Katara McCarty is the founder of Exhale, an emotional wellbeing app designed for Black women and women of color.
“It’s more than an app. It’s a movement. Society has ignored the health and wellbeing of Black women for too long, which is exactly why I am unapologetic in my pursuit to create space specifically for Black women,” said McCarty.
The grant from the Nile Capital Fund will allow her to launch a 2.0 version of the app. The new fund from the Be Nimble Foundation is providing revenue-based equity loans and traditional equity investments for Black founders.
Be Nimble is a social enterprise creating fully diverse and inclusive tech ecosystems. They launched the fund in collaboration with Cummins Inc., the City of Indianapolis and IMPACT Central Indiana.
“The Nile is the longest river in the world. It’s a lifeline for Egypt, fueling the economy and diverse ecosystem in Northeastern Africa. It also reflects our vision for Be Nimble and how we serve our community,” said Jeff Williams, co-founder of Be Nimble.
“This fund will serve as a mode of transportation for our existing programs and partnerships, just as the Nile enables communities to flourish. We’re feeding the ecosystem and supporting the entrepreneurs we’re committed to seeing succeed.” The Nile Capital Fund will also allocate funds to companies that have participated in Be Nimble’s other entrepreneurship programs.
Cummins Advocating for Racial Equity (CARE) Executive Director Latonya Sisco said working with Be Nimble, the city and IMPACT leverages the focus area on economic empowerment to create more inclusive communities.
“By joining forces, we aim to create a more equitable landscape for business ownership and growth and support the talented Black founders in our community who may not otherwise have access to the resources they need,” said Sisco.
Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city is proud to have contributed over $725,000 to launch the Nile Capital Fund.
“This partnership adds to our many efforts to continue to foster Black entrepreneurship,” said Hogsett.
Be Nimble said they will continue the legacy begun by Madame C.J. Walker, of Black women-led beauty brands in Central Indiana.
Contact senior staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON
Indy-based wardrobe stylist Brittany Rice said she’s always had that passion for fashion — or, more accurately, — a passion for styling.
For those who have spent more than 30 minutes trying to piece together one outfit from an entire closet of items and still come up short, Rice might be able to help.
Most people may think being a wardrobe stylist is just picking out some clothes for someone else to wear, and they wouldn’t be totally wrong — just not totally right either. Rice said her job consists of closet consulting (what to keep, what to donate and what to add), closet organization, personal shopping, virtual styling sessions with a style board, pulling outfits for folks on vacation, styling photoshoots and personal shopping.
But Rice is a very “going and flowing” gal and enjoys every opportunity she gets, especially when she gets to work styling backstage at fashion shows around Indy with designers such as Nicole Rene, Passion 4 Fashion Week, Midwest Fashion Week and Indy Black Expo.
“You’re helping people find their personal style and feel good about their bodies through clothes,” Rice said. “It’s like to help people redefine and refine themselves — and making sure that when they walk out here their clothes are speaking for them.”
She studied fashion merchandising at the Art Institute of Indianapolis until the school closed in 2017 and ran a fashion blog on WordPress entitled “Fash Blab” where she put together outfits and listed where she got them from and how much they cost.
Rice was also the one her friends and family always turned to when they needed help picking out something to wear for an event. Eventually, Rice said she realized she had already learned the best ways to match patterns and mix prints and color block, so she decided to do all of that professionally under her own business: Style by Brit Nicole.
Rice also helps clients put outfits together though style boards, which include clothing pieces, jewelry, shoes and makeup items. (Photo/provided by Brittany Rice)
“I felt like I started opening more doors with networking in the fashion industry,” Rice said. “Just talking to people and learning who the other models are and who can pose and how I can use them in my own shoots and collaborating with a lot of other stylists.”
Plus, Rice said her job never feels like work as she loves helping people find their own personal style.
“My favorite thing about doing what I do is probably just seeing my clients really happy about their photos,” she said. “And when they come to me with this vision and then I’m able to bring that to life … I like that I’m able to help you put your best self forward in any space.”
Getting to where she is now wasn’t easy as Rice said starting her business wasn’t instantaneous; for a minute, she wasn’t sure where to go with her career after the Art Institute closed. She took jobs in other fields, such as healthcare and insurance, but said she refused to give up, not only for herself but for her daughter — who was born in 2020, a year before Rice’s first fashion show.
