Episodes

  • Jimmy Akingbola on Bel-Air, Foster Care & Becoming Geoffrey

    Jimmy Akingbola on Bel-Air, Foster Care & Becoming Geoffrey
    Dec 10 2025
    In this episode, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with actor Jimmy Akingbola to peel back the layers on his real-life foster care story, his journey from East London stages to Hollywood screens, and what it means to dare to dream when the odds are stacked against you. From earning £400 a week doing plays to becoming part of the Bel-Air legacy, Jimmy shares how faith, resilience, and craft shaped the man behind one of TV’s coldest “fixers.” In this conversation, they unpack: Growing up in UK foster care and why he wouldn’t change his story The full-circle connection between Bel-Air and the biggest “care story” in TV history Redefining Geoffrey: not “black help,” but brotherhood, family, and quiet power Vulnerability as a superpower—why Black men need to see each other cry and heal The difference between UK and US acting scenes (stage roots vs screen fame) Rejection, resilience, and why getting to “the last two” is a sign you’re close Craft over clout: doing the work, knowing your writers, and treating acting like a real job Why suits over streetwear still wins—and how style became part of Geoffrey's storytelling If you’ve ever questioned your path, battled “no” after “no,” or wondered if your story is too messy to be used for something great, this episode is a reminder: you are enough, you are loved, and your dream is still valid. 📌 Share this with a Black man who needs encouragement to keep going—especially the one who’s ready to give up on his dream. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more conversations that pour back into our people. Follow Jimmy Akingbola: Instagram: instagram.com/jimmyakingbolaFollow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswearX / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswearFacebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswearWebsite: blackmenswear.com #JimmyAkingbola #BelAir #Jeffrey #BlackMenswear #DareToDream #FosterCare #BlackMenHealing #ActingJourney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • Trell Thomas on Purpose, Black Excellence Brunch and Walking in Your Calling!

    Trell Thomas on Purpose, Black Excellence Brunch and Walking in Your Calling!
    Dec 3 2025
    In this episode, host NeAndre Broussard sits down with storyteller, producer, and founder of Black Excellence Brunch, Trell Thomas, to unpack purpose, preparation, and creating spaces where Black people are celebrated just for being who they are. From Sunday dinner at his mom’s house to curating all-white rooms at Essence Fest, Art Basel, and even The White House, Trell shares how a simple gathering in his apartment became a global cultural moment. Together they dive into: 1. Why Romans 8:28 and “all things work together” still anchors Trell’s journey 2. How Black Excellence Brunch was born from corporate burnout, healing, and a need for safe, affirming spaces 3. Why everyone wears white—and how it centers Black skin, Black joy, and brand consistency 4. The power of relationships: your network as your net worth (beyond transactional connections) 5. “Prepare for what you pray for” and making space for what you’re asking God for 6. Being a vessel: letting your overflow pour into others and building a legacy of service 7. Showing up authentically in a world that constantly asks you to shrink If you’ve been wrestling with purpose, dreaming about your own movement, or trying to figure out how to turn vision into rooms that actually exist, this episode is your reminder: what you see in your spirit, you can stand in with your feet. 📌 Share this with someone who needs a reminder to prepare for what they pray for—and to stop shrinking in rooms they were designed to fill. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more conversations that pour back into our people. Follow Trell Thomas: Instagram: instagram.com/trellworld Follow Black Excellence Brunch: Instagram: instagram.com/blackexcellencebrunch Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: blackmenswear.com #TrellThomas #BlackExcellenceBrunch #BlackMenswear #BlackJoy #Purpose #Networking #PrepareForWhatYouPrayFor #BlackEntrepreneurs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • How Kenneth Boggs Builds Confidence in Men Through Custom Suits & Style

