Actor, artist, and social activist making moves in hollywood. Its our all access. Hollywood is more difficult than we see like in the Music Industry to break through for people of color. More difficult, but it can be done. Then we profile our entrepreneurs of the week giving children a brighter smile. I was having a discussion with my husband, and, you know, we just came to the conclusion that wouldnt it be great to have a beautiful stateoftheart practice but do it in the heart of an urban area so that you can serve all types of people . From the corner office, we hear from a young man using Silicon Valley to change the world. The thing that makes us uniquely qualified to do what were doing right now is not only our authenticity, finding the needs, et cetera, but also lemplg technology to do things in completely different ways. And finally, one of americas leading doctors in our slice of life. Theres nothing that i can universe than the human brain, and when im operating on it and looking it a t, it brings me closer to god. Thats whats happening in welcome back to our world with black enterprise. Actor and artist come set expanding his brand, plus hes american black film musical. We recently caught up with the artist in new york and we talked about hollywood, his new production deal, and whats next. Take a look. Hes a grammy awardwinning artist who took home an oscar and golden globe for selma. His music doesnt just receive recognition. He took home an naacp award for his role in the film. Theres more where that came from. Hes gearing up for his Live Television performance in the wiz in his new role with the american black Film Festival. I think abff has built a brand and a name and a vision that theyve executed for 20 years. And when youve done that and you continue to grow and continue to utilize black filmmakers and everybody involved in making film and honoring people of color in that reverence for that, we have a respect for that, and we value that because we know that we want to be heard and want to be seen, and as filmmakers, hollywood, its more difficult than we see in, like, in the Music Industry to break through for people of color. Its more difficult, but it can be done. And the fact that we acknowledge that the abff acknowledges the films that we make, you know, from whether its from short films to independents to feature films, the fact that all those aspects of filmmaking have been recognized by abff is the reason we honor and say, hey, this is our chance to express who we are totally in the world of film. Commons passion to change the face of hollywood will be a major coming attraction when he collaborates with cable powerhouses hbo and showtime. Our company is called freedom quote from an early public enemy song, freedom is the road less traveled by the multitude. Our company is based on taking innovative, fresh ideas, especially giving people of color, black people opportunities to express what television. We are on the hunt for young talented writers, actors, directors because, you know, when we find those, thats that makes us better. Basically were all better. We get to see great art out there, and thats what were about. We just shot a pilot for showtime called the shy, written by lena waif, whos from chicago, a black woman, and she wrote a beautiful story, a coming of age story about these kids growing up in chicago, and its not about the violence, even though violence is definitely part of the backdrop because its part of whats happening in chicago. Humanity of people that live in the most difficult situations but still have a smile at times, still know how to love, still, like, you know, want to court a girl, you know, like just the humanity of us. And it felt good when i was at home in chicago watching some of the actors from chicago and seeing a lot of the crew, and it made me feel like thats what were here to do with freedom road, provide that platform for new artists to let their voices be heard. We look forward to seeing comet at the american black Film Festival in miami next year, june 15th through 19th. See you there. Up next, this Husband Wife Team brings stateoftheart dentistry to lowincome neighborhoods. One of the things we believe is you cannot have a business in a Community Without the becoming a one day it appears. Is that a dark spot . New gold bond dark spot minimizing cream for body. Targeted treatment results begin in 4 weeks. Welcome back. Many children living below the dental care. This week we highlight two entrepreneurs who use their cuttingedge facility to make a difference, one smile at a time. Trish . Thats right, paul. But this is also a love story of two Brilliant Minds from two separate background, and together they build a business with one special purpose. Its a cold and rainy day in downtown newark, new jersey. But regardless, theyre always prepared for another beautiful da office. The forecast within their 8,000squarefoot stateoftheart facility is nothing but bright smiles and warm welcome. For boardcertified pediatric dentist dr. Leslie, this was a i went to dental school in new jersey. I just had an affinity for children. It was a lot of fun to me. So when it was time to apply to residency programs, i knew for sure that that was what i wanted to specialize in. Her husband, chris, had a totally different background with an mba degree in finance, but leslies imagination led her to a very bright idea. I was having a discussion with my husband and, you know, we just came to the conclusion that wouldnt bit great to have a beautiful stateoftheart practice but do it in the heart of an urban area so that you can serve all types of people . We thought