Many associate Georgia native Raquel Smith as one of Beyoncé’s long time stylists, but what some may not know about this celebrity stylist is that she’s also a motivational speaker and founder of KidRaq, a luxury matching sunglass line for parents and their little ones. The entrepreneurial venture that may not exist today if it weren’t for Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy’s inspiration.

How It All Began

Smith worked at a post office before pursuing a career in fashion. “I knew I was interested in fashion. I wasn’t quite sure what area of fashion, but I knew it was fashion,, she recalled.  When her boss at the post office told her she had to choose between working at the post office or college, she chose the latter and headed off to attain a degree in Fashion & Design Management.

Upon completing her degree, Smith interned at Nautica in New York. She went from interning to freelancing to securing a full-time position with Nautica and gained invaluable experience along the way. Having had a chance to work in all departments and help put together fashion shows, Smith realized that she enjoyed the PR side of things and loved styling. With this new knowledge, she headed to FIT in New York to take up styling and found herself once again having to look for another internship.

Raquel Smith’s Unwavering Tenacity

While still employed with Nautica, on her lunch break, Smith headed to Central Park and flipped through the pages of WWD Magazine in hopes of finding an internship. To her delight, she saw an article about Beyoncé and her mom Tina Knowles Lawson starting a new clothing line, House of Deréon. She discussed it with her co-workers at Nautica and they encouraged her to go for it.

The next day on her lunch break, Smith called House of Deréon asking if they needed interns. To her dismay, they said no. Smith tried again the next day with a similar result. This time around, however, she was able to get the name of the person in charge of hiring interns. “I said, let me figure this out ‘cause they’re just starting a company and everyone loves an intern. We work for free.”

The third time was a charm. After studying all she could about the person hiring interns, she called back sharing all that she learned about her career and charmed her way into an interview. This unwavering tenacity allowed Raquel to secure the intern position she desired.

When asked what gave her the drive to keep pushing on after multiple declined attempts Smith replied, “I was so determined to make this happen because I felt like it was for me.” Her go-getter attitude and ability to follow her gut instinct certainly paid off because that one eventual “yes” changed the trajectory of her life.

Meeting Beyoncé

Speaking of her experience interning at House of Deréon, Smith shared, “I interned [and] worked really hard and just learned everything I could possibly learn and then all of a sudden, one day Beyoncé and her mother walked through the door…I said oh my God, this is really real.”

To Smith’s surprise, they asked to speak with her. Worried that she had done something wrong, she quickly obliged the request. You could imagine the KidRaq founder’s shock when Beyoncé’s mom shared that she’d heard great things about her from the creative director, noting that Beyoncé was about to get really busy soon and offered her a position as part of the styling team. “I accepted the assistant styling position with them. And the rest, as they say, is history.”

Smith started as an assistant stylist for Beyoncé and eventually worked her way up to become her personal stylist. She credits her ability to show up on time, work hard, not complain, and mind her own business as the things that assisted her to stand out and get noticed. Put simply, her work ethic is solid as a Raq.

How Beyoncé & Blue Ivy Inspired KidRaq

Frequently being around an ambitious mother, wife, entertainer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and super-human like Beyoncé is sure to rub off in a great way, but the way Smith’s KidRaq brand was influenced by the singer was much more direct. In 2017, an interaction with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy sparked the start of her entrepreneurial venture.

“One day I pulled some cool sunglasses for her and she tried them on and she loved them. And [then] her beautiful daughter Blue Ivy tried the glasses on as well…in my head, my job is to make sure she’s happy. For her to have a matching pair of eyewear for her and for Blue Ivy, I thought ‘that would be cute’, because she was just dancing around in the sunglasses and Bey was just smiling. So I was like ‘OK, let me figure this out’,” Smith shared.

However, immediately securing this for Beyoncé and Blue Ivy wasn’t easy. When she called the eyewear designer advising that she’d like the same exact pair in a smaller size for Blue Ivy, she was given a timeline of three to four months. This was foreign territory for the celebrity stylist.

“This is different because we’re so used to our turnaround time for her being a day or two—no longer than a week. So I was like… ‘let me figure this out’, ‘cause I don’t like to let her down and I felt like I had let her down because she was so excited about the glasses and Blue being happy so I said, ‘Let me figure this out myself’ and so I went to the drawing board and started sketching and coming up with ideas and I said, ‘You know what I can do this myself’.”