    How Kenneth Boggs Builds Confidence in Men Through Custom Suits & Style
    Nov 19 2025
    In this episode, host NeAndre Broussard sits down with luxury suiting designer and entrepreneur Kenneth Boggs to talk about manhood, image, and the business of tailoring. From learning to sew with his grandmother to dressing men for their biggest moments, KB breaks down how a well-made suit can shift a man’s confidence, posture, and presence in any room. In this conversation, they unpack: The life-changing quote from his grandfather: “You’re born looking like your dad, but you die looking like your decisions.” Meeting his father for the first time and choosing forgiveness as a man. How Motown, Black church culture, and classic Black leaders inspired his aesthetic. The difference between full canvas vs fused suits and why construction matters. Why your shoes, timepiece, and shirt can make or break your look. Dressing for respect in business, boardrooms, and first-class cabins. Building a brand with reputation strong enough to speak before you walk in the room. Legacy, philanthropy, and using business to pour back into the community. If you’ve been thinking about leveling up your look, your presence, or the way you walk into a room, this episode is your style blueprint. Come for the suit game and tailoring gems; leave with a new standard for how you show up as a Black man in every space you step into. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more conversations that pour back into our people. Follow Kenneth Boggs: Instagram: instagram.com/mr.kennethboggs Website: kennethboggs.com Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: blackmenswear.com #KennethBoggs #BlackMenswear #MensStyle #BlackMenInSuits #CustomSuits #BlackEntrepreneurs #MensFashion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Etienne Maurice on Mindfulness, Shavasana & Community Healing with WalkGood LA

    Etienne Maurice on Mindfulness, Shavasana & Community Healing with WalkGood LA
    Nov 12 2025
    In this grounding conversation, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with creator and community-builder Etienne Maurice to unpack how mindfulness, breathwork, and movement can turn pain into purpose. From a park meet-up to a full-fledged creative wellness studio, Etienne shares the origin of WalkGood LA and the mission to make healing equitable and accessible for our people. Together we explore: ✨ “Consistency is the currency of credibility”—showing up to silence imposter syndrome ✨ The nightly reset: why Shavasana (corpse pose) might be the most important part of your day ✨ Breathwork + yoga as culture-rooted mental health tools you can start now ✨ Turning trauma into service: gun-violence survival, psychiatric recovery, and 13 years sober ✨ Creative wellness that heals: Breathe Good, Laugh Good, Film Good, Hike Good, Run Good ✨ You Good—a men’s circle for breath, sound, and real conversation ✨ Listening to your body: rest, treatment, and recovering from pain without losing momentum ✨ How partnerships + purpose scaled a studio into a movement If you’ve been searching for your people, a practice, or a place to finally be still and breathe, this episode is a blueprint. Come for practical tools; leave with a community-centered vision of healing. 📌 Try the end-of-day Shavasana tonight—then share this with someone who needs a reset. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more conversations that pour back into our people. Follow WalkGood LA / Etienne Maurice: Instagram: instagram.com/walkgoodetienne Instagram: instagram.com/walkgoodla Website: walkgoodla.org Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: blackmenswear.com #EtienneMaurice #WalkGoodLA #Mindfulness #Shavasana #Breathwork #Men’sMentalHealth #CommunityHealing #SafeSpaces #CreativeWellness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • John Gaines on Consistency, Confidence & Fatherhood: From Athlete to “Gains by Gaines”

    John Gaines on Consistency, Confidence & Fatherhood: From Athlete to “Gains by Gaines”
    Nov 5 2025
    In this momentum-building conversation, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with trainer and creator John Gaines (aka Gains by Gaines) to unpack how daily habits shape identity, why confidence starts with keeping promises to yourself, and what it really takes to build a body—and life—that lasts.John opens with a mantra that guides his coaching and fatherhood: “You are what you consistently do.” From there, he breaks down the athlete-to-entrepreneur pivot, the power of being coachable, and how “gains mentality” turns small reps into big results that actually stick.We peel back the four layers—appearance, mindset, foundation, and core—while exploring:✨ Consistency > intensity: stacking small wins, training smart, and celebrating incremental progress✨ Making the gym translate to life: discipline, resilience, and keeping your word when no one’s watching✨ Why coachability wins rooms—and opens doors—long before you speak✨ Confidence as a felt experience: how putting in work changes how you walk into any space✨ Sustainable transformation vs. crash fixes: realistic programming, plateaus, and meeting yourself where you are✨ Community over ego: building relationships that refer, retain, and raise your ceiling✨ Fatherhood & co-parenting with intention: leading with love, patience, and example as a #GirlDad✨ Thriving in L.A.: finding your lane, protecting your foundation, and letting opportunity support purposeIf you’re an athlete in transition, a busy parent chasing health, or a builder who wants discipline to show up everywhere—this conversation is your blueprint. Come for practical frameworks on training and mindset—leave ready to chase gains in everything you do.📌 Don’t miss it—this one blends fitness, fatherhood, and fundamentals you can apply today.👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more culture-driven conversations that pour back into our people.Follow John Gaines:Instagram: instagram.com/gainsbygainesYouTube: youtube.com/@Gainsbygaines2023Follow Black Menswear:Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswearX / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswearFacebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswearWebsite: blackmenswear.com#JohnGaines #GainsByGaines #BlackMenswear #ConsistencyWins #GainsMentality #Coachable #Fatherhood #GirlDad #SustainableFitness #Discipline #Confidence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • Style Bell (@SirStyle) on Purpose, Discipline & Community: From Foster Care to Financial Freedom

