In today’s blog, intern Malik Harris shares how mentorship has helped him within his career path.

In today’s blog, Herd Strategies President Denise Herd shares how she’s taking the fall to prepare for 2024.

Kierra shares what being Hispanic means to her and how she embraces her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. Recognize anyone in the graphic? Fun fact: this photo was taken on Kierra's first birthday!

As Q3 is coming to a close, Denise Herd reminds us that this month is the perfect time to check the progress of your goals and get yourself back on track.

August is National Black Business Month, so as a Black business owner, I must shout out to those who look like me. Kudos to you for having a dream, nurturing that dream, and bringing it to life. The journey hasn’t been easy, but you did it.

As we continue to celebrate the #SongsOfSummer, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the minds behind the music: the producers. Joseph French, known professionally as Joey French, is a record producer and recording engineer here in Indianapolis. His dedication and passion for music has allowed him to work with major artists such as Waka Flocka Flame and Mark Battles, and has also landed him production on several commercials. Continue reading to learn more about Joseph and his passion for production.

Today, we’re highlighting a local group that takes us back with classic hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s: Deadline and the Undertakers. With some of the musicians playing together for over 30 years, the band has a deep-rooted passion for live music and performance that is truly unmatched. Keep reading to check out our conversation with the band’s lead vocalist, Rick Alexander.

This month, The Herd will be sharing our love for music and how it shapes our lives. We invite you to follow us on all our social media platforms as we highlight a few of our favorite music venues, artists, and concerts. We love music … any kind of music and are grateful for the joy it brings to our lives.

Our guest blogger for this PRIDE month is Dr. Melva Black, Deputy Director for the Nashville Metropolitan Public Health Department in Tennessee. Dr. Black has over 15 years of experience in health care but her focus has been serving as a #ChangeAgent in HIV/AIDS health and education. She is a member of several organizations and serves on multiple boards and committees including Chair Emeritus of the Community HIV/AIDS Partnership with United Way of Middle Tennessee. In her blog today, Dr. Black shares how creating safe, inclusive spaces not only unifies us, it also leads to the improved health and wellbeing of our LGBTQIA+ community.

Kenneth Allen is an Indianapolis Public Schools at-large Board Commissioner who assisted in the development of a resolution supporting LGBTQIA+ students after the passing of Senate Bill 480. He is a certified child and youth care worker with Indiana Youth Services Association who fights to provide quality and equitable education for all children through civic engagement and servitude.

Jeff Berger is the founder and president of the National Association for Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals. He has been a gay rights advocate for decades, building multiple sites throughout the years that offer safety, comfort and opportunity to members of the gay community. On top of providing a network for gay professionals, NAGLREP also was responsible for creating the proposals that led to sexual orientation and gender identity becoming a protected class in the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics.

This week, we interviewed Dustin Nowaskie, MD, Founder and President of OutCare Health. Dr. Nowaskie is a queer, nonbinary psychiatrist whose passion for helping LGBTQ+ communities led to the creation of an online resource that seeks to create a world where every LGBTQ+ person has access to quality healthcare.

Denise Herd honors Pride Month by sharing how a makeover from a drag queen reminded her that despite our differences, we are all similar in wanting to feel beautiful and loved.

InnoPower LLC (Power of Innovation) is a Black-owned Indianapolis, Indiana-based community development consulting group that leverages innovation in and for Black communities to accelerate economic productivity and talent development within the community.

According to the recent U.S. Census, 90% of all small businesses are family owned and operated. One of the contributing reasons for this impressive result is succession planning. There are many companies throughout the state and our nation that are second and third-generation family-run, and one that has been able to stand the test of time is Pillow Logistics.

During the pandemic, many working mothers and fathers were forced to simultaneously maintain their jobs and care for their children. Because of the disruption of childcare, many working moms bore the brunt of this problem and were forced to leave their 9-5 due to childcare demands. Not only did this force the hand of corporate jobs to become more flexible to retain working moms, but it also inspired moms to become entrepreneurs. While being a mom and business owner is a challenging balancing act, the determination to make a dream a reality and build a legacy for their families is why I support mom-owned small businesses.

In May, Herd Strategies is celebrating National Small Business Month by highlighting small business owners who exemplify the #entrepreneurialspirit. This week, we interviewed the always-inspiring Joslyn Kelly, founder and owner of J’s Breakfast Club in Gary, Indiana. Recently named the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center’s 2023 Community Impact Small Business of the Year, her restaurant serves as a gathering place that is revitalizing her community. Joslyn is also the founder of the This is Gary Foundation and The Love for Jalyn, Inc.

In May, Herd Strategies is celebrating National Small Business Month by highlighting small business owners who exemplify the #entrepreneurialspirit. This week, we had the privilege of interviewing Travis Brown, founder and CEO of Mojo Up Marketing + Media. He leads a Black-owned and minority-operated full-service brand marketing agency that works with other business owners to help them share their stories. As a highly sought-after brand marketing strategist and speaker, Travis has spent over 20 years teaching people how to produce results for their companies and achieve great things.

For as long as I have been a business owner, I have never made the correlation that National Small Business Month and Mental Health Awareness Month occur in May.  I don’t know how or even why I put it together this year, but I did. Being a business owner has placed so much stress on my mental health that at times I thought, “Denise, you may not make it out of this one.” The constant worries about staffing, payroll, business development, our reputation, competition – the list goes on and on. Yet through it all, like Elton John said, “I’m still standing – looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid.”

In April, Herd Strategies is celebrating National Volunteer Month by highlighting volunteer organizations and opportunities, showcasing ways we can use our time, talents and treasures to #giveback and uplift our communities. This week’s feature is Fred Payne, president and CEO of United Way of Central Indiana, a lifelong volunteer who helps remove barriers and provide resources so Central Indiana residents and communities can live out their true potential.