Amplifying Her Voice in Underserved Black Radio Market

Danielle Johnson of Spark FM has worked in the radio industry for about ten years after what she calls an “accidental internship” with Hot97.

Embarking upon a radio station of her own is a story of optimism. She says, “I thought, why not? I loved everything about radio.” But Danielle was aware that she might need some help in getting off the ground. “I knew that if I started this radio station, I would need to figure out the business side of things to make it work. I wanted to do it right.”

Soon Danielle would find herself at EforAll Roxbury, after another “accidental” encounter, and soon found herself enrolled in their Summer 2020 Roxbury Business Accelerator program. “EforAll has been my little unicorn because it opened so many doors for me,” said Danielle.  And as her journey has continued, she has realized the importance of a community like EforAll.  “My cohort ended up being my community,” she says.“We cheered everybody on, we were supporting one another.” 

Today, Danielle manages a team of 46 volunteers, broadcasting 27 live broadcasts each week, and has secured $100,000 in revenue. “So many people said I couldn’t be an Urban Radio Station in Boston because people aren’t paying for advertising. I changed it around so people can afford it.” 

For Danielle, her optimism (and hard work) has truly paid off.  “I’ve grown SparkFM into this actual station where everything that I always wanted to do is coming to life.

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