The Next ACT CEO Summit Launches January 2026

by Nancy E Williams

October 11, 2025

The Next ACT CEO Summit Launches January 2026

Melinda F. Emerson is the founder of SmallBizLadyUniversity.com and has been delivering practical education and training to help professionals start, grow, or buy small businesses for close to 20 years

Melinda F. Emerson is the founder of SmallBizLadyUniversity.com and has been delivering practical education and training to help professionals start, grow, or buy small businesses for close to 20 years. Known in the industry as America’s No. 1 Small Business Expert, Emerson is a speaker for the U.S. State Department, podcast host, and best-selling author of Fix Your Business: 90-Day Plan to Get Your Life Back and Reduce Chaos in Your Business. Emerson has assembled some of the top experts in the business and franchise world for her upcoming The Next ACT CEO Summit, a three-day virtual conference taking place Jan. 22–24, 2026.

The summit will guide senior women leaders age 45+ to become entrepreneurs through acquisition—buying an existing business or franchise. The program focuses on the practical know-how required to step into ownership with confidence on day one, including financing, legal, technology, training, and essential services. “Women with decades of leadership experience are decisive and creditworthy. They don’t need another job in corporate America—they need a clear path to wealth creation through entrepreneurship,” explains Emerson. “This event will demystify entrepreneurship through acquisition and provide the tools, partners, experts, and community to make ownership a reality.” The Next ACT CEO Summit is designed to meet this moment, providing direction, resources, and vetted partners. Organizers are targeting 350 qualified attendees from the U.S. and Canada.

Over the three days, conference attendees will learn how to:

Compare independent acquisitions vs. franchise ownership and choose the right lane based on budget, time, and skills.
Source and evaluate real listings (brokers, resales, franchise consultants, marketplaces) with red-flag checklists.
Navigate the financing matrix (e.g., SBA, seller financing, franchise lenders, CDFIs, ROBS) and assemble lender-ready packages.
Conduct due diligence on operations, people, and financials.
Build an ownership-ready tech stack (CRM, e-signature, invoicing, payroll) and understand legal and insurance basics.

Emerson shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE that now is the time for this summit because “A growing number of experienced women are actively seeking ‘what’s next’ beyond corporate roles. They want to own assets, not a job. They want systems, teams, and revenue that they can scale with their business skills. And they don’t have time to build a business from scratch.”

For Sponsorship opportunities, event details, and registration, visit the website at https://smallbizladyuniversity.com/nextactceosummit/

Stephen A. Smith, presidential run — Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2025

Stephen A. Smith Blasts Jasmine Crockett For Constant Criticism Of Trump

'Aren't you there to find a way to get stuff done, as opposed to just being an impediment to what Trump wants? How much work goes into that?'

Stephen A. Smith took aim at Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) over her consistent criticism of President Donald Trump and if that benefits her constituents.

The sports pundit offered his take on the Oct. 2 episode of Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

“But how Jasmine Crockett chooses to express herself, I’m like, ‘Is that gonna help your district in Texas?’ Aren’t you there to find a way to get stuff done, as opposed to just being an impediment to what Trump wants? How much work goes into that?” Smith said, in a clip shared on X.

“’I’m just going to go off about Trump, cuss him out every chance I get, say the most derogatory, incendiary things imaginable, and that’s my day’s work.’ That ain’t work!”

🚨NEW: Stephen A. Smith *GOES OFF* on Jasmine Crockett over her obsessively anti-TRUMP agenda🚨

"Aren't you there to find a way to get stuff done as opposed to just being an impediment to what Trump wants?"

"How much work goes into that!? 'I'm just gon' go off about Trump, cuss… pic.twitter.com/nCEHegFfRz
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) October 3, 2025

Smith suggested that rather than criticizing Trump, Crockett should focus on working with the current administration to better the lives of her constituents in Texas’s 30th congressional district.

“Work is saying, ‘That’s the man in power. I know what his agenda is. I’m not exactly in a position to stop him since the Republicans have the Senate and the House, but maybe if I’m willing to work with this man, I might get something out of it for my constituency,'” Smith said.

In recent weeks, Crockett has attributed the government shutdown to Republicans’ efforts to block the release of the Epstein files.

“FACT: Trump wants to distract from Epstein. RELEASE THE FILES,” she tweeted. “FACT: Republicans run the House, Senate, & White House…if there is a shutdown, Real Math says it’s the REPUBLICANS’ SHUTDOWN. FACT: Republicans only know how to break sh-t & then deflect & deny any accountability.”