    Style Bell (@SirStyle) on Purpose, Discipline & Community: From Foster Care to Financial Freedom
    Oct 29 2025
    In this powerful episode of The Check-In, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with wellness leader and entrepreneur Style Bell for a transparent conversation on purpose, money, resilience, and building with (and for) your community. Style opens up about foster care, seasons of homelessness, and the shift that changed everything: stop chasing checks—create value and the checks follow. He shares how that mindset took him from struggling to multi-millionaire, why he still offers free community workouts after nearly 15 years, and how he’s turning his home base into a neighborhood wellness hub (think turf, outdoor sauna, red light therapy, massage boots, and contrast therapy) so people can access tools they’ve never had. Together, we peel back the four layers—appearance, mindset, foundation, and core—while exploring: ✨ “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams”—the daily reminder that grounds his grind ✨ Purpose over profit: building brand value the market rewards, instead of chasing quick income ✨ The 21-Day Challenge blueprint—habits, chef-led demos, modified workouts, mobile-first access, accountability, community, and $10,000 in prizes to the top 10 transformations ✨ MLM with integrity: structure, leadership, and why opportunity + discipline matters more than labels ✨ Discipline vs. distraction: a realistic morning rhythm (even “abs in bed”) and why some don’t need rigid routines ✨ Turning contrast into clarity—including processing a $500K financial hit without losing momentum ✨ Founders’ mental health: grief, identity, and why some seasons call for therapy, brotherhood, and honest rooms ✨ Travel, safety, and presence: lessons from ~50 countries and why Bali changed how he felt in his body ✨ Legacy in real time: widening access so more Black families build health, discipline, and financial freedom If you’re an entrepreneur or builder committed to changing your family tree, this conversation gives you a grounded playbook—how to sell value, lead people, protect your peace, and reinvest where you live. Come for the business and wellness gems—leave with a clearer blueprint for purpose-driven wealth. 📌 Don’t miss it—this one’s for every Black man ready to stack discipline, serve community, and grow something that lasts. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more culture-driven conversations that pour back into our people. Follow Style Bell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sirstyle/ Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: https://x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: https://blackmenswear.com #StyleBell #TheCheckInPodcast #BlackMenswear #PurposeOverProfit #CommunityWealth #BlackEntrepreneurs #FinancialFreedom #WellnessJourney #DisciplineWins #ContrastCreatesClarity #LegacyBuilders #AccountabilityCulture #BlackMensMentalHealth #EntrepreneurMindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Charity Croff (@CharityCroff) Mindset Mastery, Authenticity & Community: From Depression to Purpose

