.com/welcome