Wendy Williams, Kevin Hunter, spousal, Divorce, Settlement — (Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

by Jameelah Mullen

October 10, 2025

Judge Dismisses Wendy Williams’ Ex-Husband’s Lawsuit Over Guardianship

Hunter filed the lawsuit on Williams's behalf in June.

A judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by Wendy Williams’ ex-husband, Kelvin Hunter, earlier this year to remove Sabrina Morrissey as her guardian, TMZ reports. .

Williams did not request Hunter to file a lawsuit on her behalf.

“He has no standing to add her name [to the lawsuit] or no authority from Wendy whatsoever. And we certainly don’t need his help if we want to file a lawsuit. So, thanks, but no thanks,” Williams’ attorney Joe Tacopina, told People in June.

The judge dismissed the case earlier this week, but it was noted that Hunter can amend the lawsuit himself and remove Williams from

In his original filing, obtained by TMZ Hunter sought to replace Morrissey with another conservator and requested a forensic accountant to review Williams’ finances. He also sought $250 million in compensation for “financial losses, emotional distress, and damage to his reputation.

The TV personality phoned in to an Oct 9 segment on TMZ and said she was “happy” the judge threw the case out.

“Of course he wants to steal my money, Williams told TMZ’s Harvey Levin.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TMZ (@tmz_tv)

During the call, Williams also admitted that she was unsure of how much money she actually has.

In 2022, a New York court appointed a guardian for Williams after finding her incapacitated and unable to handle her affairs. In February 2023, doctors diagnosed her with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). She now lives in an assisted living facility where, according to the New York Post, the lowest rate is $27,000 per month, and monthly expenses can reach about $52,000.

The TV personality compares living in the facility to being in prison.

Williams and Hunter were married for 21 years and have one son. They divorced in 2020 after Williams learned that Hunter was having a baby with his mistress.

Atlanta church, medical debt — (Photo: Andrew Patrick/Pexels)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2025

Far-Right Utah Pastor Calls For Biblical-Style Executions Of ‘Rebellious’ Young Black Men

The source of his logic: the Old Testament.

Brian Sauvé, a far-right Christian nationalist pastor in Utah, is making headlines for saying that young “rebellious” Black men needed to be executed.

In a recent episode of his podcast The King’s Hall, Sauvé and Eric Conn, another far-right Christian nationalist pastor at Refuge Church in Utah, discussed the killing of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was murdered earlier this year on a Charlotte metro train by a Black man later reported to be mentally ill.

The two pastors blamed the crime on “Black culture” and called for the state to execute “rebellious” young Black men, citing the Old Testament.

“I think it’s something like five percent of Black males are murderers,” Sauvé said. “If you take that and then you took a law like Deuteronomy 21, which is a just law that got enacted through Moses; the law was that if you had a rebellious son, you have a child who’s coming up into their manhood and they’re rebellious, they don’t listen—he lists some characteristics—and even though they’re disciplined, they will not turn, he says the father is to bring them out into the town square, this is a rebellious son, and then they stone him to death. They kill him.”

Conn said armed robbers would qualify for stoning.

“Oh, absolutely,” Sauvé agreed. “Armed robber, all the ghetto culture; basically, take ghetto culture, it would describe this to a T. If you did that over three generations, how much violent crime would you have in the third and fourth generation? Much, much less.”

Sauvé further claimed the problem stemmed from “Blacks” in positions of power, singling out “the several Black women who were involved in releasing Decarlos [Brown], the murderer in the city of Charlotte,” he said.

“In this case, [we have] the double whammy of Black female judges [and] politicians who have appointed these sorts of people,” Sauvé said. “If you look at who appointed the judge and the judge that released them, it’s two Black women. And what did they do? They said, ‘Oh, it’s mental health, it’s homelessness, it’s this, it’s that. It’s not a criminal tendency of Black males that needs to be cut off through the wielding of the sword by the civil magistrate.'”

Sauvé and Conn are closely aligned with racist Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon, having appeared multiple times at his conferences and on his podcast.

Jackson Jr, Black Visitors Guide to Kansas City — (Image: iStock)

by Kandiss Edwards

October 10, 2025

Black Feast Week Spotlights Local Kansas City Eateries

Black Feast Week includes more than a dozen restaurants offering special pricing, pop-ups, and giveaways.

Black Feast Week is back in Kansas City, Missouri, to celebrate Black culinary creativity and advance community revitalization efforts from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12.

The Kansas City Defender newsroom created the event to help combat food insecurity and highlight local small businesses.

The People’s Buyout kickoff event fed 150 single Black mothers free meals at District Fish & Pasta. Joshua “JT” Taylor, senior content producer and chief administrative officer at The Kansas City Defender, spoke to KCUR about the event’s goals.

