Author: kevin

Black Enterprise TechConneXt Returns To Silicon Valley Oct. 8-9 With A Powerhouse Lineup Of Speakers – Opportunity to win $10,000, BE SMART Hackaton, One-on-One Keynote talks, Workshops, Innovation Labs, Receptions and more!

Black Enterprise will present its annual TechConneXt on Monday, Oct. 8 through Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the San Francisco Marriott Waterfront Hotel. TechConneXt is the gathering spot for professionals looking to enter the tech world and companies recruiting some of the brightest minds.

TechConneXt is a hard-hitting, two-day summit that brings together leaders in tech to exchange ideas and provide information to professionals who may be struggling to find their footing in the industry as well as seasoned tech professionals and black entrepreneurs who may be looking for new opportunities in the space.

A major highlight of TCX will be the BE Smart HBCU Hackathon, where 15 schools will be challenged to use their creativity and skills to develop a unique new program. Teams will be judged based on the viability of the program, its utility to individual users, and the efficacy of the technological platform and will be evaluated by an elite group of judges.

TCX will feature nationally recognized tech leaders and will provide attendees with the information, access, and resources needed to achieve real success in their industry.

Confirmed speakers and honorees include:

Akon, Chief Visionary, Akoin; Grammy-nominated artist; Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
Terry Oppong, Chief Visionary Officer, BlackBand
Morgan DeBaun, Founder & CEO, Blavity
Abiola Oke, CEO & Publisher, OkayAfrica
Van Lathan, Senior Producer, TMZ
Dajae Williams, Manufacturing Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Abou “Bu” Thiam, Co-CEO, WAW Internet Co.
Angela Yee, Radio Personality, The Breakfast Club
Tavonia Evans, Founder & CEO, $Guap Coin L.L.C.
Nancy Douyon, International Research Lead, Uber
Phillip Agnew, Co-Director, The Dream Defenders
Rashaun Williams, General Partner, Manhattan Venture Partners
Jaylen Bledsoe, CEO, Bledsoe Global Group
Damien Hooper-Campbell, Chief Diversity Officer, eBay
Christopher Gray, Founder & CEO, Scholly Inc.
Lloyd Carney, Founder & CEO, Carney Global Venture LLC
and more.

TechConneXt attendees will enjoy:

BE Tech Talks & One-on-Ones: Leaders in tech will share their insights
Networking: A fantastic meeting place to network with tech peers, VCs, and corporations looking to diversify their talent.
BE Smart Hackathon: Competing college teams will develop and present a product to our judges
TCX Pitch Competition: Contestants will have an opportunity to pitch their tech startup to win $10,000!
TCX Black Tech Awards: Recognizing the amazing minds in the black tech space
Every minute and every session will challenge attendees to overturn conventional thinking and revolutionize the way they see the technology industry. Whether you’re looking to launch a career at a top tech company, a mid-career professional looking for fresh opportunities, a growth-minded tech black entrepreneur, or a company seeking to engage more diverse pools of talent, BE’s TechConneXt presents a unique and unparalleled opportunity for attendees.

To register and find out more information, visit www.blackenterprise.com/techconnext. You can also search #TECHCNXT for additional updates and information about TCX on social media.

The 2018 TechConneXt is Presented by American Airlines with Platinum sponsor is Prudential; Gold sponsors AT&T, FedEx, Intel, and Salesforce; Silver sponsor IBM; and Corporate sponsor Dell, Electronic Arts and PepsiCo. and Tech Partner Kapor Center for Social Impact.

Sheila Eldridge is a highly respected industry black entrepreneur who has used her years in the entertainment industry to fill many necessary niches. After years of working in corporate America, she opted to start her first business, under the Miles Ahead Entertainment umbrella, called Orchid Communications. She worked with acts like Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the O’Jays, Ice T, En Vogue, Yolanda Adams and more. She has owned and run several businesses after that using her leverage as an industry vet to consistently propel her into new successful ventures. One of her latest projects is a nationally syndicated radio show called Café Mocha. The show, hosted by Loni Love, Angelique Perrin and Yo-Yo, is on in several markets in the country.

How many hours a day do you work on average?

