Driven Society Podcast

In this episode we speak with Paulana Lamonier, the Founder of Black People Will Swim. B.P.W.S is organization dedicated to teaching people of color the valuable life skill of swimming. Travis and Franz discover Paulana's motives for founding such an organization, overcoming inequities and  challenges and her plans to teach black and brown men and women how to swim in 2021 and beyond.

In this episode, we spoke to media & talent relation strategist and author Christina Hammond, about her career and latest book release, Dear Little Black Girl. Christina talks about the purpose and importance of the affirmations for young black girls and designing a legacy her daughter can be proud of.

Brandon N. Gibson is the CEO of Light Rock Holdings LLC. a real estate investment, development, and consulting firm focuses on acquiring undervalued and underutilized assets in NYC and Northern New Jersey. In this episode  Brandon talks the concepts of chasing success, ego and avoiding failure through your purpose. He also discusses the real estate investment landscape and FLUME his latest endeavor providing high speed internet to low income households across NYC.

Mae Abdelrahman is the founder of Nour, a skin care line that seeks to empower minority and marginalized groups to create equity where it does not currently exist, she is also an MBA candidate at Harvard Business School.  In this episode, Mae talks about representation in the skin and beauty vertical as well and the importance of relationships and the access afforded therein .

Sylvia K. Alston is the Founder and CEO of Momentum risk management an insurance brokerage firm that provides consultative risk management advice and insurance products for individuals, businesses and organizations. She is also the host of Sirius XM's NeXt Nation. A show highlighting the new school of burgeoning thought leaders, social business disruptors, tastemakers.

In this episode Sylvia talks about her entry into the risk management industry, Momentum's mandate to promote inclusion in the insurance field. She also touches on keys for entrepreneurs looking to start businesses in the post Co-vid 19 climate and how she became an on air talent with her own show on Sirius XM.

In this episode, Travis and Franz speak with Tazin Khan, founder of the Cyber Collective, a community-centered organization dedicated to educating people on the ways data and privacy impact consumers.  Taz talks about her start and transition from sales to cyber security,  the risk small to mid level business face in a digital marketplace, the difference between privacy and security and creating tech with consumer ethics in mind.

Azeem Khan is the Head of Growth at Aglet. Aglet is a sneaker app that aims to solve sneakerheads’ frustrations of not being able to buy limited and grail-level sneakers by giving them a chance to do so digitally. In this episode, Azeem talks about his professional path from medical student to tech magnate, his formula for career pivoting and recognizing opportunity in the simple things.

On July 26th Driven Society produced it's first ever online virtual marketplace experience with over 20 vendors and 200+ attendees.

We kicked off this experience with an entrepreneur panel discussing everything from brand development to client management with guest speakers Keenan WilliamsCo-Founder & President of Resi, Pauleanna Reid Senior contributor at Forbes, Keenan Beasley Founder & CEO of Supply Factory Brands, and Tatianna Illa Jewlery Designer and Founder of ILLA.  

In this episode COO of Revolt Media and TV, Detavio Samuels talks about his new position, directional goals for Revolt, and their pivot to social impact content. He also talks about his “jumping ladders” philosophy for career building, and how his father's passing reinvigorated his commitment to advancing culture through business.

In this episode Travis and Franz speak with New York State Senator Brian Benjamin. Senator Benjamin speaks about the passage of the anti- choke hold and anti-police discrimination bill, and his initial ideas on what community policing can look like. He also touches on the relationship between finance and the public/ private development sector and what it means for rehabilitated communities and his commitment to serving his constituents and all New Yorkers.

Selena Hill is an award winning journalist and currently the Digital Editor at Black Enterprise. In this episode, Selena talks about creating change through journalism, her experience covering the historic Rocnation x NFL Meeting, and the future of media and storytelling.

Danielle Young is a power house in the media sphere. As a successful host, writer, and producer. Young has lent her expertise and crafted her journalistic style at companies like, Hello Beautiful, The Root, and Essence. As a journalist, Young is passionate about telling authentic and over looked stories of People of color and celebrating the ingenuity and magic. In this episode Danielle talks with Travis and Franz about her career, the importance of developing quality relationships, and navigating the ever evolving entrepreneurial media/ and social media space.

