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Month: February 2024

  • Embrace Leap Year to Discover Emerging Technologies

    Embrace Leap Year to Discover Emerging Technologies

    Every four years, we are gifted an extraordinary day, one that disrupts the ordinary flow of time: Leap Day. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most remarkable opportunities lie in the moments that deviate from the norm. Today, as we celebrate Leap Year, let’s harness this unique occasion to explore the realm of emerging technologies, a domain closer to mainstream use than many might realize.

    In the vast landscape of technological innovation, there exists a plethora of groundbreaking advancements waiting to be discovered. From the immersive realms of virtual and augmented reality to the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, the possibilities are as boundless as they are revolutionary.

    But why should you venture into the realm of emerging tech today, of all days? Because much like Leap Day itself, these technologies offer an unparalleled chance to leap forward, to transcend the confines of convention, and to embrace a future shaped by innovation and progress.

    Virtual and Augmented Reality: Stepping Into Alternate Realities

    Imagine a world where you can step into alternate realities, where the boundaries between physical and digital blur seamlessly. Virtual and augmented reality technologies are not merely the stuff of science fiction; they are tangible, accessible tools poised to redefine how we interact with the world around us.

    Whether it’s exploring distant planets from the comfort of your living room or revolutionizing education through immersive learning experiences, VR and AR hold the potential to revolutionize countless industries and transform the way we perceive reality itself.

    Artificial Intelligence: Augmenting Human Potential

    Artificial intelligence, once relegated to the realm of speculation and conjecture, is now an integral part of our daily lives. From personalized recommendations on streaming platforms to predictive analytics driving business decisions, AI has permeated virtually every aspect of modern society.

    But its potential extends far beyond mere convenience. AI has the power to augment human potential, enhancing our creativity, productivity, and problem-solving abilities in ways previously unimaginable. By harnessing the capabilities of AI, we can unlock new frontiers of innovation and usher in a future defined by collaboration between humans and machines.

    Blockchain Technology: Pioneering Decentralization

    At the heart of the digital revolution lies blockchain technology, a decentralized ledger system that promises to revolutionize the way we transact, communicate, and organize information. Beyond its association with cryptocurrency, blockchain holds the key to unlocking unprecedented levels of transparency, security, and efficiency across various industries.

    By embracing blockchain technology, we can transcend the limitations of traditional centralized systems and empower individuals and communities to reclaim control over their data and assets. From supply chain management to digital identity verification, the applications of blockchain are as diverse as they are transformative.

    Seize the Leap: Embrace the Future Today

    As we commemorate Leap Day, let us seize the opportunity to venture into the realm of emerging technologies, where innovation knows no bounds and the possibilities are limited only by our imagination. Whether you’re a business owner seeking to stay ahead of the curve or an individual eager to explore the frontiers of human ingenuity, there has never been a better time to embrace the future.

    So, take that leap of faith, dare to explore the unknown, and discover the transformative potential of emerging technologies. For in this ever-evolving landscape of innovation, every day is an opportunity to leap forward into a brighter, more promising future.

  • Navigating Digital Transformation: A Guide to Success with Your Consultant

    Navigating Digital Transformation: A Guide to Success with Your Consultant

    In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, embracing digital transformation is no longer an option but a necessity for organizations striving to stay competitive. Whether you’re a seasoned enterprise or a budding startup, embarking on this journey requires careful planning, strategic implementation, and expert guidance. This is where a skilled digital transformation consultant comes into play, serving as your trusted partner in navigating the complexities of this transformative process.

    Understanding the Landscape

    Before diving headfirst into digital transformation, it’s crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of the landscape. Recognize the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, from leveraging vast amounts of data to acquiring the necessary AI skills and establishing trust in new technologies. IBM highlights three key challenges: data, skills, and trust. Your consultant (that’s me!) will help you dissect these challenges and develop tailored strategies to address them effectively.

    Setting Clear Objectives

    Define your objectives and expectations for digital transformation. Whether it’s streamlining operations, enhancing customer experiences, or driving innovation, clarity in goals is paramount. As your consultant, I’ll work closely with you to align these objectives with your organization’s vision, mission, and long-term growth strategy. Together, we’ll establish measurable success criteria to track progress and ensure accountability throughout the transformation journey.

