Will Lucas

Fearless Fund is investing in Africa following a landmark anti-DEI legal battle that forced it to close its U.S. grant program for Black women. CEO Arian Simone took the mission to Africa. The fund officially launched in Ghana on March 21, 2026, offering microfinance loans and a pitch competition to women entrepreneurs — https://lnkd.in/euRztUyw

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Fireside Commons is built on intentional design. Every role is curated. Every voice carries responsibility. And the Decision Holder is supported, not spotlighted. This reflection from our Bridgekeeper at our most recent Commons warms my heart. This is what becomes possible when leadership spaces are resourced with care. If you believe thoughtful containers matter as much as bold ideas, this one is for you. Take it to the BRIDGE! The right rooms don’t just happen. They are built. 🔥🫱🏿‍🫲🏾

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The Ghana–Jamaica Homecoming Festival has officially kicked off at the Labadi Beach Hotel, bringing together creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders from Ghana, the Caribbean, and beyond. Led by Grammy award-winning reggae artist Gramps Morgan, the festival aims to: 1. Strengthen ties between Africa and its global diaspora 2. Empower youth through education, collaboration, and enterprise 3. Showcase cultural, tourism, and economic opportunities This initiative is more than a celebration of shared heritage—it’s a platform for transformation. Through skill-building sessions, business networking, and creative showcases, young people and entrepreneurs are given tools to thrive on a global stage. A special thanks to Broadway Entertainment, Dadason Entertainment, and Six Degrees Africa for making this cultural and economic vision a reality. Ghana continues to solidify its role as a hub for diaspora engagement, creativity, and cultural diplomacy. #GhanaJamaicaHomecoming #YouthEmpowerment #DiasporaEngagement #CulturalDiplomacy #CreativeEconomy #AfricaRising #GlobalAfricanIdentity

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Influencer Marketing has become the band aid for bad marketing In the Caribbean, influencer marketing has become the quick fix for businesses that never built real digital infrastructure. Too many companies still operate with outdated strategies, no websites, and no data systems. When it’s time to drive awareness or sales, the first instinct is to call an influencer. The result is predictable. A flood of surface-level content that entertains but rarely educates. No e-commerce integration, no tracking, no attribution. Success is still being measured in likes and impressions instead of actual revenue. And because most influencers in our region aren’t professionals in the industries they promote, the disconnect shows. They’re comedians, lifestyle personalities, or general creators being asked to sell products and services they have no real expertise in. It’s the same handful of faces promoting everything from skincare to real estate. That lack of alignment erodes authenticity even further. Here’s what most brands and agencies ignore. Many influencers themselves feel pressured to give glowing reviews. They know that one honest critique could cost them the next paycheck. So they appear “balanced” while quietly holding back criticism. It’s not sincerity, it’s survival. At the same time, brands curate special experiences for influencers — private events, staged trips, exclusive versions of their products — things the average customer will never experience. When regular people buy in and realize their experience doesn’t match the influencer’s, the distrust deepens. This is why influencer marketing is collapsing under its own weight. It was never built on data, credibility, or trust — just borrowed attention. The future belongs to brands that build their own influence, not rent it!!!

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🔥 THIS WAS A POWERFUL CONVERSATION 🎥 NOW LIVE ON HERcast with Dr. Chito Winning in the marketplace is never accidental. It requires clarity, confidence, strategy, and courage. On this episode of HERcast with Dr. Chito, I sit down with Nkiru Olumide Ojo, a respected corporate communications, marketing, and social impact leader, and a trusted voice in branding and leadership. This is a timely and honest leadership conversation on what it truly takes for women to win in the marketplace, not just to survive, but to lead with influence, purpose, and impact. If you are building, growing, leading, or finding your voice, this episode is for you. 📺 WATCH NOW ON YOUTUBE HERcast with Dr. Chito https://lnkd.in/etp6g-Qg 📡 CATCH IT ON RAPID TV StarTimes Channel 176 Saturdays 7 pm | Sundays 2 pm 🎧 LISTEN ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS Follow us 👉 HERcast with Dr. Chito 👉 Dr. Chito Nwana ✨ HERcast with Dr. Chito Where women rise, leaders are built, and impact is multiplied. #HERcastWithDrChito #WinningInTheMarketplace #WomenWhoLead #WomenWinning #LeadershipConversations #AfricanWomenLead #PowerfulConversations

