RCBCC: To start, could you share a bit about your background and what led you to where you are today?
JB: "I was born and raised up in a small town in Dothan Ala. My father was a Barber and his dad was a Farmer. On many occasions my grandfather would show up in the early hours of the morning and take all six of the boys up to country to help out on the farm without any compensation. He had somehow acquired over 200 acres of land with a 5th grade education in Jim Crow racist Alabama. My family lived in the projects and across the street were well over 45 various black businesses, from Barbershops, Taxi stand, Cleaners, Restaurants, Insurance agents, Funeral Homes, Hotels, Night Clubs, and street hustlers, so I was leaning into my environment with the idea someday I would become a business owner myself.
As a young man I sold Grit Newspapers while in high school before I was drafted into the Army in 1971, and after graduating high school in LA, I served two years in Germany. After returning home I knew I could not work in a Corporate environment, so I leaned into getting business education over the next 20 years, at Anderson School of Business LA,, The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, then became Vice Chairman of the State Black Chamber of Commerce (1998) under the leadership of Mr. Aubrey Stone. I then Joined the Human Right Commission advisory board in San Francisco, then became State Chair for the Tuck School of Businesses for 7 years where I helped over 26 other Black Businesses to obtain Scholarships to attend Tucks minority business program. In 1989 I met and married my lovely wife and 3 years later started our Telecommunication Firm (Telecon L.T.D) which became very successful in SF, as the first Black firm certified as experts in Telecommunication and featured in Black Enterprise Magazine in 1996 as leaders in Telecommunications. I used my network and found another opportunity in 1998 to bid as a prime contractor for Information Technology and was successful under a new business named Cobra Solutions, who went on to become 1 of 5 vendors to provide the entire city with hardware, software and peripherals services to 60 different department.
We grew rapidly under Mayor Willie Brown as we approached Y2K in 2000! Fast Forward to 2022, I visited Ghana after getting hosted by Dr. Newton, a world leader in Moringa who allowed me to lecture on Urban Agriculture in the 21st Century to his students on their first day back to school. Two days later I gathered some students and took a picture holding the Moringatang poster, then launched the business from the campus Kwame N. University in Kumasi, Ghana. It is now 2025' and my mission is focused on Black Culture and nutritious foods that will maintain our legacy over the next 100 years. I have over 20 school gardens in Sacramento School District and built the first off grid greenhouse for the Boys and Girls Club in 2017. Currently, I am Vice Chair of Omnigro.org based in Kuaia Hawaii, with a current pilot program that grows organic foods for the local food bank. This past month we have donated over 450 lbs of Bok Choy, Watermelons, Cucumbers, Squash, Peas, and Strawberries. This came about after we were awarded in (2023) a USDA Innovation grant of $247K that finally solves the problem with food security in the Urban Core. My journey has allowed me to give back to the community and still maintain my birthplace legacy. "
RCBCC: What inspired you to launch MoringaTang and enter the wellness industry?
JB:"My grandparents and other members of my Wakanda community influenced me early on in life and my wife continues to inspire and contribute to my business growth as a senior citizen. From Telecommunication, Urban Farming, MoringaTang, Information Technology, Small Business Score Counselor, and understanding how business is done at local and the State level. The Regional Cal Black Chamber has always been a Chamber to idolize and follow in the State of California."
RCBCC: Early on, what was one of the biggest challenges you encountered, and how did you navigate through it?
JB:"I had many challenges early on, not having a large network, or capital to get started, could not qualify for a loan although we had several successful business models. Getting sued by my former attorney from the City of SF for being too successful. I countersued the city and my former attorney for conflict of interest and won at the court of appeals, then onto the Superior Courts, where we prevailed again and then 2 years later won at California State Supreme Court for conflict of interest. Finally in 2012 received at court date after ten years. As California Black Men and Women Business Owners, we must always be prepared for the ultimate surprises along our collective journeys in business, but never, ever, let the opposition prevailed and destroy your integrity."
RCBCC: Can you describe the key products or services that MoringaTang offers?
JB: "We have several products that are produced from the miracle tree, to include Moringa Toothpaste, Moringa, Boa Bob oils, Moringa Tea, Shae Butter with Moringa oils for skin care. "
RCBCC: Who would you say is your primary audience or customer base?
LS: "Our customers are from all over the country, who have acclimated to the various benefits of the miracle tree, families, friends and Tuskegee University who conducted some Moringatang research "