    Assessing Readiness and Capability

    Assessing your organization’s readiness and capability to undergo digital transformation is a crucial step. Evaluate your existing infrastructure, technological capabilities, and organizational culture. Identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement. With my expertise as a digital transformation consultant, I’ll conduct a thorough assessment to pinpoint potential roadblocks and devise customized solutions to overcome them seamlessly.

    Crafting a Comprehensive Strategy

    Crafting a comprehensive digital transformation strategy is akin to charting a roadmap to success. It involves integrating cutting-edge technologies, such as AI, machine learning, and automation, into your business processes while fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability. As your trusted advisor, I’ll collaborate with your team to design a robust strategy that leverages emerging technologies to drive tangible business outcomes and gain a competitive edge in the market.

    Implementation and Execution

    Implementation and execution are where the rubber meets the road in digital transformation. It’s imperative to execute your strategy with precision and agility while mitigating risks and minimizing disruptions to your business operations. I’ll guide you through every step of the implementation process, providing hands-on support, training, and ongoing monitoring to ensure seamless execution and successful outcomes. I also make sure that any integrations undergo an ethics check for shipping them out the door for broad use, even in the Metaverse.

    Continuous Improvement and Optimization

    Digital transformation is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey of continuous improvement and optimization. Embrace a culture of agility, experimentation, and learning from both successes and failures. Your consultant (that’s me again!) will be by your side, offering valuable insights, best practices, and innovative solutions to adapt to evolving market dynamics and drive sustained growth and innovation.

    Ready to Start?

    Embarking on a digital transformation journey requires careful planning, strategic execution, and expert guidance. By partnering with a seasoned digital transformation consultant like myself, you can navigate the complexities of this transformative process with confidence and achieve sustainable success in today’s digital age. Let’s go on this journey together and unlock the full potential of your organization’s digital future.

  • Tyler Perry Has a Meta Mind Shift Moment

    Tyler Perry Has a Meta Mind Shift Moment

    Madea Goes Digital

    The Meta Mind Shift. It means exactly what it says. A Meta Mind Shift is that moment when you discover what the potential of future tech and the Metaverse mean to you. This is what the Meta Mind Shift Consultation aims to do. I do this every day with my clients, but today as I read along in AfroTech, I stumbled upon this headline: “Tyler Perry Puts $800M Studio Plan On Hold Due To AI Advancements“, I instantly knew Tyler Perry had his own Meta Mind Shift.

    AI Generated Tyler Perry Digital Madea, concept art
    AI Generated Tyler Perry Digital Madea

    In a groundbreaking revelation, Tyler Perry revealed his transformative perspective of the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in film production. The media mogul, known for his controversial but relevant contributions to the entertainment industry, recently shared his profound insights into the potential of using AI as a powerful step in revolutionizing filmmaking.

    Tyler Perry’s $800 million studio expansion aimed to enhance traditional production capabilities. However, OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora, led to a significant shift in his vision for that expansion. Sora’s transformative abilities, creating 1 minute cinematic videos based on your desires, prompted Perry to re-evaluate his expansion plans, offering a new alternative to the future of his studio: an opportunity to embrace AI’s revolutionary potential vs continuing the established path.

    When faced with the significant advancements in motion and animated video production by AI, Tyler found himself caught directly in a Meta Mind Shift Moment. This is what it looked like for him:

    “I have been watching AI very closely and watching the advancements very closely. I was in the middle of, and have been planning for the last four years, about an $800 million expansion at the studio, which would’ve increased the backlot a tremendous size, we were adding 12 more soundstages,” Perry told The Hollywood Reporter. “All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing. I had gotten word over the last year or so that this was coming, but I had no idea until I saw recently the demonstrations of what it’s able to do. It’s shocking to me.”

    Ever the businessman, Tyler had no choice but to recon with the opportunity to Hollywood’s landscape. His legacy has been about gaining a seat at the table and establishing change for Black industry entertainers. Although some rumor mills have run amuck over the last few months, Tylers contribution to Black films have been numerous, which says nothing about the alleged treatment of both Black men and women on and off screen…but that’s a different moment in our time.

