‘Dads, Kiss Your Sons’ by Author Mark Craven Reaches #1 on Amazon Bestseller List
Author Mark Craven is thrilled to launch his brand-new book, Dads, Kiss Your Sons’, is now a #1 Amazon Bestseller in the Medicine and Psychology category.
Mark Craven is a Pittsburgh-based blogger and author in the self-development niche. He is incredibly passionate about helping people to find their footing in an unfamiliar environment and reach their fullest potential. Most of all, however, Craven finds his ultimate joy as a father and his mission is to share powerful messages to other men in being present in their sons’ lives, openly loving their little boys, and finding fulfilment.
In his most recent news, Craven is humbled to inform the public that his newest book, Dads, Kiss Your Sons, has made it to the top of the Amazon Bestseller list in the Medicine and Psychology category. Launched on March 24th, 2023, the book teaches men how to be more present and loving fathers. It is backed in scientific research of neurological systems and development psychology and is interwoven with Craven’s own experience as a dad.
What sets Craven’s book apart from other books in this genre is the fact that he didn’t meet his father until he was 22 years old, due to his mom’s poor parenting. After living with his dad for three years, they decided to do a paternity test – and failed it.
“I found out my real dad was a wrestler in the WWF in the 80’s,” Craven recalls. “Along with that, the person who I thought was my dad is Italian and my biological dad is Black, so my ethnic background changed overnight. Because of my past, I was terrified to become a dad but found out that it’s been the greatest experience I could have ever hoped for.”
“I’m incredibly excited to see Mark’s book getting out and helping men express love more freely to their children,” says Tom McCarthy, bestselling Author of The Breakthrough Code.
Dads Kiss Your Sons is now available at a special discounted price of $0.99 for the first week of its release, up until March 31st.
‘Scent is the New Wellness’ Meet the Founders Putting Black Women at the Center of Luxury Fragrance
Spelman sisters Malaika Jones, Tai Beauchamp, and Nia Jones are making it their business to put Black women at the center of wellness and self-care with their luxury fragrance company, Brown Girl Jane.
Launched in 2020, Brown Girl Jane is a high-end fragrance brand designed for women of color by women of Spelmcolor. Pulling from their collective experiences, the co-founders envisioned a brand that would redefine and reintroduce wellness through the authentic experiences of Black womanhood.
“There is a certain level of exclusivity and luxury associated with wellness because of the heightened consciousness and conversations that we begin to openly and enthusiastically have around burnout and mental health. Even some of the sub-celebratory elements that black women have are that we are the most educated demographic in the country. The fact that we’re starting businesses at a higher rate than any other demographic, you know, so those things mean that we are doing more, but perhaps not having as much access to the things that would support and nurture our overall wellness and well being to do more…Brown Girl Jane, you know as three Spelman sisters, all with very different lifestyles and life experiences, marriage, children you know, leadership in finance, leadership in insurance and philanthropy, leadership in media, and knowing our girlfriends who all have similar stories, but still unique stories, [we had to think] like how do we support their needs, for them to feel healthier, more motivated, more joyous, more inspired, [and] more equipped,” Beauchamp told Black Enterprise.
From Spelman College to business partners, these women developed a friendship that would create the blueprint for their successful business. However, the journey back to each other began beyond the Spelman gates.
“So we met at Spelman, Tai and I are a year apart, but we’re both tall. And so we would do the tall girl way. And we had lots of friends in common, so we didn’t know each other well while we were at Spelman, but we certainly, you know, saw each other, and then we both were in New York at the same time in very different industries. And so it was more of a friendly pass when we would see one another. And of course, my biological sister Nia also went to Spelman, but it was a few years back, and her best friend is close friends with Tai. So we had all of these connections… it was really 10 years later we formed another level of sisterhood through Brown Girl Jane. Again, you know, I was coming up with the concept of the business and spoke to Tai about her unique experiences, which were very different in lots of ways than my own, but the needs and the solutions were so similar, right? And while I was on Wall Street, I think you [Tai] were hosting a travel show all over the world and working in production and all sorts of things. We still when it came down to it, we were looking for the same solutions at the end of the day in wellness, and we wanted to collectively address what this brand and community could look like when we took a holistic approach to be very targeted and solution-oriented,” Malaika told Black Enterprise.
