Black Enterprise articles from May 2009

Black Enterprise archives from May 2009

Encouragement for new entrepreneurs.(publisher's page)(The Entrepreneurs Conference )(Conference news)
May 1, 2009... We've heard the numbers. For many of us, our family, friends, and colleagues are among the more than 4 million jobs lost since the recession began last year, with more than 1.3 million lost in the first two months of 2009 alone. While many of...

Teaching our kids the financial facts of life.(Executive Memo)
May 1, 2009... Every parent wants to support his or her child's dreams and aspirations. Most have worked hard to provide their children with the best of everything--access to a quality education, exposure to a variety of experiences and cultures, and,...

Many happy returns.(About This Issue)(Editorial)
May 1, 2009... It helps to look at the world from a different perspective now and then. Here at BLACK ENTERPRISE we recently had that opportunity--and it sparked a revelation. Last winter, as the economy slid and markets tanked, two of our youngest staffers...

Tasteless comedy.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... IN THE BACKTALK SECTION (JANUARY 2009) YOU DESCRIBE D. L. Hughley as "one of the original kings of comedy" and his logic as comedic. He said "it's a bad time to be an old white politician" but the vast majority of Congress is made up of them!...

Improving the customer experience.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... I LOVED THE ARTICLE IN THE JANUARY ISSUE ("Putting Anxiety to Work," Enterprise) in which you stated that 86% of business owners are concentrating on improving customer service, This is a terrific way to set themselves apart from the...

Inspiring hope.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... BLACK ENTERPRISE HAS INSPIRED ME IN MANY ways. Thank you for the January issue ("They Got Next") about the young entrepreneurs. I am 24 years old and have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. This magazine has offered hope. I would like to see...

Transforming the classroom.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... IN 2000, ARTICLES FROM BLACK ENTERPRISE HELPED TO LAUNCH what would become a not-for-profit company called Young Faces Smiling. After teaching for more than six years in Harlem, I began to search for a new and exciting tool to motivate my fifth...

Correction.(Correction notice)
May 1, 2009... In "Masters of Innovation," (March 2009) Ashitey Trebi--Ollennu's

Black buying power to top $1 trillion.(What You Need To Know: Talkingpoints)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... African American consumers continue to be a major viable market segment, say researchers. Black buying power was $913 billion as of 2008 and is expected to top $1.2 trillion in 2013, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the...

Black women more affected by domestic violence.(What You Need To Know: Talkingpoints)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Domestic violence affects all Americans, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, but domestic violence by an intimate partner is the leading killer of black women ages 15-45. Each year 1.3 million women are victims of physical...

Only 1 out of 6 blacks with kidney disease know about it.(What You Need To Know: Talkingpoints)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blacks are four times more likely to develop kidney failure than whites, reveals findings of the Jackson Heart Study, as reported in the National Kidney Foundation's American Journal of Kidney Diseases. One reason...

American delay retirement.(What You Need To Know: Talkingpoints)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Older Americans are choosing to stay in the workforce longer while at the same time many are losing their jobs or facing lower-paying alternatives in the recession. Some 51% of workers age 55 or older are delaying retirement, holding on to...

Penny-pinching and prudent: Black Enterprise's exclusive survey reveals how African Americans are handling the economic downturn.(SPECIAL REPORT)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SURELY, NO ONE NEEDS TO TELL YOU WE'RE IN A CRISIS. It's all around you. People are losing homes and jobs as their assets and savings decline in value. This recession is one of the worst in anyone's memory. In an...

A good time to break into banks? Ariel Investment's Jason Tyler identifies finance stocks that are poised to rebound.(MONEYWISE: STOCK PICKS)
May 1, 2009... BANK STOCKS, ANYONE? WE CAN HEAR YOU SHUDDERING. The financial services industry has easily been this bear market's most reviled and unloved sector. Some of its former giants are now shrunken, cracked shells of the powers they once were....

Q A: money matters.(MONEY WISE)(Brief article)(Column)
May 1, 2009... Should African Americans invest in stocks in order to prop up the market and make President Obama look good? C. Farmer Philadelphia The answer is complicated, so I'll divide it into three parts: 1. Never invest for any reason...

Paying for college during tough times: if your cash flow has gotten tighter, you might be able to get a better financial aid package.(CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS THE OWNER OF A SMALL TRANscription company, 42-year-old Linda Giles does not have an extra $17,000 per year lying around to pay for her 20-year-old son, Santwon Hines, to attend Pennsylvania State University. So...

Teaching teens money smarts: financial literacy can be acquired at any age.(B.E. REVIEWS)
May 1, 2009... FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE HAS A VITAL IMPACT ON MOST of the decisions we make in life, says author Sheryl Ridley Dorsey in her book Money Management for Teens (Teen$ and Kidz Publishing Co.; $13). Money Management for Teens contains 16 basic...

