Friends & Family with Aurora James

Live from the Block Party: Sloane Stephens and Jodie Taylor In Conversation

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In this special episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, Sloane Stephens shares her journey from Tennis pro to founder and business owner with content creator and DEI leader Jodie Taylor.

Live from the Block Party: Black in Beauty Panel #2

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this special episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, we hear from a fresh group of Black beauty founders about the ups, downs, and in betweens of running and growing a successful business. Featuring Denis Asamoah of FORVR MOOD, Kadi Lee of Highbrow Hippie, Maya Smith of The Doux, and Denise Vasi of MAED (and our 2026 Sephora Beauty Grant Recipient!).

Live from the Block Party: Black in Climate Panel

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this special episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, we hear the unique perspectives of Black leaders in the climate space, and explore the intersectionality of racial justice and climate justice. Moderated by Kayalin Akens-Irby, this conversation features Benjamin Z. Bronfman, Nelson Zépequeno, and Taj Ahmad Eldridge.

Live from the Block Party: Black in Beauty Panel #1

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

In this special episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, Brooke DeVard hosts an intimate conversation about the experience of founding a beauty business as a Black woman. Featuring longtime friends of the Pledge Shani Darden of Shani Darden Skin Care, Hannah Diop of Sienna Naturals, and Janell Stephens of Camille Rose.

A Leap of Faith with Marcus Samuelsson

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, host Aurora James speaks with renowned chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson about his unique journey from being adopted in Ethiopia, growing up in Sweden, and ultimately establishing himself as a culinary leader in New York City. Marcus shares how his cultural identity and family background influenced his perspective on food, recalls pivotal moments in his career, including being thrust into a head chef role at a young age and achieving critical acclaim. Marcus also discusses the profound impact of 9/11 on his life and how it led him to find new inspiration in Harlem.

About Our Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

Building Community One Curl at a Time with Maya Smith

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Wed, 5 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

This episode of Friends & Family hosted by Aurora James, explores the inspiring journey of Maya Smith, the multi-hyphenate CEO and Co-Founder of the popular haircare brand, The Doux. Maya shares her earliest experiences working in her mother’s salon and how they translate into a lifelong passion for haircare. Maya reflects on her years working for celebrity stylists and later for women in the military, and shares the lessons she learned from both of those groups that made her the success she is today.

About Our Sponsor:

The Art of Design with Brigette Romanek

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Tue, 7 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This episode of Friends & Family hosted by Aurora James, delves into the inspiring journey of interior designer Brigette Romanek. Brigette shares the childhood design experiences that helped spark her passion for design. Brigette shares the colorful careers she pursued - from working in furniture stores, to singing on main stages, to designing handbags - before realizing that she wanted to be the interior designer she’d been allowed to be as a child. Aurora and Brigette discuss the challenges and triumphs of running a design firm, the importance of creativity, and the adaptability required to succeed in entrepreneurial endeavors.

About Our Sponsor:

Leading with Love with Danessa Myricks

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 21:52:37 +0000

In this episode of Friends & Family, host Aurora James and Danessa Myricks of Danessa Myricks Beauty sit down to catch up in front of a live audience. Danessa shares how she began her entrepreneurial journey as a 30 year old single mom of two after losing her desk job. She knew she loved creating safe spaces for herself and others around makeup and beauty but she had no idea how to turn that passion into a business. So, she made the controversial decision to work for free, to gain the experience that would lead to her beauty empire. In this episode, Aurora and Danessa have an honest conversation about the high stakes tradeoffs entrepreneurs have to make and the success that can be waiting for them on the other side.

About Our Sponsor:

An Overnight Success That Was Years in the Making with Brandon Blackwood

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 5 Jun 2025 11:41:11 +0000

In this episode of Friends & Family, host Aurora James invites Brandon Blackwood, one of American fashion’s pre-eminent designers, into her world to discuss the decade of hard work he put into his brand before his big break, when he was labeled an “overnight success.” Brandon recounts his early years studying neuroscience before he found his love for fashion, much to his family’s frustration. He details mistakes that went viral online, having to learn on the go, and the joys and challenges of having made that iconic bag. This episode offers a refreshing view on the highs and lows of starting a business and just how far you can go with that first chunk of savings (spoiler: it’s $7,000).

