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Black Business Month just passed and if Im being honest, it feels much different from previous yearsand not in a good way. I noticed fewer in-person celebrations, fewer marketing campaigns and social media posts championing the impact that Black businesses have had on America, and utter silence from those who once rallied unrelenting support behind BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and underrepresented founders. These changes felt like they happened almost overnight when President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), claiming that it fosters illegal preferences and discrimination. Once this happened, DEI officially became a slur and weaponized, which caused thousands of companies to walk back on the commitments that were made. Rolling back DEI So how have Black-owned businesses fared in 2025 because of these swift policy changes? Not great. One of the main issues that we just cant seem to shake is that when most people think of DEI, they automatically associate it with being Black or having to do solely with race. They may not even recognize that theyre doing this, but they are. This limited viewpoint and lack of understanding around what DEI is and isnt, caused many companies to react in fear and pull back investments and other resources that Black businesses relied on to operate and scale. From Google to Target weve seen brands publicly declare that they are rolling back any and all DEI initiatives. As this is all going on, much (if not all) of the Black community has been devastated by whats happening. There have been prominent Black-owned businesses shutting down that we never saw coming, and Black founders sharing their challenges amidst DEI rollbacks. Not to mention its recently been reported from last months dismal jobs report that unemployment amongst Black Americans is at an all-time high. Multiple challenges The many challenges that prevent Black-owned businesses from reaching their full potential are no secret. As Black founders, we are often left out of the equation. We face unfair roadblocks in landing new clients, we are overlooked and hardly celebrated for our achievements, and the process for securing VC funding to help make our dreams a reality is atrocious. According to Crunchbase data, venture capital for Black entrepreneurs dropped a staggering 71% compared to last year, amounting to less than 1% of the overall dollars invested. Black entrepreneurs were already on the chopping block, and now with the current climate, its becoming even more difficult to scale or make a lasting impact. Many of us and other groups of people feel under attack as those in the federal government are trying their hardest to erase our legacies. This has made my work more crucial than ever before. Since I started my PR agency, my mission has always been to get Black and BIPOC founders the awareness, press, and attention they deserve. In 2025 it has only intensified. Keeping a Legacy Alive As a descendant of Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Black History Month who gave Black voices a platform when no one else did, my business continues to keep that legacy alive. Brennan Nevada to this day is the only New York-based Black, female-owned PR agency for tech companies, startups, and VCs. Over 90% of my clients are Black businesses, and despite DEI backlash, Ive experienced rapid growth and expansion representing some of the largest Black and minority-owned businesses and founders in the world. Ive had the privilege of speaking to, listening to, and working with dozens of Black founders this year throughout their hardship and one thing is clear: They are eager to tell their truths and leverage PR and earned media to do so. The power of stories Why this sudden surge in interest? Storytelling gives Black businesses the opportunity to be the author of their brand and control the narrative. Its empowering. Owning your voice is crucial for long-term success, and as a Black founder you can use storytelling to navigate and fight stereotypes or misinformation against you by sharing your unique viewpoints. Unleashing the power of storytelling gives others a chance to step into your shoes, while closing gaps and misunderstandings which many Black founders face in todays divisive culture. Malcolm X once said, The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses. I stand by this and am determined to use my decades of PR and medi relations experience to get Black businesses as much positive press coverage in as many news headlines as I possibly can. In 2025, Black businesses are becoming incredibly aware that they need to tap into the power of storytelling and integrate it into their entire go-to-market strategies. Especially, if they want to build a business that will stand the test of timeno matter who is in the White House.
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E-Commerce
The cylinder reminds me of an internet router. And when I press the button on the back, a gentle whir of a fan begins, while a soft blue glow emits from the top. But its not sending out Wi-Fi waves. The Airea is launching microscopic drops into the air that should bind to and eliminate viruses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and molds for up to 800 square feet. All without swapping a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. In fact, Airea can run for two years straight, and all you need to do is change a light bulb. Airea, which is on the market now for $350, was created and funded in-house by the design firm MNML. Developed by Scott Wilsonthe former global creative director at Nike, who has built everything from smart watches to Theraguns and CBD inhalershe was first inspired through his work with Marriott. [Image: courtesy MNML] The hotel chain was interested in pursuing a pillow chocolate that might help someone sleep, but along the way, someone on the team showed Wilson a giant machine that could sterilize roomseliminating cigar smoke and SARS alike. It pumped H202 molecules (also known as hydrogen peroxide) into the air, which trapped particles and also sterilized surfaces. [Image: courtesy MNML] I was like, why is this not in the consumer segment? recalls Wilson. A month later, COVID-19 would reshape the world. And Wilson became obsessed with how H202 technology might be translated from expensive, large industrial machinery to a more practical domestic gadget. Hydrogen peroxide is what many of us know as a strong bleaching agent, used in everything from sanitizers to teeth whitening strips. Pumping that into the air is an inherently unsettling idea. But as Wilson learned, our body naturally produces some H202 as part of our immune process, and given its ability to neutralize viruses, its been researched for use in the development in vaccines. In significant amounts, H202 is unhealthy, but it’s still used today in places like food factories to sterilize machinery. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards regulate that air should not have more than 1 part per billion of H202. What Wilson developed over the following four years with Airea operates at levels 60 times lower than that, saturating the air with H202 levels at 15 parts per billion to 20 parts per billion. And while its not yet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, independent lab testing has demonstrated that Airea should eliminate more than 99% of viruses in the air. [Image: courtesy MNML] Building a quieter, no fuss air purifier When Wilsons team began working on Airea, he put a significant restraint on the design. He wanted the product to be so simple that it could be manufactured in the U.S. rather than China. (And he got close. Aireas major components are molded in the U.S., with its final assembly in the Dominican Republic.) He still cant say exactly what drove the impulse, which now seems prophetic given global supply chain issues and tariffs. Our job is to predict things. Part of it was, [the world] seemed unpredictable, says Wilson. And honestly, I didnt want it to get knocked off. The ensuing architecture of Airea is quite simple. Its essentially an extruded aluminum base, a computer fan, and a light bulb. The real ingenuity behind the design is that the aluminum is treated with a special coating so that when the light hits it, the surface generates H202 molecules. (Wilson has patents on the geometries of these aluminum fins, which maximize the surface area for light to hit and generate H202.) People might be able to reverse-engineer the coating, but there are only so many ways to create that much surface area in a small footprint, says Wilson. [Image: courtesy MNML] As for the design itselfwith its router-like aestheticits not exactly an object o extreme beauty, but its also relatively innocuous. With a footprint somewhere between a tallboy and a small table lamp, it can be stuck just about anywhere to make a rooms air that much safer to breathe, and its surfaces that much more sterile to touch. For now, just 5,000 units have been produced in Aireas first run, as Wilson plans FDA testing and talks to partners who might expand their reach into various industries like healthcare. In my own experience living with Airea, I did find the understated operation strange. At first, my mind oscillated between, Is this even working? and, What am I breathing? Its substantially quieter than my HEPA unit that sits nearby, and you dont really feel any breeze kicking out unless you hold your hand close. Aireas protection is almost completely imperceptible, and I found myself craving some sort of extra proof of function before allowing myself to appreciate its minimal operation. In this quasi-post-COVID-19 world, its easy to forget the amount of comfort air filters provided just a few years agoand that clean air is something we should still be prioritizing in buildings today. When my wife walked into the kitchen one recent morning with a cough, it was an excellent reminder: I subtly turned the Airea back on and breathed a bit easier.
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E-Commerce
To run a successful business, we bring together a diverse group of people with different skill sets to cover all areas of the business. This results in people who might have very different values and beliefs spending a large amount of time in close proximity, which can create potentially stressful environments. Add to the mix that were encouraging people to “have a voice,” “speak up and be heard,” “bring your whole self to work,” and “be vulnerable.” These are all incredible things and fantastic for growth in our workplaces. However, the more “voices” and “whole selves” we have present, the more differences in values, beliefs, and neural pathways, which leads to potential conflict. Our IQ is the “what we know and what we can do.” Its the part of our brain where logic prevails. Our EQ and emotional intelligence, on the other hand, is the “how and why we do it,” and where emotions run the show. Information and skills without emotion just exist. It has little bearing on whether two people get along. However, how we communicate, how we interact with people, why we believe in something, our opinions, and the values that are driving us tend to be the common factors in most workplace conflicts. Its all about our wiring Our emotions drive these factors, and every individual is different in how they respond to them, thanks to our unique brain wiring. Thats due to the experiences, values, habits, and memories that weve created and developed over our lives. We call this the neural pathways. These pathways drive how and why we do what we do. We personally believe our pathways to be true and the best way to be, I mean, why else would we do things the way we do them? In our mind, theyre not only the best but, sometimes, the only way we think is right. When someone else questions or challenges it, our emotions respond with the “fight or flight” mechanism. This is why many experts are saying that emotional intelligence is the top skill for workplaces: having the ability to own who we are, and how well we face and manage our emotions. Its about understanding how the people around us are feeling, how well we communicate with them, and the effectiveness of our personal drive. Emotional intelligence isnt a personality type or something we are born with. Its a skill that we develop, and, in every situation, we have a choice to either respond with emotional intelligence or without. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we dont. Like any skill, when we focus on building and applying, we see the benefits. 3 tips to decrease workplace conflict Own and face the reality that every human being is different with varying values, beliefs, and opinions. And that is okay. Note every situation needs to have a “winner and a loser” or “a right and a wrong.” Take a deep breath and count to three. And remember that the only thing in this world you can control is how you choose to respond. Get out of your own head and understand how the other person is feeling. Ask questions and be curious. Perhaps we can learn something from them or maybe just appreciate our differences. Work together to drive forward. Its unlikely that either of you will leave the workplace, so find a way to work together rather than against each other. How do we fix this, together? Work smarter, not harder, and focus on the end result rather than the differences that are triggering our emotions. We dont have the power to change anyone but ourselves. We do, however, have the power to choose how we interact, the influence, and the impact that it has on the people around us. Workplace conflict is the outcome of poor choices and a lack of emotional intelligence. And it becomes a conflict when there are two or more people involved. Remember, you can always choose how you respond. And often, this is the way that people notice and remember you, not the event that caused the emotional trigger in the first place. Next time you find yourself in an emotionally charged situation, ask yourselfwhat role are you playing in workplace conflict, and how emotionally intelligent have you been today?
Category:
E-Commerce
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