My hours really vary based on my lifestyle at any given time. One of the benefits of being an black entrepreneur is that you can set you own schedule.  For example, I’m best early in the morning when I can focus so by 9am I’ve already put in 4 to five hours go workout and start my day.    For black entrepreneurs there really no set hours…you do what it takes to get it done!

10 years ago I started a routine of working four days a week.   Learned the hard way the importance of downtime to balance your mental, physical, and emotional health and not burn yourself out. It’s called my ‘mental health day’ that I dedicate to the personal business of being me.

Miles Ahead Entertainment offers a plethora of services how do you balance it all out?

Thirty years I started my first business, Miles Ahead Entertainment that’s a media marketing, public relations and special events agency that serves as the umbrella company for subsidiary Miles Ahead Broadcasting that has been syndicating  ‘niche’ radio properties such as the Café Mocha show, AfroZons and B. Lifted for the last 10 years. Having two businesses is like raising two kids, both require nurturing to grow. Taking my ‘mental health days’ helps me maintain balance, allocate my time and keep a team motivated to help bring my ‘vision’ to fruition.

What made you decide to become an black entrepreneur?

I grew up in Washington DC and like many Washingtonian, my first internship was in the Government. (Laughs) I learned early on I could be the traditional ‘nine to five’ person. Of course, it took some time to recognize that I was a natural for black entrepreneurship but once I did, I was ready and courageous enough to embrace it. I’m driven by taking a concept and making it into something.  My mother was an accountant (in the government) and my first investor who taught me money management skills that have been essential for longevity as an black entrepreneur. .

Is being an black entrepreneur in the industry easy?

Anything worth having is worth fighting for!  Being an black entrepreneur in any industry has challenges but understanding your industry, research and identifying a niche in the market lessen your risks.  Believe in your ability to turn a vision into a profitable entity mitigates the stress and uncertainty that is inherent in running your own business. If you need a paycheck every two weeks it’s not for you!

What are some of the greatest misconceptions? 

One of the greatest misconceptions about black entrepreneurs is that they are successful because they are driven by their passion. The truth is you cannot be successful in business (long-term) without a business plan that helps guide your decisions.   Entrepreneurs are in the high-risk business because at the end of the day, we shoulder the responsibility for the operations that is often forgotten in a job environment.   

Another misconception is success happens overnight. It does not! Success is more akin to a running a long distance race, you have to train, stay focused and plan to be in it long haul.

  Part of being able to go the distance knows how to keep your risks as manageable as possible.  Understand it’s a ‘we’ business with your greatest assets being your team that includes employees, CPA, accountant, and lawyer.

You once lived in LA but have since moved back east. What kind of challenges are you faced with by not being on the west coast?

Really, there are no challenges. Starting out on the west coast and then moving to the east coast has actually been extremely beneficial in my business growth.  Living in the Washington DC (DMV)  has afforded me the opportunity to add another dimension to my business repertoire as my company is now certified as a  government contractor with our one of our first clients the  Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC).

You have had great success with your syndicated radio show Cafe Mocha. Congratulations. 

 How many stations are you on now? We are on 35 stations airing in  New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, and Richmond to name a few. We also air weekly on Sirius Channel 141.  

One of your hosts Loni Love is also on the TV Show The Real. How did you find her, Yo-Yo and Angelique and what was it like putting the show together in the early days?

When I launched Café Mocha nine years ago the trend was toward live and local. However, given the economy and watching ownership downsize consolidation I foresaw a trend toward syndication as stations looked to attract and engage their female listeners. Understanding the value of women as the key decision-maker in the home and their value to advertisers Café Mocha was created to offer a programming vehicle to fill that void and provide local advertising opportunities for affiliates.

Café Mocha is ‘radio from a woman’s perspective’.  My idea was to create a lifestyle radio concept with three female personalities that could offer differing opinions on subjects from relationships, health, celebrities and politics all with the best backdrop of urban music. Fortunately, I was blessed to find three women that fused the concept perfectly. 

I had seen  Loni Love at the time on the Chelsea Lately show and I was impressed with how devise she was on contemporary topics, an engineer HBCU graduate who decided to follow her dream into comedy.  Today she’s a multi-media personality; a comedian, TV, radio and actress who brings a fresh ’ah ha moment’ to the show.

