Business North Carolina’s Post

As a minority-owned business, Risk Cooperative is profoundly aware of the existing disparities in financial services and #insurance. This discussion on February 22 celebrates Black business leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of financial inclusion. RSVP: https://buff.ly/3SI36Jv #BlackHistoryMonth

While going through some boxes in my basement, I found two pretty significant pieces of American business history: The preliminary prospectuses of companies once ranked among the Black Enterprise 100s listings of the nation’s largest Black-owned businesses. Only true aficionados of business icon Reginald F. Lewis will remember that he considered an initial public offering in 1989 that would have made TLC Beatrice International the first Black-owned company to trade on the New York Stock Exchange (a feat that Robert L. Johnson achieved with BET Holdings two years later). Lewis ultimately chose not to purse the IPO. In 1987 (the year Lewis completed his historic acquisition of Beatrice International Foods), another BE 100s enterprise, Lawson National Distributing Co., also considered an IPO, to be led by Daniels and Bell, the trailblazing Black-owned Wall Street firm helmed by the legendary Travers J. Bell Jr. The CEO of Lawson was Daniel C. Lawson; the company provided goods and services to the nation’s public transportation systems, and was a top 10 company on the BE 100s in the 1980s. Neither company ever completed their IPOs. However, meeting and chronicling the achievements of Black business titans such as Lewis, Lawson and Bell are among the things I value most about my career at Black Enterprise Magazine. Finding these documents once again reminds me of just how blessed I am. #TheSuccesspert #itsgoodtobeme #Godisgood #BE100s #blackbusinessmatters #blackfounders #blackbizlegend #blackbusiness #blackenterprise #reginaldflewis #RFL #traversbell

Meet the CEO with a staggering 2.1 billion exit Being invited to the Black Business Magazine event with Dean Forbes was a big deal. Dean, who led a company to sell for 1 BILLION, shared lots of wisdom about being a CEO. Despite facing tough odds, he managed to exit businesses totalling 2.1 billion. The event was full of valuable wisdom. Attendees had the opportunity to learn even more from Dean during interactive Q&A sessions. Dean's story shows that no matter where you come from, with resilience, hard work, and the right connections, you can achieve great things. Here are my key insights from the event: 1️⃣ Regularly reflect on your work methods to enhance performance. 2️⃣ Stay KPI-driven and set ambitious goals to maintain focus. 3️⃣ Empower outstanding individuals by granting them autonomy for better results. 4️⃣ Have confidence in your capabilities and demonstrate them through action. 5️⃣ Don't hesitate to challenge the status quo. I want to give a big thanks to Dr Tru Powell and the team for inviting me and Anne-Sophie Martin-Kukah, MCIM If you're interested in supporting Black Business Magazine business, consider subscribing to the Black Business Magazine at https://lnkd.in/dqffxwJQ and Following them on social media Black Business Magazine Shoutout to Lloyds Bank Business & Commercial for all the support #blackbusinessmagazine #blackbusiness #blackenterprise #blackentrepreneur #entrepreneurship #blackbusinessowners

Get your ticket today for this insightful panel discussion happening TOMORROW!

Marvin Ellison is celebrating a multi-million-dollar financial triumph! The chairman, president, and CEO of the home-improvement giant Lowe’s Companies Inc. witnessed the market value of his stake in the company soar by $3.35 million in just 21 days, per an outlet. This comes as no surprise, as he is the sole Black executive to have helmed two Fortune 500 companies as CEO: Lowe’s and JCPenney. Since assuming the influential titles at Lowe’s in 2018, Ellison has steered the company toward significant economic expansion and operational improvement, achieving a revenue of $97.1 billion in 2022, according to Billionaires Africa. Ellison has also championed entrepreneurship through various initiatives and programs to provide opportunities for Black and brown business owners. For example, in 2020, he announced that the company would allocate $25 million in grants to small businesses owned by people of color affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gnZy2jMU #AFROTECH #Lowes #Fortune500 #JCPenney

My old employers made a huge announcement. They corrected a HUGE mistake of letting Todd Vasos step aside as CEO and reinstating them. I served Dollar General for nearly 10 years as a vendor, coordinator and later in their real estate department. I have always loved DG but truly hope, especially after several high profile shootings, they will make it a governing policy that no store employee will ever be working by themselves at any size DG. It's a tremendous liability and just plain unethical to put an employee at risk so unnecessarily. DG stores are a magnet for robbery. It's just plain reckless for someone to leave the cash register unattended while a single employee is out in the store stocking. Corporate boards wonder why employees seek to unionize, the prioritization of huge corporate salaries over the safety of employees at the store level is why it happens. I have confidence that Dollar General cares enough to get this done for their employees.

Highlights from yesterday's Birmingham Black Business Conference! I attended the Black Business Conference at the Legacy Centre of Excellence, proudly sponsored by NatWest. Here are my key takeaways: 🚀 Empowering Sessions: I was inspired by thought-provoking talks and discussions led by successful Black entrepreneurs and business leaders. 🌍 Networking Opportunities: I connected with like-minded individuals, built valuable contacts, and explored collaborations that have the potential to drive my business forward. 📚 Invaluable Insights: The conference provided deep insights into the latest trends, strategies, and resources, giving my business a competitive edge in today's market. 🗣 Expert Speakers: The lineup of expert speakers shared their experiences, offering practical advice and guidance that's a game-changer for my business journey. I enjoyed the talks from Sophie Marie Bennett FdA, BA (Hons), MSc, Natalie Scarlett and others... 💡Business Development: I learned key strategies for business growth which will influence my decisions regarding Faith Brynels Insights. Stay tuned for updates re FBI! #BlackBusinessConference #NatWestSponsorship #LegacyCentre #EmpowerYourBusiness #excellence #faithbinsights

Happy Black History Month! 💯 It has been over 200 years since Thomas Jennings became the first Black entrepreneur to be granted a patent for prototyping the process that would eventually become modern-day dry cleaning. Since then, Black entrepreneurs have played an integral role in shaping the American business landscape. Let us celebrate the contributions of Black entrepreneurs in driving innovation and growth in the US economy. #BlackBusinessOwners #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #USBusinessLandscape 😁

Unlocking Business Success: How I Leveraged my GMC Terrain to Secure More Contracts Discover the surprising impact of driving a big black car on attracting clients. Learn about the challenges and insights I faced as a black business owner, and how perceptions can vary based on race. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion on changing dynamics and the future of Detroit. #BusinessSuccess #AttractingClients #BlackEntrepreneurship #RacialPerceptions #Detroit #ChangingDynamics #BusinessChallenges #CommunityImpact #EntrepreneurshipInsights #FutureOfDetroit

In 1969, a group of nine Black accountants formed the National Association of Black Accountants. They met to discuss unique challenges and limited opportunities they faced in the world of business. Today, the group continues to bridge the opportunity gap for Black business leaders in accounting, finance, and entrepreneurship. Learn more about the organization: https://bit.ly/42hUiy9