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We sat down with three Black customers to learn more about their individual journeys, the mentors that led them to the place they are today, and their dreams and hopes to shape our future.

       Karl Ferguson Jr.  

Karl is a believer in the belief that your work is to support your passion until it can become your entire lifestyle. Karl has managed to do just that: through balancing work with his passion for portrait photography. One glance at his site will make stunned by the sheer number of celebrities he's photographed in the entertainment industry. Karl's online presence has allowed him showcase his work to a plethora of clients with ease. "One one of the best features offers is the dynamic manner in which I'm able to move and drop pictures and rearrange them at a moment's notice," Karl says.

Community has played a major part in the success of Karl's photography. Sharing ideas with fellow Black photographers allows him to feel the camaraderie of an industry that can be isolating in times. Karl is hoping to pay it forward in his own career, to create the same sort of community for the new photographers in the field. "Paying it forward means making myself accessible," Karl says. By openly sharing his experience and knowledge, Karl hopes to help other creatives become the best that they could be.

In response to a question about what he could say to the younger version of himself, an individual who has just begun his photography practice, Karl's advice is this: "Don't get so intense that you lose interest in creating. Relaxing and having fun with taking part in the process is perhaps one of the most essential things to do as photographer."

For more details about the work of Karl, go his website. his website.

        Black In Corporate  

Ambassador and social media consultant Candace Marie is the founder of Black In Corporate Black In Corporate, a group that advocates for Black employees in workplaces. The idea for Black In Corporate was born through her personal experience of navigating workplaces where racism is a major factor that has made it difficult to Black employees to achieve. "While Black In Corporate was birthed out of my personal experience," Candace says, "a key reason for starting the non-profit was because I realized that there are many Black individuals within my circle that had experiences similar, but not identical to my personal experiences."

One of the many foundations Black In Corporate is based on is the Virtual Mentorship Program, which offers Black professionals with access to possibilities, resources, and collaboration. The website of Black In Corporate has played a major role in promoting the program to their target audience. "While the press and social media are the main drivers of traffic, the beautiful style and ease of the navigation on the site keep our visitors interested and returning," Candace says about the impact of their website.

The expression "it requires a village" particularly rings true in the case of Candace and her journey with the launch of Black In Corporate. The success of her venture has been made possible through the support from mentors, sponsors, friends, and family who have helped her along the way. In so many ways, Candace has now extended the same assistance to Black professional. "This process is difficult enough on its own," she says. "Whenever I can offer an advice or suggestion, take part in a panel discussion, or even introduce myself to someone who is a friend, I'm committed to nurturing others Black persons in this community."

Find out more information regarding Black In Corporate on their website.

       Elton Anderson Jr.  

In the past 14 years, Elton Anderson Jr. worked in the photography industry as a photographer, shooting famous people and of the top brands in the world. However, he decided to pivot when he realized that the career he had once been so enthusiastic about wasn't so fulfilling. After experiencing a life-threatening case of malaria during a trip in Brazil, Elton vowed to commit his whole life in improving himself and others.

Now, Elton is doing just what he does every single day. Alongside exploring new roles such as producers, director of creative, as well as host of travel shows, Elton also launched Creators of Color the platform that tells the tales of Black creators in various fields.

For Elton taking these changes is a crucial element of creativity. Elton's suggestion for younger Black creatives who want to make a change in their career is to trust their instincts. "If it's not a Hell Yes, then it's a No," Elton says. "This motto has made my numerous career transitions a lot more successful and true to my experience."

For a creator like Elton with so many different projects on his plate digital marketing plays the biggest role in sharing the story of his life. The goal of Elton is to be an "Master Storyteller." Both of his websites along with his social media accounts enable him to accomplish just this. "I use my website as a place where people can visit, sit down in the time to sit down, and come to know who I am," Elton says. "My social media is where you can take the journey along with me live in real-time."

Learn more on Elton and his background on his website.