November 1st is the fourth annual Black Entrepreneurs Day, and to celebrate, a special taped event curated by FUBU Founder and Shark Tank venture capitalist Daymond John was held at New York’s Apollo Theater. The event helped celebrate Black businesses and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs while showcasing remarkable Black talent.
Black Entrepreneurs Day which was filmed over two days, featured guest appearances by influential figures such as Whoopi Goldberg, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Shaquille O’Neal, Cari Champion, Sloane Stephens, Ice T and Flavor Flav. Rick Ross also performed in honor of celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop.
One of the highlights of Black Entrepreneurs Day is the “NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant.” This year, the grant will award over $200,000 in black business grants, providing crucial support to Black entrepreneurs seeking to take their businesses to new heights. Also a pitch competition was presented by Shopify in which three aspiring entrepreneurs pitched their products to guest celebrity investors. The winner received $25,000 to help develop and market their product, and all three finalist received business mentors. “We may be three years out from the George Floyd travesty and the height of support for Black Lives Matter, but the need for resources and community support for our Black businesses remains paramount. I salute our partners who year after year, support our mission to educate and inspire Black
entrepreneurs around the globe,” said John. Some of this year’s partners included Meta, SalesForce, The General Insurance, JP Morgan Chase and McDonalds.
Black Entrepreneurs Day has rapidly become one of the largest and most acclaimed Diversity and Inclusion events in the United States. In 2022 alone, it garnered over 7.6 million broadcast viewers and received two Webby Awards. Viewers who were unable to attend tapings in person can watch a stream of the event starting at 7pm on November 1st.
