UrbanGeekz 50 2024: Food, Climate & Health
December 16, 2024
UrbanGeekz 50 2024: Africa
December 16, 2024
Monique Rodriguez – Mielle Organics
Her products are distributed in more than 87 countries and in over 100,000 major retailers across the US, including Sally Beauty, Target, CVS, Kroger, Walgreen, JC Penny, and Walmart. In 2023, consumer goods company Procter & Gamble, acquired Mielle, retaining Rodriguez and her husband as CEO and COO respectively.
Besides her work with MIELLE, Monique is recognized as a leader in the business community and a role model among adult women and girls. She has been recognized in publications such as Allure, Black Enterprise, Sophisticate’s Black Hair, Forbes, and Essence.com. In addition, Monique has been featured on popular, national daytime television talk shows like The Steve Harvey Show, The Real, and The Wendy Williams Show.
Veronica Woodruff – Travelsist
By combining cutting edge technology with first-rate personal assistance, Travelsist reimagines both the pre-flight and post-flight airport experience. And while Travelsist makes airport assistance available to all passengers, the company’s solutions are designed to specifically eradicate the common issues faced by passengers with disabilities, seniors, large groups, and families traveling with children. Travelsist leverages cutting-edge AI to optimize human capital management at the busiest airports, drive operational efficiency, and transform the passenger experience. Focused on innovation with empathy, Travelsist makes travel seamless and dignified for every traveler.
Under Veronica’s fearless leadership, Travelsist has secured $1.6+ million in venture funding, formed strategic partnerships, and earned accolades, including Forbes Next 1000 Innovators and Inc. Atlanta’s 30 Under 30ish. Recognized in The New York Times, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal, Travelsist is setting a new standard in travel tech.
A powerful and influential voice in the industry, Veronica is a sought-after speaker who inspires others to innovate boldly and create solutions that prioritize inclusivity.
Relentless in her vision, Veronica is more than an entrepreneur—she’s a disruptor, leader, and changemaker. Her work with Travelsist is redefining how people connect with the world, ensuring the future of travel is accessible, efficient, and fearless.
Sivonnia DeBarros – SL DeBarros Law Firm, LLC,
Sivonnia DeBarros is an uber-talented attorney helping athletes and Black entrepreneurs protect their brands and businesses.
Nicknamed the Protector of Athletes, the Illinois-based lawyer leads SL DeBarros Law Firm, LLC, which is on a mission to help athletes and black founders become more proactive about the legal health of their businesses.
The boutique legal practice serves clients’ interests in business, employment, sports, and entertainment. Through this practice, Sivonnia DeBarros has handled multi-million-dollar cases, settled five——to seven-figure cases, and saved clients a total of $10M in legal damages.
In June 2020, she published the bestselling book ‘What Are You Sporting About?’ to help business pros find their purpose and build foundations for sustainable businesses. DeBarros has been recognized for her work on The Walt Disney Company ABC7 Chicago, CBS News Chicago, UrbanGeekz, WGN-9 News, TNT, and various podcasts.
Kimberly Lewis – CurlMix
Lewis launched CurlMix with her husband in 2015 as a DIY subscription box of natural hair care products. After two years of experimentation and research, Kim masterminded a pivotal shift for CurlMix in January 2018 to focus on ready-made Flaxseed Gel as its hero product.
Within three years of this iteration to manufacturing, the company reached $1 million in annual sales. This led to an appearance on Shark Tank in 2019, although Lewis declined the $400,000 deal offered. The following year, CurlMix received a $12 million valuation for a seed round of funding, and sales soared to $6 million in annual revenue. They have earned over $15 million in lifetime sales—all online.
The company continued to make headlines by offering its customers an opportunity to invest. Within hours of kicking off its crowdfunding campaign, CurlMix raised $1 million. By April 2021, It had raised a total of $4.5 million in Equity Crowdfunding.
In 2020, the Lewises were included on Forbes’ coveted “30 under 30” list, and she was named among Crain’s Chicago Business’s “20 in Their 20s.” Along with landing on Oprah’s Favorite Things List, CurlMix products have been featured on Essence.com, Ebony.com, BlackEnterprise.com, and Refinery29.com, to name a few. In 2021, CurlMix was listed at #93 on the Inc. 5000 list of growing companies.
David A. Wilson – ALTR
David A. Wilson is an entrepreneur, storyteller, and media executive who specializes in developing and launching culturally focused media platforms. He is the co-founder of TheGrio, and served as Senior Vice President of BET Digital & Studios.
Most recently, Wilson co-founded ALTR, an AI-powered platform that revolutionizes how professionals and innovators connect virtually and in real-life by prioritizing privacy and relevance. ALTR reflects Wilson’s passion for leveraging technology to create meaningful, high-value connections in an exclusive, secure environment.
ALTR, in collaboration with Netflix Brazil, created Colaboratorio Criativo, the most expansive diversity project in Latin American media history. This project develops the leading Black storytellers into scripted episodic TV series creators.
Wilson launched TheGrio, one of the most influential African-American digital news sites, in 2009. The platform helped bring several significant stories to national attention, such as Trayvon Martin’s death. He and his partners sold the platform to NBCUniversal in August 2010.
However, in 2014, they reacquired the site from the media giant and, in less than one year, doubled its traffic to reach over 5 million unique visitors monthly. He sold the company again in 2016 to Byron Allen, who has turned the site into a national cable network.
Wilson’s latest venture is ALTR, a self-help and motivational audio platform that allows the most brilliant Black icons and creators experts to share life-changing wisdom through shortform audiobooks.
Fawn Weaver – Uncle Nearest
Weaver initially wanted to write a book about Nathan Green, narrating the untold story of the man who taught Jack Daniels the secret to making great whiskey. However, she pivoted to an even better idea — producing award-winning whiskey from a farm in Green’s Tennessee hometown in 2016 to honor the formerly enslaved master distiller.
Eight years down the line, Uncle Nearest has grown to become the fastest-growing and the most successful Black-owned liquor empire, worth $1.1 billion, achieving unicorn status. The brand is the most award-winning American whiskey (including bourbon) of 2019 and 2020, earning World’s Best by Whisky Magazine two years in a row, as well as the industry-coveted Double Gold by San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Wine Enthusiast’s Spirit Brand of the Year for 2020.
Weaver has been recognized by Forbes and was named one of Time‘s “31 People Changing the South” in 2018. She was named one of Food & Wine‘s Drinks Innovators of the Year in 2022, alongside Uncle Nearest master blender Victoria Eady Butler. In March 2021, Weaver was named to the Endeavor Group Holdings board of directors alongside innovators like Elon Musk.
