Trailblazers.FM

When you’re one of the few, or the only Black man in the room, leadership comes with a unique mix of visibility and isolation. Every achievement is on display. Every mistake is magnified. And the pressure to be “twice as good” can feel relentless. In this special episode, our host Stephen A. Hart sits down with Alfred Edmond Jr., Senior VP & Executive Editor-at-Large at Black Enterprise, to talk about the realities behind the title, how to handle hyper-visibility, combat the loneliness of leadership, and turn scrutiny into an advantage. Whether you’re already in the C-suite or working your way up, Alfred shares insights from decades of leadership and storytelling that will help you navigate the spotlight with confidence, build the right peer network, and create lasting impact. This conversation also spotlights the upcoming BE XCEL Summit, where Black men in leadership come together to connect, learn, and grow. If you’ve ever felt alone at the top, this is the community you’ve been waiting for. Learn more about the Summit: https://www.blackenterprise.com/xcel-summit-for-men-2025/ Use Coupon Code: ALFRED for a $100 discount. Subscribe to our YouTube to watch the full episode of this conversation on video: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackSuccessPod #IAmBlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackLeaders #BlackEntrepreneurs About I Am Black Success® I Am Black Success® is a podcast featuring conversations with trailblazing Black leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers. With 200+ episodes, the show documents Black stories and explores the strategies, lessons, and tools that fuel excellence, leadership, and legacy. Stay connected: Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts Watch full episodes on YouTube Learn more at iamblacksuccess.com

We are not short on horror stories of racial disparities in medicine. We saw this most recently during the early days of the pandemic, when Black and brown communities were absolutely devastated by Covid-19. And even beyond the pandemic, health disparities and inequity for people of color persist. Our guest today is Dr. Oni Blackstock. Dr. Oni Blackstock is recognized as a thought leader and influencer in the areas of HIV and health equity. She is a primary care and HIV physician and the founder and Executive Director of Health Justice, a racial and health equity consulting firm, that helps health care and public health organizations to center anti-racism in the workplace and to reduce health inequities in the communities they service. She previously served as Assistant Commissioner at the New York City Health Department where she led the City’s response to the HIV epidemic. Prior to that, she was Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center where she led and conducted research to develop and test interventions to promote HIV prevention and treatment. She holds degrees from Harvard College, Harvard Medical School, and Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Blackstock is passionate about ensuring that all individuals and communities have the resources and support they need to thrive and achieve optimal health and wellbeing. Join our host for this #WomensHistoryMonth special series, Jennefer Witter, Founder and CEO of The Boreland Group, for this conversation with Dr. Blackstock. PLEASE SHARE this episode with 5 Black women (or tag them in the comments). Let them know they need this motivational #MissionFuel TAH-dayyy. 🔥 To listen to the full episode (and download the transcripts), please visit: https://iamblacksuccess.com #missionfuel #blackwomen #whm2022 #health #healthjustice #healthequity

Change can be scary, and when your pivot concerns your professional life, it can become even scarier ... especially for Black Women and other women of color! Our guest is Cecilia Nelson-Hurt, a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we have Jennefer Witter, a past guest of the show, taking over hosting duties for the podcast for March. Jennefer is CEO/Founder of the Boreland Group. 🔥 Download transcripts and see our full archives: https://iamblacksuccess.com

There is an ongoing myth that there are very few Black Women in executive and/or senior leadership positions. Like the pipeline is nearly empty. It’s NOT. Our guest for this episode is Ebony Reed. Ebony is the Chief Strategy Officer for the Marshall Project, a non-profit that produces journalism about the criminal justice system. Connect with Ebony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebony-reed-7b18564/ In celebration of Women’s History Month, Jennefer Witter, a past guest of the show, takes over hosting duties for the podcast for the month of March. Jennefer is CEO/Founder of the Boreland Group. Connect with Jennefer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenneferwitter PLEASE SHARE this episode with 5 Black women who need this motivational #MissionFuel today. 🔥 Please consider leaving Trailblazers.FM a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. We’re actively exploring new partners and sponsors. If interested please email stephen@stephenahart.com Complete show archive, transcripts and more: https://iamblacksuccess.com

