Helping Black Entrepreneurs & Creatives Thrive!
Pop of Culture is a community built for Black entrepreneurs & creatives and we are ready to expand the opportunities and resources we offer!
Project Description
What is Pop of Culture?
Pop of Culture is a community that supports and celebrates Black entrepreneurs and creatives around the world. We organize social events and provide resources that encourage networking and business growth, with our current focus on multi-city popup shop events and marketing. Our mission is to create an ecosystem, centered around business and entertainment, that provides superior value and opportunities for those within it.
What problem are we solving?
There is not enough structured, consistent, and quality support for Black entrepreneurs and creatives. Some of the most prevalent problems and concerns voiced to us by the brands we have worked with are:
1. Lack of brand awareness and not knowing how to get in front of their desired audience
2. Wanting to network with other like-minded, entrepreneurial and creative individuals on a consistent basis
3. Needing help, support, and guidance with everything involving business and entrepreneurship
4. Little access to funding and not knowing how to manage/maximize funds
How does our community help solve these problems?
Pop of Culture solves these problems by building a community that:
1. Organizes popup shops and lifestyle events that place brands at the forefront and gives them the chance to engage directly with new audiences
2. Curates fun and worthwhile networking opportunities where entrepreneurs can build their social currency
3. Provides valuable information, workshops, blogs, and resources that small business owners can use to contribute to the success of their brands
4. Consistently markets brands that are part of our community
5. Provides funding and mentorship opportunities
Who is our audience?
We cater to businesses that have a Black owner/partner, but do accept other minority owned businesses. We welcome business owners of any age, but usually they are between the ages of 19-35 years old. The brands that we work with are typically less than 1 year to 5 years old.
Our audience is also comprised of all the wonderful individuals who come out to support our events, shop the participating brands, and network. Our event attendees are of all races and ages, but are predominantly Black and between the ages 20-35.
Who is on our team?
Our team consists of five AMAZING young women who are fun, creative, dedicated, and passionate about creating platforms that'll help strengthen and uplift Black communities.
(From left to right)
Hey, its me! I am Nyema, Founder & Executive Director. I received a BSc in Exercise Science from the University of Toledo in 2015 and was meant to complete physical therapy school at Howard University, but decided to go another route. In 2017, I started an online boutique called Asa Afrique that retailed African-made apparel and accessories. The business venture ended up failing but it taught me A LOT about strategizing and is what made me discover my interest in popup shops and supporting small businesses. In 2019, I closed down Asa Afrique and started Pop of Culture and have been working to build it into a brand that is respected for the value it provides. In addition to running Pop of Culture, I have a tech startup based in Lagos, Nigeria called Hightable Africa.
Jashey is our East Coast Coordinator. Based in New Jersey, she is a recent public health and marketing graduate. Although her studies were predominantly in scientific research, she has a love for curating events. She became interested in POC because the mission resonates with her dedication to support the Black community.
Delilah is our Midwest Coordinator. Currently, she is a fashion student at Columbia College. She has a love for bringing dope ideas to life and is very excited to be part of the team.
Sunjoy is another Midwest Coordinator. She is a student at Columbia College who is an art director that focuses on creating innovative experiences and representation for Black-indigenous people. She's super thankful to continue that innovation with Pop of Culture.
Odette is the Coordinator for all our events in the South, with a focus on Atlanta. She is a superstar who has over 17 years of corporate experience in general management. She's also an avid health & wellness advocate and recently founded her own candle business.
What will the money be used for?
Back in 2019, when I started this brand, I had a clear vision of what it could become and that vision has never left me. 2019 was the first year of operations and it was a highly validating experience. The feedback received from the brands who participated in the popup events motivated me to keep going. I had immense plans for 2020, but as you know, it was a year that shocked us all. Nonetheless, I've kept my eye on the prize and spent last year planning and strategizing. This year and moving forward, it is all about execution and I'm asking for your help.
