Meet Olivia Robinson | Founder and CEO of BlackDollar

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been bit by the entrepreneurship bug in late 2019 and had a variety of business pathways I was preparing myself for. I had a vision for an app that would support Black-owned businesses, but I truly had no plan to pursue bringing BlackDollar to life at the time that I did. After watching an app development webinar the following April I felt a push within me to set to work on that vision, not knowing exactly how I was going to execute it but trusting that I would figure it out and make it excellent. After getting the technicalities sorted out with establishing BlackDollar to legally operate, my ideas began to flow and opportunities started falling into place. As I deepened my knowledge of economics in the Black community, I thought of several additional avenues through which my business could be an innovative resource.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
BlackDollar is an app that helps people find Black-owned businesses throughout the US. People can find in-person and virtual businesses through the app, making it a versatile space for however people prefer to consume goods and services. I created it with the hope that as people learn more about economics in the Black community through our educational resources, they would begin to buy Black intentionally. The two biggest factors within my control that have helped BlackDollar get to where it is are discipline and building intentional relationships. When people unexpectedly opened doors for me or offered exposure, I was in position to receive what they had to offer both for my business and for myself. So much life happened during this first year of building, but I pushed myself to move forward in some way each day. It was not at all easy facing challenges like burnout, limited funding, or sifting out scammers from genuine resources, among other things. One of my most difficult seasons was during the protests against violent anti-Blackness in honor of souls like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. As much as I wanted to be physically present at more demonstrations, I used that time to pour my rage, my pain, my hope, and my love into my business as my form of protest. Change-making is in the DNA of BlackDollar. I’ve learned how to pivot, how to expand, and how to leverage connections, and as much grit as I thought I had before my business, I guarantee I have ten times more now. I want the world to know that BlackDollar is rooting for Black businesses to thrive regardless of whether it’s through our app or other means, and we will continue to pursue our vision until economic liberation is an option for all Black people.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give distinctive acknowledgment to my best friends, my tribe, Heavin Hunter-Hernandez, Shanelle Wilkins, Devin Bristow, and Payton Silket. They have been the iron sharpening iron community that has ignited my most creative and radical ideas. I cannot disconnect my growth and accomplishments from their influence in my life, and I’m so uniquely blessed to have a group of grounded, perspicacious friends that lift one another in the midst of their own outstanding pursuits. I am because we are.

Website: blackdollarapp.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackdollarllc/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-robinson-a07987139/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_oliviathelion

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackdollarllc

Other: https://www.instagram.com/itsyourcurl/?hl=en

Image Credits
Shanelle Wilkins (photo with Nipsey Hussle in the background)