Photo courtesy of Clayton News Daily

BoJaynes is located in McDonough, GA and is owned by Tonya Boatright. Opened in 2010 with her husband Kevin, BoJaynes is a combination of their names - "Bo" for Boatright and her maiden name "Jaynes". 

There are a couple things that set BoJaynes apart: atmosphere and healthy options. The staff is very personable to both regulars and first-time guests alike. But they are also known for their organic and vegan options. BoJaynes is definitely worth the drive to McDonough!

IFS Securities is headquartered in Atlanta, GA and run by President & CEO Alex McKenzie. IFS is built with advisors who provide personal attention to clients in capital markets and municipalities. I had the pleasure of meeting the Assistant VP of Public Finance who passionately expressed the drive that IFS has with serving our community.

They are always on the lookout for advisors to service the community while simultaneously improving the advisors' bottom line. To learn more about what IFS offers, take a look around their website. 

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Black Momma Vodka is based out of Valencia, CA and is owned by Vanessa Braxton. After a 20+ year career in the government sector, Braxton launched the first African-American woman-owned vodka company that is nationally distributed.

Black Momma Vodka is 80-proof and offers a variety of flavors such as chai tea and peach tea. Check out their website for a store or restaurant where you can show our Sister some support. 

Symphony Chips is based out of Atlanta, GA and was launched by Dondre Anderson and his two daughters Amina and Amari. Symphony Chips are gluten-free, MSG-free and all natural. Dondre's "Symphony" spice became one of the best selling products of his All A's Spice brand and he got the idea to use it in a potato chip. It became a big hit and Symphony Chips was born!

From its humble beginnings of just being available for wholesale purchase or directly from the website, Symphony chips are now available in select locations around Atlanta. They include the Woodruff Arts Center and Sevananda, which is Dondre's natural foods market. 

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

The Freedom Paper Company is owned and operated by Kamose Muhammad. As you can see by the photo, Freedom Paper refers to the toilet paper that is manufactured by the company. Their paper products also extend to paper towels and facial tissue. 

In addition to paper products, Freedom has now ventured into distributing a long list of household products which include latex gloves, trash can liners, organic soaps and more! You can also purchase "home kits" which provide a few items for the house in one shipment.

Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead in Atlanta, GA is a part of the Baranco Automotive group which was founded by Juanita Baranco and her husband Gregory in 2003. Since you are no doubt familiar with Mercedes, I'll give you some insight into Mrs. Baranco.  She earned her B.S. degree and Juris Doctor from LSU and was awarded the Doctor of Human Letters degree honoirs causa from Clark Atlanta in May of 2014. She has been featured on several occasions as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's "100 Most Influential Georgians" and has been a finalist for the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award.

In addition to the Mercedes store, Baranco Automotive Group has also recently opened a used car center in Morrow, GA under the same name. We all like a nice car so when it's time to reward yourself with that new S-Class or SUV, make sure to go to Baranco!

Photo courtesy of TechMoran

Reach Robotics was co-founded by Silas Adekunle. Silas is a Nigerian-British who currently serves as CEO of his company. Born in Nigeria, he moved to the UK at a young age where he graduated 1st in class from the University of West England with a degree in robotics technology.

Reach Robotics has developed the world's first gaming robots. Their first product, The MekaMon, brings the excitement of gaming out of video consoles and into reality. Check out MekaMon on their website or in Apple stores.

Crown Trophy is located In Marietta, GA and is owned by husband and wife team Marvin & Caren Flewellen. Sticking with yesterday's theme of items for business, Crown Trophy has you covered. You can find everything you need from name tags to plaques to medals to company shirts (and of course trophies). Their clients include everyone from the solopreneur to the Fortune 100 corporation.

When I recently went to Crown in search of a new name tag, I was pleasantly greeted by Caren who walked me through all my options. We then got a chance to speak about the opportunities within the Black community as Marvin joined in on the conversation. It's always great to do business with people who share your interests and are professional from start to finish! 

Photo courtesy of Cocotique

Slaps is based out of Chino, CA and was founded by Grace Eleyae. From scarfs to pillowcases, many women (including my wife) wrestle with the right balance of function and fashion when it comes to protecting their hair at night. Grace was no exception, which is why she created Slaps (which is a play on "satin-lined caps"). 

One of the major differences between your normal satin scarf and Slaps is that they are designed to be worn outside. That's right, you can jump out of bed and make a quick run while still looking fashionable!

Party Party is based out of Fayetteville, GA and is owned by Cherise Mays. At first glance, this looks like a smaller version of the bigger party store chains. But after speaking with Cherise, she let me know of her competitive edge: custom items. Whether you want to throw a Sweet-16 party with custom balloons or you need a banner for your business, Party Party has you covered! 

Cherise has also decided to keep seasonal items up so that you can find that costume for your little super hero even when it's not Halloween season.  And the icing on the cake...Party Party is less expensive than the "big boys" AND they will deliver! So there's no excuse not to get your next banner, balloon, cards or costume from Party Party of Fayetteville.

