48: [BLACK MEN WHO LEAD] Leadership x Financial Wellness in the Black Community w/ Derrius Quarles

This episode is a part of our Black Men Who Lead series hosted by Aquaus Kelley educator and Founder of A Lover’s Ambition Lifestyle Group. 

About Men Who Lead: 

Black Men Who Lead is a series highlighting Black men at the forefront of Black entrepreneurship. These men are discussing their journeys in entrepreneurship, challenges, and wins, and the power of them continuing to push our communities forward.

Name: Derrius Quarles

Current Title: Co-Founder and Co-CEO BREAUX and Company

Location: Chicago, IL

Educational Background: Kenwood Academy High School

Morehouse College, BA Sociology

University of Pennsylvania, M.S.Ed. Education Entrepreneurship

About Derrius:

Derrius was born on Chicago’s South Side as the Grandson of a Mississippi sharecropper and Great Migration participant. Derrius is a 13-year foster care survivor, traversing four foster homes, welfare, and public housing through childhood. These experiences meant Derrius grew up with a keen understanding of how poverty, income inequality, and social disenfranchisement impact lives. From an early age, he asked deep sociological questions and envisioned a life of significance for himself.

As an author, social entrepreneur, digital marketer, investor, and thought leader, Derrius has nurtured a diverse set of talents to advance a culture of health globally. His first book, Million Dollar Scholar: Winning The Scholarship Race has assisted thousands of students across the globe to increase their knowledge of how to make higher education more affordable. He is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BREAUX Capital – a financial technology company that is helping Black Men pool their funds in the community with one another to invest collectively and create intergenerational wealth. Across his BREAUX and Company investment portfolio, his business ventures have collectively impacted the lives of over 25,000 marginalized families in America.

Coined a “financial prodigy” by The New York Times and his work has been covered by prominent international media outlets including The Associated Press, Black Enterprise, and CNN.

Derrius was recently named to Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 innovators list and he delivered a TED Talk at TED Headquarters to propose a new model for addressing financial wellness in communities that have been traumatized by racism in the financial service industry.

DURING THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED:

• 4:39 – Showing up with a mask on
• 11:11 – Finding our own solutions as a community
• 20:36 – Pricing services based on the value
• 25:30 – Entrepreneurship and partnership (marriage)
• 37:51 – Building finances as a collective community

For complete show notes and resources mentioned for this episode go to:  blacktobusiness.com/48 

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We’ve also partnered with thecreativebrutha to curate our 2021 list of Black men inspiring in the business world and in their communities. Visit blacktobusiness.com/blackmenwholead to view our list of 30 Black Men Changing The Face Of Entrepreneurship.