Black Entrepreneurs Day is the best of both worlds—business and entertainment masterfully intertwined to celebrate and empower Black entrepreneurs who own and operate small businesses.

The fourth annual Black Entrepreneurs Day returns to Harlem’s own legendary Apollo Theater for the global live stream and taping of the star-studded show on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. EST. The event is free to attend and will be available across Black Entrepreneurs Day’s website and social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube. Daymond John, the founder and CEO of FUBU and co-star of ABC’s Emmy-winning show “Shark Tank,” is the creative mastermind behind this juggernaut.

“This year is special because of the list of returning sponsors, including JP Morgan Chase, The General, Shopify, T Mobile, and Lowes,” said John in an interview with BET.com.  “I’m starting to get excited about it.  As you start to get into your groove, you start to see who are your friends and cohorts and who are the people who really have your back.  These brands have got my back.”

Since its inception in 2020, Black Entrepreneurs Day has garnered an amazing track record with John in the driver's seat. This year’s lineup of celebrity speakers is even more impressive, with the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Shaquille O’Neal, Cedric the Entertainer, Anthony Anderson, and other influential voices joining John on stage for one-on-one conversations where they will drop knowledge and advice from their personal experiences as entrepreneurs outside of their creative and sports personas. Plus, a special musical performance by Rick Ross in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, where he too will impart lessons learned as a Black business owner, independent of his music projects.

John explains how many of his celebrity friends have expressed a willingness to share the realism behind their personal experiences, like “the most vulnerable time in their lives” when they were forced to face hardship and possible failure rather than just talk about their current state of success.

Another major attraction to the event is the allocation of the “NAACP PowerShift Entrepreneur Grant,” which provides several Black and brown businesses nationwide with a real shot to win $25,000 for their businesses.  The spirit behind this initiative, which was initiated by John, is to shed light, mentor, and reward promising, emerging Black entrepreneurs with the opportunity to scale their businesses. The NAACP fund of more than $200,000 in total will be distributed among a number of Black entrepreneurs from various parts of the country. Those interested can learn more about the application process and apply by visiting blackentrepreneursday.com, but time is running out as the application deadline is October 11th, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST.

As technology continues to advance, it’s vital that Black small business owners stay ahead to generate new possibilities. John promises that this year's Black Entrepreneurship Day event will continue his mission to support, educate, and inspire Black entrepreneurs around the globe by providing the resources and community support needed for retention and success.

“Black business owners encounter a couple of challenges.  You don’t know what you don’t know and they aren’t able to constantly keep educating themselves and life is about constantly educating yourself,” said John.

This is personal for John, who co-founded and started his iconic fashion lifestyle brand, FUBU on the streets of New York City in 1992. Back then, he was just getting his start as a young Black entrepreneur. Fast forward to today and John is responsible for over $6 billion in product sales from his various companies.  He is in a position to change the game for these business owners, who are often faced with overwhelming decisions and challenges and may not have the business acumen to guide their steps along an unfamiliar path. It’s a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly. Instead, he holds his position with pride and honor and brings an infectious excitement about the possibilities that are to come, showcasing exactly how much he wants his community to thrive.

For information on tickets (which are free) to the fourth annual Black Entrepreneurs Day on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023, at 7 p.m. EST, visit blackentrepreneursday.com/.