Gresh
My Bio
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Gresham “Gresh” W. Harkless Jr. is the founder of Blue16 Media and CBNation. Blue16 Media uses media & technology to change lives. These media properties include Blue16 Marketing-a digital marketing agency providing digital marketing services including web design, website support & SEO services. CBNation consists of media properties (blogs, podcasts and videos) helping the business community succeed. Central to Blue16’s marketing philosophy is that You Are a Media Company and that every organization is in the media business and can strategically leverage marketing tools, platforms, and “ingredients” to reach their goals.
Gresh is a proud graduate of Howard University & Georgetown University. He was selected in 2022 as a 50+ Black Marketer on the Rise in the Influencer & Media Innovators category. He also is a graduate of the 2020 Leadership Center for Excellence Young Professionals Program in 2016, and he was recognized for being 40 Under 40 in Northern Virginia in 2022 and Alexandria in 2020. He has recorded over 1600 podcast episodes of the I AM CEO Podcast and shared the 100+ business lessons he has learned from recording the episodes in the I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3.
My Biography
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME
Gresham W. Harkless Jr. is an entrepreneur and blogger. “Gresh” is the founder of Blue16 Media. Blue16 Media uses media & technology to change lives. His other past ventures include founding Exemplary Editing, Kidz Sports Drill, and co-founding Men of Character of Virginia (non-profit). As a child, he started a monthly family newsletter (“his first media company”) and sold everything from necklaces on the playground to potato chips and candy. He currently works to help support small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Blue16 Media consists of various media properties that help you come of age. These include:
- Blue16 Marketing-a digital marketing agency providing digital marketing services including web design, website support & SEO services.
- CBNation is a brand and a community of Businesss-to-Business (B2B) media properties helping CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners succeed with a focus on visibility, resources, and connections. CBNation includes blogs (CEOBlogNation.com), podcasts (CEOPodcasts.com), and videos (CBNation.tv).
Central to our marketing philosophy is that You Are a Media Company and that every company and organization is in the media business and can strategically leverage marketing tools and ingredients to reach their goals.
He was also an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College. He is a former member of 3 BNI chapters in Northern Virginia serving as secretary-treasurer, membership committee (twice), and communications chair. He has also served in programming and Zoom lead in other organizations. He also is a member and founder of the $1M Club in BNI Northern Virginia South by passing a referral for over $1M. He served on the marketing committee for Alexandria’s West End Business Association (WEBA) and on the Board of Directors. He also served on the Boards for the West End Condo Association. He served on the Board of Directors for Path for Her, Better Educational Skills (BEST) for Technology, and The Dream Queen Foundation. He served on Alexandria Virginia’s 40 Under 40 Committee in 2021 and 2022. Currently, he’s a member of the ICAN Washington DC Alumni Steering Committee and an Ambassador for the Fairfax Chapter of 1 Million Cups.
Gresh was a member of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, Zeta Phi Chapter, Sigma Tau Delta International Honor Society, and the AmeriCorps Heads Up program. He has been on the grant writing team for Men of Character of Virginia ($1,000), Capital Cause ($3,000), and American Humanics ($100,000). He has been featured on WOL 1450 AM and 93.9 WKYS, Business Rockstars, and has been published on All Business Experts, Fox Small Business, Patch.com, Prince William Business Magazine, The Atlanta Post, and Under 30 CEO. He also has been featured on numerous posts and has been a guest on numerous podcasts.
He completed a short book for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners called Lil’ Bessie Starts a Business: How One Girl Started a Business You Can Too! and hosted a podcast interviewing entrepreneurs and business owners called CEO Chat and the I AM CEO Podcast which launched in late 2018. Since its launch the I AM CEO Podcast has become a daily, laser-focused podcast and eclipsed 1600 episodes and he has shared business lessons he has learned from recording the episodes in I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3. Finally, Blue16 Media helps to support nonprofit organizations through donated service through a program called Blue16 Gives.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Howard University, Washington, D.C., and a Masters in Professional Studies in Sports Industry Management (Business, Management Operations concentration) from Georgetown University, Washington D.C. He also graduated from the Leadership Center for Excellence Young Professionals Program and is a co-ambassador for his class. He is also a member of the inaugural class of the Alexandria Amplify program through the Alexandria Small Business Development Center (SBDC). He graduated from the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program in 2021. He was selected for the Alexandria, Virginia’s Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 in 2020 and selected as a Northern Virginia 40 Under 40 Honoree in 2022. He was selected in 2022 as a 50+ Black Marketer on the Rise in Influencer & Media Innovators.