You Had Me at Black

What You Had Me at Black does

You Had Me at Black is an independent Oakland-based storytelling studio, publishing platform, and global community founded in 2016 by Martina Abrahams, who serves as CEO and editor-in-chief. The company's flagship product is the "You Had Me at Black" podcast, in which Black Millennials share true-life stories; it has produced award-winning sub-properties including NATAL (a podcast docuseries on Black maternal health co-developed with The Woodshaw), the Liberated Black Futures creative imagination workshop (with Eek! A Vagina), and Black Storytelling Week, an annual event held in September. Its core technology is a human-craft storytelling production and oral history methodology centered on Black lived experience, with no proprietary software, AI, or technical IP disclosed; distribution relies on consumer podcast platforms (Spotify, Substack), live "kickback" events, and community word-of-mouth.

The business model blends three monetization streams. (1) The Patron's Circle — a monthly community membership launched May 2024 where contributors set their own rate (typical range $10-$50/month), with a stated annual sustainability target of $500,000. (2) The Storytellers' Circle — a five-week, 4-5-person workshop program priced on a sliding scale ($300 Seed, $500 Sustaining, $900 Generating) with installment plans via Paythen. (3) Professional storytelling services for brands, studios, cultural institutions, and organizations, covering podcast production, narrative strategy, and community storytelling programs. The company is privately held with no institutional investors identified and is transitioning from sponsor/grant dependence to a "community-owned, community-led, community-funded" three-tier governance model spanning Patrons, Storytellers, and Stewards.

Customer segmentation is hybrid but predominantly community-led: the primary audience is Black community members across the diaspora using the platform to share and preserve stories, with a secondary B2B segment of brands, studios, and arts organizations purchasing professional storytelling services, and a tertiary persona of Black creatives enrolling in the Storytellers' Circle workshops. The company holds multiple industry recognitions (Signal Awards Gold 2025, Tribeca Official Selection 2024, NABJ Excellence Award 2025, Webby Honoree 2022, PMJA First Place 2021, Spotify Best Podcasts 2020) and serves a claimed global diaspora footprint from its Oakland base.

Name

You Had Me at Black

Website

https://youhadmeatblack.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

You Had Me at Black is an Oakland-based independent storytelling studio and global Black community producing a flagship podcast, the NATAL docuseries, workshops, and the Patron's Circle membership centered on Black lived experience, and offering professional B2B storytelling services to brands and organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Podcast and Storytelling Media

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Sound Recording Studios (51224), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Live Podcast Recordings (MPAGACAJ)

Keywords

• Storytelling podcast production
• Oral history workshops
• Narrative strategy services
• Community membership programs
• Documentary audio series

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Patron's Circle Membership: Monthly membership program where patrons contribute financially to sustain the organization. Members receive early access to episodes, live taping access, and monthly discussion spaces. Set your own rate model with suggested $10-50/month range.
2. Storytellers Circle Workshops: Five-week small group storytelling program (4-5 participants) where participants develop, perform and record a true-life story. Uses sliding scale pricing ($300-$900) based on financial capacity.
3. Storytelling Services: Professional storytelling services for brands, studios, and organizations including story development and editing, community storytelling programs, and narrative strategy consulting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

You Had Me at Black is an independent storytelling studio, publishing platform, and global community that produces an award-winning podcast where Black Millennials share true-life stories. The company produces podcast docuseries (NATAL), creative imagination workshops (Liberated Black Futures, Storytellers' Circle), a community membership program (Patron's Circle), and B2B narrative strategy services for brands, studios, and cultural institutions.

