There’s more to Nick Cannon than “Wild ‘N Out.”

The host of multiple TV shows, Cannon, 39, has just graduated from Howard University and he proudly tweeted his accomplishment.

“I graduated from Howard University @howarduniversity1867 today! Received a degree in Criminology/Administration of Justice and a minor in Africana Studies! Had the opportunity to speak at the virtual ceremony, Masters and Ph.D. is next! #HU2020,” he tweeted along with a video of himself wearing his cap and gown.

He also spoke during a Howard University virtual graduation ceremony of his intentions to earn his master’s degree and Ph.D. next.

Back in 2016, the “Drumline” actor announced that he had enrolled at the HBCU. He tweeted at the time,  “Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,’ and with that said I have officially enrolled at Howard University.”

He continued, “I am always seeking new challenges and continual growth and decided to obtain my first college degree from an institution that had a proven legacy of producing great minds. I have friends, mentors and colleagues who attended Howard University. I look forward to this new journey in my life and am excited about the possibilities ahead.”

Cannon has a lot of things on his plate. Besides hosting “Wild ‘N Out,” “Lip Sync Battle Shorties,” and “The Masked Singer,” he is also gearing up for the release of his upcoming documentary.

Go head @NickCannon ! Congrats to THE Howard University 2020 graduates #HowardUniversity pic.twitter.com/b5tqV7lLAA

— Sira Jenay 👑 (@Simply_Sira) May 8, 2020

“Strong Enemies: The Untold Case of Dr. Sebi” is about controversial natural healer Dr. Sebi who claimed to have the cure for AIDS, Revolt TV reported. Hip-hop artist and community activist Nipsey Hussle had started the documentary prior to his death. Cannon vowed to see the project to completion.

Cannon also has a nationally syndicated daytime talk show coming up in September. He recently signed on as the morning host at Power 106FM in L.A. as well as agreeing to the third season of  “Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon,”  Hip Hop Vibe reported. Cannon previously hosted “America’s Got Talent.”

On top of all of this, Cannon opened a vegan soul food restaurant in Los Angeles at the end of April. The VTree Hollywood is located inside the 100-year-old Japanese restaurant Yamashiro, according to Vegan News.

For the restaurant venture, Cannon partnered with acclaimed plant-based chef Chef Velvet. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, VTree Hollywood is only offering curbside orders and take-out for now, Black Enterprise reported. Chef Velvet has a popular vegan restaurant called  Veltree in Charlotte, NC.

“My goal is to be the most powerful person in the media,” Cannon said in a statement announcing his new venture. “Being able to have a multi-platform empire is really what I have been focusing on. Create household legacies and brands, from radio to digital to daily television. I just feel like I can really do things (that) no one else has ever done before.”

This article was originally written by Ann Brown for The Moguldom Nation.

• Entrepreneurship

by Kevin Payne

May 18, 2020

6 Tips to Get Your Pitch Noticed by VCs

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Zooming in on possible VCs is only the tip of the iceberg. You’ll need to focus on creating a winning pitch to get your startup noticed by the right VC for your startup. 

Here are six tips you can follow to make sure you’re as ready as you can be to face those investors.

Make sure your startup has what VCs are looking for

Some VCs will tell you on their website what they’re looking for in your investment pitch, but as a general minimum, you’ll need to know at least the following:

First, customers. Depending on the nature of your startup, your customer base can be very broad or very niche. This matters to VCs because they want to see what the market potential for your business might be. 

Don’t worry if you have a niche market—many businesses thrive and dominate their niches. Let VCs see that your startup can do just that and even has the capacity to expand into future markets if applicable.

Next, VCs will be looking for your Minimum Viable Offer (MVO). This is an offer, many times a prototype or beta version, that provides the least amount of benefits to merit a sale from your target customers. This doesn’t have to be perfect—it only has to show VCs that you can solve a very specific problem for customers extremely well. 

Yet another thing you’ll want to iron out is your founding team. Knowing your founding team also helps you craft your startup’s story. Why were you founded? What made all of you come together? What makes this team potential leaders for a growing business? 

