Successful Black Men in BGOL

CLAP CLAP CLAP:yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

First child born of two Jamaican immigrant parents in the 70's. Grew up with a severe stuttering problem. Had to take speech therapy for 6 years. Grade 7 had to walk 1.5 hrs to get to school because the principal had me kicked off the school bus for defending my Sister from a white boy.

Well now have a Degree in Business, a Master Certificate in Strategic Alliances and Network Administration Diploma.

Worked at Big Blue IBM and in 2002 was named ibm.com Software Sales reps of the year. Been in the IT, Telecom, Distribution and Transportation Industries. Have managed accounts such as Walmart, Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CitiFinancial, Nestle, RIM and Barrick Gold.

Now, I run my own company. I'm a Corporate Social Responsibility & Youth Marketing Consultant - specializing in International Business & Entrepreneurship training for Young people. Have done business in Toronto, Beijing, Botswana, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Caribbean. Still have a long way to go, every day making more progress.

I have been able to forge partnerships with other small businesses in Kenya, Botswana and China where we help each other win clients around the world.

Lucky enough to be mentored by 4 great Black men and 2 Great Black Women. They guide me and keep my track.

Also, mentor a lot of young blacks about life, career and making proper choices. I am most proud of the young people who have trusted my advice. Have helped about 45 young brothers over the past 2 years get out of gangs and follow their dreams in a legitimate fields. No money can replace that feeling of making a difference.

Keep up it Brothers!!!!!!!!! Reading these stories keeps me going! :yes::yes:
 
Started out in the hood in Philly, grew up in NC, first in the fam to graduate from college (a big name public university at that), and now I've teamed up with this older white guy to revamp a print and promotional products company and getting a share of the company. Hard work pays off. Fuck luck.
 
Graduated with a B.S. in Political Science in 2005.

Worked for a year and half as a legislative analyst for the Florida State Senate Democratic Office until political turnover crept in and ousted me since I had the least amount of experience, though I was doing a better job then most who were there for years.

Decided that no time was better to start on my collegiate goal of going to law school since I couldn't find employment and last August entered my first year of law school.

Now I am a Juris Doctorate Candidate for May 2010.


So, how did it go? Did you pass?
 
3D computer graphics film producer. so I wll say I beat that goal but now I would like to break into 200K per project.

It's 3 years since I originally posted on this on this thread. It good to look back and I am happy to say,
I passed my 200k mark this year but not per project (one year). wow! ;-) I want to hit a million next.
 
I said I want going to participate in this thread but I'm bored waiting on this plane

B.S. Behavioral science
MECP certificated

Started off doing special ed testing and placement in public schools and in the summers doing aftermarket automotive installs which then turned into a full time thing when I opened up a garage. Did that for a minute got tired of it,(I hate physical labor) did auto sales for a quick minute til one day this kat walked in with a 10k check from selling phones. Quit that week got hired at a gte wireless chain, blew up big, said I could do this better then the people I was working for. I quit and signed up to be a sub agent for a few carriers and worked out of the house doing sales and biz-to-biz with 4 outside salespeople.

A year after doing that opened up my first set of karts and kiosks around NE Ohio selling alltel, cingular, sprint, and verizon, expanding from there until I dropped the karts and grad up to actual stores. after 2 years I changed to an exclusive verizon agent. Did thar for a while expanding then I bought out a company who couldn't sell tmobile in the carolinas so I bought out his stores, took a loss for a minute due to launch delays but I sold my verizon stores in ohio for a mil+ and merged with another company to become a partner for the carolina stores and our expansion into other places. So now its just really not doing much of anything. I did open up an alltel kiosk in nc under the mrs. name though just to see how it would go and to pass the boredom.

All that I used to start up everything initially was 3500 bucks


A million bgol bucks go a long way huh


:lol: I would give you props but you forfeited that a while ago.
 
I remember this thread. Good read.

Still fighting that glass ceiling at my job, but have managed to get through all the supervisor training and experience. My sector is one of the few that's booming right now so if they don't kick in the extra cash, it won't be hard moving to another employer.

Had to back away from the youth center work. Hood cat's have a hard time keeping their mind focused on the positive.
 
