BlackTies

What BlackTies does

BlackTies (legal entity Black Ties Group Inc.) is a private membership community and content platform founded in 2022 and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, targeting high-performing Black professionals globally. The core product is a vetted digital community built on the Heartbeat platform, where members access discussion threads, virtual events, AMAs, and an on-demand resource library. Members join through an application process requiring LinkedIn validation and professional experience verification, which gates the network to an exclusive, vetted peer group drawn from companies including Shopify, Meta, RBC, Morgan Stanley, Citi, Dentons, and Verizon.

The business operates a freemium model. Basic membership is free and provides access to the digital community, discussion threads, virtual events, and basic resources; Gold membership, priced at $35/month or $350/year, adds premium events, BlackTies Academy learning content (in development), career coaching, and exclusive perks. Ticketed in-person and virtual events generate supplementary transaction revenue. The content platform The Blueprint serves as a top-of-funnel marketing channel through career advice, member spotlights, and DEI-related editorial.

Distribution is community-led and event-driven: members are acquired through referrals, organic content, and event marketing, with no paid acquisition infrastructure referenced. The company has no disclosed funding rounds and appears to operate as an independent, founder-led entity (co-founded by Aziz Garuba and Delmar Miller), with its most strategically significant commercial relationship being a May 2022 partnership with Shopify centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion talent-pipeline initiatives.

Name

BlackTies

Legal name

Black Ties Group Inc.

Website

https://joinblackties.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BlackTies operates a vetted, application-gated membership community and content platform for high-performing Black professionals globally, offering freemium and Gold ($35/month or $350/year) tiers with digital community access, events, coaching, and a learning academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Networking Community

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPACALAL

Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Digital Media & Content Platforms (Online Video, Podcasts, Creators)/Online Learning Content Platforms (Creator-Led Courses)

Keywords

• Professional networking community
• Membership subscription platform
• Career development services
• Professional events programming
• Executive coaching services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Basic Membership: Free tier membership providing access to digital community, discussion threads, virtual events, and basic on-demand resources. This serves as the top of funnel to convert members to paid Gold tier.
2. Gold Membership Subscription: Premium tier at $35/month or $350/year offering exclusive access to premium events, BlackTies Academy learning opportunities, career coaching, and additional exclusive perks. This is the primary recurring revenue stream.
3. Ticketed Events: Fee-based events covering venue, technology, food and drinks, and facilitator costs. Revenue from ticket sales while ensuring committed attendance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BlackTies operates an application-based, vetted membership community platform for high-performing Black professionals, offering tiered access (free Basic membership and Gold premium at $35/month or $350/year). The core deliverable is the Heartbeat digital community where vetted members connect, engage in discussion threads, attend virtual events, and access an on-demand resource library, supplemented by in-person events, speaker series, workshops, BlackTies Academy courses, and culturally-sensitive career coaching.

Product overview

BlackTies is a private membership community platform for high-performing Black professionals, offering tiered membership (Basic free and Gold premium at $35/month or $350/year). The core product centers on the Heartbeat digital community platform where members access discussion threads, virtual events, and on-demand resources. Gold members receive exclusive access to BlackTies Academy courses, premium events, and career coaching. Additional offerings include in-person networking events, speaker series/workshops, and The Blueprint content magazine featuring career advice and professional spotlights. The platform facilitates professional connections, career development, and community building for Black professionals globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BlackTies Membership (Basic and Gold tiers) Tiered membership product for vetted Black professionals: Basic (free) provides access to the digital community, discussion threads, virtual events, AMAs, and on-demand resources; Gold ($35/month or $350/year) adds exclusive access to premium events, BlackTies Academy learning, career coaching, and additional perks.
• BlackTies Academy A collection of courses tailored for Black professionals covering topics from tech to leadership, intended to be included within Gold membership.
• The Blueprint Official BlackTies magazine featuring career advice, professional spotlights, leadership content, DEI discussions, and stories about Black professionals.
• In-Person Events Exclusive industry-specific and social events designed for members to connect in real life, including both free and ticketed events covering venue, technology, food and drinks, and facilitator costs.
• Speaker Series and Workshops Interactive workshops and masterclasses led by industry leaders for professional development and career advancement.
• Career Coaching Culturally-sensitive career coaching services including customized 1-on-1 guidance and group sessions led by seasoned career coaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% client retention rate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ShopifycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2022Shopify has engaged BlackTies to help advance its diversity and inclusion efforts within the Black community. The partnership aims to build greater awareness of non-engineering opportunities at Shopify and deepen its Black talent pipeline across all levels. Shopify's goal is to reduce barriers to entry into Shopify and entrepreneurship, and foster a sense of belonging for global merchant and employee communities. BlackTies members benefit from curated Shopify activations and exclusive career opportunities, while current Black Shopify employees can connect with other Black professionals on the platform.
• Black In Sport Business (BSB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022BlackTies partnered with Black In Sport Business for a panel discussion on the realities of working in the business side of the sports industry as a Black professional. The event featured panelists from MLSE, The Brandr Group, GMR Marketing, and Indianapolis Colts discussing diversity and career opportunities in sports business.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the dominant general professional network with identity-based groups, learning content, and event tools. It is not a direct niche competitor but represents the broad incumbent that BlackTies differentiates against via curation, cultural specificity, and member vetting.
• Ellevate Network: Ellevate Network is a paid membership community for professional women, combining a vetted network, events, and learning content. Highly comparable to BlackTies in business model (tiered membership, vetted community, events, content) though segmented by gender rather than race.

Direct peers

• Instride: Instride is a career acceleration and employer-paid education platform serving underrepresented talent. Comparable to BlackTies in professional development mission and employer-driven monetization, though more focused on tuition-funded degree programs.
• Blavity: Blavity is a Black media and community company spanning culture, news, and professional content (including AfroTech). Both BlackTies and Blavity serve Black professional audiences with curated content, events (e.g., AfroTech conference), and employer/brand engagement — overlapping closely in audience and GTM.
• The Memo: The Memo is a careers and professional development platform for women of color. Closely comparable to BlackTies in its intersection of community, content (newsletter/courses), and curated professional audience — both monetize via employer partnerships and content.
• Jopwell: Jopwell is a career platform connecting Black professionals, students, and employers. It is the most direct comparable to BlackTies in mission (advancing Black professional careers) and model (curated talent + employer partnerships), though BlackTies leans more heavily on community and content.
• Mogul: Mogul is a diversity recruitment and professional development platform. Like BlackTies, it serves underrepresented professionals (with a focus on women of color) and connects them with employers — comparable in audience-mission and B2B talent-pipeline revenue angle.
• PowerToFly: PowerToFly is a diversity-focused talent platform connecting underrepresented professionals (women, People of Color, LGBTQ+) with remote and inclusive employers. Comparable to BlackTies in mission (diversity hiring) and B2B revenue model (employer partnerships, events).

Emerging players

• WayUp: WayUp is a talent marketplace focused on early-career and diverse candidates. Similar to BlackTies in connecting underrepresented professionals with employers, but skews younger and entry-level rather than high-performing/mid-career.
• HBCU Buzz: HBCU Buzz is a media and community platform serving HBCU students, alumni, and the broader Black professional ecosystem. Comparable to BlackTies in audience and content/newsletter format, but with a stronger HBCU and early-career skew.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joinblackties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 BlackTies