Black Business Month, Entrepreneurs, insurance, legacy — (Photo: RDNE Stock project/via Pexels)

by Sidnee Michelle

September 30, 2026

ForbesBLK Names 25 Black-Owned Businesses To Watch In 2026

The list arrives as Black-owned employer businesses continue to account for billions of dollars in economic activity.

ForbesBLK is spotlighting 25 Black-owned businesses that are creating jobs and generating significant revenue across industries ranging from technology and healthcare to construction and manufacturing, Forbes reports.

Forbes unveiled its inaugural “25 Top Businesses to Watch” list Sept. 28, recognizing Black-owned employer businesses based on factors including revenue, growth, longevity, and industry reputation. Collectively, the companies featured employ more than 16,000 people, according to Forbes.

The list arrives as Black-owned employer businesses continue to account for billions of dollars in economic activity. More than 200,000 Black-owned businesses had employees in 2023, generating $249 billion in revenue and supporting more than 1.8 million jobs, according to Census Bureau data.

Among the companies recognized is Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, founded and led by Troy Taylor. The Tampa-based bottler generated $2.2 billion in revenue in 2025 and employs more than 5,000 people, according to the outlet.

The number of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. with at least one employee topped 200,000 for the first time ever in 2023, a 62% jump from 2017, according to the latest report from Brookings Institution.

In honor of these employers and builders, @ForbesBLK set out to find 25… pic.twitter.com/rFH53cmfVh
— Forbes (@Forbes) September 28, 2026

Voltava, founded by Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, also made the list. The automotive manufacturing group generates approximately $2.3 billion in revenue and employs more than 5,000 workers.

The list also includes Thompson Hospitality, which provides dining services to corporations and 18 historically Black colleges and universities; Cityblock Health, a healthcare company serving nearly 200,000 members; and Squire Technologies, whose technology platform serves more than 3,000 barbershops.

McKissack, founded in 1905 and recognized as the nation’s oldest Black-owned construction firm, is also among the honorees. The family-owned company has worked on more than 6,000 projects and expects revenue to reach $118 million in 2026, according to the outlet. Cheryl McKissack Daniel, a fifth-generation owner, transitioned from CEO to board chair after leading the company for 25 years.

Forbes employed different benchmarks for established companies and venture-backed startups. Established businesses generally needed annual revenue between $75 million and $2.5 billion to qualify, while venture-backed companies that did not meet the revenue threshold were required to have valuations of at least $100 million.

The publication also consulted organizations, including the National Minority Supplier Development Council and U.S. Black Chambers, along with venture capital firms, to identify companies for consideration. Forbes said financial information was verified using company data, news reports, and third-party sources.

The inaugural list provides a snapshot of Black-owned companies operating at scale, from a construction business founded more than a century ago to newer technology companies attracting outside investment and expanding their reach.

Second Avenue Subway East Harlem, MTA — The Second Avenue Subway Community Information Center at 1628 Second Avenue in New York, Ny (Photo Credit: Wikimedia)

by Selena Hill

September 30, 2026

East Harlem Businesses Take A Hit As 2nd Avenue Subway Construction Disrupts Sales

Small-business owners say barriers, noise, access problems, and prolonged construction are squeezing revenue as the MTA pushes ahead with its East Harlem expansion.

Small businesses in New York City’s East Harlem neighborhood are taking a massive hit.

Business owners along Second Avenue say the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project is disrupting customer access and reducing sales. The nearly $7 billion project will extend Q train service to 125th Street in Harlem, with new stations at 106th and 116th streets. The project is slated to continue over the next six years until 2032, but some businesses may not survive.

At Go Donut, a Black-owned donut shop near East 118th Street, sales have fallen between 60% and 70% since construction began in April. Owner Solomon Fresh said fencing, generators, limited parking, and other construction obstacles have made the shop harder to find and access.

“Once they put that up, it just started tanking after that,” Fresh told ABC7 New York.

