By Kimberly Wilson ·Updated March 5, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Welcome to Black Wealth Watch, where we round up the biggest stories in Black business and economic news each week — the wins, the setbacks, the deals getting done, and the conversations we should be having about money, power, and who actually gets a seat at the table.
This week had a little bit of everything. A viral pitmaster finally got back what was his, a media mogul is out here proving that Black podcasting is only getting bigger, a federal agency slammed the door on some of the hardest-working entrepreneurs in the country, a Wall Street giant is cutting thousands of jobs right after a record-breaking year, and a Real Housewife whose legal drama just got a lot more complicated. Let’s get into it.
Walter Johnson Secures the Tendernism Trademark
If you’ve been following Uncle Walt’s saga, you know this one was a long time coming. Walter “Mr. Tendernism” Johnson, the viral barbecue personality known for those deeply satisfying fall-off-the-bone videos, officially secured the rights to his signature phrase this week. An attorney named Kenneth Harris had previously filed two intent-to-use trademark applications for the term back in November, but without any actual commercial use to back up those filings, he agreed to begin the transfer process over to Johnson. The two appeared on Instagram together to announce the news, with Harris telling Johnson, “You deserve it, you created it.” Johnson had already parted ways with Destination Smokehouse, the California restaurant his presence helped make famous, after a dispute over who really owned the brand he built. With a GoFundMe that surpassed $50,000 and a food truck in the works, Unc is moving forward on his own terms and in his own words, “I’m finna tenderize the whole United States.”
Charlamagne Grows His Podcast Empire
The Black Effect Podcast Festival is coming back to Atlanta’s Pullman Yards on April 25, and tickets go on sale March 12. Now in its fourth year, the festival will feature live tapings, panels on AI, media, and the Gen-Z creator economy, plus a marketplace spotlighting Black-owned businesses. The Black Effect Podcast Network, founded by Charlamagne Tha God and iHeartMedia, has grown to 47 shows since launching in 2020, and what started as a bet on Black audio storytelling has quietly become one of the most influential media ecosystems in the country. Mark your calendars.
The SBA Just Shut Immigrant Entrepreneurs Out
A new SBA policy that took effect March 1 now requires that every owner of a business applying for its most popular loan programs hold U.S. citizenship. Green card holders are completely locked out, even people who have spent decades here building businesses from scratch, creating jobs, and paying taxes their entire adult lives. Research shows immigrants start businesses at a significantly higher rate than U.S.-born residents and make up a substantial share of the country’s small business community. Democratic lawmakers called the move a “devastating attack on immigrant entrepreneurs.” This is the fourth time the SBA has revised its citizenship guidance in less than a year, but the impact on communities most dependent on accessible capital has stayed the same.
Morgan Stanley Cuts 2,500 Jobs After a Record Year
Morgan Stanley announced this week it is trimming roughly 3% of its global workforce, about 2,500 employees, across its investment banking, wealth management, and investment management divisions. The cuts come after the bank posted record annual revenue and a nearly 50% surge in investment banking fees last quarter. The stated reasons involve shifting business priorities and location strategy. It’s also worth noting that the bank’s CEO received a 32% pay raise last year. The math is not mathing for the people who just lost their jobs.
Wendy and Eddie Osefo to Be Tried Separately
There is a significant update in the Osefo fraud case. Wendy and Eddie appeared in Carroll County Circuit Court on March 4 and will now face separate trials after multiple shifts in legal strategy. The couple was arrested in October 2025 on more than 30 combined criminal counts tied to an alleged staged burglary at their Maryland home. Eddie waived his right to a speedy trial while Wendy’s team is pushing for the earliest available court date. Both continue to deny any wrongdoing.
The post Black Wealth Watch: Wendy & Eddie Fraud Case Splits Into Separate Trials, SBA Cuts Loans To Immigrant Entrepreneurs, ‘Tendernism’ Trademark Changes Hands appeared first on Essence.