schedule | Monday, september 29, 2025

Location: Dominion Energy Center

REGISTRATION & breakfast

8:00 - 8:45 AM

KEYNOTE: ROOTED

9:00 - 9:45 AM

The journey forward begins with knowing where we’ve been. In this opening session, we’ll root ourselves in history to understand the present and reimagine the future of Black business. Led by Dr. Andre Perry, author of Black Power Scorecard, this conversation will explore the role of Black entrepreneurship in closing the wealth gap—with a focus on the power of employer businesses. Together with Dr. Faith Wilkerson and Ken Ampy, CEO of Astyra, we’ll unpack what it takes to build sustainable, thriving businesses—from community supports to policy shifts—so that Black brilliance isn’t just surviving, but scaling.

Panelists: Dr. Andre Perry, Ken Ampy, Dr. Faith Wilkerson

OPENING SESSION

10:15 - 10:45 am

Step into BLCK Street® with curiosity and intention. In this opening session, Jenn Roberts will invite us to pause, reflect, and set the tone for the day ahead. Together, we’ll identify the business challenge or question that’s been tugging at you—and treat it not as a burden, but as an opening for creativity, possibility, and fresh ideas. This session is your chance to ground yourself, plant a seed of intention, and prepare for a day of learning, connection, and discovery.

Facilitator: Jenn Roberts

STORYTELLING

10:45 - 11:30 AM

In a crowded market, a great product or service isn’t enough—you need a powerful story that captures attention and drives action. This session will teach you how to craft and deliver six essential types of stories that every entrepreneur needs: from founder origin stories that build trust, to customer success stories that create credibility, and data-driven impact narratives that impress investors. You’ll learn how to strike the perfect balance between emotion and evidence, making your pitches, presentations, and marketing campaigns unforgettable.

Facilitators: Shondra Washington & Harold Hughes

WORKSHOP I

FROM STARTUP TO SCALE-UP: Leveraging business credit for expansion

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Unlock the secrets to fueling your company’s growth in this dynamic session on business credit! Whether you’re an entrepreneur just launching your venture or a business owner ready to scale, understanding and leveraging business credit is the game-changer that can set you apart. This session will demystify the fundamentals of business credit, reveal how to build and maintain a strong credit profile, and offer actionable strategies to access the capital you need for expansion—without risking your personal assets. Discover the hidden advantages of business credit, from negotiating better vendor terms to unlocking new funding opportunities and boosting your company’s credibility. Through real-world examples and practical tips, you’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, position your business for financial resilience, and use credit as a strategic tool for sustainable growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain the knowledge and confidence to take your business from startup to scale-up—empowering you to turn your boldest ambitions into reality.

Facilitator: Kevin Lewis

SEO IN AN AI WORLD

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Is your website not getting the attention you deserve? No traffic. Not converting. Are you adapting your SEO efforts to combat Google's new AI-driven search results? Google has changed the game in organic rankings. If you haven’t noticed organic results are way below the fold. And you may ask yourself, “How will I compete without spending on ads?” You can with the right organic planning and execution. You can move your business content into Google’s AI results with the right strategy. Beat your competition to Learn how to adjust your 2025 SEO strategy with creative content and AI tools. We will discuss the continued redefining and redesigning of SEO in this AI world, how to future-proof your organic efforts, the free tools and when it may be necessary to pay, building converting content, getting the local SEO right, and much more. SEO isn’t dead, it has and will be redefined. Join us and start redesigning your SEO and AI approach.

Facilitator: Monica Hall

LUNCH

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

WORKSHOP II

building scalable systems that last

1:45 - 2:30 PM

You’ve put in the work, built the foundation, and proven your business model, so now it’s time to take things to the next level. This workshop is designed specifically for seasoned entrepreneurs who are ready to refine their operations, scale intentionally, and position their business for long-term success.

In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to align your current operations with where your business is headed. You’ll learn how to identify which systems to strengthen or build, how to use documentation to delegate effectively, and how these practices tie directly into succession planning, even if you're not exiting any time soon.

Facilitator: Adriana Richardson

DATA DOESN’T LIE: USING ANALYTICS TO DRIVE BUSINESS DECISIONS

1:45 - 2:30 PM

In the age of digital entrepreneurship, your data is your compass. This hands-on workshop equips Black business owners with the skills to interpret key metrics, uncover hidden insights, and make informed decisions that drive growth. Whether you're running a service-based brand, e-commerce shop, or creative venture, you'll learn how to track what matters, avoid vanity metrics, and use free or low-cost tools like Google Analytics, Meta Insights, and Shopify dashboards to level up your strategy. Participants will walk away with a custom KPI map, a plug-and-play analytics toolkit, and the confidence to make data-backed moves that scale their business.

Let your numbers talk—and let your business thrive.

Facilitator: Candice Scarborough

i am not a machine: how to do good work vs. hard work

2:45 - 3:30 PM

Being a Black entrepreneur often means carrying the weight of legacy, community, and excellence while navigating systems that weren’t built with our rest in mind. In a world where burnout is worn like a badge of honor, this workshop offers a much-needed intervention. It’s time to flip the script on what we’ve been taught about hard work.

In this hands-on session, burnout coach and former educator turned CEO Keonna Knight, M.Ed., offers a radical reframe: you don’t have to burn out to build something great. Sharing lessons from her own journey of healing from burnout and building a successful business rooted in rest, Keonna introduces a new framework called good work, a liberating alternative to grind culture that centers joy, collaboration, and sustainability.

By the end of this session, participants will walk away with a personalized Good Work Blueprint that helps them (1) re-evaluate where their putting their energy, (2) say "no" with less guilt, (3) ritualize celebration, and (4) create systems of support that allow them to run their business(es) at their own pace. If you were taught you had to work twice as hard to get ahead, this session is for you.

Facilitator: Keonna Knight

YOU DON’T NEED A PIVOT. YOU NEED A PLAYGROUND.

3:45 - 5:00 PM

In the spirit of "Everything Must Change," this workshop aims to help founders change the way they think about HOW they think. Through the levity of spirited games, guided silliness, and tactile prototyping, participants will explore creative ways to unlock new ideas, address real business challenges, and leave with useful insights they never saw coming. The session strives to help participants rediscover and reconnect with their inner-child to bring creativity and fresh problem-solving for overcoming entrepreneurial roadblocks — not by working harder, but by playing smarter.

By shifting from performance to play, participants will be equipped to unlock better ideas, bring clarity to decision-making, and find new ways to approach business challenges with ease and energy.

Facilitators: Jheri Holbert & Arlyne Aranda

CLOSING session

5:00 - 5:30 PM

We’ll close the day the way we began—by circling back to our intentions and the questions we carried into the conference. In this final session, Jenn Roberts will help you weave together the insights, sparks, and solutions you’ve gathered throughout the day. Think of it as harvesting the seeds you planted in the opening: leaving with clarity, renewed energy, and playful next steps to nurture your business dreams forward.