The Teredactyl Store

01/18/2022

Black Owned Plant-Based Hair Extension Brand Raises $1.4 Million, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/3KkzkWa

01/18/2022

Many Black women and men wear their hair in protective styles such as twists and braids that use hair extensions that are often made from plastic.

According to a 2020 report by Refinery29, synthetic hair is made up of “ultra-fine strands of plastic” and non-biodegradable materials like polyester, acrylic, and PVC that contribute to landfills. Synthetic hair can also cause severe scalp irritation and itchiness on contact.

Image credit: Rebundle

This scalp irritation is what inspired Rebundle, a Black owned plant-based hair extension brand, to offer a biodegradable alternative to synthetic braiding hair. They are the first beauty brand to address both the health and environmental disparities in the hair extensions industry.

Image credit: Rebundle

The St. Louis-based startup is led by co-founder and CEO Imani May and co-founder and chief marketing officer Danielle Washington.

May got the idea for Rebundle after experiencing discomfort from her braids while wearing braids back to back as she grew her hair out.

When the brand officially launched its first product, Braid Better hair, in Jan. 2021, the pre-order inventory sold out within a month, with over 14% of sales coming directly from Instagram. The page also grew from 1,000 followers to now over 14,000.

Image credit: Rebundle

The product is made from naturally extracted banana fiber, which is sourced internationally. The hair can be cut, dyed, and manipulated the same as any other hair. It is also resistant to heat and can be flat ironed.

Yesterday, the Rebundle announced that it has raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round.

Several investors participated in Rebundle’s financing, including St. Louis startup funder Arch Grants, a nonprofit. Other investors included RareBreed Ventures, M25, Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, Sku’d Ventures, Chicago Early, Big Delta Capital, Precursor Ventures, Evergreen Climate Innovations and Innocreative Capital.

The new investment will be used to plans to add additional team members and establish a new local manufacturing facility.

Tony O. Lawson

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Rebundle, a Black owned plant-based hair extension brand, offers a biodegradable alternative to synthetic braiding hair.

01/16/2022

Kitchen strong is a Black owned kitchen lifestyle brand that offers high-quality kitchen essentials that provide the best experience in both preparing and serving your food in style.

The company was founded in 2020 by native Detroiters and husband and wife duo Donnie Morgan and Dr. Dayna Morgan. We caught up with to find out more about their business.

Kitchen strong founders, Dr. Dayna Morgan and Donnie Morgan

What inspired you to start your business?

The pandemic afforded us the opportunity to take daily walks, in which we were able to talk about our next move in life. We lost some family members during the pandemic, and that forced us to reflect on the importance of following our dreams and building a legacy for our family.

During one of our walks, we brainstormed different ideas, and we decided we wanted to create something that truly reflected our lifestyle and was useful, practical, and elegant. We thought, “We love to cook, we have ‘strong’ cooking skills, and we love to entertain at home.” Then BOOM, Kitchen Strong was born – a lifestyle kitchen essentials brand.

The Kitchen Strong brand is reflective of both our lifestyles. Donnie is a healthy lifestyle content creator, who shows his YouTube followers how to prepare healthy flavorful meals using high quality multifunctional cutting boards.

Dr. Dayna, who loves to entertain at home and was always looking for modern stylish serving boards or trays. Therefore, we decided to create a line that included the kitchen essentials we needed and always wanted.

As a couple how do your individual skills or personalities compliment your business?

Our individual skills are what contribute to the success of our business. We have been together for over 10 years, and through this time we have learned each other’s strengths and challenges. We were able to leverage that information to define our roles within the business, which helps to create healthy boundaries.

For example, Donnie is more technical and directs the integration of technology into the business, whereas Dayna is highly structured and enjoys engaging with people and therefore manages customer and manufacturer relationships. Both of us provide input on the products.

What are some of the most important business related lessons you’ve learned as business owners?

There are so many, LOL.

It is important to document all processes and procedures.

We often underbudgeted for necessary items so we learned to include cushion in all the line items.

Be very specific in contracts and agreements – including manufacturers and brand partners – especially when funds are exchanged.