From there, other designers and stylists, such as DaNisha Greene, lent Rice a hand in making sure she got into the rooms she needed to be in to learn the skills of the trade. She worked on building her clientele and whatever shows she could, including some at Kentucky State — her other alma mater.
Rice said stylists don’t always get the recognition they deserve — or sometimes any recognition at all — and she often has to tag herself in posts that showcase her work. However, collaborating with other local professionals in the industry — such as wardrobe stylist Tynaé Neal and photographer and videographer Tache May — help to bolster everyone’s work and grab the attention of a more diverse target audience.
Tache May, owner of Tache Productions Photography and Video, is an Indy-based photographer who specializes in boudoir, maternity and weddings who has been working with Rice since 2017. Their partnership, May said, is one that always sows success, as Rice has a unique way of bringing her visions to life.
“I have worked with other stylists before, but they don’t do overachievement work as Brittany does,” May said. “She’s really good when it comes to having that eye, and it’s like all her ideas always kind of match what’s in my head.”
Rice often works behind the scenes at fashion shows and photoshoots in addition to styling clients. (Photo/Tache Mays)
May said Rice refers clients to her and vice versa. They often brainstorm together and collaborate on projects: Rice comes in to style clients for various photoshoots, helps with posing, and comes up with different concepts and ideas to produce the best quality shots.
“She’s also helped my business come a long way,” May said. “Anytime someone sees Tache and Brittany come together for a project, they want to get involved.”
But when it comes to the hard and fast rules of fashion — such as mixing patterns, jewelry and no white after Labor Day — Rice said she’s not one to follow trends too closely and wears whatever she wants to and encourages others to as well.
However creatively liberating it all is, a wardrobe stylist’s work is never done, she said. Rice’s next steps include a fashion show with Tynaé Neal in August. Rice and Neal are also collaborating on the rebrand and relaunch of Viva Nicole Vintage and a “Get Ready with Me” fashion game.
Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848 or chloegm@indyrecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Empower Results was awarded Certified Vendor of the Month for April 2023 by Mayor Joe Hogsett and Director of the Office of Minority Business Development David Fredricks. Empower Results, founded by Jill Hoffmann in 2006 and works to create programs, projects and stewardship opportunities that produce social and environmental benefits.
“Empower Results is bridging community concern for the environment with the policy and programming that can make a real difference,” Hogsett said in a press release. “As an XBE firm owned by an environmental scientist, Empower also points the way to a local professional landscape that champions diversity and expertise”
The mission of the business is to unite people and resources with an emphasis on how people communicate about growth and development. Empower Results specializes in developing and delivering public involvement services and customized outreach programs at local and state levels. The woman-owned business covers water management issues, wetland protection and related policy interests, master planning and sustainability initiatives. Empower Results was selected as the Certified Vendor of the Month in honor of Earth Day on April 22.
“Working to protect critical natural resources and the unique values those resource afford our communities keeps me inspired and motivated every day,” said Jill Hoffmann. “Our thoughtful, passionate team ensures that we take both a practical and enthusiastic approach to creating places and programs that make Indy more sustainable, more resilient, and more reflective of our shared existence and common goals.”
By Ginger Strand, Freelance Writer. Full story is available here.
Question and answer with Meera Bhat, The Nature Conservancy’s director of equitable conservation.
Your background is scientific: mathematics, molecular and cell biology, public health. How did you end up focused on equitable conservation? I don’t have a classic story, like “My dad took me to the woods all the time; we got The Nature Conservancy magazine when I was a kid and I knew about conservation all my life.”
I moved to New York City after college to continue my studies in molecular biology. And I fell in love with urban areas. I became a community gardener; I did a lot of work around vacant land. That was how I came to love land—not wild, wide-open spaces, but small spaces, often with toxic soil. I connected with African American and immigrant communities who had tended that land when no one else did, when it was considered worthless by the city. Communities would come together and grow things and use it as gathering space. So you can see a link to TNC’s beautiful, expansive idea of a preserve: a place where nature can thrive in its own way, and people can become healthy and heal through interacting with nature and with each other there.
My concept of nature has never had any notion of the pristine in it. Our species’ relationship to all the other species around us is very clear to me. I live in Minnesota now and I see wide open vistas with the same lens that I see these small community gardens: This is about the relationship between people and land and every other species that’s not human as well.