Resigned 6 figure job and moved out to silicon valley to become an entrepreneur.

It's hard motivating people with jobs to form partnerships with, comfort is a hell of a thing.

Doing some software development including location based mobile apps.

Networking like crazy too.

About to go to another meetup (www.meetup.com)


Will come back with updates.....


:D
 
I said I want going to participate in this thread but I'm bored waiting on this plane

B.S. Behavioral science
MECP certificated

Started off doing special ed testing and placement in public schools and in the summers doing aftermarket automotive installs which then turned into a full time thing when I opened up a garage. Did that for a minute got tired of it,(I hate physical labor) did auto sales for a quick minute til one day this kat walked in with a 10k check from selling phones. Quit that week got hired at a gte wireless chain, blew up big, said I could do this better then the people I was working for. I quit and signed up to be a sub agent for a few carriers and worked out of the house doing sales and biz-to-biz with 4 outside salespeople.

A year after doing that opened up my first set of karts and kiosks around NE Ohio selling alltel, cingular, sprint, and verizon, expanding from there until I dropped the karts and grad up to actual stores. after 2 years I changed to an exclusive verizon agent. Did thar for a while expanding then I bought out a company who couldn't sell tmobile in the carolinas so I bought out his stores, took a loss for a minute due to launch delays but I sold my verizon stores in ohio for a mil+ and merged with another company to become a partner for the carolina stores and our expansion into other places. So now its just really not doing much of anything. I did open up an alltel kiosk in nc under the mrs. name though just to see how it would go and to pass the boredom.

All that I used to start up everything initially was 3500 bucks

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I've seen this photo before. Excellent work brother!!!


I just returned to college after dropping out of Howard years ago. I have worked as both a design assistant and production manager for two successful fashion labels on seventh ave. I then went into educational sales till I eventually realized I had went as far as I could go. Now in my early 40's, I am back in college training to become a surgical technologist in one the nations top twenty programs for that field. I am also venturing into politics with support of the local Democratic party club prospecting a possible rum for state senator out to confront the aged Republican status quo.

*Edit* I just wanted to add that while I hope what I am doing inspires the youth,I want it to inspire the older bros, who may think they are just too old to make changes. Hopefully you all have a lot more life to live-prepare!
 
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Resigned 6 figure job and moved out to silicon valley to become an entrepreneur.

It's hard motivating people with jobs to form partnerships with, comfort is a hell of a thing.

Doing some software development including location based mobile apps.

Networking like crazy too.

About to go to another meetup (www.meetup.com)


Will come back with updates.....


:D

Good stuff here.

Ph.D. in Computer Engineering hoping to make a similar move soon. Currently building some partnerships with like minded alumni and colleagues and trying to mature some concepts.
 
Damn...don't see how I missed this thread but subscribed.Very good reading something positive for once.
My story:
I was fortunate to have 2 parents that were involved and my dad made middle class money.The negative was that my mom is an abusive alcoholic weedhead with mental issues.As a kid I always got into trouble.Not TOO major but fought alot and was very sensitive.One early turning point for me was in 9th grade my parents told me they wanted me to take a test for a Catholic High School out here.I had big plans of going to Skyline(Public school out here) and running that shit with my notorious cousin and friends from my neighborhood.To make a long story short, I planned on flunking the test on purpose but didn't want my parents to think I was dumb so passed it and ended up going.That school saved my life.It was about 30 dudes I planned on kicking it with at Skyline and none of them graduated. :smh:
I went to college with no direction and bullshitted doing just enough to get by. By chance I took a Fire test and scored high.To help get hired it was suggested that I go to Fire Academy.I dropped out of College and did Fire Academy which was the HARDEST thing i'd ever done to that point.After that, I was focused.Now ive been a Firefighter for over 10 years and promoted.California is the highest paid state for Firefighters and many departments in the Bay Area start you off around 100K.With OT you can easily make 120-150K.Because of the pay, its competitive as fuck with 2000 applicants for 20 jobs.Im proud to say that i've mentored 17 bruthas to career firefighters.Its sad though because i've tried with around 50 but alot quit before a year.
Im also involved with a big brother program and own some lucrative real estate property.My advice to young cats is to find something they want to do,make a plan and follow that plan.It sounds simple,but hardly no Americans do it.All of my friends that blindly went to college are working BS jobs.Their goal was just to finish college instead of a specific career.Other people want something specific but don't make a plan to achieve it. An example of that is a chick I dated that wanted to open a Boutique so she got an MBA. :confused: Now she is straddled in debt with no entrepreneurial experience, no money, and no borrowing power. :smh: However I know a successful club owner who worked years behind the scenes bartending,working the door and managing clubs so he had experience to formulate a plan for his own club which is successful.Another friend of mine is a highly successful doctor who went to Junior College,was a priority for the UC system,went to UC Berkeley, med school,and now successful.He knew what he wanted to do early,formulated a plan,followed it and achieved it.
 