Bringing KidRaq to Life

Smith started doing her research to learn about kid’s eyewear and to see what was already out there. She looked for matching sunglasses and realized the options were very limited for matching style “mommy and me” and “daddy and me” concepts.

“I felt there was a niche out there that was missing and that I could do it. I just have that go-getter attitude and spirit and I love a challenge.”

Divine intervention came into play again for Smith as she already had friends in the industry and around the same time New York had a Vision Expo, that many of the eyewear manufacturers attended. Even with all of these things seemingly falling into Smith’s lap, she shared that the process hadn’t been without its difficulties.

“It’s a learning process, lots of research and it was very stressful…behind the scenes of this, it’s a lot of not sleeping. Trying to make sure you get the right information because it can be tricky when you don’t know.”

KidRaq Today

In the Fall of 2019, KidRaq launched the company’s first collection. Smith used this soft launch as an opportunity to gather more data about her target market and product offerings. It has already started gaining traction though, and even Beyoncé’s mom has been spotted in her KidRaq.

Smith’s determination and attention to detail will no doubt ensure that many others find and fall in love with the brand too.“I’m very hands-on with mine. I ask a lot of questions because I want to have the answers.”

Smith is also inspired daily by her 5-year-old son Caleb, who is also into fashion.

“My son, Caleb, inspires me in more ways than one can shake a stick at. I am no different from other parents. I want my son to lead a happy, productive life and to grow up in a world that respects, appreciates, and empowers him. And that inspires me to use all of my gifts, talent, and abilities to make that happen for him.”

Smith is also inspired by Caleb’s curiosity and determination. “That’s not only reflected in some of my designs, but also in my approach used to create and operate my business.”, she shared.

You can check out Raquel Smith’s luxury matching eyewear brand at KidRaq.com or @officialkidraq on Instagram.

Are you a Black entrepreneur with a product who wants to become a supplier for Walmart?

The answer, of course, is perhaps yes for many African American small business owners given that the retail giant has more than 5,300 Walmart and Sam’s Clubs stores across the United States alone. You can get the opportunity as Walmart’s seventh annual “Open Call” is now underway.

Walmart is inviting entrepreneurs with visions of selling American-made products on its shelves to apply for a chance to meet Walmart buyers on Oct. 1, 2020, via virtual pitch meetings. The application deadline to take part in this year’s Open Call is Aug. 10. Visit Walmart-jump.com to apply and get more details about the event.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer reports the Oct. 1 event kicks off its celebration of U.S. Manufacturing Month. It will include similar programming as in previous years. Along with one-on-one pitch meetings with Walmart buyers, partakers will have an opportunity to hear directly from Walmart executives. Plus, participants can learn from company leaders during smaller breakout sessions geared to inform, empower, and encourage supplier-hopefuls. Walmart has told Black Enterprise previously a big focus of Open Call is to attract new suppliers.

The event comes after Walmart announced in 2013 its commitment to help boost job creation and U.S. manufacturing through buying an additional $250 billion in products supporting American jobs by 2023.

“During this year of unprecedented challenges for U.S. businesses, Walmart remains committed to sourcing products made, grown, or assembled in the U.S. By Investing in products that support American jobs, we are able to bring new exciting products to our customers, support new jobs in our local communities and invest in small business across the country.” Laura Phillips, Walmart senior vice president for Global Sourcing & U.S. Manufacturing, stated.

“Walmart’s annual Open Call event gives us a unique occasion to identify new suppliers who can meet our customers’ needs with unique and innovative products manufactured or produced in the U.S. For the first time, this year’s Open Call event will be virtual, enabling even broader participation from potential new suppliers. We know how important this opportunity is for many small businesses, especially this year, and we are looking forward to seeing the new product submissions and meeting potential new suppliers.”

Open Call attendees in 2020  could secure deals ranging from a handful of stores in local markets to supplying hundreds, even thousands of stores, Sam’s Clubs and on Walmart.com, company officials say.

Actress and entrepreneur Gabrielle Union is relaunching her haircare brand, Flawless by Gabrielle, next month in partnership with celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims. The newly revamped collection will feature new hydrating protein-rich ingredients, including coconut oil, biotin, Amazonian prequi oil, Himalayan moringa oil, and African shea butter.

“This collection is very important to me because I fully encourage self-expression and authentic ownership of personal style,” said Union in a statement, according to Cosmetics Business. 