What does your role look like on a day- to-day basis? I work mostly internally with different teams across the organization to help center equity in our conservation practices, outcomes and culture—building it into our goals and ensuring that it’s embedded in what we think of as conservation.
What does it mean to “embed” equity in conservation? Equitable conservation means acknowledging and attempting to repair the negative social impacts that conservation can have and has had on people—often Indigenous people, local communities and people of color. We seek to repair those impacts through changes in our practices, out- comes and culture, and so orient our future work so we can seek to prevent these aspects entirely. It’s both about repair and transformation.
Will thinking more about equity change the definition of conservation? Our understanding of conservation is not fully complete. And that’s fine; that’s how science works. It builds on itself. It’s not so much advancement in a linear direction, but adding more dimensionality, broadening our under- standing of what is needed for durable conservation impacts. We learn more; the world changes more; our thinking becomes more sophisticated. And to be honest, the challenges become more sophisticated, too.
Perhaps another way to define equitable conservation would be to call it conservation that includes consideration of all human beings. People—especially people whose lives and livelihoods are deeply connected to land and water—are a part of nature. There’s no way you can protect nature without considering how people are interacting with it and how their livelihoods are affected by it. There’s this idea that people are a threat to nature—that nature needs to be protected from things like economy and industry. And that’s not a nuanced enough analysis. Different people with different levels of access to power have different effects on the land. Historically, the people that land has been protected from have been the people least likely to do it harm.
The way Indiana grows food is impacted by climate change. Local leaders can face the challenge head-on
By: Larry Clemens, State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, Indiana Farmer
Late last year, global leaders and climate experts from nearly every country on Earth met in Egypt during the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to negotiate goals for tackling the climate crisis. The stakes are high, especially in Indiana. Purdue University’s Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment predicts hotter temperatures and more intense rainfall if climate action is not taken. This will be costly, as insurance rates, energy bills and food prices will climb, along with the temperatures and flooding.
Climate change is increasing the complexity of nearly every facet of our lives, including our food systems. Conventional agricultural practices can deplete the land and threaten our waters, with sediment and excess nutrients running off into our waterways during intense rainfall events. If we don’t evolve how we produce food and crops, these problems will only intensify, as food demand is expected to increase by 50%—and protein demand by more than 70%—before we reach 2050.
“Nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients from agricultural fertilizers flow from the White River to the Wabash River, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Mike Dunn, Director of Freshwater for The Nature Conservancy in Indiana. “Only 1-7 percent of the water flowing into the Mississippi is from the Wabash River Watershed, (which includes the White River) but that water contains a disproportionate 11-17 percent of the nitrogen and phosphorous that make it to the Gulf of Mexico. These nutrients are the leading cause of the ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Fortunately, change is happening all the way up the supply chain. Indiana is seeing a shift toward practices that are restorative, climate friendly and more productive. By adopting regenerative practices—like no-till farming and planting cover crops in off seasons—farmers can help improve water quality and fight climate change while providing people with food.
“It’s increasingly important for farmers and landowners to adopt land management practices that are not only good for their bottom line, but good for nature too.” said Dunn.
While leaders from across the world worked to build a roadmap to support the planet during COP27, momentum at the local and national level is important for reinforcing global climate action. By demonstrating progress in Indiana, together we can drive change on the global stage. To improve nature’s ability to help us, we must quickly help the food and agricultural sector champion regenerative practices, moving beyond sustaining natural resources to embrace large-scale restoration of the lands and waters that supply our food.
Indiana is poised to be a leader in sustainably produced foods, and you can be part of the change for the better. If you’re a farmer, look into healthy soil practices that include no-till and cover crops, which are better for the planet and your bottom line. If you’re an elected official, heed the polling data that indicate Hoosiers want climate change action. If you’re a shopper, select foods grown regeneratively, locally and in season to reduce your carbon footprint. We are happy to work closely with our Indiana State Department of Agriculture to promote conservation practices across the state to all of Indiana’s farmers and hope we can all work together towards our common goal.
Larry Clemens is the Indiana state director for The Nature Conservancy, a global non-profit with nearly 5,000 employees in 79 countries whose mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. If you’re a curious Hoosier who cares and wants to know more, follow The Nature Conservancy on social media and subscribe to their free monthly e-newsletter at nature.org/naturenews.
