Black Enterprise back issues from September 2007:
Franchisee stumbling blocks.(WEB FEATURES)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Find out about the fine print that stumped some of our franchise owners. Successful owners share tales of the blunders they faced ...
News with a perspective.(WEB FEATURES)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Visit BlackEnterprise.com for insightful weekly columns. Editor-at Large Sakina Spruell answers visitor's questions about building wealth in her personal finance column. Hollywood insider George Alexander keeps readers ...
Declaring war on mediocrity.(publisher's page)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Not so long ago, blackparents drilled into their children the importance of pursuing excellence, doing one's best, as a key weapon in overcoming economic disadvantage, social inequities, injustice, and discrimination. We were taught that as black people, we had to be twice as good to get ...
Taking care of business.(About This Issue)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Our September issue traditionally names the Corporate Executive of the Year; this year we highlight the accomplishments of Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA, who turned business around for the quick-service restaurant giant, showing us that there are no limits to what African ...
Top cities criteria lacking.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... I think that the "Top 10 Cities for African Americans," (May 2007) was less valuable without the element of religion. We all know that, as a culture, God is foremost in many of our lives. So leaving out cities that have a good base of black churches--or at least not exploring how black ...
Cities info for all.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... THE PERSONAL STORIES FROM VARIOUS FAMILY sizes and ages (in "Top 10 Cities for African Americans," May 2007) were an invitation to all. The information given will help African Americans become more aware of their environment and its possibilities. The content of the research will steer us ...
Encouraged through a transition.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... I JUST GOT MY MAY ISSUE OF BE AND I AM SO APPRECIATIVE and inspired. Right now, I am at a low point financially, yet I am still excited and eager to get back on my feet. Currently, I am on a layoff status and receiving unemployment benefits. But the awesome news is that I was offered the ...
Investing in us.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... MR. GRAVES, YOUR CALL TO TAKE BACK OUR RACE (Publisher's Page, June 2007) can be accomplished by building the black economy. We can build the black economy by pooling our money into an investment corporation. Let's use our ...
An honorable profession.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... As I read "25 Things You Need to Know" in the June 2007 issue, I came across an item that made me want to point out something BE editors and readers should know. In the item about tipping, the term "masseuse" was used. Most professionals who provide massages in a legitimate and therapeutic ...
Inside knowledge.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IT WAS TO READ YOUR COVER PIECE, "BOB Johnson's Second Act," in the June 2007 issue. It was an honor to learn the thoughts of a billionaire who is also a black man. I would like to commend Executive Editor Derek T. Dingle on a great interview with very provocative ...
Inspired gratitude.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... I HAVE BEEN A LONGTIME subscriber, and your June 2007 issue has reaffirmed why this is so. Your feature on serial entrepreneur and billionaire mogul Robert L. Johnson, who has been my sole inspiration throughout my years as an aspiring entrepreneur, has reinvigorated my endeavor to follow ...
Bad wealth? No wealth.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... AS I QUIETLY BEGAN TO READ THE Publisher's Page in the July issue (Choose Wealth, Choose Health, For Life) a broad smile began to form on my face. I agree with Mr. Graves 100%. I have encountered many business owners that have spent more money on healthcare "fixing" health problems, than ...
Hell or paradise?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... I WAS DISMAYED TO BEAD JUAN GRAY'S response trashing your article identifying Jacksonville, Florida, as a great city for African Americans (Letters, August 2007). It is no small wonder that his civil rights organization gets no respect since they are mired in the past. I think he ...
African Americans near and far.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Sep 01, 2007; ... I HAVE BEEN READING BLACK ENTERPRISE off and on for 20 years and enjoy the many positive stories about African Americans. However, I have a special request. There are very few stories about successful African Americans who live in Washington State, the Upper Rockies, and Alaska. My wife ...
Correction.(Correction notice)
Sep 01, 2007 ... In "Host Stocks, Cool Prices," (Moneywise, August 2007), the ticker ...
Fight over school segregation intensifies: new Supreme Court integration ruling another blow to 1954 Brown ruling.(WASHINGTON REPORT)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IN JUNE, IN A RULING THAT THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE Fund said was an assault on "any and all efforts to address racial inequality," the Supreme Court found race-based school assignment plans implemented in Louisville, Kentucky, and Seattle unconstitutional. Four justices concurred with Chief ...
