We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

We kick off Season 11 by naming the changes we’re making across our agency and our show, and why pivoting can be a sign of strength. We unpack what sustainable growth really looks like for Black founders, from systems and tools to community support and long-term legacy.

• Season reset and why pivoting yields profit
• L3 Agency evolution, BBM Mag expansion, and advertising opportunities
• Sustainability over scalability, founder control, and operational systems
• Grief, leadership and how community keeps us moving
• New CRM workflow, efficiency plus effectiveness, learning new tech
• Practical AI use with Gemini and a clearer tech stack
• Social media strategy, converting followers, auditing platforms, avoiding trend chasing
• Energy efficiency and sustainability work as part of our next chapter
• Why Black businesses matter, mentorship, jobs, and broader economic impact
• Social capital, patience and building relationships over time
• community feedback, better hours for brick-and-mortar, and celebrating the positive

I hope that you will rate us and that you will share this episode with a friend, with a colleague, that an ally.
All I ask that you share it with someone who you think could find value in this.

Support the show

To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

Guest Name: Susanne Mariga

Guest Business: The Mariga Group

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Susanne Mariga, CPA, Fractional CFO, and CEO of The Mariga Group, a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business firm named the 2021 Profit First Professional Firm of the Year.

Growing up surrounded by math and books, Susanne was inspired by her father, an accountant who introduced her to business early, allowing her to intern in the family firm at just 14. Though she began college at Ohio State University on the pre-med track, she soon discovered her true passion for accounting and shifted her focus.

As Susanne built her corporate career, she realized the demanding hours were keeping her from her family, inspiring her to launch her own accounting firm. She grew it into a thriving business that she eventually sold, positioning herself to retire at 46.

Today, Susanne helps 7- and 8-figure entrepreneurs master profitability and scale sustainably through The Mariga Group and her Profit First System. She is also the author of Profit First for Minority Business Enterprises, host of The Profit Talk Podcast, and has been featured in outlets such as Houston Business Journal and MBE Magazine.

In the conversation, Susanne shares how she turned financial strategy into freedom, her approach to building wealth for entrepreneurs of color, and the lessons she’s learned about aligning profit with purpose.

If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, financial empowerment, and building a business that serves both your purpose and your peace, this episode is for you.

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT…

1. What was she like as a child?
2. How did The Mariga Group come to life, and what inspired you to focus on empowering minority business owners through financial literacy and strategic growth?
3. As you built your business, how did you navigate the personal and professional pressures that come with leading and advising other entrepreneurs?
4. How has your journey influenced the way you view risk, success, and failure in entrepreneurship?
5. How have your past experiences shaped the way you now support other businesses through difficult transitions or financial uncertainty?
6. BBM Brag Moment
7. What brings them joy?
8. Why do black businesses matter?

Stream and download the Black Businesses Matter Podcast NOW for FREE on Apple Podcasts, Google, Stitcher, Pandora, and Spotify!

Connect with them

Connect with them on their website :

https://susannemariga.com

Support the show

To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter

We would love to hear from you! Text "BBMFAM" to (312) 300-1300.

Guest Name: Dr. Lakeba Hibbler Williams

Guest Business: Fresh Hope Counseling Center

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of the Black Businesses Matter Podcast, we chat with Dr. Lakeba Williams, Director of Fresh Hope Counseling Center, LLC (FHCC), a multidisciplinary behavioral health practice she founded in 2012 to help individuals and organizations become more adaptable and resilient.

With over 30 years of experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Dr. Lakeba is dedicated to supporting clients through trauma, anxiety, grief, and race-related stress. She holds degrees in Social Work, Community Agency Counseling, and a PhD in Adult Education.

Dr. Lakeba reflects on her early experiences caring for her great-grandmother and how those moments shaped her purpose as a healer and leader. She shares the journey of building her practice while balancing family, faith, and professional growth.

In the conversation, she discusses the evolution of Fresh Hope Counseling Center, the frameworks she uses to guide her clients, and the value of taking calculated risks when growing a business. She also reads an excerpt from the book she co-authored with her daughters, offering insight into generational healing and legacy building.

If you’re passionate about mental health, leadership, and creating spaces that inspire healing and hope, this episode is for you..

IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT…

1. What was she like as a child?
2. Navigating growth as a business owner
3. Protecting your mental health
4. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs navigating trauma while trying to build something meaningful?
5. BBM Brag Moment
6. What brings them joy?
7. Why do black businesses matter?

Stream and download the Black Businesses Matter Podcast NOW for FREE on Apple Podcasts, Google, Stitcher, Pandora, and Spotify!

Connect with them

Connect with them on their website :

www.freshhopetoday.com

Support the show

To connect further with me:
Visit my website: Thel3agency.com
Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thel3agency
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larvettaspeaks/
Connect with me on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thel3agency
Be sure to follow our podcast on Instagram. I can't wait to see you join us and take the pledge of #blackbusinessesmatter