“We’ve always tried to prioritize helping people who are most marginalized,” said Taylor. “And the Black woman is probably the most marginalized among us. We try to look out for our people.”

Looking for a new restaurant to try? There’s something for everyone during Black Feast Week in Kansas City: https://t.co/PbgzTvMAmF pic.twitter.com/94AV8RXLOh
— KMBC (@kmbc) October 8, 2025

Black Feast Week includes more than a dozen restaurants offering special pricing, pop-ups, giveaways, and social media events. Participating businesses this year include Orange by Devoured, District Biskuits, and Vine Street Brewing.

The initiative began in response to widespread restaurant closures in Kansas City’s Black business community, prompting calls for interventions.

“We saw a need to bring more marketing to Black entrepreneurs and restaurant owners,” Taylor said. “Some of those areas don’t offer the same type of revenue flow.”

This year’s programming is designed to be a culinary showcase and a branding platform. Organizers emphasized that Feast Week is part of broader mutual aid and advocacy work. The Defender newsroom hosts regular giveaways, clothing drives, and community arts events.

“The point is getting people to actually spend money with Black-owned businesses and encourage Black economic growth as a whole,” Taylor said.

This year’s Feast Week is expected to further spotlight economic disparities in Kansas City and strengthen ties between residents and Black restaurateurs, creating both immediate support and building momentum for long-term investment in the local culinary ecosystem.

Bad Bunny, Super Bowl, trailer — HOLLYWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 11: Bad Bunny arrives for the 2nd Annual PornHub Awards on October 11 2019 in Los Angeles California. (Photo by Glenn Francis/www.PacificProDigital.com)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2025

Turning Point USA Announces Alternative Super Bowl Halftime Show In Protest Of Bad Bunny Selection

Bad Bunny, who is Puerto Rican, has openly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly the ICE raids.

The conservative group Turning Point USA (TPUSA) will host an alternative Super Bowl halftime show in response to reggaeton star Bad Bunny headlining the mid-game spectacle.

The organization, co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced the news Oct. 9 on X.

The “All American Halftime Show” is being promoted as a celebration of “faith, family, and freedom.”

https://twitter.com/TPUSA/status/1976301627662340207

TPUSA is directing interested participants to its website, where they can submit their name, contact information, and preferred musical genre, including “Americana, Classic Rock, Country, Hip Hop, Pop, and Worship,” as well as an “Anything in English” option.

Bad Bunny, who is Puerto Rican, has openly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly the ICE raids. The Grammy-winning artist even chose not to include U.S. dates on his 2025 world tour, citing concerns that ICE could be present to arrest and deport his fans.

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate,” Bad Bunny said at the time. “ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”

Since Bad Bunny, who recently hosted Saturday Night Live, was announced as the Super Bowl halftime performer, conservatives have voiced strong criticism.

Pundit Tomi Lahren claimed he was “not an American artist.” Bad Bunny, being a Puerto Rican, is a U.S. citizen. Corey Lewandowski, chief adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, suggested that ICE agents would be present at the Super Bowl in response to his selection.

“We’re going to do enforcement everywhere,” Lewandowski said. “We are going to make Americans safe. That is a directive from the president. If you’re in this country illegally, do yourself a favor: Go home.”

RELATED CONTENT: Eric Dickerson Tells Bad Bunny ‘Stay In Your Country’

Google Chrome, Laptop, US chamber of commerce, small business, entrepreneurs, — (Photo: Luca Sammarco/flickr)

by Kandiss Edwards

October 10, 2025

Google Dedicates $5M To Help Small Businesses Learn AI Skills

Google is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to give AI training to entrepreneurs.

Google is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to give AI training to up to 40,000 entrepreneurs.

The partnership will dedicate $5 million to help small businesses embrace AI and incorporate it into everyday business operations.

Google’s Grow with Google initiative announced the program on Oct. 9.

Small Business B(AI)sics will offer workshops and online courses designed to teach owners how to use AI tools to streamline tasks. All aspects of operations, including marketing, budgeting, and inventory planning, can be simplified.

“For more than a century, the Chamber has helped businesses adapt to change,” said Suzanne P. Clark, CEO and president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “Together with Google and the U.S. Chamber Foundation, we are helping Main Street entrepreneurs embrace cutting-edge technology to make their companies stronger, more resilient, and more competitive.”

In addition to funding the national training network, Google also launched online courses named “Make AI Work for You.” Courses are self-paced and educate business owners on generating marketing copy, managing data, and creating digital content—the classes center on Google’s online tools, including Gemini AI and NotebookLM. Local chambers of commerce and business development groups will host in-person sessions to supplement online training.