The disruption has gone beyond foot traffic. Fresh said construction also left his shop without running water on Thursday nights into Fridays for months, forcing him to purchase water. As a result, he says the financial pressure has affected staffing.

“Sometimes I have to pay people late, and I lost employees over that too; over not being able to pay them when [they] wanted to get paid,” he said. “I’m not against the train, but it’s just how they’re going about it,” he told ABC7. “It’s no respect. No communication. Nobody knows nothing that goes on.”

The MTA says it has been working directly with affected businesses. A spokesperson told ABC7 that its outreach team worked with Go Donut to relocate a generator, install noise blankets, and develop a custom fence wrap to improve the shop’s visibility during construction.

“Our outreach team has been in regular contact with Go Donuts and worked with the owner to move a generator from in front of the business and add noise blankets to nearby construction fencing. We’re also preparing a custom fence wrap to help customers spot Go Donuts during construction, part of our work to keep businesses in the project area visible and accessible as the Second Avenue Subway brings more people to the neighborhood,” MTA Spokesperson Laura Cala-Rauch said.

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But Fresh is not alone. The New York Post reported that Eagle Tile owner Lu Nicaj said construction barriers have severely reduced access for his contractor customers. Meanwhile, Casa Ricardo’s Steakhouse owner Jimmy Mateus told the publication that his restaurant’s sales have declined about 40% this year amid construction-related disruptions.

The project’s long-term economic case is significant. MTA documents say Phase 2 is expected to serve more than 100,000 riders daily and improve connections between East Harlem, the Upper East Side, and other parts of Manhattan. But for merchants trying to make payroll today, the question remains: How do they keep the doors open until those promised benefits arrive?

5 Ways The 2026 XCEL Summit For Men Will Enrich Personal Developement

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 30, 2026

5 Ways The 2026 XCEL Summit For Men Will Enrich Personal Developement

Here are five ways XCEL can help professionals invest in their growth.

For professionals looking to sharpen their leadership skills, expand their networks, and prepare for the next stage of their careers, professional development can extend well beyond the workplace. The 10th annual BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL Summit for Men, taking place Oct. 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida, will bring together more than 800 executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders for three days of workshops, conversations, and networking opportunities.

The summit is designed to provide men at various stages of their careers with resources to strengthen their professional and personal development.

Here are five ways XCEL can help professionals invest in their growth.

1. Strengthen leadership skills

XCEL provides professionals with strategies they can apply as they move through different stages of their careers. Workshops and discussions on leadership, decision-making, and career development allow attendees to gain insight from executives and industry leaders who have navigated their own paths to success.

2. Build a stronger professional network

Strong relationships can play an important role in career advancement. XCEL connects attendees with executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, and professionals across industries, creating opportunities to build relationships that could lead to mentorship, collaboration, and future business opportunities.

3. Learn from established leaders

Direct access to experienced leaders can offer perspectives not always available through traditional workplace training. The 2026 summit will feature leaders from business, finance, technology, science, sports, and entertainment, exposing attendees to different approaches to leadership and professional growth. Hear from influential leaders like Robert L. Johnson, Dr. Bernard Harris, Kirk Franklin, Everette Taylor, and more.

4. Expand business knowledge

Professional development also requires understanding the trends reshaping the workplace and economy. XCEL programming will cover topics including artificial intelligence, wealth building, and entrepreneurship, giving attendees a chance to expand their knowledge beyond their current positions and industries.

5. Develop a long-term career strategy

The summit also gives professionals dedicated time to assess their career goals and consider their next steps. Stepping outside daily workplace responsibilities can provide an opportunity to identify areas for growth, strengthen existing skills, and develop a clearer strategy for advancement.

As XCEL marks its 10th anniversary, the summit continues to connect men with the knowledge, resources, and professional relationships designed to support their growth in business and leadership.

RELATED CONTENT: XCEL Summit For Men Oct 2026 –

T.I., Rapper, Tip Harris, A.I., creators, representation — (Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)

by Sidnee Michelle

September 30, 2026

T.I. Invests In Black-Owned AI Content Company Poctsock

The investment will support Pocstock’s efforts to expand culturally representative content and datasets for brands.

