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JPMorgan Chase, a proud supporter of Black Entrepreneurs Day since its inception, will return as a prominent partner of this year’s event. The firm offers financial tools and resources to help business owners start, run and grow their businesses, and also work towards their personal financial goals. This year, JPMorgan Chase and J.P. Morgan Wealth Management will take center stage, powering conversations between Daymond John and renowned superstars Cari Champion and Sloane Stephens. Building a New Legacy presented by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management will feature broadcast journalist Cari Champion and Daymond John as they discuss financial freedom, education and the mentorship program ‘Brown Girls Dream.’ The firm will also introduce Serving Up Financial Health presented by JPMorgan Chase with tennis star Sloane Stephens and Daymond John. Looking back on Sloane’s rise to fame, this powerful conversation will highlight the importance of financial health and discuss how Sloane keeps her head and heart in the game through meaningful endeavors like the Sloane Stephens Foundation.
Returning for year four, The General Insurance will power the event’s “Game Changer Conversations” featuring Daymond in inspirational one-on-one conversations with Black business leaders and cultural icons. Prepare for game changing conversations with Whoopi Goldberg, Shaquille O’Neal, Cedric the Entertainer, Anthony Anderson and Rick Ross. In addition, The General will further highlight the stories of Black entrepreneurs, artists and creators in this year’s BED After Show, a new, live conversation hosted in The General Sound Studio,a professional mobile recording studio housed inside a car designed to give rising artists their big break. Conversations recorded in The General Sound Studio will be hosted by Niani Tolbert, 2022 entrepreneur grant recipient, and shared on The General’s social media channels, including TikTokand Instagram.
Hilton is a proud sponsor of Black Entrepreneurs Day and supports businesses of every size, everywhere. In a panel discussion with Daymond John, Hilton executives will speak to the ways the company is dedicated to meeting entrepreneurs where they are, providing them with travel tools as well as new business opportunities. As the home away from home for millions of entrepreneurs every day, Hilton takes seriously its commitment to pave the way for entrepreneurs to reach new heights and new places.
Shopify knows a world with more voices in commerce is better for businesses and consumers. The leading global commerce company is continuing to support Black entrepreneurs everywhere by reshaping the ways in which minorities are supported by giving them a platform to be seen. Through the company’s support of the 1MBB initiative, Shopify aims to start, grow and scale 1 million Black businesses by 2030 to provide a successful path to wealth creation for the Black community. Together with Daymond John and Black Entrepreneurs Day, Shopify will return as a proud partner of Black Entrepreneurs Day and reintroduce the Shopify Pitch Competition. This year’s live pitch competition taking place at the Apollo in front of a panel of judges will feature three Shopify merchants. These merchants have the exciting opportunity to win $25,000 and receive valuable mentorship from Daymond John. In addition, Shopify will amplify the Black merchants within their community by reintroducing Daymond John’s coveted BED Picks – a hand selected list of Black-owned Shopify brands that we can’t get enough of.
McDonald’s has been a longtime champion for Black entrepreneurs and the community at large. Through the Black and Positively Golden platform, McDonald’s has financially empowered change leaders and cultural trailblazers in the Black community through scholarships, mentorship, and community programs. As part of this ongoing effort to highlight and uplift the voices of the communities it serves, McDonald’s is sharing the stage with Black Entrepreneurs in their latest menu campaign, featuring a documentary titled “The Love of Mambo.” This documentary showcases the real stories of sauce makers, chefs, small business owners, and devoted fans who are preserving and celebrating Mambo’s culinary heritage. The Mambo Heroes, including Arsha Jones, Jermaine Smith, Anthony Thomas, and Tina Gray, will join Daymond John for an exclusive panel conversation that shines light on the journey of these small business owners. Lastly, McDonald’s is excited to provide the Mambo Heroes a business grant to support their journey of entrepreneurship.
As a returning partner of Black Entrepreneurs Day, T-Mobile for Business is joining Daymond John for year four of inspiration, education and celebration. Featuring members of the T-Mobile for Business community alongside Daymond live from the Apollo, T-Mobile for Business will discuss how unconventional thinking and partnership with HBCU institutions are helping build an infrastructure for the future of learning and development of entrepreneurs.
Lowe’s is a proud partner of Black Entrepreneurs Day and will host a conversation between Daymond John and Janice Dupré, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer. From workforce development programs and community partnerships to its innovative entrepreneur pitch events, Lowe’s is continuing to redefine what it means to show up.
Continuing to blaze the trail for entrepreneurs everywhere, Salesforce is committed to building a diverse ecosystem where individuals from all walks of life learn relevant skills to build successful careers in tech. Live from Black Entrepreneurs Day, Salesforce will host a conversation between Leah McGowen-Hare, SVP Trailblazer Community and Daymond as well as share inspirational stories highlighting Trailblazers who have learned Salesforce with Trailhead and built businesses to support Salesforce customers.
Leading HR solutions provider and supporter for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs), TriNet is a proud partner of Black Entrepreneurs Day 2023. Daymond John will speak with Samantha Wellington, TriNet’s Executive Vice President, Business Affairs, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, about TriNet’s commitment to SMBs, its programs that support entrepreneurial experiences, and the ways in which it is spotlighting diverse communities.
