Dee Daniels is the first African American female to own a technology ad network platform and is an innovator in the technology field. 

Dee’s company, Noir Woman Ad Network, is a vertical market advertising network focused on the African American female consumer and national advertisers seeking to reach this market online. It launched in October 2011 with 12 publishing partners, delivering over 1 million page views and since then it’s been growing fast. The company also publishes the online Noir Woman Magazine.

Dee has a publishing and broadcast media background, previously working for the Chicago Tribune as a journalist. She published Noir Woman News in 2008 as a monthly insert in the Chicago Sun Times, before restructuring the company in 2010 to create a online presence to serve a niche market for consumers and advertisers.She was recognized as who's who in black Chicago Media 2008.

Dee is also Co-founder of Scout Me Coach, a new company launching in 2012 with her Co-founder partner Tonya Sims (a professional basketball forward in Europe and WNBA). The company will match athletes and coaches using its own recruiting technology platform.

We talked to Dee about the lessons she learned from her successes and failures; her tips for entrepreneurs; and what keeps her awake at night.

TNW: How did you come up with the idea for Noir Woman Magazine and Noir Woman Ad Network?

DD: Noir Woman News first launched as a stand-alone print publication, which later served as a monthly insert in Chicago Sun Times newspapers in 2008. Unfortunately it was probably the worst timing in history to launch a new print publication due to the beginning of the economic downturn in our country at the time.

The company restructured and Noir Woman launched as an online lifestyle magazine in 2009 with the initial goal to build the magazine brand and database of women online subscribers. It was also at this time that we began to look at ways to expand the brand, and also to work with other publishers in partnership.

In 2010 the company added technology at its core with the development of Noir Woman Ad Network platform, a vertical market advertising network platform allowing us to partner with other publishers and advertisers in our niche demographic.

TNW: What makes your company different from your competitors?

DD: Noir Woman Ad Network is the first vertical advertising network platform focused on serving the needs of black female content publishers, consumers and advertisers in an online vertical. We create a focused and engaged audience for advertisers through our network of quality publishing partners, and our full concentration is development of our online product, audience and market.

TNW: When you built your team, what were key qualities you looked for to ensure your success of your business?

DD: With the understanding we were building a company that would serve two areas simultaneously it was important to build a team with experts that would embrace our business model with excitement.

I looked for innovators in their current positions, especially those with entrepreneurial backgrounds.

TNW: Who were your first customers and how hard did you have to work to attract them?

DD: Our first customers were our publishing partners, and because we are seeking publishers that fit into our target area of women, it took time to find the right publishing partners to join our network. We launched with 10 websites in October 2011.

TNW: What is your marketing strategy and what has been the most effective source of new customers so far?

DD: Our marketing strategy is simple. We know our consumer base and how to effectively reach them with the messages our advertising clients want to deliver. Our goal is to deliver results based on our clients needs to connect with the consumer.

New business development is important for a company’s long-term growth. We are a proactive company and create potential opportunities for both our publishers and potential advertising clients.

TNW: What is next for your company?

DD: We are excited about the growth and potential the company has, we are also looking at ways to further expand the brand with new technology, marketing and social opportunities for our clients. 

TNW: Have you come across any other exciting start-ups recently and what is it about them that appeals to you?

I am always looking at new start-ups and especially encouraging women to look at the online area as a potential business opportunity.

Mentoring is a big part of what I do to encourage women and other minorities to explore online business as an option. Most recently we began working with a young woman name Tonya Sims with her start up company “Scout Me Coach”, which allows coaches to scout players through her online platform technology. Tonya played professional basketball in Europe and also with the WNBA. She is a great young woman with vision and understanding of her business; I recently came on as a Co Founder to help her reach her goals.

TNW: What are the advantages of gender diversity in a start up? Are their any disadvantages?

DD: Women are great communicators, this is important in start-ups.  I really think women make great leaders; we are team players and can look at the goal of oneness to produce results when working in a start up environment.

