EGOT winner, musical artist, actress, and talk show host Jennifer Hudson sat down with BLACK ENTERPRISE to dish on hosting her new daytime talk show The Jennifer Hudson Show all while mentoring women as part of Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative.
While seated on her talk show’s plush white couch, Hudson opened up about her hopes for the show and how happy she is about connecting with people on a daily basis.
“I’m having a great time. I love people,” Hudson told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“I love talking. And now I have a couch to sit down and talk to someone you know. So that to me is the newest addition.”
She shared how the new hosting gig is a part of “who I am” and her love for being able to “reach more people.”
Hudson’s partnership with Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative kicked off last year. The program is a way to encourage consumers to shop, share and support Black women-owned businesses while aiding those companies with grants and other tools.
With Black women being the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the U.S., mentorship for Black female business owners remains a critical element to long-term success. That’s where Hudson’s work with Mastercard comes in.
The Aretha star explained why Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative is the perfect way for her to pay it forward to the next generation of women leaders.
“I’m grateful to have been one of those people, which is why it’s so important to me to do that for someone else,” Hudson said of her work with Mastercard as it relates to the mentorship she’s received from the likes of Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston.
Now, as part of the partnership, Hudson is joining Mastercard’s Strivers Mentor Collective, which provides black women small business owners with one-on-one mentorship sessions with subject matter experts, celebrity entrepreneurs, and Mastercard ambassadors who have lived the entrepreneurial journey firsthand.
The small business owners also receive $10,000 in grants and digital tools to help their businesses thrive and took part in the second-annual Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. For Hudson, the results align with her natural passion for connecting with others.
Along with hosting her new show and mentorship of Black women entrepreneurs, Hudson still has plans for new music and movies for her fans.
“Definitely more music,” Hudson confirmed. “I was like when we announced the talk show, that didn’t mean it was not going to be no more music, more film all to come.”
“But you know, once I find my groove in this and figure that out, I’m being mentored over here on how to do it.”
Press play below for more from Jennifer Hudson and find out more about Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative HERE.