Despite recent advances, it continues to be lonely for women in leadership roles, especially for those at the very top. That can often make women wonder- what is setting us back? Do we need to make material changes to our leadership styles? To make it to the top, do we need to emulate behaviors that are masculine?
The answer is an emphatic, NO! Women think, act, and lead with a unique set of strengths and capabilities. We need to keep leading with confidence in our unique leadership strengths. In this article, we will explore the feminine leadership styles of 7 women trailblazers.
Empathy is a core competency of women leaders. Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is committed to improving the lives of people around the world, particularly women and girls, and is deeply empathetic to their needs and challenges. Gates’ empathy has helped her connect with people from all walks of life and has made her a respected and admired leader, globally.
Authenticity is a crucial leadership trait that women possess. Authentic leaders are transparent, genuine, and true to themselves. They inspire trust and create a positive work environment. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is open about her struggles with mental health, and her experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. DeGeneres’ authenticity has helped her connect with her audience and has made her a role model for many.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges. Notable women leaders have had to overcome many obstacles to get to where they are, and this has made them resilient leaders. Instead of locking up in fear when things go wrong, they treat the failures as the best learning moments, and inspire their team members to persevere and overcome challenges. Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx, who was named by Forbes as the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, routinely talks about her many failures before she became successful.
Inclusivity is another leadership trait that women bring to the table. Inclusive leaders value diversity and ensure that all team members feel included and heard. They promote a sense of belonging and respect in the workplace. Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox, the first Black woman to head a Fortune 500 company, was a champion of women and people of color in the corporate world, and her commitment to inclusion helped her build a diverse and inclusive team and made her a respected and admired leader.
Being decisive is a crucial leadership trait that women possess. Decisive leaders make informed decisions quickly and efficiently. They are not afraid to take charge and take risks. Angela Ahrendts, the former CEO of Burberry, and former Senior Vice President of Apple, was an extremely decisive leader. She led Burberry’s turnaround and transformed Apple’s retail strategy.
Adaptability is the ability to adjust to changing circumstances. Women are adaptable leaders who can navigate through changing environments and remain calm under pressure. Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, is an example of an adaptable leader. She led PepsiCo’s shift towards healthier products and successfully navigated through the financial crisis.
Women often use innovative techniques to find new ways to organize their homes, decorate, and plan meals, juggle multiple responsibilities, and create work life balance. We also apply the same innovativeness to the workplace to solve problems. Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, has been a strong advocate for General Motors to invest in new technologies, such as electric and autonomous vehicles. She has pushed the company to prioritize these areas and drive a culture of innovation.
Clearly, many natural “female” traits make women very compelling leaders. Most women are still largely responsible for the nurturing of their families; it is a part of our genetic structure. That means we take responsibility for nurturing people to feel included and valued, a trait that we often naturally extend in our workplaces. Before we convince others, we need to convince ourselves that we are just as good as our male counterparts. We also need to build and support our tribe. Finally, we need to be vocal and visible about telling our stories, as we stay on course to break new ground and smash glass ceilings.
The Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists (IABJ) and the PRSA Hoosier Chapter hosted their first ‘Meet the Media Night’ since the pandemic began, inviting the public to come together and raise money for a good cause while mingling with members of the media in front of and behind the camera, as well as top executives, CEOs, management, public relations, and marketing professionals.
The event was held at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis and focused on the theme of “Living Your Best Life.” Cameron Riddle, a reporter at FOX 59/CBS 4 and talk show host on 106.7 WTLC and HOT 100.9, served as this year’s emcee.
“We felt it was very important to address the unprecedented stress attributed to COVID-19 related issues in the industry, as well as throughout communities in Indiana and all over the world,” said Vernon Williams, President of IABJ.
One highlight of the evening was the Barbara Boyd Trailblazer award presentation to DuJuan McCoy, the owner of Circle City Broadcasting and WISH-TV. McCoy’s dedication to promoting diversity in newsrooms and breaking down barriers in the industry was acknowledged with the prestigious award.
“DuJuan McCoy is a true trailblazer in the field of journalism,” said Vernon Williams, president of IABJ. “He has inspired many, and we are honored to recognize his contributions with this award.”
The panel discussion, moderated by WISH-TV anchor Lena Pringle, covered various mental health and wellness topics, including the difficulty of balancing work and personal life and how to talk to children about challenging issues.