Last but not least, if applicable, talk about any existing employees you already have or plans for the kinds of employees you want to hire once fully funded. 

If you’re on a tight budget, you might be able to save money by working with remote workers around the world—just figure out the logistics of how to work with them and pay them accordingly through different payment sending platforms. 

Include details like this in your pitch to show prospects how much you’ve thought out your startup operations.

Build a pitch deck and presentation

You’ll need to design a beautiful and clear pitch deck to help you illustrate compelling points, data, and numbers that VCs have to pay attention to. Refer to this post to see what information you can use to help you build out your pitch deck. 

As a general rule of thumb, remember these tips:

• Start your pitch by illustrating a problem, then introduce your startup as the solution.
• Use charts and graphs to highlight statistics and data best. 
• Include projections visually and be sure to know how you came up with those numbers.
• Keep the deck branded. As early as now, you can show VCs that you’ve got a brand that’s waiting to reach the hands of your customers.

Perfect your elevator pitch

Your elevator pitch is the one-liner explanation of what unmet need your startup aims to solve in the world. This is a statement you’ll want to have when you introduce your startup as a solution to the problems you’ve enumerated in your pitch.

This helps VCs understand in a very succinct way what it is your startup does. But it also holds another use: in case your meeting or pitch is cut short, an elevator pitch makes sure you can relay your startup’s purpose in as little time as possible.

Look into the right VC

Getting the right VC is often like getting a role at a TV audition; sometimes it’s just about the right fit.

Don’t take it too personally if you get a rejection from what you thought was a promising VC. Many times, investors are looking for specific startups, either in a certain industry or with certain values.

Consider this an opportunity: if you find the perfect VC, you’ll also benefit from their ability to meet your startup’s specific needs.

Send proposals to a few prospects at a time

As a rule of thumb, treat your startup proposal like a job application. You don’t want to keep all your eggs in the same basket, so send out proposals to a few prospective investors at a time.

Only move on to new VCs once you’ve heard from all your prospects. 

Trust the process

In this interview with Rand Fishkin, founder of software companies Moz and SparkToro, he mentions that early-stage failure in his first startup helped him to get monumental success in his business later on.

We can learn from Fishkin’s experience, and treat the VC pitching process as feedback. If your proposal is rejected right from the onset, try to gather why you didn’t even make it to the pitching stage. If your pitch is turned down, try to ask prospects what they were looking for that you simply didn’t provide.

All these can only strengthen your future pitches to future VCs. So trust the process.

Key Takeaways

Getting your pitch accepted by investors can be a difficult process, but if you’re equipped with the right tools, mindset, and information, it doesn’t have to be. Follow the tips above to boost your chances of getting your pitch noticed by VCs.

The COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic has hit marginalized communities, particularly military families and veterans who have experienced an increase in scams relating to relief efforts. These schemes can be used to steal personal information and money. AARP’s Fraud Watch Network has reported that these elaborate plans can range from bogus COVID-19 test kits and fake veterans charities to fight the coronavirus to fraudulent stimulus checks.

Now AARP New York is working on new initiatives aimed to help these families and servicemen amid the viral outbreak.

AARP New York announced they are working to help army veterans and military families by providing free resources in addition to important information about scams targeting veterans, and timely programming to meet their caregiving needs. The organization will also assist small businesses operated by veterans to find and obtain information to protect their businesses.

The organization has also teamed up with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to create the Military Caregiving Guide, a veteran-specific guide to help military and veteran caregivers tackle some of the most critical issues they’re facing because of COVID-19, and Five Ways to Update Your Caregiving Journey, a list of practical steps caregivers can take amid the coronavirus outbreak to better protect themselves and their loved ones.

“AARP has a long legacy of outreach to Military Veterans, and we are seeking to expand our efforts to meet the needs of Veterans, members of the Military and their families who may be at particular risk during this public health emergency,” said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel in a press statement.

“While all Americans are making changes to their daily lives, we know that older adults and those with chronic health conditions, many of whom are wounded, ill, or injured service members and Veterans, are at higher risk for serious illness and complications from coronavirus. AARP is continuing to step up our efforts to better serve family caregivers and their loved ones.”