Damn...don't see how I missed this thread but subscribed.Very good reading something positive for once.
My story:
I was fortunate to have 2 parents that were involved and my dad made middle class money.The negative was that my mom is an abusive alcoholic weedhead with mental issues.As a kid I always got into trouble.Not TOO major but fought alot and was very sensitive.One early turning point for me was in 9th grade my parents told me they wanted me to take a test for a Catholic High School out here.I had big plans of going to Skyline(Public school out here) and running that shit with my notorious cousin and friends from my neighborhood.To make a long story short, I planned on flunking the test on purpose but didn't want my parents to think I was dumb so passed it and ended up going.That school saved my life.It was about 30 dudes I planned on kicking it with at Skyline and none of them graduated. :smh:
I went to college with no direction and bullshitted doing just enough to get by. By chance I took a Fire test and scored high.To help get hired it was suggested that I go to Fire Academy.I dropped out of College and did Fire Academy which was the HARDEST thing i'd ever done to that point.After that, I was focused.Now ive been a Firefighter for over 10 years and promoted.California is the highest paid state for Firefighters and many departments in the Bay Area start you off around 100K.With OT you can easily make 120-150K.Because of the pay, its competitive as fuck with 2000 applicants for 20 jobs.Im proud to say that i've mentored 17 bruthas to career firefighters.Its sad though because i've tried with around 50 but alot quit before a year.
Im also involved with a big brother program and own some lucrative real estate property.My advice to young cats is to find something they want to do,make a plan and follow that plan.It sounds simple,but hardly no Americans do it.All of my friends that blindly went to college are working BS jobs.Their goal was just to finish college instead of a specific career.Other people want something specific but don't make a plan to achieve it. An example of that is a chick I dated that wanted to open a Boutique so she got an MBA. :confused: Now she is straddled in debt with no entrepreneurial experience, no money, and no borrowing power. :smh: However I know a successful club owner who worked years behind the scenes bartending,working the door and managing clubs so he had experience to formulate a plan for his own club which is successful.Another friend of mine is a highly successful doctor who went to Junior College,was a priority for the UC system,went to UC Berkeley, med school,and now successful.He knew what he wanted to do early,formulated a plan,followed it and achieved it.



Good stuff........


:yes::yes::yes:
 
Not highly educated here just an AA degree. Worked in a blue-collar trade for 25 years as an Operating Engineer (Heavy Equipment Operator) which also involves surveying -- which I gravitated to since I was a math whiz. Made a lot of $$ over the 25 yrs -- invested in California real estate and in blue chip stocks -- Travelers -- Wal-Mart --IBM -- ATT -- Caterpillar etc -- when all were dirt cheap. Sitting on a nice portfolio of rental properties and stocks. Retired at 49 -- to manage my properties.

Rental properties legally shield your income from Uncle Sam as they always show a paper loss
( even though you have positive cash flow) which lowers or zeroes out your tax liability. I legally stopped paying income taxes many years ago. I know it sounds crazy but talk to any good CPA -- he will break it down for you.

Many brothers overlook the trades -- Operating Engineer -- plumbing -- pipefitting -- carpentry etc etc in pursuit of advanced degrees -- which are OK -- but there is a lot of $$ to made as a blue-collar worker. My grandfather once told me -- "it is not how much $$ you make -- but how much $$ you can invest and save. That advice is still good.
 
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