Torin Ellis

Inclusive Impact: Redefining Leadership with Equity and Purpose I had the honor of speaking with Thane Kreiner, PhD Co-Founder of Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) and former Executive Director of the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, about how inclusive leadership creates lasting impact. Thane shared how equity, innovation, and purpose are reshaping the way leaders build organizations and communities. In our Thrive Leadership Forum 2025 session, Thane discussed: • How diverse leadership drives stronger governance and decision-making • Why preparing underrepresented leaders for corporate boards is critical to equity • The role of social enterprises in addressing global challenges with innovation • Practical strategies for embedding inclusion into leadership models • How purpose-driven leadership ensures long-term impact and resilience His insights remind us that inclusive leadership is not optional, it is essential. When leaders open doors, elevate voices, and lead with equity, they create impact that transforms industries and communities alike. Watch the replay here: https://hubs.ly/Q03MtC920 Learn about Highland connections :https://hubs.ly/Q03MtC9-0 Learn about lifestyle management : https://hubs.ly/Q03MtBKd0 #ThriveLeadershipForum2025, #InclusiveLeadership, #EquityInLeadership, #LeadershipWithImpact, #FutureOfLeadership Keith R. Miller Stelios Hatzakis

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Nonprofit leaders and small business owners: the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) brings new reporting requirements that could impact your organization. Here’s what you’ll learn in our guide: ✔️ Who needs to report (and who’s exempt) ✔️ What “beneficial ownership” means ✔️ Key deadlines & penalties ✔️ Step-by-step compliance tips Staying informed protects your mission and your resources. 👉 Read the full guide here. > https://lnkd.in/eYGszMTe #smallbusinessowners #completecontroller #nonprofit

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Our client James Norman Black Operator Ventures byline published in Fast Company on what Black tech founders need to know before raising their first VC round 💰 ��� 👇🏾 #investor #funding #seed #founder #tech #VC #venturecapital

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A new invite-only social platform, founded and led by Black women, aims to reshape the digital space by prioritizing safety and authentic connections. Byio—short for ‘By Invite Only’—calls itself the first AI-driven SaaS social platform founded and owned by Black women. Launched on Sept. 9, its distinctive selection-based model seeks to tackle the discrimination, censorship, content theft, and unfair monetization that many in the Black community face in everyday digital spaces. https://lnkd.in/ehFys6zt

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If “support Black-owned” matters to you, make it repeatable. Practical approach: choose one business or cause and assign a realistic monthly amount. If budget is tight, support through referrals, reviews, and introductions. This is why the NoBS Collective exists. We focus on systems that people can sustain. What’s one support habit you can make consistent?

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Busy start to 2026 for Black Tech Street. Not noise. Not motion for motion’s sake. Infrastructure. We’re doubling down on expanding real tech opportunity across Greenwood and throughout Oklahoma. AI fluency. Innovation with community. Research that shapes national strategy. Making sure our community is not watching the AI era happen, but building within it. Greenwood has always been proof of what’s possible. Now we’re scaling that proof for the AI age.

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Last week, as a Black business owner of 628 Digital Design - Certified B Corp, and as President and Co-Founder of CMWP Foundation, Inc., I joined fellow business leaders and state officials as ConnCORP and The Lab revealed the findings of the 2025 State of Black Business Report. . The data highlighted the disparities Black business owners face in Connecticut. . 3️⃣❌ Black business owners are 3x more likely to be denied funding compared to white business owners with same credit score and financial history. . 🤯 Fragmented, inconsistent, and unclear municipal support lead to limited supplier diversity opportunities. . 💰👩🏽‍💼 Black businesses and entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) require investments, not just admiration of our resilience. . Jahkeeva Morgan Erik Clemons Philip Rigueur . #SoBB #ConnCORP #BlackinCT #cmwpfoundation #628digitaldesign

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At Black Girls Do Politics, we talk about everything effecting Black communitites — including climate change. In our latest episode, we sit down with Elijah Perry , former Executive Director of GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic, and Cydnee Harris, B.A , Environmental Programs Project Manager for VOTE SoAR, to examine where environmental policy, racial justice, and Black civic engagement meet. Environmental justice is not a niche issue. It's a matter of public health, economic equity, and political power — and Black communities deserve to be at the center of that conversation. 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform #EnvironmentalJustice #BlackLeadership #ClimatePolicy #BlackWomen #BGDP #BlackGirlsDoPolitics

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If your nonprofit Org Chart looks more like a "Spiderweb," it’s time for a redesign. For the Mission-Driven Founder, the federal leaders and policy pros in the DMV, time is a luxury. Their passion is the "Why," but without a clear "How," the COO is left carrying the weight of the world. To move from a passion project to a grant-ready powerhouse, your structure needs to look like this: 🏛️ The Board of Directors (The Compass) The Board isn't just "names on a letterhead." They provide the high-level oversight that keeps the ED accountable. Their job? Legal and ethical standards. Your job (as the COO)? Making sure they have the data to make high-level decisions without getting lost in the weeds. ⚖️ Executive Leadership (The Bridge) This is the ED and the COO. The ED (the Founder) translates the vision; the COO translates that vision into results. This is where the magic happens. If the ED is busy at their "9-to-5," this leadership tier ensures the mission doesn't pause when the Founder is in a meeting. ⚙️ Core Departments (The Engine) Fundraising, Operations, Programs, and Communications. These aren't just boxes. They are your Fundability Pillars. -Fundraising/Grants: The fuel. -Programs: The proof. -Operations: The oil. -Communications: The megaphone. 🤝 Volunteers (The Force Multipliers) For a growing nonprofit, volunteers aren't just "extra help." They are capacity builders. They support the core departments, bringing fresh energy and skills so the executive team can stay focused on scaling. The Bottom Line for COOs: When the Founder is a high achiever with a demanding career, the Org Chart is your best friend. It prevents the "Founder's Trap" where the ED is the only person who can make a decision and creates a professional environment that foundations want to fund. Is your Org Chart empowering your Founder or exhausting them? Let’s build a structure that lets the ED lead and the mission thrive. #NonprofitLeadership #OrganizationalStructure #COO #GrantStrategy #SocialImpact #GraceGrants