The plan this year consists of growing the team, expanding our events into more cities, offering more types of events, and strengthening our marketing. The funds raised will help us:
-Provide more than just per event pay for members of our growing team
-Increase our marketing channels and quality of our campaigns. We want to create more meaningful and engaging video and blog content for our social media pages and website
-Diversify the types of events we offer, adding on highly curated networking events/mixers, business workshops, and more.
-Provide digital resources for businesses in our community
If you've made it this far, thank you! Simply reading through this campaign is significant. But I am challenging you to take it a step further and invest in Pop of Culture because you believe in what we are doing and want to see us win! Anything you have to give is appreciated, but we do have some pretty dope gifts for certain donation amounts. Check them out to the right.
Want to do even more? After you've donated, go ahead and share this campaign with your network. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Shoot us an email ([email protected]) and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
THANK YOU!!!
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
What is Pop of Culture?
Pop of Culture is a community built for Black entrepreneurs and creatives around the world. We organize social events and provide resources that encourage networking and business growth. The events and resources that we currently organize are multi-city popup shops and digital marketing, but we are looking to expand into workshops, mixers, exhibits, and business funding/mentoring. Our mission is to create an ecosystem, centered around business and entertainment, that provides superior value and opportunities for those within it.
Where are you based and what markets do you serve?
We are based in Columbus, Ohio but we serve an international market. In the U.S., we do multi-city popup events with a focus on NYC, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Internationally, we have a presence in Lagos, Nigeria.
How do I join the community?
Any brand that participates in our popup events automatically joins the community. Once that happens, you'll receive special info and perks.
Do I have to be a Black-owned business to participate in your events?
Even though our focus is on Black entrepreneurs and creatives, we certainly accept business owners of other races to participate in our events.
How can one collaborate with and/or sponsor Pop of Culture?
We love a dope collaboration! Please email us at [email protected] introducing yourself and be sure to present a brief proposal. We will get back to you asap!
If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot us an email or send us a DM on Instagram.
With this contribution, you will receive a personal thank you from our Executive Director, social media shoutout, and five (5) Create the Culture (by Pop of Culture) sticker.
You just want to see us win! Anything you give is immensely appreciated.
Thank you! You will receive a personal e-card from the Pop of Culture Executive Director.
Receive a personalized e-Thank You card, social media shoutout, and a Create the Culture pouch. It can be used for makeup, accessories, or pencils/pens. The pouch comes in white or black.
Receive a custom e-Thank You card from our Exec Director, social media shoutout, and a personalized Create the Culture t-shirt. Your name will be on the back.
Receive a personal e-Thank You card from our Exec. Director, social media shoutout, and a large "weekender" tote bag, branded with Create the Culture. The bag comes in white and black.
Receive an e-Thank You card from our Exec Director, social media shoutout, a tote bag, accessory pouch, stickers, and custom t-shirt.
Receive everything in the All Together package, PLUS 25% OFF all popup events for one year! You can use this discount yourself or gift it to someone else.
Rewards
With this contribution, you will receive a personal thank you from our Executive Director, social media shoutout, and five (5) Create the Culture (by Pop of Culture) sticker.
You just want to see us win! Anything you give is immensely appreciated.
Thank you! You will receive a personal e-card from the Pop of Culture Executive Director.
Receive a personalized e-Thank You card, social media shoutout, and a Create the Culture pouch. It can be used for makeup, accessories, or pencils/pens. The pouch comes in white or black.
Receive a custom e-Thank You card from our Exec Director, social media shoutout, and a personalized Create the Culture t-shirt. Your name will be on the back.
Receive a personal e-Thank You card from our Exec. Director, social media shoutout, and a large "weekender" tote bag, branded with Create the Culture. The bag comes in white and black.
Receive an e-Thank You card from our Exec Director, social media shoutout, a tote bag, accessory pouch, stickers, and custom t-shirt.
Receive everything in the All Together package, PLUS 25% OFF all popup events for one year! You can use this discount yourself or gift it to someone else.