Jeff Friday, founder of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and CEO of Nice Crowd, has launched Ask Jeff, a new mentorship platform designed to provide free career advice and professional guidance to African American college students — especially those attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — who are interested in pursuing careers on the business side of the entertainment industry.
Breaking into Hollywood can often feel like navigating a maze with no map, particularly for students looking to make their mark behind the scenes. Ask Jeff bridges that gap by giving HBCU students direct access to one of the most respected executives in the business.
Through the platform, students can fill out an interest form, upload their resume, and submit questions about careers in areas like distribution, marketing, finance, management, or live event production. Once selected, participants will be invited to schedule a one-on-one virtual mentorship session directly with Friday — gaining personalized insight from a trailblazer who’s spent nearly three decades building pathways for Black talent in Hollywood.
The idea for Ask Jeff originated in 2023, when Friday delivered the commencement address at Howard University’s School of Communications. During his speech, he encouraged graduates to reach out if they ever needed advice on breaking into the industry. The overwhelming response — from students seeking direction on building careers, navigating networks, and accessing opportunities — inspired Friday to turn that open-door invitation into a national mentorship platform.
“For nearly three decades, my mission has been to create pathways for Black talent in Hollywood,” said Friday. “Ask Jeff is my way of extending that mission directly to students who are hungry for advice and perspective. When I graduated from business school and wanted to break into entertainment, there were very few people I could turn to for career guidance — especially on the business side. I just want to make sure today’s students have more resources than I had.”
While Ask Jeff is not a job placement service, it offers something far more valuable — personalized mentorship and trusted advice from one of the industry’s most respected voices. By connecting directly with students, Friday hopes to empower the next generation of Black executives, producers, and creative business leaders shaping the future of entertainment.
To participate or learn more, HBCU students can submit their questions and resume through the official Google form [HERE].