Zora Talks

— with Dr. Melinda Rushing Episode Summary In this episode of Zora Talks, we shine a light on a disease that’s often overlooked but deeply impacts millions—sickle cell disease. Our guest, Dr. Melinda Rushing, Assistant Professor at Rutgers University and applied data scientist, breaks down what sickle cell really is, why it disproportionately affects people […]

We have Perteet Spencer, the Co-Founder of AYO Foods, on this Z-Talks episode. Perteet grew up eating African food, which led her to the idea of bringing the flavors of West Africa to stores and making them available to everyone. Entering the food industry can be a daunting task, but Perteet Spencer and her husband […]

Our Talk with Kristen Denzer, Founder On this episode of Z-Talks, we speak with Kristen Denzer, the CEO, and Founder of Tierra Encantada. Kristen shares how her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start and she even tried a few other ventures before founding Tierra Encantada. Kristen founded Tierra Encantada in 2013 when she couldn’t find […]

This Valentine’s Day, you don’t need just any box of chocolates. Instead, you need to locate KandaTM Chocolates’ 100% Ghanaian cocoa chocolate bars infused with simple, non-genetically modified ingredients. KandaTM Chocolates and its Founder Karen Blackwell are the epitome of a successful bootstrapped business that has generated grassroots and organic buzz. The company is ready […]

Entrepreneurship is a challenging endeavor. It’s not always as glamorous as it may seem. Any entrepreneur who has been in business for a while has learned a few key things. One is that it’s essential to use your experience and skills to solve the problems you’re facing. Another lesson is to have determination and grit […]

In our latest episode, we speak with Jordan Bucker, founder of FoodBevy.com. He is a young entrepreneur who has a passion for food and beverage companies. He wants to help other newcomers create success by providing information, mentorship, and advice to help build their brands. At this point, he has over 600 CPG brands on […]

In this episode, we speak with Rachele Louis, a former successful career architect who wanted to understand how to get money to finance the thing she wanted to build. She decided to return to school to earn her MBA from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management. She is the co-founder of LifeWeb360. LifeWeb360 is […]

Today we’re going to talk about soups. In this episode, we’re joined by Elliott Cohen, the president, and chief operating officer of Parks & Nash. This Chicago-based startup has been around for about two years now. It has been getting a lot of attention for its unique twist on a beloved American dish. Elliott was […]

In this episode, we speak with Maya Camille Brossard. She is the founder of Justice of the Pies, founded in 2014. Her inspiration was her late father’s. He was a Criminal Defense Attorney. And he loved pies. She calls him the “pie master.” Justice of the Pies is an L3C social enterprise. It positively impacts […]

Keena Ward of AK Candles was always interested in creating a candle business. During the pandemic, many companies were forced to downsize. Keena decided to use that uncertainty and her desire to be her own boss as a catalyst for her business. After a year of research, while the crisis was in full swing, she […]

Happy New Year, listeners! A new year means an all-new episode of Zora Talks. Joining us for episode 18 is Thad Smith, owner and founder of Westside Bee Boyz, a black-owned Chicago apiary that specializes in selling beekeeping supplies and honey products. Back when Thad worked as a beekeeper, he wanted to find a way […]