I Am Black Success™

People love to love life when life feels good. But when life sucks, what are you going to do to overcome that struggle?

The first guest of our 2019 Trailblazers Masterclass Series is Chazz Scott. Chazz is a returning guest of Trailblazers.FM and was first featured on episode 135.

Charles (Chazz) Scott is a published writer, motivational speaker, self empowerment workshop curator, and an accomplished computer security technologist from Ellicott City, Maryland. He holds both a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Science and a Master’s of Science degree in Cyber Security from Hampton University.

Chazz is the Founder & Chief Creative Optimist of Positively Caviar, Inc. based in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Positively Caviar, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) that focuses on empowering, inspiring, and motivating all human beings, with a special emphasis on youth, to instill mental resilience by way of positive thinking. His team travels across the Mid-Atlantic delivering high-intensity speaking engagements and hosting their signature BUILD Self-Empowerment workshops that are designed to understand and apply the secrets and science behind the human mind.

When Chazz is not eradicating negativity, he is hunting hackers as a full-time Cyber Security Engineer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency defending our Nation’s Cybersecurity infrastructure and satellites.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

When someone googles you, the results they find are a digital first impression of you ... and what they see will leave them either more or less inclined to hire you.

Our featured guest today is yours truly, Stephen A. Hart.

Stephen A. Hart is host of Trailblazers.FM, a top interview style podcast that explores stories of today’s successful black professionals. The podcast has featured more than 150 black professionals and has been heard by more than 200,000 from 132 countries around the world.

Stephen is a proud graduate of the University of South Florida, Tampa. He resides in Maryland, married to his wife Kristin of 11 years and the #bestdadever to his daughter Layla and son Nigel.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

You are here for a reason and a purpose.  Embrace the process not just the purpose.

Our featured guest is Ralph Graves Jr.

Ralph D. Graves Jr. serves as Founder and Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Millville, NJ. Ralph Graves is a Motivational Speaker, Business Consultant and Author. He is the Founder and Vice President of City’s Hope Community Development Corporation and Founder of Project U.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Discover how we can develop the routine and habits that will help us prioritize and grow as Christians.

Our featured guest today is Stephen Chandler.

Stephen Chandler is the bold, encouraging, life-giving Senior Pastor of Destiny Church.

Since its inception in 2011, Destiny Church has grown to a community of thousands of people and is known for its exciting culture and focus on leading entire families to a passionate relationship with God. Stephen has a passion to see people discover their God-given destiny, and has given his life to help others find fulfillment.

Stephen and his wife Zai reside in Columbia, Maryland with their two beautiful children Zoe and Roman.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

No matter where you come from or what your past may look like, anything is possible with faith and a determination to win.

Our featured guest today is Robert Dawson.

High-Performance Entrepreneur, Dynamic Speaker & Business Consultant, Rob Dawson is internationally known for teaching people how to build successful businesses and bridge the gap between their dreams and their reality. His mission is to motivate, educate, and inspire over 1 BILLION people worldwide to live out their dreams and grow a business that matters.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Do you understand the different types of intellectual property and your options to protect them?

Our featured guest is Andrea Evans.

Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. is the founder of an intellectual property law practice, The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans. Attorney Evans career path is unique since she worked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for approximately 5 years as both a patent examiner and a trademark examining attorney after graduating from law school.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

There is a difference between purified water vs restored water. "Just because it's clear doesn't mean it's clean”.

Our featured guest is Troy Rackley.

Troy Rackley graduated from Ohio University in Industrial Engineering and received his MBA in Australia.  He served 20 years hard time with Nestle, Coke, Pepsi, Campbells Soup and Sherwin Williams.  

In 2008, he began his entrepreneurial journey by starting his own company beginning with Executive Coaching and Manufacturing operations consulting. Through a few consulting projects he re-engineered some water technology that would eventually evolve into his core business.  NLP Aqua Solutions was born, and this business aligned with his passion for helping people to customize solutions for clean, fresh and safe water.

