By Lauren Jones | A GEW 2025 Spotlight Preview
As we gear up for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) this November, it’s essential to spotlight the fearless innovators who are already embodying the spirit of entrepreneurial courage. One such visionary is Joseph Tito—filmmaker, author, and creative entrepreneur—who turned heads and hearts at the SPICE NYC LGBTQIA+ Small Business Expo on June 28th, 2025.
More than just an event, SPICE NYC’s summer Small Business expo was a rallying point for queer business leaders, creators, and community allies. And at the heart of it all stood Tito, offering not just inspiration, but connection.
A Canadia Entrepreneur in New York: Joseph Tito and Random Thoughts: The Sh*t We Don’t Talk About = A Creator’s Compass
In an age where curated perfection often overshadows honesty, Joseph Tito’s new book Random Thoughts is a raw and refreshing departure. More memoir than manual, it reads like a personal dialogue between the author and his highest self, full of observations on parenting, queer identity, mental health, and spiritual alignment.
At the SPICE NYC Small Business Expo held on June 25, 2025, Tito took the stage to discuss the motivation behind the book. During a candid Q&A, he opened up about how the creative process was less about crafting a product and more about claiming truth.
“Most people aren’t just one thing,” says Tito. “We’re parents and dreamers, hot messes and healers, queer and questioning and quietly hopeful. I wrote this book for all those who feel like they’re too much, not enough, or both at once.”
The audience was packed with entrepreneurs, artists, and aspiring founders and responded with applause, nods, and more than a few misty eyes. In a space brimming with product pitches and branding workshops, Tito’s vulnerability stood out as revolutionary.
Random Thoughts: The Sh*t We Don’t Talk About is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon .
Entrepreneurial Visibility: Tito’s Quiet Advocacy in Action
While some celebrity appearances are fleeting photo ops, Joseph Tito stayed long after his panel to engage with queer-owned brands, take selfies, and offer heartfelt advice. Whether he was buying handmade soaps or sampling vegan bites from up-and-coming culinary businesses, Tito demonstrated what allyship within the LGBTQIA+ entrepreneur space really looks like: showing up, staying present, and supporting others without expectation.
His presence was not only appreciated but also necessary. In an entrepreneurial ecosystem that often undervalues queer voices and experiences, Tito’s advocacy served as a loud statement: our stories matter. Our businesses matter.
Keeana Kee Ignites the Night
As the sun dipped behind the Manhattan skyline, the rooftop turned electric, thanks to Keeana Kee, the chart-climbing, fashion-forward queer icon who closed out the evening with an unforgettable set.
Keeana didn’t just perform, she ignited the room with drummer Mila Tina. Draped in rhinestones and radiance, she moved through the crowd with a magnetic confidence that turned the rooftop into a queer joy cathedral.
Joseph Tito, ever the vibe curator, was spotted dancing near the front, smiling and clapping along. The synergy between Keeana’s lyrics and Tito’s message of radical self-love was undeniable. Together, they reminded us: to be queer is to be divine, and to create is to resist invisibility.
Looking Ahead to Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025
While Global Entrepreneurship Week is still a few months away, moments like SPICE NYC’s LGBTQIA+ Small Business Expo are the heartbeat behind the headlines. They’re where culture meets commerce, where passion becomes platform, and where changemakers like Joseph Tito light the way for what’s possible.
This November, as the world celebrates entrepreneurs of every background, let’s ensure we amplify stories like Tito’s—stories that challenge norms, celebrate diversity, and push the boundaries of business as usual.
Because the future of entrepreneurship isn’t just tech startups and funding rounds. It’s voices. It’s vulnerability. It’s showing up! Books, bold thoughts, and all.
Final Notes
Spotlight on Shane Graffiti: Where Fashion Meets Future Healing
Among the standout innovators at the SPICE NYC LGBTQIA+ Small Business Expo was Shane Graffiti, a queer-led brand that merges fashion, technology, and trauma-informed wellness. Known for their bold, gender-inclusive designs tailored for non-binary and trans-masc communities, Shane Graffiti isn’t just creating garments—they’re crafting identity armor.
But their impact goes far beyond the runway.
This trailblazing brand also showcased cutting-edge AI-powered wellness tools, including their smart glasses, designed to detect and document abuse in real-time. Equipped with biometric sensors, AR healing exercises, and decoy safety features, these glasses offer a radical new approach to survivor-centered support.
Their AI Trauma Navigation Tool a self-guided journaling and emotional resilience companion—also drew significant attention from mental health advocates and entrepreneurs alike.
In a space celebrating inclusive innovation, Shane Graffiti reminded us that tech can be tender, and style can be a survival strategy.
NYC Affirmative Psychotherapy sponsored the event. They assist LGBTQIA+ individuals with finding a therapist that understands. They provide remote weekly sessions for adults with psychotherapist in NY and NJ. Their care is affordable with in-network for most insurances. They deliver a straightforward online intake form.
Global Entrepreneurship In New York City
If June was any indication, this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week will be one for the books. And Joseph Tito? He’s already written his chapter.
Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.