Meta is continuing to be a proud supporter of Black Entrepreneurs Day and entrepreneurs everywhere. Watch this year’s broadcast LIVE on Facebook and join the conversation on Threads today
SPEAKER TBD
ANTHONY ANDERSON
Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian and game show host who is known for playing Louis Booker from Kangaroo Jack, Glen Whitmann from Transformers, Ray Ray from The Proud Family and Antwon Mitchell from The Shield. He also acted in Blackish, Hoodwinked, The Departed, Agent Cody Banks 2 and Scream 4.
RICK ROSS
With the levying stature of a goliath and the regal standing of a King, Rick Ross has lived up to his prophecy of being the “Biggest Boss.” The Miami Monster Mogul has evolved into not just hip-hop’s most respected and revered MC (in fact he was voted MTV’s “Hottest MC” of 2011), but as a label CEO and business entrepreneur, his resumé is as sterling as one of his platinum plaques.
God Forgives, I Don’t is Ross’ fifth solo album in six years, following in the recent success of five star acclaimed masterpieces Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010) and classic team efforts with his Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 1 and 2. By now, everyone that follows what Ross does, has been conditioned to expect nothing but a prolific output of the highest grade of music.
In a career that reaches new heights every year, God Forgives… is a milestone, the most anticipated rap project of all of 2012, as well as being the LP that will be the definitive work of art of the past decade.
“Without exaggeration, you just don’t hear this high of quality or precision of music,” Ross says about his opus. “I’ve mastered the art of devising classic albums, but this by far exceeds my prior excellence. I owe this to the fans and I owe it to myself to be the undeniable best.”
God Forgives… has a seamless blend of party hits and street certifiable bangers surrounded by Ross’ passionate reflections on life and articulation of his journey to be a billionaire. On one of the lead cuts, “So Sophisticated,” Ross hammers down heavy-handed statements with a delivery as graceful as Michael Jackson’s penny loafers lighting up the streets in “Billie Jean.” Meanwhile “Touch N You” features multi-time Grammy Award winner Usher and caters to the women who have crowned Ricky Rozay as one of the most yearned for sex symbols in all of entertainment.
“Three Kings” feels like Ross’ coronation into legend status as he is joined side by side by the man who has garnered the title of Greatest Rapper of All-Time, Jay-Z and the Greatest Producer of All-Time, Dr. Dre.
Like every up and coming MC, Ross — influenced by Golden Era b-boys that reigned supreme in the late 80s — just wanted to be heard during his introduction into hip-hop in the late 90s. While the desire and the artistry have been Ross hallmarks from career commencement, he had to learn the fine of art of structuring record contracts as well figure out a way to market and promote himself to the public when his former record labels couldn’t.
Ultimately, Rick Ross’ time didn’t come until over a decade after he started professionally. He only needed one song to break through. 2006’s “Hustlin” which went from being a relentless street anthem to a pop culture catch phrase still used today, earned Ross a record deal with Def Jam, and became the catalyst for his debut LP Port of Miami. That album debuted number one on the Billboard charts as did Trilla which came less than two years later.
And while his core fans already were familiar with the superlatives or Rick Ross the artist, in 2009, we got to know how strong of man the music Kingpin was. Highly publicized rap battles and controversy over his street cred that started at the end of 2008, none of it mattered by the spring of the next year when 2009’s Deeper Than Rap dropped. The few that ridiculed had no choice but to jump on the bandwagon, when Ross elevated himself with refined raps and musical soundscapes, all the while never worrying about public misperceptions about his past. While other albums may have sold slightly more, 2010’s Teflon Don overshadowed every LP from any genre that year. It was the album you heard coming out every car, the album that dominated DJ’s playlist and the album that catapulted Ross to international superstardom.
Building on the next level of his fame, Ross’ hunger wasn’t satiated. He knew it was his golden opportunity expand his Maybach Music Group. In late 2010 MMG went from boutique imprint to a full-fledged label, with the signings of Wale and Meek Mill as the cornerstones of the roster. Stalley and Omarion have since joined his core and have helped make MMG the most beloved brand since Jay-Z had Roc-A-Fella records 10 years ago. In early 2012, Ross released a free mixtape containing an album’s worth of new material called Rich Forever. The popularity from the body of work was so fervent, Ross toured in the U.S. and overseas in support of the new set of songs and Rich Forever has since went on to be the most downloaded mixtape ever. Now with God Forgives I Don’t, Ross has his sights set on a brand new goal: to be the biggest boss and artist of all-time.
“When my career is done, people will look back at everything I’ve contributed, and not just speak my name in high regard with the best of the best artists, but they’ll also compare my contributions with the greatest executives ever such as Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Clive Davis and Jimmy Iovine.”
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
4X NBA Champion, Sports Analyst, DJ, Philanthropist, and Investor
Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, Shaquille O’Neal is considered to be one of the most dominant basketball players in NBA history. At 7 ft 1 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality and powerful athleticism have resulted in worldwide adulation and one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment.
Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accolades rival his athletic accomplishments, having found success in acting, music, television, gaming and as an entrepreneur. Currently, Shaq is an analyst on Inside The NBA, on the board of Papa John’s Pizza in addition to being partner and investor in numerous other businesses.
Philanthropically, Shaquille’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of America dates back to his youth in New Jersey. As a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he has been participating in campaigns with the non-profit company for the past 15 years.