Takeover of Independence Bank: white shareholder holds the future for institution.(B.E. 100s)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... THE DAYS OF INDEPENDENCE federal Savings Bank (No. 14 on the BE BANKS list with $161 million in assets) as one of the nation's largest black-owned banks may be numbered. Morton Bender, a white shareholder who now owns 21% of the historically black institution, has received authority to ...
A $16 million win for the little guy: grocery store owner defeats major wholesaler.(BUSINESS NEWS)
Sep 01, 2007; ... JONATHAN F. "JOHNNY" JOHNSON, OWNER OF THE Community Pride supermarket chain, may have fallen from the ranks of the BE 100s, but he has recently bagged good fortune. In June, a Richmond, Virginia, circuit court jury reached a verdict that giant food-industry wholesaler Supervalu Inc ....
Peebles to break ground in sin city: but $2.5 billion Las Vegas complex will not host gaming.(B.E. 100s)(R. DONAHUE PEEBLES)
Sep 01, 2007; ... R. DONAHUE PEEBLES IS SPENDING $1.6 BILLION TO BUILD Las Palmas, a new Las Vegas hotel and condominium complex that will he worth $2.5 billion when finished. Las Palmas will be the largest real estate project ever developed and owned in the United States by an African American as well as ...
Louisiana congressman indicted: faces 200 years on fraud and conspiracy charges.(WASHINGTON REPORT)(Rep. William Jefferson)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IN EARLY JUNE, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BROUGHT FEDERAL charges against Rep. William Jefferson a Democrat serving the 2nd District of Louisiana. Should the 16 charges against Jefferson stick, the Harvard-trained lawyer could land in jail for more than 200 years. Among the ...
What is it worth to you? Blacks pay the consequences of smoking in more ways than one.(FACTS & FIGURES)(Table)
Sep 01, 2007; ... THE NO. 1 THREAT TO AFRICAN AMERICANS IS NOT HIV/AIDS, murder, or drug and alcohol abuse--it's smoking. According to Pathways to Freedom: Winning the Fight Against Tobacco. a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking-related complications are responsible ...
Pay me now: dividend-paving stocks can help protect your porfolio if the market takes a turn.(INVESTMENT STRATEGIES)
Sep 01, 2007; ... THE OCCASIONAL ROAD BUMP IS TO BE EXPECTED, AND that's exactly what investors have been getting lately. While the market continues to edge upward, overall it's been a pattern of setting new records, followed by periodic retreats. Take what happened in early July: Jitters over the rising ...
World explorer: portfolio manager Marcus L. Smith has a method to selecting stocks from around the globe.(STOCK PICKS)(Interview)(Table)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Dow crosses 14,000." "Nasdaq hits six-year high." "Lately it would be hard to say that the headlines from Wall Street could look much better, so why would you look abroad for investments? Well, the numbers tell the story. Over time, stock markets outside off the U.S. have done quite well ...
Material gains: copper pays off for Terry Bedford.(STOCK UPDATE)(Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc)(Table)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... SO MUCH FOR A 12-MONTH PRICE TARGET. BACK IN our March issue, Terry Bedford, president of Hamilton, Ontario-based Bedford & Associates Research Group, made an aggressive call when he said shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) would climb from $51 to $90 within 12 to 18 ...
A full-bodied plan: how one Atlanta doctor is making sure her retirement dreams become reality.(RETIREMENT PLANNING)
Sep 01, 2007; ... When it comes to wine, Kamela Coleman likes fruity and sweet, something along the lines of a Viognier--a white varietal that's best with fruits and desserts. As she's stocking her 700-bottle cellar, Coleman is keeping her eye out for this particular vintage. Wine isn't the only ...
Target date funds: is there such a thing as a worry-free investment?(MUTUAL FUND FOCUS)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Some folks love to fuss over their retirement nest eggs. They follow the stock market like hawks, scope out hot sectors, tweak their holdings, and check theft balances before hitting the pillow every night. But many Americans just don't have the time, confidence, or, let's face it, the ...
