The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 95: Empowering The LGBTQ+ Community With Sean Ebony Coleman
Release Date: 06/24/2025
Close The Books, Open The New Year
Mission Driven Business
In this solo episode, Brian breaks down one of the most overlooked but essential parts of running a mission-driven business: year-end bookkeeping. You’ll learn a simple, practical framework for cleaning up your books, organizing your finances, and setting up systems that actually support you and your business. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by accounting software, unclear categories, or messy receipts, this episode will help you start the new year with clarity and confidence. Episode Highlights Why year-end bookkeeping is a big deal The way you close this year directly affects how you...
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How To Define Your Niche with Theresa Pablos
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson chats with Theresa Pablos, CFP®, about the early-stage realities of building a business. A former journalist and freelance marketer, Theresa transitioned careers to financial planning in 2023 and ultimately earned the CFP® certification mark in 2025. She recently joined as an Associate Financial Advisor and is just starting to build her client base. In this episode, Theresa and Brian discuss the excitement, fear, and the uncomfortable but necessary work of defining a niche. You’ll get practical tips for finding your target audience, learn how to provide real value, and...
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You Can’t Change What You Don’t Track
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson loves a good spreadsheet, and in this episode, he’s sharing some of his best tips for tracking metrics in a manageable, mission-aligned way. You’ll learn how intentional tracking can help mission-driven entrepreneurs gain clarity, celebrate progress, and make better decisions. Drawing inspiration from investor and writer Sahil Bloom’s Five Types of Wealth, Brian offers practical tools to help you track progress without it becoming a full-time job. Episode Highlights Tracking creates accountability Tracking transforms assumptions into awareness. If you’re not measuring...
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Building Businesses with Purpose and Profit with Rachel Bernier-Green
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson chats with Rachel Bernier-Green, founder and CEO of the Economic Justice Consortium, a Chicago-based firm that helps mission-driven businesses sustain and amplify their impact through financial and operational excellence. A recovering public accountant turned social entrepreneur, Rachel has dedicated her career to closing the racial wealth gap and redefining what it means to lead with purpose and profit. In this episode, Rachel shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder in public accounting, to running a social enterprise bakery that partnered with Whole Foods and...
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 102: The Power of Clarity
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson takes a deep dive into one of the most important tenets for mission-driven business owners: clarity. Clarity may sound simple, but it’s not easy. If done well, clarity can be the foundation for building a business that truly supports your mission and your life. Once you find clarity, everything else becomes easier, and this episode gives you tips on how to do just that. Episode Highlights Clarity enables mission-driven entrepreneurs to build their business around their life. Building a business — particularly a mission-driven one — is filled with ambiguity. There’s no...
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 101: 101 Sketches To Start Meaningful Conversations with Carl Richards
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson chats with Carl Richards — Certified Financial Planner™, creator of The New York Times “Sketch Guy” column, and bestselling author of “” and “.” Carl’s simple Sharpie sketches have transformed how millions of people think and talk about money. In his latest book, “”, he shares 101 drawings and essays designed to spark deeper conversations about money, values, and what matters most. In this conversation, Brian and Carl dive into the emotional side of money and debate whether money actually can buy happiness. Episode Highlights A good sketch can start a...
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 100: 10 Conversations That Changed My Business And My Life
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson marks a major milestone with Episode 100 of the Mission Driven Business podcast! In this special retrospective, Brian reflects on 10 standout episodes that made a lasting impact and continue to resonate in his business and life. Whether you’re new to the podcast or a long-term listener, Episode 100 captures the heart of the conversations that Mission Driven Business is all about. Episode Highlights 1. Mike Michalowicz put profit first In , Mike Michalowicz flipped the traditional profit formula, redefining how business owners can approach cash flow. Mike’s episode gave...
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 99: How To Do A Mid-Year Money Check
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson returns for a solo episode packed with practical advice to help entrepreneurs take charge of their numbers. In this mini masterclass, you’ll learn how to use your profit and loss, balance sheet, and reconciliation reports more effectively. Whether you love or loathe spreadsheets, this episode gives you the tools to pause, reflect, and make strategic financial decisions to set yourself up for success in the second half of the year. How To Conduct A Mid-Year Financial Review 1. Reconcile and clean up your books First, set aside at least 90 minutes to focus without distractions....
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 98: Don’t Make These 4 Startup Mistakes With Amy Cosper
Mission Driven Business
Brian Thompson chats with Amy Cosper, former Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, award-winning journalist, and author of the new book, “The Ultimate Guide to Startup Success.” In this episode, Amy brings fierce honesty, contagious energy, and deep wisdom about what it really takes to build a mission-driven business in uncertain times. You’ll also hear some of the biggest legal and financial mistakes founders make and be reminded why entrepreneurship can be a radical act of hope and defiance. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses don’t have to be altruistic. Amy describes a...
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The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 97: How To Stay Visible When It Feels Safer To Hide
Mission Driven Business
In this special and timely episode, Brian Thompson calls on fellow mission-driven business owners to embrace their identities and own their values. Highlighting real messages from clients, Brian explores the challenges and uncertainties facing entrepreneurs, especially those from LGBTQ+ backgrounds and other marginalized groups. He challenges the myth that being neutral is the safest option in the current political environment and shares practical steps to get clear and bold about who you are and what you bring to the table. Episode Highlights Your identity is an asset -- not a liability....
info_outlineBrian Thompson chats with Sean Ebony Coleman, founder and CEO of Destination Tomorrow, a grassroots agency and LGBTQ+ center in the Bronx borough of New York City. Destination Tomorrow empowers the most vulnerable LGBTQ+ community members through educational, financial, support-based, housing, and health programs. On the episode, Sean details how he and his organization are addressing some of the real challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community. He also shares how he starts his mornings to stay focused and touts the value of lived experience for organizations.
Episode Highlights
Mission-driven businesses solve real problems.
Sean defines a mission-driven business as one that aligns every decision to its core purpose to solve real problems. For him, that means creating a safe, affirming space for the Black and brown LGBTQ+ community through Destination Tomorrow and his consulting company.
“It’s about solving real problems, especially for marginalized people, and making a tangible impact,” he said. “I’m trying to meet the need where we find it.”
Let lived experience lead.
Sean believes in breaking down gatekeeping and elevating community voices that are often overlooked. His nonprofit prioritizes hiring people with lived experience and offering holistic services -- from workforce development to financial literacy -- to build long-term self-sufficiency.
“Lived experience should count just as much as academic accomplishments,” he said.
Bet on yourself and don’t give up.
Sean’s advice for entrepreneurs who are just getting started is to bet on yourself and don’t give up. To start Destination Tomorrow, he cashed out a 401(k). He then had to see the “nos” he encountered as opportunities for growth.
“Too many people give up on their dreams before they get to a yes,” he said. “A ‘no’ is just a ‘not right now.’”
Self-care is just as important as hustling.
Black and brown communities, particularly in LGBTQ+ spaces, often don’t have a safety net. When you’re grinding to build your business, you also need to prioritize time to rest and recenter. For Sean, that means starting his morning with prayer and meditation and keeping a weekly therapy appointment on his calendar.
“Starting a business is stressful, so how are you managing that stress?” he asked. “Go in with a plan to make sure you’re prioritizing your self care.”
Resources + Links
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Trans N Action: Website
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Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast
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Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes
About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast
Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit.
On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.