Product overview

You Had Me at Black operates as a multi-faceted storytelling organization centered on a flagship award-winning podcast, complemented by podcast docuseries (NATAL), creative workshops (Liberated Black Futures, Storytellers' Circle), community membership (Patron's Circle), and professional storytelling studio services. The portfolio spans media content creation, educational programs, community engagement, and commercial creative services, all unified by a mission to reclaim and elevate Black narratives. The company has produced multiple award-winning series and is evolving toward a community-owned, community-led model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NATAL: Award-winning podcast docuseries about having a baby while Black, exploring real stories about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care for Black parents.
• Liberated Black Futures
• Storytellers Circle
• Black Storytelling Week

Products and services

• You Had Me at Black (Podcast) The flagship award-winning podcast and live storytelling kickback series where Black Millennials share true-life stories, reimagining oral tradition for a new generation. Distributed via Spotify and Substack.
• NATAL Award-winning podcast docuseries exploring intimate stories about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care for Black parents, developed in collaboration with The Woodshaw.
• Liberated Black Futures Creative imagination workshop designed to challenge socialized limitations and inspire envisioning of new futures for individuals and communities, developed in collaboration with Eek! A Vagina.
• The Storytellers' Circle A five-week small-group storytelling journey where participants develop, perform, and record a true-life story, building authentic voice and self-expression with a recorded keepsake upon completion. Pricing uses sliding scale ($300-$900) with installment plans available.
• The Patron's Circle Community membership program offering early episode access, priority kickback tickets, live taping viewership, and monthly story discussion sessions, with annual funding target of $500,000. Members set their own self-determined monthly rate (suggested $10-50/month).
• Storytelling Services Professional studio services including story development and editing for documentaries and podcasts, community storytelling programs, and narrative strategy for brands, institutions, and cultural campaigns.
• Black Storytelling Week Annual tradition during the second week of September dedicated to sharing and recording family stories across generations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Working with 100+ storytellers on award-winning podcast

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The WoodshawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with The Woodshaw on NATAL, an award-winning podcast docuseries about having a baby while Black. The show passes the microphone to Black parents, their care providers, and advocates fighting for better care for all birthing people.
• Eek! A VaginaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Liberated Black Futures' - a creative imagination workshop designed to challenge socialized limitations and inspire new visions for Black individuals and communities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pineapple Street Studios: Pineapple Street Studios is an award-winning independent podcast studio producing premium narrative and documentary audio, including shows focused on identity, culture, and social issues. Comparable as a mission-aligned narrative podcast studio.
• StoryCorps: StoryCorps is the largest oral history project in the US, producing recorded personal stories from everyday people with a strong focus on underrepresented communities. Closely aligned with YHMAB's community-centered oral storytelling methodology.
• Lemonada Media: Lemonada Media is an independent podcast network and studio that has directly worked with You Had Me at Black on the show 'Blind Plea'. Lemonada is mission-driven, female-founded, and produces premium narrative podcasts across social impact topics.
• The Moth: The Moth is a nonprofit storytelling organization that produces live true-storytelling events and a popular podcast, mirroring You Had Me at Black's hybrid live-show + podcast + community model. Both curate and feature personal stories from specific communities; Moth focuses broadly while YHMAB focuses on Black narratives specifically.
• Wonder Media Network: Wonder Media Network is a female-founded podcast production company and network producing mission-driven narrative shows, with comparable emphasis on identity-centered storytelling and B2B branded content services.

Broad incumbents

• Pushkin Industries: Pushkin Industries, founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg, is a major premium podcast production company producing narrative shows including cultural and identity-focused content. A broader incumbent in the narrative podcast studio category with much larger scale.
• Higher Ground Productions: Higher Ground is the Obama-founded media company producing podcasts and other content including shows focused on Black stories and culture. Larger, better-capitalized peer in mission-driven premium podcasting.
• Crooked Media: Crooked Media is a large independent podcast network producing progressive, mission-driven shows including culture and identity-focused podcasts. Comparable as an independent mission-driven podcast network with overlapping audience interests.
• Serial Productions / The New York Times: Serial Productions produces investigative and narrative podcasts under the NYT banner including shows focused on social justice and identity topics. Broad incumbent in narrative podcasting with similar cultural-issues focus.
• Spotify Studios (Originals): Spotify Studios produces and funds original narrative podcasts including shows centered on Black culture and identity, and is also a primary distribution partner for You Had Me at Black. Comparable as a much larger platform incumbent in the same content category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/youhadmeatblack
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youhadmeatblack

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about You Had Me at Black