His business has expanded to healthcare, Agriculture, Aqua Culture, Hospitality as well as residential.  NLP Aqua Solutions is a global business with projects in Canada, Amsterdam, Sweden, Europe and all over the USA.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Burnout is an epidemic that is killing doctors and patients alike.

Did you know that the number one cause of death for female physicians under 35 is suicide. Yes, Physicians have the highest rates of suicide of any career and female physicians are 250% more likely to commit suicide than any other occupation.

Our featured guest is Dr. Thandeka Myeni.

Thandeka Myeni, MD, MPH, affectionately known as Dr Thandi, is a board-certified ophthalmologist with double specialty training in glaucoma, cataract surgery and LASIK. 

Dr. Myeni received her bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and later earned a master’s degree in Public Health from Harvard University. She obtained her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and then completed her medical internship at Boston University Medical Center. 

Her ophthalmology training began with a residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC. She has completed two fellowships, one in Glaucoma at the top-ranked Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, and another in Cataract and Refractive Surgery with Dr. Paul Koch who has consistently been ranked among the top cataract surgeons in the country. 

While Dr. Myeni was born and raised in the United States, her family is originally from Southern Africa. She spent a large part of her childhood in Swaziland. 

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

The human spirit is incredibly resilient and we all have the ability to create the life we want. It's about making mental shifts, implementing proven mental techniques and, of course, taking action (even if you can only see the first step of the staircase).

Our featured guest is Gloria Mitchell.

Gloria Mitchell went from being homeless to coaching multimillionaires.

Along her journey, Gloria overcame a difficult upbringing, an illness that left her short-term memory in the bottom 1% of the population, and a battle with homelessness that once even caused her to resort to sleeping in a Walmart dressing room!

For many that is where the story would have ended.

But not for Gloria. She went on to obtain an MBA from Stanford University and is now a highly sought-after personal crisis and performance coach who helps high-level entrepreneurs and public figures perform at their highest level and deal with the pressures that come with being at the top. 

She has spent over 15 years studying human resiliency and her clients include top-earning entrepreneurs, professional athletes and celebrities.

Finding your path in life, staying true to yourself and leaving a lasting positive impact on the world.

Our featured guest is Maya French.

Maya French is a Co-Founder of Koia, the protein packed, 100 percent plant-based beverage that uses natural ingredients to deliver deliciously nutritious flavors. Maya struggled with food-based allergies, such as being lactose intolerant her whole life, until she discovered the benefits of plant-based proteins when college friend and fellow Koia Co-Founder, Dustin Baker, was testing out recipes in his Chicago kitchen. At this moment, Maya realized her calling was to create a functional product that would contribute to providing consumers with a healthier lifestyle. With only experience in journalism and fashion retail, Maya took a leap of faith into unknown territory to follow her dreams and partnered with Baker to launch Koia. 

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Anyone with the right work ethic, leadership skills, and dedication can build a multi-million dollar business.

Our featured guests today are Steve and Pasha Carter.

Pasha Carter is an NFL Cheerleader turned Multi-Millionaire, who took a $500 investment and turned it into a multi-million dollar empire. She’s an internationally sought after speaker, trainer and Direct Sales Expert.

Steve Carter is a Howard University alum who also built a multi-million dollar networking business. Steve now travels the country training and teaching others how to build successful businesses of their own. He’s now one of the most powerful success coaches in the world.

Together, this is America’s favorite business couple and I’m so happy to share this conversation with our community.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast #BlackLove #BlackCouple

It’s not enough to just be the first or the largest, you have to pave the way for the next.

Our featured guest today is T. Dallas Smith.

Dallas is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at T. Dallas Smith & Company.

He leads all new business development initiatives.  His role includes overseeing all brokerage affairs related to the company and providing chief liaison services to key clients.

Dallas began his commercial real estate career in 1982 at Atlanta Air Center Realty under the guidance of Thomas W. Tift as leasing and management representative for the portfolio. In 1989, he became the first African-American broker at Cushman & Wakefield of Georgia.

His affiliation with the company opened doors for many minority brokers. In 1995, he pioneered the brokerage division for H.J. Russell & Company, an African-American owned construction and management firm, where he served as VP of the Brokerage Division. Dallas led the company initiative of acquiring 40 parcels of real estate, a full city block in the intercity of Atlanta resulting in a mixture of office, retail and multifamily developments now valued at over $20 million.