Patience. It takes time to build a business. You must accept the good with the bad.

Note that things are not ever as bad as they seem in that moment.

What are your long term goals for your business?

We aim for Kitchen Strong to be a household name and the go to company for kitchen and dining essentials.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

Follow your dreams and let your passion motivate you. It is easy to be overwhelmed but remember companies that last are not built overnight. Talk with other like-minded business owners to create a support system.

Don’t let your toughest days end your journey – it will be tough but remember your why to get through the challenges. Lastly, make sure to have the right team – vet people out to make sure they are qualified to do the job that you hire them for.

Tony O. Lawson

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The post This Black Owned Kitchen Lifestyle Brand Helps You Prepare and Serve Meals with Style appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Kitchen strong is a Black owned kitchen lifestyle brand that offers high-quality kitchen essentials that provide the best experience in

01/16/2022

This Black Owned Kitchen Lifestyle Brand Helps You Prepare and Serve Meals with Style, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/3nRVHc3

01/13/2022

Viola is a Black owned cannabis brand that is a producer and licensed wholesaler of premium cannabis products.

In 2011, NBA veteran Al Harrington was inspired to launch the brand by his grandmother, Viola, who suffers from glaucoma and diabetes and found solace in cannabis remedies.

Viola founder, Al Harrington

Through initiatives like Viola Cares, the company seeks to create entrepreneurial opportunities for communities of color in the cannabis industry, offering education, expungement, and incubation programs for minorities.

“We’re trying to change the stigma and change people’s lives,” Harrington said, adding, “especially when Cannabis was something used to destroy our community,” said Harrington in a statement.

Today the company announced the closing of a $13 million equity funding round. DelMorgan & Co., an internationally recognized investment banking firm headquartered in Santa Monica, California, acted as an exclusive strategic transaction advisor to Viola in connection with the transaction.

The news follows a series of milestones in 2021 that include the celebration of the brand’s 10th anniversary and a partnership with Basketball Hall of Famer Allen Iverson on an exclusive cannabis strain.

This latest round of funding allows Viola to expand into several key new markets, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland, and continue executing on strategic marketing initiatives.

To keep up with demand and pursue further expansion, Viola is also considering raising additional capital aimed at increasing supply to meet market demand.

Tony O. Lawson

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The post Black Owned Cannabis Brand Raises $13 Million To Expand Operations appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Viola is a Black owned cannabis brand that is a producer and licensed wholesaler of premium cannabis products.

01/13/2022

Black Owned Cannabis Brand Raises $13 Million To Expand Operations, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/3qnf2n2

01/10/2022

PetPlate is a Black owned pet food business that sells ready-to-eat meals and organic treats and supplements for dogs through an online subscription service and the independent pet retail channel.

PetPlate founder Renaldo Webb credits the inspiration behind the company to his work as a consultant for pet food companies, where he learned about the ingredients going into kibble. When he saw the ingredients being used in traditional dog food he was appalled. He realized that pet owners wanted a fresh option.

PetPlate founder Renaldo Webb

All products are made in a USDA facility and are developed by Webb in collaboration with veterinary nutritionist Dr. Renee Streeter, DVM, DACVN.

According to Packaged Facts, U.S. retail sales of pet food will reach $37.1 billion in 2021, up 6.4% over 2020. Sales are projected to reach $47.9 billion in 2025, equating to a robust 6.6% compound annual growth rate.

By 2025, it is estimated that e-commerce will account for 55% of total U.S. pet food sales, including purchases initiated online through the digital storefronts of brick-and-mortar retailers.

The demand for super-premium pet food is likely to invigorate the industry for years to come, spurred by natural formulations and science-based foods and the advance of non-traditional forms, most significantly fresh (refrigerated/frozen).

“PetPlate is uniquely positioned to respond to consumer demand for healthier pet food options that lead to better health outcomes for our pets,” said Webb. “Unlike traditional kibble, PetPlate products do not contain rendered meats, by-products, or artificial ingredients that can make a dog sick. Each meal is gently cooked and made with healthy ingredients for a complete and balanced diet. Dogs on a PetPlate diet experience an array of health benefits, including better digestion, weight control, more energy, and allergy relief. ”

Last month, the New York-based startup announced that it had closed $19 million dollars in series B funding.