About Our Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

Being Ready for Your Moment with Sergio Hudson

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 1 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this inspiring episode of Friends & Family, host Aurora James sits down with acclaimed fashion designer Sergio Hudson for an intimate conversation at her LA home. Sergio shares his journey from South Carolina to becoming one of fashion's brightest stars, recounting pivotal moments that shaped his career—including the life-changing experience of dressing Michelle Obama for the 2021 presidential inauguration. The conversation explores industry gatekeeping, financial realities of building a brand, and how Sergio redefined success on his own terms. From childhood inspirations (including unexpected influences like Batman Returns and the film Boomerang) to navigating racism in fashion, this episode offers an honest look at entrepreneurship and staying true to your vision against all odds.

About Our Sponsor:

Combatting The Attacks on DEI with John Legend

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded live from the 15th Street Block Party in LA, Aurora talks with activist, musician, entrepreneur and personal friend John Legend. John voices his unequivocal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion, offers insights from his business background, and discusses his skincare brand Loved01.

Big Lessons in Small Business with Maurice Harris of Bloom & Plume, Plus Activist Ayana Johnson Talks Climate Change & Sustainability

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Maurice Harris is the founder of Bloom and Plume, a bespoke floral design studio in Los Angeles that has partnered with big name brands like Louis Vuitton, The Row, Goop, and more. He also previously ran the coffee shop Blume and Plume Coffee that was known locally as a safe haven and community space for LGBTQ+ folks. Maurice is known for his charisma and no-nonsense talk about all things business — including the good and the bad. In our final episode of this season of Friends & Family, Aurora chats with Maurice about how he turned his passion for art and community into a business and why, sometimes, it’s okay if things don’t work out. Plus, tune in to hear from Dr. Ayana Johnson, the co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for ocean-climate policy in coastal cities. In addition to being a marine biologist, Dr. Johnson is a policy expert who’s helping us rethink the ways in which business can align with our own ethical and moral values.

Creating a New Lane for Black Hair Care with Hannah Diop from Sienna Naturals, Plus Stacey Abrams On Why DEI Is Good for Big Business

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 3 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Hannah Diop is creating her own lane in the hair care industry. As the founder of Sienna Naturals, Hannah has not only created a new hair care brand for natural and textured hair, she’s broken into the prestige beauty category. Sienna Naturals has grown in recent years thanks to Hannah’s business expertise and the support of co-founder Issa Rae, the writer, actor and producer, who also happens to be her sister-in-law.

Tune in to hear how Hannah went from concocting hair care formulas in her Harlem apartment to placing Sienna Naturals in retailers like Nordstrom and Sephora.

Plus, Aurora talks with another Black woman creating her own lane in the world of politics and civic engagement. We’re talking about the one and only, Stacey Abrams. She talks with Aurora about DEI efforts in business and how we can join her to advocate for voter rights, especially ahead of some of the most important elections of our lifetime.

Show Notes: To learn more about how to fight voter suppression, visit: FairFight.com

It's a Fashion Week Special! Featuring Activist and Icon Bethann Hardison, Plus How to Impress Retailers with Nordstrom’s Olivia Kim

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Fri, 6 Sep 2024 17:56:39 +0000

In this episode we hear from Bethann Hardison, the woman who paved the way for Black creatives in the fashion industry and beyond. Her prolific career has spanned decades: from starting out as one of just a handful of Black models in the late 1960s, to creating her own modeling agency and helping launch the careers of some of the biggest supermodels of the century. Each step of the way, Bethann has made sure to promote the work of Black creatives and call out fashion houses - by name - for their discrimination. Plus, we talk with another changemaker in the industry, Olivia Kim, who’s making a lasting impact on what you see in Nordstrom stores across the country. We talk with her all about fashion merchandising and partnering with a major national retailer.

Show Links: You can check out the Designer’s Hub that we mentioned in the episode at this link.