Don't panic.(MONEY MATTERS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... QA My husband and I both have a 401(k) and we were thinking about borrowing from one of these accounts to prepay for our son's education, who is 14. Do you think that would be a good investment considering the rising cost of education? --P. Smith and F. Smith ...
Making the grade: test-prep company helps students score big.(MAKING IT)(test-preparation)
Sep 01, 2007; ... EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF PROSPECTIVE POST-SECONDARY students take entrance exams--ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT--seeking admission to the nation's top educational institutions. For these academic aspirants, obtaining a high test score is a must. "Test preparation is an imperative ...
Office watch: deciding to install computer-monitoring software is no longer a tricky decision.(MANAGEMENT ADVICE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Big Brother may be watching. To increase employee productivity and combat online loafing in the workplace, employers are arming their companies with computer-monitoring software to track usage. "I an see an advantage in using these tools. The assurance that the computers ...
A dismal outlook: survey reveals small businesses are doubtful about the nation's economy.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Table)
Sep 01, 2007; ... A recent study sponsored by the National Small Business Association revealed that small-business owners are in the midst of challenging times. The report shows just 36% of total businesses polled consider the national economy better now than it was five years ago. Although ...
Working from home.(SAVVY SOLUTIONS)
Sep 01, 2007; ... QA Do you know anything about those work-from-home jobs on the Internet? My friend signed up with this Internet company processing people's HUD claims. She says that she makes approximately $550 per week, but she had to pay the company $87 to get started. I want to make some extra money ....
A clear view: Michael Jones ensures NASA and law enforcement get the picture.(BLACK DIGERATI)
Sep 01, 2007; ... WITH ITS PRODUCT ON THE NOSE OF A NASA SPACECRAFT, the sky is literally the limit for Niche Concepts L.L.C., Michael Jones' 10-year-old, six-employee firm in Troy, New York "We were contacted by Boeing to supply a high-resolution, broadcast-quality microcamera and a portable ...
Together at last: new tools unify e-mail and phone services.(TECH NEWS)
Sep 01, 2007; ... In an age when the average American has at least two phone numbers, the time has come to streamline the telephone system, linking multiple phones with one phone number; to consolidate voice mail from multiple lines into one file; and to bring together instant messaging, phone, and video ....
One to watch.(TECHWATCH)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Sitofono (www.sitofono.com), based in Italy, offers services aimed at businesses and entrepreneurs and lets them receive calls directly from the Web via a set phone ...
Let's get clicking.(B.E. TESTED)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Kodak's EasyShare V1003 is a fashionista's dream with its cute, slim, eye-catching design in enough color choices to coordinate with any designer outfit. The 10-megapixel, 3x optical zoom camera is competitively priced at $249.95 and a breeze to set up. It also features a 2.5-inch LCD ...
Online security.(CYBERWISE)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... QA I know online backup companies have been around for a while, but I still get nervous about leaving my information floating around, especially with identity theft and information theft so rampant. Is this really a safe way to store my personal information? --J. Harris ...
Quality control: a retail professional finds her niche behind the seams.(EXECUTIVE SUITE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... What does your job at Abercrombie & Fitch entail? I manage a team of quality assurance professionals who work behind the scenes establishing the manufacturing base that makes our product--assessing their capabilities, establishing all the processes and procedures that are ...
Learn to lead.(ACTION PLAN)(You Don't Need A Title To Be A Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere Can Make A Positive Difference)(Brief article)(Book review)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IF IT'S TRUE THAT LEADERS ARE MADE AND NOT BORN, THEN DENYVETTA Davis believes she's found the instruction manual. The director of library operations for the Oklahoma-based Metropolitan Library System, Davis recently checked out You Don't Need A Title To Be A Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere ...
How to treat a non-compete restriction.(ACTION PLAN)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IN A MARKETPLACE STEEPED WITH COMPETITION AND A BUSINESS environment often staffed with a transient workforce, non-compete agreements have become quite the business norm. Non-compete agreements or clauses, also known as restrictive covenants, are contracts between the employer ...