Yo-Yo brings her vast musical knowledge and background to the show, who always keeps it real!  Producer and co-host Angelique Perrin is a seasoned producer who has worked both nationally and local shows so she brings a unique skill to keep us PPM friendly.  Together, they offer different yet complementary perspectives that women from 18 – 80 from around the country can enjoy the conversation.

Our new Afro Zons hosted by Sheila O is where hip-hop meets Afrobeats that’s airing in eight markets led by Chicago and  B Lifted Up, a faith-based financial empowerment show with hosts Rev. Dr. Buster Soaries and motivational speaker Dee Marshall.  All are relevant programs fused with music serving the African American community.

There are no black women running their own syndication companies what’s it like being the only one? 

Quite honestly, I do not think about being the only one.  I focus on filling a void, serving the community and creating an advertising vehicle to generate revenue.  I follow the path of my mentor Cathy Hughes who defied the odds when we bought her first radio station WOL and look at her now.  She never stopped to think about being the first; she just kept her eye on the prize….looking forward.

You also do events and own a radio station. How important do you think it is for black entrepreneurs to have multiple streams of income? It is incredibly important to have multiple sources of income, particularly in any field remotely related to communications and technology. Thus, I have different marketing and broadcasting businesses.  The first offers services and second products. The business environment is so volatile; you need to have the ability to pull from different revenue sources.  Communication and technology change rapidly so we do not always know what’s next. Radio used to be terrestrial. Now it’s terrestrial, its satellite, podcast and online offering multiple revenue streams.

Tell us about your other events.

Our biggest event is Café Mocha’s Salute Her Awards, a tour that stops in local affiliate markets of NY, DC, Dallas, Charlotte and Atlanta in 2018. This will be our eighth year of where we bring together and honor women of all different races and ethnicities with partners Toyota America and AARP and Meille Organic.  It’s a perfect example of our unique multimedia-marketing strategy of creating for our sponsors that are looking to engage the very lucrative and attractive female multicultural market in conjunction with the show.

What makes an black entrepreneur successful and what makes them fail?

One of the things that make us successful is having the ability to motivate and inspire people, internally (your staff) and externally (consumers). We fail when we start believing it’s all about the ‘I’ and not ‘We’.

What are three pieces of the best advice you were ever given?

(1) Your greatest wealth is your health; (2) the little things you do can make a big difference in someone else’s life, (3) there is no one bigger and greater than God. 

What is the worst advice you were ever given?

When things get tough, go get a job. 

Where do you see Miles Ahead entertainment in the next 5 years?

A new iteration for sure! Whatever it is, we will have adapted but we will work to stay Miles Ahead…. 

How do you get inspired?

Working with young people who keep me abreast of the trends and sharing my business knowledge with them.   Honoring women with our Salute Her Awards over the last eight years and hearing their journey keeps me inspired that we are truly ‘Black Girl Magic’. 

How do you motivate yourself? By seeing ideas come to fruition and by not being afraid to take the path less walked. .

How do you disconnect? 

As an equestrian, there is nothing like connecting with your horse and riding into the horizon! 

 r team that includes employees, CPA, accountant, and lawyer. 

You once lived in LA but have since moved back east. What kind of challenges are you faced with by not being on the west coast?

Really, there are no challenges. Starting out on the west coast and then moving to the east coast has actually been extremely beneficial in my business growth.  Living in the Washington DC (DMV)  has afforded me the opportunity to add another dimension to my business repertoire as my company is now certified as a  government contractor with our one of our first clients the  Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). 

You have had great success with your syndicated radio show Cafe Mocha. Congratulations.  

How many stations are you on now? We are on 35 stations airing in  New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, and Richmond to name a few. We also air weekly on Sirius Channel 141.

One of your hosts Loni Love is also on the TV Show The Real. How did you find her, Yo-Yo and Angelique and what was it like putting the show together in the early days?

When I launched Café Mocha nine years ago the trend was toward live and local. However, given the economy and watching ownership downsize consolidation I foresaw a trend toward syndication as stations looked to attract and engage their female listeners. Understanding the value of women as the key decision-maker in the home and their value to advertisers Café Mocha was created to offer a programming vehicle to fill that void and provide local advertising opportunities for affiliates.

