Meta Elevate

Jill Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), has helped entrepreneurs gain access to the knowledge, networks, and capital they need since 2002. Her biggest lesson? 👉🏾 Your network is the key driver of access. Watch to find out the key differences between “networking” and “being networked” along with Jill’s top tips to building deep, mutually beneficial relationships. ↗️ Share this with an entrepreneur who needs it and follow instagram.com/weareifel for more ways to grow with access.

When Jill Johnson co-founded the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) with her father, Dr. Henry C. Johnson, she combined a family legacy of entrepreneurship with her own experiences from the world of investment banking and capital raising during the dotcom boom. Her parents had spent over 20 years running a newspaper publishing company, including a minority business journal. Jill and her father wanted to open doors that they felt had been closed to them. Together, they envisioned an organization that could connect entrepreneurs to the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to succeed. Today, IFEL is that and so much more. Through programs like Small Businesses Need Us and Pipeline Angels, IFEL activates people willing and able to provide expertise, capital, or connections and facilitates relationship building with the entrepreneurs in the IFEL community. "In 2024, our Small Businesses Need Us volunteers provided over $1 million in expertise to entrepreneurs across our network and we introduced nearly 400 investors, allies, and business executives to entrepreneurs with whom they would not have otherwise been connected," Jill shared. This is how IFEL helps small business owners, entrepreneurs, and founders gain access to the resources that fuel growth. And Instagram plays a key role in amplifying these connections. IFEL connects with a broad ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, volunteers, and partners — and Reels have become one of their most powerful storytelling tools. "These short, engaging videos resonate not only with small business owners and founders, but also with our corporate, institutional, higher education, and community partners, as well as the business professionals who volunteer their time and expertise and investors who are looking for opportunities. Reels make it possible for each of these audiences to understand why our mission matters, feel inspired to be part of the solution, and see how their actions can make a difference." 📲 Follow https://lnkd.in/g7wjSQc6 to learn more about the entrepreneurs they champion and the opportunities they have for you to get involved.

Lamar Tyler of Traffic Sales and Profit built a massive community on Facebook Groups, something he says every business owner should focus on. And it all comes down to 4 C’s: 👉🏾 Content 👉🏾 Consistency 👉🏾 Creativity 👉🏾 Culture We asked him to break down how he leveraged each pillar to grow his brand so you could grab the blueprint. Head here for more tips on starting your own Facebook Group: https://lnkd.in/gwjmKm2A

When Lamar Tyler launched Traffic Sales and Profit back in 2015, it began as a natural progression of the success he’d already built through his blog, Black and Married With Kids. “The audience saw us grow from a blog to a business with employees… eventually they started to ask if we could show them how to grow a business too.” It’s since grown into a powerful resource for business owners, helping fund entrepreneurs at various stages of their businesses. “We created the TSP Ascension Ladder to guide entrepreneurs from under $100K to over $1M+ with the right support at every step.” For early-stage startups, TSP Propel provides action plans and accountability pods to drive growth. For more established businesses, TSP Mastermind and TSP Collaborative focus on one-to-one coaching and learning to scale through highly developed teams and processes. “Clients like EFS GROUP, PLLC have grown into multiple seven-figure businesses and are moving towards the eight-figure milestone.” As a brand initially sparked by connecting with a digital community, TSP continues to show up consistently across socials; sharing tips on business growth, marketing, leadership, and more. “When it comes to content creation, we stay intentional, strategic, and consistent,” Lamar says. “We batch and schedule content ahead of time. This keeps our feed active even on busy days and frees us to focus on strategy.” Lamar says they love using Stories to share authentic moments and Reels to deliver shareable, high-value insights, but understanding what resonates with their audience most is the most important part of the approach. “That guides everything we create…Real talk and actionable tips that our audience can implement right away.” Looking ahead, Lamar says followers can look forward to more hands-on support, actionable strategies, and making global impact with events in the UK and Ghana in 2026. “We’re rolling out new intensives, live events, and exclusive trainings designed to help entrepreneurs grow faster and smarter.” 📲 To start turning your knowledge into profit, be sure to follow them at https://lnkd.in/gQkeE-gq

Founder Angelina Darrisaw of C-Suite Coach breaks it down – if your business has a mission, people need to see it and hear about it. Not once a month. Not only when you launch. Consistently. Whether it’s Reels, Stories, or just showing up and sharing your “why,” your content is how people find you, trust you, and buy from you. This is your reminder to post with purpose. Follow https://lnkd.in/gD_MR3am for more leadership tips.

What’s working on Instagram right now? We caught up with Meta’s Natasha DesRuisseaux, who leads Emerging Creators on the Partnerships team, right after her panel at the #BBRBeautySummit in NYC to give you all the tea. From what consistency really looks like in 2025, to the truth about shadow banning, to new apps Meta just dropped — Natasha shared key tips business owners and creators need to hear. Let us know which tip hit for you.