During the panel discussion, Jennifer Pace Robinson, President and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, spoke about the importance of telling difficult stories and being a voice in the community. “I needed to tell the story, “she said. “If you don’t do it, who’s going to do it?”
Pringle also discussed the challenge of discussing tough issues with children and how to approach these conversations. “Children understand about fair. They understand how we can try to differentiate,” she said. “We need to really start having more conversations about when they see negative things. The more we talk about it and make it so that it’s not mystical or a bad thing to say, the better.”
Dr. Russell Ledet, a triple board resident at Indiana University, emphasized the importance of managing exposure to traumatic events in the media. “You must manage what you’re viewing while it’s happening,” he said. “Because I can assure you, we’ll see another video of a guy unreasonably killed.”
Barbara Thompson, Executive Director of NAMI Indiana, suggested that journalists take a page from police officers and firefighters and form support groups to manage the trauma they may experience on the job.
“I think that journalists need to think about being a first responder and understanding that you’re taking on that kind of trauma, that secondary trauma,” she said. “To probably look into doing things like police officers do or firefighters, where they have peer groups and are trying to support each other in their mental health.”
Kateria Winfrey, a WISH-TV Multi-Cultural Reporter, spoke about her own experiences with stress and learning to ask for help when needed. “I’m learning how to cope with stress, or at least learning how to speak up and say, ‘Hey, I’m having a problem right now. I’m struggling,’” she said.
Other discussion panel members included: Brian Richardson Jr., Colts Diversity and Inclusion, and Dawn Davis, In Our Own Voice Trainer and Speaker, NAMI Indiana. IABJ also announced that college students could apply for scholarships on Friday, March 10, with the application period closing on Friday, April 21. Scholarship recipients will be selected on Friday, April 29, and recognized at IABJ’s Mental Health Program in May 2023.
Thanks to this year’s sponsors. Black Onyx Management, Inc., Empowered Families, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Recorders Women Auxiliary, Indianapolis Colts, Yes Consulting, LLC, Hirons, She Event Indy, Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper.
With tax day approaching, there’s no time like the present to get started on your 2022 returns and submit them well before the April 18 deadline.
This year, you have a few extra days to complete your taxes. With the typical deadline of April 15 falling on a weekend, followed by Emancipation Day on Monday, this year’s filing date is on Tuesday, April 18.
“Though there are a few extra days to file, make sure to still give yourself ample time to gather and organize your tax information to take advantage of any and all tax deductions, or other tax breaks that may apply to you and your family,” says Kelly Perez, Wealth Advisor for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. “Many key deductions that may reduce your tax bill or provide a refund are often left on the table due to lack of preparation. Whether you file on your own or work with a paid tax professional, the initial groundwork is the key to maximizing your benefits.” Ready to submit or get started? Here are some tips to help simplify the process, maximize your potential refund or minimize your tax burden before you finalize your return.
Get organized. Make sure you have important documents like last year’s return, current W-2s, 1099s and mortgage interest statements on hand. You’ll also want to gather receipts for tax-deductible purchases, travel, charitable contributions and other potential write-offs. You can look online to find checklists of documents you might need to help you file.
Be aware of tax law changes. While taxes are inevitable, what you may owe or get refunded might not be. As you finalize or start your 2022 tax return, be aware of changes to federal, state and local tax laws that could affect your refund or how much you owe. For example, if you benefitted from the child tax credit, earned income tax credit or child and dependent care credit on your 2021 return, don’t be surprised if you get a smaller refund this year. Credits expanded as part of federal Covid relief packages have now returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Are you working from home permanently? If you have a home-based business, you might qualify for a home office tax deduction. You can potentially write off expenses for a part of your home you only use for business purposes.
To itemize or not to itemize. Determine whether you’ll itemize your expenses or take the standard deduction. If you think your qualified expenses will be more than the 2022 standard deduction ($12,950 for most singles and $25,900 for most married couples filing jointly), it might be worth it to itemize. Taking the standard deduction can make the filing process easier, but it could mean you pay more in taxes or receive a smaller refund.
Contribute to retirement accounts. You can fund a traditional or Roth IRA through the April 18, 2023, tax filing deadline and have it count for 2022. Traditional IRA contributions lower your tax bill right now, while your Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free in retirement. You can contribute up to $6,000 to an IRA each year, or—if you were 50 years or older in 2022—up to $7,000 of your earned income.
