Dustin Ross
*We caught up with New York-based Writer, Host, and Producer Dustin Ross to speak about the new season of REVOLT’s original series, “Bet On Black.”
The competition series airs every Monday at 9:30pm ET with Ross serving as host alongside an exciting panel of trailblazing judges such as Master P, Pinky Cole, Remy Ma, LeToya Luckett, Ron Brown, Vice President of Community Impact at Target as well as Detavio Samuels, CEO of REVOLT.
Per the news release: Each episode of ‘Bet on Black’ will feature innovative business ideas presented by Black business owners in the hopes of securing a grand prize of $200,000 in funding. The pitch show allows a unique opportunity for participants to receive full capital without Target seeking any stake or equity in the businesses. The continuation of this series further carries out REVOLT’s commitment to providing opportunity and access for today’s leading Black changemakers to make impacts within their communities.
Check out the season two trailer below.
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Bet on Black (New Season Monday @9:30p ET) from REVOLT TV on Vimeo.
Since 2015, Ross has co-hosted “The Friend Zone” podcast weekly. He can also currently be heard as co-host of the hit legal news podcast “Holding Court” with Eboni K. Williams. He spoke recently to EUR’s Ny MaGee about how he hopes “Bet On Black” inspires entrepreneurs, most especially those struggling with self-doubt. Check out our conversation below.
What can you tell us about season two of Bet On Black and some of the entrepreneurs we meet this season?
Dustin Ross: I was not involved with the selection process for some of these contestants, but it felt like I was because I think they picked the best people. Season two is packed full of some of the most brilliant Black entrepreneurs I’ve ever seen with some of the best, smartest ideas and useful products that I’ve ever, ever seen. This is a collective of really, really great Black talent.
They’re facing a judges’ panel of credible entrepreneurs with a history of work that speaks for itself, and it’s just a great room to be in. When we were on set, filming, I just was like, wow, surrounded by all of this Black brilliance and it felt so good. Season two is packed full of a lot of smart, necessary ideas, and I’m really glad they get the amplification they need.
On that note, how would you compare the contestants this season compared to last season? Are the stakes higher this season?
Season one I actually was a viewer. I did not host season one, but I definitely watched, because it’s just such a great idea and I definitely wanted to support it. And they had a great crop of smart, credible, Black entrepreneurs in season one, and they definitely replicated that in season two.
There is so much talent out there that just hasn’t been recognized, just hasn’t been identified. They’re definitely pulling the best of the best. And they’ve done it, once again, with season two. It is another crop of just really deserving and ready, prepared, Black entrepreneurs. I’m just so excited to be a part of this season.
What do you say to people who ask how this series is different from Shark Tank?
I would tell them to read that title again. Because what does it say? It says, Bet on… What? Black. This is like Shark Tank, in concept, and the idea of it, as far as people presenting their product to a panel of qualified judges for some sort of assessment. But other than that, this is a very much more specific conversation.
Because we all know that it’s Black people in the creative space. Our opportunities are few and far between, and it’s something refreshing about pitching your idea to someone who understands your lived experience. The panel being comprised of all these proven, credible, successful, Black entrepreneurs and executives, who have earned their stripes and also at the same time understand what it’s like to be a Black person in business, that is just a great space for these entrepreneurs to be in.
And that, I think, is the difference between our show and other shows that are similar in contestants pitching their product to the judges’ panel. This is a space where we all have a similar lived experience and we understand the needs of a Black person in business. It’s a great collective to be a part of.
What are the judges looking for in the contestants?
With season two, we have a group of judges who are literal experts. Pinky Cole, who is the owner and creator of the Slutty Vegan brand, an insanely popular vegan burger joint that has franchised out and she’s now a multi-multimillionaire. Someone who I actually knew for years now. I knew her when she had a small spot in Harlem, selling food that was delicious. But she is now a mogul entrepreneur in the space. That was a full circle, excuse me, moment on set when we ran into each other because we worked together previously. To see her in this stage of her career is great.
