Program assists small & minority-owned companies

CHICAGO, IL – Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka joined more than 50 area business leaders on Thursday in kicking-off POWER, an initiative launched by the state to assist small and minority-owned companies in competing for government contracts.

Created through legislation recently signed by the Governor, POWER (Providing Opportunities for Work through Education and Resources) teaches business owners about the state certification and procurement process, provides free counseling and guidance from leading executives through SCORE Chicago, and ensures members are alerted of state contract opportunities.

“The success of our small businesses is key to getting our economy moving again, to creating the new jobs that are so badly needed,” Topinka said. “And at the same time, POWER will expand our state contractor network, which will increase competition and ultimately save the state money.”

POWER is built upon three primary components. Specifically, the program:

• · Counsels entrepreneurs on becoming certified as a small or minority-owned business and guides them through the procurement process
• · Offers free business development workshops and private sector insights through partnership with SCORE Chicago, a nonprofit association that is dedicated to entrepreneur education
• · Provides ongoing communication, information and support to businesses as they compete for state contracts

The initiative will provide much-needed resources to small businesses, and ensure that they have the tools they need to succeed, said David Kirshner, SCORE Chicago Chapter Chairman.

“It is encouraging to see this commitment from the state, and it will make a difference,” Kirshner said. “Too often, entrepreneurs simply don’t know where to turn or how to navigate things like the state’s procurement process. The personal approach of POWER is exactly what is needed, and I’m excited about SCORE Chicago’s  involvement.”

For more information on POWER, please visit illinoiscomptroller.com, or call 312/814-2451.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — The State of Woman BizCamp: Planting Seeds of Success (#StateofWoman) will make history in Atlanta, Saturday March 17, 2012 from 9am to 4pm at the Loudermilk Center in Downtown Atlanta. #StateofWoman is sponsored by DryerBuzz.com and the learning channel for entrepreneurs, Learn.DryerBuzz.com.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, female entrepreneurs will come together to in a forum conducive to their uniqueness to #OccupyOwnership with a goal of increasing the 1% to 2%. When the man behind the brand is a woman, the state of business and recovery of America is tied to her purse strings. Additionally, the trendsetter has to create a legacy.

#StateofWoman was created by Yalanda P. Lattimore, editor of DryerBuzz.com known for reaching women where they are — under the dryer. DryerBuzz.com will celebrate its 10th Anniversary, online since 2002, during the week of the #StateofWoman BizCamp.

An exciting day of interactive workshops will guide entrepreneurs in refining their business reach; protecting their business and legacies; becoming leaders in their industries; and creating buzz for their business.

Featured Camp Coaches:
* Clyde Anderson, Financial Lifestyle Coach and CNN Financial Contributor, www.FinancialLifeConnection.com
* Vanessa Parker, The Pink Boss Inc., www.thePinkBoss.com
* Travis Townsend, Business Attorney, Townsend and Lockett, www.TownsendLockett.com
* Nicole Garner, The Garner Circle, PR, Lifestyle Marketing, www.TheGarnerCircle.com
* Jaheed Givens, Digital Strategist, SEO Coach, www.Jaheed.com

To help Plant the Seeds of Success, each coach will facilitate an interactive hour at #StateofWoman as well as lunch with participants.

State of Woman BizCamp Workshops at a Glance:
* #OccupyOwnership: You Are What You Are Selling
* Plant the Seeds to Leverage Your Harvest
* Learn Your Lane ~ Launch Your Business
* Protect Your Business and Your Legacy
* Market Your Business To Create Buzz
* Become a Leader Online ~ Get Found More Often
#StateofWoman BizCamp registration is only $125 and includes full day of workshops, lunch with coaches, and copies of popular selling e-books by #StateofWoman facilitators. Information on discounts and sponsored scholarships are available by following @DryerBuzz on Twitter.

Follow the Buzz to register via http://StateofWoman.DryerBuzz.com. Use discount code “DryerBuzz” for initial 10% savings. Sponsorship is available.

