Black Create Connect Podcast

Ep 94 - How Coding my own App in 4 weeks ft Bukola Akinfaderin Founder of glow up app

Bukola Akinfaderin, Engineering Manager at Carvana, has accumulated over 20 years experience working in Information Technology. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Wesleyan University, CT and a Master’s of Science in Information Systems from New Jersey Institute of Technology.  

Bukola has most notably been recognised for the creation of apps that focus on underrepresented groups. Her first project was Jandus Radio, a mobile application/social network that aggregated over 250 radio stations, a forum/peer to peer chat with a focus on African content. Jandus Radio accumulated over 500,000 registered users.  She also launched Afrocast, a podcast aggregator for underrepresented content providers, Khin, a white label social community platform, and MyComplex, a community app for apartment residents.  Her most recent project is glowup app, a goal setting app for women that allows you to achieve your self-care goals with the support of a community.

Bukola was named as Developer of the Month by Microsoft Africa in 2013. She has been featured on several tech publications including TechCabal, Otekbits, TechMoran, PulseTV Nigeria, Voice of America: Beyond the Unicorns of Silicon Valley, World Bank for their Female Tech Entrepreneurs initiative (infodev). She also won 2nd place in the Microsoft 9ja Apps, a competition which focused on rewarding innovative mobile apps focused on the Nigerian market.
In this Episode, Alicia & Bukola discuss:
Creating the first app to introduce Afrobeats to the US.
Exploring the real process involved in app building.
Discussing how trialing entrepreneurship can positively impact career trajectory.
Understanding different code platforms and their purposes
Emphasising the importance of being confident in one's idea.
Examining the challenges faced by Black women in accessing investment opportunities.
The true benefits of using the glow up app
See more about Bukola here:
http://www.techcabal.com/girls-who-code-bukola-akinfaderin/
https://projects.voanews.com/beyond-the-unicorn/

Ep 93 - The power of documenting your story ft Coodie Simmons

Coodie Simmons is an American film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and producer. Coodie started directing from his music video fo Kanye West, entitled "Through the Wire", which was nominated for a MTV Viewers Choice Award, and won a Source Award for Best Music Video of the Year. Coodie has continued his music video success directing "Two Words" and the third version of "Jesus Walks" off Kanye West's The College Dropout album, Pitbull's "Culo" video, Mos Def's "Ghetto Rock" video, Erykah Badu's controversial video "Window Seat" and most recently Lupe Fiasco's "Old School Love" video. 
Coodie received acclaim for their ESPN 30-for-30 film, Benji (2012), a film about a high school basketball player who was tragically killed. In 2013 they directed Good Morning, a short film for American Family Insurance. Good Morning debuted at the 2013 American Black Film Festival. In 2022 Coodie released the documentary series jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, Act 1 of which premiered on Netflix on February 16, 2022.
In this episode, Alicia and Coodie delve into a variety of fascinating topics, including:
Their experiences as tourists in Ghana and the cultural insights gained from the trip
The artistry, story, and profound impact of Ernie Barnes
Reflecting on their upbringing in Chicago and the harsh realities they faced
The motivation behind Coodie's meticulous documentation of life moments
The journey of losing everything and finding the strength to start anew
The deep passion and purpose driving their Jeen-yuhs documentary project.
Connect with Coodie here - https://www.instagram.com/coodierock/?hl=en
 

Ep 92 - Why World AFRO Day exists ft Michelle De Leon

Michelle De Leon is the founder and CEO of World Afro Day®, 15th September. A global day of celebration and liberation of Afro Hair and Identity, with an estimated reach of 1.5 billion. Michelle successfully combines her broadcasting career of 20+ years at ITV Good Morning Britain with leading World Afro Day CIC. She has overcome her own struggles with Afro hair and was inspired by her 8 year old daughter to set up the day of celebration. Since 2017, her work has influenced the UN, UK government, global brands, international media and major celebrities. Key highlights are the Workplace Hair Acceptance report 2023; contributing to the EHRC guidelines to prevent hair discrimination in schools 2022 and a speech at the United Nations in Geneva 2018.
In this episode Alicia and Michelle discuss:
The significance of recognising and healing from past traumas
The inspiration behind Michelle's establishment of World Afro Day
The journey involved in creating and growing the movement
The importance of black women embracing their natural hair and the empowerment it brings
Predictions and aspirations for the future of World Afro Day and its impact on society.
Learn more about World Afro Hair - https://www.worldafroday.com/
Connect with Michelle here 
 

