Every business shifts over the course of a year, but not every founder takes the time to understand how those shifts happened. A thoughtful year-end review helps you pause the momentum, gather the truth , and see the real story behind your decisions, systems, and relationships. For Black and Brown women founders building inside ecosystems that weren’t designed with their realities in mind, an annual business review becomes a form of power. It gives you clarity in the places

At Black Girl Ventures, we invest in founders who are reshaping what economic equity looks like in real life.  This Giving Tuesday, we are inviting our community to help expand the work that is already changing how women of color access capital, build networks, and create long-term wealth. Across the BGV ecosystem, founders are solving real problems, building companies with purpose, and contributing to the economic fabric of their communities. They are designing products roo

Discover the winners of Black Girl Ventures’ 2025 Pitch Competition and see how Black women founders are redefining wellness, commerce, and beauty through community-driven innovation.

Black Friday is coming, and inboxes are already overflowing. Every brand is fighting for attention, and it’s easy to feel like your emails will get lost in the noise . The pressure builds to match what everyone else is doing: more discounts, more urgency, more messages. But that only adds to the overwhelm. The truth is, the emails that stand out during Black Friday aren’t the loudest. They’re the most genuine. They connect with customers before the sale begins  and continue t

You felt it, the rush of December . Orders flying in, your brand buzzing, the kind of momentum that makes all those late nights feel worth it. And then January arrived. Quiet. Still. Almost uncomfortably so. The energy that once fueled your business disappeared, leaving you wondering , “How do I make them stay?” The instinct is to push harder. More ads. More posts. More discounts. But seasoned founders know that growth isn’t about reach; it’s about retention . You’re not Amaz

It turns out most holiday losses come from a few small , repairable slips, not from your offer. While you're refining campaigns and refreshing your website, your business might be quietly losing  up to 40% of potential holiday income  through simple mistakes that have nothing to do with your product. By   December 15, most customers  have already made their buying decisions. After that, only last-minute shoppers remain. The good news: every one of these leaks is reversible. A

Every founder knows the feeling: the 2 a.m. work session that was supposed to buy freedom but instead bought fatigue. The guilt that...

Philadelphia has always been known for its grit and heart, and this event embodied both. These Black women founders didn’t just pitch...

Before launching Mixed Up Clothing , Sonia Smith-Kang was a critical care nurse. Her shift into entrepreneurship began with a personal...

Dear BGV Family, Nine years. When I say it out loud, it feels both like the blink of an eye and a lifetime of lessons, growth, and community.  As I sit with this milestone, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for every person who has walked alongside Black Girl Ventures, from our team and board to our founders, partners, and supporters who have made this journey possible. When I started BGV, I couldn’t have imagined the impact we would create together. And yet here we are,

What if the blueprint you’ve been handed for building a business left out the strategies that actually make it sustainable? You’re...

Beauty Independent Every August, Black Business Month sparks a wave of headlines about representation, diversity, and progress. The...

Black Girl Ventures is building the future of entrepreneurship, and our 2025 Chicago Pitch Competition proved it. These Black women...

The Secret Behind BGV's Success Stories When we sat down with 15+ Black Girl Ventures pitch competition winners (a sample group who've...

When Lisa Bailey taught her teenage son how to drive, she expected nerves, not a business idea.  But what began as a mother’s concern for...

When we talk about building tomorrow's economy, we're not waiting for permission. We're creating the blueprint ourselves. That blueprint...

You ever feel like you're running a marathon with no finish line? Just endless pressure , constant pitching, relentless proving? The...

Whether you're pitching , learning, or simply showing up for your future, these are the gatherings that can shape how you close out the...

By July, the expectation is clear.Founders are supposed to be in momentum mode . Scaling. Optimizing. Hitting the numbers. But for many...

Photo by Richard Levine/Alamy Juneteenth marked the announcement of freedom, but not its delivery. No reparations. No structural support....