Femi Lewis

I am a freelance journalist specializing in small business development and education. 

What I Do

I've been writing professionally for over 20 years. As a journalist and content creator, I am passionate about personal finance, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Why? I genuinely love curating information and resources that will support people being successful. 

My work has appeared on digital platforms such as The Balance, The Balance Small Business, Quizlet, and Finurah and in media outlets such as Black Enterprise, Destination Newark, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Kansas City Star.

At the center of every article I write is the human element--what's the big story and how can I share it in a way that will make readers want more information. 

Below are my favorite pieces for each topic that I cover. If you're interested in viewing more of my work, click on the links to the left to find more articles. And if you've got an idea for a great story, don't hesitate to reach out--I'm always on the lookout for the next great feature. 

Personal Finance

Finurah •

Not Just for the Rich: Five Estate Planning Tools Everyone Needs

When hip-hop artist DMX died in 2021, he left no will in place and very few liquid assets. While DMX’s estimated 15 children are expecting a share of his $1 million estate, it has been tied up in probate court for months. In addition, an estate has to be established to manage any expected future earnings from his music. Yet with no appointed administrators and costly probate attorney fees, DMX’s estate will be dwindling until the proceedings are finalized.

Although music superstar Prince died i

Small Business Development and Finance

The Balance •

Can You Get an SBA Loan With Bad Credit?

Videographer and filmmaker George Williams was feeling a cash crunch. At the height of the pandemic, the owner of Digitoral Media faced canceled events and a dwindling cash flow. Williams applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), a source of funding backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that provides economic relief to entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations that experienced revenue loss during the pandemic. However, while Williams received a grant, his loan applica

Economic Development

Destination Newark - Covering the people who live, work, attend college and visit in Newark •

Post Pandemic Eats

Newark-based El Criollo may have been in business for 35 years, but the past three years have taught the family-owned restaurant the power of patience, quick pivots and discovering new resources.

“There’s always a solution,” said Natalia Villanueva, co-owner of El Criollo, which serves Puerto Rican cuisine. “We learned that we can’t panic.”

In March 2020, as the world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Villanueva felt the same sense of worry that other restaurant owners felt. Yet

Stories of Entrepreneurial Success

Finurah •

One Black Family Business Needed Help Preparing for a Post-Pandemic Economy. An Entrepreneurial Program Stepped In.

When Karla Trotman was growing up, she watched her parents, Jim and Sheila Wallace, develop their business, Electro Soft Incorporated, from the family kitchen to become the largest Black American electronics contract manufacturing and engineering firm in the United States.

And in 2020, after spearheading various marketing initiatives for Electro Soft, Trotman purchased the suburban Philadelphia-based business from her father. But one month later Trotman was faced with a challenge more significa

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