    Charity Croff (@CharityCroff) Mindset Mastery, Authenticity & Community: From Depression to Purpose
    Oct 22 2025
    In this soul-stirring episode of The Check-In, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with public intellectual, artist, and creator Charity Croff for a raw conversation on mental health, identity, faith, and the freedom to be fully yourself. Charity opens up about a dark season of passive suicidal thoughts and the moment everything shifted: “We become what we think about.” From there, he breaks down how affirmations, movement, and consistent mental “reps” (aka brainwashing yourself with what edifies you) reprogrammed his life—and how anyone can do the same. Together, we peel back the four layers—appearance, mindset, foundation, and core—while exploring: ✨ How to take 100% ownership of your mind (and stop letting the world program you) ✨ Practical tools: movement, creativity, and repetition to climb out of depressive ruts ✨ Why anger can be a bridge from shame to courage—then into peace and joy ✨ Building community that tells the truth, holds you down, and helps you grow ✨ Reconciling “both of ’em”: intellect and culture, faith and art, business and purpose ✨ The business of being a polymath—why the next era belongs to multi-hyphenates ✨ Creating from integrity (not just a “personal brand”) so the work fuels you instead of draining you ✨ Love, devotion, and partnership as mutual “watering” that overflows into purpose If you’re a creator, entrepreneur, or anyone navigating the tension between who you are and who the world rewards, this conversation will give you language, tools, and courage. Come for the gems on faith, focus, and freedom—leave ready to be fully you. 📌 Don’t miss it—this one’s a blueprint for mindset mastery, authentic living, and community that heals. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more culture-driven conversations that pour back into our people. Follow Charity Croff: Instagram: instagram.com/charitycroff X / Twitter: x.com/charitycroff YouTube: youtube.com/@charitycroff Website: charitycroff.com Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: blackmenswear.com #CharityCroff #TheCheckInPodcast #BlackMenswear #WeBecomeWhatWeThinkAbout #MindsetMatters #BlackMensMentalHealth #Authenticity #Polymath #CommunityCare #FaithAndFocus #DepressionRecovery #LawOfAttraction #SelfMastery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • Mark JP Hood (@Markjphood) Dreaming Bigger Than the Facts

    Mark JP Hood (@Markjphood) Dreaming Bigger Than the Facts
    Oct 15 2025
    In this energizing episode of The Check-In, host NeAndre Broussard—founder and CEO of Black Menswear—sits down with multi-hyphenate Mark Hood (actor, director, vocalist, entertainer) for a candid conversation on faith, grit, and choosing purpose over hype. From the AIM Conference days to Hollywood press runs, NeAndre and Mark trace a two-decade arc of friendship and growth—what it takes to keep believing when the path isn’t straight. Mark unpacks the mantra that guides him—“If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count”—and why learning to live moment-to-moment (not just day-to-day) keeps him grounded. He talks moving to LA, building real community (shoutout Churchy on BET+,) and the discipline behind making the most of a breakthrough without losing yourself. Mark shares insights on: ✨ Owning the moment—“don’t miss the feather falling from the sky” ✨ Nine years in LA: proximity, access, and finding true like-minded community ✨ Faith as fuel—learning God for yourself when the grind gets real ✨ Boxes & narratives: singer, actor, PK—why you must control your story ✨ From extra to lead: four auditions for Rodney and why the role felt lived ✨ Fitness after the pandemic: building strength while healing your relationship with food ✨ Chicago roots → Hollywood readiness: theatre reps, TV reps, church choir reps ✨ Friendship, humility, and measuring success as progress, not trophies ✨ A word to the culture: “Dear Black Man… keep holding on. We’re going to be alright.” If you’re a creative, entrepreneur, or anyone navigating reinvention, this episode is a roadmap for persevering with joy—staying grateful, staying prepared, and staying you. 📌 Don’t miss it—this one will have you checking your habits, widening your vision, and doubling down on the work. 👍🏾 Like, ✍🏾 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more culture-driven conversations. 🔗 Follow @BlackMensWear for future episodes and behind-the-scenes content. Follow Mark Hood: Instagram: instagram.com/MarkJHood X / Twitter: x.com/MarkJHood Facebook: facebook.com/MarkJHood Follow Black Menswear: Instagram: instagram.com/blackmenswear X / Twitter: x.com/blackmenswear Facebook: facebook.com/BlackMenswear Website: blackmenswear.com #MarkHood #TheCheckInPodcast #BlackMensWear #DreamBigger #IfTheDreamIsBigEnough #ChurchySeries #KevOnStage #ChicagoToLA #FaithAndFocus #CommunityOverClout #ActorJourney #EntertainmentIndustry #ConsistencyWins #DearBlackMan #Inspirational2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins