The When and Why of Hiring a CFO For Your Business

In this mini episode, Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity Inc., takes us behind the scenes of the launch of their new home and decor media brand, "Home and Texture." Morgan shares how she and her team identified a gap in the market for a media brand that focused on the intersection of culture and home design, and how they went about bringing this vision to life.

Morgan shares the challenges and triumphs of building a new brand from the ground up, including the process of defining the brand's values and aesthetic, finding the right team to bring it to life, and creating a content strategy that resonates with their target audience.

Throughout the episode, Morgan offers insights into the importance of representation in the media and how "Home and Texture" aims to fill a void in the home decor industry by highlighting diverse perspectives and experiences.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a home decor enthusiast, or simply interested in the creative process behind building a new media brand, this episode offers a fascinating look at the journey of launching "Home and Texture."

If you liked this BTS look at Blavity. Leave a review!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a franchise owner? Is it possible to have complete entrepreneurial independence and the ability to make an impact on your local community?

If so, you’ll want to hear my conversation with Kareem Edwards. Kareem got his start at Lehman Brothers, Kraft, and Google — and then went on to open his first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Chicago.

In this episode, we discuss how Kareem learned the Chick-fil-A culture (yes, this means working part-time in the kitchens!), the process it takes to become a franchise owner, and Kareem’s best advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. “I always tell people just be true to yourself and tell your story and own the why.”

RESOURCES

LinkedIn

Website

To connect with Morgan click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun/ 

Sign up for CEO Spring Break 2023: Ceospringbreak.com 

Are you intimidated by the thought of government contracting? Not sure where to start? On this week’s episode of the WorkSmart podcast, I sit down with Denise Burgess, President and CEO of Burgess Services, a construction management firm based in Denver, Colorado. Burgess has served on the Board of Directors of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce since 2010 and will become the first African-American Board Chair of the Chamber in September 2017. She’s also on the list of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

She walks us through the nitty-gritty of working on a government project. (Including the key to making sure you get rehired!) We also talk more about her family’s entrepreneurship journey, the ins and outs of contracting work, and we share helpful tips for those who want to follow in her shoes. One critical takeaway from her experience is the importance of certification — and why Black, millennial, and small business owners should take notes.

Ready to get more productive? Learn how to take your extra time and turn it into revenue for your business. The Smart Money Challenge is focused on assisting founders and CEOs like you in becoming more productive and helping you to focus on generating more revenue - sustainably

To connect with Morgan click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun/ 

Shondra Washington is an emerging fund manager, investment banker and co-founder of TBC capital, an education-first advisory and consulting firm focused on fractional CFO’s business development and strategy services for venture-backed companies and small business owners.

She is now the CEO of Black@. With her experience in finance and advising startup founders on their fundraising strategy, Shondra joins the WorkSmart podcast to share her wisdom and tips for other entrepreneurs. Working capital, GAAP, Controllers and more: We walk through some of the basics of financial vocabulary and talk about why it's important to dive head in and make sure that you understand the basics of your business's finances. We’ll also get into the nitty-gritty of understanding your cash flow, pricing yourself and why having up-to-date financials is crucial.

You’re going to want to listen – and take notes. 

RESOURCES

LinkedIn

Website

Twitter

Instagram

To access this episode’s freebie and check out previous episodes, click here: https://morgandebaun.com/podcast/

Get coached by Morgan and other WorkSmart Advisors at: https://Worksmartadvisor.com 

To connect with Morgan click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun/ 

One of the most important things about working smart is learning how to automate and delegate to increase your efficiency. In this week’s episode of the WorkSmart podcast, Morgan shares her favorite go-to tools to grow her companies, automate her processes and save hours on big projects. From Asana to Lucidchart, these tools are crucial to maximizing your time and helping your business run more smoothly.

We’re also launching a WorkSmart 10-day challenge for listeners. The goal is to help you become more productive and save more time. We’re going to walk through how you can delegate more effectively, automate your tasks and projects more efficiently, and break down some of the things that may be procrastinating in your business. Our goal is to get at least a thousand Black entrepreneurs and small owners involved – and help you learn how to use your time to help make more money in your business. 

To learn more about the program, click here. 

RESOURCES

Join the 10 day challenge to help you be more productive and drive revenue. WorkSmartmoneychallenge.com

To connect with Morgan DeBaun click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun/ 

To learn more about the WorkSmart Program and Network, click here. 

• Access to an inclusive community where you connect with our CEOs and WorkSmart Advisors to help you problem-solve. 
• Access To Our Live Events: We can get a lot done from our pajamas at home, but there is just something about getting in a room full of high-level entrepreneurs that can unlock areas of growth you didn't even know existed.
• Bi-weekly calls with WorkSmart Advisors including a monthly “all hands” with Morgan to answer your questions live. 
• Vendor Discounts: Receive premium perks, discounts, and credits to software, tools, and services.
• Video Library & Templates: Access to "The vault," business owner -approved resources, over 100 videos business answers to your top questions, “done for you” templates and toolkits.
• Member Directory: An exclusive directory of WorkSmart members listed by stage, industry, expertise, and geography for instant connections. Deals are done in the DMs!

Join us today!  👉 https://www.worksmartadvisor.com/launch

Welcome to our new series: At Home in Nashville

In this series, Morgan sits down with a few top entrepreneurs in her new city, Nashville, to learn about their business journey, chat about the growing community of entrepreneurs in Nashville, and what advice they have for listeners thinking about taking the leap into entrepreneurship.

In this episode, Morgan sits down with Joshua Mundy, tech CEO, co-founder, non-profit leader, and Native  Nashvillian to talk about his different business ventures, how he first got started as an entrepreneur and his methods for success in business.

Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSkDK0C_zizYw84W1KQImQ

To connect with Joshua click here: https://www.instagram.com/iammrmundy/

To connect with Morgan click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun

To join other successful small business owners at CEO Spring Break in Nashville, purchase your ticket here: https://www.ceospringbreak.com/

Welcome to our new series: At Home in Nashville

In this series, Morgan sits down with a few top entrepreneurs in her new city, Nashville, to learn about their business journey, chat about the growing community of entrepreneurs in Nashville, and what advice they have for listeners thinking about taking the leap into entrepreneurship. 

In this episode, Morgan sits down with Tomiko Harvey, founder & editor of ‘Passports and Grub” a luxury lifestyle publication for Black women, Vice President of the Black Travel Alliance and Nashville resident.

Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSkDK0C_zizYw84W1KQImQ

To connect with Tomiko click here: https://www.instagram.com/tomiko.harvey/

To connect with Morgan click here: https://www.instagram.com/morgandebaun

To join other successful small business owners at CEO Spring Break, purchase your ticket here: https://www.ceospringbreak.com/