    One of the most striking revelations from Perry’s discourse is his recognition of AI’s potential to streamline production processes and transcend geographical constraints. By leveraging AI, Perry envisions a future where the boundaries of physical sets are transcended, offering filmmakers unprecedented creative freedom and logistical convenience. Ironically, that’s a lot like the Metaverse…js

    An AI rendering of Tyler Perry could be the next digital actor!
    Perry points out the advantages of integrating AI, highlighting its potential to alleviate the workload involved in building sets for his productions as well as eliminating the necessity for travel to find the right scenery.

    “I no longer would have to travel to locations. If I wanted to be in the snow in Colorado, it’s text. If I wanted to write a scene on the moon, it’s text, and this AI can generate it like nothing. If I wanted to have two people in the living room in the mountains, I don’t have to build a set in the mountains, I don’t have to put a set on my lot. I can sit in an office and do this with a computer, which is shocking to me,” Perry told the outlet.

    Perry highlights the profound implications of AI on cost-effectiveness and resource utilization in film production. By reducing the reliance on physical sets and travel expenses, AI not only accelerates the production process but also optimizes resource allocation, ultimately enhancing the industry’s sustainability.

    Perry’s embrace of AI underscores a fundamental shift in the way filmmakers approach storytelling and production. Beyond its technical prowess, AI represents a catalyst for innovation and creativity, offering limitless possibilities for visual expression.

    As Tyler Perry embarks on this transformative journey, his insights serve as a testament to the boundless potential of AI to reshape the landscape of filmmaking. By embracing AI-driven solutions, Perry epitomizes the spirit of adaptation and evolution, paving the way for a new era of cinematic excellence.

    Decentralizing Everything

    The potential of decentralized movies as a beacon of empowerment remains vastly underutilized. Thanks to the royalty system in NFTs, they offer a refreshing alternative narrative that celebrates the user over the empire, a sharp departure from traditional blockbuster productions epitomized by figures like Tyler Perry. It’s crucial to recognize that movies have been shaping our collective vision of the future for ages. However, amidst last year’s industry strikes, the unfortunate timing coincided with significant advancements in AI, particularly evident in AI-animated clips and motion-infused visuals, as well as in innovative applications like “AI SpokesPersonas by Technikole“. This relationship with technology extends far beyond mere entertainment; movies have become mirrors reflecting the future we are actively constructing.

    In 2021, I had my first encounter with a blockchain-based NFT movie in a virtual theater, and within my Metaverse community, we dedicated every Friday of 2022 to films showcasing emerging technologies. Fast forward to 2024, where we’ve witnessed the introduction of Sora, featuring powerful one-minute AI-generated animations. The integration of blockchain storage solutions like IPFS and Storj with the Sora AI video generation platform offers unparalleled versatility in style and content. Users can now assume the roles of producers, directors, cinematographers, actors, and actresses of their own movies using AI, and store them in decentralized distributed manners, representing a revolution in itself. Such advancements are poised to revolutionize not only marketing and advertising but also content creation across platforms like TikTok and YouTube, indicating a profound shift in the entertainment landscape. Just imagine the possibilities for Super Bowl commercials at a fraction of the traditional cost.

    Tyler Perry’s Meta Mind Shift towards AI integration in film production marks a significant milestone in entertainment history. As the industry embraces technological innovation, the fusion of human creativity and artificial intelligence holds the promise of reshaping storytelling on an unprecedented scale.

  • Year of Truth: Automated Marketing Funnels Aren’t the Holy Grail of Digital Transformation

    Year of Truth: Automated Marketing Funnels Aren’t the Holy Grail of Digital Transformation

    In the fast-paced world of technology, businesses are continually evolving to stay relevant and competitive. The term “digital transformation” is hot on the lips of everyone in emerging technology in fact its almost a buzzword. Regardless of it overuse it still signifies the profound change an organization undergoes to leverage technology, enhance operations, and meet evolving customer expectations. However, amidst the push for digitalization, there’s a common misconception that automating your marketing funnel IS digital transformation and that’s all you need. The reality is that true digital transformation is a multifaceted journey that transcends marketing automation and encompasses various aspects of business strategy, technology adoption, and cultural change.