Photo Caption: Featured Camp Coaches: Yalanda Lattimore, Clyde Anderson, Vanessa Parker, Travis Townsend, Nicole Garner, Jaheed Givens,

Burbank, CA (BlackNews.com) — Actor Hill Harper has partnered with Scholastic teen author, Pamela Wells, to create a multicultural children-publishing imprint called Harper & Wells Books.

“I’ve been wanting to have my own multicultural children book publishing imprint for some time,” Hill Harper said. “My focus is on publishing books about black issues. I have always wanted a children book imprint that represents our voices. This is an extension of my belief that you manifest your own destiny in life.”

The first two titles from Harper & Wells Books are middle grade titles targeted at eight to twelve-year old readers.

The Wiley Boys by Hill Harper, is about three sports-obsessed adopted brothers who stumble across an advertisement that leads them to being junior agents at the Sports Bureau of Investigations. This book is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online stores including the book’s web site at www.wileyboys.com

The second title, Willow Fedler’s Rules for Girls by Pamela Wells, is about a 12-year old young “Oprah” who shares advice and experiences as she shares stories about growing up. This book is available on the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook.

Because Harper & Wells Books have just signed a major distribution deal, readers should be on the lookout for more upcoming titles. The company plans to publish Black celebrity books for children, and in the future, will offer publishing opportunities for multicultural writers.
 

About Pamela Wells

Pamela Wells is best-known as the author of the best-selling The Heartbreakers series published by Scholastic. This teen series is about a teen girl, Alexia Bass, who creates a list of rules to help her friends with their dating lives. There are four books in the Scholastic series: The Heartbreakers published in December 2007, The Crushes published in December 2008, The Friends to be published in September 2012, and The Daters to be published in December 2012.

The Heartbreakers series is scheduled to become a movie in 2013 called “Hot Mess” featuring Disney actress Selena Gomez. Gomez, who is currently dating teen singer Justin Bieber, is in talks to play Alexia Bass in the film.

About Hill Harper

Hill Harper is the best-selling author of several adult non-fiction books that have been New York Times bestsellers, including Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, The Conversation, and The Wealth Cure. He can currently be seen as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on “CSI: New York”.

Harper graduated from Brown University, and holds a J.D. From Harvard Law School. He attended law school with President Barack Obama.

Photo Caption: Hill Harper

Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) As you’re making your New Year’s resolutions, consider taking the important step of improving your credit score, and in the long run, strengthening your financial well-being.

You’re not alone as so many Americans are dealing with the reality of maxed out credit card bills after a busy holiday gift-buying season on top a year when paying bills has gotten harder due to the nation’s prolonged weak economy.

To kick off the New Year, Dionne Perry, sales director of Financial Education Services, is offering a free seminar on improving your credit score between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, January 14 at the Women’s Professional Building, 3905 Georgia Ave., NW, Suite 200, Washington, D.C. To reserve a seat, call her at 703-593-5488.

“More today than ever before our increasingly tight credit market demands a high credit score,” says Perry, who has been a licensed mortgage broker and certified loan-signing agent. “Most lenders use credit scores when deciding whether to approve consumers for loans or credit. It also determines your ability to get a car loan, the premium on your auto or homeowners insurance and even your ability to get a job.”

The higher your credit score (720 and above), the more likely it is that you can get loans, refinance your mortgage and in some cases, land a new job or get a promotion. A low credit score (below 720) is not the end of the world, Perry says, but you can do something about it. Of course, paying your bills on time is always essential, but that can be tough nowadays if you’ve had to take a cut in salary or been laid off.

“This is the time of year when you need to look at your credit score, and if it’s below 720, you need to do something about it,” Perry says. “Over the past year, I’ve been working with hundreds of individuals who didn’t know what to do about removing outdated, inaccurate and unverifiable information from their credit report that were lowering their scores. Millions of inaccurate items have been removed from consumers’ credit reports since the Fair Credit Reporting Act was passed. Because your financial health revolves around your credit score, it is important that the information your credit report contains be as accurate and up-to-date as possible.”