Legacy Ford is located in McDonough, GA and was founded by State Senator Emanuel Jones. His son, Emanuel Jones II, is the man in charge as General Manager. Like most automotive dealer's kids, young Emanuel grew up around his dad's business and worked there throughout his teens. He began pursuing a career as a doctor until he felt a sense of responsibility to the family business.

Legacy Automotive Group is the parent company of Legacy Ford and also includes Legacy Hyundai. Jones II desires to grow the group to a total of 5 dealerships.

Cultural Sync is based out of Atlanta, GA where Antoine Woods is the President & Senior Strategist. I first met Antoine at a networking event and was impressed with the passion he has for his clients. He takes pride in helping companies to brand themselves in the crowded business arena.

After working with Cultural Sync, some of his clients have seen as much as a 3x multiple in their sales! Antoine relies on his vast experience as an entrepreneur to direct his clients down their path to success. 

Medu Bookstore is located in Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall and is owned by Nia Damali. Medu means "the power of the word" and is definitely appropriate as Medu has been in the community since 1989! It is also the second largest Black-owned bookstore in Atlanta.  

I always feel welcomed when patronizing Medu Bookstore and definitely experience a sense of pride every time. The selection of books is great and you can also pick up other items like calendars, cups and t-shirts. Forget Amazon, shop Medu Bookstore!

Shelley "Butch" Anthony III, Owner/Operator of This Is It has several locations around the Metro Atlanta area. The legacy of This Is It began over 50 years ago in Tampa, FL where Butch worked in his parents' diner. He later relocated to Georgia and opened his first restaurant in the 80s.

Butch now has 9 locations and has visions of national franchise expansion. The vast menu includes all the soul-food favorites: catfish, ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, peach cobbler, and more! So whether you want to become a franchisee or a patron, This Is It has what you are hungry for! 

Red Room Cigars is based out of McDonough, GA and is owned by Courtney Clayton.I was introduced to Red Room Cigars while attending a birthday celebration for one of my friends. I immediately noticed the trailer when I pulled up and just figured it was a promotional item. That was until I saw it start to fill up with patrons as the celebration went on.

The mobile lounge was too full for me to get in but I did admire the atmosphere that it created for those that were relaxing inside. However, I was able to partake in one of Red Room's great cigars. They can be booked for any of your upcoming events. 

Aminah Abdul Jillil is a California-based company that bears the name of the owner. Aminah began her career as a professional dancer, performing with the likes of Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. She is not afraid to try something new in her designs. 

Rihanna actually wore a design from her first collection in her Where Have You Been music video.  She has also released a kid's line that features her signature bow design. Make sure to check out her collections before that next red carpet event!

The National Bail Out Movement was created to help eliminate the disproportionate number of Black inmates who are unable to post bail due to their economic condition. Kalief Browder made national attention after spending 3 years on Rikers Island merely because his family couldn't afford to bail him out, even though he was innocent! As a result of the psychological effect of his incarceration, he ended up taking his own life.

The fund has raised over $1M and spent over $600k bailing out inmates who may otherwise succumb to the same fate as Kalief. Show your support in any way that you can.  

Busy Bee Cafe is based out of Atlanta, GA and is owned by Tracy Gates. If you've been in or around Atlanta for any amount of time, you have most likely heard about Busy Bee. My wife and I heard about it within the first year of moving to Georgia and made a trip to this cafe. This cozy cafe has some of the best chicken you will ever eat! 

Established in 1947, Busy Bee's soul food has attracted celebrity Chef and Restauranteur Emeril Lagasse. Its history includes being located on what was once known as Hunter Street, which was 1 of only 2 streets that Black entrepreneurs could own restaurants on in the 40's. Whether you've never been to Busy Bee or go there on a regular basis, make sure to keep going to support this staple of Atlanta!

Photo courtesy of theeverygirl.com

Briogeo is based out of New York and was founded by Nancy Twine. You probably wouldn't think that a career in finance would lead to starting a hair care line but that's the path Nancy took. Briogeo was launched during Twine's 7-year stint at Goldman Sachs.

Briogeo products can be found in stores nationwide, including Sephora. The shampoos, conditioners, scalp care products and kits focus on different hair types and problems.

Black Fathers Are Real: We Do Exist was written by Jerry McRae and illustrated by Aaron Archie. I can vaguely remember seeing this book come across my timeline on Facebook but it wasn't until just recently that it all clicked. While attending our neighborhood's monthly Meet and Greet, we were all introduced to Jerry - who had recently moved into our neighborhood with his wife and 2 kids.

Jerry received his Master's degree from North Carolina Central and is currently working on his second Master's. His book was released in November 2017 and is written from the perspective of his son Cameron. Show Jerry that you also have faith in Black fatherhood by purchasing his book today! (It's also on Amazon but they take 60% of the profits so make sure you order off his website!)