Café Mocha is ‘radio from a woman’s perspective’.  My idea was to create a lifestyle radio concept with three female personalities that could offer differing opinions on subjects from relationships, health, celebrities and politics all with the best backdrop of urban music. Fortunately, I was blessed to find three women that fused the concept perfectly. 

I had seen  Loni Love at the time on the Chelsea Lately show and I was impressed with how devise she was on contemporary topics, an engineer HBCU graduate who decided to follow her dream into comedy.  Today she’s a multi-media personality; a comedian, TV, radio and actress who brings a fresh ’ah ha moment’ to the show.

Yo-Yo brings her vast musical knowledge and background to the show, who always keeps it real!  Producer and co-host Angelique Perrin is a seasoned producer who has worked both nationally and local shows so she brings a unique skill to keep us PPM friendly.  Together, they offer different yet complementary perspectives that women from 18 – 80 from around the country can enjoy the conversation.

Our new Afro Zons hosted by Sheila O is where hip-hop meets Afrobeats that’s airing in eight markets led by Chicago and  B Lifted Up, a faith-based financial empowerment show with hosts Rev. Dr. Buster Soaries and motivational speaker Dee Marshall.  All are relevant programs fused with music serving the African American community.

There are no black women running their own syndication companies what’s it like being the only one? 

Quite honestly, I do not think about being the only one.  I focus on filling a void, serving the community and creating an advertising vehicle to generate revenue.  I follow the path of my mentor Cathy Hughes who defied the odds when we bought her first radio station WOL and look at her now.  She never stopped to think about being the first; she just kept her eye on the prize….looking forward.

You also do events and own a radio station. How important do you think it is for black entrepreneurs to have multiple streams of income?

It is incredibly important to have multiple sources of income, particularly in any field remotely related to communications and technology. Thus, I have different marketing and broadcasting businesses.  The first offers services and second products. The business environment is so volatile; you need to have the ability to pull from different revenue sources.  Communication and technology change rapidly so we do not always know what’s next. Radio used to be terrestrial. Now it’s terrestrial, it’s satellite, podcast and online offering multiple revenue streams. 

Tell us about your other events.

Our biggest event is Café Mocha’s Salute Her Awards, a tour that stops in local affiliate markets of NY, DC, Dallas, Charlotte and Atlanta in 2018. This will be our eighth year of where we bring together and honor women of all different races and ethnicities with partners Toyota America and AARP and Meille Organic.  It’s a perfect example of our unique multimedia-marketing strategy of creating for our sponsors that are looking to engage the very lucrative and attractive female multicultural market in conjunction with the show.  

What makes an black entrepreneur successful and what makes them fail?

One of the things that make us successful is having the ability to motivate and inspire people, internally (your staff) and externally (consumers). We fail when we start believing it’s all about the ‘I’ and not ‘We’.

What are three pieces of the best advice you were ever given?

(1) Your greatest wealth is your health; (2) the little things you do can make a big difference in someone else’s life, (3) there is no one bigger and greater than God.

What is the worst advice you were ever given?

When things get tough, go get a job. 

Where do you see Miles Ahead entertainment in the next 5 years?

A new iteration for sure! Whatever it is, we will have adapted but we will work to stay Miles Ahead….

How do you get inspired?

Working with young people who keep me abreast of the trends and sharing my business knowledge with them.   Honoring women with our Salute Her Awards over the last eight years and hearing their journey keeps me inspired that we are truly ‘Black Girl Magic’.

How do you motivate yourself? 

By seeing ideas come to fruition and by not being afraid to take the path less walked.

How do you disconnect? 

As an equestrian, there is nothing like connecting with your horse and riding into the horizon! 

Chad Rico is a budding hip hop artist whose epic curriculum vitae includes college math professor, black entrepreneurial clothing manufacturer/designer, filmmaker and world traveler!

Chad Rico is a budding hip hop artist with a curriculum vitae of epic proportions. His new single release, “New Level,” on his label Gold & Gems, is not just a repetitive song refrain but a bold declaration from a music artist who is also a college math professor, black entrepreneurial clothing manufacturer/designer, filmmaker and world traveler! “New Level” the debut single from his upcoming EP, titled “Myth,” is just the tip of a very deep iceberg from a young man who has been making mad, mythic moves since the age of three! The seven-track EP is a collection of rap songs as varied as the 35 countries the 31-year-old has visited and reflect the flavor of his nuanced experiences.