Remy Ma is such a force in the music industry and now in the media space. And she’s also created a really successful all-female battle rap league that is taking off. You had LeToya Luckett, who’s had several successful creative endeavors, as well as a very wonderful career in music and now acting. She’s making so many strides.
You had Ron Brown, the vice president of community development at Target. An exec who’s Black, like us, and understands the space and is representing Target, who has this great Black Beyond Measure initiative and wants to put dollars behind Black business. Then you also have Detavio Samuels, the CEO of Revolt, a Black Network, who’s making all of this happen in the first place. The judges’ panel was very powerful, and it really was an honor to be in that same space with them and soaking all that up.
Tell us about the hosting style you bring to this show and the interaction you have with the contestants.
I was so grateful for this opportunity to stand in that space and fulfill these hosting duties for Bet On Black season two. My goal, my approach, was just to infuse my personality and energy into this. I know it can cause anxiety when you are faced with the responsibility of presenting something so personal and something so valuable to you as your idea, as your business. That’s your baby, your brainchild. It can be a little bit daunting. The task of presenting that for assessment to a panel of judges.
I felt like my job was just to make the contestants feel at ease, and also guiding them into their time with the judges, and then keeping our viewers abreast of exactly what was going on in this process. I really enjoyed it. I had a great time doing the show.
What are you most excited about newcomers to this series experiencing with this new season?
There’s a conversation that has been echoing for many years about supporting Black businesses and us putting our dollars behind credible Black businesses and really giving them that support. But it’s often hard to find a Black business to fit whatever your specific need is. Bet On Black has created a home of sorts for all of these different, brilliant, smart ideas and Black entrepreneurs to be visible to those eyes that need to know that they are in existence.
The great thing about this project is, yes, we are giving away a large cash prize, and yes, there are several other small cash prizes that are given away in the show as well, but the great thing about this, Ny, is that all of these really smart, brilliant ideas now have all the visibility of the eyes of the people who are watching this show. Which could be people who could buy their product, people who can patronize their business, other executives and investors that are looking for ideas to pour resources into. The benefits of this experience just are boundless and limitless.
I think that that is a big draw for our viewers because you get exposed to all these great ideas and projects and products that you can support as a consumer. Our Black dollar is so powerful. And this is a great opportunity for people to identify Black businesses to support. The contestants on the show can now network with each other and support each other in that way. And it’s just a great opportunity for exposure to, not just our judges’ panel but, all of the eyes that are watching the show.
And we’re getting a lot of viewers, which I’m so proud of. Because again, the goal of this is to amplify and really propel these businesses into the next stratosphere professionally. That, I think, is something that will be exciting for anybody to watch, and that’s a reason for people who are not familiar with the show to go on ahead and tune in.
In what ways do you hope this series inspires business owners and entrepreneurs who are struggling with self-doubt about taking that next step to elevate their brand and business?
I’m really glad you made that point. Sometimes, the only encouragement that you need is to see other people do it. There’s so much anxiety that exists when you are taking on the task of even starting to develop an idea. And there are lots of people who are sitting on lots of good and useful, beneficial ideas at home.
Maybe they will see other people on this show, the contestants, who have taken their project seriously enough to get started. And maybe this will encourage them to go ahead and make that first step, to develop their idea, to put it in front of people, to start trying to turn it into something tangible and real. Sometimes the only encouragement, or the nudge, you need is to see other people take that step.
I’m really hoping, and I actually am sure, that this show is going to do just that for a lot of the brilliant entrepreneurs who are just sitting at home, needing that first bit of encouragement to go ahead and start and get on their path to success. I’m really excited to be a part of it and hopefully, the energy I bring to it encourages the viewers to do just as.
New episodes of “Bet On Black” drop weekly on Monday at 9:30pm ET on Revolt TV.
