Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
Inc. profiled Actively Black, the Black-owned, Los Angeles-based athleisure brand co-founded by CEO Lanny Smith in 2020, in a December 2025 feature by Jamil Smith titled “Actively Black’s Multimillion-Dollar Athleisure Brand Builds Community First, Then Apparel.” The story ran as part of Inc.’s Best in Business 2025 coverage, and Inc.’s Best in Business page lists Actively Black under the label “Most Uplifting Brand.” In January 2026, Inc. also republished the story in its “1 Smart Business Story” newsletter under the headline “Actively Black’s Mission is Much Bigger Than Fashion.” For the Tribe, this is recognition of the thing we care about most: the community behind the clothes.
Key takeaways
- Inc. included Actively Black in its Best in Business 2025 package, and its Best in Business page presents the brand as “Most Uplifting Brand.”
- Inc. reported that Actively Black earned over $1 million in revenue in its first six months, peaked at $8 million in 2023, and brought in $5.7 million in 2024.
- According to Inc., the company runs with three full-time employees: Lanny Smith, his mother Alfreda, and co-founder Bianca Winslow.
- Inc. opened its story with civil rights icon Ruby Bridges walking in Actively Black’s New York Fashion Week show, themed “This Is Not a Fashion Show.”
- Inc. noted that the brand dressed Nigeria’s Olympic team in 2024 and supports nonprofits including Compton Girls Club, Between the Lines, and Black Girls Code.
- Inc. reported that Smith launched the Actively Black app in November 2025 and is building Actively Black Media, alongside expansion into baby apparel and medical uniforms.
In their words
“When I was injured and my NBA dream ended, I went into a really dark place.”
— Lanny Smith, co-founder and CEO of Actively Black, to Inc.
“for us to actually have ownership of our culture that everybody else profits from.”
— Lanny Smith, describing the idea behind Actively Black, to Inc.
“He’s a community builder who happens to be monetizing through apparel. But ultimately, he builds community.”
— Jeron Smith, Actively Black adviser, to Inc.
Why it matters
Inc.’s story traces a line from Lanny’s first company, Active Faith Sports, to Actively Black. After a knee injury ended his run with the Sacramento Kings in 2009, Lanny built Active Faith, but Inc. reports he kept his identity as founder in the background because he worried it would hurt the business. Seeing Black Panther in 2018 pushed him to build something unapologetically Black, and Inc. describes how he invested in premium cotton meant to match or beat what customers expected from the biggest names in sportswear.
That is the heart of it for us. Black culture drives enormous revenue, profit, and brand value across the industry, and Actively Black exists so our community owns a share of what it creates. We’re not asking for a seat at the table; we’re building our own table. A spot on Inc.’s Best in Business list under a banner like “Most Uplifting Brand” tells us the model of community first, reinvestment always, is being seen.
Shop the story
See the pieces from the runway in our NYFW 2025 Collection, rep the team Inc. mentioned with the Team Nigeria Kit, or start with the fabric that built the brand in our Premium Cotton collection.
Frequently asked questions
Was Actively Black named to Inc.’s Best in Business list?
Yes. Inc. featured Actively Black in its Best in Business 2025 package, and Inc.’s Best in Business page lists the brand’s profile under the label “Most Uplifting Brand.”
What did Inc. say about Actively Black?
Inc. described Actively Black as a multimillion-dollar athleisure brand that builds community first and apparel second, reporting $5.7 million in 2024 revenue with just three full-time employees.
Who founded Actively Black?
Actively Black was founded in 2020 by Lanny Smith, a former University of Houston basketball player whose NBA career ended due to a knee injury. Inc. identifies Bianca Winslow as his co-founder and partner.
Is Actively Black Black-owned?
Yes. Actively Black is a Black-owned athleisure brand whose mission is to celebrate Black culture and reinvest in the Black community.
Read the full feature: Actively Black’s Multimillion-Dollar Athleisure Brand Builds Community First, Then Apparel, Inc. (December 2025)