    What is it? Understanding Digital Transformation

    Digital transformation goes beyond mere digitization or automation of existing processes. It involves reimagining business models, embracing emerging technologies, and fostering a culture of innovation to drive sustainable growth and competitive advantage. At its core, digital transformation is about striking a synergy between technology and your service to create value for customers, optimize operations, and unlock new opportunities for growth.

    The Role of Automated Marketing Funnels

    Automated marketing funnels play a vital role in todays marketing strategies. By automating repetitive tasks, segmenting audiences, and delivering personalized content, businesses can streamline their marketing efforts and nurture leads more effectively. Automated marketing funnels enable businesses to attract, engage, and convert prospects at scale, ultimately driving revenue growth and improving ROI. This is absolutely the minimum that any organization should have in place in preparation for the changing curve of the digital age. But there are many other opportunities for Digital Transformation to make an impact in your pipeline.

    Limitations of Automated Marketing Funnels

    While automated marketing funnels offer undeniable benefits…to your marketing efforts…they should not be mistaken for the entirety of digital transformation. Relying solely on marketing automation overlooks other critical areas that are integral to digital success. In other words – the rest of your company still needs transformation too, at least an overview. For instance, a business may have a highly efficient marketing funnel in place, but if its operations, customer experience, or technology infrastructure lag behind, it will struggle to deliver a seamless and cohesive digital experience. Your team may be able to get the client in the door but then fall short of delivering to expectation or keeping up with the bar that was already set.

    Comprehensive Approach to Digital Transformation

    To truly realize the full potential of digital transformation, businesses should strategically adopt a holistic approach that encompasses all aspects of their operations. This means aligning marketing efforts with broader business objectives, integrating systems and processes across departments, and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. This isn’t to say that “everything” needs transformation but to say that a gap analysis should be done across functional units within the organization to determine the best ways to optimize process.

    Integration and Alignment

    The marketing team should not be a stand alone operation. By breaking down silos and promoting cross-functional collaboration, businesses can leverage data and insights more effectively to drive growth and innovation. Successful digital transformation requires alignment between marketing initiatives and overall business strategy. Marketing efforts should be closely integrated with other functions such as sales, customer service, and product development to ensure a unified and consistent customer experience.

    Building a Culture of Innovation

    Digital transformation is not just about technology—it’s also about people and culture. To foster innovation and agility, businesses should begin to create a culture that embraces experimentation, diversity, learning, and adaptation. Leadership plays a crucial role in championing change and empowering employees to embrace new ways of working. By encouraging creativity and risk-taking, businesses can unleash the full potential of their teams and drive meaningful transformation.

    While automated marketing funnels are valuable tools for driving customer engagement and conversion, they are just one piece of the digital transformation puzzle. True digital transformation requires a comprehensive approach that spans all facets of business, from marketing and operations to technology and culture. By embracing digitalization holistically and investing in the right people, processes, and technologies, businesses can position themselves for long-term success in the digital age.

    Are You Ready To Discover A Full Scale Digital Transformation for Your Business?

    Are you ready to take your digital transformation journey to the next level? Assess your current digital initiatives and identify areas for improvement and expansion beyond marketing automation. Remember, digital transformation is an ongoing process, and staying ahead requires continuous innovation and adaptation. Reach out to our team for guidance and support on your digital transformation journey.

  • Gemini

    Yet Another Update in the World of Technology…Google Bard is Now Gemini…

    Google Bard is now known as Gemini and is the latest AI tool revolutionizing the workday for literally everyone. While you may be puzzled by the connection between AI, a poet and a zodiac sign, fear not, for the Meta Mind Shift Mastermind is here to guide you through the technological landscape, but more on that later…


    Rapid Evolution: From Bard to Gemini to Gemini 1.5

    Google has been (to the angst of all of its sphere) unconscionably slow to roll out its emerging tech over the last couple of years, sitting on the sidelines to organizations like Meta, OpenAI and StabilityAI, but lately its begun making up for lack luster performance amongst emerging tech. In fact this year, specifically over the last week, we’ve experienced rapid evolution of its AI capabilities, reflected in a series of updates and rebrandings. First a little history, then the details.