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The Global African Business Association (GABA) was honored to engage with global leaders through Global Ties Detroit as part of the U.S. Department of State-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Program. Our team, Rhonna-Rose Akama-Makia, aPHRi and Akindele Akinyemi, participated in a high-level convening of nine (9) entrepreneurs and senior business leaders representing Algeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, Uganda, Togo, Benin, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This regional engagement, focused on Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, reflects a growing commitment to strengthening cross-border collaboration between Africa and the United States. Through engagements across Metro Detroit and other U.S. cities, this initiative highlights the critical role of public-private partnerships, innovation ecosystems, and global trade networks in advancing entrepreneurship. GABA remains committed to building structured pathways that connect African enterprises to U.S. markets through trade, investment, and institutional collaboration.

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Be Intentional About Your Business I think one thing every entrepreneur must learn is to be intentional — especially about packaging. For example Apple. They don’t just sell products; they sell an experience. Everything from the packaging to customer service is thoughtfully designed. The truth is, many businesses sometimes don’t take time to be exceptional. We rush to launch, we rush to sell, and in the process, we neglect excellence. But excellence takes time. It takes planning. I know motivational speakers often say, “Just start.” And yes, starting is important—but planning is just as important. Because if you fail to plan, you’re already planning to fail. So before you start, take time to strategize: 1- How will your packaging look? What experience will it give and what feeling will it give? 2-How will your customers be treated? 3- How will your business operate behind the scenes? Don’t just start—start with a plan. Because when you plan, you prepare yourself for excellence. So my motivation for you today is simple: plan, plan, and plan. 📩 And if you’d like to book a consultation with me, or explore collaboration, my DMs are open. #businessgrowthstrategy #businessstrategy #MarketingConsultant

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The “I’ll just do everything myself” business is a trap. And it’s one of the biggest structural reasons Black business stays small. Not because people aren’t talented. Not because ambition is missing. But because the system most Black founders operate inside forces isolation. Silos create this loop: *Everyone builds alone *Everyone stays small *No one shares data *No one shares customers *No one shares capital *No one de-risks growth *Everyone remains solo So the ecosystem never compounds. And the data shows this isn’t philosophy — it’s literally the structure of Black business in America: Over 80% of Black-owned businesses have zero employees. Less than 1% ever cross $1M in annual revenue. Only about 4% reach even 10 employees. So what we call “Black entrepreneurship” is mostly: millions of people running micro-operations under capital pressure. Not firms. Not platforms. Not systems. Just self-employment. That’s why the solo model feels safe: no payroll no partners no investors no governance *no risk of disappointing anyone but yourself But structurally it guarantees: a revenue ceiling, a single point of failure, *and a business that dies the moment you stop working. Now layer in the AI fantasy.. We’re being sold this story: one person, a few screens, some prompts, and suddenly… solo trillionaires working from home. That story is dangerous. AI doesn’t remove the laws of scale. It just lowers the cost of entering the same trap. It lets one person fake a team, fake a product suite, fake a marketing department, fake a strategy unit. But it can’t fake: distribution, capital, trust, governance, infrastructure. So instead of: undercapitalized solo founders, we’re about to get: undercapitalized solo founders with better software. Same structure. Same ceiling. Faster burnout. That’s why silos don’t just limit Black organizations. They manufacture Black self-employment instead of Black enterprises. You don’t get: Black agencies (you get freelancers) Black platforms (you get apps) Black holding companies (you get hustles) Black supply chains (you get vendors) Black venture firms (you get pitch decks) You get 10,000 isolated people doing $40k each instead of 100 integrated firms doing $4M each. Same talent. Same community. Completely different outcome. The real risk of AI isn’t job loss. It’s institution loss. If we don’t build shared systems, shared data layers, shared distribution, shared capital pools, all we’re doing is building faster solos inside smarter silos. And that is the most efficient way imaginable to never build real power. Playing Offense Carter Rankin Author — Available on Amazon Books: *Afro Global 2035, The Urgent Global Strategy For Black America, *$1.9 Trillion Spent, Love Letters From Corporate Brands To The Black Community *1995 Million Man March, $100 Billion Dollar Missed Opportunity *Bye Bye Christmas, We Broke, We Tired *Reparations: Paid in Full *January 15th Scorecard Day *Love Letters From Failure

