{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5c92c88b5e222bd90980d1fc/62ce7552d063610013c24e3e?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Rod Johnson - BLK & Bold","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/5c92c88b5e222bd90980d1fc/1657697596600-4278d0dd995477231f17fbc8821b5a02.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p><strong>Rod Johson is Co-Founder of BLK &amp; Bold</strong>, the preeminent black-owned coffee company in America. Black &amp; Bold was founded with the desire to unite coffee and tea lovers worldwide through a common interest of investing in community.</p><p><br></p><p>Rod grew up in the working-class city of Gary Indiana and eventually went on to Indiana University and a career in development and giving. But he soon developed a restlessness that only business ownership could fix. Along with lifelong friend Pernell, Rod set out to find their entrepreneurial calling, one that could match purpose with profit.&nbsp;</p><p>And so BLK &amp; Bold was born in 2018. Since then, Rod and Pernell have grown BLK &amp; Bold into a national brand carried by the likes of Target and Whole Foods. They have a rare licensing deal with the NBA and have been celebrated by Dwanye Wade on the Ellen show. All this, completely bootstrapped from their headquarters in Des Moines Iowa.</p><p><br></p><p>Rod has a great story. You’ll want to listen in.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode Rod and Dan discussed:</strong></p><ul><li>Growing up in Gary and the Midwest</li><li>How a basketball hoop brought Rod and his Co-Founder together</li><li>Why starting a business built on giving back is so important</li><li>How the fire department was a part their early product development</li><li>Tradeoffs when doing a start up with a 'day job'</li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE</strong>:</p><h2><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href=\"https://afriblocks.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>AfriBlocks</strong></a></h2><p>The global pan-African freelance marketplace and collaboration platform.</p><p>Tell them \"Dan sent you\" for 10% off your first order. More at <a href=\"https://afriblocks.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">afriblocks.com</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><h3>MORE on ROD and BLK &amp; BOLD</h3><p><strong>Rod:</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsonrod2342/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">linkedin.com/in/johnsonrod2342/</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>BLK &amp; Bold:</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://blkandbold.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">blkandbold.com</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/blkandbold/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">instagram.com/blkandbold</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/blkandbold/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">linkedin.com/company/blkandbold</a></p><p><a href=\"https://twitter.com/BlkandBold\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">twitter.com/BlkandBold</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"http://wavve.link/Founders\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Follow Founders Unfound</a>: Like and share - help us grow!</p><p><a href=\"https://foundersunfound.com/podcast-transcript-ep51-rod-johnson-blkandbold\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>PODCAST TRANSCRIPT</em></a></p><p><br></p><p>#blackfounders #founderstories #foundersafricandescent #blackowned #coffee</p>","author_name":"Daniel Kihanya"}