Ultimately built with love at a time when the world was reinventing a new normal, these founders were embracing the new normal and finding ways to prioritize what personal care would look like going forward.
“When we first launched the collection, we were exploring supplements and what that could do internally. When we moved into fragrance, [we wanted to] also shift the way that fragrance has been traditionally used right and to innovate in this space. Not only because there’s scent technology that we [have] leveraged that has proven with more than 25 years of studies done [that] demonstrate that the way that our frequencies are designed that they improve your mood immediately. But in addition to that, wanting to remind Black women and all women but especially Black women, that this experience is for you…so for us, we wanted to just really innovate and shift the way that we think about wellness, shift the solutions that you know, that we can experience in a way of wellness and obviously build a community around it and remind our women that it is for her… The focus is recognizing that we are at a very intentional and pivotal standpoint where there is awareness. There’s conversation and excitement from specifically Black women around defining what it looks like for us on our own terms. And that’s why Brown Girl Jane is here,” Tai told Black Enterprise.
The brand is preparing to launch its second fragrance collection this year. It continues to champion its efforts to support small Black women-owned businesses through its initiative with SheaMoisture called #Browngirlswap.
How Ashley Henderson Pushes The Culture Forward—on Her Terms
Ashley Henderson has created a league of her own.
With her brainchild, League Twenty-Two, a culturally-empowered, millennial, boutique, experiential marketing agency, the Los Angeles native is pioneering the way for clients to achieve the near-impossible. The growing team of eight now serves clients nationwide.
Founded in 2016, the female-owned and -led agency exists to connect brands with cultural audiences.
As a proud HBCU alumna and proud member of Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Henderson reps Howard University and serves as the league’s founder and chief creative officer.
“Since Howard changed my life, I would like to make sure that I help and influence other HBCU students in the same way,” Henderson tOLD BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“We are intentional about hiring HBCU creatives, such as photographers, videographers, production assistants, and Black-owned catering companies, as we have been doing for many years,” she added.
Corporate beginnings
Before graduating from Howard University with a public relations degree, Henderson dominated in hosting and special events. She then served as regional events manager at MAC (Estee Lauder Companies) until she was inspired to champion the power of creativity and cultural strategy at her own agency.
At Estée Lauder, Henderson learned how to market products. Her emergence came when the beauty industry was booming, so she relocated from Los Angeles to New York to pursue the global beauty stage.
“I got a chance to work on large beauty events, like generation ipsy, beauty con, and I got a chance to work on Mac cosmetics, one of the most popular beauty brands at the time, as well as curate and activate different creative events the consumer would love,” she says.
“The experience I gained working with big corporate names inspired me to create my own agency that resembled me and created for individuals like me with the knowledge I gained from working with these larger corporations.”
With her creative leadership, Henderson not only leverages her unique experiences of Black and Bison pride, she channels her skills as a former corporate executive in the beauty industry.
“I left Estee Lauder in 2018 to run my own company full-time. Everything I learned from Estee Lauder I took to my company and now Estee Lauder is one of my clients,” she saID.
She added, “If you take it down to numbers, Latinos are the number-one consumer in the makeup industry. Cultural strategy must be authentic. Black people have a trillion-dollar spending power, so if you think about it Black and Brown people are what make up most of the spending in retail and shopping.”
League Twenty-Two curates unforgettable experiences through strategic insight, experiential production, cultural reference, and engaging content for the likes of Nike x Lebron, Nike x YardRunners, Estee Lauder, META, YouTube, Beautycon, Jordan, and Diageo.
“As a small brand, when you want to engage with customers you need to identify who the target audience is,” Henderson observeD.
“Then if you have the tools to survey them, then ask their needs, their spending habits, and study the trends. Attaching your brand to an influencer in an organic way is a good way to push your brand forward. Even finding macro-influencers who are loyal to specific brands and can speak to their community in an authentic way is very important.”
The League Twenty-Two team is the actual target audience brands are trying to reach. Named after numbers symbolizing precision and balance, the agency brings a robust understanding of how to deeply connect with the millennial and Gen Z audience by emphasizing true cultural relevance and social awareness.