    Google first revealed its AI equivalent of ChatGPT, naming it “Bard” in 2022. Bard launched to humdrum reviews in 2022 as Google’s alternative to ChatGPT, enabling natural conversations across over 40 languages. Update #1, Google’s conversational AI is now, after months of improvements, Bard has not only been rebranded as Gemini but also came forward with more advanced capabilities.

    The Gemini update also introduced Gemini Advanced, powered by the larger Ultra 1.0 model. Gemini Advanced can handle more complex tasks like coding, reasoning, and creative collaboration. At the same time, Gemini jumped into an app and became widely available through new Android and iOS apps.

    But wait theres more! Evolution continues as just a week later, the company unveiled Gemini 1.5 – representing a “dramatic improvement” in AI performance leaving tongues of techies wagging faster than a doggie on a hot day.

    Gemini 1.5 Pro introduces a more efficient “Mixture of Experts” (MoE) model architecture, allowing for faster training and deployment. More notably, it supports an experimental 1 million token context window – a 10X increase over the original Gemini. This expanded context enables Gemini 1.5 to process vast amounts of text, audio, video and code in a single prompt.

    To understand the revolutionary impact here:

    • Original ChatGPT: 2048 tokens (Nov ’22)
    • ChatGPT Plus: 4000 tokens (Feb ’23)
    • GPT-4 Turbo: 128,000 tokens (Dec ’23)

    The token count demonstrates how rapidly context sizes are expanding. In just the span of a year, the “state-of-the-art” has gone from 4000 tokens to 1 million tokens – a 250X increase, yes that’s right two-hundred-and-fifty times improvement in processing capability.

    Based on Googles release notes, Gemini 1.5 Pro performs on par with the larger Gemini 1.0 Ultra model, despite being more efficient. It also shows impressive skills in analyzing long texts, reasoning across modalities, and problem-solving complex code.

    According to Google they are committed to responsible AI development, and say Gemini 1.5 underwent extensive ethics and safety testing before release. (how extensive or who was involved in assuring that extent are the areas of concern) For now, access to Gemini 1.5 is limited to select developers and enterprise customers. But these rapid advancements promise more helpful AI applications for everyone on the horizon.

    The evolution from Bard to Gemini to Gemini 1.5 demonstrates Google’s relentless pace of progress in conversational AI…even though we’ve been woefully disappointed with most of their timing, this one seems to be driving the point home that they are still in the game. Each iteration brings significantly more advanced capabilities. If Google is determined to lead the AI race (they’ve got a lot of catching up to do in terms of cleaning the perception that they are behind) we can expect even more groundbreaking updates as they continue to innovate.

    NOW THINK ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS

    You may be avoiding AI but are your competitors? What would intuitive access to 57 fields of knowledge do for your business? Here you are, manually slogging through data, meetings and emails, while your rivals capitalize on AI’s potential. Did you see Gemini’s Massive Multitask Language Capabilities? Think about realistic use cases in your business where Gemini can handled massive inputs across text, audio, data files, etc. in different languages and formats – and produce actionable outputs for your teams. Perhaps its a key to unlocking new markets across cultures, borders, and countries.

    Massive Multitask Language Understanding (MMLU) refers to the ability of an AI model to handle multiple language-related tasks simultaneously on a large scale. This means that the model can perform various language understanding tasks, such as translation, summarization, question-answering, and sentiment analysis, all at once. Essentially, MMLU enables the AI model to comprehend and process language in a wide range of contexts and scenarios, making it highly versatile and capable of tackling diverse challenges in natural language processing.

    ChatGPT, Stability AI and now Gemini are already here, they are not going back in the box but they are guaranteed to be changing Google’s core products and the world around you. Digital transformations are already underway at nearly every major company, and small businesses (like yours) are also considering this revolution. Is your workforce ready to professionally embrace AI, or do they only understand the power of Instagram filters and TikTok’s AI?

    With each groundbreaking update, organizations including Google are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Gemini puts advanced capabilities in reach for businesses seeking a competitive edge. The choice is yours – will you lead your company into the future, or allow your rivals to capitalize on AI’s potential? The time for digital transformation is neigh!

    Note: Gemini 1.5 Pro comes with a standard 128,000 token context window. But starting today (February 15, 2024), a limited group of developers and enterprise customers can try it with a context window of up to 1 million tokens via AI Studio and Vertex AI in private preview.

