Rich Lessons

Are bonnets appropriate in class? In this mini-episode of Rich Takes, we break down Tuskegee University’s controversial new dress code banning bonnets, durags, and slippers. Plus, we discuss why Amazon is on track to hit $1 trillion in revenue and how Jeff Bezos built a brand that spans every generation and background.

We also cover the viral financial aid situation at Howard University and dive into the differences between how men and women invest wealth.

In this episode, we break down:

On this week’s Rich Lessons mini-segment, we break down the explosive business and cultural headlines shaking up tech, finance, and entertainment. 

First, the shocking fallout at Uncle Nearest Whiskey: founders Fawn Weaver and Keith Weaver have been formally terminated by the court-appointed receiver amidst deep financial turmoil and ongoing federal investigations. What does this mean for the future of the massive Black-owned spirits empire? 

Next, Bill Gates’ daughter, Phoebe Gates, is making headlines as her AI shopping startup, Phia, faces serious "cookie stuffing" and digital attribution fraud accusations from Bloomberg. We discuss the tech, the pr...

Essence Fest 2026 recap, Trump Accounts are officially live, and Anthropic just made a $150M nonprofit play. We break down what it means for your wallet and your business.

Full description:

In this week’s mini-episode of Rich Takes, Sheena and Sevetri are breaking down the massive cultural, financial, and tech shifts happening right now.

First up, we just wrapped up Essence Fest in New Orleans, and the crowds were unmatched—despite what social media predicted. From the absolute chaos and “freebie entitlement” at the Beautycon lines to the massive debate over whether Essence will lea...

Elon Musk hits $1 Trillion on paper, inflation spikes to a 3-year high, and the Obama Presidential Center prepares for its historic Juneteenth opening in Chicago.

This week on Rich Takes, we're breaking down the biggest headlines shaping business, money, tech, and culture.

🔥 Elon Musk reaches trillionaire status on paper after SpaceX's public debut, and thousands of employees become millionaires overnight.

📈 Inflation is at a 3-year high, gas prices keep rising, and hopes for lower interest rates may be fading.

🏛️ The Obama Presidential Center officially opens in Chicago, bringing billions in investment and sparkin...

In this episode of Rich Takes, we break down the massive financial and cultural shifts redefining the business landscape:

What would you do with $22,000 a year, and would your answer change if it meant letting NVIDIA build a mini AI data center in your backyard? This week on Rich Takes, Sheena and Sevetri break down NVIDIA's rumored residential data center program, what it actually costs when you factor in electricity, water, and city regulations, and why the internet is split clean down the middle on whether to sign up or pass.

Then, the Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time in decades, and Madison Square Garden tickets are running as high as $400,000 a...

This week on Rich Takes, we’re breaking down the stories shaping entrepreneurship, business, tech, and culture right now.

We start with The Breakfast Club making history as the first daily live-streaming show on Netflix — and what it says about the growing battle between Netflix, YouTube, podcasts, and the future of content. Are we officially in the content wars era?

Then we get into the rise of the “Lonely Economy” after new data revealed a shocking 1,740% surge in romantic AI companion searches and user growth. Is remote work quietly reshaping adult relationships and social connection? And are...

Are you a founder or a CEO? Because they're not the same thing, and confusing the two might be the most expensive mistake you make.

In this episode of Rich Lessons, Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson Taylor get into one of the rawest conversations in entrepreneurship: what it actually takes to go from founding a company to scaling one — and why the title of "CEO" means nothing if you can't back it up with execution.

What we cover:

Sheena and Sevetri are back with this week's Rich Takes — and this week it's a full-on face-off. AI is eliminating jobs by the thousands while storytellers and communicators are quietly pulling six and seven-figure salaries. We're breaking it all down.

Tech companies are cutting thousands while quietly posting some of the highest-paying content and communications roles we've ever seen. We break down the AI layoff wave hitting Cisco, Meta, Amazon, and GM — and then flip the script on who's actually winning right now (hint: storytellers and communicators are eating good, with salaries up to $1.2M at...

Logan Gobert was still working full-time when she signed a lease, gave herself 60 days to open, and launched Matcha Magic NOLA, one of New Orleans' most talked-about new cafés.
In this episode of Rich Lessons, Logan sits down with Sheena and Sevetri to discuss building a wellness-focused café brand in the South, what it actually takes to open a food and beverage business while still working a full-time job. From the difference between matcha and coffee to the $1,000 door hinge she didn't see coming, Logan keeps it real about the costs, the challenges, and the mindset that ke...

