Thomas Jackson’s favorite part about being a Black business owner in Minnesota is the ability to create community, perspective, autonomy and authentic experiences.

On this episode of MSR On the Radar, Jackson joins host Damenica Ellis to talk about discovering golf during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that hobby became Par365, an indoor golf simulator, bar, restaurant and event space in Roseville that he and his wife opened in December 2023. Their mission was to make golf more accessible, more affordable and more approachable.

Jackson shares how breaking into the industry took marketing, local partnerships and social events, why intimidated newcomers needed extra encouragement, and the programming Par365 built in response, including Golf 101 sessions and a speaker series for middle and high school students. He also talks about moving from a corporate product development career to full-time entrepreneurship, balancing the business with family life, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: compress your vision into a minimum viable product and grow at a reasonable pace.

Listen to the full conversation.

LeBrent Speed founded The Better Black Business (B3) Project to intentionally combine commerce and community for Black entrepreneurs and authentic allies. Just over two years in, the professional networking program has more than 100 members and is expanding to other cities.

On this episode of MSR On the Radar, Speed shares how a licensed minister who always aspired to work in business became BNI’s first Black regional director, and why he saw a need for more intentional Black networking spaces. He explains B3’s founding principle of serving over selling, defines networking as the intentional pursuit of impactful relationships, and talks about his nonprofit, The Better Black Business Initiative, which trains Black youth, next-generation allies and justice-impacted people to become entrepreneurs.

Speed also discusses his first book, “The Transformation Code: 5 Keys to Transforming Your Life and Impacting the World,” and how it grew out of one of the lowest periods of his life.

Listen to the full conversation.

Terresa Hardaway says her favorite part of being a business owner is the chance to intentionally build community. In 2017, she co-founded Blackbird Revolt, a design studio focused on social justice, anti-racism and abolition. In 2024, she acquired Black Garnet Books.

Blackbird Revolt helps government agencies, nonprofits and grassroots organizations with branding, animation, video and audio production, fabrication and other creative work. At Black Garnet Books, Hardaway uses storytelling to show what Black liberation looks like, curating Black and Brown authors and hosting events that center community.

She also shares how she adapted her bookstore during Operation Metro Surge, how her network gave her the confidence to become an entrepreneur, and her advice for anyone starting a business: have a plan, know who you are, and surround yourself with people who will remind you when you forget.

Hardaway is an associate professor of graphic design and director of design justice at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design.

🗳️🚨 Don’t let the headlines distract you from what matters! Dr. Warren urges voters to stay focused, look beyond the political scandals, and make their voices count at the polls this November. Watch the full From the Desk of the Editor episode now!

#StayFocused #Election2026 #FromtheDeskoftheEditor #VoiceAndViewpoint

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