Perry is available for free consultation or to conduct credit repair seminars by contacting her by email at dionneperry37@yahoo.com or by phone at 703-593-5488. For more information about her expertise and other services she offers, go to www.rebuildmycredittoday.com.

By Chinta Strausberg

Former Senator Howard Brookins, late Senator Shaw to be honored

WE CAN, Inc, a coalition of business and community professionals, is holdings its first fundraiser Thursday, December 8, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sportsman Inn, 4501 S. Cicero, Chicago, IL.

The group was formed to shore up and support the empowerment of both existing and future African American businesses needed to stabilize, maintain, expand and grow and has set a goal of 100 members needed to help fight for an equitable slice of the economic pie on all governmental levels.

In stating the WE CAN, Inc’s goals, Florence Cox, the president, said the goal is to boost its membership so that it can begin the awesome but doable tasks of developing African American businesses in the community.

“We need to develop and maintain our businesses and keep our money in our community because currently most of it goes outside where we live. We can and we will achieve this goal with your help,” she said.

“We are looking forward to hearing from black business people who are serious about improving the economic growth of the black community,” said Cox, a spokesperson for the group.

“We want to support, maintain and build so we can employ young people from the community and to teach them as role models how to grow their own business. We want to help the black community grow and in doing so empower the community because when youth have jobs, the violence will subside,” said Cox.

Thursday, December 8, 2011, WE CAN, Inc. is honoring former Illinois Senator Howard Brookins, Sr. (D-IL) for passing SB-0543, which is credited with increasing the number of minority judges in Cook County. The bill became effective January 1, 1991.

Also being honored posthumously is the late Illinois Senator William “Bill” Shaw (D-IL), for passing HB-2859 that amends the school code requiring elementary and secondary schools to include Black history in their curricula. Senator Shaw died on November 26, 2008. Thursday, his twin brother, former Cook County Board of Appeals Commissioner Robert Shaw, will accept the recognition.

For ticket information, call Comm. Shaw at: 708-426-5680. For further information about WE CAN, Inc., please e-mail your interests including contact number, the name of your business and address to Florence Cox at the following e-mail: We_can224@yahoo.com.

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.

 Miami, FL (BlackNews.com) — Three African American entrepreneurs were recently among the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country. James Taylor, 28, CEO of Taylored Athletes, and Felecia Hatcher and Derick Pearson, both 28, owners of Popsicles of Feverish Ice Cream were honored at the White House on November 17th 2011.

The three entrepreneurs have been named to the Empact100 List, which recognizes the top 100 entrepreneurs under 30 in the United States for their accomplishments and positive influence on the American economy by giving back to the community and inspiring others to join the movement to revitalize our economy by starting a business of their own. The young entrepreneurs from 100 companies contribute over 2,500 jobs and $374 million to the U.S. Economy.

Empact100 Honorees took part in a recognition event on the afternoon of Thursday, November 17 from 2pm-5pm at the White House with senior administration officials. This year marks the 2nd year that the White House is recognizing Global Entrepreneurship Week. President Barack Obama signed the presidential proclamation declaring November as National Entrepreneurship Month back in 2010. The recognition event is held in partnerships with Startup America, The Kaufman Foundation, The Future of Entrepreneurship Education, Entrepreneurship International, and the White House. The event was broadcasted live online at WhiteHouse.gov.

To celebrate their success and to share their knowledge, the three honorees have launched a national speaking tour, traveling around the country speaking to kids and young adults about entrepreneurship. “We are on a mission to show kids that no matter where you are or where you come from you can achieve your dreams. It’s not easy but with the right motivation kids and young adults will gain the tools to a prosperous future as an entrepreneur,” says James Taylor. For more information about the speaking tour, contact Katie Caldwell at katie@feleciahatcher.com
About Taylored Athletes

James Taylor is the CEO and President of Taylored Athletes Sports, a South Florida based sports and educational leadership training company. James Taylors is a former professional basketball player and college hall of fame inductee. Taylor is committed to helping kids live healthier lives through his Pro At Your Door program that brings former professional athletes and college athletes into the home and gets kids off the couch focused on fitness. Taylored Athletes has trained more than 5,000 athletes to date and are well known for their One On One Pro At Your Door Basketball Training Concierge Service, Next Level Basketball Camps, and Leadership and Character Building After-School Programs which provides at risk youth access to positive role models to teach them self-discovery of inner greatness through sports. “Entrepreneurship is the key to revitalizing our nation’s economy. I’m honored to be recognized by the White House, The Kauffman Foundation, Empact100, and StartUp America. For more information about Taylored Athletes Sports, visit www.tayloredathletes.com or email info@tayloredathletes.com.
 

About Feverish Ice Cream

The married owners of the Miami based Feverish Ice Cream, Felecia Hatcher and Derick Pearson, started their gourmet popsicle company in 2008 after losing their marketing jobs. They run a fleet of eco-friendly carts and a mini ice cream truck mixing social media, unique marketing partnerships and social awareness with gourmet treats. With wild flavors like Chocolate Banana Sea Salt, Spiked Apple Martini, and Coconut Lemongrass they have attracted a large following, and boast clients like Capitol Records, Maker’s Mark, Adidas, Biltmore Hotel, Whole Foods, Universal Music and Tom Cruise. The couple also runs a youth entrepreneurship program called PopPreneurs where they teach kids about entrepreneurship through ice cream carts. The company  was recently featured on the Cooking Channel’s Unique Sweets also donates a portion of each popsicle they sell to charity and travels the country speaking to students about college prep and youth entrepreneurship. “This demonstrates that America is, and will always be a place of unlimited opportunity for all who dream. As a kid growing up in Bainbridge, Georgia I would not have imaged that I would one day be honored at the White House. This honor serves as motivation to continue to help the people in our community and around the world. We are living examples that dreams do come true,” says Derick Pearson. For more information about Feverish Ice Cream, visit www.feverishicecream.com or email mango@feverishicecream.com.
For more information about the Empact100 list, visit www.empact100.com or email Sheena Lindahl at sheena@iempact.com.

Photo Caption: Derick Pearson and James Taylor at the White House accepting their award.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — As business loans become harder to obtain, more entrepreneurs are turning to business grants for funding. In response to this, the National Institute of Small Business Grants has published a listing of the top opportunities for 2012 via their web site at www.BusinessGrants.org

It’s actually a compilation of small business grants, non-profit grants, and contract funding opportunities, but all of them are legit. Each of the grants are funded either by a federal or state government agency or by a reputable corporate foundation. The web site also features a weekly blog, a listing of popular resources, and many how-to articles – such as how to write grant proposals.

About BusinessGrants.org

Launched in 2008 as the official online resource for real and legit business funding opportunities, BusinessGrants.org is produced by The National Institute of Small Business Grants – a global network of contributors that specialize in business finance education. The site supplies information via the internet that empowers prospective and existing small business owners, enabling them to know what their financial options are.

For more details, visit www.BusinessGrants.org

Bookcover and author, Juliette Mayers

Boston, MA (BlackNews.com) — A Black Woman’s Guide to Networking, written by Juliette Mayers, author, award winning business executive and networking Guru, will be available for purchase on Friday, November 4th, 2011 on her website: www.juliettemayers.com and on www.amazon.com. This inspirational book is for black professional women and others who want to build cross-cultural relationships as they strive to excel in today’s dynamic marketplace. In addition to practical networking tips, the book features advice from diverse professionals who have mastered the art of networking.  

A Black Woman’s Guide to Networking covers a range of important subjects for today’s business woman. Topics include advice on building and managing one’s brand, building a strategic and productive network, networking etiquette and maximizing the power of social media. The book will teach woman how to communicate with power, cultivate and maintain positive relationships, and create a compelling plan for success regardless of title or life stage. Ultimately, it encourages women to leverage the power of networking to attain their dreams.

