Claima Stories with Bimma
Co-Founder of Claima and Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging creatives and entrepreneurs of color about how they were able to build their own tables by turning their hobbies, side hustles, and ideas into thriving small businesses. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers by stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, James Whitner and more. Follow Claima Stories (@claimastories) and Bimma Williams (@bimmawilliams) on Instagram, and watch us on YouTube (@claimastories).
Episodes
152 episodes
EP 102: Raven B Varona, Photographer, Director and Philanthropist
With infinite pride and hunger, Raven or RavieB comes from the Bronx and she always comes to represent herself and the individuals she captures with her lens of choice. Though Raven dabbled in many different fields, when she picked up a camera,...
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Season 4
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Episode 21
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1:20:23
EP 101: Hema Persad, Owner and Principal Designer of Sagrada Studios
Born in Toronto to Indo-Guyanese parents, Hema was taught the value of good work ethic. Regardless of what she’s into, she’s always going to do it at 110%. Hema found herself constantly chasing fulfillment throughout her many profession...
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Season 4
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Episode 20
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56:07
EP: 100 Chris Gibbs, Owner of Union, LA and Beth Birkett Gibbs Owner of Bephie's Beauty Supply
We've made it to our 100th episode!! A definite milestone for the Claima Stories Family! And we're doing it with none other than whom GQ Magazine has crowned them Streetwear’s First Family. Chris Gibbs, owner of Union LA and his partner Beth Bi...
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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1:31:02
EP 99: Humberto Leon, Co-Founder of Opening Ceremony and Owner of restaurants Monarch and Chifa
Being a glass half-full type of creative and entrepreneur has allowed today's guest, Humberto Leon, to build a vibrant career. In the 70’s Humberto and his family Immigrated to LA where he would fall in love with fashion and often find himself ...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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1:08:18
EP 98: Calmatic, Film Director
Not many creatives have the opportunity to come out with two films in one year but with remakes of cult classics like White Men Can’t Jump and House Party but today's guest, Calmatic, did just that. Calmatic proudly grew up as your quintessenti...
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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1:07:36
EP 97: Manila Mixtape, Artist and Owner of Manila Home Goods
They say your twenties are meant for self-discovery and today's guest, Manila Mixtape, can attest to that. After a career in fashion bouncing from celebrity styling to merchandising to retail, Manila decided to walk away from it all. Knowing he...
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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1:01:58
EP 96: Shequeita Frazier, Co-Founder of Camp Yoshi
If you asked today's guest, Shequeita Frazier, if she would be a Co-Founder of an outdoors brand, she probably would've laughed. Though she grew up playing outside all the time, Shequeita distinctly remembers avoiding the woods. It wasn't until...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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1:03:32
EP 95: Autumn Merrit, Co-Founder of Sir & Madame
A Chicago native, Autumn Merritt, has been a boss since she was a teenager, from managing a coffee shop to running a streetwear store...getting the job done with quality and intention was always her priority. In 2007, Autumn opened up a boutiqu...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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51:38
EP 94: Telsha Anderson-Boone, Owner of T.A.
Today’s guest, Telsha Anderson-Boone, knew pretty early on in her career that she wanted to be her own boss and that fashion would play a major factor. While figuring out what that business would be, Telsha worked just about everywhere from Hyp...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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1:10:51
EP 93: Kiauna "Kee" Nelson, Owner of Kee's #Loaded Kitchen
With parents that battled addiction, today’s guest Kiauna “Kee” Nelson, was always an independent kid. Her life took multiple turns from spending time in a gang to a short jail stint. Ultimately, Kee knew she wanted more than that life. At 31, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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52:23
EP 92: Kimberly Drew, Curator at Pace Gallery and Author
A lifelong lover of museums, Kimberly Drew's entry into the working world of art started with creating a Tumblr page dedicated to Black art and culture called Black Contemporary Art. The page immediately took off and helped her land a social me...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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55:52
EP 91: Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, Owner of Flavors from Afar and Director of the Tiyya Foundation
Growing up in a traditional Ethiopian household while living in California, Meymuna Hussein-Cattan often found herself balancing many identities. From coaching friends on what to expect when they came over to her home to compartmentalizing her ...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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50:46
EP 90: Intisar Abioto, Artist and Photographer
Our guest today picked up her first camera at the age of 14 and has worked in the world of photography ever since. Intisar Abioto, grew up in Memphis surrounded by Black art and found her path towards storytelling through taking images with Bla...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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1:11:19
EP 89: Duk-Ki Yu, Founder of MAJOR DC
An immigrant from Seoul, Korea who moved to California at the age of 12. Duk-Ki Yu, owner of MAJOR was and will forever be a lover, advocate, and participant in the advancement of hip-hop culture. Duk-Ki Yu is the epitome of an 80s baby...
