How mid-career Black tech professionals can turn raises into real returns.

You got the raise. Maybe a title bump. Maybe equity. On paper, it’s progress. But a few pay cycles in, your spending’s up, family asks are louder, and your calendar feels less like control and more like chaos.

The raise solved old problems. And surfaced new ones.

Equity Means Nothing If You Don’t Understand It

Equity sounds like a win until you’re staring at a vesting schedule you’ve never seen before. Mid-career is where the gaps show up: in your calendar, in your confidence, and in your checks. For Black professionals in tech, visibility is high but support is low.

The infrastructure isn’t broken. It was never built for you.

What AfroTech Insider Members Have That You Don’t

Most people treat a raise like a reward. Insiders treat it like a runway.

AfroTech Insider gives mid-career professionals the structure that raises don’t. Here’s how it works.

Coaching That Levels You Up

Monthly 1:1 sessions with HR experts and industry insiders who review your resume, LinkedIn strategy, and career positioning. Plus tactical leadership workshops covering everything from team management to organizational design, accessible whenever you need them.

“I can’t tell you how many classes are offered, it’s amazing. Not only are they all included in your membership but something that you’d be paying more than double for if you were going outside to another organization to get,” says Melissa Pennington, CEO of HR on Demand 

The coaching goes beyond standard career advice. Members work with executive coaches who understand the unique pressures of being one of few Black leaders in predominantly white organizations.

Workshop topics include navigating microaggressions in senior meetings, building coalition strategies, and developing communication styles that project authority while maintaining authenticity. Sessions are taught by Black executives who’ve successfully navigated similar challenges.

Members learn to document impact, build strategic relationships with decision-makers, and position themselves for expanded scope. The frameworks often lead to 25-40% salary increases within two years.

Access That Changes Everything

Exclusive fireside chats with Fortune 500 executives, where you can connect directly via LinkedIn afterward. Members regularly form consulting relationships, business partnerships, and mentorship connections that lead to real opportunities.

“Imagine being on a call and the COO of Verizon is like ‘oh shoot me a DM let’s do lunch.’ I’m like absolutely sign me up again, not an opportunity I would come across on my own,” says Precious Azuree, CEO of The Clarity Coach Enterprises.

The structured networking approach ensures connections translate into opportunities. Members learn to build relationships with senior executives, position themselves for board appointments, and leverage expertise for consulting that generates $50,000-$200,000 in additional annual income.

Board compensation for mid-sized companies ranges from $75,000-$150,000 annually, plus equity. For Black professionals, who are underrepresented in board roles, this access can accelerate wealth building by decades.

Members collaborate on consulting projects, refer each other for executive roles, and create business partnerships that leverage collective expertise.

Visibility That Positions You

Featured interviews published on the Blavity Media platforms, including Afrotech.com (reaching 10M+ readers), first consideration for speaking opportunities at major conferences, and professionally produced video content you can use to amplify your own brand.

“Blavity Inc has over 5 premium brands reaching 10 million readers monthly in the Black community. That audience is hungry for content about innovative leaders and the groundbreaking ideas being developed in the community. Having the access to share your story and expertise across this network is truly unmatched,” explains Lilian Ogbuefi, Associate Director of SEO at Blavity Inc.

The editorial program creates professional assets that compound over time, building personal brands that translate into speaking opportunities, consulting engagements, and board positions.

Members receive coaching, and strategic guidance on building thought leadership platforms that create new revenue streams.

Speaking fees for established thought leaders in tech range from $10,000-$50,000 per keynote, with additional opportunities for workshops, panels, and strategic advisory roles.

Network That Actually Networks

VC office hours with investors actively looking to back Black-led innovation. Pitch deck reviews, fundraising strategy sessions, and direct feedback on your startup ideas, plus quarterly networking events where members consistently create real partnerships.

Infrastructure That Supports Your Growth

Complimentary access to The Gathering Spot clubhouses nationwide: a premium co-working and networking spaces where you can work, meet, and build relationships ($2,100 value). Plus premiere tickets to AfroTech Conference ($625 value) and access to AfroTech meetups in cities across the U.S., creating consistent touchpoints with your professional community wherever you are.

This is infrastructure. Built for Black tech professionals who don’t want to figure it out alone, or from scratch.

From working side-by-side with future collaborators at The Gathering Spot to gaining insights and visibility at AfroTech Conference, members stay plugged into the conversations and relationships that move careers forward. Regional meetups create consistent, local touchpoints that often lead to consulting opportunities, strategic partnerships, and job referrals.

Six Months After The Raise – Here’s What Changes with Insider

  • Your equity package isn’t a mystery, it’s part of your plan.
  • You walk into comp reviews with numbers, not nerves.
  • You’re leading with clarity, not overextending to prove you belong.
  • You have direct lines to executives who can open doors to your next opportunity.

And you’re no longer figuring it out alone.

You didn’t just earn more, you took control of what comes next.

“It’s not often where you join a membership and you have someone checking in on you, remembering what you said in the past or providing real solutions. It’s typically just a here’s your manual and go do what you need to,” says Michelby Whitehead, CEO of Michelby&Co 

The transformation becomes apparent within six months. Members report more strategic career moves, improved compensation negotiation outcomes, and diversified income streams beyond their primary employment.

The systematic approach creates compounding advantages that extend far beyond immediate membership benefits. Members who implement the frameworks often report salary increases of 25-40% within two years, along with additional income from consulting, speaking, and board roles.

If The Paycheck Changed The Level, The System Changes The Leverage

A raise shifts how people see you. A system shifts what you’re actually building.

AfroTech Insider was made for this moment: the income jump, the leadership leap, and the silence that follows when the congratulations stop. The program provides the infrastructure, networks, and strategic frameworks that convert individual success into lasting influence and wealth.

The window for maximizing wealth-building potential narrows with each career advancement. The most lucrative opportunities, early-stage equity, board positions, strategic investments, require networks and knowledge that take years to develop. The professionals who build these systems early position themselves to capitalize on opportunities that others discover too late.

For Black professionals who have achieved income success but seek to build lasting wealth and influence, the question isn’t whether to invest in strategic infrastructure. It’s whether to start now or continue managing complex professional and financial decisions in isolation.

Become an AfroTech Insider today. Starts at $50/month. Built for your next level.