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We sat down with three Black customers to talk about their own experiences, their mentors who have helped them to get the point they are now, as well as their dreams and hopes of the future for all of us.

       Karl Ferguson Jr.  

Karl is a believer in the belief that your work should be able to fund your passion until it can become your life. Karl is able to achieve precisely that, By balancing his work with his passion for portrait photography. An easy look at the website will leave amazed by the amount of celebrities he's photographed in the entertainment industry. Karl's online presence has allowed show off his work to a plethora of clients with ease. "One of the most helpful features offers is the dynamic manner in which I'm able to drag and drop images and arrange them at a second's notice," Karl says.

Community has played a big factor in Karl's growth in photography. The sharing of ideas among other Black photographers gives him the camaraderie of the field that is lonely at times. Karl is hoping to pay it forward within his professional life, in order to foster the same type of community for the newest creatives in the space. "Paying it forward means that I am accessible," Karl says. By openly sharing his experience as well as his knowledge, Karl hopes to help more creatives be the best that they could be.

If asked to what advice he would tell his younger self as someone who is just beginning his photography career, Karl's advice is this: "Don't get so intense that you stop yourself from making. Relaxing and having fun with the process is the best thing to do as a photographer."

To learn more about the work of Karl, go his website. his site.

        The Black Corporate  

Ambassador and social media consultant Candace Marie is the founder of Black In Corporate Black In Corporate, a community who champions Black individuals in corporate spaces. The inspiration for Black In Corporate was born out of her own experiences in work environments where systemic racism is making it challenging to Black employees to achieve. "While Black In Corporate was created from my personal experiences," Candace says, "a important reason behind the creation of the non-profit was because I was aware that there were many Black members of my community who's experiences were comparable, if they were not exactly the same as my own."

One of the numerous pillars Black In Corporate stands on is the Virtual Mentorship Program, which offers Black professionals with access to possibilities, resources, and collaboration. The Black In Corporate website has played a major role in spreading the word about the program's benefits to its target group of customers. "While the press and social media are the major drivers for visitors, the gorgeous layout and the ease of the navigation on the site keeps our audience entertained and interested," Candace says about the impact of their website.

The saying "it requires an entire village" especially rings true in the case of Candace and her journey with launching Black In Corporate. The success of her venture has been made possible through the support of mentors, sponsors as well as friends and family who helped her along through the process. There are many ways that Candace is now offering the same assistance to Black professional. "This experience isn't easy enough on its own," she says. "Whenever I can offer some advice, take part in a panel discussion, or even introduce myself to someone who is a friend, I'm committed to nurturing the other Black individuals in this field."

Find out more information on Black In Corporate on their site.

       Elton Anderson Jr.  

For nearly 14 years Elton Anderson Jr. worked as a photographer which included shooting celebrity photographers and of the biggest household brands. But, he made the decision to change his direction after noticing that the career he had always been passionate about was no longer as fulfilling. After experiencing a life-threatening case of malaria during a trip in Brazil, Elton vowed to devote his entire life to bettering himself as well as the lives of those around him.

Today, Elton is doing just that with the work every day: In addition to taking on new roles like producer, creative director and travel show host, Elton also launched Creators of Color which is a platform that tells the tales of Black artists across a variety of industries.

For Elton the adjustments is an essential aspect of creative processes. The advice Elton gives younger Black creatives looking to change career paths is to trust their instincts. "If it's not a Hell Yes the answer is No," Elton says. "This principle has made my numerous career transitions significantly more productive and real to me."

For a creator like Elton, who has numerous projects on his plate Digital marketing is an important role in telling his ongoing story. Elton's aim is to become a "Master Storyteller." Both of his websites, as well as his social media profiles, allow him to do precisely this. "I consider my site to be a place where people can come in, take a seat, and get acquainted with me," Elton says. "My social media is where you can take my journey at any time."

Find out more information details about Elton and his story through his site.