Seek help when you need it. If you have a more comprehensive tax return, it can be a good idea to work with a certified public accountant (CPA). If you need assistance in general, check if you qualify for free in-person or remote programs offered by the IRS or local organizations depending on your income, age and disability status.
Go faster by going digital. Filing electronically will get your return to you more quickly than filing by mail. Selecting direct deposit to a bank account or prepaid card will make the process even faster.
Need more time? If you can’t file by April 18, you can fill out a Form 4868 that will extend your filing deadline to October 16. An extension to file isn’t an extension to pay, so if you think you’ll owe, plan to submit an estimated payment amount when you file your extension. The bottom line – Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be difficult. Getting organized now will help make tax season easier this year and put you in better shape for years to come. For more tips to help you make the most of you and your family’s finances, visit J.P. Morgan’s U.S. Tax Center at privatebank.jpmorgan.com/gl/en/insights/planning/us-tax-center.
The road to entrepreneurship was far from easy for Herd Strategies founder and president, Denise Herd—but that did not stop her. Although her career path ventured into public relations it did not start that way.
Growing up, Herd had an interest in journalism and aspired to become a news anchor. Herd’s interest in news began in high school where she participated in a youth telecommunications program hosted by the Indiana Black Expo.
Herd attended Clark Atlanta University where she majored in broadcast administration. During her time in college, Herd had the opportunity to intern with Columbia Pictures and little did she know this is where she would find her passion.
The internship allowed participants to spend each week of the summer learning about different aspects of motion picture production. The topic for Herd’s first week was public relations. Although Herd had not taken any classes pertaining to the subject, she instantly became fascinated with it and thought to herself “maybe broadcasting isn’t your passion,” Herd said.
It was then that Herd found what she wanted her career to be. What sparked Herd’s interest in public relations was “how dynamic the discipline is,” Herd said. According to Herd, working in public relations allows her to be a “vehicle for communication,”
“Effective communication is so essential in bringing people together and guiding a message or a narrative is really awesome to me,” Herd told the Recorder. ‘I love the fact that I have the opportunity to shape a narrative and influence opinions.”
Herd was in her last year of undergraduate studies when she found her true passion and knew it would be a stretch to change her major that late into her college journey. So, she decided to finish out her degree in broadcast management.
Although Herd did not have training in public relations at the time, it did not discourage her from pursuing it. Herd’s determination landed her a position working at a public relations company where she was formally trained in the craft and was able to begin her career.
Herd wanted to gain knowledge in business ownership, marketing and teaching on a college level and decided to continue her educational journey at Indiana Wesleyan University where she received her master’s degree in business administration.
While pursuing her master’s degree, Herd started her first public relations company with her business partner at the time. According to Herd the business “dissolved” after three years because both she and her business partner had different goals and visions for the company.
“That passion for entrepreneurship still was burning brightly,” Herd said. One day Herd was speaking with her parents and during the conversation they encouraged her to start her own business. It was then Herd began the process to start her own public relations firm. That evening, Herd created a business plan and later started Herd Strategies in 2011.
Herd Strategies is a public relations firm that connects businesses to underrepresented and mainstream audiences by providing their clients with branding, marketing and communications expertise services.
Herd noticed in the beginning of owning her business that although she had years of experience in the field of public relations, she still struggled to get business because she did not have credibility established at the time.
Lack of cash flow was another obstacle Herd faced with her business to the point where it was difficult to generate enough income for her bills.
“You go through the struggle where you’re just taking anything to make sure that you can make ends meet,” Herd said. “Eventually the tide does shift but you just have to stay extremely focused and dedicated to your vision.”
It was Herd’s faith in God, perseverance and support system that pushed her to continue her career.
“I think what kept me going was that I knew I could do it; I never thought about giving up,” Herd said.
While attending a holiday party for the National Association of Women Business Owners, Herd was speaking with a friend about the slow growth of her business and her friend encouraged her to keep going; she told her once she got her first contract the others would fall into place.
One year later Herd’s company pursued a significant proposal which she was worried about not getting. She noticed a letter from the company in her mailbox and began to cry because she said, “usually a letter means no,” Herd said. To her surprise the letter was to congratulate her on getting the proposal.
“When that happened, it was like the doors just started opening,” Herd said.
Currently Herd Strategies has eight employees and has worked with companies such as IPS, INDY GO, Newfields, Indy Urban League and IU Health.
