Tracey's Keepin' it Real
Tracey's Keepin' it Real
Podcast Description
Hosted by Tracey Williams-Dillard, Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real delivers honest, unfiltered conversations with community leaders, changemakers, and everyday people who are making a difference. From housing and health to education, equity, and empowerment—this podcast dives into the issues that matter most to Minnesota’s Black communities and beyond. Whether it's shedding light on systemic challenges or celebrating local success stories, Tracey keeps it real—always.New episodes drop regularly. Tune in, learn something new, and be part of the change.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes such as community empowerment, social justice, culture, and personal growth, with episodes highlighting topics like racial equity, entrepreneurship, and healing through gardening, exemplified by discussions with guests like De’Vonna Pittman on building purpose-driven brands and Candace Yates on the therapeutic benefits of gardening.
Hosted by Tracey Williams-Dillard, Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real delivers honest, unfiltered conversations with community leaders, changemakers, and everyday people who are making a difference. From housing and health to education, equity, and empowerment—this podcast dives into the issues that matter most to Minnesota’s Black communities and beyond. Whether it’s shedding light on systemic challenges or celebrating local success stories, Tracey keeps it real—always.
New episodes drop regularly. Tune in, learn something new, and be part of the change.
In this episode, we cut through the confusion and barriers surrounding funding—because too many entrepreneurs are still being shut out of the capital they need to grow. From grants and loans to investors, CDFIs, and community funders, the team breaks down what the funding landscape actually looks like and what funders are truly looking for.
A key focus of the conversation is documentation readiness—the stories, numbers, and financial clarity every entrepreneur needs before applying for any type of capital. The episode offers practical steps for auditing your finances, understanding your funding gaps, and building a “funding-ready” checklist that positions you for approval instead of rejection.
We also confront the harder truths:
Why accessing loans, grants, or lines of credit remains difficult, how predatory practices show up, and the systemic barriers that keep many business owners—especially BIPOC entrepreneurs—from traditional bank funding.
This episode is both a reality check and a roadmap, spotlighting local resources and success stories that prove entrepreneurs can secure capital when they’re equipped with the right preparation and strategy.
Executive Producer/ CEO Publisher
Tracey Williams-Dillard
MSR Digital Studio
Ray Seville
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
3744 4th Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55409
612-827-4021
Disclaimer
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