that, you know, having a facility that was stateoftheart, that had just about everything that you could think of for a pediatric depp tis dentistry was something they should have access to. Their big break came in 2007 when senator cory booker, mayor at the time, helped create an Economic Development fund for potential Business Owners in the city. Before long, the loans were approved and by 2009 dental kids was officially open for business. In term of revenues, 2009 we made just about 500,000 in revenues. And to forward to today, we revenues. These numbers are even more significant because roughly 80 of dental kids patients pay with a statesubsidized Health Care Plan or medicaid, which most private practices refuse to accept because of low those concerns are have not stopped the dental kids business from booming. Right now we currently see anywhere between 50 to 65 patients per day. Before they even meet the doctors theyre meeting the front desk people, theyre talking to them on the telephone. When your child is being cared for, theyre being cared for by, you know, someone you feel that commonality with. One of the things we believe is you cannot have a business in a Community Without becoming a weve had the exact same place. Once we were able to do that, it made a huge difference in terms of our turnover, which we have zero turnover now, and the quality of the work that our staff actually produces for our patients. We also have aspirations of expanding, and our expansion plans, we were looking at a regional play where were going to look to open up a practice in midtown manhattan as well as in jersey city. And for each of those practices we think that they could do just as well as from a revenue perspective as newark or even better for the new york city offices. In terms of number of patients, we think that the new york city practices will probably double the number of patients purely because of the population density thats there. At home where they care for their five lovely daughters, chris and less leases roles are more or less interchangeable, learned the importance of staying in their respective lanes. One of the things that is huge . Our success is the fact my husband does not have a background in health care. The office, we have specific functions. The other person cannot decide, this is how were going to deal with this chinally or i wouldnt be able to decide this is how were going to negotiate this contract. It didnt work. In the beginning. One of the things that we used to hear a lot is, oh, you work with your spouse . Oh, yeah, that probably isnt too good. But its a lot of fun because we actually like each other. Yeah. Its fun. Congrats to the harvels. Their dental kids will be expanding to more locations. Stay tuned. Thanks, trish. Up next, a young man and his company prove diversity and Technology Mean smart business. We have his story after the break. I think everything starts, particular whi li when you think product. I dont care who you know. Welcome back. Christian walker is one of the most soughtafter entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Hes applying technology to a lowtech market in a unique way. He recently stopped by our offices in new york to talk about his latest ventures and his climb to the top. Take a look. Tristan, thanks for being here. Thanks for having me. Tell me, how did growing up in queens and your family shape who you are today . Its everything. I like to say i was born, raced, south side jamaica, queens, projects, welfare, that sort of thing. And i realized i didnt want my family to go through that. I was also raised by a single mother who worked her butt off, so its now on me to ensure that i make her proud and not put my family through that same thing, right. Combat that with also the fact that new york just gave me the muscle i needed to succeed, and thats something that not only i will continue to kind of preach on myself but also my son as he kind of grows up as well. Do you believe that your move from new york to sunny california, right, getting your mba at stanford, was that a Pivotal Moment in your career . I think there were two Pivotal Moments in my career, actually. Further back when i was in high school, i was 13, i moved to lakeville, connecticut, to go to boarding school for high school. And that was the first time i got to see how the other half lived, right. I went to school with rockefellers and fords, and i got to really understand what wealth meant. Stanford was instrumental in really kind of my development in my career. Just having me be exposed to Silicon Valley, a place i didnt know about until i was 24. Thank goodness i did because it was one of the best decisions ive ever made in my life. Built your Company Without the network that you created in Silicon Valley . There is no way i could have built the Company Without that network. And i say this because, you know, building the Company Requires us to raise capital. That capital requires my having the network to acquire that capital. My ability to recruit engineers and other talent, right, where you have that Network Effect in Silicon Valley of the engineers, et cetera, instrumental, right. And i dont think i could have done it as effectively anywhere else. So is who we know more importantly than what we know . No. No. Because i think everything starts, particularly when you think about business weather the product. I dont care who you know, if your product sucks, it sucks. People need to buy things that work. They need to buy things that respond with the way they live their lives. They need to respond to efficacy, right. It all starts with that. 38yearold walker created