Inside Russell Wilson’s And Ciara’s New Fashion House | Meet The Founders Increasing Black Representation In Venture Capital | How Big Tech Is Supporting Black Businesses This Holiday Season

Plus: Building An E-Commerce Presence That Sells

In case you missed it, we launched our 10th annual Forbes 30 Under 30 list last week featuring 600 young entrepreneurs, activists, scientists and entertainers that give all of us a reason to believe in the power of the American dream. Some of our listmakers are defying the odds and building businesses despite Covid-19; others are helping to fight the illness, serving on hospital frontlines or working with artificial intelligence to discover new drugs. Collectively, our Under 30 trailblazers have raised over $1 billion in venture funding and are proof positive that ambition and innovation can’t be quarantined.

Inspired? If you have a business idea you’ve been working on after hours or a recently launched startup, you’re in luck: There’s just a few days left before we close  nominations for the first round of our inaugural Next 1000 list: a first-of-its-kind initiative that will spotlight bold and inspiring entrepreneurs on their way to success. Applications are open now through Sunday, December 13. The final product: 1,000 new faces with a running start to one day land on the cover of Forbes. Apply here.

And below you’ll find more insights and practical guidance on how to make big business decisions in the face of ever-changing market headwinds and the pandemic. As always, thanks for reading. You can also follow me on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

"Being a brand that can speak to the consumer is really important in times like this...A recession doesn’t scare me if you have the right story and the right time."

Christine Day

Cofounder and President, The House of LR&C

Must Reads

When Frederik Groce and Sydney Sykes founded Blck VC in 2018, their goal was to increase Black representation in the venture capital industry. Here’s how the two members of the 30 Under 30 class of 2021 are making it happen.

Ankur Jain, founder and CEO of venture studio Kairos, is on a mission to raise $16 billion, the sum researchers estimate would be required to provide rent relief each month amid the pandemic. He’s brought together a bi-partisan coalition of more than 20 mayors, governors and local policymakers to help push his plan forward. Here’s how it works.

The Covid-19 pandemic has dealt Black-owned businesses a tough hand. But spurred by a national movement to support Black businesses, which kicked off this summer, a number of corporations took small steps to put the Black in Black Friday.

The effects of Covid-19 have been felt in every community. While federal programs have been created to support businesses and their employees, most notably the Paycheck Protection Program, the majority of the management is being handled at the state level. Wisconsin State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski shares her experience and perspective. 

Investors are always looking to back top founders early on in their careers. So how do you get on their radar and convince them you are a sound investment? Read on to find out.

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