In 2006, with the blessing of the late Herman Russell, Dallas opened T. Dallas Smith & Company, specializing in tenant representation. T. Dallas Smith & Company has led projects across the country with metrics exceeding more than seven million square feet of commercial property leasing and acquisitions and five thousand acres of land purchases. Since its inception, the team has grown exponentially successfully leading transactions totaling over $15 billion in aggregate value. Dallas is an innovator and thought leader in the commercial real estate community and is intentional about cultivating and developing diverse talent to help shape the commercial real estate industry.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

"You’re going to have your valley moments. You’re going to fail. You’re going to hit road blocks and delays. When those seasons come about and they will, just keep going. Keep watering the seed you'd planted. Keep giving it good soil and sunshine. And just be patient. Have faith and believe in yourself and what’s to come"

Today is a solo episode from your host, Stephen A. Hart.

Stephen A. Hart is the founder of Isles Media, LLC, and a Brand Alignment Strategist who guides busy entrepreneurs and leaders through a clear and proven process to build, market and grow their amazing personal brand.

Trailblazers.FM, is the #1 interview style podcast, hosted by Stephen A. Hart, that explores stories of today’s successful black professionals. The podcast has featured more than 150 black professionals and has been heard by more than 200,000 from 126 countries around the world.

Stephen is a dynamic speaker on the topics of personal branding, entrepreneurship, marketing and podcasting, and is part of the 2016 class of the Black Enterprise 100 Modern Men of Distinction. Stephen has also been featured on the home page of Apple Podcasts, Thrive Global, BET’s Centric TV, and Fortune.com.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Discover this go-to resource that helps when something bad happens to someone that you care about — whether it’s death, a serious illness, divorce, or a miscarriage.

Our featured guest is Marisa Renee Lee.

Marisa Renee Lee, Co-Founder of Supportal, a platform that makes it easier for you to respond when someone you care about is facing a life-changing challenge, is a cross-sector leader dedicated to engaging the private sector to solve public problems. Marisa previously served as the Managing Director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.  Prior to joining MBKA, Marisa served in a variety of roles in the Obama administration including the Deputy Director of Private Sector Engagement and as a Senior Policy Advisor for the Domestic Policy Council and at the Small Business Administration.

Marisa began her career in international finance at Brown Brothers Harriman and during her time there, she founded The Pink Agenda, a breast cancer non-profit, in honor of her mother Lisa. Almost a decade later, The Pink Agenda is now a national organization of young professionals committed to raising money for breast cancer research and direct care service programs in partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Marisa has been a featured speaker at several forums including SXSW. Marisa has also written op-eds on grief, race, opportunity, and economic mobility for CNN, Philanthropy News Digest, News One, Huffington Post, and other outlets. In 2017 she was selected as a member of the “Power 100” by Ebony Magazine among other community crusaders she admires.

Marisa Renee Lee is a graduate of Harvard College and an avid Green Bay Packers fan.  She resides in Falls Church, Virginia with her husband Matt and their dog Sadie.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

"Little becomes much when you place it in the master's hands!"

Our featured guest is Mignon Francois.

Mignon Francois is Black woman Founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection (TCC). While crunching numbers and creating the craze are amongst her job requirements, her favorite responsibilities within this role are giving hugs, listening, and mentoring her team and other up and coming entrepreneurs who seek after her grass roots experience.

Using her “Follow Your Spirit” approach, Mignon developed an iconic flavor that drew lines and attention to the hip nature of her Historic Germantown neighborhood that hadn’t seen this concept developed prior. The success of TCC thereby became icing on the cake amongst the existing North Nashville restaurateurs that would ignite a new movement to the area for other business concepts that might not otherwise have considered doing business in North Nashville.

Since planting its roots in 2008, Mignon’s business savvy has earned her the titles of “Woman of Legend and Merit” by Tennessee State University, “Emerging Business Leader of the Year” and Black Enterprise Magazine “Family Business of the Year Award”.

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Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #BlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

"Up until 2011, neither the VA or HUD even counted homeless women veterans as a homeless population. They didn't even know that they existed or tracked them!"

Our featured guest is Jas Boothe.

Fmr. Army Major Jas Boothe is a Chicago Native, Disabled Veteran, Cancer Survivor, Filmmaker and Speaker who gave over 17 years of service to this great nation.

Jas Boothe is the President and Founder of Final Salute Inc (www.finalsaluteinc.org); providing homeless women Veterans with safe and suitable housing. Final Salute Inc is the only non-profit in the DC Metro are that specifically supports the unique housing needs of homeless female veterans and their children; there are currently 55,000 homeless female Veterans nationwide.

Jas founded Final Salute Inc. due to her life being torn apart by Hurricane Katrina, homelessness and cancer in 2005. Jas was a single mother in the Army Reserves who was headed to Iraq. Due to her efforts and tireless advocacy, Final Salute Inc has raised over 3 million dollars, supported over 5,000 women Veterans and children and provided over 12,600 days of housing since 2011.

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If you're posting to social, please tag @tbpod and use the hashtag #missionfuel #iamblacksuccess

Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #iAmBlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

"With an eye and vision for the future, I saw that tech was an ecosystem that people of color were not participating in."

Our featured guest is Christina Lewis.

Christina Lewis is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of All Star Code, a computer science nonprofit that empowers Black and Latino young men with skills, networks and mind-sets to become entrepreneurs and succeed in the technology sector.

Christina is a member of the Board of the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation and Chair of the Class of 2002 Associates Committee for Harvard College, her alma mater. She is also on Hunter College’s Computer Science Advisory Board, and is an angel investor and advisor to other entrepreneurs.

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If you're posting to social, please tag @tbpod and use the hashtag #missionfuel #iamblacksuccess

Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #iAmBlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Be honest with yourself about what you’re good at doing!

C. David Moody Jr. returns to Trailblazers.FM for his second feature on the podcast. David was one of my very first Black-owned business owners on the show, on episode 11.

Charles David Moody, Jr. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of C.D. Moody Construction Company, Inc., a Black Enterprise BE 100s listed company for several consecutive years.  David is a graduate of both Morehouse College and Howard University.  Today, he runs one of Atlanta's top private companies, responsible for helping build several iconic landmarks.

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If you're posting to social, please tag @tbpod and use the hashtag #missionfuel #iamblacksuccess

Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #iAmBlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast

Every Black History Month we celebrate our Black athletes, civil rights leaders and artists. But too often we overlook our legacy as Black entrepreneurs, business owners and executives, despite having just as deep a legacy in those areas.

Alfred Edmond Jr. returns to Trailblazers.FM for his third feature and second of what we hope to be an annual episode with Alfred sharing stories of our Black business legends.

Alfred is the Senior Vice President and Executive Editor-at-Large of Black Enterprise.

Some time ago, Alfred brought it to my attention that there's often very little conversation about black legacy in business. That fueled my invitation to him to join us on episode 107 for our first Black business legends episode. That episode has gone on to become one of our most downloaded episodes ever on this podcast.

Here are a few of the people who’ve had an impact on the Black community and Black business, and in many cases changed American business in many ways:

• Barry Gordie
• Tom Burrell
• Comer Cottrell
• Cathy Hughes

My ask today is that you’d share this episode with your family, friends and others in the Black community. If you're posting to social, please use the hashtags #blackbusinesslegend and #missionfuel Let’s be reminded of those who paved a path for us. It’s on us to keep these business legends top of mind and ensure they are never forgotten.

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If you're posting to social, please tag @tbpod and use the hashtag #missionfuel #iamblacksuccess

Please help us by SHARING this podcast with others. We believe that these inspiring stories are going to move aspiring Black trailblazers to make significant changes that have generational impact, both now and well into the future. 

Blazer Nation, join our community at iamblacksuccess.com 

And connect with host Stephen A. Hart on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#BlackExcellence #iAmBlackSuccess #BlackMen #BlackWomen #BlackEntrepreneur #BlackLeader #BlackPodcast