his business walker and company two years ago as a health and Beauty Company using technology to design, develop, and test products tailored to people of Walker Company was burst out of a world few people in Silicon Valley understand. The first idea pertaining to culture. I have the fundamental belief all Global Culture is led by american culture, which is led by black culture. Food, music, dance, et cetera. The second was a health and Beauty Products company. Always this experience of walgreens, cvs, any retailer, having to go to aisle 36, the ethnic aisle. And theyll say it on the placard. Its not an aisle. Its a shelf on the back across from the bandaids and you have to reach to the bottom of that shelf thats dirty. We people that back. Youre saying world culture is shaped by black culture. Im saying it. I believe it. And i think everybody else should believe it too. Walker and company exists solely to make health and beauty simple for people of color. Walker and company has a its a shaving system specifically created for men with coarse or curly hair. Hes raised financing and inked target. Bevel is the fist and only shaving system clinically proven to reduce, prevent, shaving irritation for men and women, period. Full stop. Its a problem thats existed for well over 100 years and nobody has tried to solve it until today. We are the first. And not only have we had incredible loyalty for the efficacy we have. What i find most fascinating is youre recognized as like this tech entrepreneur, right . This hightech company. But yet youre focused on what many consider to be a lowtech right . The market is beauty and health. So do you think theres something that entrepreneurs and other businesses can learn from that modmodel . I get this question all the time. Why did you leave tech to go to i never left tech. What makes us uniquely qualified to do what we do is the authenticity to find the need, the problem, et cetera, but Leverage Technology to do things in completely different ways. I love it. Tristan walker, i think youre brilliant, i think youre authentic and hope realized. Pleasure to have you on our world. Thank vow very much. Appreciate it. Tris san is definitely a Business Leader to watch. Up next, a doctor on the cutting edge of surgery. Not a hero. How strong is allegrad . My congestions out of my way strong. Allegrad. A fast nondrowsy antihistamine plus a powerful decongestant. Breathing free for 24 hours strong. Allegrad. [ announcer ] cortizone10 Eczema Relief is specially formulated for eczema, with the strongest nonprescription itch medicine for fast, lasting relief. Cortizone10 Eczema Relief. Welcome back to our world with black enterprise. In the past decade there have been an estimated 5,000 neurosurgeons working in the United States but less than 1 are considered specialists. Our slice of life dr. Keith black is one. Dr. Keith black is chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in los angeles. Black specializes in brain tumors and leads teams in complicated surgery. I wouldnt be alive without dr. Black. How are you, sherry . Good. Feeling good . One of his patients is sherry sands. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and after visiting five neurosurgeons she chose black to perform her surgery. I was at the computer desk months he told me, sherry, were going to get it. Dr. Black is one of only 50 neurosurgeons considered specialists in treating brain tumors since medical school. Hes been fascinated with what he calls the sacredness of the brain. Theres nothing i can think of more incredible in the universe than the human brain. When im operating on it and looking at it, it brings me closer to god. Married with two children, dr. Black has had his share of adventures as a pilot and world traveler. Hes met dignitaries like Nelson Mandela and al gore and celebrities like Stevie Wonder and sidney poitier. This year an estimated 45,000 people will be diagnosed with a brain tumor. Knock on wood, ive never lost a patient on the table, but, you know, there are always wish had turned out different. And in a life and death world of neurosurgery, dr. Black knows losing his focus can mean losing a patient. When im in surgery, i go into a different zone. And you focus all of your talent, all our energy, and all your spiritual self into trying to help and heal that patient that you have on the table. I think its important, you know, when doing surgeries to realize that that person is someones mother or someones father or someones sister, and to operate on them like it was your mother or your sister that youre operating on. Precisely why Time Magazine named him one of the heroes of medicine and why black enterprise named him one of americas leading doctors. If i could say to dr. Black, i would thank him for giving me 18 years that i didnt have. Think the most devastating thing scary. Nothing i think can evoke fear in us given the diagnosis of a brain tumor. I really consider our patients to be the heroes. They tear re the ones that are facing the real challenge. Edition of our world with black enterpri be sure to visit us on the web at blackenterprise. Com ourworld. Like us on facebook and follow me on twitter. Thanks for watching. She cant walk on her own but hes got her high on a cliff. Very carefully he just dangles her over the edge. The inspiring balancing act against all odds. A dog looks for one of her puppies. Who has fallen in this sewer drain. See what it takes to get the baby back to mama. A dirt biker takes on a rock. But how he nearly lost something else, too. Oh plus, a sweet dance with nanny that will bring tears to your eyes. And an eyewatering video up