BUY BLACK! Black LGBTQ-Owned Small Businesses
Written By: Philip Johnson
Photo: Joshua Elrey
Buy BLACK! Circulating our money within our black community is VITAL in helping our race thrive in an economy stacked against us. Even more marginalized, oftentimes, are businesses stemming from within the black LGBTQ community. This article is a space to highlight and promote some black LGBTQ entrepreneurs who are out here creating change and spreading love through their small businesses. And the best part is, support can be FREE!
When browsing through the black LGBTQ-owned small businesses in this article, remember that a simple click or share is enough to help support their missions! Just click their photos to be linked to their social media profiles, and click the “CLICK HERE” links for their websites. ENJOY! :)
philaye films
Photo: Joshua Elrey
Based out of Los Angeles and founded by Philip Johnson in 2018, Philaye Films, Inc. is a black-owned TV+Film company. Philaye Films creates & distributes meaningful black media, striving to creatively bring light to dynamic sides of important topics in our 21st century communities.
This blog is brought to you by Philaye Films. Enjoy!
just chef mack
Photo: @pbd
Based out of Atlanta, Just Chef Mack (Justin McLamore) is here to elevate your palates, teach you new techniques and help you make your events amazing. He also delivers his famous cake jars around the US!
slay media house
Based out of NYC and co-founded by Sean Torrington and Terry Torrington, Slay is a multimedia company elevating narratives of queer, trans and non binary people of color through curating and creating compelling content. SLAY TV distributes curated and original queer digital content to consumers globally.
solomon lawrence
Innovative & creative, designer Solomon Lawrence founded this designer brand in 2013 as a means to provide luxury pieces to his menswear clientele. Unlike other brands, they design their garments from concept to finish. Their mission is to provide pieces that will empower their clientele to feel strong, sleek and beautiful.
obvious magazine
Photo: Jerris Madison
Founded by Jerris Madison, OBVIOUS Magazine is a community for Men & Women who are looking to read unique and refreshing content of interest. They are a team of visionaries dedicated to creating content for their readers and making a difference in culture, fashion, and lifestyle. OBVIOUS prides itself on highlighting the underdog.
azarian connection pr
Founded by Jzon Azari, Azarian Connection PR is a public relations company bringing visibility to a diverse set of brands. With a network of over 740k Azarians on Facebook, The Azarian creates real results.
cali hndsme
After working in the fashion and beauty/grooming industry for 7 years, Rocky Collins left a job at one of the biggest beauty brands in the world – L’Oréal – to launch his own skincare company for men. Made in the USA with globally-sourced ingredients, Cali Hndsme provides luxury essential skincare products for men.
colorbloc magazine
Photo: Juan Veloz
Founded by Editor in Chief Je Todd, ColorBloc’s mission is to cultivate diverse and innovative creatives, showcasing various mediums, genres and artistic expressions throughout the spectrum. They aim to expand the understandings of art, visual representation and artistic unity through online media and in-print publication, as well as host creative workshops and sponsored events.
reveal detroit
Founded in 2015 in Detroit by Desmond Dunn, Reveal Detroit's sole purpose is to increase opportunities for local creatives, and entrepreneurs. Through a series of events they provide a pathway for Detroit brands to make new connections and be recognized on national platforms.
713 agency
Photo: Demarcus Adams
Founded by Chadd Black, The 713 Agency is a full-service music/talent management firm. You have probably seen their client, Reggie Ray’s, viral remake videos on social media of LHH, Real Housewives and other hilarious pop culture moments.
kahh spence beauty
Photo: jarrellelee
Founded by celebrity hair artist/beauty expert Kahh Spence, Kahh Spence Beauty is a fresh beauty line. With quality products such as his fragrance inspired by his late mother, this line is perfect for anyone who wants to feel beautiful!
theconsciousone
Founded by Evan Hoggs, TheConsciousOne is a budding lifestyle clothing brand that is dedicated to spreading positivity, encouragement, and growth by way of "affirmations". Each article of clothing in the catalog has a special word or phrase that is meant to serve as a reminder to yourself as you wear it. All items are made using vinyl and a heat press machine, so they all have a special personal touch and premium quality.
waveplex music
Waveplex Music is a growing record label. They currently offer two main services to artists: the ability to organically build your artistic sound to produce an album or track, and creation of digital promotional assets to market that music. Their focus is to offer new artists without many resources/connections a chance to get started.
the limitless alliance
Founded by Omarious Fann, The Limitless Alliance is a multipurpose business solutions and management firm. They consult with individuals, brands, and businesses to launch, develop, market, and manage. For some, they are a talent staffing agency or marketing and promotions firm. For others, they are a business management company, graphics & website developers, or even a potential investor.
CLICK HERE to learn more and consult with The Limitless Alliance!
Hey mikey atl
Founded by Michael Fanning, HeyMikeyATL.com is a media outlet entertaining you with everything from news, to celebrity interviews, to a radio show and beyond. You can find The Hey Mikey Show on iHeartRadio!
geekedt
Founded by Michael Warrick, GeekedT is a media platform providing a blog and podcast centered around all things nerd, gay and entertainment!
saintchvrls
Saintchvrles was founded by r.chvrles (Robert Charles). From styling and designing clothing to creating home interior & candles, this brand knows no bounds & strives not to be boxed into one role.
jante productions
Founded by Alex Janté, Jante Productions is a digital/media platform used to tell compelling narratives in the niche of thriller/fantasy highlighting black LGBT characters in new ways. His goal is to continue to build The Unanointed Universe that is compromised of two short films : The Enslaved and The Ordinary which are a part of the The Unanointed Series (Season 1 & 2 [coming soon]).
shine media
Founded by Trent James, Shine Media is a digital marketing agency. They provide various services: photography, videography, flyers, graphics, websites, marketing strategies & more!
J. Mccole llc
Founded by Jerell McCole, J. McCole is a fashion line offering the latest fashion trends, lifestyle tips, and inspiration for men. Their mission is to provide confidence, promote creativity, and allow self expression through apparel and stellar customer service.
the quintessential gentleman
Founded by Eric Thomas in 2016, The Quintessential Gentleman is a brand promoting positivity and success that Black and Brown men created! From a blog to a quarterly magazine and now events, this brand spreads love to our community!
SCENTS BY ROMELLO
Romello’s Grandmother, Patricia Mae Bullock Tilghman, is the heart and soul of the brand. She learned the recipes for all natural soaps, lotions and scrubs from her mother and grandmother. She lost her battle with cancer in 2017. Romello is now carrying on his grandmother’s legacy with Scents By Romello.
quente’sential branding
Founded by Que Jackson in 2012, Quente’Sential Branding is a full-service brand development firm. They offer various services: Brand activation, event planning, brand consulting, brand management, etc.
CLICK HERE to inquire about Quente’Sential Branding services!
These are just several of MANY black LGBTQ-owned small businesses. Please comment below with any additional businesses/entrepreneurs that you would like to plug. Remember to click through the links/photos to support these businesses and share this post if you enjoyed. Thanks for reading! :)