Rapper and entrepreneur Tip “T.I.” Harris has invested in Pocstock, a Black-owned content and data licensing company working to give creators greater control over how their work is used as artificial intelligence reshapes the digital economy.

The investment will support Pocstock’s efforts to expand culturally representative content and datasets for brands, technology companies, and AI developers while emphasizing creator consent, ownership, and compensation. The investment terms were not disclosed.

Founded by CEO Steve Jones, the Newark, New Jersey, company licenses images, videos, and data representing diverse communities. According to the company, its approach is designed to address representation gaps while ensuring creators have a stake in the growing market for content used in AI development.

“Our goal is to help build a more responsible and representative data layer for AI while bringing creator communities along as the technology evolves,” Jones said in a statement.

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Jones said Pocstock wants people of color to participate in the emerging economy as “producers, owners and economic contributors — not simply consumers.”

Harris’ investment comes as the rapid expansion of generative AI has intensified debates over intellectual property, consent, and compensation for creators whose work may be used to train AI models.

For Harris, the investment extends his broader focus on entrepreneurship and ownership beyond the entertainment industry.

“Authenticity cannot be faked, and our stories cannot be told properly without us in the driver’s seat,” Harris said. “Pocstock is capturing the positive aspects of our culture.”

The partnership also highlights a larger economic question around AI development: whether the communities whose creative work and cultural influence contribute to emerging technologies will share in the wealth those technologies generate.

Pocstock said it wants to help address that divide by creating opportunities for creators to license their work while maintaining greater control over its use. The company also plans to help younger creators develop skills, protect their intellectual property, and generate economic value from their content.

As companies continue investing heavily in AI, Pocstock is positioning creator ownership and culturally representative data as part of the infrastructure powering the technology’s next phase.

Gen Z professionals job interview — (AI-generated image)

by Selena Hill

September 30, 2026

From Iced Coffee To Dress Codes: How Job Interview Etiquette Is Evolving

Gen Z is challenging old-school interview etiquette, but preparation, punctuality, and professionalism remain part of the hiring equation.

Job interviews are changing, but some basic rules remain.

A recent debate over whether candidates should bring iced coffee to an interview has highlighted the unwritten expectations that continue to shape hiring. The conversation, sparked after a recruiter criticized Gen Z candidates for arriving at interviews with iced drinks, has grown into a broader discussion about what employers actually consider professional.

Benjamin Laker, a professor of leadership at Henley Business School at the University of Reading in the U.K., says the coffee debate reflects a larger shift in workplace expectations. He told Forbes that the discussion “shows how quickly an interviewer’s preferences about dress, greetings, and body language can harden into standards candidates were never told about.”

That matters for job seekers navigating workplaces that have become increasingly flexible, remote, and informal. A candidate interviewing over Zoom may face a different set of expectations than someone walking into a corporate office for a panel interview.

“Remote interviews and less formal offices have made some old cues harder to interpret,” Laker writes.

Still, the shift in workplace culture does not mean candidates should throw professionalism out the window. According to the reporting, being prepared, arriving on time, and providing honest answers remain fundamental expectations. Instead of obsessing over every small detail—from whether to accept a beverage to how formally to dress—candidates can focus on demonstrating that they understand the role, can communicate clearly, and are prepared to discuss their experience. The interview also works both ways. Candidates are evaluating employers, too. Questions about how success is measured, how teams communicate, and workplace culture can provide useful information about the organization.

Laker added that candidates should prepare without sounding so rehearsed that they lose the ability to respond naturally.

Even though workplace culture may be getting more casual, preparation and good judgment still matter. The iced coffee may be up for debate. Showing up ready to talk about what you can bring to the job is not.

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority MARTA, clerical error — AI-generated image

by Selena Hill

September 30, 2026

A $620K Payroll Mistake Has MARTA Chasing Down A Former Employee

A clerical error sent $620,000 in unearned overtime to a former MARTA station cleaner, and the transit agency is now suing to get its money back.