The difference between a surviving business and a thriving one is often great leadership. And for Angelina Darrisaw, CEO of C-Suite Coach, providing support for emerging leaders is the key to bridging that gap. “Executive coaching was the most transformative tool for me in navigating workplace challenges,” Angelina explains. Offering leadership coaching services and talent development programs, she says her goal is to empower leaders to find purpose. One of her most successful partnerships was with a Fortune 500 retailer going through large-scale change. “By equipping them with tools to navigate conflict and build career momentum, we’ve seen 95% of participants successfully implement action plans that led to measurable growth and advancement,” she shares. While they provide support across teams and organizations, they also take a 1-on-1 approach with targeted coaching. “These stories remind us that with the right support, transformation is absolutely possible, regardless of whether you're leading at scale or navigating day-to-day challenges.” And with an important focus on effective team management, connecting through social media is an integral part of the brand. Particularly through platforms like Instagram. “As a company focused on workplace coaching and development, it’s important for us to meet people where they are,” she says. “Our favorite features are Instagram Stories with emoji reactions because we’re able to get quick insights from followers and engage in deeper conversations.” Looking ahead, Angelina says the brand is focused on creating conversations around building better workplaces through webinars, fireside chats and sharing useful insights. “You can expect more thought leadership on how individuals and organizations can drive meaningful change.” To stay tapped into C-Suite’s leadership resources follow them at https://lnkd.in/gD_MR3am.

How are today’s creative entrepreneurs growing real communities (and businesses) on Instagram? We connected with Besidone from Meta’s Innovation Partnerships team right after her #BBRBeautySummit panel in NYC with top beauty creators Lacy Redway, Aliyah’s Interlude, Miss Darcei to share her takeaways on what’s fueling their success. From using Stories and Broadcast Channels to showing up with authenticity — if you’re building your brand on Instagram, these are strategies you’ll want to tap into. 📸: Jess Baumung

Nearly 300 beauty creators, industry professionals, and small business owners in one room?! The energy at #BBRBeautySummit presented by Black Beauty Roster x Instagram was unmatched and Meta Elevate was proud to collaborate with the Instagram Beauty Partnerships team. From purpose-driven conversations with icons Taraji P. Henson and Michelle Williams, to value-packed panels with top beauty pros, creators and brand leaders, to intentional networking — this room was filled with talent, purpose, community (and flawless looks). Head of Meta Elevate, Onika L. W. had the opportunity to partner with Kristie Dash to help bring the #BBRBeautySummit to life, in close collaboration with Black Beauty Roster to support small business owners in the beauty industry with scaling and growing in their hybrid role of being business owners and creators. Watch the recap on how it all went down. Thank you to every creator, beauty pro, and small business owner who showed up, every brand who poured in, and every Meta executive who supported this event. You made this special. And of course, big love to Maude Okrah Hunter Black Beauty Roster for your important work in championing and enabling excellence in the beauty industry.

As a self-proclaimed #ThirdCultureKid, author Marisel Salazar's love for all types of Hispanic and American cuisine is what lies at the heart of her book LATIN-ISH. 📚 While her own heritage, a blend of Cuban, Panamanian, and Peruvian, laid important culinary foundations, her years spent living in places like Hawaii, Japan, Virginia, New York, and Madrid expanded her palate even further. “I grew up with two different kinds of Latino food: the traditional version from Latin America and the American version,” she explains, noting the combination of her mother’s traditional Cuban and Panamanian dishes alongside American-born fusion dishes like Breakfast Tacos, Mexican Casserole, and New Orleans Hot Tamales care of her step-father and other Americans abroad. “The story for each of those dishes always began: Well, back home in America, in this state, we make this.” It’s the kind of exposure that would push Salazar to create Latin-Ish, described as having a fearless perspective on national culinary boundaries, as an ode to the evolution of Latino American food culture. “As immigrants or their descendants, we assimilate, change, and evolve. We hold onto our heritages, yes, but we actively absorb aspects of other cultures,” she explains. “It can feel tempting to romanticize the past, to embrace the belief that older or more traditional means better or more authentic. Recipes change because, over time, locations, circumstances, ingredients, and people change.” On Instagram, Marisel shares American Latino dishes, spins on traditional recipes, and behind-the-scenes moments from her life as a host, travel writer, and content creator. “Reels are a favorite with my audience when sharing step-by-step recipe videos that they can recreate by themselves at home,” she explains. Between sharing recipes, Marisel also takes her audience on assignment as a travel journalist. “Stories are great at sharing a closer look at my personal life or “behind-the-scenes” of my work.” Follow https://lnkd.in/gbDRcxVS to keep up with the flavor, the culture, and the journey.