ON THE RADAR

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
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🎙️ ON THE RADAR — A Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Podcast Where arts, culture, and community stories rise above the headlines. From Twin Cities creatives shaping culture to voices expanding what it means to tell our stories, On the Radar brings you conversations that illuminate the people and moments making an impact right now. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, craft, and why creativity always deserves a place on the radar. 🎧

Episodes

  1. Oct 26

    OTR @ Par 365

    Thomas Jackson’s favorite part about being a Black business owner in Minnesota is the ability to create community, perspective, autonomy and authentic experiences. On this episode of MSR On the Radar, Jackson joins host Damenica Ellis to talk about discovering golf during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that hobby became Par365, an indoor golf simulator, bar, restaurant and event space in Roseville that he and his wife opened in December 2023. Their mission was to make golf more accessible, more affordable and more approachable. Jackson shares how breaking into the industry took marketing, local partnerships and social events, why intimidated newcomers needed extra encouragement, and the programming Par365 built in response, including Golf 101 sessions and a speaker series for middle and high school students. He also talks about moving from a corporate product development career to full-time entrepreneurship, balancing the business with family life, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: compress your vision into a minimum viable product and grow at a reasonable pace. Listen to the full conversation.

  2. Oct 26

    OTR w LeBrent Speed

    LeBrent Speed founded The Better Black Business (B3) Project to intentionally combine commerce and community for Black entrepreneurs and authentic allies. Just over two years in, the professional networking program has more than 100 members and is expanding to other cities. On this episode of MSR On the Radar, Speed shares how a licensed minister who always aspired to work in business became BNI’s first Black regional director, and why he saw a need for more intentional Black networking spaces. He explains B3’s founding principle of serving over selling, defines networking as the intentional pursuit of impactful relationships, and talks about his nonprofit, The Better Black Business Initiative, which trains Black youth, next-generation allies and justice-impacted people to become entrepreneurs. Speed also discusses his first book, “The Transformation Code: 5 Keys to Transforming Your Life and Impacting the World,” and how it grew out of one of the lowest periods of his life. Listen to the full conversation.

  3. Oct 26

    OTR w Terresa Moses @ Black Garnett Books

    Terresa Hardaway says her favorite part of being a business owner is the chance to intentionally build community. In 2017, she co-founded Blackbird Revolt, a design studio focused on social justice, anti-racism and abolition. In 2024, she acquired Black Garnet Books. Blackbird Revolt helps government agencies, nonprofits and grassroots organizations with branding, animation, video and audio production, fabrication and other creative work. At Black Garnet Books, Hardaway uses storytelling to show what Black liberation looks like, curating Black and Brown authors and hosting events that center community. She also shares how she adapted her bookstore during Operation Metro Surge, how her network gave her the confidence to become an entrepreneur, and her advice for anyone starting a business: have a plan, know who you are, and surround yourself with people who will remind you when you forget. Hardaway is an associate professor of graphic design and director of design justice at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design.

  4. Sep 28

    On The Radar w Zantavious Graham - FRM

    Zantavious Graham came to the Twin Cities from a small town in Georgia to play football at Concordia University St. Paul. Four years later he has a college degree, a published book, and a growing wellness community reaching hundreds of people across Minneapolis. None of it was part of the original plan. Graham joins MSR Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry on MSR On the Radar to talk about FRM, Forever Remain Motivated, the wellness community he founded, what drove him to build it, and why he believes community is the most important thing missing from people's lives right now. He shares the story behind FRM's name, born from a near-violent encounter before college, how a single flyer during finals week grew into a viral run club and eventually healing circles, group therapy access and a 100-backpack giveaway for neighborhood youth. Graham also opens up about stepping away from football after losing his grandmother, becoming vegetarian, the challenge of staying mission-focused as FRM grows, and his vision for bridging the gap between Black elders and young people. Watch the full conversation for an honest look at what it takes to build community from the ground up.

  5. Aug 27

    On The Radar w Crowned Kenn

    "I don't want to be doing hair in three or four years... I want an empire." At just 24 years old, St. Paul braider and content creator Krowned Kenn is proving that hair was just the launching pad. In this episode of MSR On the Radar, digital host Aaliyah Demry sits down with Kenn to unpack her powerful story from starting in her mom's house, to surviving loss, launching a luxury raw hair bundle line, and laying the blueprint for multi-use commercial real estate in Minnesota.

  6. Aug 27

    On The Radar w Devin Boeing

    MSR On the Radar host Aaliyah Demry sits down with 26-year-old Devin Boeing to explore how he turned viral online tutorials into free, community-centered tech education across Minneapolis and why mastering AI is essential for Black economic power.

  • 6 Episodes

About

🎙️ ON THE RADAR — A Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Podcast Where arts, culture, and community stories rise above the headlines. From Twin Cities creatives shaping culture to voices expanding what it means to tell our stories, On the Radar brings you conversations that illuminate the people and moments making an impact right now. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, craft, and why creativity always deserves a place on the radar. 🎧

Information

  • Creator
    Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ON THE RADAR