An Atlanta transit worker ended up with a $620,000 surprise in his paycheck.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) says a former station cleaner was mistakenly paid approximately $620,000 in overtime in April, despite not earning the money. The agency says it discovered the error in July, but the funds still have not been returned five months later. MARTA has since filed a civil lawsuit against the former employee, saying efforts to recover the money without legal action were unsuccessful.

“We worked with the employee in an effort to recover those funds and hoped to resolve the matter without legal action,” a MARTA spokesperson told CBS News Atlanta. “Unfortunately, the employee has yet to return the funds.”

Neither the former cleaner nor the MARTA employee involved in the payroll error still works for the agency. MARTA has not publicly identified either person or provided details about exactly how the clerical mistake occurred.

The payment amount is notable even by payroll-error standards. Atlanta employment attorney Charles Bridgers told Atlanta News First he had never encountered a case involving that much money. He said retaining money someone knows was mistakenly paid could potentially create additional legal exposure, though MARTA’s current action is a civil lawsuit seeking repayment.

“I’ve really never, never heard of one that has that much money involved in it,” Bridgers said.

The financial impact also puts the $620,000 in perspective for an agency responsible for moving thousands of Atlanta-area residents every day. Atlanta News First reported that the amount could cover nearly 15 station cleaners for a year, the base salaries of 10 police officers, or a new bus. It could also fund approximately 250,000 bus or rail trips.

The episode comes as MARTA faces broader scrutiny over its financial management. The agency recently settled a $52 million dispute with the city of Atlanta concerning allegations tied to the handling of funds from the More MARTA sales tax program.

MARTA says it is responding to the payroll breakdown by retraining employees and strengthening internal processes.

unemployment, childcare, black women, workforce — Photo by 10'000 Hours/Getty Images

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 30, 2026

Black Mothers Aren’t Opting Out Of Work, They’re Being Pushed Out

A growing number of Black women are not getting paid at all.

By Taylor Austin, Campaign Director, Workplace Justice, MomsRising

In July, BLACK ENTERPRISE published my article that addressed the phenomenon that Black mothers get underpaid twice, once at work and once at tax time. Two months later, a growing number of us are not getting paid at all.

Labor force participation among Black mothers of children under 5 fell 11.5 percentage points in three months this year, reaching its lowest level in more than 30 years, according to a Brookings Institution analysis of federal data. White and Hispanic mothers pulled back far less.

The easy explanation is that Black mothers are choosing to step back. I lead workplace justice campaigns at MomsRising, and that is not what the data shows. Black mothers are being pushed out by an economy that took their jobs, priced their childcare out of reach, and left no cushion for the fall.

The jobs went first

Black women built middle-class careers in public service, and in 2025 those careers were cut. Black women lost roughly 95,000 federal jobs last year, and their employment rate fell 1.4 percentage points, one of the sharpest one-year drops in a quarter century, according to the Economic Policy Institute. College-educated Black women took the biggest hit, a 3.5-point drop. Their unemployment rate climbed from 5.8% to 6.7%.

For many mothers, the next job pays less than the one they lost, and it has to cover everything the old one did.

Then the math stopped working

Researchers at the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race found that none of the college-educated Black mothers out of the workforce over the past year said the reason was that they could not arrange childcare. The steepest declines were among married mothers in households at or below the median income.

That tells us this is about money. Center-based care for an infant runs as high as $31,544 a year, and in 41 states and Washington, D.C., center care for two children costs more than a typical mortgage, according to the Labor Department’s national childcare price database. When one paycheck disappears, and the remaining one cannot cover both the mortgage and the childcare bill, a mother leaving work is arithmetic. It is not a lifestyle choice.