“Wanting to try different hairstyles as a component of that shouldn’t mean compromising the health of your hair, nor breaking the bank with expensive products. We were dedicated to developing the perfect blend of high quality, affordable products for all types of textured hair to promote flawless beauty through choice and diversity.”

“I’m proud of this collection because we were intentional about crafting a line that is versatile enough to provide solutions for all style choices,” added Sims in a statement to Cosmetics Business. “From curls, waves and coils, to heat styles, braids, wigs and weaves there is a Flawless product to support your hair’s needs from brilliance, health and beauty.”

The products will be exclusively available on Amazon and flawlesscurls.com.

 

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F L A W L E S S I am BEYOND excited to finally be able to talk about the launch of @flawlessbygu . Larry & I collaborated on an amazingly affordable line of products for textured hair, protective styles, & wigs. It was super important for us to create an elevated line with beautiful natural ingredients while still making the price point accessible to EVERYONE despite your social or economic status. EVERYTHING in the line is between $4 – $10 with luxurious results. We are Black Owned ✊🏾 Created 4 US BY US ✊🏾 We are @FLAWLESSBYGU ✊🏾 FLAWLESS will be available 8/3 on Amazon. Be sure to follow @flawlessbygu 4 updates, tips, & tutorials.. One Love!!! 🖤

A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion) on Jul 11, 2020 at 10:58am PDT

• Politics

by Derek Major

July 13, 2020

Activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali Blasts Rep. Ilhan Omar After Calling For Dismantling Of U.S. Systems

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Human rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali blasted Democratic U.S. Rep and fellow Somali-born refugee Ilhan Omar Friday over Omar’s recent calls to dramatically restructure American political and economic systems.

Last week, Omar called for the end of the U.S. economic and political systems saying they serve as a “system of oppression.”

Omar also said it’s time to “guarantee homes for all” due to racial disparities in homeownership pointing out homeownership rates are nearly twice as high for white families as they are for Black families.

According to the Western Journal, Omar’s comments led to more backlash than usual including from Hirsi Ali.

“She’s in Congress — the United States Congress — and she is saying, ‘Why don’t we dismantle the whole thing?’ ” Ali told Fox News host Dana Perino on The Daily Briefing. “It makes you wonder. Why flee from Mogadishu, why flee from anarchy, why flee from oppression — and then come to the United States and do all your best to turn Minnesota and the U.S. into Mogadishu?”

Hirsi Ali immigrated to the Netherlands from her adolescent home of Kenya in 1992 to avoid an arranged marriage and gained U.S. citizenship in 2013, according to Encyclopedia Brittanica. Hirsi Ali added Omar was not entirely off base in the pursuit of change, but there a difference between change and revolution.

“I don’t think we need a revolution. I think what we have — the American Declaration [of Independence], the American Constitution, the American values — our system gives us the tools to address social injustice, to address inequality, to address all the issues that we face,” Hirsi Ali told Fox News. “And I think these movements — and Ilhan is just one of these people symbolizing that — I think we need to resist and to say, ‘Look, you’ve come to America in search of freedom, you’ve come to America in search of equality, we find it here. Our system is not perfect, we can fix it, and we do it through conversations.’

Since the rise of protests over racial injustice and police brutality, numerous high profile figures have stepped forward to do more for the Black community, specifically Black businesses. This week, the NAACP announced its new partnership with Beyonce’s BeyGood organization to create new small business grants for Black-owned businesses in different cities across the U.S.

The NAACP announced on its website that it will be distributing a number of grants valued at $10,000 grants to Black-owned small businesses in Houston, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis that have been impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Over the last couple of months, the pandemic and outpours for justice throughout the Black community and across the country has been felt in every imaginable area of our lives, including in how our local businesses continue to operate,” said the organization in a press release.“The challenges of Black business owners navigating in the climate cannot be understated, as the effects of uprisings across the nation have led to many businesses being placed in dire straits due to damages and other small business needs.”

The newly established fund comes after the entertainer’s launch of the Black Parade Route on Juneteenth to promote Black-owned brands across different sectors in addition to pledging $6 million through BeyGood in partnership with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey toward the global virus outbreak.

Applicants can go to NAACP’s website to apply until July 18th and selected businesses will be notified by July 31st.

 

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BeyGOOD announces The Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund, assisting small businesses negatively impacted by recent events. The NAACP is proud to partner with BeyGOOD to help strengthen small businesses and to ensure economic empowerment for Black businesses. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

A post shared by BeyGOOD (@beygood) on Jul 9, 2020 at 8:07am PDT

Media mogul Bryon Allen told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview he plans to buy CNN News network one day.