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How To Position for Growth and Expansion in the New Month As we enter this new month, it's time for us to position our organizations, ministries, and businesses for growth, development, and new connections. Here are a few quick ways to get started: ✨Embrace Innovation– Stay open to new ideas, tools, and strategies that can drive growth and improve efficiency. ✨Strengthen Relationships – Focus on building and nurturing partnerships that align with your mission. Collaboration is key to expansion. ✨Expand Your Reach – Take this month as an opportunity to connect with new networks, whether locally or globally, and extend your influence. ✨Focus on Sustainable Practices – Growth isn't just about scaling; it's about sustainable practices that will create long-term impact. Position yourself and your ministry to not only grow, but expand your reach and build meaningful connections. This month holds the potential to propel you forward!

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You only post when you have a sale or an event happening? Here's why “pre-heating” in marketing is so important… #haiti #smallbusiness #intentional #intentionalmarketing #kayasah

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🔥 THIS WAS A POWERFUL CONVERSATION. 🎥 LIVE NOW ON HERCAST WITH DR. CHITO Winning in the marketplace is not by chance. It takes clarity, confidence, strategy, and courage. On this episode of HERcast with Dr. Chito, I sit with Dr. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo (@nkiruolumideojo), a leading corporate communications, marketing, and social impact leader, and a trusted authority in branding and leadership. This is a real and timely leadership conversation about what it truly takes for women to win in the marketplace not just survive, but lead with influence and impact. If you are building, growing, leading, or finding your voice, this episode is for you. 📺 WATCH NOW ON YOUTUBE HERcast with Dr. Chito 📡 CATCH IT ON RAPID TV StarTimes Channel 176 Saturdays 7 pm | Sundays 2 pm 🎧 LISTEN ON ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS Follow us 👉 @hercastpodcast 👉 @drchiton ✨ HERcast with Dr. Chito Where women rise, leaders are built, and impact is multiplied. #PowerfulConversations #HERcastWithDrChito #WinningInTheMarketplace #WomenWhoLead #WomenWinning #LeadershipConversations #AfricanWomenLead

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In this clip, we explore how core church operations mirror a corporate structure. From the operational ‘banking hall’ duties of ushering, collecting, and depositing funds, to the tactical oversight of supervision and reporting, and the strategic work of budgeting, fundraising, and annual reporting. We break down how managing a congregation’s mission requires the same layered expertise as running a successful business. Beyond these, churches also rely on auditing to ensure financial transparency, fleet management to coordinate transport and logistics, building engineering to maintain safe and functional facilities, and procurement to source resources responsibly. Together, these functions reveal that effective ministry leadership is as much about organizational discipline as it is about spiritual guidance. https://lnkd.in/dqTAYfur

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Officially published. “Rebuilding the Black Metropolis: Exploring Sustainable and Prosperous Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Solutions in African American Communities in Chicago” is now part of the academic record. This work examines structural barriers to capital access and presents ecosystem-based solutions to support sustainable Black entrepreneurship and wealth creation. Concordia University Chicago ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2025 The mission continues: building systems that produce ownership, economic mobility, and long-term community transformation.

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On the latest episode of @thecreativiteapodcast, I discussed why #GTBank consistently makes an impact in culture, participating in events like Fashion Weekends, Food & Drink Festivals, and concerts. The reasoning is sound, the strategy is intentional, and the results are undeniable. GTBank has established cultural relevance and has remained top-of-mind for years as a financial institution that resonates with people. For more insights, check out the full episode of CreativiTea available on YouTube, Spotify, and all your favourite platforms. Take a listen! #livewithlynda #withcreativityeverythingcomesalive

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What can make you stand out during site selection? According to Nicholette Ross, it’s a community-ready mindset! In this episode of EDO Breakthrough, host Sandy Dubay, CEcD, talks with Nicholette, Managing Consultant at Global Location Strategies—who shares why early stakeholder engagement matters more than many communities realize, how to stay competitive even if your site isn’t perfect, and what it means to be honest (and strategic) about limitations.

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