But it’s not as easy as it looks. Henderson experienced challenges from being overlooked by larger corporations, to scaling and capital raising challenges.
“As a result, we’re competing with larger non-diverse agencies that have been grandfathered in and that market to Black people but do not have any people of color on staff,” Henderson said about her challenges as a Black woman founder.
“That’s why they target us by using top athletes and brands to sell to us, yet we have no ownership, even more so, it’s important that we have equity and have a stake in this,” she addED.
(Courtesy of League Twenty-Two)
For year two of the Yardrunners campaign, where Nike celebrates HBCU culture through sport, Nike tapped agency League Twenty-Two to produce and execute the multi-platform campaign.
“I want to speak authentically to those individuals whose interests align with ours. The projects I am working on must push the culture forward, they must be multicultural, and they must have a purpose.”
Cyrenity Sips Owner Shakia Williams Runs First Black-Owned Winery in Southeast Pennsylvania
Let’s make a toast to this Black woman in business.
Cyrenity Sips, a small-batch winery owned by Shakia Williams, became the first Black-owned winery in Southeast Pennsylvania after she opened its doors in Hatboro on September 10, 2022.
According to PHL17, Williams’ winery features wines named after her relatives and friends and offers a tasting room and a lounge area for visitors as they enjoy glasses of wine or purchase bottles.
“Our wines are carefully crafted to embody the essence of the particular grape varietal,” the website states.
Williams’ passion for wine started as a hobby and became a career. She worked at a winery in Virginia Beach, purchased her own wine-making kit, and then started experimenting with making her own. Family members gave her positive feedback on her blends, which led her to open her own winery.
“I started making wine gummies,” Williams shared.
Statistics reflect very low percentages of Black-owned wineries in the winery industry.
“Even though Black people [make up] 0.1% in the winery industry out of 11,000 wineries,” William said. “I feel like showing diversity, [me] being a woman… I think it opens up people’s minds.”
The winery owner hopes to make a difference in the wine industry through her own business endeavors.
“I felt in Pennsylvania, specifically Philadelphia, there wasn’t a niche for small-batch wineries,” she said. “So, I decided to bring that here, and here we are.”
Patrons can order a wine flight from Cyrenity Sips comprising six wine samples of their choice from the eighteen available wines. Wine lovers can choose from popular seasonal options, including Cerenity Sips’ white chocolate wine, glittery Cyan cotton candy wine, and the La Peach option.
Meet ‘Tally’: BJ’s, Lowe’s, Ikea To Deploy Robots For Tracking Inventory, Parking Lot Patrol
The future in retail is here.
BJ’s Wholesale Club and other retailers recently revealed that they will soon be dispatching robots to help track inventory. Watch out! “Tally” might be roaming the aisles in stores near you.
Once deployed, Tally, designed by the robotics company Simbe, will be responsible for checking store shelves multiple times per day, Insider reported.
BJ’s isn’t the only retail giant wanting in on a solution to help with day-to-day tasks. In fact, Lowe’s deployed its first autonomous LoweBot in 2016 to search for out-of-stock shelves and help restock inventory.
Lowe’s Innovation Labs revealed that “learnings from these early pilots have fueled further testing to unlock a future in which products are never out of stock.”
According to the business outlet, the home improvement giant is currently experimenting with the adoption of “autonomous robots to patrol parking lots to enhance safety.”
The tests began in February with 400-pound Knightscope K5 robots and plans to use them outside of Philadelphia, including Washington state, North Carolina, California, and Washington, D.C.
Ikea is also implementing autonomy robots, having already added 100 drones to the roster to not only track inventory but to “improve the wellbeing” of team members. In Europe, drones work inside Belgian stores. The Swedish furniture company said that the drones serve to “improve stock accuracy” during off-hours.
“This solution supports a more ergonomic workplace for IKEA co-workers as they no longer need to manually confirm each pallet,” the retailer said, per Insider.
Walmart, on the other hand, realized that their “Alphabot” robots were no longer of use to them during the height of the pandemic. They discovered that the 6-foot-tall robots, which helped with grocery packing, could not compare to human workers, who could tackle the same responsibilities for a cheaper cost, according to CNBC.
