Building a business can consume countless hours, but a new campaign from dating and social app BLK is asking Black entrepreneurs to make room for something else: love.
For Black Business Month, BLK has partnered with The Gathering Spot, a members-based community and cultural hub, for “Open for Business (and Love),” an original content series exploring the intersection of entrepreneurship, dating and relationships.
The campaign centers on what BLK calls “entrepre-dating,” a dating approach in which single Black professionals look for partners who understand the demands and ambitions that come with building a business. The concept recognizes that entrepreneurship can involve long hours, unpredictable schedules and significant personal investment, all of which can affect relationships.
The series features three Atlanta entrepreneurs whose professional experiences provide the backdrop for candid conversations about their personal lives.
The first episode focuses on Shyanne Valentine, founder of Happy Vibes Brand and The Shyanne Effect, an art and wellness company centered on the idea that happiness is shaped by daily choices. Valentine discusses approaching dating almost like a second job and reflects on a past relationship that was affected by the demands of building her business.
The second episode features Timothy George, founder and CEO of eLo, a sustainable lifestyle and personal care brand that began with a 2017 Harlem pop-up before expanding to two Atlanta retail locations. George discusses discovering his identity as an entrepreneur and the challenge of stepping away from CEO mode when making space for dating.
The final episode features Alyssa Evans, founder and CEO of Grounded Marketing and co-founder of the Atlanta Book Festival. Evans discusses modern dating, ambition and the pressure to approach relationships with a specific agenda.
The series is designed to show that the qualities required to build a business — including intention, commitment and resilience — can also influence how people approach relationships.
“Black founders are used to being asked about their business plan, not their love life,” said Amber Cooper, head of brand at BLK. “With ‘Open for Business (and Love),’ we wanted to hold both in the same frame, because the truth is they take the same thing: intention.”
The campaign continues a relationship between BLK and The Gathering Spot that has included previous initiatives supporting Black-owned businesses. BLK has also highlighted couples who met through the platform and subsequently launched or expanded businesses together.
Ryan Wilson, co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, said the partnership reflects the organization’s focus on creating spaces where ambition and community intersect.
The “Open for Business (and Love)” series launched in August, with the first episode featuring Valentine now available online. The campaign gives viewers a look at how three entrepreneurs navigate the often-complicated task of building a career while making space for connection and relationships.