An Overnight Success That Was Years in the Making with Brandon Blackwood

In this episode of Friends & Family, host Aurora James invites Brandon Blackwood, one of American fashion’s pre-eminent designers, into her world to discuss the decade of hard work he put into his brand before his big break, when he was labeled an “overnight success.” Brandon recounts his early years studying neuroscience before he found his love for fashion, much to his family’s frustration. He details mistakes that went viral online, having to learn on the go, and the joys and challenges of having made that iconic bag. This episode offers a refreshing view on the highs and lows of starting a business and just how far you can go with that first chunk of savings (spoiler: it’s $7,000). About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

In this inspiring episode of Friends & Family, host Aurora James sits down with acclaimed fashion designer Sergio Hudson for an intimate conversation at her LA home. Sergio shares his journey from South Carolina to becoming one of fashion's brightest stars, recounting pivotal moments that shaped his career—including the life-changing experience of dressing Michelle Obama for the 2021 presidential inauguration. The conversation explores industry gatekeeping, financial realities of building a brand, and how Sergio redefined success on his own terms. From childhood inspirations (including unexpected influences like Batman Returns and the film Boomerang) to navigating racism in fashion, this episode offers an honest look at entrepreneurship and staying true to your vision against all odds.About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

In this episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, Aurora talks with activist, musician, entrepreneur and personal friend John Legend. John voices his unequivocal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion, offers insights from his business background, and discusses his skincare brand Loved01.

Maurice Harris is the founder of Bloom and Plume, a bespoke floral design studio in Los Angeles that has partnered with big name brands like Louis Vuitton, The Row, Goop, and more. He also previously ran the coffee shop Blume and Plume Coffee that was known locally as a safe haven and community space for LGBTQ+ folks. Maurice is known for his charisma and no-nonsense talk about all things business — including the good and the bad. In our final episode of this season of Friends & Family, Aurora chats with Maurice about how he turned his passion for art and community into a business and why, sometimes, it’s okay if things don’t work out. Plus, tune in to hear from Dr. Ayana Johnson, the co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for ocean-climate policy in coastal cities. In addition to being a marine biologist, Dr. Johnson is a policy expert who’s helping us rethink the ways in which business can align with our own ethical and moral values.

Hannah Diop is creating her own lane in the hair care industry. As the founder of Sienna Naturals, Hannah has not only created a new hair care brand for natural and textured hair, she’s broken into the prestige beauty category. Sienna Naturals has grown in recent years thanks to Hannah’s business expertise and the support of co-founder Issa Rae, the writer, actor and producer, who also happens to be her sister-in-law. Tune in to hear how Hannah went from concocting hair care formulas in her Harlem apartment to placing Sienna Naturals in retailers like Nordstrom and Sephora. Plus, Aurora talks with another Black woman creating her own lane in the world of politics and civic engagement. We’re talking about the one and only, Stacey Abrams. She talks with Aurora about DEI efforts in business and how we can join her to advocate for voter rights, especially ahead of some of the most important elections of our lifetime.Show Notes: To learn more about how to fight voter suppression, visit: FairFight.com

In this episode we hear from Bethann Hardison, the woman who paved the way for Black creatives in the fashion industry and beyond. Her prolific career has spanned decades: from starting out as one of just a handful of Black models in the late 1960s, to creating her own modeling agency and helping launch the careers of some of the biggest supermodels of the century. Each step of the way, Bethann has made sure to promote the work of Black creatives and call out fashion houses - by name - for their discrimination. Plus, we talk with another changemaker in the industry, Olivia Kim, who’s making a lasting impact on what you see in Nordstrom stores across the country. We talk with her all about fashion merchandising and partnering with a major national retailer.Show Links: You can check out the Designer’s Hub that we mentioned in the episode at this link.   About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways, which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways, which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.About Our Show: Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique and Janice Llamoca. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Justina Blakeney is a creative powerhouse. She is an interior designer, artist, author and the creative director of Jungalow, a lifestyle brand and design studio with a vast catalog of household goods featuring her signature colorful, nature-inspired design. As the quintessential modern bohème, Justina’s approach to business is less hustle and bustle and more focused on achieving a sense of “enoughness.” Tune in to hear how Justina turned her one-woman design studio into a major, nationwide brand with a multi-year partnership with Target—all while maintaining a sense of work-life balance. Later in the episode, Aurora calls Tiffany Aliche, aka, The Budgetnista, for the financial tips every entrepreneur should know. For years, Tiffany has helped her clients achieve holistically healthy financial lives—or as she calls it, “financial wholeness.” Listen for how you can keep your personal and business finances in check.About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.About Our Team:Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

In this episode, we chat with the serial entrepreneur Julia Collins, whom you may know as the very first Black female “unicorn” founder. Most recently, Julia founded Planet FWD, a company with a platform working with climate-friendly businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. To date, Julia has raised more than $550 million across multiple businesses and rounds. Tune in to hear everything you need to know to navigate the world of venture capital and private equity. Then, stay tuned for our call with Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, to hear his fundraising and business advice on crowdfunding small dollar amounts.About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.About Our Team:Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

We’re cooking up a storm with the inimitable Jon Gray, CEO and co-founder of Ghetto Gastro. Alongside chefs Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker, Jon founded the food collective with a mission to build "community through cuisine." Hear how Jon channeled his passion for food into a business that has catered dinners for clients like Microsoft, published a bestselling recipe book, and launched a line of dry goods including the delicious Ghetto Gastro Pancake and Waffle Mix. Then, it’s time to phone-a-friend for some advice. Aurora calls Nancy Twine, CEO and founder of the clean hair care company Briogeo to hear her take on how we can all take more risks and find our industry niche. About Our Sponsor:This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.About Our Team:Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.