VIPsocio is your Hub for Black Culture Globally: Shop, Sell & Mingle, says Founder Innocent Wamey

September 24, 2020
Lema M. Abeng
Posted in Black Stories Interviews

vipsocio marketplace, Black products, Black entrepreneurs

Innovation has become the word of the day – whether to the creative mind, the entrepreneurial spirit or the motivated consumer. Everybody in this age and time is drawn to ideas, products and services that transcend the status quo to provide a one-of-a-kind experience. Well, such is the offer at VIPsocio – a company that goes all out to connect the world to an ever vibrant and pulsating Afro-centric heartbeat.

When one thinks of Afro culture, music, dance, food, fashion, poetry, art, and more, come to mind. What I personally find intriguing about VIPsocio is the fact that you can find all of these and more in one place, by providers from wherever Black creators exist. We are talking from Jamaica to Cameroon, Washington D.C. to South Africa, Nigeria to Canada and Atlanta to Finland, just to mention a few.

The company offers a myriad of opportunities to not only buy Black, but to also list and sell your works as a Black entrepreneur; the call being to “Experience & Promote Afro Culture Right Where It Belongs”.

So, I was curious to learn more. I reached out to Mr Innocent Wamey, VIPsocio founder and we had the following conversation…

DUNIA Magazine: What is VIPsocio?

Innocent Wamey: A global tech platform that provides ticketing and marketplace solutions focused on Afro culture. We built our technology from the ground up to be better than Eventbrite and Etsy put together. You buy a ticket to a carnival and the related outfits on our portal in one basket. We know Black culture.

As one of the founders, you frequently describe VIPsocio as an Afro or Black culture hub. What does that mean?

Black owned, Black operated, Black entrepreneurs providing solutions related to Black culture for all to consume. Hence – a hub for Black culture globally.

What is unique about VIPsocio compared to Black portals like webuyblack?

We are similar in advocacy for Black economic empowerment and Black culture. But we are a platform not a portal. We empower our partners with technology, our ecosystem, our connections and our promotional and marketing expertise. We do not grow if they do not grow. We are also unique in our global view of Afro culture covering, but not limited to the USA, Caribbean, Africa, Australia and Europe.

Why should creators and entrepreneurs partner with you?

We are an accelerator. We support their vision and their creativity with our tools and empower their vision to allow them to move quickly. Our value proposition is better – lower fees, better technology, better reach and more focus on the culture.

VIPsocio in DC advocating to make Juneteenth a National Holiday with Opal Lee, delivering 1.5 million signatures to congress.

What is the long-term vision of VIPsocio?

We refer to it as Black on Black on Black. Black owned platform, Black entrepreneurs and creators selling items created from Black owned factories, farms and fields.

What does that mean to an Entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur who sells Shea butter products, for instance, can buy their raw material from a vendor in Ghana, who bought the product from a farmer in Ghana, sell their products on a Black owned platform and ideally use a Black owned bank. Now, that is Black economic cooperation.

VIPsocio brings to the world a powerful and diverse portfolio of events. What is the significance of this?

Black/Afro culture is trendsetting globally in music, fashion, dance and what have you? Our vision is to normalize the ability to find these events regardless of where you are in the world. In addition to finding these events, our vision is to support and empower the actual creators not institutions who exploit the culture.

Busy Signal live in Atlanta. Tickets powered by VIPsocio.

What are some of VIPsocio’s bestsellers?

Each successful event ticket or merchandise sold is personal to me. It means the vision of the platform has advanced the culture. I cannot pick between Afrochella or Carnival, Burna Boy or Busy Signal. Just get to the platform www.vipsocio.com and buy a ticket or a product. Know that every time you support an event or buy a product you are voting with your money and building for the culture and the community.

Any Final Words?

Take a moment to appreciate Black culture and its impact on the world. Let’s build and support each other even when it is not the easiest thing to do. We owe that to the world and to ourselves.