About Our Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways, which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

The Backstory Behind a Renowned Skincare Brand with Shani Darden, Plus an Entrepreneur’s Must-Know Finance Terms with Alisa Carmichael of VMG Partners

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 8 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

About Our Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways, which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Show:

Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique and Janice Llamoca. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

How to Scale a Brand At Your Own Pace with Justina Blakeney, Plus Financial Advice for Your Business from Tiffany Aliche, AKA “The Budgetnista”

Justina Blakeney, Tiffany Aliche, Aurora James — Thu, 4 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Justina Blakeney is a creative powerhouse. She is an interior designer, artist, author and the creative director of Jungalow, a lifestyle brand and design studio with a vast catalog of household goods featuring her signature colorful, nature-inspired design. As the quintessential modern bohème, Justina’s approach to business is less hustle and bustle and more focused on achieving a sense of “enoughness.” Tune in to hear how Justina turned her one-woman design studio into a major, nationwide brand with a multi-year partnership with Target—all while maintaining a sense of work-life balance.

Later in the episode, Aurora calls Tiffany Aliche, aka, The Budgetnista, for the financial tips every entrepreneur should know. For years, Tiffany has helped her clients achieve holistically healthy financial lives—or as she calls it, “financial wholeness.” Listen for how you can keep your personal and business finances in check.

About Our Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Team:
Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

A Guide to Raising Capital with Julia Collins, the First Black Woman “Unicorn,” Plus Crowdfunding on Kickstarter with Everette Taylor

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we chat with the serial entrepreneur Julia Collins, whom you may know as the very first Black female “unicorn” founder. Most recently, Julia founded Planet FWD, a company with a platform working with climate-friendly businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. To date, Julia has raised more than $550 million across multiple businesses and rounds. Tune in to hear everything you need to know to navigate the world of venture capital and private equity. Then, stay tuned for our call with Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, to hear his fundraising and business advice on crowdfunding small dollar amounts.

About Our Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Team:
Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Merging a Love of Food and Sense of Purpose, with Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro, Plus Tips on Niching Down with Nancy Twine of Briogeo

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 2 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We’re cooking up a storm with the inimitable Jon Gray, CEO and co-founder of Ghetto Gastro. Alongside chefs Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker, Jon founded the food collective with a mission to build "community through cuisine." Hear how Jon channeled his passion for food into a business that has catered dinners for clients like Microsoft, published a bestselling recipe book, and launched a line of dry goods including the delicious Ghetto Gastro Pancake and Waffle Mix. Then, it’s time to phone-a-friend for some advice. Aurora calls Nancy Twine, CEO and founder of the clean hair care company Briogeo to hear her take on how we can all take more risks and find our industry niche.

About Our Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Team:
Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Production and scripting led by Theresa Avila. Editing and post-production by Alie Kilts; Additional production by Inés Rénique. Story support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling and Lena Bell of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Getting a "Yes" In Business, with Emma Grede of Good American, Plus Instagram Tips from Eva Chen

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Thu, 4 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On our very first episode of Friends & Family we welcome Emma Grede, serial entrepreneur, CEO, investor and chair of the Fifteen Percent Pledge. Tune in to hear how Emma got her first clients, how she approaches business partnerships, plus her advice for all aspiring entrepreneurs! Then, it’s time to phone-a-friend for advice. For this episode, Aurora calls Eva Chen, head of fashion partnerships at Instagram, to share tips on how brands can optimize their social presence.

About Our Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Citi, which is committed to advancing financial inclusion through initiatives like Citi Financial Pathways, which has resources to help you meet your goals, regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

About Our Show:
Friends & Family is a podcast by Fifteen Percent Pledge in partnership with Alkemie Sound Lab. Our Executive Producer and Host is Aurora James. Our production team is by Senior Producer Theresa Avila. Editing and Production by Alie Kilts; Production Assistance by Inés Rénique, with additional support from Zoila Darton of WORD Creative. Our engineer is Carlos Martin Carle and our music is by Dahlia Lagos. Special thanks to Celia Rose Hackling, Lena Bell and Mandy Quiñones of the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Introducing "Friends and Family with Aurora James"

Fifteen Percent Pledge — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of entrepreneurs powering their fundraising with a "friends and family round" before seeking out loans or investment? Well the truth is, most founders don’t have access to a network of deep-pocketed friends and family, or to resources to find alternative funding. This brand new podcast is here to help. Whether you're fundraising or bootstrapping your business, join Aurora James, founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, alongside some of the most inspiring Black founders of the moment, as they share wisdom and act as your support system for building your business and scaling for success. On “Friends & Family with Aurora James,” we're here to be YOUR friends and family in business. This podcast is brought to you by Fifteen Percent Pledge and Citi. Citi Financial Pathways has resources to help you meet your goals.