Business

(BALTIMORE) — I have met a lot of entrepreneurs in my 61 years. I have met people who went from selling incense to becoming millionaires. I have watched people go from a life in the streets to a bountiful life as successful entrepreneurs. I have seen people build businesses in catering, the funeral industry, the church, law, science, and entertainment. And yes, lawyers are entrepreneurs, too. Different industries. Different backgrounds. Different journeys. But I recognize something in people who can see an opportunity, put in the work, and turn an idea into something that feeds a family, employs people, or…

Save the Date & Sponsorship Opportunity (BALTIMORE – April 17, 2026) – In a city where second chances can mean everything, Elev8 Baltimore is bringing a powerful story of transformation, leadership, and purpose to the forefront. On an upcoming evening that promises both inspiration and impact, Elev8 Baltimore will host an intimate fireside chat featuring Larry Miller — former CEO of the Jordan Brand, current Chairman of its Advisory Board, founder of the Justice & Upward Mobility Project, and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Jump: From the Streets to the Suites. Miller’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.…

(BALTIMORE – April 13, 2026) – The very first person I remember — a Black man leading Baltimore’s tourism charge — was Carroll Armstrong. I had no idea about his musical background at the time. All I knew was that whenever it came to selling the Inner Harbor and Baltimore’s many gems to convention planners and visitors from around the world, Carroll Armstrong was the man in the room. He carried himself with a quiet authority that said: this city is worth it. Then came Al Hutchinson. Al took Mr. Armstrong’s legacy and built upon it — brick by brick,…

After years of studying stand-up, media strategy, and the grind behind the laughs, Doni Glover breaks down what separates real comedians from casual entertainers—and why discipline, systems, and business acumen matter just as much as being funny. (BALTIMORE – April 1, 2026) — While I have my comedic moments on the podcast and TV show, I am not a comedian. And that’s intentional. I watch comedy regularly—not casually, but deliberately. I study timing, delivery, audience engagement, and how comedians build their brands across platforms. And the more I watch, the more I understand: this is not just entertainment—it’s a business.…

The giants who built Minority Business Enterprise didn’t act like this. Not one of them. (ANNAPOLIS – March 8, 2026) – I was there.  At the very first MBE Night in Annapolis. Helped promote it, in fact.  I know what it was built on. I know who was in the room. I know the spirit that animated it — a spirit that came directly from the giants who spent their lives fighting to open the doors of economic opportunity for Black and minority business owners in Maryland and across this country. Which is why what I am watching unfold right now…

Maryland’s 29% Promise — Measured by Results, Not Rhetoric Before Minority Business Enterprise became a program, it was a fight. It was leaders like Parren J. Mitchell who secured federal minority set-asides not for applause, but for structural access to public contracts that had long been denied to Black-owned firms. MBE was not created for branding. It was created to correct exclusion. In that spirit, BMORENews launches the first annual Maryland State MBE Accountability Scorecard — a data-driven look at where Maryland stands relative to its own benchmark. This is not about personalities.This is about performance. The Benchmark: Maryland’s 29%…

Maryland’s 29% Promise — Measured by Results, Not Rhetoric Before Minority Business Enterprise became a program, it was a fight. It was leaders like Parren J. Mitchell, who secured federal minority set-asides not for applause, but for structural access to public contracts long denied to Black-owned firms. MBE was not created for branding. It was created to correct exclusion. In that spirit, BMORENews launches the first annual Maryland State MBE Accountability Scorecard — a data-driven look at where Maryland stands relative to its own benchmark. This is not about personalities.This is about performance. The Benchmark: Maryland’s 29% Standard Statewide MBE…

(BALTIMORE – February 19, 2026) – Baltimore is a basketball town. From neighborhood courts to college hardwood, this city understands the rhythm of the game. So when the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association returns for the 2026 Food Lion CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, February 24 through March 1 at CFG Bank Arena, it’s more than a sporting event. It’s strategy. It’s circulation of capital. It’s culture meeting commerce — and winning. A $100 Million Partnership Since the tournament officially relocated to Baltimore in 2021 — with games beginning in 2022, the CIAA Tournament has generated more than $100 million in…

(BALTIMORE – February 14, 2026) – I first heard Mario Armstrong claim to be a sneakerhead years ago. I stored it in the back of my brain. But truth be told, I have always been a sneakerhead, long before the word even existed. It was 1977. I had just gotten a pair of Nike Bruin sneakers. Leather kicks were brand new to us. Before that, it was Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars and Jack Purcells. Other brands tried their hand, but by 1980, I had officially fallen in love with a pair of red suede Pumas. To this day, that love…

(BALTIMORE – February 12, 2026) – In my world of media, Dr. Tyrone Taborn is a living legend. He is one of the largest melanated print publishers in the world. He publishes several magazines, including Black Engineer. His roots include Chicago, Los Angeles, and, interestingly, Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. He came to Baltimore, and thanks to people like Billy Murphy, Esq., he stayed. And he built. Today, he and his queen of a wife, Jean Hamilton, own and operate one of America’s greatest gems, Career Communications Group (CCG). Located on Pratt Street, those offices are a part of Baltimore’s Black…

(BALTIMORE – February 10, 2026) – My best friend, Anthony “Marty” Williams, passed away 13 years ago. His birthday would have been Saturday, February 7th — he would have turned 61. Marty devoted his life to uplifting young men in Baltimore, raising money so they could afford a college education. That spirit lives on through his son, Aris Williams, who just launched a new app called “Be-More” in his father’s honor. Here is what Aris had to say: Today, my father would have been 61! He devoted much of his life to raising money to help young men in Baltimore…