Michael Jordan Reportedly in ‘Serious Talks’ to Sell Majority Stake in Charlotte Hornets
Reports indicate Michael Jordan is ready to give up his majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets after more than a decade of running the team.
Sources close to the situation say Jordan is in “serious talks” to sell his stake in the Hornets to a group led by Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall, ESPN reported. If the deal is reached, Jordan would become a minority owner of the franchise.
Jordan purchased the Hornets (then the Bobcats) in 2010 for $275 million. He became the first former NBA player with majority ownership of an NBA franchise.
Plotkin, founder and chief investment officer of Melvin Capital, and Daniel Sundheim, founder and chief investment officer of D1 Capital, acquired their stake in 2020 after Jordan sold them minority ownership. Sundheim is also a part of Plotkin’s group looking to gain majority ownership.
“We don’t comment on rumors and speculation,” it said in a statement.
However, on Wednesday the firm released an additional statement explaining the negotiations and confirming that no deal is imminent, The Guardianreported.
“Four years ago, Michael Jordan sold a stake in the Charlotte Hornets to a Gabe Plotkin-led group,” Jump Management said. “As a natural step in a process due to that transaction, Michael and Gabe are in discussions about his group potentially buying an additional stake.”
“At this time, it is unclear whether an additional sale will take place,” the statement added.
In 2019, Forbes listed the Hornets’ value at $1.5 billion. Jordan hasn’t been seen at many of the Hornets’ games in recent years, though he did watch the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic earlier this month.
The Hornets have only made the postseason twice and are 22-49 this season. Their team’s overall record during Jordan’s 13-year regime is a paltry 418-600.
Mike Tyson Cannabis Brand Opens Coffee shop in Amsterdam
Boxing legend and entrepreneur Mike Tyson is expanding his Tyson 2.0 cannabis brand into a brick-and-mortar coffee shop in the cannabis-friendly city of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
On Friday, Coffeeshop Tyson 2.0 opened its doors in the company’s first physical location in Europe, as noted by the Global Cannabis Times. The coffee shop offers a selection of the brand’s products and accessories and serves as a lounge for visitors to receive the full Tyson 2.0 experience.
“It is a dream come true to open our first coffeeshop in Amsterdam,” Mike Tyson, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Tyson 2.0. said.
“The Coffeeshop Tyson 2.0 will immerse fans in a full-on experience where they can enjoy my favorite Tyson 2.0 products the way I do.”
The selection of Tyson 2.0 products comes carefully curated by the boxing champion who “tested” and approved the shop’s offerings.
“I’ve tried and tested all of them, and I can’t wait to share some of my most beloved and undefeated goods with Europe,” he added.
According to a press release, the new location sits on 1,200 sq. ft. in the centrally located Spuistraat 222 near Soho House, the W Hotel, and Central Station. It comes with a glass bar designed in collaboration with the company’s partner, Stündenglass, where guests can purchase Futurola, Gpen, and Stündenglass merchandise.
“Amsterdam is a city with a deeply rich culture that has transformed it into one of the world’s premiere destinations with over 18 million tourists visiting every year. Coffeeshop TYSON 2.0 celebrates our journey and marks a significant milestone for the Company as we extend our international presence beyond North America into the burgeoning European market,” Adam Wilks, CEO of Tyson 2.0. said.
“We look forward to introducing the TYSON 2.0 brand and lifestyle to Amsterdam and servicing our European fans with the industry-leading products we’re known for.”
The Amsterdam coffee shop comes after the company announced an expansion into Canada in partnership with Purple Farm Genetics. Last year, Tyson 2.0 teamed up with HEXO Corp to release its product line in the Great White North.
General Motors And MACRO Announce Multicultural Marketing Executive Pipeline Program
General Motors (GM) and MACRO, a multiplatform media company representing the voice and stories of Black people and people of color, announced the launch of the General Motors Marketing Academy (GMMA).
According to a MACRO release, the GMMA is a five-month program for the next generation of multicultural marketing executives. The academy will select eight diverse candidates in the early stages of their careers for the curriculum-centered opportunity. The academy will also focus on business and professional skills to ensure each participant can grow their career in marketing and media while creating a diverse talent pipeline of skilled and deserving marketing executives in marketing, branding, and communications.