In a promotional video for the NotebookLM, Michael Salvatore, owner of Chicago’s Heritage Bikes & Coffee, spoke about the benefits of AI in running a business. AI, he said, has “saved hours of time each week” by automating repetitive administrative tasks.

Since 2017, Grow with Google has trained more than 11 million Americans in digital skills. Company data show that nearly two-thirds of U.S. small business owners now use AI in some form.

According to the Chamber Foundation, the Small Business B(AI)sics program will begin with workshops in Atlanta, Detroit, and Houston before expanding nationwide in 2026. Each session will provide free materials, technical demos, and AI coaching tailored to industry needs.

RELATED CONTENT: Yikes! Artificial Intelligence School To Open In Virginia

Trump, Chicago, National Guard — Donald Trump Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images/Brandon Johnson Photo by Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

by Mitti Hicks

October 10, 2025

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Deploying National Guard Troops In Illinois—That Could Change

U.S. District Judge April Perry found that the Trump administration's directive violates the Constitution and would only 'add fuel to the fire that the defendants themselves have started.'

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard units in Chicago.

U.S. District Judge April Perry found that the Trump administration’s directive violates the Constitution and would only “add fuel to the fire that the defendants themselves have started.”

According to NBC News, Perry also criticized the Department of Homeland Security for using “unreliable evidence” regarding crimes that the department’s agents have allegedly been facing.

Perry’s ruling comes during a contentious back-and-forth between President Donald Trump and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“Donald Trump is not a king—and his administration is not above the law. Today, the court confirmed what we all know: there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago,” Pritzker said on X.

Johnson said in a statement, “There is no rebellion in Chicago. There are just good people standing up for what is right.”

The Justice Department has appealed the ruling.

Trump Criticized For Using National Guard To Attack Democratic States, Cities

Trump and his administration have faced scrutiny as Democrats criticize his actions for attacking his political rivals. Trump has repeatedly clashed with Democratic governors and mayors over his plans to deploy National Guard troops nationwide.

His opponents also question his intentions. Many of the cities he has targeted so far have Black mayors.

The administration has already deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., two cities that lean heavily Democratic. Trump has also threatened to deploy forces and federal law enforcement to other cities, including Baltimore and New Orleans.

All four cities have Black mayors.

Last month, a federal judge ruled that the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Los Angeles was illegal, according to NBC News.

While the White House says Trump is trying to keep American cities and federal personnel safe, Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act if courts try to stop his priorities. Invoking the act would allow him to use the U.S. military domestically.

The last time that happened was 1992. President George H.W. Bush invoked the act during the Los Angeles riots that erupted following the acquittal of the police officers caught on tape beating Rodney King.

FILE PHOTO: Former college football star and current senatorial candidate Herschel Walker speaks at a rally in Perry, Georgia, U.S. September 25, 2021. REUTERS/Dustin Chambers/File Photo

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2025

Herschel Walker Confirmed As The Bahamas’ U.S. Ambassador

The position had been vacant since 2011.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed former NFL star Herschel Walker as the ambassador to the Bahamas, filling a position that has been vacant for nearly 15 years.

Walker was among more than 100 nominations confirmed in a single vote by the GOP-controlled Senate on Oct. 7, Reuters reports. The confirmation follows recent rule changes by Republican lawmakers aimed at speeding up the approval of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

Despite the Bahamas’ close ties with the U.S., the country has lacked an ambassador since 2011. According to the State Department’s Office of the Historian, it was one of just five nations, including Bolivia and Cuba, without a U.S. ambassador for over a decade.

A series of chargés have headed the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas d’affaires up until Walker’s confirmation. The last U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas was Nicole Avant, appointed by former President Barack Obama, who served until 2011. In 2014, Obama nominated Cassandra Butts, his former deputy White House counsel, for the role, but the Senate never acted on the nomination. He re-nominated her the following year, but she died while her nomination was pending.

Wendall Jones, the Bahamian ambassador to the U.S., said Walker “will be warmly welcomed by Bahamians who are widely known for their hospitality.” He added that Walker would be “well-positioned to assist our government in communicating on many issues of mutual concern.”

Walker played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants. He won the Heisman Trophy while starring at at the University of Georgia.

A committed Republican and close ally of Donald Trump, Walker ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia in 2022, losing to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff. His campaign was clouded by controversy, including reports that Walker, who ran on an anti-abortion platform, had paid for an abortion in 2009. Walker acknowledged giving a $700 check to an ex-partner but denied knowing it was for an abortion. Trump defended him during the scandal, and Walker later returned the support in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.

In December 2024, Trump nominated Walker for the ambassadorship post, praising him as “an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad.”

Broward County, jail, gay inmate killed, Cierre Wood, Gwinnett county jail,, Riker's,, doulla, pregnant, inmates, Councilwoman, Rosenthal — (Photo: Giles Clarke/Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2025

Lawsuit: Postal Worker Died After Jail Staff Allegedly Ignored Signs Of A Stroke

'This is one of the worst jail deaths we’ve ever seen,' Katie Bennett, an attorney representing Kingsley Fifi Bimpong’s family, told KARE 11.

A new lawsuit claims that Kingsley Fifi Bimbong, a Minnesota postal worker who died in police custody after suffering a stroke in November 2024, showed clear warning signs that were ignored by police and jail staff.

The Oct. 8 lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, names three Eagan, Minnesota, police officers, seven Dakota County correctional officers, and Dakota County as defendants. It claims that Bimpong’s constitutional rights were violated.

Bimbong’s family seeks $120 million in damages and policy reforms at the jail.

According to the lawsuit, Eagan police, Dakota County, and its correctional officers showed “deliberate indifference” to Bimpong’s medical needs during the five hours and 40 minutes he spent in custody, CBS News reports.

By the time he was taken to the emergency room, the 50-year-old man had suffered a massive brain bleed that proved fatal.

“This is one of the worst jail deaths we’ve ever seen,” Katie Bennett, an attorney representing Bimpong’s family, told KARE 11.

According to the lawsuit, Bimpong left work early on Nov. 16, 2024, after complaining of a headache and was later pulled over by Eagan police for driving into oncoming traffic. Body camera footage cited in the filing shows that Bimpong “exhibited serious physical and cognitive abnormalities.”

Police reports indicate that when questioned, Bimpong was unable to say where he lived or worked, despite wearing a USPS vest, and repeatedly responded, “I don’t know.” Officers also noted there was no smell of alcohol.

Eagan Officer Martin Jensen, a certified Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE), was called to determine whether Bimpong was under the influence of drugs. The lawsuit notes that DRE training provided by the Minnesota State Patrol instructs officers explicitly on how to differentiate drug impairment from medical emergencies such as strokes; however, the lawsuit claims Jensen ignored that training.

Body camera audio reportedly captured him dismissing the need for a complete DRE evaluation, saying it would be “a whole bunch of time wasted.” When another officer asked whether Bimpong should be taken to the hospital, Jensen allegedly responded, “For what?”

Bimpong was arrested and taken to the Eagan Police Department for a blood draw. While there, the lawsuit states he “stumbled,” “remained confused,” and at times “nodded off to sleep.” An emergency medical provider at the station reportedly asked officers if they planned to take him to the hospital, but one officer dismissed the idea, saying, “It’s a whole thing.”

Instead, Bimpong was transported to the Dakota County Jail. During the drive, the officer was caught on body camera starting to say, “Is this dude having a stro—” before muting the device.

While in jail, surveillance footage shows Bimpong stumbling and unable to complete booking before being placed in a holding cell, where he fell, urinated on himself, and lay writhing on the floor. According to the lawsuit, guards repeatedly logged “inmate and cell OK” during required wellness checks and walked past his cell for more than three hours without intervention.

The lawsuit says that a nurse was finally called after a guard noticed Bimpong foaming at the mouth and having seizure-like symptoms. Mistakenly assuming a drug overdose, the nurse administered Narcan three times with no effect. When paramedics arrived, Bimpong’s blood pressure was a life-threatening 240/216, signaling a hypertensive crisis. Body camera footage later captured staff acknowledging that wellness checks had not been adequately conducted.

Body camera footage captured a nurse and guard admitting that Bimpong had been ignored and that wellness checks weren’t properly done. As he was loaded onto a stretcher, the guard recounted what had happened earlier to the nurse.

“He said, ‘he’s been that way all night, not to worry about it,’” the guard told the nurse.

The nurse replied, “That’s not OK.”

“Well,” the guard responded, “this person (the other guard) is not checking when he’s doing rounds. He’s just walking by and scanning.”

Bimpong was rushed to the hospital. Tests revealed a massive brain bleed that caused severe brain swelling, and he was declared brain dead before being taken off life support on November 19, 2024.

Toxicology reports from both the hospital and the state crime lab also confirmed no drugs in his system, disproving the overdose assumption.

“While Mr. Bimpong’s death is tragic, he was not exhibiting an objectively serious medical condition that was obvious to lay persons at the time he was in the Eagan officers’ custody and there [was] no indication that he required emergent medical treatment,” the City of Eagan said in a statement.