  • Email Changes in 2024 You Need To Know for Your Small Business

    If you are still conducting business from your @gmail.com account, they may not be!

    It’s time to level up and give your business the professional edge it deserves with a custom domain because things are changing in 2024. That’s right as of this month your emails coming from your coveted @gmail.com address may be going straight into junk mail for your entire distro list. Imagine being blacklisted from sending email to your customers. That’s what you are risking. The time as come to get it right.

    Email is an essential tool for communication in today’s business landscape. However, relying solely on a generic @gmail.com address may begin holding your business back. Googles recent announcement regarding new requirements for bulk email senders (over 5000) underscores the importance of having a professional email setup. They are setting more strict guidelines for commercial (business) email distribution and began enforcing this guidance in February 2024.

    Its time listen up and pay close attention to this one because it affects your business!

    Technikole Logo 2024, Dark Background Use, White letters

    If you send over 5000 emails for your business its time to consider using a custom domain, you not only enhance the credibility and professionalism of your brand but also ensure better deliverability and security for your email communications. A custom domain is step 1 along your digital transformation if you do not already have a digital home.

    Here’s are some reasons why it’s time to give your business an upgrade:

    • Professionalism: A custom domain lends credibility to your business and instills trust in your customers. It signals that you’re serious about your brand and committed to providing a professional experience.
    • Brand Identity: Your email address is often the first point of contact with potential customers. With a custom domain, you can reinforce your brand identity and make a memorable impression that sets you apart from the competition.
    • Email Deliverability: Using a custom domain improves email deliverability and reduces the likelihood of your messages being marked as spam. This ensures that your important communications reach their intended recipients without delay. Be sure to read the upcoming changes effective February 2024.
    • Security: Custom domains offer greater control and security over your email infrastructure. You can implement advanced security measures and authentication protocols to safeguard your sensitive information and protect against cyber threats.

    Technikole Consulting supports your digital transformation with the acquisition of a digital home also known as a custom domain (or two or three). We specialize in helping you to be technically savvy and this is a vital part of that if you don’t already have one. We handle domain acquisition, email forwarding, website hosting and can even get you started with one of those easy to use email & marketing platforms. We’ll handle all the technical stuff so you can get back to creating great emails to communicate with your clients. This is the easy part of digital transformation that helps you to “be technically savvy.”

    Upgrade your email experience today and take your business to the next level with a custom domain. Select an option below to get started or learn more about our services and how we can help you throughout your digital transformation.

    We look forward to helping you unlock the full potential of your email communications with a custom domain.

    Start Your Transformation

  • Supporting Black Futures and Black History Month

    As we celebrate the proud, beautiful and diverse greatness that makes up the Black community during Black History Month, it’s important to not only reflect on the past but crucial to take tangible actions that uplift and empower the Black community economically. One amazing way to do this is by actively supporting Black businesses, culture, and growth.

    Supporting Black Futures and Black History Month

    Often times people ask the question, how can I help during Black History Month (why not all) and also far too often, I can’t find Black Businesses that do X, Y, or Z. Frankly, the last one is appalling but I choose to take it as both a plea for help and and as an opportunity for discovery to solve a problem by flipping the question – “are there Black businesses that do X, Y and Z?” and if not that’s your answer. Go Fund that, make it happen!

    We stumbled across our own discovery in 2022, the phrase “How to grow a Black business?” had a 0% search rate. Zero. How uncommon is that? You know who I asked, AI of course:

    It’s quite uncommon for a search phrase to have a 0% search frequency, especially considering the vast amount of information available online and the diversity of search queries people use. However, it’s not impossible, especially for very niche or obscure topics that have limited interest or relevance to most internet users. It could also happen if the search phrase contains a typo or is very specific to a particular context that is not widely known or discussed.

