Lady Bizness

Nupes, your table is ready. 💎🤎

Give It To The People® is hosting BLK BIZ Brunch on August 15 at ReCity Durham, and we want Kappa men in the room.

Expect Micro Lessons™. Real networking. Community recognition. Full brunch included.

Nominate a Kappa business owner for our chapter award today.
🎟️ $75 | www.luma.com/giveitgetit

Iotas, your table is ready. 🤎
Give It To The People® is hosting BLK BIZ Brunch on August 15 at ReCity Durham, and we want Iota men in the room.

Expect Micro Lessons™. Real networking. Community recognition. Full brunch included.

Nominate an Iota business owner for our chapter award today.
🎟️ $75 | www.luma.com/giveitgetit

🚀 Dive into the future of business succession with the NC EOC Summit! 🌟 As Baby Boomer business owners gear up for retirement, their communities face a critical moment. Many successful businesses lack a clear plan for ownership transition, risking jobs and local economic stability. Discover how Employee Ownership can be a game-changer! Through ESOPs and Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs), we can preserve jobs, maintain beloved company cultures, and sustain local wealth. Join us in exploring the power of employee ownership and its potential to transform communities now and in the future. Topics on the table include the Silver Tsunami of retiring owners, effective succession planning, and strategies for community wealth building. Don't miss insights from the upcoming NC Employee Ownership Conference. Whether you’re a business owner, advisor, or advocate for Main Street’s future, this episode is a must-listen! 🎧💼

What are your thoughts on the future of employee ownership? Share your perspectives below! 👇✨

The Exit Strategy Nobody Talks About

Business owners spend years learning how to start and grow a company.

Very few spend time learning how to exit one.

What if the people who helped build your business could become part of its future?

Join business owners from across North Carolina to learn:
✅ How employee ownership works
✅ What an ESOP actually is
✅ Ways to retain employees and leadership
✅ How to protect the legacy you've built

Whether you're planning to retire in 2 years or 20 years, understanding your options matters.

Your future self will thank you.

📅 September 16, 2026
📍 McKimmon Center, Raleigh
https://tinyurl.com/ycxtc9vv

An ESOP stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

It is a business ownership structure that allows employees to become beneficial owners of the company through a trust that holds company stock on their behalf.

Benefits for Business Owners
Preserve Your Legacy: Your company remains independent and often stays rooted in its local community.

Create a Succession Plan: An ESOP can provide a pathway to ownership transition without finding an outside buyer.

Retain Employees: Ownership often increases engagement and retention.

Potential Tax Advantages: ESOP transactions can offer significant tax benefits for both the company and selling owners.

Receive Fair Market Value: An independent valuation determines the company's value.

This is exactly why you should attend the At the NC Employee Ownership Conference in Raleigh, NC at the McKimmon Center on September 16, 2026.

Get $25 tickets now https://tinyurl.com/ycxtc9vv

Your Business Is More Than a Paycheck

You spent years building your business.

The question is: What happens when you're ready to step away?

Many owners assume their only options are:
✔ Sell to a competitor
✔ Close the doors
✔ Pass it to family

But there's another option that more business owners are exploring: employee ownership.

At the NC Employee Ownership Conference, you'll learn how employee ownership models can help preserve your legacy, reward your team, and create a pathway toward succession.

If you've ever wondered what your exit strategy looks like, this conference belongs on your calendar.

📅 September 16, 2026
📍 McKimmon Center, Raleigh, NC
https://sites.leadconnectorhq.com/preview/Oz9eAuNrgVW3GRv8XPmM?notrack=true

Five years ago, we started something.

A dedicated space for Black businesses, community leaders, and ecosystem partners to connect, learn, and grow together. We called it the BLK BIZ Summit, and every year it has grown bigger, bolder, and more impactful than the year before.

This year, we are evolving.
Introducing BLK BIZ Brunch. 🍳

Same mission. New energy. And yes, we are eating good this time too!

Give it to the People® is bringing together Divine Nine members, Black business owners, elected officials, workforce and economic development leaders, and community champions for a morning that is equal parts celebration, education, and real connection.

This year we are giving special recognition to the people who have been doing the work Divine Nine business owners, elected officials, Give it Get It Business Membership members, and community leaders who are moving the needle for Black economic development in North Carolina. You deserve your flowers. We are handing them out in public.