Ep 91 - How to be a successful & well paid black female designer ft Sandra Adu Founder, Black Girls In Design

Sandra Adu is a design director, multidisciplinary design educator and cultural policy researcher, who has harnessed her myriad design talents over the sprawling decade of her illustrious design career. She has always associated herself with branding and design initiatives that have effectively fostered positive organisational growth and behavioural changes.
She is the founder of Black Girls in Design and has over the years played a crucial role in helping agencies to deliver exceptional creative projects for a diverse and exciting client base across multiple platforms. Her journey as a designer began with a mission to help small businesses to fight their corner. Her notable clients have been Hsbc, Net-A-Porter, REN, L'Artisan Parfumeur, META, JP Morgan, and Puma.
 
In this episode Alicia and Sandra Discuss:
The challenge raising a daughter as a single mum and attending uni
The importance of stripping back culture habits to succeed 
Why Leaders need to be coached 
The value in design and career opportunities 
How black girls in design will work with the education curriculum 
Connect with Sandra here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-a-3a845237/

Ep 90 - Changing the way Black women buy hair care products Ft Jamelia Donaldson Founder Treasure Tress

Jamelia Donaldson is the founder and CEO of TreasureTress — a monthly product subscription service for girls and women with kinky-curly hair and also the co-creator of The Teen Experience, a monthly workshop series which offers young black women to attend a series of personal development workshops, network with other like-minded individuals and be inspired by mature and successful women. Workshops to date have included creating vision boards and discussions about self-care.
 
Since launching in 2015, with a huge online community, and an active and thriving offline presence, Treasure Tress has proven that natural hair and black sisterhood can truly go hand in hand. 
 
As a solution to the beauty industry’s difficulty connecting to their Black, female consumer in the UK, Jamelia added a consultancy arm to  TreasureTress as a way to guide brands in the US on the unique experience of the Black, UK natural hair consumer. Providing them with strategy, social, digital and influencer marketing.
 
Jamelia has been featured in Forbes, Buzzfeed, Good Housekeeping and Pride Magazine just to name a few.
 
In this episode Alicia and Jamelia discuss:
Her experience as an intern in NYC 
Studying 7 subjects at A level 
Why she started Treasure Tress 
How Treasure Tress can save black women 100s a year 
Overcoming challenges; building a product based business at home 
Winning over 100k work of TV ads & Billboard space 
Learn more about Treasure Tress here - https://www.treasuretress.co.uk/ 
 
Connect with Jamelia Here - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jamelia-donaldson-73952237 

Ep 89 - Why I created a platform to elevate 1000 Voices ft Tevin Kittoe

Tevin is the founder of 1000 Voices, a production company with a vision to eradicate all racial inequalities and inspire a generation of black British changemakers. He has a background in social entrepreneurship and currently works as a financial sales professional as well. Driven by his desire for a more equitable society for all, the 1000 Voices podcast is his first step towards realising his vision.
Tevin is the founder and host of 1000 Voices, a podcast that interviews black British changemakers and aims to empower a generation of black British changemakers. With a background in social entrepreneurship and a current career as a financial sales professional, Tevin is driven by a desire to create a more equitable society for all. Through the 1000 Voices podcast, Tevin is working towards his long-term vision of eradicating racial inequalities and inspiring others to make a positive impact in their own communities and beyond. 
In this episode Tevin and Alicia discuss: 
Career Transitioning in a short time frame 
Tevins near death health experience and his new view on life
Wealth in sustainable fashion 
The power on generational story telling
Connect with Tevin here:
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tevinkittoe
 

Ep 88 - The Cool Creative Professional @ Coolr ft Vanessa Lyall

Vanessa Lyall is a bubble tea enthusiast of Ghanaian-Scottish heritage, born in America and raised in London. When she’s not working as a Senior Account Manager at Coolr, she’s creating something including TikTok content, poetry and Zara wishlists. She is an advocate for good mental health and the proud president of the ‘every person should get therapy’ club.
 