Although women are fully capable to lead teams and build start ups, we are still not that strong of a presence on the technology scene. The more we participate as companies the better for women start-ups. There are challenges, but we have to focus on the business of competing with the best companies we are able to bring to the market, and not on being women or minorities. 

TNW: What lessons have you taken from your successes and or failures?

What I have learned is that you can’t fear failure or success, and that it is possible to fear them both personally and/or professionally.

My moment was when the recession hit and my print business didn’t have a chance at succeeding when we launched that year. I had choices, which were to pack it up and go home, or to think about what one of the most successful business minds would do if they were in my position. What would Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet do? I may not have know the exact answer to the question, but their business blueprints suggests that quitting wasn’t an option, therefore exhausting every possible option in search of a solution is how I have learned to address every problem in business.

Success is different things to different people, for me at the end of each business day there has to be a goal reached. It does not matter, how small or big the accomplishment, but the day does not end until a positive occurs. That is success to me.

TNW: Do you have any advice or tips for women who are thinking about becoming entrepreneurs?

DD: When women tell me they want to start a business, my first response is to be encouraging, but also to be honest by explaining that this is a commitment very similar to marriage. You have to find the right mate and be willing to go the distance to ensure the relationship will be a success.

There is pride and great challenge in creating something from nothing, but as someone once told me, it is not for everyone.

TNW: Do you have any role models or mentors?

DD: There is challenge in being a woman involved with a technology company, but for me there is the additional challenge of being a black woman breaking ground in this area where there are few people that look like me at tech based events. Half of my team is in California because I didn’t have contacts here in Chicago to build my platform, or a Chief technology Officer to oversee the business. My solution was to find them in another state if that was what needed to happen to get the company launched.

My role models are women trailblazers like Cathy Hughes, (Radio One), the first African American woman to own a major broadcasting company. Another woman I admire is Arianna Huffington of Huffington Post, one of the most successful women in online media who was also able to negotiate a lucrative deal with AOL.

TNW: Do you lie awake at night sometimes thinking about your company? What aspects of the company keep you awake?

There are many times that sleep and I are at conflict, me wanting it and the business demanding that my mind continues on its quest to solve problems from the day.

My biggest concern is the responsibility I have to my team. When you are responsible for others there is the added layer of wanting everything to work out for the team. The area to keep me up in the night is concern for funding; the business growth at some point demands capital, and my job is to find it.

TNW: Do you have any pet projects as an entrepreneur?

DD: There are two books, which I actually wrote last year that I am looking to publish this year. Funny thing is I said that last year, but I got so busy that I didn’t get them to an agent or complete the first edit. I finally did the edits over the holiday.

TNW: If you could get on a soapbox and get something off of your chest about the world of entrepreneurship, something you would like to change what would that be?

DD: I would love to see more women and minorities as entrepreneurs in all areas of business including technology. The core of life is blending us all together with unique perspectives, cultures and life experiences.

Woman and minority companies bring a different perspective and are important to the overall business development in the future of our economic growth in this country.

My team is diverse and I like that because it allows me to share my unique qualities and business ideas with people that may never have had the opportunity to work with a minority company. My hopes are that others including investors, and larger corporations take a look at these companies and develop partnerships or opportunities for growth.

TNW: If you hadn’t chosen entrepreneurship what alternate career path would you have chosen?

DD: I love writing and broadcast so I would have maintained my life as a journalist because it was and still is my passion to tell stories that can change someone’s life, or offer insight. The best part about my company is that I still get to tell stories and write articles. That is the thing about passion it follows you no matter you try to go.

TNW: What has been the biggest challenge through out the history of your company, from planning, funding to execution, and what have you learned from this?

Our biggest challenge is funding; which is something many women start-ups find to be a challenge.

There are areas in my control such as the plan, building a team and strategy. However I do not control if someone will invest in the company. This is quite a humbling experience to any start up. Over time I have realized that my only focus should be on finding the yes in a situation.

TNW: Do you have plans of expanding internationally and if so what countries and when?

DD: Although we are a US based company we would like to operate our business model in Africa and other countries featuring the platform and business model as affiliates in those countries.