    ChatGPT by OpenAI

    The implications of this were just horrific across both ways of viewing it. No one was searching for it and didn’t that mean that no one was focused on building or supporting it? You can find a whole 10 entries as of today and a few of them are my own that I created to spread awareness. Looking at that differently, “how to grow a cat” has just under 1M. 🤦🏽‍♀️Anyway. Change takes time but it starts with awareness. With that being said here are:

    29+ practical ways you can actively support Black business, culture, and growth

    1. Support Black Owned BusinessesWE ARE HERE! Black owned businesses are literally run by Black entrepreneurs in various sectors. They are people in need of your dollars that do a dern good job at what they do but may do even better with you, your platform, resources and patronage. Just type in ‘search term + Black Owned Business’ and review your results, scrolling down the page a bit shows the Google listing (similar to searching for a restaurant!).
    2. Donate to Black organizations: Contribute financially to non-profits and community initiatives focused on economic empowerment within the Black community. You can find them the exact same way as mentioned in item #1.
      Black Women in Technology logo
    3. Collaborate with Black Owned Entities: Seek opportunities to collaborate with Black-owned businesses on projects, partnerships, or joint ventures and especially federal opportunities.
    4. Support Black Artists: Purchase artwork, music, literature, and other creative works from Black artists and creators. This goes for NFTs and other digital art too, that’s not a new message from me, I’m just not saying it on Twitter this time. Try the hashtags #BlackArt #BlackArtists #BlackCreator #BlackPublisher on any given platform. [I’m also a Digital Artist, if you like my creations I can create for you or teach you how -> https://technikole.com]
    5. Attend Black Owned/Operated events: Participate in events, markets, and festivals organized by Black-owned businesses to show your support and appreciation. Go for the paid version! You can find numerous events geared toward the culture in your area on Eventnoire
      Event Noire - Discover Events that Embrace
Culture & Community!
    6. Mentorship: Mentor aspiring Black entrepreneurs or professionals in your field to provide guidance and support for their career or business endeavors, most importantly on this one, do not make accessibility to receiving this mentorship hard or out of ordinary, difficult. Why – because this type of exclusivity is not helpful to those who actually need it but cannot spare the bandwidth because of “life”.
    7. Advocate for diversity: Advocate for increased representation of Black voices and perspectives in your workplace, industry, or community. This isn’t hard. We aren’t there yet where this is not an issue.
    8. Educational support: Support programs and initiatives that provide educational opportunities, scholarships, or resources to Black students and aspiring professionals. This one hits home for me and I’ll tell that tale one day. Just do what it says.
    9. Invest in Black-owned ventures: Consider investing in Black-owned businesses, startups, or initiatives through crowdfunding, angel investing, or venture capital. Research, then invest. Know that sometimes we look different on paper and your AI is still biased.
    10. Collaborate with Black-owned media: Partner with Black-owned media outlets, podcasts, or publications to amplify diverse voices and stories. Unless the topic is gossip, sports or fashion…I’m not referring to those. I am referring to every other type of media, podcast or publication out there. #BlackPublisher, #BlackMedia #BlackNetwork #BlackPodcaster #BlackMagazine #BlackVoices etc.
    11. Promote Black Excellence: Share success stories, achievements, and milestones of Black entrepreneurs and professionals on social media and in your networks. Amplify Black creators, again it takes 2.1 seconds to retweet, like or share. If you can do it for Katt Williams, you can do it for the local creator too.
    12. Advocate for fair policies: Support policies and legislation that promote economic equity, diversity, and inclusion in all sectors of society. Nuff said.
    13. Dine at Black-owned restaurants and cafes: Ya’ll know we have some of best food on the planet! support Black-owned eateries and coffee shops in your community to support local businesses and culinary entrepreneurs. But also, hire (qualified) Black Sous, Head and Master Chefs.
    14. Support Black-owned tech initiatives: Contribute to programs, workshops, or organizations that promote tech education, innovation, and entrepreneurship within the Black community. This one isn’t hard either. There a whole bunch of them directed at closing educational gaps including STEM, STEAM, STEEM, AND STEEM programs from youth up through college and even adulthood we have them too.
      Aisymmetry
    15. Donate tech equipment: Provide gently used tech equipment or resources to organizations or schools serving Black youth and underserved communities. Better yet, buy new and get donation receipts to support your own business at the same time. There is still a world where a $150 VR headset is out of reach for interested creators.
