88: You've Got A Business Idea, Now What? - Navigating Each Step Of The Drive w/ Blavity CEO Morgan DeBaun

You've got this "big idea" - this SOLUTION to a problem that you know people will love and NEED. What's the next steps? How do you go about validating your ideas and figuring out how/if you can actually build a sustainable business model around it? We chat with Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity and a serial creator passionate about living life to the fullest. Morgan has led Blavity to become one the fastest growing digital media startups and a top destination for black youth culture. Morgan talks each step of the business-building process and what you must do to keep momentum alive and grow your brand. She is one of only 12 Black women to raise over 1 million dollars in venture funding and has been featured on Essence, New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and a finalist for 2016 TechCrunch Founder of the Year. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy! IN THIS PODCAST WE DISCUSS:- What inspired Morgan as a child - The early days of Blavity + the core problem that Blavity was trying to solve - How to validate your idea & outline your target personas/ user personas - Why data is  important + important metrics to focus on - Major pivots in the Blavity story - How to monetize your media platform - How to know if you audience is valuable - How to be the best - Understanding your core competency + positioning - Major challenges experienced building Blavity - How to build a strong team + building credibility + "digital receipts" -The unglamorous side of entrepreneurship - Why Blavity is a tech company*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/morgan-debaun-blavity *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join *RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free *FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive Follow Morgan DeBaun on Social: *instagram.com/morgandebaun *twitter.com/morgandebaun *www.blavity.com Follow Rana on social: *instagram.com/rainshineluv *twitter.com/rainshineluv