Embracing Black excellence: Support these Atlanta entrepreneurs & creators

This Black History Month, we are shining a light on Black excellence in Atlanta. Black excellence can mean many things, including leadership in a variety of sectors such as technology, consumer products, event management, music, entertainment, social media, health, nonprofit work and more. We’ve rounded up Black leaders who have made their mark on both Atlanta, as well as across the country, in a variety of different industries.

Davie Rickenbacker

Davie Rickenbacker is an Atlanta influencer best known for his role on the reality television series “Survivor” in 2018. He now serves as a professional voice talent for podcasts, character voiceovers and more. In addition to his influencer work, Davie has a Master of Public Health degree from Tuskegee University and works at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Website: instagram.com/iamdavie

Bea Dixon

Atlanta-based Bea Dixon started The Honey Pot Company to destigmatize feminine care issues. Today, The Honey Pot Company products, such as feminine wipes and vaginal probiotics, can be sold across the United States, including at major retailers such as Target, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and even Urban Outfitters.

Website: thehoneypot.co

Jalaiah Harmon

When Fayetteville, GA teen Jalaiah Harmon was 14 years old, she created and choreographed the “Renegade” dance to the tune of K. Camp’s “Lottery.” This dance eventually took off and went viral on TikTok. At first, she was not given proper credit for the popular dance she created. Today, she has 3 million followers on TikTok and 585K followers on Instagram.

Website: tiktok.com/@jalaiahharmon

Ryan Wilson

Ryan Wilson is CEO of TGS Holdings, which consists of The Gathering Spot, a private social club known for hosting some of Atlanta’s most prominent events, as well as A3C, a music conference and festival centered around technology and hip-hop culture. Ryan has won many awards, including Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the John Lewis Emerging Leader Award by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. He was also named Atlanta’s Best Influencer by WXIA-TV.

Website: old.thegatheringspot.club/ryan-wilson

Donald Glover

Representing Atlanta across the United States and even the globe, Stone Mountain-raised Donald Glover is an acclaimed actor, producer, director, writer, Grammy-winning artist (performing under the name Childish Gambino) and comedian who is known for his hit FX show, “Atlanta,” which follows a group of characters navigating Atlanta’s hip-hop scene.

Website: donaldgloverpresents.com

Paul Judge

Technology entrepreneur and investor Paul Judge is a co-founder of TechSquare Labs and co-founder/executive chairman of Pindrop, an information security company that protects against robocalling and fraudulent calls. He also co-founded Luma Home, which was acquired by Newell Brands and incorporated into First Alert, now owned by Resideo. In total, Judge has invested in over 60 technology startups and has won many awards, including Fortune’s 2016 40 under 40 list and Black Enterprise’s 50 Most Powerful Players under 40.

Website: pjudge.com

Phnewfula Frederiksen

If you’re looking to ditch big box stores and shop eco-friendly, head over to Happy Mango at The Works for the new moms, babies and families in your life. This Black-owned business, started by Phnewfula Fredericksen, offers high-quality baby brands ranging from upscale European brands to local Black- and women-owned brands.

Website: shophappymango.com

Evana Oli and Zoe Oli

A mother-daughter power duo, Evana and Zoe Oli are on a mission to encourage young girls to love and be confident in who they are. “Beautiful Curly Me” manufactures inclusive dolls with a variety of skin tones and hair types. If that wasn’t enough, every doll purchased means that another doll goes to a child in need.

Website: beautifulcurlyme.com

Jasmine Crowe

Jasmine Crowe is the founder of Goodr, a startup focusing on sustainable food waste management through leveraging technology and logistics. Jasmine’s mission is to make the world a better place, starting with the idea that we need to feed more and waste less to combat food insecurity in our community.

Website: goodr.co