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We’re proud to celebrate a major milestone of our colleagues and friends at NorthStar of GIS: Black in Geography, GIS, and the Geosciences—Episode 50 of the Northstar GIS podcast! 🎉 Tune in as our Executive Director, Elizabeth Cotton-Harps, shares her journey building GIS programs that create real pathways into the geospatial workforce. From launching training initiatives to expanding access for underrepresented communities, this conversation highlights the vision and impact behind our work at Black Tech Link. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in GIS, workforce development, and the future of equitable tech ecosystems. 🎧 Listen in and learn more about how we’re mapping the future—together.

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Black success is built on community and access to the right tools. We Are Black America exists because too many talented Black founders face barriers to practical knowledge and technology designed for them. Our goal is straightforward: to create a space where early-stage entrepreneurs find culturally relevant education, digital tools tailored for their journey, and a supportive community that understands their experience. This isn’t about hype or quick fixes — it’s about real connections and shared progress so Black-owned businesses not only start but grow and last. If this perspective resonates, I encourage you to explore what we’re building at weareblackamerica.com and reflect on how visibility and community empower us all.

Over the last few months we've had hundreds of founders nominate thousands of companies to the upcoming Black Flag 100 list. These are the new companies that founders are "most excited about right now" across various industries. We'll be releasing the final 100 in the coming weeks, but some interesting patterns are emerging on the industries being represented across all nominations: 🤖 Robotics & Manufacturing - 25% 🛡️ Defense - 20% 🚀 Space - 17% 🧠 AI / Compute - 12% ⚡ Energy - 10% ⛏️ Materials & Mining - 8% 🧬 Bio - 7% What's interesting is that the final 100 is looking a bit different in this distribution. For example, Robotics & Manufacturing is the most nominated category overall, but in our current shortlist, it sits in the middle of the pack. Meaning the nominations are spread across a larger number of unique companies, so the field is wider but more fragmented. AI / Compute is the inverse story. Middle-of-the-pack on total nominations, but it's punching way above its weight on the final list with fewer unique companies being nominated (the same names keep coming up). What do you think about the distribution? Anything surprising so far?

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🎙️ New episode is now up! Join the conversation with Elizabeth Cotton-Harps, founder of Black Tech Link, as we explore what it really takes to build pathways and expand access in tech and GIS. Elizabeth shares how her work is creating opportunities through STEM education, workforce development, and community-driven programs—opening doors for more people to step into geospatial and tech spaces. We also get into her journey, the importance of visibility, and the real challenges of sustaining mission-driven work in today’s landscape. This episode is a reminder that access, community, and intention are key to shaping the future of women in GIS. 🔗 Listen Now: https://lnkd.in/gFtxr8zW 🔗 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g3aRxqEc 🔗 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/42Wnmf7 🔗 Amazon Audible: https://adbl.co/3ThVIFZ #NorthStarGAZE #WomenInGIS #GeoEquity #STEMAccess #WorkforceDevelopment #Geospatial #BlackInTech #GISCommunity

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📈 What’s changing in nonprofit compensation for 2026? One standout takeaway from our new 2026 Nonprofit Salary Guide: pay ranges are widening for the same roles — meaning nonprofits are compensating very differently depending on geography, flexibility, and mission-critical urgency. If you’re using last year’s benchmarks, you may already be behind. Our 2026 Nonprofit Salaries & Staffing Trends report breaks down where nonprofits are stretching budgets, where salaries are stabilizing, and how leaders are adjusting compensation to stay competitive without losing mission alignment. If you’re planning hires, retention strategies, or board conversations this year, this data matters. 👉 Download the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/gDSHpC48 #NonprofitLeadership #NonprofitHR #CompensationStrategy #NonprofitHiring #SalaryTrends

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Corporate Sponsorship vs. Venture Capital: The Best Path for Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship in 2025? pAccelerating Black leadership and entrepreneurship requires a multifaceted approach combining access to capital, high-level corporate sponsorship, and robust professional networks. Key strategies involve direct investment from venture capital, structured leadership pipelines within corporations, and dedicated mentorship from organizations that connect aspiring leaders with established executives. In 2025, global business leadership is about more than just …/p

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E.TBD will be doing a weekly run down of what's happening on the BMore social enterprise scene. Here's the first. You can follow E.TBD's page to see these. Also, if you have an item you'd like listed, please drop us a note at https://lnkd.in/eiYrEq7S and we'll add it in. We're focusing in on Baltimore and on the social sector / social enterprises.

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