In this episode Alicia and Vanessa discuss:
Life in DC - Childhood & Changes
Being Young Free and Fearless 
Creative vs Professional - finding the perfect mix
The realties of being an Influencer account manager 
What makes Coolr an enjoyable place to work 
Tips on applying for a job with Coolr
Connect with Vanessa here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-lyall/ 
Apply for jobs at Coolr here - https://joinus.wearecoolr.com/jobs 

Ep 87 - Why we need to invest into our Youth ft Sayce Holmes-Lewis Founder Mentivity

Sayce Holmes-Lewis is an entrepreneur, sports coach, mentor and activist providing strategic counsel and cultural insight within the public & private sectors, whilst also delivering aspirational keynotes on the importance of community, racial equity, personal growth & resilience.
Sayce is the founder & CEO of Mentivity, an award-winning mentoring organisation, and alternative education provision that provides aspirational support for young people, schools, parents, and carers across London, Brighton, Barbados, Kenya and Uganda. Founded in 2016, Mentivity has touched the lives of thousands of young people with their adaptable, holistic approach and proven record of expertise in coaching, mentoring, and support.
Sayce feels extremely fortunate to be doing work that he truly loves, using his platform and vast network within business, sport, education, and government to advocate for diverse and underserved communities.
In this episode Alicia and Sayce discuss:
Sayce's experience of being discovered as a talented football player in his neighborhood
Overcoming life-threatening health struggles and achieving a successful recovery
The obstacles faced by black male teachers and how to navigate them
The inspiring story of how Mentivity was born and how the new hub will positively impact his community.
Learn more about Sayce and Mentivity here:
https://sayceholmeslewis.com/my-story 
https://www.mentivity.com/
 

Ep 86 - DEI Lip service - Companies being Loud with No Action ft Haydn Corrodus

Meet Haydn, a highly experienced Social and Digital Marketing Consultant
focusing on Arts and Non-Profit Organisations. With over 15 years of experience in
social media and digital marketing, Haydn has worked with a range of brands,
including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Campari Group, Kickers, and more. His work on
award-winning experiential, social, and digital marketing campaigns is highly
regarded.
Haydn has worked in the Arts and Culture sector for the last seven years. He was
a part of the team that established the Digital Culture Network as a Tech
Champion for the Arts Council England. His work with Bloomberg Philanthropies
as a tech fellow for the UK arts and culture organisation The Yard helped them
implement new digital platforms and tools.
Haydn has collaborated with over 300+ organisations from England and
internationally. Some of these include The ICA, Horniman Museum and Gardens,
The Southbank Centre, The Brooklyn Museum, and more.
Thanks to his Digital Marketing and Social Media expertise, Haydn has been
invited to speak and create workshops for The Roundhouse, The Dots, The
Barbican, Today at Apple, and Trinity Laban. He has also been a guest lecturer for
the Executive Master's programme at the Royal Academy of Arts.
In addition to his work within the arts, Haydn is also a founding partner of We Are
Stripes. The organisation works to increase opportunities for people from diverse
ethnic backgrounds in the creative industries. Working with Disney, Microsoft, The
National Gallery, The London Stock Exchange, and more, providing opportunities
for diverse work and voices. 
 
In this episode Alicia and Haydn discuss: 
- Haydn on Tour - creating and playing in a successful band
- Starting a career in advertising late 
- The power of a mentor and Sponsor
- Marketing Consulting & Different approaches to effective digital marketing
- Is the advertising industry for black people?
- Being apart of wearestripes and the impact they've had
- Next step in the USA 2024 
 
Connect with Haydn here - https://www.haydncorrodus.com/

Ep 85 - The Story behind Angel Investing School ft Andy Ayim

Andy Ayim MBE is renowned for his deep expertise and experience coaching founders strategically towards achieving product/ market fit. He is a go-to expert on angel investing.
He has become a leading voice across Europe for training the next generation of angel investors and supporting startups with scaling responsibly.
His angel training programmes have empowered over 400+ new angels including the Black Angel Group spun out of Google's Black Network which has invested over $3.5m in over 28 startups.
He consults through organisations such as Psalt and Elixirr to advise organisations on executive coaching and creating high-performing agile teams.
His expertise in designing inclusive early-stage investment vehicles has seen him consult in the creation of startup accelerator programmes for organisations such as Backstage Capital, Black Equity Organisation and Impact X among others.
Andy was recognised in 2021 with a Queen's Honours MBE medal in recognition of his contribution to diversity and technology in the UK.
 
In this Episode Alicia and Andy Discuss:
- Andy's global adventures in wild life and character building activities 
- The importance of being in new environments 
- The impact of travelling and building international relationships
- Insights and opportunities from working internationally 
- The reason he started Angel Investing School 
- How people can become investors with small amounts of capital 
 
Learn more about Andy here:
https://andyayim.com/