A Belizean American, Chad’s legend began at birth when he was born in South Central Los Angeles, in the same hospital and at the same time as Grammy, artist Kendrick Lamar. Currently repping for the Bay area, Chad’s family relocated to Northern California where he now resides. The esteemed UC Berkeley alumni attended the university on academic scholarship at the age of 16! With a B.A. in African American Studies and Applied Math, and a masters in math from San Francisco State University, Chad also spent eight months in London in a graduate business program. The intentional student turned teacher has taught math at Contra Costa College, City College San Francisco, Berkeley City College and College of Alameda. He turned down an offer to teach summer classes at his alma mater (UC Berkeley), opting out in lieu of world travel plans.

Chad started traveling at the age of three, when he boarded his first plane, alone. The experience had an empowering impact, influencing him to become a world explorer. He has visited every Disneyland around the globe except for the newest one in Shanghai. He has filled several passport books in a five-year span with vacations that include Belize City, Dakar and Barcelona.

The music business is a natural extension of Chad’s inventive persona. In addition to a music company, he has owned and operated his Gold & Gems clothing business for the past five years. He and his team design collectively and have created a fashion line of t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks and strapback hats that one can rock anywhere in the world.

The young college professor is also working with legendary film producer Haqq Shabazz and has plans to executive produce and release a film next year. “Party Bus” will be based on his adventures and misadventures while traveling.

“I’ve always been a natural black entrepreneur. When I was seven, my friends and I would take blank sheets of paper and place them over characters in coloring books and trace them. We would then sell them to people on the street for 25 cents and advertise it as original artwork,” Chad reveals. “My expansion into the music business, especially as an artist, might seem odd to some, but I believe in pursuing all my passions and living to the fullest. Teaching, traveling and creating, whether its clothing, music or vacation itineraries, there are no limits to my explorations.”

While Chad’s debut release “New Level” from the new EP “Myth” marks his entry into the music game, another track, “Click Click” showcases the professor’s street edge with razor sharp lyrics. “Night in Barcelona” recounts one of many travel memories while “Workin,” a collaboration with Gold & Gems Records’ Kam Krzy, proves that Chad’s acumen is not limited to the classroom, with a flow that shoots real game.

Rap fans know that the Bay area is widely recognized for its cliques. Chad’s entourage, the Cash Register Crew, is headed by his brother, Deezy. An enterprising group of young men, they model themselves after Chad’s example, and in addition to music and business, they devote time to giving back to their Richmond, CA community. Cash Register Crew even started an AAU basketball team to give local youth an athletic outlet. Many of them have traveled out of the country, alongside Chad, and everyone has either graduated from college or is pursuing a college degree.

Cash Register Crew’s overall mission is to set a ‘new level’ gold standard to motivate the youth and their peers alike. Kam Krzy is the first indie artist release from the crew signed to Gold & Gems Records, having worked with various producers such as award-winning producer Michael Denton and Bay Area native producer Top. Kam’s first debut EP is titled “Kam’s Krzy Modern Life.”

Hip hop has given rise to many myths, included LL Cool J, P Diddy and Jay Z. Chad Rico is laying claim to the next throne and he has all the skills to make the grade! Take a lesson from him at www.Chadrico.com and on Instagram at @internationchadrico and get properly educated.

QuickBooks Delivers Enhanced Payroll Services for Small Businesses

This July 4 marks the 242nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. The declaration announced the colonies’ separation from Britain in 1776, but celebrating Independence Day every year became popular after the War of 1812. In 1870 Congress officially made it a federal holiday.

Every year, Americans celebrate what many call the “nation’s birthday” with firework shows, parades, and patriotic ceremonies.