Are you a Unicorn? Have you been called a unicorn? Unicorn is a popular term used when there is an “only” or a “few” and it often means – according to Wikipedia – “a very rare find”. In celebration of Women’s History Month, I’m turning over my hosting duties, all month long, to a dear friend and a past guest of the show, Jennefer Witter. Jennefer is the CEO and founder of The Boreland Group, a 20-year-old boutique public relations firm headquartered in New York City. Jennefer’s agency specializes in women-led and minority owned businesses as well as grassroots non-profits. Today, I’m sharing a conversation between Jennefer and the Rev Dr. Theresa Thames, talking about unicorns as well as occupying spaces, being our true selves, and how they all wrap into each other. This is the first of this special 4-part Women's History Month feature, hosted by Jennefer Witter. More about Rev Dr. Theresa Thames: Rev Dr Theresa Thames is the founder of Soul Joy Coaching & Yoga, LLC, an in-person and online gathering that centers womxn of color, inviting them to honor their whole divine selves and tap into radical joy. She is also a Dean at an Ivy League university. Dr. Thames is a graduate of Howard University and received a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Gender, Theology, and Ministry from Duke University Divinity School. She has a Doctorate of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Leadership Excellence which explored how best to equip young clergywomen of color to thrive in ministry. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, she served as a local pastor in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for nine years. More about Jennefer Witter: Jennefer Witter is the CEO and founder of The Boreland Group Inc. (TBG – www.theborelandgroup.com), a 19-year-old boutique public relations firm headquartered in New York City. The agency specializes in women-led and minority owned businesses as well as grassroots non-profits. Jennefer is an active public speaker, with presentations to military, trade and academic organizations on implicit bias; gender-based workplace conversation; inclusive leadership; personal branding; and networking. Jennefer is the author of “The Little Book of Big PR: 100+ Quick Tips to Get Your Small Business Noticed,” published by Amacom/HarperCollins. Connect and follow: https://theresathames.com http://www.theborelandgroup.com/ Leave us a rating and review Please leave Trailblazers.FM: I Am Black Success, a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so, on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com Learn more about our show: https://iamblacksuccess.com

Ready to discover the 4 truths on why we actually struggle chasing PURPOSE? Don’t miss “What’s The 411?” with our guest Patrice C Washington. In 2020, SUCCESS Magazine named Patrice Washington one of 12 Inspiring Black Voices in Personal Development and she continues to be consistently called on for her expertise by national media. As an award-winning intuitive author, transformational speaker, hope-restoring coach, and conscious media personality, Patrice is committed to teaching a holistic approach to life while redefining the term “wealth” back to its original meaning, “well-being.” Patrice got her start as “America’s Money Maven,” a widely-known favorite personal finance expert, but has since expanded her mission to encourage people to chase purpose, not money. She uses her Certification in Financial Psychology to help the masses get beyond budgets and credit reports and dive into the heart of why we behave the way we do with money. Through her Spirit-led teachings and intuitive guidance, Patrice empowers her community to look at life through the lens of abundance and opportunity, instead of lack and scarcity. As host of her award-winning “The Redefining Wealth Podcast,” Patrice has built a thriving international community of high-achievers committed to creating a fulfilled life through balancing their careers, home, health, and personal finances. Featured on Forbes.com as one of "15 Inspiring Podcasts for Professionals of Every Stripe," and highlighted by InStyle Magazine, SUCCESS magazine and Entrepreneur.com, the Redefining Wealth Podcast boasts over 10 million downloads and counting. Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

How Can You Grow Your Solo Business? Join me as I share in conversation with the one and only Ramon Ray, who is going to share some key tips and insights NOT for building a billion-dollar brand but JUST getting to over $100k in revenue-building a great business that generates a few hundred thousand dollars in revenue! In case you hadn’t heard about Ramon until now ... Ramon Ray is an in-demand expert on small business success. He's has started five companies and sold two of them and is a five-time author. Ramon's latest books are "Celebrity CEO", all about personal branding and "Grow Your Solo" all about building a successful solo business! Get to know Ramon better at http://www.ramonray.com Also, be sure to connect and follow: Ramon Ray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonraysmallbiz/ Stephen A. Hart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenaihart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

Empathy is so very important in today's remote work environment, and helps leaders understand their team's perspectives, emotions, and experiences, which leads to better communication and connection. Our featured guest for this episode is Chris Cochran, CEO & Executive Producer of Hacker Valley Media. Chris will be sharing a new segment we've created called 'What's the 411' and talking with us about Leading Empathetically in an Increasingly Remote World. Follow us: Hacker Valley, I Am Black Success LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart, Chris Cochran Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Stephen A. Hart, Chris Cochran Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