Mixing creativity and innovation.(ACTION PLAN)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... DEREGULATION OF THE U.S. electric industry, coupled with empowered consumers who could now choose their power supplier, meant jolting changes for Southern California Edison. "Many of the core competencies we mastered pre-deregulation no longer supported our new customer-focused business ...
Work enhancements: how certification increases your professional worth.(EXECUTIVE MEMO)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Just months after graduating with a degree in accounting, Nigel Franklyn dove back into the books and began the long process of becoming certified. "Pursuing the certified public accountant designation helped me master necessary fundamental skills," says Franklyn, a New-York ...
More than research.(SINCE YOU ASKED)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... QA I've been asked to research employee development and succession planning and present the findings to senior management. If implemented, it could lead to a promotion for me. I don't know where to begin or what the end product should look like. I need help getting started. ...
Rodney C. Adkins.(ON THE MOVE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... New Position: Senior VP of Development and Manufacturing for Systems and Technology Group (STG) Organization: IBM Location: Somers, NY ...
Donna Dozier Gordon.(ON THE MOVE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... New Position: Senior Director, Restaurant Support Services Organization: Darden Restaurants Location: Orlando, FL ...
Roy S. Johnson.(ON THE MOVE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... New Position: Vice President/Editor-in-Chief Organization: Men's Fitness Location: New York ...
Keith Clinkscales.(ON THE MOVE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... New Position: Senior VP, Content Development & Enterprises Organization: ESPN Location: New York Responsibilities: Heads ESPN Publishing ...
Mark Whitaker.(ON THE MOVE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... New Position: Senior Vice President Organization: NBC News Location: New York Responsibilities: Oversees news gathering ...
Convention calendar.(POWERPLAY)(Brief article)(Calendar)
Sep 01, 2007; ... National Black MBA Association 29th Annual Conference & Exposition Sept. 11-16; Orlando, FL; 312-236-2622; www.nbmbaa.org National African American Insurance Association Sept. 12-14; Detroit; 866-56-NAAIA; www.naaia.org ...
A new path: Pamela Turner strikes out on her own and takes control of her retirement planning.(SECURING YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE: Black Wealth Initiative)(businesswomen's management )
Sep 01, 2007; ... Declaration of Financial Empowerment From this day forward, I declare my vigilant and lifelong commitment to financial empowerment and hereby pledge the following: 1 I will use homeownership as a foundation for building wealth. 2 I will be proactive in ...
From "me" to "we": Richard McFarlane and Jennifer Little prepare to create a joint financial plan.(Financial Fitness Contest Winner No. 84)(Table)
Sep 01, 2007; ... JENNIFER LITTLE IS A GO-GETTER. BUT right now, even she admits that she's too far, too fast. This summer she planned to get married and move into a new home. This fall she will be starting law school, while continuing to work full time as a trust administrator for J.P. Morgan ...
Getting on the franchise fast track: five sectors that place you in the driver's seat.(FRANCHISING)
Sep 01, 2007; ... LET'S FACE IT: WE ALL WANT TO WIN, TO be the first to greet the fluttering black-and-white checkered flag. Just as in auto racing, it takes a certain kind of entrepreneur to join in the $1.5 trillion franchise racer. But before you leave the pit, you must know the territory. ...
Extraordinary products in a growing market: nanotechnology promises revolutionary applications for everything from pain relievers to self-cleaning windows.(BUSINESS OF TECHNOLOGY)
Sep 01, 2007; ... ENTREPRENEURS RASHEEN SMITH AND Bejan Esmaili had a million-dollar idea that began brewing in the late '90s. At the time, reports of traumatic renal complications suffered by such NBA all-stars as Sean Elliott and Alonzo Mourning, allegedly side effects from taking oral painkillers, ...
The emotional side of money: understanding one of the most important relationships in your life: the one between you and your money.(BOOK EXCERPT)(Excerpt)
Sep 01, 2007; ... OUR EMOTIONS DETERMINE OUR financial success or failure, This is the guiding principle examined by Alvin Hall in his latest personal finance title, You & Your Money: It's More Than Just the Numbers (Atria Books; $24). To understand your own style of financial management, he says it's first ...
