Katoya Palmer Talks Infrastructure, Soul, and Black Entrepreneurship on All My Friends Are Dope
On an unconventional episode of All My Friends Are Dope, ToyBox Consulting & Management founder Katoya Palmer sat down with host Erik Kalligraphy in the Black Media Matters studio.
Billed as a "composer of experiences," Palmer announced the next phase of her professional journey: expanding her consulting practice into a full-scale firm and launching the Golden Hour Unboxed event celebrating Black entrepreneurship.
The Backbone of Operations
Palmer is the founder of ToyBox Consulting and Management, a company she started in 2008. When asked to describe her work without using her formal title, she summarized her ethos simply: "I take nothing and make it into something,” she said.
In practice, Palmer acts as an operational strategist across multiple sectors, including government agencies, small businesses, and non-profits. She specializes in project management, compliance overhauls, and structural scaling.
Palmer, who played jazz saxophone as a child, drew a direct line between her musical background and her corporate strategy. She viewed business infrastructure through the lens of a composer, orchestrating rhythm, tempo, and talent within a team.
Overcoming Personal and Professional Gaps
The conversation shifted to the internal work required to sustain external success. Palmer spoke candidly about her personal life, noting that her primary identity is being a proud mother to her son. Born extremely premature, her son recently turned 19 and is preparing to attend the University of Washington.
Palmer detailed the challenges of navigating corporate spaces as a Black woman. She shared experiences with coded language during executive interviews and the psychological toll of temporary unemployment, which ultimately pushed her to invest entirely in herself. Since making that pivot a year ago, Palmer stated that ToyBox has not lost a single contract or grant it has bid on.
She also discussed her experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), explaining how it allows her to see structural patterns clearly but can also lead to a cycle of being overly critical of herself. To heal from past professional trauma and resentment, she began sharing her mental health journey via TikTok. Palmer cited rapper Gucci Mane’s recent book Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man, which addresses his own struggles with schizophrenia, as a significant inspiration for her decision to speak publicly about mental health.
Looking Forward: Golden Hour Unboxed
As part of her self-described operational "takeover," Palmer discussed Golden Hour Unboxed, a cross-cultural event designed to celebrate and elevate Black entrepreneurship.
Produced in partnership with the City of Bellevue, the event will take place at a botanical garden during the evening golden hour. Key details of the event include:
Vendor Village: The festival features a curated marketplace showcasing 20 local Black-owned businesses.
Pitch Contest: An open-mic style segment will allow seven to ten emerging entrepreneurs to deliver a tight two-minute business pitch to the room.
Official Proclamations: The City of Bellevue and the King County Executive's Office are both issuing official proclamations to recognize and solidify the event.
Digital Welcome: King County Council President Girmay Zahilay will open the evening with a digital address.
Community members interested in attending, vending, or sponsoring can find updates and RSVP details at goldenhourunboxed.com
Palmer’s broader portfolio of creative projects can be found at katoyapalmer.com
Tune in to All My Friends Are Dope Fridays live at 7 p.m. on all Converge streaming platforms.
Looking to book a space for your upcoming event? Check out Colman Commons for all your event space needs at colmancommons.com