“I’m close to the same age when Rupert Murdoch came here to America,” Allen told the Reporter in an interview published July 9. “He was in his 50s. I’m 59. What you see today will be 10,000 times bigger.” When pressed on what would make the ultimate jewel in his crown and, without hesitation, Allen replied, “I’d love to own CNN. But I have to buy AT&T to do that. And I will. Believe me, I think about it every day.”

Allen owns Entertainment Studios, which produces more than 60 syndicated shows, along with The Weather Channel and seven more 24-hour cable TV networks. Allen is coming off of a $20 billion settlement with Comcast Cable that went all the way to the Supreme Court, where Allen lost by a unanimous 9-0 ruling.

The settlement between the two will allow Comcast to launch the free Weather Channel app Local Now on its Xfinity and Flex platforms and the WeLoveWeather.TV website on an authenticated basis. Comcast will also have video-on-demand rights to the three new channels.

Allen still has a case pending with Charter Communications.

Comedian Eddie Murphy told the Reporter Allen’s success has withstood the test of time.

“You know how you can sum up Byron is his chess game,” Murphy told the Reporter. “Byron played a lot of chess back in the early days. There was a group of people in town, like Berry Gordy and Jim Brown, who would fly in good players. I played Byron a lot. I’m a much better chess player than Byron.

“But we didn’t play on the clock — we just played. And that’s Byron’s game. He’s super patient. He takes a long time between every move,” Murphy added. “He does it until you get frustrated — and then you do something stupid, and then all he needs is a little tiny crack. Just a pawn, any type of advantage, and he had you. That is Byron in a nutshell.”

• Business

by Derek Major

July 13, 2020

Private Bank Brown Brothers Harriman Appoints Valentino Carlotti As Partner

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Brown Brothers Harriman, the oldest and one of the largest private banks in the U.S., has announced the appointment of Valentino D. Carlotti as a general partner of the firm.

According to a company release, Carlotti joined the firm’s private banking line of business as the head of its
Corporate Advisory and Banking practice July 1, succeeding Partner Carter Sullivan, who will retire at year-end.

Jeff Meskin, partner and Head of Private Banking:

“We are delighted to welcome Val to the Firm and to our Private Banking business. BBH strives to be the trusted advisor to the private business owners and families of substantial wealth that it works with. Val’s extensive corporate finance, operating and relationship management experience over the past 25 years uniquely position him to lead our Corporate Advisory and Banking practice. He has built an impressive track record as a trusted advisor to business leaders of both public and private companies.”

Carlotti brings 25 years of business development, markets, corporate finance, M&A,
relationship management, and leadership experience to BBH. Before joining BBH, Carlotti
served as the Chief Business Development Officer at the auction house Sotheby’s, where he
was a member of its Executive Management Committee. Carlotti also worked at The Goldman Sachs Group for 23 years in various roles in Investment Banking, Institutional Equities Sales, Client Relationship Management and Human Resources.

Carlotti, expressed his excitement in his new position.

“I am incredibly excited to join Brown Brothers Harriman. I have known and admired the firm
and its people since my college years,” Carlotti said in the release. “BBH’s commitment to excellence, its
intense focus on the client and its emphasis on growing long-term relationships, grounded in
partnership and a spirit of teamwork all resonate with me. Having begun discussions with the
Firm late last year; I am eager to join, give my best and make a positive impact on our client
relationships and our business.”

When President Barack Obama was in office, President Donald Trump made complaints, via Twitter, that Obama spent too much time playing golf when he should have been concentrating on running the country. Fast-forward to present times and after playing substantially more golf than Obama did during the same period, Trump tweeted that Obama played more golf than he had, despite evidence stating otherwise, according to Slate.

Over the weekend, Trump took to Twitter to claim that he doesn’t golf as often as Obama did. The president added that when he golfs, he is exercising.

I know many in business and politics that work out endlessly, in some cases to a point of exhaustion. It is their number one passion in life, but nobody complains. My “exercise” is playing, almost never during the week, a quick round of golf. Obama played more and much longer….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2020

Claiming that when Obama golfed, he “played more and much longer.”

…rounds, no problem. When I play, Fake News CNN, and others, park themselves anywhere they can to get a picture, then scream “President Trump is playing golf.” Actually, I play VERY fast, get a lot of work done on the golf course, and also get a “tiny” bit of exercise. Not bad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2020

Trump even states that he gets a “tiny” bit of exercise while doing so.

