Naj Austin
Naj Austin | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Austin in 2023 | |
| Born | Najla Austin |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Founder, tech executive |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Known for | Ethel's Club |
Najla Austin is an American business executive. She is the founder and CEO of the wellness social club Ethel's Club and the social networking platform Somewhere Good.
Career
[edit]Austin began her career in real estate.[1] She decided to found a social club and co-working space for people of color based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, after she had trouble finding a Black woman therapist.[1] In January 2019, she posted on Instagram to gauge potential interest in the social club and garnered a waiting list of 4,000 people.[2] She founded Ethel's Club shortly after.[3] She used the crowdfunding website iFundWomen to raise $26,000 to finance start-up costs[3] and opened the club on January 1, 2019 in Brooklyn.[4] The business is named after Austin's late grandmother, Ethel Lucas, who was an active community organizer known for her social gatherings.[5][6] The club, which now has a digital platform, has about 1,500 members as of December 2020.[5][7]
In October 2020, Austin was selected to speak for the Time100 Talks series curated by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.[8]
Austin launched a beta version of the social networking platform Somewhere Good in January 2021.[5] She received $3.75 million in seed funding to build the app.[9] It is also oriented to people of color and will have moderators and a member code of conduct. [10] Austin also launched the brand Form No Form, a 24-hour film platform.[11]
Personal life
[edit]Austin resides in Brooklyn. Austin has five siblings including Mujai Austin. [12]
Accolades
[edit]- 2019 – Inc., Female Founders 100[2]
- 2020 –Time Out New York's Women of the Year[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Naj Austin Centers People of Color Through Tech Platforms Focused on Wellness and Community". Well+Good. 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ a b Lagorio-Chafkin, Christine. "Ethel's Club xxx is on Inc.'s 2019 Female Founders 100 list". Inc.com. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ a b Stengel, Geri. "A Black Female Founder Pivots To Meet The Challenges Of Coronavirus". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ Ward, Marguerite; Hadden, Joey (12 March 2020). "I toured a Brooklyn 'social club' for people of color that has its own theater and offers group therapy sessions. Here's what it was like inside the trendy offices that could be the future of coworking spaces". Business Insider.
- ^ a b c Liu, Jennifer. "In a devastating year for people of color, founder Naj Austin built community across time and space". CNBC. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ Lansat, Myelle (2021-03-17). "An interview with Naj Austin". Policygenius. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ Biggs, Caroline (2021-02-02). "Naj Austin Is Building a Healing, More Inclusive Space for People of Color". Martha Stewart. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Convene Special Edition of TIME100 Talks on the State of Our Shared Digital Experience". Time. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ Mascarenhas, Natasha (2021-05-18). "Somewhere Good just raised $3.75M to make your somewhere good". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
- ^ Dickey, Megan Rose (2021-10-13). "Ethel's Club founder is launching Somewhere Good, a social platform that centers people of color". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ Mowatt, Robyn (2020-05-14). "Ethel's Club Founder Launches Somewhere Good & 24-Hour Digital Film Channel [Exclusive]". Okayplayer. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ "My Healthy Home: How Ethel's Club's Naj Austin Designed Her Brownstone Apartment to Promote Rest". Apartment Therapy. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
- ^ Feldman, Adam (2020-02-18). "Toast Time Out New York's Women of the Year". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
External links
[edit]
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