How CashBlack & Afrofiliate Are Turning Everyday Spending Into Black Wealth - Matthew Addai CEO

2025-12-09

Download

Episode Summary What if every online purchase at a Black-owned business put cash back in your pocket – and doubled donations to charity? Matthew Addai, co-founder of Cash Black and Afrofiliate, reveals how three brothers turned a 2020 lockdown idea into the UK’s first cashback platform + affiliate network exclusively for Black-owned brands. Discover the AI-powered browser extension, real-life cashback events, and why “just talk to us” is the simplest way investors can unlock this £multi-billion opportunity.Chapters [00:00] ...

Episode Summary
What if every online purchase at a Black-owned business put cash back in your pocket – and doubled donations to charity? Matthew Addai, co-founder of Cash Black and Afrofiliate, reveals how three brothers turned a 2020 lockdown idea into the UK’s first cashback platform + affiliate network exclusively for Black-owned brands. Discover the AI-powered browser extension, real-life cashback events, and why “just talk to us” is the simplest way investors can unlock this £multi-billion opportunity.

Chapters
[00:00] Intro – Meet Matthew Addai, CEO of Cash Black & Afrofiliate
[00:51] Cash Black Explained: Earn real cashback shopping Black-owned brands
[01:13] Afrofiliate: The UK’s first affiliate network for Black brands & diverse creators
[01:43] Born in 2020: From sabbatical & redundancy to two tech companies
[03:36] “Cash Black” started as a joke between brothers – now it’s a movement
[04:33] Building partnerships: Easier in 2020 (BLM momentum), tougher in 2025
[06:46] Funding reality: Rejections, pop-up market pitches & accelerator wins
[09:40] Advice to investors: “Just communicate with us” – stop guessing what we need
[11:35] Brutally honest advice to aspiring founders: “Don’t start a business… unless ‘don’t’ isn’t enough to stop you”
[14:00] Where to join: Cashblack.com + Afrofiliate.com

Key Discussion Points

Cash Black users earn cashback OR donate (100% matched) to charity
Afrofiliate connects Black brands with creators of all sizes – micro to mega
Built from scratch after 2020 anti-racism wave – now backed by Wray & Nephew
AI “Afrobot” Chrome extension shows Black-owned alternatives while you shop

Key Takeaways

Supporting Black businesses shouldn’t feel like charity – it should pay YOU
Investors: Talk directly to founders instead of assuming what we need
If “don’t do it” is enough to stop you – don’t. If it isn’t – welcome to entrepreneurship
Cashback + affiliate tech = scalable, sustainable Black wealth creation

Notable Quotes

“We reward members with cash back when they shop with Black-owned businesses.” – Matthew Addai
“I heard ‘don’t’ from everyone… and did it anyway.” – Matthew Addai
“Investors: Just communicate with us. That’s the bare minimum.” – Matthew Addai

Actionable Insights for Businesses & Investors

Brands: List on Afrofiliate.com today – turn customers into paid ambassadors
Creators: Join Afrofiliate – monetise your audience with Black-owned + major brands
Investors: Stop guessing – DM or email Black founders directly
Consumers: Install the free Afrobot Chrome extension – discover & earn from Black alternatives instantly

Resources