In the future Herd wants to expand her business’ services to a statewide level and would like to diversify her clientele.
“There’s no way I’m going to give up, I’m not going to be defeated; failure is not an option,” Herd said.
Contact staff writer Timoria Cunningham at 317-762-7854. Follow her on Twitter @_timoriac.
Indianapolis fashion designer Joshua Brooks is headed to Santa Monica for LA Fashion Week this month.
Brooks, 26, CEO and designer of BLACC, said he started designing clothing about three years ago before he eventually launched his clothing line and company in April of 2020. What started as “comfortable wear” pop-up shop around Indianapolis quickly grew into a national brand, exceeding Brooks’ expectations and aspirations.
“When it first launched, it was something small. I didn’t have bigger aspirations than what it was,” Brooks said. “(But) it was flourishing, and I couldn’t keep up with BLACC product and how fast it was going.”
Though Brooks took a break with the brand, he decided to relaunch the collection in November of 2022. The outcome of which was overwhelming, and Brooks said he ended up doing a professional photoshoot and commercial for the brand.
Brooks’ friends and colleagues kept suggesting he apply to go to LA Fashion Week to gain more exposure. Eventually, he said he gave in and applied. Brooks received an acceptance email two weeks later from The Model Experience — a modeling agency that connects designers and models to fashion weeks all over the country.
From there, Brooks launched a GoFundMe to help take care of the expenses and met with a consultant to handle the bookings and promotional end of things.
BLACC features an array of different clothing pieces from sweatsuits to leather jackets and dresses. (Photo provided by Joshua Brooks)
“I had no aspirations of even going out to LA Fashion Week,” Brooks said. “All this happened after the photoshoot and the commercial video, everything was coming together.”
Currently BLACC includes just about everything from leisure wear to everyday clothing pieces, Brooks said, such as two-piece sets, leather jackets, dresses, tracksuits and hoodies. But Brooks said he plans to premier pants during LA Fashion Week.
Brooks said BLACC is constantly evolving as he continues to grow as a designer, but for now he’s a one-man-show. BLACC is operated solely off of Brooks’ Instagram account — though he said a website is coming soon so that “everyone across the globe can access it,” — and he sketches, designs and prints everything in-house.
However, Brooks said he specializes in graphic images, and the clothing in his collection is heavily inspired by the ‘90s. The graphic image hoodies are “based on events that happened in the past and recollecting on them today” with images from older TV shows, iconic sporting events and other major moments, Brooks said.
“It’s for everyone and I really want it to be out there,” he said. “BLACC clothing isn’t just for Black people, it means that we’re unified.”
Nikki Blaine, local fashion designer and owner of Nikki Couture, met Brooks at Indianapolis Public Library’s annual Meet the Artists in February and has since taken him under her wing in a mentorship.
Blaine, who’s been a designer for more than 30 years, said mentoring is something she’s passionate about since that’s something she didn’t have when she first got started in the industry.
“No one was really friendly enough to really mentor me, so I just had to find my own way,” Blaine said. “So it has become my mantra to just always give back to young people that are aspiring to be a fashion designer or learn more about the industry.”
Though Blaine has mentored young designers for years, she said Brooks didn’t need as much help since he already had a completed product. Though he needed a little guidance on the branding side and the back end of things, Blaine said he has a good product with BLACC.
BLACC features an array of different clothing pieces from sweatsuits to leather jackets and dresses. (Photo provided by Joshua Brooks)
“I always suggest for people to market themselves in different markets because what they will learn is, if you can make it in Indiana, you can make it anywhere,” she said. “Because we’re not the friendliest or you know, we’re not the fashionistas, we’re not necessarily gravitating to the next hottest thing.”
Blaine said if young, local designers can position themselves to branch off to another market — like Brooks is doing — then they’re already ahead of the curve.
For Brooks, LA Fashion Week is a huge step in furthering his business and brand. Small and large brands from all over the country will be in attendance, allowing for opportunities to network.
“I’ll definitely be able to flourish and gain exposure from this and networking,” Brooks said. “Honestly that’s what I really wanted to get at.”BLACC will be a featured designer at the LA
Fashion Week Festival on March 12 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. The festival will feature fashion shows, live panels, performances, giveaways and more. Doors open at 10 a.m. and tickets are available at themodelexperience.net.
Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848 or chloegm@indyrecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.