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1:20:12
EP 88: Jabari, Founder of COLORS Worldwide
A lifelong student of hip-hop, Jabari always knew he wanted to work in the music industry specifically on the media side. While at Howard he started interviewing artists for a website including Fabolous, Nicki Minaj, and Justin Bieber, early in...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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1:14:02
EP 87: Jessica Monzalvo, Founder of SBJ Esntls
Growing up on a farm in Mexico is where Jessica Monzalvo's story started. That deep connection to being on native land and watching family care for each other inspired her future. As Jessica shifted into her entrepreneurship journey, helping ot...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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1:02:22
EP 86: Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, Founders of Eastside Golf
If you ask today’s guests Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, golf has always been a great game. The two met as teammates on the Morehouse College golf team where they won a National Championship and then remained friends as their lives ran paral...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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1:19:21
EP 85: Imani Ellis, Founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective
Imagine making your childhood dreams come true - working in television, living in NYC, becoming a VP at NBC Universal…all by your 30s and then what? After all those accomplishments, Imani Ellis was still in search of something bigger and more c...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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58:14
EP 84: Jerald Cooper, Founder of Hood Century Modern
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jerald has always immersed himself in the community with a focus on telling stories. From changing the subject of his college thesis to Molefi Asante and afrocentricity to opening a sneaker store. After a st...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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1:14:23
EP 83: Lynae Vanee, Creator of Parking Lot Pimpin'
Writing is something that always came naturally to Lynae, but becoming gifted storyteller is how she found her true purpose. After a full-ride at Spelman College, Lynae wasn't clear on her career path so she went on to teach high schoolers and ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:07:24
EP 82: Douglass Williams, Owner and Chef of MIDA and APIZZA
A diagnosis of Crohn's disease didn't derail the path to becoming a chef for Douglass. His approach to food was only heightened by having to chew each morsel 30 times, focusing on the feel, texture and taste of each bite. After working in world...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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57:05
EP 81: Essie Golden, Golden Confidence Blog + Founder of Thick Laces
Growing up in foster care, early childhood was anything but ordinary for Essie. Transitioning from different homes until she was the age of 6, Essie was luckily adopted by a family that poured into her and was the first successful Black family ...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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1:04:50
EP 80: Daniel Buezo, Co-Founder of Kids of Immigrants
Since he was a youngin, Daniel has always been about community and having the back of his homies and loved ones. When he was only 18, his sister unexpectedly passed away and it sent Daniel into a very dark place of rage. He started getting in t...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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1:06:24
EP 79: Karleen Roy, Founder of The Vanity Group
Being surrounded by Black Excellence in and outside of her home, Karleen grew up with the confidence that she could do whatever she put her mind to. Making her way to Howard and working in a myriad of jobs post-college, one thing always rang tr...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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49:20
EP 78: Terrence Low & Brandon Crump, Founders of Michael Lavelle Wines
Hailing from Chi-town Terrence and Brandon dove immediately into the DC night scene when meeting at Howard University. Brandon found a knack with throwing parties and actually went on to hire his now business partner, Terrence to help him out. ...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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49:06