In this episode we speak with Destinee Swindell, the founder of Strivers Row, a digital community that connects creatives, entrepreneurs , and professionals in New York City. Destinee Talks about her motivations founding Strivers Row. And the business of community development.

The podcasting market it on FIRE and our guest has gasoline.

Take a listen to our latest episode featuring Gary Coichy. He is the founder of Pod Digital Media (The first multicultural podcast agency). Gary gives a crash course in podcast marketing, communicating with brands and leveraging your audience. He also talks about vetting clients and his most recent podcast production deal with the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association)

This episode is key for anyone in the podcast space or aspiring to be.

Enjoy and Take Notes!

Stay Driven

In This episode we are joined by Kar Logan (Actor / writer/ producer of Situationships and Wingmen), Cylla Senii (Creator of Situationships) and, Keanna Swindell (Actress) to talk about the acclaimed series Wingmen. A comedy-drama about friends who come together at a local bar for discussions on sex, women, and life problems. In this episode, we discuss art imitating life in masculine and feminine identities through the lens of POC. The evolution of women identity and communication within generations. We also talk about the portrayal of vulnerability and deep friendships between men of color and how Wingmen the series brings that to the forefront of culture.

Stay tuned for season 2 of wingmen and check out Situationships season 1 & 2

In this episode of Driven Society Podcast. Travis and Franz are back at it for 2020 in a moving interview with Xavier Jernigan Head of Cultural Partnerships and playlist for North America at Spotify.

X tells his moving story about being called to culture by God at 3 years old.  That "voice"  led him from Florida to working his way up through fortune 500 companies as a marketing talent, getting 2 MBA's, only to become an intern at Bad Boy Records (amongst other giant labels like Columbia and Def Jam as head of digital commerce). The voice continued to lead him to become a "pop culture expert" at MTV and other noteworthy positions in the music and culture industry and thats only the beginning of the story.

This story is unlike any ever told on Driven Society Podcast. Enjoy, take notes, be encouraged, Stay Driven

On this new episode of Driven Minds. Travis and Franz (along with Driven Society CMO Natalia Saavedra and Dustin Edlehurtz) recap the Driven Society’s “Inspire Bermuda” conference, a 2 day island experience aimed at the core tenets of creativity mindfulness and entrepreneurship.

Guest speakers included Jonathan Jackson, Alex Wolf, Kenji Summers, Bianca Jeanty, Tola Lawal, John Henry, Ani Sanyal, Rashaad Lambert, Maya Palacio & Zoe Smith.

Derrell Smith has had a pretty interesting life. In this episode he talks about his transition from NFL Player to top marketing firms to Founder and Chef. He also talks about self discovery in his entrepreneurial journey, his company 99 eats and the creation of his award winning meatballs and OG Sauce.

Carl Joe Black is the founder of Raising Benjamin. A platform dedicated to educating the masses on finance & investing. In this episode Carl talks about investing his families influences on his financial education, his platform Raising Benjamin and his latest product “The Dime” a tool to recognize market opportunities. He also talks options, futures, REIT’s (Real Estate Investment Trust), Dividends, and Global Trade Opportunities.

In this episode of the Driven Society Podcast Travis and Franz speak with Michael Tonge (Cultural Curator and Strategist) about creating a business  through the intersectionality of technology, media, and culture. "Mikey" talks about his time being a senior marketing manager at the world famous Brooklyn museum, how his upbringing and Fathers vocation prepared him for the business of art, his entrepreneurial entrance into the Los Angeles market as a creative consultant ,and how  uncovering lucrative  career opportunities through overlooked adjacencies in the art market.

Dela Yador is an entrepreneur, marketing magnate, and cultural connector. In this episode, Dela discusses being groomed for leadership throughout his life. He expresses his passion for business, the effects cultural authenticity, and his ethics of transparency and empowerment that affords him deeper resonance in the sphere.  Lastly, Dela talks future plans, the development of #KickbackSZN and Origins of #Didyoueatyet

Michael “Mikey” Cole is the founder and owner of Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, the pop-cultured inspired ice cream shop with locations in New York’s Lower East Side and Harlem. In this episode Mikey discusses his love for cooking, community and commerce. Enjoy this especially delicious episode of Driven Society podcast.