Draya Michele, Gizelle Bryant Join The Virtual ESSENCE Entrepreneur Summit

For the Mint Swim and EveryHueBeauty buyers…

Source: Brian Stukes/Jon Kapoloff / Getty

Dear budding and established entrepreneurs, ESSENCE has something for you. The media, technology, and commerce company dedicated to Black women and communities has announced its ESSENCE+ New Voices Entrepreneur Summit.

Taking place TONIGHT, Wednesday, December 9, from 6 PM–9 PM ET, the Summit will focus on providing information and insights to support the dynamic career and entrepreneurship aspirations of its community. Per COVID regulations, the experience will be completely virtual and streamed on ESSENCEStudios.com. It will spotlight R&B fan faves turned entrepreneurs Bill Biv Devoe who each have separate companies and brands.

Other celeb attendees included Draya Michele who’s proven to be more than just a Basketball Wife but a businesswoman with her copious curve flaunting Mint Swim brand…

and don’t tell Karen Huger, but fellow petty Potomac housewife/EveryHue Beauty founder Gizelle Bryant will also be on hand.

The celebs are said to be taking part in “enlightening conversations, interactive sessions, and more.”

See a description of the summit workshops below.

• Power Moves with Power Players: A reflective and forward-looking conversation on finding lucrative success as thriving entrepreneurs in and outside of the entertainment industry.
  • Bell Biv DeVoe (BBD) 
    • Michael Bivins, CEO, Sportyrich Enterprises & Music Mogul
    • Ronnie DeVoe, Owner, DeVoe Real Estate
    • Ricky Bell, CEO, RNB Entertainment
  • Chauncey Hamlett, VP/CMO, South Division, Pepsico Beverages North America
  • Michele Thornton Ghee, Visionary Leader, Speaker, Author, CEO, Stratechic, LLC

• Hustle & Hollywood: Finding Success As A Celebrity Entrepreneur: Following business dreams despite demanding schedules, busy family lives, and the constant watch of the ever-critical public eye.
  • Karamo, Co-founder, MANTL
  • Gizelle Bryant, Founder, EveryHueBeauty
  • Draya Michelle, Founder, MintSwim
  • Caroline Wanga, ESSENCE Interim CEO

• Show Me the Money: Business pioneers sharing their experiences and advice on securing venture capital funding to grow to the next level.
  • Ashlee Ammons & Kerry Schrader, Founders, Mixtroz | New Voices
  • Kimberly Bryant, Founder & Executive Director, Black Girls CODE
  • Pinky Cole, Founder, Slutty Vegan
  • Yvonne McNair, CEO and Founder, Captivate Marketing Group 

• Next Generation Boss:  A roundtable of next-generation leaders and Black business owners – under the age of 18 – on what entrepreneurship looks like in a new era of possibilities.
  • Jett Montgomery, Founder, Jettgerale
  • Kheris Rogers, Founder, Flexin In My Completion
  • Moziah Bridges, Founder, Mo’s Bows
  • Taylor Roberts, Founder, Princess Mudd Hair & Skincare 
  • Gia Peppers, Journalist

• Advancing Black Entrepreneurs by Chase for Business: The Power of Capital – Start, Run, Grow: JPMC experts on the power of capital through the business lifecycle, including thinking strategically about cash flow, credit options, SBA/business banking loans, and more.
  • Tosh Ernest, Head of Wealth, Advancing Black Pathways, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
  • Racquel Oden, Managing Director, Head of National Sales & Support, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
  • Renae Bluitt, Creator & Executive Producer, “She Did That”
  • Lavonda Davis, Vice President, Business Relationship Manager, Chase for Business
  • Leyonna Barba, Executive Director, Middle Market Banking, Technology & Disruptive Commerce, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

• Transform to Thrive in a Digital World, Presented by Microsoft: Reimagining ways to stay on the leading edge to thrive in the digital world – whether learning new skills, partnering for success, or digitizing marketing.  This panel to share how to use technology to elevate your business.
  • Amie Seisay, Founder and CEO, Seisay IT Solutions
  • Tina Eskridge, Sr. Director of Marketing, Microsoft
  • Sandee Kastrul, President and Co-founder, i.c.stars
  • Samantha Thompson, Search Engine Marketing Strategist

• Aveeno®: Perfecting Your Pitch, Presented by Aveeno®: Have an idea, a product or a vision that could use a boost to bring your entrepreneurial dreams to life? Skin health and beauty industry experts to share best practices on how to present yourself and perfect your pitch to spark interest in you and your business.
  • Alfred A. Edmond Jr., SVP/editor-at-large of BLACK ENTERPRISE
  • Abena Boamah, CEO, Hanahana Beauty
  • Tonya Thompson & Sharie Wilson, Founders, DreamGirls
  • Cameka Smith, Founder & CEO, The BOSS Network

The Summit culminates the ESSENCE Level Up & Thrive Virtual Event Series, which was designed to help entrepreneurs and business professionals put their 2021 career goals in motion. It kicked off on December 3 with the ESSENCE E-Suite: The Art of the Pivot.

Sponsors for this event are Advancing Black Entrepreneurs by Chase for Business, Aveeno®, Walmart, Pepsi and Microsoft.

For more information or to register for the ESSENCE + New Voices Virtual Entrepreneur Summit, visit ESSENCE.com.