This week on Rich Takes — the hot takes segment of the Rich Lessons podcast — Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson Taylor break down the biggest headlines impacting business and culture.

The Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act has red states redrawing district maps at lightning speed. Louisiana just went 5-1. Tennessee's Black representation in Memphis is gone. But the real question is: will voter outrage actually translate to midterm turnout? We get into why boycotts aren't the answer — and what actually is.

Then we shift to a crisis hiding in plain sight. New research from H...

What does it really take to become a successful NFL agent?
In this episode of Rich Lessons, Sheena Allen and Sevetri sit down with NFLPA-certified agent and attorney Paul DeRousselle to discuss the business behind professional football, negotiating NFL contracts, athlete representation, sports law, faith, failure, mental health, and building a career from a small town in Louisiana.
Paul shares his journey from Eunice, Louisiana, to becoming a respected NFL agent who represents elite football talent and secures major endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Adidas, State Farm, and Booking.com. He opens up about losing clients e...

This week on Rich Takes, Sheena and Sevetri break down the headlines making noise in business, tech, and culture.

The Met Gala is back, and so is the controversy. This year's backlash goes beyond the dress code: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are now the event's biggest backers, and A-listers like Taraji P. Henson and Jennifer Lewis are speaking out. Plus, Beyoncé made her return after 10 years — and Blue Ivy might have outshined everyone.

Spirit Airlines is officially gone. We unpack what the shutdown really means for working-class travelers, how the blocked JetBlue merger played a r...

Less than 1% of venture capital goes to Black women, but what's really behind that number, and what does it actually take to change it?

In this episode, Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson Taylor get candid about the full picture of funding for Black women founders: from what banks and VCs are actually looking for, to why your pitch might be killing your deal before it starts, to why the current funding climate may be the toughest it's ever been.

Both hosts have been on the other side of the table — as founders who've ra...

The fundraising headlines are misleading founders, and we are breaking it down. In Q1 2026, startups raised a record $297 billion — but $122 billion of that went to a single company: OpenAI. If you have been waiting for the market to turn around, this is the reality check you need before next week's full fundraising episode drops May 5th.

Plus, we get into the headlines shaping culture and business this week:

From Tim Cook stepping down as CEO of Apple after 15 years to mass layoffs hitting Big Tech, media, and beyond, the future of work is changing faster than most people are ready for.

Starting September 1, 2026, Tim Cook officially steps down as Apple CEO after 15 years, handing the reins to John Ternus, current SVP of Hardware. Was this a long time coming? Is Apple too stagnant to survive another decade without a Steve Jobs-level disruption and innovation? We're getting into all of it.

Then, big tech layoffs are back, and this time they're spreading. Meta is cut...

In this episode of Rich Lessons, we sit down with powerhouse executive Deb Grant—GE's first Black female corporate officer, former president of the GE Foundation (overseeing a $130M budget), board director, and CEO of Corporate Playbook—to decode what actually moves the needle and what it really takes to succeed in corporate America and beyond—and it's not just “working harder.”

From becoming GE’s first Black female corporate officer to advising top executives and sitting on public boards, Deb shares the unfiltered truth about corporate power, board access, and strategic visibility that nobody puts in a LinkedIn pos...

Emma Grede said working from home is hurting women's careers, and Sheena and Sevetri have thoughts. 

This week on Rich Takes, we break down why we mostly agree, who works from home actually works for, and the hard truth that if you're not exceptional and you're not an expert, the person showing up in the office is getting the promotion, the relationship, and the job security when layoffs hit. 

Plus, the WNBA Draft had us glued to our screens. Azzi Fudd goes first overall, reunites with Paige Bueckers, South Carolina’s Raven Johnson finally gets her f...

Vibe coding is everywhere, but is it actually changing who can build a tech company, or is it just giving everyone a very polished prototype?Sevetri and Sheena are back with a conversation about the AI-powered development trend taking over the startup world. They break down what vibe coding actually is, who it's for, and — as two tech founders who've built and scaled companies — what the headlines aren't telling you.In this episode:→ What vibe coding really means (and why it's not the same as shipping a product)→ Why Apple is pulling vibe-coded apps from the App Store — and what that...

This week on Rich Takes, we’re breaking down the headlines shaping culture, business, and the future of entrepreneurship—and some of them are wild.

From a controversial $1.8B AI-powered startup raising eyebrows, to the evolving reality of college sports money + transfer chaos, to a growing backlash against “copy-paste AI” design, this episode is packed with unfiltered takes you won’t hear anywhere else.

Here’s what we’re getting into:

Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson Taylor are back with a fresh Rich Takes covering the Oscars, the Target boycott drama (over or no?), and a food city ranking that has New Orleans sitting exactly where it belongs.

First up: the 2026 Oscars. Sinners took home wins, but was it enough? Sevetri breaks down why she woke up the next morning still processing how the night played out, why Sean Baker's Best Supporting Actor win made sense, and a shoutout to prior Rich Lessons guest Takema Robinson and the team behind The Perfect Neighbor documentary for...

Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson Taylor are back with another rapid-fire Rich Takes — and they're not holding back.

This week, the co-hosts break down the Essence Fest 2026 headliner announcement (Brandy, Monica, and Cardi B), what it signals about the festival's comeback, and why Essence still holds cultural power for Black artists. Then the conversation shifts to rising gas prices, the Middle East conflict, and whether Western media is giving Americans the full story.

From there, Sheena and Sevetri dig into the February jobs report — 92,000 jobs lost, unemployment climbing to 4.4% — and why the economic pain people are fe...

Black female founders are breaking their silence, and the internet has opinions.

This week on Rich Takes, Sheena Allen and Sevetri Wilson break down Hanifa's viral post about supply chain struggles and customer complaints, and ask the harder question: when does grace run out? Plus, is Anthropic actually the "good guy" in the AI wars against OpenAI and the government, or are we all just picking sides in an evil vs. evil match? They also get into Block's massive 4,000-person layoff, why Jack Dorsey likely saw this coming, and whether Big Tech's record-breaking profits while millions get...

On this week's Rich Takes — the quick-hit current events segment from the Rich Lessons Podcast — Sheena and Sevetri break down the biggest stories you need to know about right now.

First up: the Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal, but before the ink dried, he doubled down with a 50% global tariff. The hosts debate whether corporations should be suing for billions when they already passed those costs onto consumers, and what this all means heading into the midterms.

Then the ladies weigh in on the Susan Rice and Netflix controversy — should she step down from the bo...

Is AI actually changing the world, or are we living in a hype bubble? This week on Rich Takes, Sheena and Sevetri are breaking down the headlines that have everyone talking.

First, they dive deep into the AI debate that's taken over the internet from the viral article (“Something Big Is Happening” by Matt Shumer) comparing AI's impact to COVID, to the growing backlash from tech insiders calling it overblown. Plus, the dark side of AI no one wants to address: deepfakes, AI-generated personas fooling major blogs, and why regulation can't come fast enough.

Then, the Essenc...

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We're on a brief hiatus from our full-length, guest episodes, but we couldn’t stay quiet with everything happening in business, tech, and culture. In this Hot Takes edition, we break down the biggest headlines of the week — from our Super Bowl recap to the inside story on Khaby Lame’s reported $900M deal, MrBeast acquiring a new company, and what the tech bros are obsessing over in AI right now.

It’s sharp, unfiltered, and real-time commenta...

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Welcome to 2026, where AI is reshaping the workforce and VCs are changing the fundraising game. In this episode of Rich Takes, Sheena and Sevetri break down the biggest business trends impacting entrepreneurs right now, from widespread layoffs across industries to shifts in VC funding for startups (and beyond) to the must-attend tech conferences for maximum ROI.

We’re diving deep into the headlines shaping our world and our wallets, including:

We're back with a brand new Hot Takes! Our Less than 15 minute deep dive on current issues and what we're watching. On this episode of hot takes we talk about must attend conferences, how to make attending them worth it, ICE and more! Tune in and follow us on social @richlessons and be sure to subscribe to our Substack while there!

Episode 44 | Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) dive into a candid conversation on what it means to be a career-driven woman navigating love, marriage, and modern expectations.With women now outpacing men in education and marrying later than ever, Sevetri and Sheena unpack how ambition, earning power, and shifting gender roles are reshaping relationships. From the ego dynamics of out-earning a partner to why some women choose career stability before marriage or kids, they explore how today’s choices differ from the generations before them.Sheena shares how she went from imagining kids and m...

Episode 43 | Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with Brandon "BMike" ODUMS—a New Orleans-based visual artist, filmmaker, and cultural entrepreneur whose illegal graffiti murals sparked a movement and led to Studio B, a massive 35,000 square foot creative space in the Bywater.

From spending 10 years grinding with Two Cent documentary collective getting "no" after "no" from BET and Comedy Central, to finding silence and stillness painting in abandoned housing projects, BMike shares how he accidentally created Exhibit B—a phenomenon that brought celebrities, politicians, and thousands to abandoned spaces with no m...