    16. Attend Black Tech Conferences: Participate in tech conferences, workshops, and events featuring Black speakers, innovators, and thought leaders. Your ticket purchase supports the event, the patrons and the speakers. If you don’t want to go, consider donating the ticket. Most of our major Black tech conferences have donations available. Also if you didn’t know we had these guess what! #WEAREHERE #BITCON #BlacksInTechnology #BlackIsTech
    17. Sponsorship: There are two ways to sponsor. 1 – Formal sponsorship via resources or donation, you align your logo and your essence to a specific event or cause. 2 – Sponsor via purchasing of access for individuals or organizations to attend conferences, workshops, or training programs in your industry or field (refer to #16 and Donate), make the unavailable – available.
      Blacks in Technology Sponsorship Deck
    18. Advocate for diverse panels: We are literally “0” years removed from the “largest” conferences in XYZ industry boasting 70+ speakers and not a single BIPOC or Black guest speaker. This is problematic. Encourage event organizers to prioritize diversity and inclusion when selecting speakers and panelists for conferences and industry events, and not just on topics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Ask questions BEFORE buying tickets, look at the speaker roster, especially when speakers are paid to attend and lend their voices which leads me to…
    19. Offer speaking opportunities: Extend speaking opportunities to Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders at events, webinars, and workshops you organize or participate in. Open the door, invite us to register to be speakers, use speaker bureaus to search for diverse candidates and most importantly topics.
    20. Shop consciously: Make an effort to purchase products and services from Black-owned businesses, both locally and online. This doesn’t have to be just during Black History Month, this is a year round effort of consciousness.
    21. Mentor Black tech professionals: Provide mentorship and support to Black individuals pursuing careers or ventures in the tech industry.
    22. Promote Black tech influencers: Amplify the voices and perspectives of Black tech influencers and content creators on social media and in professional networks.
    23. Collaborate on tech projects: Partner with Black-owned tech startups or entrepreneurs on projects, collaborations, or innovation initiatives.
    24. Invest in Black tech talent: Invest in training, upskilling, or internship programs that provide opportunities for Black individuals to pursue careers in technology.
    25. Advocate for inclusive hiring: Advocate for inclusive hiring practices and policies within your organization or industry to promote diversity and representation. I know I always say this but #25 is not about entry level positions, this hiring needs to be where it can make a difference internally and externally. I’m not talking about “giving” positions to anyone. That’s a different animal. I’m referring to really seeking diversity in your upper ranks and being diligent about it.
    26. Attend diversity workshops: Participate in workshops, training sessions, or discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech sector. They are there, just search for them.
    27. Donate to tech inclusion programs: Contribute financially to organizations or initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in technology.
    28. Sponsor Black-owned tech events: Research and then provide sponsorship or support for events, hackathons, or meetups organized by Black tech communities and organizations. This can mean a world of difference. Even donating the use of a platform, meeting space or resource can create opportunities where there was none.
    29. Amplify Black voices: Use your platform, influence, and networks to amplify Black voices, perspectives, and achievements in your industry and beyond. This links closely with #22 but also places like LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest. Make it easy for yourself, its where ever you are.

    BONUSES

    • Bonus 1 – Give Reviews: If you had a positive experience with a Black owned business, consider leaving a review. Why – because it helps and we don’t often ask for it (we should). Takes 3.5 seconds to click a 5-star to post and keep it moving.
    • Bonus 2 – Learn about Web3 and how we can change all of this so that we move to whatever is beyond DEI programs and “be”.

    By taking these practical steps, you can actively contribute to the economic empowerment and advancement of the Black community during Black History Month and beyond. I’m not a certified DEI professional, I’m just someone who has a Black Owned Business and comes from a family of Black Entrepreneurs. I am living, breathing Black History, walking everyday (article coming soon). I’ve seen the needs my whole life so when you ask how to change it, I can certainly provide recommendations.

    If you would like to donate, sponsor, support or register for anything that I am doing, please do so at https://technikole.com or $TECHNIKOLE (Cashapp). Better yet – I want to be in the same space and get to know you. Maybe you’d like to explore the possibilities of emerging technology with me? I invite you to register for the Meta Mind Shift Mastermind beginning on the February 13th. Change is on its way but we still have a lot of work to do. Together, we can build a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous future for all.

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    Meta Mind Shift Mastermind 2024
    Meta Mind Shift Mastermind 2024