In the world of entrepreneurship, challenges are commonplace, but for Black-owned businesses, these hurdles can be especially daunting. Marvin Wilcher, CEO of Camp Nova, a marketing, media and brand design company, believes that dwelling on these disadvantages can hinder the progress of new entrepreneurs.

“Yes, there is a disadvantage in being an African American-owned business in some industries,” admits Wilcher. However, he also emphasizes that overcoming these challenges can transform individuals into better business people.

Emery Morrison, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Camp Nova, echoes this sentiment. He believes that excelling in business not only benefits their own enterprise—it also opens doors for other African Americans.

“When you have an opportunity to hire, you give us and other people who look like that, opportunities,” says Morrison.

On this episode of “The Word with Jackie Rae” podcast, Morrison shares how his background in hip-hop led him to create a line of celebrity-branded cell phones. Meanwhile, Wilcher explains how offering part of his land to cannabis farmers paved the way for his entry into the cannabis business. The pair and their vastly different backgrounds eventually converged, and together they built Camp Nova—a multi-faceted branding and media company with a myriad of products on the market.

To discover more about their inspiring journey and the company’s endeavors, you can follow them on Instagram or visit their website.