• Technology

by Kevin Payne

May 18, 2020

5 VCs That Support Black Startup Founders

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Many startups need to rely on external funding in order to get off the ground and eventually scale. For black startup founders, that can be particularly challenging. 

After all, this report revealed that 80% of black business owners claimed capital was the most challenging aspect of running their business. The majority would often resort to using cash or credit cards (which can take a toll on your personal finances or even affect your credit score), taking out loans, or borrowing money.

While searching for the right venture capitalist (VC) can be a monumental task in itself for any startup, we can’t deny that the opportunity for investors to come aboard is even harder for minority and black founders. In fact, this finding by ProjectDiane showed that, as of 2016, only 0.2% of all VC capital went to startups founded by black women.

In this post, we want to make the hunt for the right VC easier. Read on to find out 5 VCs that support black startup founders. And keep reading because later, we’ll be dropping some tips to help you get your startup pitch noticed by the right VC.

5 VCs That Support Black Startup Founders

Take a look at these 5 VCs that have been known to fund black-led startups.

Black Angel Tech Fund

Black Angel Tech Fund is the brainchild of a group of black entrepreneurs who saw the opportunity to become angel investors and VCs to promising young black talent. They noticed a severe lack of black representation in technopreneurship, yet they found many black entrepreneurs were willing to reach out and fund minority-led groups themselves.

Startups in Black Angel Tech Fund’s portfolio include Ceek VR, On Second Thought, Kit, Bandwagon, and Omnispeech.

New Voices Fund

New Voices Fund boasts of a unique ACE model that’s meant to fund and grow startups led by women of color (WOC) entrepreneurs—Access to their global network, Capital and financial support, and Expertise including education and resources to help WOC founders lead their companies to success.

Their focus is to help startup founders build and grow their companies from the ground up, with dedicated training, seminars, and support that works to improve founders’ leadership and management skills.

Harlem Capital Partners

Harlem Capital Partners (popularly referred to as HCP) is a New York-based VC firm that focuses on diversity founders and their budding ideas. Their goal is to fund 1,000 diverse founders over the next 20 years, focusing on ideas that solve real needs in the market and can be turned into sustainable business ventures.

They’ve been able to fund 19 startups across 10 industries, with companies like Blavity, Shine Text, Pangaea as part of their portfolio, among others.

digitalundivided

With a mission rooted in making entrepreneurship and innovation more inclusive, digitalundivided invests in women-led startups, including women of color. They found that only 0.06% of all VC capital has gone to black female entrepreneurs since 2009 and sought to change that statistic.

A few women-founded startups already in digitalundivided’s portfolio include Lifesaver, SpiritList, and Pressed Roots.

Fearless Fund

Fearless Fund is another VC firm whose main prospects include women of color. The firm began as a dream by fellow WOC who wanted to make funding more accessible to entrepreneurs like them. They invest in WOC-led startups who are looking for pre-seed, seed level, and Series A financing.

Some startups included in Fearless Fund’s portfolio include 100 Black Angels Fund, EnrichHER, and Ellis Island Tea.

Key Takeaways

Are you ready to get your business the funding it deserves? Look no further than this post that shows you different VCs that help black-led startups, and start pitching.

Education shall continue in the times of this deadly coronavirus pandemic! Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Public Library (CPL), and the CPL Foundation have partnered to bring “Live from the Library” to the children of Chicago.

The online reading program takes place every weekday at 10:00 A.M. CST on CPL’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Every week, CPL enlists select librarians from the institution’s 81 branches, along with some notable Chicago public figures, to bring the communities together through the love of storytelling.

“Live from the Library represents a critical resource for children and families in our communities, and I’m grateful to the librarians and notable Chicagoans for promoting literacy and putting smiles on our children’s faces,” said Mayor Lightfoot in a written statement.

The “Live from the Library” was launched by the CPL in response to the COVID-19 epidemic that has closed all of its library branches for the first time in over 150 years. The institution still aims to provide equal access to information, ideas, and knowledge to children around the world through its virtual reading programs, learning courses, e-books, and other online resources.

The virtual program features many of Chicago’s most beloved public figures, including President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, who just recently read The Word Collector by Peter Reynolds on Thursday, May 14. Television titan Oprah Winfrey is making her appearance on Monday, May 18. The program also taps into many of Chicago’s cultural institutions like The Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre Company, as well as some of the city’s sports franchises like the Cubs and the Blackhawks.

“Public libraries are essential institutions, and that’s why we’re bringing a new branch of the Chicago Public Library to the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side. When it opens, it will give families one more chance to explore their interests, learn, and engage with their communities. And we’re excited for you to visit one day!” said President Obama during the Live from the Library reading.

“I remember my first trip to the library and how important I felt,” shared Mrs. Obama, also during the Live from the Library reading. “It was around age 4. My library card was a key that unlocked a world of knowledge and experiences,” said Mrs. Obama.

“Live from the Library” was launched with a reading by CPL Commissioner Andrea Telli; other notable Chicagoans like former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije, actress Jane Lynch, and Mayor Lightfoot have participated since.

“As librarians, we know that reading books with children is the best way to encourage a lifelong love of books. This program allows us to continue this love, even when the buildings are closed,” said Commissioner Telli. 

Model Cynthia Bailey is teaming up with skincare brand AMBI to find the Next Great Face of AMBI.

The search is being done to find true beauties representing diverse ethnicities and multiple backgrounds that will embody the beauty and inclusivity of the American multicultural community. AMBI has partnered with Bailey to utilize her modeling expertise as a judge and tapping the Bailey Agency for talent.

“I have always been a big fan of AMBI Skincare, from both using the product and seeing results, to watching how the brand has evolved over the years. I thought it would be a natural fit to partner with a brand with a history as rich as AMBI, and which has resonated with consumers for many years, especially during times like we live in right now. AMBI is working to help women and men of every shade realize that they are intrinsically beautiful, and I’m excited to be a part of that,” says Bailey in a written statement.

Three winning models will receive a financial stipend in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000, or $1,000, respectively, as well as a year’s worth of AMBI Skincare and a three-day, two-night stay for a model photo shoot with Cynthia Bailey to be featured in a digital campaign.

“All of us at AMBI are committed to expanding the beauty conversation around people of color. The launch of the Next Great Face Search strategically facilitates this commitment like none other. We are searching coast to coast for the next great beauty . . . who also just happens to be a person of color,” says Tauro Jenkins, head of business.

The model search has already started and runs through May 26. To enter, consumers should upload a one-minute “I am AMBI Beautiful…” video via their Instagram and Facebook accounts, stating a testimonial of why they should win, and use #FaceofAmbi while tagging five friends.

From the first round of entrants, 100 quarter-finalists will be selected on June 4. AMBI Skincare and the Bailey Agency will conduct final interviews to choose 10 finalists. The three winners will be selected and announced on July 31 The model search is open to all people of color over the age of 18. 

• COVID-19

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 17, 2020

6 Black Patients Who Died From Coronavirus — After Being Denied a Test!

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Nationwide — Federal data has already confirmed that most of the deadly victims of COVID-19 in the United States are African American. However, many news reports are failing to report that many of those who have died from the virus were also denied tests. In fact, some were denied a test multiple times. Here are six cases:

• News

by Derek Major

May 17, 2020

Private Investigator: Companies Are Hiring Us To Make Sure Employees Are ‘Working’ From Home’

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A private investigator said his businesses is experiencing a boost in customers due to companies hiring his team to check up on employees who may be skipping out on work amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to PIX11, Dorian Bond of Bond Investigations Inc. said his phone has been ringing off the hook from employers who have had trouble reaching their workers.

“Calls started coming in from corporations saying, ‘We need you to watch an executive, or somebody [else]. They’re supposed to be working from home and we can’t get ahold of them,” Bond told PIX11.

Bond Investigations Inc. was established in 2003 and operates in the U.S. and Canada. Bond said he could not name the companies that have hired his services due to confidentially agreements. However, he did say his firm took six calls from corporations that suspect an employee may be using the coronavirus to take a vacation.