On Episode 42 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen(Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with real estate investor, developer, and agent Chris Ross, whose path into commercial real estate began behind a bar on Bourbon Street and led to multi–million–dollar hospitality and mixed-use deals.

Chris shares how he went from making $800 on his first $45K deal to brokering $30M+ transactions, and why he believes now is still a powerful moment to move into commercial real estate, especially as others run away from office buildings and underperforming assets. He breaks down how...

On Episode 41 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen(Instagram.com/whoisSheena) talk with Karen Freeman-Wilson, former Indiana Attorney General, the first Black woman mayor of Gary, Indiana, and now President & CEO of the Chicago Urban League.

Karen opens up about growing up in Gary’s industrial heyday, witnessing its economic collapse, and leading through a $26 million budget loss on her first day as mayor. She breaks down the realities of running a predominantly Black city, confronting systemic bias, and rebuilding trust between citizens and government.

From redirecting Indiana’s toba...

On Episode 40 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen(Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with Takema Robinson, executive producer of Netflix’s top-streaming documentary The Perfect Neighbor, to talk about justice, storytelling, and the movement behind one of the most powerful films of the year.

Takema, an activist, producer, and founder of Standing in the Gap Fund, shares how a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request turned into a #1 Netflix film and a catalyst for change in the wake of AJ Owens’ killing. She opens up about transforming hours of police body-cam foot...

On Episode 39 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with twin sisters Kiara and Christy Muse, board-certified nurse practitioners and founders of Muse Medical Aesthetics & Laser in Baton Rouge, LA, to talk about beauty, confidence, and building a million-dollar med spa from the ground up.

Kiara and Christy share how they went from bedside nursing to entrepreneurship, why they chose to bet on themselves instead of working for someone else, and how they turned a $10,000 family investment into a fast-growing aesthetics practice serving women (and men) across...

On Episode 38 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with former NBA star and Baton Rouge native Tyrus Thomas to unpack the business of sports, the rise of NIL, and what life looks like after the league. From his journey at LSU to becoming the No. 4 overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Tyrus shares how basketball took him from South Baton Rouge to global arenas and how purpose, mentorship, and mental health became his new game plan.

From the billion-dollar youth sports industry to the cultural impact...

In Episode 37 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with Baton Rouge native and civil rights advocate Gary Chambers Jr. to unpack power, policy, and the path to building Black wealth across the South. From his upbringing in North Baton Rouge to national advocacy after Alton Sterling’s killing, Gary traces how economics, culture, and politics collide, and why the South still holds the keys to lasting change.

From the “brain drain” of talent leaving Louisiana and Mississippi to lessons from Reconstruction and modern-day politics, Gary breaks down w...

In Episode 36 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) tackle the future of work in an AI-driven economy. From the rise of lifestyle businesses to the disappearance of entry-level jobs, they dig into the hard truths shaping how we’ll work, earn, and live in the years ahead.

The conversation explores the controversial debate around universal basic income (UBI), why trades like plumbing and electrical work may become the most secure and profitable careers, and how “vibe coding” is creating new opportunities for non-technical founders. They close with their bigges...

What does it take to turn a family project into a global movement? In this episode of Rich Lessons, Dr. Calvin Mackie—engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of STEM NOLA—reveals his blueprint for scaling impact. From his garage in New Orleans to reaching over 200,000 students worldwide, Dr. Mackie breaks down how equity, education, and entrepreneurship must intersect to truly change lives. Whether you’re building a startup, running a nonprofit, or looking to create lasting change in your community, this conversation delivers powerful lessons on vision, leadership, and courage. If you’ve ever wondered how to transform an idea into a movem...

This week on Rich Lessons we’re joined by Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris — scientist, founder, and innovator.

From earning her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine to serving as a Presidential STEM Fellow at the NIH, Dr. Chambers-Harris has dedicated her career to public health and research that addresses issues disproportionately impacting Black women.

Her personal journey with hair breakage and scalp damage — coupled with her scientific research on autoimmune disease — led her to launch an organic, science-backed hair care line that’s reshaping how we think about wellness and beauty.

Tune in...

This episode is all about validating your idea and the real reason why sophisticated investors won't sign your NDA. Want to go deeper? September 30th Sevetri and Sheena launch their first cohort with live coaching and support. For more information follow @startupstayupscaleup on instagram or visit joingrits.com

When you have a new idea, your first instinct may be to protect it. But the truth is, ideas are cheap—execution is everything. Before you even think about raising capital or hiring, you need to validate your concept:

Talk to potential customers. Ask open-ended questions, don’t pi...