Here is what to expect inside the room:
✨ Micro Lessons™ — High-impact business wisdom from community leaders who have the receipts to prove it

🏆 Special Recognition — For the ones who have been showing up and showing out

🤝 Real Networking — With entrepreneurs, ecosystem partners, and decision-makers who are invested in your success

🍳 Full Brunch — Because you cannot build on an empty stomach

🥂 Tasty Sips by A Glass Above LLC — Setting the vibe right from the moment you walk in

📅 Saturday, August 15, 2026 🕚 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
📍 ReCity Network | 113 Broadway Street, Durham, NC 🎟️ $75 per person | 2 for $125

You do not have to be Greek to attend. You just have to be ready to connect, collaborate, and cultivate.

Space is limited. This room will fill up. Secure your seat now.
👉🏾https://luma.com/ocxamd2p

Tag a business owner who needs to be in this room. Tag your frat brother. Tag your line sister. Tag the elected official who shows up for Black business every single time. 👇🏾

June is packed, and we are just getting started.

Hot Entrepreneur Summer officially kicks off this month and the lineup we've built for June alone is a masterclass in what it looks like when entrepreneurship education meets community.

We're opening doors in Durham, heading to the Triad, rolling through Warren County, and showing up digitally for entrepreneurs across the state, all in one month.

Here's what's coming in June 👇

June 11— HES Kickoff & Durham Business Listening Tour Recap · ReCity Durham

June 13— All Access Triad Small Business Summit · Alamance SBC, Haw River

June 13— Small Business Road Tour · Warren County

June 16— Passing the Torch Webinar

June 18— Youth Entrepreneurship Exploration Summit · Durham County Library

June 24— Social Media Scheduling & Automation Webinar

June 24— How to Livestream Webinar

June 29— AI for the People · North Regional Library, Durham

Eight events. One month. Zero excuses. 👏🏾

Register for everything at luma.com/giveitgetit link in bio.

Tag someone who needs to be in a room with us this summer. ⬇️

Eight events. One month. Multiple cities and platforms.

This is what Give it to the People®, Infinity Bridges Inc & Give it Get It Business Membership do, we show up, we stay consistent, and we bring the training to where entrepreneurs actually are.

All events are free or affordably priced. Register for everything at luma.com/giveitgetit

Which event are you registering for first? Drop it in the comments. 👇

In 5 days we are curating something great that our Give it Get It Business Membership asked for. This isn't a big conference where you get lost in the crowd.

The All Access Triad Small Business Summit at Alamance Community College is an intimate, intentional experience. Small enough that you actually get the attention, the conversation, and the mentoring that most entrepreneurs have been missing for years.

Real experts like Karriem Kanston, Jason Sam Jr, Charisma C. Thomas, LaShon Harley, Jonetta Appling, M.S.Ed., Madison Potter, Phydesia L. and yours truly Chisa Pennix-Brown LadyBizness to give REAL answers.

Part of is having REAL time with people who can actually help you move.

We're calling in the freelancers, coaches, influencers, nonprofits, grant seekers, and the ones who just left their job and are building something new. If you need clarity on marketing, taxes, AI, IP, strategy, or funding, this is the room that was built for that conversation.

You won't be a face in a crowd. You'll be in the room.

📅 June 13, 2026 📍 Alamance Community College · Haw River, NC 🔗 www.luma.com/giveitgetit
THIS SATURDAY 9 AM - 3 PM. Don't miss it.

For 5 YEARS we’ve had the honor of celebrating, supporting, highlighting, and pouring back into Black entrepreneurship right here in Durham, NC through BLK BIZ MONTH. 🙌🏾🖤

What started as a vision to intentionally create space, visibility, opportunity, and CONNECTION for Black-owned businesses has continued to grow into something powerful. Every year we meet new entrepreneurs, reconnect with community, collaborate with organizations, and remind people that Black business is not a trend… it is a vital part of our ecosystem.

This year? 👀
Ohhh… we’ve got some things in store for you.
Expect:
✨ Networking
✨ Community
✨ Business Spotlights
✨ Collaborations
✨ Resources
✨ Conversations that matter
✨ And experiences designed to help people CONNECT, CULTIVATE, and GROW

As we prepare for our 5th year in Durham, we want to hear from YOU👇🏾
🗣️ Name your favorite Black-owned business in Durham, NC in the comments and tell people why they should support them!

Let’s put some businesses on people’s radar TODAY. 💡
Learn more & stay connected and join the waitlist at
https://www.giveittothepeople.com/blkbiz