Here’s USAGov’s list of ways to celebrate Independence Day:

1. Visit a park or historical site. Many parks and sites hold Fourth of July events. Search for a park near you and make a plan to visit on the holiday.
2. Display Old Glory. There’s no better way to celebrate America’s birthday than to display the Stars and Stripes. Hang it on the porch or clamp it on the car, just remember to follow the U.S. Flag Code when displaying and caring for the flag. Check out USAGov’s How to Display the American Flag infographic and download a free copy to keep at home.
3. Traveling or living abroad? No problem. U.S. consulates and embassies across the world celebrate Independence Day too. Find an embassy and see if staff have events planned for the Fourth of July.
4. Go to a naturalization ceremony. Every year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services marks Independence Day by holding naturalization ceremonies across the country from late June through July 4.  Check if there’s a ceremony near you and share the moment with new Americans.
5. Participate in a local celebration. Many cities and towns across the country have their own celebrations. From symphonic concerts to parades and marches, America always celebrates its birthday with fun. Find out how your community is commemorating Independence Day and plan to join in.
6. Grill with friends and family. Spending time with friends and family is a good option for any holiday. Whether you’re headed to a picnic or displaying the flag at a barbecue, make sure the food you’re cooking is well prepared and ready to eat. Learn tips to make sure any meats are cooked safely and how to wash vegetables appropriately at FoodSafety.gov.

Black Customers Can Help a Black Owned Businesses Reputation Management

I have always said, if someone has a crappy product, don’t support it. But at least TELL THEM WHY are you not supporting it instead of talking about them and laughing behind their backs to other black people or even worse …. mixed company. It is one thing for YOU not to support a black business but why would you convince others to do the same?

Running a business is an amazing process but it’s also outrageously taxing. I personally have been repeatedly told: “Kev, I want to support you but if I do then I will get multiple calls from (others in the industry) asking why I’m supporting you and not them.” I have heard this repeatedly from the labels in my own business some stating competitors have even cried on the phone or cussed them out for not supporting them but supporting me and they have been around longer than me or they do the same thing I do. Nonetheless, in the digital industry, this can be proven with a few clicks that generate instant reports but we are still dedicated to all or nothing at all. Where there are limited resources there are interesting stories.

As a community, I think most black black entrepreneurs understand our consistent need in lieu of the lack of opportunities presented to us. But why is it that if we don’t have the resources to help EVERYBODY we don’t help ANYBODY?

In the entertainment industry, we have been trained to think that tenure is paramount but that’s a falsehood. The 16-year-old hit recording artist sitting at the head of the table at a label couldn’t care less about how many years a PD, a DJ or anyone has been in the game, he is most concerned with who is the most effective TODAY!. This is a lifestyle industry, youth driven and value-based. What you did 10, 5 or even 2 years ago is nice but does it count today? Unfortunately, the rules are NOT the same on the other sides of the music industry, there are people as old as Moses who still have successful businesses and promoting the best songs by Frank Sinatra. The difference between them and us in any business … they have direct access to the upper echelon.

Small Businesses are Not always “Cheap” but they do Consistently Deal with Cash Flow Problems

The baby should not be thrown out with the bathwater. Support VALUE. Nevertheless, we are still often obligated to wanting to offer widespread support even when there is no value which means the black company that HAS value can’t maintain it for he too will not struggle and has to cut corners to make it.

The black entrepreneur consistently offers opportunities to other blacks who many black black entrepreneurs state come with ready-made perceptions that black businesses are subpar and a stepping stone to something greater (whiter) and not to be taken seriously. Henceforth, the black black entrepreneur’s growth is deeply affected because he or she allows things to take place that white corporations and business owners would never except in order to help the community. Many black black entrepreneurs will say it’s more give than take and it’s taxing and constantly spinning wheels.

Business Decline and Business Support

“I have to admit, if it wasn’t for black people I would have never been successful in business but I will also say if it wasn’t for black people I would have been MORE successful in business” one black black entrepreneur shared for this story. “The judgment, the hate, the put-downs, the middleman tricks and the blocks from other black people at major corporations makes me SMFH. Why?”

(Middleman tricks: People who keep you away from the point person at a company with the money then ask the person to pay them and they will pay you. Then they come back to you and say the person has a limited budget and they end up keeping a majority of the money earmarked for you and pay you peanuts. My suggestion, deal with NO middlemen)

As an black entrepreneur, you see things other black folks don’t see from more of a monetary, community and psychological perspective. The challenges that black black entrepreneurs consistently face are immeasurable. “Quite often black black entrepreneurs have to be uniquely creative. We have to get around racism AND other black people at the corporations. people at the corporations act like the money is their own! one woman stated to us who has owned her own business for 10 years. “They take their time handing in your invoices and they are paying you a discounted rate?” she continued “I have shifted my business model to deal more with white people, it’s just easier and they pay the rate I ask for without all the BS.”