When President Obama occupied the office, Trump constantly criticized Obama when he did play golf and he promised during his run to the office that he won’t be on the golf course as frequently as Obama.

President Obama played golf yesterday???

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2013

Can you believe that,with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf.Worse than Carter

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014

On Trump Golf Count, it has been reported that the former reality TV star has taken to the green a whopping 262 times since he became president.

“Daytime visits to golf clubs since inauguration, with evidence of playing golf on at least 125 visits. Our last recorded outing was on July 12, 2020. Click on complete data table for a list of Trump’s outings, or view our breakdown of total costs.”

The website also states that Obama played 306 rounds of golf during his entire eight years in office. That total is only 45 more than the 262 that Trump has already played during his first and only term. At this rate, Trump would golf 596 rounds by the end of a second term.

Georgia Senator and Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler is doubling down on her stance against the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to Yahoo News, Loeffler published a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert last week denouncing the league’s plan to dedicate its season to social justice in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests following the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Loeffler then made the rounds on news and media platforms to double down on her stance.

“What I see is politics coming into sports,” Loeffler said. “No one has asked politics to come into sports. Sports are about unifying people. People from all walks of life from all political views should be welcomed in sports and to cancel someone because they want to protect innocent life; because they are fighting for the unborn; because they support the Second Amendment; because I support the constitutional rights that have been given to us by God? Why would that not fit as part of American sports culture? That should be a tenet of sports, is to welcome all views.”

The WNBA, which is made up of 80% Black women, is currently holding training camps in an attempt to start its season during the coronavirus pandemic. The league’s player association (WNBAPA) has said it wants Loeffler removed as an owner this week. Individual players have also expressed their displeasure in Loeffler’s words and say they want her removed as an owner.

Additionally, two players active in the BLM movement Mystics star Natasha Cloud and Liberty standout Layshia Clarendon spoke on CNN explaining why Loeffler shouldn’t be involved with the league anymore.

Loeffler, who’s been a co-owner of the Dream since 2011, announced last week that she will not step down as an owner on an appearance on Fox News. WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson said the union plans to meet with Engelbert to discuss the next steps and address Loeffler’s role in the league.

“This is not about a disagreement,” Jackson told The New York Times. “What we have right now is a situation which reasonable minds could agree that there is just no room for divisive language.”

Loeffler was under fire at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic for selling stock after a private meeting with other senators outlining the severity of the virus.

In wake of the nationwide protests to end racial injustice, consumers have been taking major corporations to task and pressuring them to speak out against systemic racism. Recently, Quaker Oats’s Aunt Jemima brand announced it will be rebranding after calls to remove the image of Aunt Jemima, who is tied to racist stereotypes and an actual enslaved black woman, from its packaging. The outrage has also helped to boost the sales of a black-owned syrup company in Chicago.

Michele Hoskins is the owner of Michele’s Foods, which specializes in breakfast condiments and food. It. The family recipe for her signature syrup was passed from her great-grandmother and was given to her when she got married so she could share it with her family. “She was a slave who worked as a cook on a plantation,” Hoskins said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. “The family she worked for did not like molasses. So she came up with this concoction of honey, churned butter, and cream. It was delicious.”

She took her passion for breakfast food to start her company and has been selling her branded syrup in addition to other products for 30 years across 8,000 stores across the country. Once the controversy around Aunt Jemima products started to pick up steam, Hoskins was suddenly overwhelmed with a spike in orders from consumers wanting to switch to a Black-owned brand.

“I was shocked,” Hoskins explained. “It just changed my company, it changed my life. It made the 35 years worth the perseverance. I was just going to sit here and to hope that I can grow this brand enough where the legacy means something.”

While her syrup has now become a viral sensation due to calls to move away from purchasing the classic name brand, Hoskins still wants to stay true to her own brand. “I’m not going to take Aunt Jemima’s place. No one ever can, because she’s a different brand from a different era,” she said. “But if you’re looking for a minority company that sells in that category, I’m that. I think we should have the same opportunity as everyone else because we persevered.”

 

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If you don’t know,Now you know! Michele’s Honey Creme Over Popeyes Biscuits!!!🔥🔥🔥

A post shared by Michele Foods – Gourmet Syrups (@michelesyrup) on Jul 2, 2020 at 4:00pm PDT