"If the racial wealth divide is left unaddressed ... median Black household wealth is on a path to hit zero by 2053—about 10 years after it is projected that racial minorities will comprise the majority of the nation’s population. Median Latino household wealth is projected to hit zero twenty years later, or by 2073." The Road To Zero Wealth. --- Join Gary Cunningham, CEO of Prosperity Now, as he tackles the income and asset gap and highlights ways to build Black wealth for a more inclusive economy. Follow us: Prosperity Now, I Am Black Success Instagram: Trailblazers.FM, Prosperity Now LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart, Gary Cunningham Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Stephen A. Hart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

*Today is our 7th birthday as a podcast (wooo hooo). This is the 3rd part of a 3-part Reboot mini series. All three episodes are live right now (episodes 228-230).* The mantra and approach I'll share in today's episode, became the underlying driver that later helped me get: There's so much more that I was able to do, including address my mental health and strength, from this mindset shift. Tune in today to learn what I did, and how you can too. -- If you’ve missed the podcast, and you’re happy we’re back I’ll ask you to Follow us: Instagram: Trailblazers.FM LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Stephen A. Hart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

When you're navigating somewhere using Google Maps and you've got an accident on your route, Google will typically offer you to accept a different route... and that’s what I did in this valley season of my life. I accepted the alternate route. This is the 2nd part of a 3-part Reboot mini series. All three episodes are live right now (episodes 228-230).* In this episode, I share: There’s a bunch more in this episode. Go back and check out part 1 if you missed it. -- If you’ve missed the podcast, and you’re happy we’re back I’ll ask you to Follow us: Instagram: Trailblazers.FM LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Stephen A. Hart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

What’s good fam? Wah gwan? How tings? How ya’ll doing? Listen, this episode is being published on February 1 2023 and today marks the 7th anniversary since we launched the Trailblazers.FM podcast. That’s right ... it’s our 7th birthday as a podcast and community... I’m so incredibly grateful as I reflect on all the amazing accomplishments we’ve achieved and also the challenges we’ve endured to get here. Today also marks the official reboot of the show and the beginning of #BlackHistoryMonth 2023 in the US. This is the 1st part of a 3-part Reboot mini series. All three episodes are live right now (episodes 228-230).* In today's episode (Reboot Pt 1) I also share that: iamblacksuccess.comThere’s some additional goodies in today's episode about me, a summary of the show’s origin story, and some of where we're going from here. -- If you’ve missed the podcast, and you’re happy we’re back I’ll ask you to Follow us: Instagram: Trailblazers.FM LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Stephen A. Hart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

It’s New Year’s Day and a dear friend of the podcast, Mignon Francois, opens up the year for Trailblazers.FM with this bold statement and challenge to each and everyone of YOU in our BlazerNation community: Throw The Whole Resolution Away... 😮 Say what?? Listen, you DO NOT want to miss out on the most inspiring 21-minutes that will help you get your year off on the right footing and position your mind, your actions and the results you'll achieve over the next 365-days of this year! Our featured guest today is Mignon Francois. Mignon Francois is the Founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection (TCC). Using her “Follow Your Spirit” approach, Mignon developed an iconic flavor that drew lines and attention to the hip nature of her Historic Germantown neighborhood that hadn’t seen this concept developed prior. The success of TCC thereby became icing on the cake amongst the existing North Nashville restaurateurs that would ignite a new movement to the area for other business concepts that might not otherwise have considered doing business in North Nashville. Since planting its roots in 2008, Mignon’s business savvy has earned her the titles of “Woman of Legend and Merit” by Tennessee State University, “Emerging Business Leader of the Year” and Black Enterprise Magazine “Family Business of the Year Award”. Learn more about the Cupcake Collection. Check out our all-new web portal For a limited time, you can sign up to access our new web portal for FREE at iamblacksuccess.com There you’ll find great content on successful Black women and men in entrepreneurship, leadership and business. -- If you’ve missed the podcast, and you’re happy we’re back I’ll ask you to Follow us: Instagram: Trailblazers.FM, Mignon Francois LinkedIn: Stephen A. Hart, Mignon Francois Twitter: Trailblazers.FM, Mignon Francois, Stephen A. Hart Leave us a rating and review Please leave us a 5-star rating and review if you’d not yet done so on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify Partner with us We’re also exploring new partners and sponsors. If you’re interested in possibly working with us, please shoot me an email to stephen@stephenahart.com

"God will make us strong, before he makes us happy!" -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

How do you build, grow and scale your black-owned business? Today’s guest is Samia Gore. Samia Gore is the first Black female founder of Body Complete Rx, who’s been able to break significant ground in the male-dominated, nutritional supplement industry. She’s since gone on to generate over $10m in the past 4 years in her business. -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