Bringing the sizzle back to McDonald's: Donald Thompson worked his way up the fast-food giant's ladder to become one of its highest-ranking executives.(B.E. CORPORATE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR)(Biography)
Sep 01, 2007; ... DON THOMPSON IS THE STAR OF THE SHOW. At McDonald's annual Managers Peak Experience in Las Vegas--a conference for company management--attendees line up to shake his hand, take a picture with him, or just shoot the breeze as he walks through the event's massive expo hall. The affable yet ...
The physics of tennis: more than talent influences the game.(tennis players' paraphernalia)
Sep 01, 2007; ... If you play a sport or engage in any activity on a regular basis--be it basketball, ballroom dancing, or sketching--chances are you have a favorite something relevant to that activity. Maybe it's a certain shoe you like to wear, a certain item of clothing, a certain pencil you always use ....
The psychology of golf: the business of pleasure.
Sep 01, 2007; ... Long considered an indulgence of the affluent and elite, golf is the perfect blend of sportsmanship, etiquette, and mental challenge. But more than that, it's a business tool skillfully wielded by deal makers, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs. Where else but on a golf course can one ...
Necessary indulgence: good reasons to head to the spa.(skin care for health reasons)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Is there a science to indulging? A reason to pamper yourself-other than because you're worth it? Aestheticians--specialists in the field of skincare and beauty--and massage therapists agree that people who lead athletic lifestyles and/or spend lots of time outdoors need a regular spa ...
The Bill Dickey Scholarship Association: granting opportunities of a lifetime.
Sep 01, 2007; ... In the fall, 18-year-old Earl Moorer will be heading off to college in the land of rolling green hills near the North Sea, the milieu in which golf is the bedrock--Scotland. The Texas native will attend the prestigious University of St. Andrews. Moorer will be attending the storied ...
Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program: dedication to a cause.
Sep 01, 2007; ... On any given weekday morning, the Harlem Armory Center is bustling with activity. It is the headquarters for the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program, a nonprofit organization that provides tennis lessons to children who otherwise may not have an opportunity to play the sport. This ...
Throwing in the towel: sometimes quitting is synonymous with success.(PEAK PERFORMANCE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... "GIVEN THE PAPER'S LIMITED MEANS, THERE WAS NOTHING else I could do to further its mission," says Roland S. Martin. In March 2007, the nationally syndicated columnist and Chicago-based radio host resigned from his position as executive editor of the nation's largest black daily newspaper, ...
Your best life yet: Robin Roberts offers seven principles for reaching your professional and personal goals.(WORDS TO STRIVE BY)(From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By )(Excerpt)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... In her new book, From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By (Hyperion; $19.95), Robin Roberts details her incredible journey from the small town of Pass Christian, Mississippi, to national stardom as co-host and anchor of the daily ABC news show Good Morning America. The ...
Inspiring others.(PEP TALK)(an aspiring greeting card writer)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... QA Throughout my life, people have told me that I write the most inspiring letters and cards. How can I get a job with a company that makes inspirational products, license my writings to them, or start my own greeting card business. --S. Simmons Italy, TX ...
The pretenders: could someone be using your child's identity? Find out before it's too late.(CONSUMER LIFE)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IMAGINE THAT YOUR PRECIOUS 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER has half a dozen credit cards with charges totaling more than $30,000. Add to the equation that she's been approved for a $25,000 loan. In fact, she has been in debt since she was a kindergartener. You think it's impossible, yet this is the ...
5 ways to kill your credit.(CREDIT MANAGEMENT)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR CREDIT IS MORE CRITICAL THAN YOU MAY REALIZE. Your credit score, which ranges from 300 to 850, not only affects your ability to obtain a mortgage, car note, or personal loan, but it also affects the interest rate you pay. Any score above 700 is a sign of good ...
Is your cell phone costing too much--abroad?(CONSUMER LIFE)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007; ... IT TOOK YOU A YEAR TO PLAN AND budget for that breathtaking and relaxing trip overseas. For once, you returned home in the black with gifts in your suitcase and money in your pocket. So imagine your surprise when a few weeks later, you receive a hefty cell phone bill, What gives? ...