Q A: ask your advocate.(Maximize Your Purchasing Power: shopsmart)(Brief article)(Column)
May 1, 2009... What exactly is credit card insurance? Do I need it? B. Evans Dallas Credit card insurance makes sure that payments are made on your card in situations such as death, job loss, or the inability to work due to disability. First,...

Positive performance: our 2009 nominees prove tougher than today's economy.(SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS)(List)
May 1, 2009... EVERY BUSINESS VENTURE STARTS WITH AN IDEA. BUT the true testament of entrepreneurship is cultivating ideas into action. Here are the finalists of our annual Small Business Awards. Now in its 14th year, the awards highlight entrepreneurs that...

Wireless on your terms: prepaid cellular plans for professionals, small businesses.(TECH SOLUTIONS)
May 1, 2009... DEIDRA BURTON, 23, AN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER FOR a radio station in Pasadena, California, felt traditional cell phone pricing plans were too costly. So in January, she decided to switch to Boost Mobile, the prepaid cell phone and phone plan...

Speaking in tongues: language learning software can give you an international touch.(B.E. REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2009... ENGLISH MIGHT BE THE LANGUAGE OF THE BUSINESS marketplace, but if you plan on working with international clients or for a global corporation, the ability to speak the local language can give you a competitive advantage. But as a small business...

Q A: cyberwise.(TECHWATCH)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... I have just finished writing a novel and would like to e-publish. I know there are a lot of companies online. Can you recommend a site to help me? How much will it cost? Anonymous Via E-mail A good place to start is Care Press...

Technology can boost business: veteran healthcare professional taps technology to build partnerships with consumers.(EXECUTIVE SUITE)(Felicia Norwood)(Interview)
May 1, 2009... How is ActiveHealth Management using technology to strengthen partnerships with its constituents? Technology allows us to pinpoint information with a high level of specificity. Physicians can then make a more informed decision and the...

Looking to make a switch? There are several ways to help midcareer professionals transition into their next big gig.
May 1, 2009... WITH MORE THAN 12 MILLION AMERICANS OUT OF work and no indication that employment numbers will improve as we close the second quarter of 2009, many professionals are considering career transitions either as a result of having been downsized or...

Q A: since you asked.(Brief article)(Column)
May 1, 2009... I'm 52 years old and was recently laid off from my employer of 27 years, I have a bachelor's degree in marketing but the majority of my work experience has been in sales. What jobs would my current skills transfer to considering my experience...

A. Barry Rand.(chief executive officer of AARP)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Chief Executive Officer Organization: AARP Location: Washington, D.C. Background/Responsibilities: As CEO, Rand oversees all aspects of the company including its advocacy activities in...

Maureen S. Greene James.(national director of PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. )(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: National Director, Talent Management & Opportunity Organization: PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. Location: Tampa, FL Responsibilities: Manages the tax and advisory lines of service; develops...

Michele E. Jackson.(director of Lincoln Investment Planning Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Director of Business Development Organization: Lincoln Investment Planning Inc. Location: Wyncote, PA Responsibilities: Lead staffing and target broker/dealers for acquisitions ...

Nolan Jones.(vice president of Hyperion Bank)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Vice President, Controller Organization: Hyperion Bank Location: Philadelphia Responsibilities: Assist the bank with operations and accounting department management as well as regulatory...

Edward F. Fernandes.(partner in Hunton and Williams L.L.P.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Partner Organization: Hunton & Williams L.L.P. Location: Houston and Austin, TX Responsibilities: Oversee business litigation, including financial services transactions, legal and...

Staying focused on best practices: two organizations make diversity a priority even in tough times.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Major League Baseball and PepsiCo Inc.)
May 1, 2009... AS MASSIVE JOB CUTS HAVE FORCED MANY COMPANIES to reorganize and reprioritize spending, the diversity budget is taking its share of hits across industries. Nearly half of the 452 respondents to a recent Society for Human Resource Management...

Building a community of leaders.(WORTH CHECKING OUT ...)(Building a Community for Change: Leadership and Women of Color Conference)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... SPELMAN COLLEGE IS POSING ONE QUESTION FOR WOMEN OF color to consider in this rocky economic environment: Where Do We Go from Here? The theme of the college's fifth leadership conference is Building a Community for Change: Leadership and Women...

A penny saved: Ricky Stith makes sure he and his son can weather financial storms.(Wealth For Life)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Principle No. I will save at least 10% of my income. RICKY STITH IS DOING SOME MAJOR BELT TIGHTENing. Like many Americans, the 49-year-old information technology professional is examining his own situation...

Hard lessons in home economics: rocked by declining property values and job loss, the Carres are searching for answers.(Financial Fitness Contest Winner No. 100)(Sherley Bretous-Carre and Edenswear Carre)
May 1, 2009... SHERLEY BRETOUS-CARRE AND EDENSWEAR CARRE STILL BELIEVE IN THE American dream. Starting in 2002, the Carre's began investing in real estate as a way to build wealth. Over the years, they purchased two homes and two plots of land, amassing a...

New York is open for business: Gov. David Paterson seeks to Bolster the Empire States Financial Footing while becoming the next big champion for minor business. Can he pull it off?(Interview)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DAVID A. PATERSON'S FIRST YEAR AS GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK CAN BE APTLY characterized as a baptism by fire. He's had to contend with a financial firestorm that has torched the fortunes of Wall Street--and with it a huge...

Land of opportunity: the housing bubbles collapse ushered in a buyer's market. Learn how to make the most of it.(REAL ESTATE GUIDE)
May 1, 2009... KIMBERLY SLOAN AND HER HUSBAND MICHAEL SAUNDERS thought it was time to buy a house. "We wanted more room and a yard for our 4-year-old son," says Sloan, a nurse living in suburban Los Angeles. "A few years ago though, homes in the neighborhood...

How to sell your home in a down market: as values tumble, your home for good price requires special skills.(REAL ESTATE GUIDE)
May 1, 2009... WHEN RADIAH CORN MINOR, AND TIMOTHY MINOR PUT THEIR HOME ON the market last year to relocate for new jobs, they assumed it would sell within four months. It was, after all, a traditional-style, 14-year-old, 2,400-square-foot, four-bedroom house...

The big playback: the green industry entrepreneurs a chance to thrive through innovation.(BEING GREEN)
May 1, 2009... DURING A LESSON ON SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION GIVEN AS part of an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers course in 1999, Erik Holston became captivated by the potential of solar energy. The union wanted its members to have some...

A passion for giving: despite the demands of the current economy, corporate executives are finding the time--and the value--in philanthropic efforts.(SPECIAL REPORT)
May 1, 2009... EVEN AS COMPANIES ARE RESTRUCTURING THEIR OPERATIONS TO BETTER manage products and services, they are still committed to charitable giving, but with a slight spin. In fact, the Council on Foundations (www.cof.org), a membership association of...

The young & the restless.(INVESTING)(Cover story)
May 1, 2009... ANDREW SIMON WISHES HE HAD BEEN ONE of those lucky investors who bought Google at $1 O0 back when the company first offered shares to the public in August 2004. The 23-year-old teller at Chase Bank in San Francisco watched with envy as the...

A walk on the tech side: at-risk youth rescue computers and themselves.(EVERYDAY HERO)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS A PROBATION OFFICER, TONY JORDAN INTIMATELY understood the struggles of troubled youth and the shortcomings of the criminal justice system meant to rehabilitate them. So in 2004 with the help of his wife, DaVena,...

Purpose in your passion: harness the energy of what you most enjoy.(WORDS TO STRIVE BY)
May 1, 2009... TO COUNTER HIS CHAOTIC SUR- roundings, then 19-year-old Bill Strickland, a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, started the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, a small community arts center, in the wake of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968...

Q A: pep talk.(Brief article)(Column)
May 1, 2009... Im a young man in my early 30s committed to making the small marketing communications company I work for grow. I've turned down other Job offers because t believe in the company, but business has refused to pick up and some employees have even...

The art--and health benefits--of a dance: Sunyatta Amen takes a tradition and makes it much more than hip.(THE ENTHUSIAST)
May 1, 2009... "FOOD IS YOUR MEDICINE OR YOUR POISON--you make the choice every nine you eat " Amen learned early on that maintaining good health could yield great rewards. Her first belly dancing teacher was her grandmother, and Amen first practicedyoga with...

Beyond Bangkok: northeast Thailand provides earthy, exotic, lush treasures.(FIRST CLASS TICKET)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FROM THE PERCH OF THE LOBBY Bar & Lounge at the chic Siam@Siam Design Hotel (www.siamatsiam.com), Bangkok is a city of contrasts: humble shacks with sheet metal roofs bookend concrete-and-glass towers. The capital...

Black Enterprises Enterpreneurs Conference + Expo.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... This year's Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by General Motors & ExxonMobil is shaping up to be quite an event! Shifting Gears: New Realities, New Rules, New Opportunities is our theme, and it specifically addresses the...

B.E. on the air.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Catch our very own Alfred Edmond Jr., Editor-in-Chief of BlackEnterprise. corn, each and every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. on The Ride with Doug and DeDe McGuire. Listen in to catch the "Your Money" segment where Alfred...

Obama gear.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)(Barack Obama's memorabilias)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For a limited time, BLACK ENTERPRISE is offering collector's edition President Obama coffee mugs and mouse pads. Show your patriotism while enjoying your favorite beverage or while clicking through the abundance of...

Our 2009 Women of Power Legacy Award winners.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our 2009 Women of Power Legacy Award winners: (I to r) Leah Chase, owner, Dooky Chase Restaurant; Mary Frances Berry, Ph.D., Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought & Professor of History, University...

Backtalk with Jill Scott.(Interview)
May 1, 2009... GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING SINGER, ACTRESS, POET, author, and philanthropist Jill Scott is perhaps best known for her inspirational and seductive lyrics. But she's also an entrepreneur, unveiling the Butterfly Collection Inspired by Jill Scott for...