Highlighting Local Black Entrepreneurs with the Toyota EnTOURage Experience

This post is sponsored by Toyota and may include links that when clicked generate a small profit for the blog. All opinions are my own.

I worked hard to get here. A black-owned, woman-owned business. My business. My dream.

The work didn’t come easy, and once you throw a pandemic in the mix, the possibility of failure is more realistic.

Luckily, I’m surviving this crazy time, but it hasn’t been without struggle and lots of headaches. When Toyota reached out to me to tell my story and highlight a local black entrepreneur who was going through the same transition, I jumped on it.

Why Should You Support Black-Owned Businesses?

Due to a lack of funding (PPP) and access to banks, several black-owned businesses have been struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic crisis. In times like this, many small businesses rely on the community to help keep them open. Yes. Community is everything to a small business. It’s everything to me. It’s also everything to my fellow black entrepreneur, Azia Ellis-Singleton; the boss babe behind the lens of The Moments Between Us. Toyota supported me in shining a light on her business, and several other black-owned businesses in the Indy area. We laughed, we cried and we celebrated each other over a meal. It was magical…and it was all about the community.

Meet Azia!

Azia Ellis-Singleton is the dynamic photographer and videographer behind www.themomentsbetweenus.com. Since entering into the videography world at a young age, she's understood the nervousness and vulnerability that surfaces during a photoshoot. Over the years, she's honed her skills to be able to create natural interactions for her subjects, resulting in a memorable experience they'll never forget. When Azia isn't behind the lens, she spends her time speaking up for woman empowerment, mentoring small businesses on topics ranging from diversity to video marketing, and photographing some of the coolest people in the world, including her husband Nicholas.

Azia is one of my coolest friends. Not only is she bubbly, full of energy and fun, but she’s also an insanely talented photographer and videographer. When I’m not shooting with my husband, Azia is my preferred photographer. She shot all of the images below of the amazing Toyota 4 Runner I got to drive for a week! This SUV came with all of the bells and whistles and it’s perfect for a Mom Boss like me who’s always on the go. We’re forever Toyota fans!

Azia captures the essence of YOU in her photographs…and I’m in awe whenever I see what we’ve created together. Her talents don't stop there. As I said, the community is very important to Azia. She founded Indy Black Owned, a website dedicated to helping our community find black entrepreneurs in the city. I have the privilege of being on the list, and you should check it out!

Special thank you goes out to Toyota for showing up to support black-owned businesses during a time where it matters more than ever. Head to Azia's site to find more entrepreneurs that need your support.

Enjoy today!

xo Sierra