'RHOA' Star Sanya Richards-Ross Partners With Wells Fargo To Support Black Small Businesses

"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Sanya Richards-Ross recently partnered with Wells Fargo to help give back to her community and help support Black small businesses this holiday season.

Wells Fargo, The Bank of Doing, and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship, or RICE, are hosting a pop-up holiday market that features a variety of products from local Black entrepreneurs and Richards-Ross was excited to help "amplify" the message.

RICE, a local nonprofit that's focused on boosting Black entrepreneurship, was the recipient of a $1.5 million gift from Wells Fargo earlier this week.

The Bank of Doing and RICE, with the support of Richards-Ross, recently surprised five distinguished Black entrepreneurs with grants and resources tailored to their companies' needs to help them reach their business goals.

"Wells Fargo has partnered with RICE, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship from the very beginning. Supporting specifically minority business owners to live their dreams," Richards-Ross told The Blast exclusively. "They had this incredible event to kick off to kind of support their business owners right before one of the most important parts of their business cycle, right before the holidays. Hearing from some of these business owners and what they’ve been able to do has been so inspirational."

As an entrepreneur herself, Richards-Ross understands the importance of shining a light on small business owners and helping them to reach their business goals, especially during the busy holiday season. She also understands the challenges that a small business owner can face while following their dreams.

“I think it is so important because we know that small businesses are the backbones of our community," she said. "And unfortunately, minorities a lot of times have less access to resources and support.”

For Richards-Ross, she was really excited to be a part of something so special and highlight RICE, which was founded four years ago.

"And here’s a funny story, the founder of this organization, I met him at SXSW and he told me about this dream of creating this resource and to see that actually come to fruition," she said.  "It makes me believe in the power of dreams and how our dreams can impact so many people. I’m so happy to amplify that message.” 

The mom of one with one on the way fully understands that it can be a struggle to balance work life with home life and motherhood. As a reality TV star, Olympian, founder of MommiNation, and a mom, she knows all about that mom-guilt, so she shared some advice on what helps her balance work with mom life.

"I think my best advice to moms is to give herself grace. It’s not easy to strike the perfect balance of being a mother and being an entrepreneur. I always tell myself that I’m doing the best that I can and I always try to, when I’m with my family, with my son, to give them everything and be present with them and not be working during the time I’ve slated for my son. You know, spend as much time with him as I can and make it memorable," she explained.

"And then when I’m working, I’m giving it everything I have as well so my best advice to, especially moms, because we deal with that mommy guilt a lot when you’re out working and you can’t be present with your family is to just give yourself grace and make sure you’re making your family a priority."

She also suggested that anytime you're able to take some time away from work and plan special events with your family, that can help balance things out.

"I don't know if we ever strike the perfect balance," she continued. "But I think it makes the journey more enjoyable."

The reality star launched MommiNation right after she became a mom the first time about 4 years ago. She realized that motherhood can be challenging and wanted to help other Black moms who felt the same.

"I wanted to provide this safe space and community for Black moms to be able to thrive and not feel like they're alone," she said. "We started with 25 mom bloggers just sharing their stories and it has grown to this very vibrant, loving, supportive community. We have over 150,000 moms on social media, tons of mom on our newsletter. We have now launched a non-profit where we've raised almost $200,000."

Richards-Ross just recently launched her newest business called "Coordinates," a family pajama line.

"I feel like it’s the perfect brand for me to launch right now because it’s the culmination of all the things I love - family, entrepreneurship, fashion, coordinating, creating lasting memories and so we just launched and we have three designs in the collection, something for everyone in the family," she told The Blast.

"We’re just getting started. I have big dreams on all the things we’re gonna create in loungewear in this space that specifically has family in mind and that’s what I’ve been working on and I’m super proud of.”