There is a past version of you that is so proud of how far you have come! I recently shared an emotional memory of a place, a valley I was in back in December 2013, that I wanted to never go back to again. Thank God, I’ve never been back there. And that Stephen from December 15, 2013 is soooo very proud of where I am today. - Now that brings me to the point I wanted to make today and it’s this ... DO NOT QUIT on you because GREAT THINGS TAKE TIME! -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Our episode guest is Stephen Powell, the chief programs and partnerships officer of the National CARES Mentoring Movement, founded by Essence Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Susan L. Taylor; he leads and oversees the organization’s affiliate network, program expansion, partnership development, training, and technical assistance efforts. Some of Stephen’s most notable honors include GQ Magazine’s Movado Leader Award; Black Enterprise Magazine’s 100 Modern Men of Distinction; and an Obama administration White House “Champion of Change Following in the Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Stephen is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. and serves on the Chicago Beyond Trauma Advisory Council, and is also a board member of Cinnamon Girl, Inc and Nth Dimensions, Inc. Stephen is an alum of the Institute for Non-profit Management program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and Howard University. He was raised in East Orange, NJ and currently resides in Montclair with his wife, Marlaina and two daughters, Sinclair Adina (14) and Simone Alexandra (10). -- Shawn Dove is a speaker, author, and advocate for leaders who want to improve the lives of young people, particularly Black men and boys. He is the co-author of the upcoming book: I Too Am America. You can learn more about Shawn at dovesoars.com and connect with him on twitter @dovesoars -- Stephen A. Hart is a marketer, podcaster, content creator, brand strategist, speaker, entrepreneur, husband and #bestdadever. You can learn more about Stephen at stephenahart.com and connect on Twitter @stephenahart More about: National CARES Mentoring Movement: caresmentoring.org Stephen A. Hart: https://stephenahart.com/ Shawn Dove: https://dovesoars.com/ -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Life has a way of throwing you and I some tough blows during different seasons of our lives. Whether you and I must endure a day, a week or a year of hardships, the challenge is to continue to put yourself out there (like it or not), continue to get up and show up anyway. If you’re unclear about how to lead during your present or next season of uncertainty, you should join this conversation. Our guest today is Kandia Johnson, Founder of Kandid Conversations Global, a leadership training and coaching program to help workplace and entrepreneurial leaders tackle self-doubt, and unleash their hidden potential. She also launched She Deserves More, a career confidence and visibility program for mid-career women looking to position, pitch, and promote themselves as leaders--be it at work, in business, or within their communities. Learn more about: Kandia Johnson: https://kandiajohnson.com -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

As our 5th anniversary as a podcast approached on February 1st 2021, I made a decision to not quit on Trailblazers.FM, but instead I decided to shift. I shifted and committed to producing weekly video live streams and then it became 2-3x a week that I was streaming. In many ways though, my soul ached. I stopped the podcast that was going for 5 years, and at it’s peak, reaching some 15-20,000 downloads a month. But I made a commitment in that dark valley, that I was going to set my pride aside and I was going to embrace being bad, until it got good for me with live stream videos. Today’s the first published episode in exactly one year. If you’ve missed the podcast, and you’re happy we’re back I’ll ask you to help me by doing one or all of these things: -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

All anyone has to do is say the year and it can elicit an emotion. In a few words, this year has been everything from unpredictable, to traumatic, scary, exhausting and bizarre. But, there have been moments of joy as well, despite the pain. For those who are hurting, who need the hope that an opportunity to start over provides, debut author Zim Flores has some thoughts. Flores’ new book, Dare to Bloom: Trusting God Through Painful Endings and New Beginnings (Dec. 8, 2020, Thomas Nelson Gift Books), shows people how to find hope and discover opportunity, even when circumstances and endings are hard and uncertain. OUR FEATURED GUEST: ZIM FLORES Named a leader using her voice and talent to elevate humanity by Oprah Winfrey, Zim Flores (née Ugochukwu) is the founder of Italicist, an online styling service that helps women discover modest clothing they love, without the time commitment. Previously she was the CEO of Travel Noire, a boutique travel company reaching millions of travelers each month. In 2017 she sold the company to pursue Christ. A serial entrepreneur, Zim is a Forbes "30 Under 30" awardee who has been featured in the New York Times, TIME, ELLE, Glamour, The Nation, Essence, and NPR, among others. She often writes in faraway places and lives with her husband in Illinois. Connect with her at www.zimism.com and @zimism. Dare to Bloom: Trusting God Through Painful Endings and New Beginnings Order your copy today via Amazon. -- Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move other aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact for many others, both now and well into the future. Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com And connect with host Stephen A. Hart at Twitter and LinkedIn #BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast