
Million-Dollar Investor Match-Makers Talk Banking On Women And The Power Of Partnership

Dr. Tracy Timberlake and Vivian Olodun are living proof that when women join forces, major boss moves are afoot. Olodun, a serial entrepreneur, luxury real estate-industry vet and author, teamed up with Timberlake, an entrepreneur and strategist in her own right, to co-found Flourish Media Co., a boutique marketing firm, and the Flourish Media Conference, an event held annually in Miami, offering resources including investor matching for women entrepreneurs.
They have reportedly forged the path for raising $15 million for women-led businesses, a feat sparked by simple conversation and action.
Courtesy of Vivian Olodun
“We believe greatly that being able to have access to money and funds gives you freedom and flexibility and it’s something that we believe that people who look like us don’t necessarily have that luxury. It’s unfortunate because it is available to them,” Olodun says. “We believe in supporting women in business because investing in women helps communities, helps homes, helps children, and helps move and drive things forward.”
Timberlake echoes those sentiments. “When I was doing my study for my dissertation, which was primarily focused on women in business—online businesses in particular—and just looking at just the statistics and the economic benefit of having women-owned businesses succeed, economically for this country, it has been documented over and over again.”
Photo courtesy of Dr. Tracy Timberlake
The women have a passion for not only helping other women entrepreneurs succeed but promoting the power of finding your tribe, expanding connections, and opening doors for access to funding and resources needed to succeed.
“When a woman gets access to money, she tends to allow for more flexibility in the people she hires and to take into consideration the mental health and the overall well-being of her employees,” Olodun adds. “She tends to invest in other women and people who look just like her. We all know that there’s a significant gap in wages and earnings between men and women in our society and when women are supported, they tend to take steps to correct that. Again, women are just a smart investment.”
This is where true networking comes in. Both Olodun and Timberlake have been able to not only be an asset but build and keep solid relationships with investors and business advancement advocates who want to literally put money where growth and lucrative progress is evident.
“We make it our business to [put] ourselves in a money conversation, and that makes it possible to introduce people to those who need the funding,” Oloduon says.
“We have had lots of different kinds of businesses pitch to investors, from a wellness facility to a candle company, so it goes to every industry and every discipline. One of the most interesting parts of having these investors—personally Vivian and I had separate businesses and then came together to start Flourish Media–one of the investors actually invested in my business.
"Most people wouldn’t think that. I went through the entire process with the investors—-showing them the books, showing them the numbers, and what has happened is that it allows for us to have a better conversation with businesses coming to pitch.”
For young women seeking to find investors for their busineses, these co-founders recommend the following:
Be deliberate and take bold action in going for investment opportunities. “Don’t reinvent the wheel. Put dubs on that baby. Make it better. Open those conversations and put yourselves in rooms where you can connect with those people who are senior to you so you can learn from what they’ve done. Then do it better.”
Take steps to legitimize your business. “[Investors] are looking for you to have things like a team. We think that being a solopreneur or being able to bootstrap ourselves is some kind of badge of authority or that’s somehow attractive,” Olodun says.
“Being able to have the appropriate legal documents is very attractive. Go to your local authority and make sure your business is registered legally. Make sure you have a business bank account. These are basic things that give you a leg up when you’re talking to investors.”
Network across but balance those efforts by also networking upward. “While there’s value to comradery and people who are your peers, finding a room of people more successful than you is valuable,” Timberlake adds.
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Featured image via Flourish Media Co.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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Featured image by Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock