A new start with the New Orleans Saints has put "the shake" back in 33-year-old Darren Sharper. The NFL's active leader in career interceptions added two more against rookie Mark Sanchez, returning one a club-record 99 yards for a touchdown to help the unbeaten Saints hand the New York Jets their first loss of the season, 24-10 on Sunday.
The chase for the AL Central championship once again is going to extra innings. Trying to save their seasons, the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins both won Sunday, leaving them all even for the division lead and forcing a one-game tiebreaker. They'll meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. EDT at the Metrodome in what could be the final baseball game at the Homer Hankie haven.
Mark Clayton got open and waited for the fourth-down pass that could keep the Ravens' chances alive. Joe Flacco reached his target inside the Patriots 10-yard line and beyond the first-down marker, but Clayton didn't hold on with 28 seconds left. New England did — eking out a 27-21 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Clay Buchholz has one week to think about his next start. Or, even better, not to think about it. Manager Terry Francona said Buchholz was still in line to follow Jon Lester and Josh Beckett in the rotation for the first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Angels, even after the Red Sox right-hander lasted just three innings in a 12-7 victory over Cleveland on Sunday.
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The grieving family of a 13-year-old Queens boy shot to death outside a car wash pleaded for witnesses to come forward as investigators took a suspect into custody, police sources said Sunday.
“Do the right thing!” begged Donna Greaves, whose son, Kevin Miller, was gunned down Friday in Cambria Heights. “And let someone know who’s responsible.”Investigators have a 16-year-old “person of interest” at the 105th Precinct in Queens Village who was being questioned and will be part of witness lineup, the police sources said.
Miller, a freshman at Humanities and the Arts Magnet High School, was shot in the head about 3 p.m. after he and a friend stumbled upon a fight near Campus Magnet High School Linden and Springfield Blvds.
Rudy Gay listened as Grizzlies' teammate O.J. Mayo talked of the team's need to meld at practice and couldn't stop himself from piping in, "Practice?" Oh yes, the player who's been with the Memphis Grizzlies the longest has seen video of Allen Iverson's infamous 2002 rant during a feud with Larry Brown about missing practice and heard that word maybe 20 times in the…
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Pulitzer Prize-nominated author and poet Maya Angelou was taken to the hospital Sunday for as-yet-unknown causes, TMZ.com reported.
The Dodgers' magic number for clinching the NL West is down to zero — finally. After a season-worst five-game losing streak, they came through with one game left in the regular season and beat the stubborn Colorado Rockies 5-0 on Saturday night with a five-run seventh triggered by an RBI single from pinch-hitters Ronnie Belliard and an RBI double by Mark Loretta and six scoreless innings by…
The Detroit Tigers' once-cozy cushion in the AL Central is long gone. If things do not go Detroit's way on the final scheduled day, its season will be over. The Tigers dropped into a first-place tie with Minnesota, looking listless Saturday night in a 5-1 loss to Freddy Garcia and the Chicago White Sox.
Filed under: Music, Television, News
‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Kandi Burruss‘ ex-fiance Ashley ‘A.J.’ Jewell was killed after a fight outside popular Atlanta strip club, The Body Tap, late Friday night.
He was rushed to Piedmont Hospital, where he later died.
Atlanta Police Lt. Keith Meadows confirmed, “It appears he was involved in an altercation in the parking lot and received a severe blow to the head.”
Meadows said that the police have developed a person of interest in the case, adding, “we’ve made contact with him to question him about the incident.”
(SEE ARREST UPDATE BELOW.)
The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s publicist, Lisa Nelson, confirmed to WSBTV.com that Burruss was “stunned and speechless” and that “the family is asking for privacy during this very difficult time.”
Burruss, a former member of the platinum ’90s R&B group Xscape, recently revealed that she and Jewell split.
The couple, who were engaged earlier this year, have chronicled their relationship on the Bravo reality show ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta.’
Burruss is also currently raising Jewell’s twin daughters.
“AJ’s murder is horrific, not only for his family, including the six beautiful children he is leaving behind, but also for Kandi, who obviously still loves him despite their broken engagement,” Atlanta-area entertainment journalist Isoul Harris, who has a professional friendship with Burrus told BV Newswire today. “Also, this is another case of senseless violence that’s not only rampant in Atlanta, but all over the country.”
UPDATED, 11:33 a.m.: Police told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper that they have charged Frederick Richardson with voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of Jewell. Richardson is currently hospitalized at Grady Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the fight. He will be jailed once released by medical staff. Though the cause of the fight is still unknown, police confirmed that witnesses were cooperating.
‘It’s a great thing that a suspect has been arrested in this case,” Harris added. “It surely brings a little comfort to his friends and family.”
In the meantime, Burruss, who’s a single mother of one daughter, took to Twitter.com early Saturday morning to break her silence about the tragic loss. “I’m bout 2 give my swollen eyes some rest now. I just wanted to say thanks 2 everyone for their prayers. I gotta get up & go 2 my uncle’s funeral. I could never in a million years imagine this happening.”
The Atlanta native, who also changed her Twitter profile picture to a flick of her and Jewell, ask fans to remember Jewell leaves behind six children. “Please pray for AJ’s children, that’s who im the most concerned 4. Im just in one of those moods where I dont wanna talk, I dont wanna b held & told its gonna b ok. I just wanna cry myself 2 sleep, alone.”
“Right now, she is just trying to wrap her head around the fact that he is gone,” Harris concluded.
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Browns rookie running back James Davis had a short run in his first NFL season. Davis, whose impressive exhibition season led to speculation about Jamal Lewis' future in Cleveland, will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The Browns placed him on injured reserve Saturday. Davis got hurt in the Browns' season opener against Minnesota on a hit by Vikings cornerback Antoine…
Brett Favre won't be missing his first game against the Green Bay Packers. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is listed as probable for the showdown on Monday night. Favre has been limited in practice all week because of a sore right foot, but he will make his 273rd consecutive start. All-Pro left guard Steve Hutchinson is listed as questionable with a back injury.
LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal made their first public appearance together as Cleveland teammates. Delonte West stayed out of sight. The Cavaliers' troubled guard, who is dealing with personal problems as well as legal issues pending from a recent arrest on weapons charges, was kept away from Cleveland's intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, a workout that served as the Cavaliers'…
Posted by: Wavey Willie
Civil rights Jesse Jackson and Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan are attending the funeral of a Chicago teen beaten to death on his way home from school.
Farrakhan on Saturday called 16-year-old Derrion Albert “a special young man.” Jackson said “children deserve safe passage to school.”
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Wyclef Jean and The Timberland Co. are teaming up to sell eco-friendly footwear and support reforestation of the singer’s native Haiti.
Posted by: BlogXilla
Is there anything going on at Fashion Week in Paris right now, except for Rihanna? If there is, I sure haven’t noticed, since her eye-catching outfits have been so distracting, it’s all I seem to be noticing.
Filed under: Music, Movies, Television, News, Celeb Updates
TLC CrazySexyCool
News is spreading like wildfire about TLC singer T-Boz‘s revelation that she battled a brain tumor.
The 39-year-old Grammy Award winner told People magazine that she waged that battle in secret for three years.
In the Oct. 12 edition of the magazine, she revealed having a seven-hour surgical procedure back in 2006 during which doctors peeled the tumor away from the brain stem.
The divorced single mother of one said she was battling the tumor during her stint on Donald Trump‘s popular reality competition ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ but didn’t want to make it known to the public. “I didn’t want pity. I was there to help sick children.”
On the most recent season of the series, which was won by comedienne Joan Rivers, T-Boz (born Tionne Watkins) competed to help raise funds for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia. As a child, she was diagnosed with the lifelong blood disorder.
Named one of the “50 Most Beautiful People” by the magazine in 1994 and 2000, T-Boz said that people are “shocked” when she tells them the news, but added “I won’t let you feel sorry for me.”
So there may be more to the hype of Mo’Nique sabotaging her big chance at being nominated for an Academy Award for her much-buzzed about role in the Oprah Winfrey/Tyler Perry-produced movie, ‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.’ There may actually be a smear campaign in place so that another one of the film’s co-star can capitalize on any negative press that the former ‘Showtime at the Apollo’ hostess endures. Yes, Mo’Nique hasn’t been available at glitzy film festivals touting the film, but sources tell us that the married mother of three has been prioritizing getting her new late-night show – which debuts Oct. 5 on BET – off the ground. We don’t know the promises that were made to her by the filmmakers of ‘Precious,’ but there may be some validity to her high demands. As for the Hollywood Reporter story about publicist Tresa Sanders resigning due to Mo’Nique’s difficulty, that’s not true. Sanders, who has help launch the careers of Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, Keyshia Cole, and handled publicity for Da Brat, Mary J. Blige, Pretty Ricky and Nelly Furtado, said Roger Friedman ‘s report is not accurate. “Contrary to the rumors, I did not quit,” she said. “Mo’Nique is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. It was an honor to work with her and to get to know her as a human being. She’s at a point in her life where her achievements should be heralded.”
If renowned civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is the new lover in actress LisaRaye McCoy Misick‘s life, no one seems to be talking. Well, at least not anyone from their respective camps. Queries made to McCoy Misick‘s off-and-on publicist Lynn Allen Jeter have gone unanswered. Meanwhile, Sharpton’s longtime rep, Rachel Noerdlinger, told us: “Since Rev. Sharpton publicly announced the end of his marriage in 2004, he has chosen not to comment on personal matters.”
But insiders have seen the “couple” painting the town since the 42-year-old former first Lady of Turks and Caicos accompanied Sharpton to Michael Jackson‘s September memorial service. Tongues have wagged. Natasha Eubanks of the black celebrity gossip Web site Young, Black Fabulous put the alleged affair on blast earlier this week, saying that “Lisa knows she’s not getting onto any of these ‘society and political’ events without a man who could bring her along. She’s also starved for attention from the media–surprise, surprise–so Al is her ‘in’ into that world.” Wowza.
Looks like people are loving ‘The Cleveland Show.’ The Black-oriented spin-off of FOX’s animated romp ‘The Family Guy’ drew the best numbers among adults between the ages of 18-49 during its Sunday night debut. According to Nielsen, the animated series – featuring the voice of Tony Award and Emmy Award-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan — was the second-best overall behind the premieres of the much-hyped ‘Jay Leno Show‘ two weeks ago. And rapper Kanye West didn’t even have to shed a tear.
Late, great author E. Lynn Harris‘ latest book, ‘Mama Dearest,’ has debuted on the New York Times Best Seller List. According to the tome’s publisher, Karen Hunter, the book will land at number 15 on the prestigious list next week. ‘Mama Dearest’ follows the scandal and drama of a singer/actress and her recently imprisoned mother. Harris died unexpectedly on July 23. The new novel is his 11th book to chart on the best-sellers list, and there may be more where that comes from. According to unconfirmed reports, seven unpublished manuscripts written by the groundbreaking author have been recovered from his computer’s hard drive. Computer forensic experts reportedly were able to locate and open password-protected files that were found on Harris’s personal laptop.
6/1/09: Minnie Riperton
A very fitting homage will be paid to late, great songbird Minnie Riperton when a new batch of the acclaimed TV One docu-series ‘Unsung’ hits the small screen this month. Best known for her signature ballad ‘Lovin’ You,’ the Chicago-born singer/songwriter’s career and life were cut short after a three-year battle with breast cancer in the late 1970s. After Riperton’s cancer diagnosis, she went public instead of retreating, serving as a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. . She was only 31 years old when she died at the prime of her career. ‘Unsung’ premieres June 7 at 8 PM ET, repeating at 11 PM, as well as Thursday, June 11 at 10 PM and Friday, June 12 at noon and midnight.
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6/1/09: Grace Jones
The one and only Grace Jones has been tapped to perform live at the ‘We Love’ festival in Ibiza on Aug. 9. For the first time ever, the ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ singer will grace the Spanish island’s celebrated summer concert series, as part of the Wall Of Sound recording company’s 15th anniversary. Last year, festival organizers bought The Chemical Brothers back to the Ibiza after a ten-year hiatus. This year, they are ready for Amazing Grace, who recently released a new music project titled ‘Hurricane’ on the United Kingdom based label. “We are putting on a line-up to inspire and one that will take all lucky enough to be there on a journey they will never ever forget,” Wall of Sound founder Mark Jones said.
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5/28/09: Chaka Khan
Fresh from a headlining gig at the 2009 St Lucia Jazz Festival, Chaka Khan is ready to take on the nation’s capital. The 10-time Grammy Award winning diva will fill in for previously announce headliner Natalie Cole, who is recovering from a live saving kidney transplant surgery, at ‘The 18th Annual Capital Jazz Fest’ running June 5 – June 7. The ‘I Feel For You’ chanteuse will join a slew of noted musical acts at the lovely wooded setting of Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. According to a spokesperson for the event, the line-up includes performances by Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, George Duke, Al Jarreau, Lalah Hathaway, Fourplay, Norman Brown, Roy Ayers, Will Downing, Kirk Whalum, Pieces of a Dream with special guest Phil Perry, Guitars & Saxes (f/ Jeff Lorber, Euge Groove, Jeff Golub and lady saxophone newcomer Jessy J) , Regina Belle, Marion Meadows and trumpeter Joey Sommerville.
AFP/Getty Images
5/28/09: Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash will be honored with the Living Legend award at the Urban Music Awards USA 2009, set to be held at New York City’s Highline Ballroom on July 17. According to a spokesperson for the event, more than 175,000 music fans across the world have voted online for the hip hop veteran to receive the honor. “Flash is an absolute legend and he remains an inspiration to the hip hop culture all together by flying the flag from its inception to the success it has become today,” said Jordan Kensington, who is the C.E.O of Invincible Group & Founder of the Urban Music Awards. Nominees for the inaugural awards show include Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, Bobby Valentino, M.I.A, Day 26, The Dream, Estelle, Kat de Luna, Akon, Kanye West, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo and Eminem.
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5/21/09: Jay-Z
Despite stepping down from his Def Jam presidency in late 2007, hip hop mogul Jay-Z has finally left the label as an artist. Rumors started surfacing online that the platinum-selling lyricist, who owed the label one last album, brought himself out of his contract for $5 million. “I can honestly say, working with Doug Morris and LA Reid has been a unique and fulfilling experience and I respect them immensely,” he revealed to hip hop site Rap Radar. “I’ve been in the family for almost my entire career. Doug and I spoke directly and had one of the most unique ‘negotiations’ ever…I thank him for allowing me to be a completely independent artist. Not every artist can say they own or are given the opportunity to own all of their music.”
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5/19/09: Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige recently expanded her brand by signing with The William Morris Agency. According to Variety, the diversified entertainment agency, which also represents Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Prince (to name a few), will assist the Queen of Hip Hop Soul in all areas of her career including the expansion of her entertainment company, Matriarch Entertainment. This fall the Queen of Hip Hop Soul will make her feature film debut in Tyler Perry‘s ‘I Can Do Bad All by Myself,’ scheduled to hit theaters September 11. She can be heard in the trailers for the Oprah Winfrey-presented drama ‘Precious,’ due out in November.
Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
5/19/09: The Dream
Following in the veins of fellow hip hop stars DMX and Tupac Shakur, singer-songwriter The Dream is planning on releasing his second album of 2009 entitled, ‘Love King.’ The R&B crooner, who recently released his certified gold album ‘Love vs. Money’ in March, revealed to Billboard magazine that he already has seven songs in the can and expects the album to hit stores in December. “I have to pace myself ’cause there’s so much time between here and then,” he said, “but the seven records I do have are timeless records. Whether they come out now or later it’s not really going to matter what kind of records they are.” In between recording sessions for ‘Love King,’ fans can now catch The Dream on tour with Keyshia Cole.
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5/19/09: The Whispers
After releasing classic hits such as ‘In The Mood’ and ‘Rock Steady,’R&B stalwarts The Whispers are set to release their first gospel album on Kingdom Records. Grammy Award-winning gospel star Fred Hammond is expected to produce a bulk of the tracks. “We’ve been wanting to do this for ten years,” explained founding member Nick Caldwell. “God has been really, really good to the Whispers. He was looking out for us even when we were ignoring Him. He allowed us to live long enough to do this inspirational CD that we want to use to inspire people to get closer to God.” The as-yet-untitled anticipated album is tentatively scheduled for release later this year.
5/19/09: Mariah Carey
On May 23, Mariah Carey is set to perform a one-hour set at the opening of the most expensive resort in Europe, The Mardan. Carey alongside legendary British soul singer Tom Jones will reportedly be paid £1 million each to perform at the exclusive £926 million Turkey development, which features five acres of fresh water swimming pools and a sunken aquarium. Actress Sharon Stone and Paul McCartney are among the many guests invited to the 560 room hotel opening.
Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
5/19/09: Will Downing
Overcoming his bout with the muscle disorder Polymyositis, Will Downing has set the stage to release is latest musical offering, ‘Classique.’ The balladeer’s 14th album and second Peak Records project features his signature baritone vocals over 10 smooth-sensual tracks. Vocalist Phil Perry joins the ‘After Tonight’ singer for Marvin Gaye penned ‘Baby I’m for Real.’ Other album highlights include ‘Love Suggestions,’ ‘More Time,’ ‘Something Special’ and Barry White‘s classic hit ‘I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby.’ ‘Classique’ hit stores June 16.
Verve
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Posted by: BlogXilla
Frankie, Neffe, Elite, and Solo, came out last night to give their love and support to JD for the Georgia flood victims… Frankie keep her word and stayed away from all the drinks, but still knew how to have a good time.. While their I caught a glimpse of her new boo who’s name was not given but I was told he’s only 21… I told yall she like that young meat….
The Minnesota Twins have wanted out of the Metrodome for years. They're playing as if they want to stay a little longer. Jeff Manship's first major league win was well-timed for the Twins, who got a grand slam from Delmon Young and hung on for a 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night that cut Detroit's AL Central lead to one game.
Jake Peavy delivered the kind of performance the Detroit Tigers desperately need. Peavy delayed Detroit's chance to move closer to the AL Central title, pitching the Chicago White Sox past the slumping Tigers 8-0 Friday night. Detroit's lead was cut to one game by Minnesota, which beat Kansas City 10-7.
If you’re one of the few unlucky ones who need more than just a facial cream to get rid of acne, then you might just have to work harder for it. This is because acne happens within your body but only exhibited outside, you must counter attack it inside …
J.R. Smith is pledging more maturity this season, a promise he's made in the past. The sharp-shooting Denver Nuggets guard realizes that some will believe it, while some will remain skeptical. That's fine with him. He knows he's changed. It's been a sobering offseason for the 24-year-old Smith, who spent 24 days in a New Jersey correctional facility after pleading guilty to reckless…
Posted by: Wavey Willie
Jon and Kate no more. Jon is already on the prowl and registered on the most popular dating website.
Filed under: Personal Finance, Dr. Boyce Money
Most of us know about “baby mama drama,” since some of that drama may occur within your own home. What is also forgotten is that there is a huge emotional and financial toll taken by the mating and dating choices that we make early in life. Having multiple children is expensive enough, but having multiple children in multiple households leads to a peculiar mix of unpredictable and complex psychological variables which may impact your ability to find peace and happiness.In this episode of “Financial Lovemaking,” S. Tia Brown and I discuss the art of managing multiple households and all the responsibilities that come with it. Here are some quick pointers on financial responsibility when dealing with and avoiding “baby mama drama.”
1) Don’t create the drama in the first place. I tell my daughters that if you don’t think someone would be a good parent for your children, you shouldn’t sleep with them. In fact, you shouldn’t even go on the first date. This may sound far-fetched, but how many young parents go on a date with someone they just planned to “kick it with”, only to find their children being raised by the ignorant fool that they knew they should never have messed with from the beginning? Those who are not intelligent about their dating and mating choices early in life can end up with a lifetime of incredibly expensive child support. These huge financial obligations will virtually obliterate your ability to have another family or reach your personal financial objectives.
2) Realize that there is no substitute for time. Some parents are tempted into believing that sending a big check is a replacement for spending time with their children. This is ultimately incorrect. Your kids are going to remember the time you did or did not spend, not how much money you sent.
3) Create a budget. If you have a long list of parental obligations, make sure you keep a carefully designed budget and stick to it. You may also want to consider the fact that having a bunch of kids in multiple households is going to require you to have massive earning potential. I paid 18 years of child support myself, and I honestly think I spent enough money to fund NASA and the United Negro College Fund. Although I adopted kids later in life (I believe it takes a village to raise a child and black men should be willing to step up to do this), I was at least smart enough to avoid another pregnancy. I have made many mistakes in my life, but I usually only make them one time.
4) Don’t play favorites. Emphasize to your children the importance of making sure you treat them all the same. How you deal with your kids will have a lasting impact on them into adulthood. You can’t guarantee that they are going to believe that you were fair (there’s always one who thinks the others were treated better), but you can at least do your best to avoid this problem.
5) Realize that it takes two to Tango. You didn’t create the baby by yourself, so you should ensure that the non-custodial parent has an opportunity to spend time with his/her children – in fact, you should demand it, even if the kids aren’t interested. As much as black men get a bad rap for not wanting to see their children (sometimes rightfully so), there are thousands of fathers across America who’ve been victimized by mothers who want money, but don’t see the significance of influencing the children to spend time with their father. They are his children too, remember that, and if you are speaking negatively about the father when the kids are around, you should realize the long-term damage you are doing to your own offspring. Children should be targets of our love and affection, not possessions to be used as a source of power – think about that when you use the words “MY kids” when speaking with the other person who created them.
The episode is below, check it out!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
Houston Texans rookie tight end Anthony Hill was hospitalized this week with swine flu in the first confirmed case in an NFL player this season. Hill is the only player on the team believed to have swine flu and other players are being monitored, Texans vice president of communications Tony Wyllie said Friday.
Kyle Boller will make his first start at quarterback for the St. Louis Rams on Sunday as Marc Bulger rests his injured shoulder. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said Friday that if Bulger dresses for the game, it will be as the third quarterback. Rookie Keith Null will be the backup. Bulger did not throw during Friday's practice and is listed as questionable for the game at NFC West rival San Francisco…
Gilbert Arenas took part in five-on-five halfcourt drills at Washington Wizards practice on Friday after sitting out scrimmages the previous two days. Wizards first-year coach Flip Saunders says the oft-injured Arenas has taken part in just about everything during training camp but a dislocated finger sidelined him for the scrimmages.
Updates from Capitol Hill
Filed under: Personal Finance, Dr. Boyce Money
The other day, I caught up with Fenorris Pearson, CEO of Global Consumer Innovations. Fenorris is not only a highly successful entrepreneur, he was also one of the youngest Vice Presidents at Dell Computer and a highly successful speaker in the African American community.
When asked about the keys to success, he points to a quote by Madam CJ Walker, the first female millionaire in American history.
Here is what Walker had to say:
“I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations….I have built my own factory on my own ground.”
National Negro Business League Convention, July 1912
What’s the lesson from Madam Walker’s quote?The lesson from Walker’s experience is that when she thought like a laborer, she earned the wages of a laborer. When she began to think like an owner, that is when she opened the door for true wealth.
Mr. Pearson spoke this week at the Congressional Black Caucus Event alongside the Honorable Barbara Lee, a Democratic Congresswoman from California. In the seminar, Fenorris uses his experience as an entrepreneur and corporate titan to make the following points:
1) 95% of all new businesses eventually fail. In order to have a different set of outcomes, you must engage in a different set of activities. In order to ensure that you are not part of the other 95%, you should be fully committed, willing to take a few calculated risks, and do an extraordinary amount of planning in order to make your business succeed. You should also expect the unexpected – you never know what it’s like to run a company until you’ve done it.
2) Most of these business fail for the following reasons: Lack of access to capital, poor management, expanding too quickly or starting the business for all the wrong reasons. Pearson argues that many of these problems can be avoided if a company engages in proper planning and organizational strategies. One of the things I’ve noticed is that you can’t run a large company the way you once ran a smaller one. Many black entrepreneurs run into challenges as their companies grow, because they have not gotten used to the idea of delegation. Once your business reaches a certain size, you should find ways to share the more trivial tasks with others so you can focus on the more important objectives. A billionaire once said to me, “Running a company is not a matter of what you do, it is what you get others to do that actually matters.”
3) There are ways to avoid this kind of failure. With his company, Global Consumer Innovations, Inc., Pearson teaches business owners how to avoid the common causes of small business failure. He argues that by using specific steps toward proper product innovation and market delivery, a firm can find itself in a strong position in its chosen market.
When starting a business, the bottom line is this: The truest path toward wealth creation and social power within the black community is not through politics. The path to power is economic prosperity, combined with a conscientious desire to improve the plight of those around you. True activism is not achieved through charity and personal freedom is not achieved by hoping for it. By thinking like an owner and having a willingness to take intelligent risk, you can achieve your wildest economic dreams.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University, a prominent black speaker and author of the forthcoming book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.