“This book is a powerful resource that will give readers effective networking strategies to success and achieve career and business goals,” says Sheila A. Robinson, Publisher of Career Network and Diversity Woman magazines.

“A must-read book for those looking to accelerate their careers and business effectiveness,” Paul Guzzi, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Author Juliette Mayers is Executive Director of Multicultural Marketing at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She is an award-winning executive, business strategist, and a passionate community advocate. Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick appointed her to the Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, a state-wide policy making board that advises the governor on workforce investment. A native of Barbados, West Indies, Juliette is married to her husband of twenty years, Darryl Mayers, and resides in the greater Boston area with the couple’s two teen daughters, D’Anna and Danielle.

For book purchases and more information, visit www.juliettemayers.com and on www.Amazon.com. Copies of A Black Woman’s Guide to Networking are available for $14.99 beginning on Friday, November 4th, 2011.

Washington DC – The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans dedicated to the eradication of racial disparities around the world, is urging all religious communities to join together in the promotion of peace. Our Black leadership partners – 66,000 churches nationwide – are called upon to use the full force of our combined 100,000 churches to draw attention to the imperative of generating job growth and economic development in African American communities throughout the United States.  We intend to use the full weight of our collective wealth and political might both domestically and globally to bring attention to this problem.

As a first step in this campaign, the National Black Church Initiative will support AT&T commitment, as part of its proposed merger with T-Mobile, to bring back 5,000 call center jobs to the United States from overseas and to create more than 90,000 new jobs nationwide.

Rev. Anthony Evans, President of the NBCI, declared that “AT&T is a company that will help the African American community reduce its persistently high unemployment rate, which now stands at 16.7%. This is why we have authorized over 100,000 churches to be supportive of AT&T and, indeed, any company that will help solve our community’s unemployment crisis.”

Rev. Evans furthers stated, “This commitment is welcome, especially in a time of prolonged and profound economic insecurity. Jobs are imperative for our survival and as paramount in their importance as education and healthcare.”

AT&T’s repatriation of 5,000 call center jobs would be the largest return of jobs by any U.S. company since the economic crisis began in 2008. At a time when economic patriotism on the part of American corporations has become passé, this initiative by AT&T is remarkable and must be encouraged. Rev. Sheldon Williams, Pastor of Co-Op City Baptist Church in Bronx, NY said “I will fight for any company that will bring jobs to my community and one of the very few that’s doing it is AT&T.  Rev. Mark McCleary, Chairman of NBCI Ministerial Alliance, declared that “My congregation is suffering. We have over 500 of our congregants unemployed. We need jobs and we need them NOW.”

While the repatriation of 5,000 jobs is highly noteworthy, this is not all that AT&T is doing. AT&T is already the nation’s largest employer of full-time union employees and the only unionized major U.S. wireless carrier.  According to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute, its proposed merger with T-Mobile would create between 55,000 and 96,000 new jobs to integrate the two networks and upgrade facilities, and provide services made possible by the universal high speed network AT&T will be able to create if its merger with T-Mobile is approved. AT&T will invest $8 billion to build out its wireless high speed network to 55 million more Americans – thus reaching a total of 97% of the U.S. population.    

AT&T has long been a leader in employing qualified African Americans in top positions. Workforce Diversity for Engineering and IT Magazine has ranked AT&T in its top 12 of the nation’s employers for its commitment to diversity. Hispanic Business Magazine ranks it first for diversity. In fact, employees of diverse backgrounds make up 38 percent of AT&T’s workforce and 31 percent of its management ranks.

Due to AT&T’s patriotism in bringing jobs back to the United States, its demonstrated willingness to invest in the infrastructure of this country and its commitment to diversity, the NCBI encourages the Administration to approve the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA expeditiously.   

About NBCI

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public. NBCI offers faith-based, out-of-the box and cutting edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at www.naltblackchurch.com.