In having multiple conversations with other black black entrepreneurs over the years, I have heard these sentiments repeatedly. I had a conversation with another black entrepreneur today and his sentiment is echoed by many black business owners: “When it comes to making money white people are very cut and dry about business. They are either going to support you or they are not and if they are, they pay the asking rate with no problem but on the other end of that when it comes to doing business with black people at corporations there is almost always a block and resistance to allowing a black person in a business to succeed or get to the needed resources.”

Why is it that the perception is that when it comes to black people making money other black people find a way to block, severely discount or deny the opportunity for other black people to make money too? Your thoughts?

TAKE A SECOND TO OFFER A HELPING HAND. WHAT YOU GIVE IS WHAT YOU GET BACK!

I have been looking for writers for a few projects. I have been using Upwork and the one thing I have found out about this site and others like it is people consistently overrepresent themselves. So I now ask potential writers to give me a sample. Here is a sample one young man gave me that was riddled with errors. As busy as I am, I corrected it and told him to take a writing class for free at one of his local colleges. He is not ready to call himself a writer. As black entrepreneurs, I think it’s important that we take a few minutes to help out young black talent that needs guidance. He may ignore my advice or heed it but I know I tried to help him.

WHAT HE SUBMITTED:

Before the Racial spur that led to the resignation of John Schnatter as the Chairman of Papa John, he was in a preliminary discussion with Wendy on a possible merger. The deal, if reached, would lead to the improvement of Papa John’s technology and a possible upward movement in the Pizza chain industry. Papa John’s share jumped to 4% when the news of the discussion was broken to the general public.

The racial spur has, however, frustrated the discussion and other potential deals. After the spur, Papa John sidelined John Schnatter by prohibiting him from talking to the press and removing his office space. The company also formed a special committee to act on the company’s relationships and arrangements with John. With this, John had to resign after confirming that he used the N-word during a conference call with Media Agency Laundry Service.

CORRECTIONS:

Before the Racial (small r for racial) spur (slur) that led to the resignation of (Papa John’s founder and Chairman, John Schnatter) John Schnatter as the Chairman of Papa John, (John’s) he was in a preliminary discussion with Wendy (Wendy’s) on a possible merger. The deal, if reached, would (have) lead to the improvement of Papa John’s technology and a (possible upward movement)(“possible upward movement?” say instead “both companies expansions) (delete this line thru period>)in the Pizza (pizza small P) chain industry (delete chain and industry). Papa John’s share (shares) jumped (jumped or dove?) to 4% (by 4%?) when the news of the (melee, mishap or blunder instead of “discussion”) discussion was broken (replace “was broken” with “hit”) to the general public. (better to say “hit the media”)(skip line for new paragraph)
The racial spur (slur) has, however, frustrated (replace frustrated with terminated) the (replace “the” with “further) discussion (end here. Delete this line >)and other potential deals. After the spur (slur), Papa John (John’s) sidelined John Schnatter by prohibiting him from talking to the press and (replace removing his office space with “evicting him from his office space”) removing his office space. The (board instead of company) company also formed a special committee to act on the company’s relationships (future relationship or behalf -singular) and arrangements with John (Schnattner use his last name). With this, (delete “With this”) John (Schnattner use the first and last name) had to resign (from his post as CEO of Papa John’s) after confirming that he used the N-word during a conference call with (a) Media Agency Laundry Service. (the last sentence should have started the story)

Hundreds of Entrepreneurs to Start Businesses Delivering Amazon Packages

Amazon continues its long-time commitment to supporting small businesses with an innovative new offering that helps individuals build their own delivery companies

Over time, Amazon will empower hundreds of new small business owners to hire tens of thousands of delivery drivers across the U.S., joining an existing community of Delivery Service Partners

Amazon commits $1 million to fund startup costs for eligible military veterans to start their own delivery businesses

Amazon announced today the launch of a new offering that helps black entrepreneurs build their own companies delivering Amazon packages. Amazon will take an active role in helping interested black entrepreneurs start, set up and manage their own delivery business. Successful owners can earn as much as $300,000 in annual profit operating a fleet of up to 40 delivery vehicles. Individual owners can build their business knowing they will have delivery volume from Amazon, access to the company’s sophisticated delivery technology, hands-on training, and discounts on a suite of assets and services, including vehicle leases and comprehensive insurance. Over time, Amazon will empower hundreds of new, small business owners to hire tens of thousands of delivery drivers across the U.S., joining a robust existing community of traditional carriers, as well as small-and-medium-sized businesses that already employ thousands of drivers delivering Amazon packages.

