Last Friday, Innov8tiv.com and Ibom LLC hosted “Advances in Global Entertainment Technology,” in partnership with Black Enterprise, during Social Media Week NYC. I was extremely excited and honored to participate in the panel discussion alongside special guest Jason Njoku, CEO and co-founder of iROKOtv, and fellow panelists Oldine Jean-Charles, CEO of LJCL and co-founder of Interactive Life Social TV project, and Jacqueline Nwobu, co-founder of Munaluchi Bridal Magazine.

This was the first time I spoke in front of a large crowd about launching ‘Ain’t I Latina?’ and how AIL engages with our audience on social media (can you say, P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E?!) but it was a great experience. What a blessing to sit beside each of the panelists, and I learned soo much from each of them—escuela was truly in session! Here were the main takeaways that hit home for me:

Jason Njoku—He dished gem after gem after gem, but the main lesson from this Internet billionaire was to believe in your idea wholeheartedly and stick with it. Yes, people will think you’re crazy and won’t really care what it is your working on, but don’t ever let that deter you. Check into his story, he started what is now a billion-dollar venture from his mamá’s basement.

Oldine Jean-Charles—I had a great conversation with Oldine right before the panel started and admire her courage. She moved to NYC from Atlanta, relocating her business here without knowing anyone. Be fearless! (I remind myself that that’s the only way to grow as a person.) Another takeaway, your team needs to be just as passionate and invested in this as you are.

Jacqueline Nwobu—Similar to AIL, Jacqueline saw a void in her respective industry—the wedding business—and decided to do something about it. She and her husband teamed up to create the now leading nationally distributed wedding magazine catered to women of color. Manaluchi Bridal Magazine launched during the recession in 2009 and was still able to sustain itself, picking up several partnerships with bigger brands. The BIG Takeaway: You might not have the budget, but get creative.

Take a look at the event through tweets (via Storify) on the next page…

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