The investment round was led by Pendulum, with follow-on investment from existing investors DF Enterprises and 301 INC. Other investors include Conversion Venture Capital (CVC2), plus existing investors Marco Polo, Inc., Fernbrook Capital Management, and Amity Supply.

Tony O. Lawson

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The post Black Owned Pet Food Business Raises $19 Million appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

PetPlate is a Black owned pet food business that sells ready-to-eat meals and organic treats and supplements for dogs through an online

01/10/2022

Black Owned Pet Food Business Raises $19 Million, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/3zI6t9i

12/23/2021

Meet Sangu Delle, one of Africa’s Most Successful Investors, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/32cYgxH

12/23/2021

Sangu Delle is a Ghanaian investor, entrepreneur, activist, and author. He has received several international accolades including being named Africa’s “Young Person of the Year”, a TEDGlobal Fellow, one of Forbes’ top 30 most promising entrepreneurs in Africa.

Sangu serves as CEO of Africa Health Holdings, an innovative company focused on building Africa’s healthcare future.

In November, African Health Holdings raised $18 million to expand its telemedicine service beyond Ghana to Nigeria and Kenya, and scale its network of health facilities.

He is also the Chairman of Golden Palm Investments (“GPI”); an investment holding and advisory company focused on building world class technology companies in Africa.

Via GPI, Sangu has been an early investor in several African tech startups including Andela and Flutterwave, two of only three West African companies valued at one billion U.S. dollars.

In this interview, Sangu and I discuss:

His journey from Ghana to the U.S. and back to Ghana.

Why he pivoted from investing in agriculture to focus exclusively on technology

What inspired his passion for building Africa’s healthcare future.

The importance of Africans and the Black diaspora collaborating on economic and social issues.

Advice for those interested in investing in startups based on the continent.

Don’t forget to LIKE the video and SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel!

Tony O. Lawson

Subscribe and Follow SHOPPE BLACK on Facebook, Instagram &Twitter

The post Meet Sangu Delle, one of Africa’s Most Successful Investors appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Sangu Delle is a Ghanaian investor, entrepreneur, activist and author. He has received several international accolades including being

12/22/2021

AMP Global Empowering Creators and Giving a Voice to Music Fans Across the Continent, via SHOPPE BLACK https://ift.tt/30SPUuo

12/22/2021

Three-time Emmy-nominated producer and host Derrick N. Ashong is the CEO and co-founder of AMP Global Technologies, the company behind the Take Back the Mic (TBTM) app, and The Mic: Africa, the first interactive TV format born on the continent.

This tech-enabled entertainment company helps content producers build a direct relationship with their audience and be rewarded for discovering and sharing trending content.

The “AMP-powered series”, Take Back the Mic: The World Cup of Hip Hop was the first 100% fan curated series to get an Emmy nod, becoming a back-to-back Emmy Finalist for Outstanding Interactive Programing and proving itself in the market with deep engagement, media impressions, and ROI across Mobile, Digital, TV, VR and Live media.

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AMP Global also gives brands and media companies deep insight into global youth audiences.

In this interview with Lucia and Derrick, we discussed:

The inspiration behind “The Mic: Africa”, the first interactive TV format on the African continent

Why the Take Back the Mic app, is sometimes described as “Netflix meets Instagram.”

How the Take Back the Mic app empowers artists and creators.

How the pandemic influenced a key feature of the app, benefiting users.

Watch all 5 episodes of “The Mic: Africa” Season 1 and download the Take Back the Mic app at www.takebackthemic.com.

The post AMP Global Empowering Creators and Giving a Voice to Music Fans Across the Continent appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.

Three-time Emmy-nominated producer and host Derrick N. Ashong is the CEO and co-founder of AMP Global Technologies, the company behind the Take Back the Mic (TBTM) app, and The Mic: Africa, the first interactive TV format born on the continent. This tech-enabled entertainment company helps content p...