Paging Dr. Eve
She not's a medical doctor and this isn't medical advice.
*This episode is sponsored by NC IDEA.
Hey honeys and hustlers,
Evingerlean Blakney, PhD., the founder of Evingerlean Worldwide, is our most recent guest on the Honey & Hustle podcast. If there was ever an episode that left me saying, “Whew, we had a TIME last night!” this is it. 😂 Talking with Evingerlean felt like catching up with an old friend. Maybe it’s because our birthdays are one day apart, or maybe it’s because Evingerlean is an incredibly open and gentle human being. This is probably the most I’ve candidly shared my own experience with higher education and traditional employment. In fact, I was so comfortable that we talked for almost 2 hours 🤯 (and this is not even including the bloopers and outtakes we took out) – by far our longest recorded episode yet.
You can watch the first half of the interview or listen to the full episode below. The second half of the video version of the interview drops today so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that if you’d prefer to watch it on YouTube.
You can also check it out on Apple Podcasts.
"Entrepreneurship is inconsistent, but it's crazy, beautiful, and exciting." - Evingerlean Blakney, PhD.
College is worth it, despite the challenges that first-generation or underrepresented students may face. Every decision we make in college feels monumental – from trying to pass classes to finding opportunities for personal and professional growth. College is a time for learning, networking, and building skills that can be applied to future endeavors. You don’t need to go to college to be an entrepreneur, but it can be the birthplace of acquiring skills and entrepreneurial thinking. If you’re a first-generation college student or considering starting a side hustle while seeking security: this is the conversation where we get real about transferable skills and how to leverage your college experience to enhance your life after graduation.
If you are someone who wants to make a significant impact and bring about change, in addition to the work you already do, you likely need to reach a higher level within an organization where you have decision-making power (which can take many years to achieve) OR you will have to be intentional about the business(es) you build. The first half of the conversation is geared towards early-stage entrepreneurs, and the second half is giving grown folks talk (aka mid-level career or higher-level career entrepreneurs).
Learn more about the world Evingerlean is building at https://www.evingerlean.com/
"Are you willing to give it 5, 7, 10 years? Are you willing to lose sleep? Are you willing to hear no?" - Evingerlean Blakney, PhD.
This episode is supported by NC IDEA, an independent, private foundation whose vision is to help North Carolinians achieve their entrepreneurial ambition to start and grow high-potential companies. The applications just closed for their $10K Micro Grant and $50K Seed Grant opportunities, but be sure to check out their website for information on all the other programs and events they’ll be having throughout the year!
This is our last episode of the curated series for Black History Month and concludes the first month of the new season. We have more stories coming your way with new episodes releasing on Tuesdays, but before we get to those – how did you like this curated series? Which guest was your favorite? What was your biggest takeaway? Did you submit a grant application to NC IDEA? Respond to this email or leave a voice note below! (You may hear and see your response in a future episode!)
It’s an honor to share Evingerlean’s bubbly personality with you — may it help you along your creative and entrepreneurship journey (especially as you begin your next venture!).
In Readworthy News
//one
Netflix just uploaded a full feature-length film to YouTube. Nimona is an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature. We’ve already seen a few HBO originals and exclusive shows move to Netflix. Will we continue to see Netflix-exclusive movies and shows move to YouTube?
//two
Churchy isn’t KevOnStage’s only recent release. Keeping pace with his momentum, he released his branded set of playing cards this month. Card games are continuing to increase in popularity and creators are capitalizing on their ability to create culturally relevant and exciting games. Terrell is now casting for a live game show version of IKFYL, a segment of his main show and a card game he released in late 2023 (to almost immediate sellout success). Who will be next?
//three
Marques Brownlee has inked a 4 year, $1M deal with Ridge. Ridge is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand making popular, minimal everyday carry wallets and key holders. For $250K/year and equity, Marques will create branded videos and custom products in collaboration with Ridge. It’s a win-win-win: Marques doesn’t have to invest in R&D and product-based business infrastructure, Ridge doesn’t have to rely solely on their ability to build an audience and figure out video production for their products, and Ridge customers will now get innovative, tech-influenced products to enhance their everyday carry setup.
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🤙🏾✨
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