With over 3.5 million Black-owned businesses in America, we continue to see the landscape of Black entrepreneurship grow and expand. And as a Black entrepreneur myself, I know firsthand the importance of seeking out support in order to take your business to the next level. That’s why today, I am so happy to have Jewel Burks Solomon on the podcast. She is the managing partner at Collab Capital, an early-stage venture capital fund she launched to close the funding gap for Black entrepreneurs. Prior to that, Jewel was Head of Google for Startups US, where she created initiatives that have deployed over $45M in non-dilutive capital to Black and Latino-led businesses since 2020. She was also the Founder/CEO of Partpic, a startup acquired by Amazon in 2016, which streamlined the purchase of maintenance and repair parts using computer vision technology.

Jewel is a seasoned expert in the venture capital space. And whether you are a business-owner looking for funding, a Black woman wanting to fund businesses you believe in, or you just want to make sense of the industry, Jewel drops a ton of gems in our conversation.

About the Podcast

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

Resources & Announcements

We are preparing to launch our Patreon community! Sign up now at therapyforblackgirls.com/joinpatreon to get exclusive updates and be the first to know when we launch. We can’t wait to see you inside!

Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

HBCUVC

Black VC Consortium - www.bvcc.vc

BLCK VC - www.blckvc.org

Where to Find Jewel

Instagram

LinkedIn

Collab Capital

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Take the info from the podcast to the next level by joining us in the Therapy for Black Girls Sister Circle community.therapyforblackgirls.com

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Twitter: @therapy4bgirls

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Maya Cole Howard

Senior Producer: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyrstin Johnson is a talented gymnast at Temple University, known for her dedication, resilience, and passion for the sport. After transferring to Temple, she quickly became a standout athlete, consistently pushing the boundaries of her performance while balancing the physical and mental demands of being a college gymnast.

Beyond her impressive athletic abilities, Kyrstin is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, recognizing the importance of managing anxiety and prioritizing well-being as much as physical discipline in sports. As a Black woman in gymnastics, she remains determined to break through barriers, handling unjust rulings with grace and continuing to push for representation and fairness in the sport. With aspirations to make a lasting impact both in gymnastics and in her community, Kyrstin serves as an inspiration to younger athletes, showing that strength comes from both perseverance and self-care.

During our conversation, we get into her transferring from an HBCU to a PWI and learn how she has learned to deal with stressors that come with competing in a sport that is still grappling with how to make space for Black women within it.

Where to Find Kyrstin

Instagram: @kyrstin_johnson

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram

TikTok

Interested in being a part of a future TBG U episode or suggesting a topic for us to discuss, send us a note HERE.

Order a copy of Sisterhood Heals for you and your girls HERE.

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Maya Cole Howard

Senior Producer: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we close out our 400th episode celebration, we wanted to shift focus to how media representation has impacted Black women over the years and how changes in the industry inform how we will continue to see ourselves in the future. Joining me this week are The Cut’s Beauty Editor, Asia Ware, and founder of Black Girls in Media, Tasha McCaskiel. With their separate but interconnected experience as journalist and media strategist we unpack how one begins a career in journalism, how the state of the industry shifts where we find authentic Black stories, and the importance of not skipping out on “the work”.

About the Podcast

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

Resources & Announcements

We are preparing to launch our Patreon community! Sign up now at therapyforblackgirls.com/joinpatreon to get exclusive updates and be the first to know when we launch. We can’t wait to see you inside!

Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guests

Asia's Instagram: @missasiamilia

Tasha's Instagram: @tashjmackk

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Twitter: @therapy4bgirls

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Maya Cole Howard

Senior Producer: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.