“If I get the call, usually, [the company] is pretty sure it’s happening, they just need the documentation evidence so, when they decide to go with the termination, they have the proof,” Bond told PIX11.

Bond added that in the past several weeks, he’s caught people who were supposed to be working, playing golf, fishing, or boating. Bond also said he discovered two employees who were seeing each other intimately.

“A top executive was having a relationship with a subordinate, and they were ‘Zooming’ from the same house but in different rooms,” Bond said.

Bond said it bothers him to see employees playing on the job while millions of Americans suffer through the rigors of unemployment, filing for benefits, and waiting for coronavirus stimulus checks.

Telecommuting has become such a valued resource during the pandemic that tech giants Google and Facebook have said their employees can work from home through the end of the year. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told his employees they could work from home forever if they choose.

• Travel and Leisure

by Dana Givens

May 17, 2020

Meet The Chef Leading One Of The Popular Restaurants On The French Riviera

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Monte Carlo is the embodiment of glamour and luxury. The small country of Monaco is one of the prime travel destinations along the famous French Riviera with its capital city surrounded by five-star hotels with megayachts docked at bay and the glitzy Grand Casino Royale at the center of it all. A-list celebrities and even royals have been known to vacation there as they enjoy the scenic views. It is also the home of a famous Michelin star chef who happens to run the kitchen behind one of the most popular restaurants in Monte Carlo.

Caribbean-born Marcel Ravin is known from his decadent culinary creations. After leaving his native island of Martinique and moving to Europe to study the art of cooking, Ravin has made his way into popular, luxurious restaurants with his masterful cooking inspired by his Creole roots. “I brought with me the memory of dishes from my native land: spices, produce, and remarkable recipes,” said Ravin in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “This baggage, which I love to call my “mind palate,” guided me on my path and shaped my identity, becoming the basis of my culinary identity.”

This Michelin star chef’s culinary talents eventually got him the opportunity to lead the Blue Bay Restaurant at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort overlooking the water. He says his experience living in the famous city as a black man has been peaceful, usually receiving warm receptions from residents. “When I arrived in Monaco, I’ve been very well welcomed,” he explained. “I didn’t feel any difference regarding the color of people or culture. I will always remember the sentence of the SAS Prince Albert of Monaco—thanks for being there and I hope you will stay a long time among us!”

In addition to leading the Blue Bay, Ravin collaborated with Air France Airlines to create new signature dishes for business class and premium economy.

• Travel and Leisure

by Dana Givens

May 17, 2020

Meet The New Travel Host Who Wants To Take You Around The World With ‘Fly Brother’

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Due to the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic, many of our summer travel plans have been put on hold as cities and countries around the world stay under quarantine. Luckily for travel enthusiasts, this travel expert is offering viewers an opportunity to travel around the world with him with his new PBS series.

Ernest White II is the host of the new series, Fly Brother, which started as a blog back in 2008 while he was living as an ex-pat in Colombia.

“I’ve always been interested in geography, cultures, languages, all of that. I was born with a curiosity about the world and would study maps and read about different countries, and my parents, other family members, and other adults in my community stoked that curiosity as I was growing up,” said White in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Finally, when I was 16, I went to Sweden as a foreign exchange student and my life was forever changed.”

Since then, White has traveled to over 70 countries using his creative storytelling talents to help others learn about different cultures and share the experiences of the people he meets along the way. The travel docu-series follows as White visits his friends, both old and new, in eight exciting destinations such as São Paulo, Namibia, and Mumbai.

During a time when many of us are uncertain of when we will be able to travel again, White hopes his show will help visitors experience a temporary escape through his storytelling. “The world is experiencing a radical transformation and travel, like every industry, will continue to change in unexpected ways.

“That said, humans desire connection and want to experience new places and people, and I think that desire will eventually override any trepidation people have about traveling,” said White. “Surely, this won’t be easy at first, and many safety procedures will need to be implemented—and followed—but in the meantime, there are plenty of virtual experiences and digital communities to keep us in a traveling mood until we can get back out into the world safely.”

You can watch the series through the Public Television Stations by checking your local listings.