We asked some of the most inspiring folks in the community to tell us where they want to be professionally by the end of their careers.

Nekeshia Lake | Owner and Operator of The Puddin Cookie Company

When all is said and done, I want The Puddin Cookie Company to have two locations open to the public and also have products on the shelves of other small businesses; specifically food trucks. Read more>>

DecaturChawz | Content Creator & Artistic Management Professional

DecaturChawz and S!F Media & Management really does not have an end goal, per se. I am enthralled in the journey of right now. If I can let me better explain with a quick story. In 2013, Creating Opportunities for Girls, Inc. (the 501c3 that I founded) sponsored a cross-state college trip for a group of Tennessee high school students. The 5-day, 8-college trip spanned from Memphis, west Tennessee to Johnson City, east Tennessee and back. The goal of the trip was to expose prospective first-generation and underrepresented college students to postsecondary options. However, it was not the goal but those personal moments that each individual student experienced firsthand. For example, the look that were on their faces when a college admissions officer told the group that they could be offered full scholarships as students of color that met academic requirements because the institution wanted to diversify its student population. Read more>>

Anya Gibson | E-commerce business owner

Even though my business launched a little over a year ago, I constantly keep my end goal in mind. There’s a term in the educational field that best describes how I evaluate my goals: “backwards design.” Essentially, you create units/lesson plans with your final learning goals in mind, teaching with your desired results as your guide. As a former educator, I frequently plan things out with my old “Ms. Gibson” mindset, and my business is no different. My end goal is to: (1) Own a brick-and-mortar in Atlanta
(2) Host workshops benefitting my local community, geared towards WOC of all ages (3) Have 1 other business (leaning towards home decor or another shop that sells custom, eclectic apparel) (4) Have an established relationship with many other small business owners in Atlanta (5) Serve as a mentor for young female entrepreneurs. Read more>>

Leyah Robinson | Owner & Creator

The primary end goal of ASG Stationery is to become world renowned. I look forward to expanding and growing worldwide. My goal is to have an enormous online presence and feature my products in big box retailers and my own store front. Ultimately, I would love to pass the business onto my two daughters, as their names are the inspiration for ASG Stationery. It is my intention that ASG Stationery makes all brown and black girls worldwide feel productive, empowered and represented in a world where we sometimes feel excluded. Read more>>

SkyQuajus Turner | Photographer

The end goal is to be able to live off of photography and my own creation with in photography as well as have my own photo book. Professionally I honestly just want to be able to say I shout for thousands of magazine/artists. Read more>>

Maria Lizi Stroud | Patented Inventor & Invention Coach

The end goal of my career as an Invention Coach & Patented Inventor is to help many people get started on their Invention Journey, acquire their Intellectual Property (Patents), become financially free by making Royalties to create Generational Wealth for their families. A goal for myself is to become known as the Most Successful & Richest Black Woman Inventor in History. Read more>>

Darryl Bourgeois | DJ MILK D/CEO of BOURGEOIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC & YurrrP Radio

The End Game Is Having My Company “BOURGEOIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC” Recognized Worldwide But Also Myself As A “HOUSE MUSIC DJ”. My DJ Company “BOURGEOIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC” Handles Weddings, Corporate Events, Parties & School Events. BOURGEOIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC Also Has A “WORLDWIDE” Radio Station Called “YurrrP Radio”. Our Radio Station Is 24/7 “FREE” Music Playing Music From The 60’s Until Current Day In Almost ALL Genres of Music. Visit Our Website & See Who We Are & Find Out What “YurrrP” Means & How It All Began. www.YurrrPRadio.com DJ MILK D aka The Party Starter Can Play ALL Genres of Music But My Passion Is HOUSE MUSIC! I’m Working Hard To Get Recognized In The UK & of Course In The States. I’m A Travel DJ & Visit My Website For My Details. wwwDJMILK-D.com. Read more>>

Christopher Kenon | DJ and Teacher

The end goal of my professional entertainment career is to own a multi-operational company. My vision is to be able to provide entertainment services ranging from backyard barbecues to weddings across states. In addition to providing musical entertainment, another goal of mine to teach the business aspect of entertainment to potential and current DJ’s across the globe. My passion to teach and mentor through my knowledge and experience is rewarding to me, but ultimately setting the professional standard for people to follow is true reward. Read more>>

Mahogany Holyfield | Nail Tech & Teeth Whitening

To be truthful, there is no end goal. I want my legacy to go on forever. Even after I am gone from this world. By the end of my career I want to have multiple businesses. I would hope to have a nail school, a nail product company, and some sort of multi beauty classes. Not only am I nail tech but I also offer teeth whitening & tooth gem services. I would want to incorporate those services into classes for others to take. Read more>>

Dr. Rita Deattrea Beckford, M.D. | Physician , Entrepreneur, Fitness Expert, Speaker

I intend to have a global impact on the health and wellness of our generation as the host of my own syndicated show. People don’t need another book or manual on how to get healthy, They need real life examples! We look to our leaders and icons to model. It is my greatest joy to share my passion and knowledge of health and wellness in action; cooking, biking, hiking. weight-lifting, spa hopping and traveling all while raising a family, doctoring and puppy. I want to change the way we view health as a society. Wellness is significantly influenced by our lifestyle choices. I am partnering with some of the world’s most recognizable brands to spread this great news! We each possess the power to transform our own lives with our food selections and levels of activity! Our health is our greatest wealth!. Read more>>