The offering provides technology and operational support to individuals with little to no logistics experience the opportunity to run their own delivery business. To help keep startup costs as low as $10,000, black entrepreneurs will also have access to a variety of exclusively negotiated discounts on important resources they’ll need to operate a delivery business. The deals are available on Amazon-branded vehicles customized for delivery, branded uniforms, fuel, comprehensive insurance coverage, and more.

Amazon is constantly looking for hands-on leaders who think big and deliver results for our customers. These principles are very familiar to those who have served our country in the armed forces. The company is committing $1 million towards funding startup costs for military veterans, offering $10,000 reimbursements for qualified candidates to build their own businesses.

“We have great partners in our traditional carriers and it’s exciting to continue to see the logistics industry grow,” said Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations. “Customer demand is higher than ever and we have a need to build more capacity. As we evaluated how to support our growth, we went back to our roots to share the opportunity with small-and-medium-sized businesses. We are going to empower new, small businesses to form in order to take advantage of the growing opportunity in e-commerce package delivery.”

“I had prior experience running my own business but not in logistics,” said Olaoluwa Abimbola, one of Amazon’s beta participants in the new offering. “I was driving for Amazon Flex when I learned about the opportunity to start my own delivery company. Backed by Amazon’s resources and logistics experience, and its encouragement to ‘learn while I earn,’ this opportunity was a no-brainer. In just five months, I have hired more than 40 employees, and it’s encouraging to know that any driven individual can use Amazon’s support and the Delivery Service Partner community to build a successful, thriving business.”

Amazon has a long history of supporting businesses of all sizes connect with customers around the world. The creation of Marketplace, which uses Amazon’s websites and logistics operations to connect customers with third-party sellers, has enabled more than 140,000 small-and-medium-sized businesses to do more than $100,000 in sales. Today, more than half of all the items sold on Amazon.com come from third-party sellers. Amazon has also developed technology, devices and services, such as Kindle Direct Publishing and Amazon Web Services (AWS), that benefit authors and developers who operate as small businesses. With today’s announcement, Amazon will help black entrepreneurs in a new way, by empowering them to build their own delivery businesses. This new Amazon offering continues the company’s longtime commitment to enabling small-and-medium-sized businesses to grow with the rising tide of e-commerce.

To learn more or get started today, visit www.logistics.amazon.com.

The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation Kicks Off The Tenth Annual Steve Harvey Mentoring Program –

Annual Camp Partners Fatherless Teens with Male Role Models In The Rock, GA on June 14, 2018 through June 17, 2018

Emmy Award winner, TV and Radio Show host, New York Times best-selling author, Steve Harvey hosts the 10th annual The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men (SHMP). More than 200 fatherless teenage boys from around the Nation will attend this life-changing weekend.

Steve Harvey partners with mentors including Dan T. Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A®, (the 2018 SHMP Title Sponsor) leaders in politics, philanthropy, entertainment, and business. Concurrently, “The Single Mothers’ Enrichment Summit,” sponsored by Ashley Stewart® and hosted by Mikki Taylor offers mothers empowerment sessions, inspiration, and tools for raising productive young men. Special guests for the weekend include Dr. Steve Perry, GRAMMY® Award winner Anthony Hamilton, David Otunga, Dr. Alex Ellis, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Dr. Kenneth Redcross, NBA Player DeAndre’ Bembry of the Atlanta Hawks, Cynthia Moore, Zane Kristina Roberts, and more.

“Ten years in, we are seeing many former mentees attend and finish college when they could have taken a very different path,” said Steve Harvey. “They have grown into fine, productive young men. I am indebted to the role models as well as to our sponsors and supporters who have enabled us to host this camp.”

Other sponsors include Port Covington, Google, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, Luster Products, Neiman Marcus, Fremantle Media, and Mercedes Benz.