Episode 12: Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Social Justice: A Conversation with Gladys Brangman, Founder of Business Leaders of Colors

In this episode Creative Recovery host, Brenna Fitzgerald, steps into a rich and inspiring conversation with Gladys Brangman, Founder of Business Leaders of Colors (BLOC). Together they explore the topics of entrepreneurship, creativity, social justice, and much more. Listen to the story of how Gladys discovered her lifelong intention to serve others and how this intention infuses her entrepreneurial creativity and commitment to social justice. Other highlights of this episode include the importance of creativity in the life of an entrepreneur, tips on navigating change with grace, strategies for staying positive in the face of challenge, and how simply asking questions can help entrepreneurs better meet people’s needs and also grow their businesses.

Gladys Brangman is at her best when serving others and has set out to make the local Ithaca, NY small business world more profitable. She does this by offering support services and networking opportunities for all types of businesses. Her most recent venture is Business Leaders of Colors (BLOC) a local network designed to support small businesses. She believes that if business owners of color(s) are going to thrive they need to be aware of and support one another. A gathering to celebrate Black History Month three years ago, transformed into a network that transformed into a business. BLOC offers reduced cost business and financial training, marketing, a web presence, and networking opportunities. Originally from Albany, New York, Gladys came to the upstate NY area to study at Cortland State and has lived in the Ithaca area for the better part of 30 years. She makes her home in Lansing, teaches dance when she can and believes that there is no higher calling than that of a servant.

Topics

.Serving others and the origins of Business Leaders of Colors

.Creativity and business

.Challenges as opportunities to be creative

.The value of pause, rest, and reassessment

.Staying connected to intention

.How negativity and resistance block creativity

.The importance of asking questions

.Social justice in the business world

Episode 12 Notes and Resources:

Hip hop artist Talib Kweli

Business Leaders of Colors (BLOC)

BLOC Insta - @businessleadersofcolors

BLOC Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BusinessLeadersOfColors

BLOC on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/business-leaders-of-colors/

Presenter:

Brenna Fitzgerald is a writer, editor, and coach empowering people to discover their voice and reclaim creativity. She has a background in the arts including dance, photography, film, and collage as well as a BA in art history from Cornell University, an MA in film and media studies from University of Southern California, and an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from University of Arizona. Brenna is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Creativity Coach, and Yoga and Meditation Teacher. She has lived and worked in many different countries with people of diverse cultural backgrounds. As a coach, Brenna works with writers, musicians, painters, dancers, filmmakers, artists, entrepreneurs, as well as anyone seeking a deeper engagement with their life and creative potential. In her creativity coaching, she draws on her background in cross-cultural communication, social justice advocacy, creative writing, mindfulness, and embodied compassion to help clients tap into their innate creative source and cultivate mind-body-spirit connection.

website: brennacoaching.com

Facebook: Brenna Fitzgerald

Instagram: @brenna.ef

Twitter: @brenbrain

Areas of expertise: Mind-body connection—Restorative and Trauma-sensitive Yoga—Meditation—Holistic Health—Creative Writing—International Education—Dance, Film, Photography, and Collage—Social Justice