Congress needs to champion bold solutions

From New Mexico to New York, momentum is growing for free, universal childcare. Why? Because families are tired of underfunded solutions that most of our families won’t feel. The United States ranks near the bottom among developed nations for public funding of childcare and early childhood education. It’s time for Congress to catch up and make universal childcare a reality: a free program that ensures true parental choice for early education and care for children up to age 13, including center-based childcare, family childcare homes, and family, friend, or neighbor care. Congress should also pass paid family and medical leave, so having a baby stops functioning as a job loss; and the lawmakers who cut the federal workforce should reckon with who paid the price.

Employers have work to do, too. Pay range transparency, childcare stipends, and flexible schedules keep mothers in jobs they are good at. A company that loses a Black mother to a childcare bill loses an employee it spent years training.

What we lose

When a Black mother leaves the workforce, her family loses income, her retirement savings stop growing, and her children lose the security her paycheck provided. Her employer loses her skills, and the economy loses a worker it cannot easily replace.

We do not need another round of commentary about why Black mothers are stepping back. We need childcare we can afford, leave we can take, and jobs that do not disappear. Congress has until Dec. 11, when the government’s stopgap funding runs out, to start.

About the author

Taylor Austin is the campaign director for MomsRising’s Workplace Justice Campaigns, where her portfolio focuses on advocating for and organizing around paid family and medical leave, pay equity for women, and family economic security. Her professional background is rooted in reproductive healthcare and advocacy, protecting reproductive rights through grassroots organizing, public education, and legislative change within Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Temple University and a Master of Science in Health Administration from Saint Joseph’s University. A proud Philadelphia transplant, Taylor lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, their two children, and an ever-growing collection of plant babies.

401(k), ai exposure, retirement benefits — (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill, via Getty Images)

by Sidnee Michelle

September 30, 2026

AI-Boom Could Put Americans’ 401(k) Savings At Risk

About 54% of U.S. households have a 401(k), and many workers could have more financial exposure to the AI boom than they realize.

Artificial intelligence’s rapid rise on Wall Street could be creating an unexpected risk for millions of Americans relying on 401(k) plans to build their retirement savings, Fortune reports.

About 54% of U.S. households have a 401(k), and many workers may be more exposed to the AI boom than they realize. The concern stems from the growing concentration of major stock indexes in a relatively small group of technology companies benefiting from increased AI investment.

More than 80% of 401(k) plans default participants into target-date funds, according to the outlet. Because many retirement funds track market indexes weighted by company size, the largest companies can represent an increasingly significant share of investors’ portfolios as their market values rise.

The Magnificent Seven — Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla — account for roughly 30% of the S&P 500’s market capitalization. Information technology and communication services collectively represent about 45% of the index.

That concentration could leave retirement accounts more exposed to losses if valuations among major AI-linked companies decline sharply.

“There’s a possible technological shock that’s built into the whole economy that could take down a big portion of the market,” Valentin Haddad, an associate professor of finance at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, told the outlet.

Questions have also emerged about how investments in AI companies are affecting corporate earnings. Amazon has invested $13 billion in AI company Anthropic.

Fortune reported that nearly $17 billion of Amazon’s approximately $30 billion in first-quarter net income came from a mark-to-market gain tied to Anthropic. Such gains reflect changes in an investment’s estimated value rather than cash generated through a company’s core operations.

These risks may matter most for workers approaching retirement, who have less time to recover their savings after a long market downturn.

The concerns do not necessarily mean workers should abandon index investing. Instead, investors can review factors such as their time horizon, risk tolerance, and asset allocation to determine whether their retirement portfolios align with their long-term financial goals.

As AI companies take up an increasingly significant share of the stock market, the technology boom is becoming more than a story about innovation.

Shilo Sanders, NIL, lawsuit, real estate — (Photo: Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

by Selena Hill

September 29, 2026

Deion Sanders’ Son Says $14K Miami Rent Is ‘Insane’ As $11.89M Bankruptcy Fight Continues

Shilo Sanders is weighing a Miami move while awaiting a federal bankruptcy ruling that could determine whether he remains responsible for an $11.89 million judgment

Shilo Sanders is house hunting in Miami, but one luxury rental had the former college football player second-guessing.

During a recent property tour, Sanders was shown a roughly 2,800-square-foot Miami apartment listed for $14,000 a month. The price quickly ended his interest, Yahoo Sports reports.

“So, everyone, just so you know, I do a lot of business from where I live at,” Sanders said in a YouTube video. “So, my rent is usually written off. So, that’s like 30% off of what you usually have to pay. But still, even $14,000 is insane for rent. At that point, you might as well just buy in Texas.”

The comment arrives as Sanders awaits a decision in a separate matter that could have significantly greater consequences for his balance sheet. Sanders, the son of Colorado football coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2023 after a Texas court entered an $11.89 million default judgment against him in favor of former school security guard John Darjean. The judgment stems from a 2015 confrontation when Sanders was 15.

A federal bankruptcy trial held in Denver from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4 focused on whether the judgment can be discharged through bankruptcy. Under bankruptcy law, certain debts arising from a “willful and malicious injury” cannot be discharged. Sanders has maintained that he acted in self-defense, but Darjean has disputed that account.

The trial ended without an immediate ruling. Judge Michael E. Romero also raised questions about missing surveillance footage from the 2015 incident, saying, “It just appears real obvious that there is some missing video that no one seems to have been able to find.”

The case has also highlighted the financial realities surrounding Sanders’ post-football career. After going undrafted by the NFL, he spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before moving into other pursuits, including social media and business ventures. His Miami house hunt is part of that transition.

Sanders has previously discussed expensive housing online, including a Denver Airbnb he said cost $900 a night during his bankruptcy proceedings. Meanwhile, the $14,000 Miami apartment appears to have been a bridge too far.

Atlanta Aviation Maintenance Academy hosted by Delta and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Delta)

by Selena Hill

September 29, 2026

Delta Is Training The Next Generation of Black Aviation Talent

Delta and OBAP’s Atlanta ACE Academy are giving students a hands-on look at aviation maintenance careers.

For young people seeking a high-paying career that doesn’t necessarily require a four-year college degree, the aviation industry is putting another option on the runway.

Delta Air Lines and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) recently brought 45 middle and high school students to Atlanta for the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy’s aviation maintenance program. The weeklong experience gave students hands-on exposure to aircraft maintenance, drones, flight simulators, and the people who keep commercial aviation moving, according to a press release.

The program comes as the aviation maintenance workforce faces growing demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians had a median annual wage of $80,180 in 2025, while employment in the field is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035. About 13,100 openings are expected each year, driven in part by retirements and workers leaving the occupation.

For students, that can mean a career path that combines technical skills, earning potential, and hands-on work.

“I actually want to be able to work with my hands more, and that’s why I looked towards aviation maintenance,” said Jordin Maclin, a high school senior who participated in the academy, in a statement. “We were talking to line maintenance, and they got to tell me about the traveling they do, what their experience is like and their education. It inspires me to pursue this journey.”

Delta says its TechOps operation employs more than 13,000 people and supports maintenance for more than 150 aviation and airline customers worldwide. The company’s Atlanta-based maintenance operation includes careers ranging from aircraft support mechanics and aircraft maintenance technicians to engineering, logistics, and component maintenance.

For students such as Ella Sawyer, the experience also broadened the picture of what an aviation career can look like.

“When I think of Delta, I think pilots and flying. It was very cool how this program allowed me to see the whole team behind Delta,” Sawyer said. “It was interesting to see the different sides of aviation and the conveyor belt of people who help these planes fly.”

The Atlanta ACE Academy is part of OBAP’s broader effort to introduce diverse students to aerospace careers. The organization operates ACE Academy programs at 46 locations and reaches about 1,100 students annually.

Delta and OBAP have partnered for 21 years, giving more than 4,000 young people immersive opportunities to explore aviation careers through programs including ACE Academy and the DREAM Flight.

For Cherise Burton, director of the Atlanta Aviation Maintenance ACE Academy, the goal goes beyond showing students what the industry looks like. “We don’t just show these students different career opportunities; we show them how to get there,” Burton said.