“As part of the GM Diverse Incubator fund, we are dedicated to supporting and scaling diverse-owned companies now and in the future,” GM’s Director of Diversity Marketing and Development Tarshena Armstrong said in a statement. “As GM strives to be the most inclusive company in the world, programs like this ensure authentic representation and development of diverse companies and talent, providing participants with dedicated resources and opportunities to excel.”
During the new five-month program, the GMMA will have top marketing executives, storytellers, speakers, and advisors discuss topics, including scalability, best practices, market trends, building a client base, and navigating the corporate structure. Participants will also receive on-site training sessions and be paired with a marketing or media executive mentors to assist with their professional development.
MACRO Chief Brand Officer Stacey Walker King said in a statement she is excited to work with GM on the academy and help grow the next generation of diverse marketing executives.
“It is a thrill and an honor to work with GM in creating this unique initiative to identify and support executives and entrepreneurs in the brand storytelling space,” said King. “Our company was launched as a vehicle for people of color globally to see themselves reflected authentically in media, and I couldn’t be happier to play a small part in building and preparing these brand storytellers for the vast opportunities that await them.”
Applications for the inaugural program are being accepted through April 15, 2023.
Candidates who complete the program will have a better understanding of building their business and a network of fellow cohort members, high-ranking executives, and administrators to mentor them through their professional journeys.
The Brooklyn Nets Believe Ben Simmons Won’t Return This Season
What was supposed to be Ben Simmons‘ big comeback season for the Brooklyn Nets has fizzled quicker than a wet firecracker in the winter.
According to The Associated Press, Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star, may have played his last game of the season after missing his 16th straight game. He is currently suffering from nerve impingement. In Simmons’ case, tissue or bone compresses nerve fibers is occurring in his back.
Simmons has missed 32 of 74 Nets games this season.
“For me as a coach, there’s some things that I can control, some things that I can’t control,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “What I can’t control is the impingement. What I can control is getting this group ready to play. And then, in all honesty, the realism that he’s probably not going to join us for the rest of the year … certainty will come once he continues to be looked at by specialists.”
Last year, Simmons did not play one single game after joining the Nets in a midseason trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for James Harden. After putting up a poor performance in the playoffs almost two years ago for the 76ers, he did not take the court initially last season due to mental health issues. A back injury extended his lost season last year.
The Brooklyn Nets did announce last week that the former 76ers player will continue to miss games “while we determine the best long-term course of treatment.”
Vaughn added, “We’re going to lean into the specialist and the consultation and I think those answers will come from the specialists.”
That spot on the bench is extremely expensive. Simmons is bringing home $35.4 million this season and is slated to make $78.2 million over the next two seasons. Simmons was supposed to be part of a stacked Nets squad this year—until Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were traded.
Nigerian Senator And His Wife Found Guilty Of Harvesting Organs
A Nigerian senator, who was looking to help his daughter, has been found guilty of harvesting organs.
According to CNN, Ike Ekweremadu, and his spouse, Beatrice, were found guilty of trafficking a 21-year-old street trader to the United Kingdom in their attempts to get a kidney for their daughter.
CNN reported that the street trader was taken to the UK and promised money and employment there. However, the 21-year-old was not told that they had to give up their kidney.
The medical examiner, who was set to perform the surgery, became suspicious about the kidney donation prior to the operation before halting the operation. The 21-year-old, who has not been named, was left sleeping on the street for three days before he alerted the police, CNN reported.
“This was a horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney,” Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor, said to CNN.
Jakymec continued: “The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health, and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here.”
CBS reported that Sonia, the daughter of the convicted couple, was cleared of organ trafficking. CBS added that Sonia was afflicted with deteriorating kidneys, which required consistent dialysis.
After investigation, UK police found that both Ike and Beatrice Ekweremadu worked alongside Dr. Obinna Obeta, who was also found guilty, to trafficking and harvesting organs for their daughter.
According to a 2021 report by Interpol, a wide range of people participate in organ trafficking. The report also said that many underground organ traffickers have connections to medical professionals. Organ trafficking involves some of the same techniques as other forms of human trafficking, according to the report.
