19 Black Enterprise Stories that Shaped Black Culture in 2019

Every day, countless people come to BLACK ENTERPRISE expecting the best in black business, entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and so much more. For that, we are forever grateful. This year, we’ve published some of the most profound features and breaking news stories. And in the spirit of uplifting underrepresented leaders, we have introduced you to those who have next.

Take a look at some of the top stories published this year:

1. HOW I LANDED MY FIRST TEDX TALK AND HOW YOU CAN TOO

Here are a few strategies you can use to share your ideas and land a coveted TEDx talk on stage. It’s not a far-fetched dream.

Jeff Shuford’s TEDx Talk

2. BOTS IN BLACKFACE – THE RISE OF FAKE BLACK PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTING POLITICAL AGENDAS

The rise of bots in the guise of fake black people on social media remains a worrisome issue heading into the 2020 elections.

(Flickr)

3. R&B LEGEND EDDIE LEVERT SCOLDS BLACK FOLKS OVER POPEYES CHICKEN SANDWICH

Eddie Levert, the lead singer of The O’Jays, didn’t mince his words about the ongoing Popeyes crispy chicken sandwich craze during his acceptance speech at BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Black Men XCEL, an annual four-day summit that recognizes and empowers men of color. The legendary soul singer gave a harsh critique of the chicken-lovers standing in notoriously long lines for a bite of the wildly popular sandwich.

Eddie Levert, Sr. at the 2019 Black Men XCEL summit (Black Enterprise)

4. 3 CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU REPURPOSE CONTENT IN YOUR CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY

Ask content marketing thought leaders and they’ll likely all agree you should repurpose your content to increase your business’s ROI. It makes smart business sense to wring as much value as possible out of brand assets your company has already created.

Image by rawpixel from Pixabay

5. 27 THINGS WHITE PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER, EVER SAY TO THEIR BLACK CO-WORKERS

We asked our audience to post across Black Enterprise’s social media accounts things white people should never say to their black co-workers. We were flooded with some great suggestions. The below list contains the most repeated offenses our audience cited and our favorites.

(Image: iStock/drbimages)

6. GEORGE CLEVELAND: CHANNELING FAITH AND FAMILY VALUES INTO PURPOSE-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP

With a foundation of faith and family values, George Cleveland strives to be the best version of himself as a husband, father, and telecommunications exec.

George Cleveland

7. BUSINESS PLAN DO’S AND DON’TS

Your business plan is the step between pitching to and pinning down investors. Entire TV shows have been dedicated to the art of the pitch, but your business plan is the make-or-break that acts as the cherry on top for investors. Not only that, but a solid business plan can hone your idea and start you off on your entrepreneurial journey the right way. Whether you’ve written your pitch or are overcoming the writer’s block that can waste valuable time, here’s the good and the bad.

(iStock.com/julief514)

8. 6 ESSENTIAL RULES FOR FINDING YOUR NEXT BUSINESS PARTNER

Finding the right business partner is the work equivalent of getting married; the partnership of compatible individuals lays a foundation for a superb business or strengthens an already operating business. These six rules provide firm criteria and a solid basis for building a long-lasting and profitable partnership.

(Image: iStock/fizkes)

9. CALL THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP BY ITS NAME

A gap is an empty space. A break between two things. We don’t fear gaps. We mind gaps. And this is the difficulty in speaking about the racial wealth gap.

(iStock/Milkos)

10. EZEKIEL ELLIOTT SIGNS $90M CONTRACT, IMMEDIATELY DONATES $100K

Ezekiel Elliott signs $90M contract with the Dallas Cowboys making him the highest-paid NFL player in his position; donates $100K to the Salvation Army

Ezekiel Elliott (Image: Dallas Cowboys)

11. 5 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT RECESSION

The signs are pointing to an economic recession. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade war with China, including his Twitter tantrums, are disrupting an already tumultuous roller-coaster ride of the U.S. and global stock markets and economies. Some financial analysts think the U.S. economy will continue its path of increased consumer spending and economic growth. However, other financial experts believe a recession is inevitable within the next 12 to 18 months.

(Image: iStock.com/nandyphotos)

12. 4 IMPORTANT POINTS BLACK ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SUCCESS

There are a lot of definitions of success. Black entrepreneurs, in particular, need to define it for themselves. It’s part of the experience of entrepreneurship—since you’re the boss you also decide what counts as succeeding. Unfortunately, defining success is difficult. There are a number of things you should know about success that will help you figure out what it means to you.

(iStock/UberImages)

13. LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY OF AMERICA’S BLACK BANKS, EVEN AS THEY STRIVE FOR VITALITY

In their prime, black banks across the country were a financial shelter for their customers. Today, however, the number of black-owned banks is collapsing. That’s causing some observers to question if the banks’ days as economic engines helping underserved and distressed urban communities overcome issues like discrimination and redlining are numbered.

Let Us Put Our Money Together: The Founding of America’s First Black Banks (Image: Kansas City Fed)

14. 4 REASONS TO PURSUE A SIDE HUSTLE WHILE YOU ARE YOUNG

For the young, the value of a side hustle goes far beyond the extra cash, although a few additional dollars certainly does not hurt. Whether you are fresh out of college or still in high school, here are four significant benefits of a side hustle.

(iStock/adamkaz)

15. SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE INVESTOR MARK WHITTEN IS BUILDING WEALTH AND COMMUNITY

When first meeting Mark Whitten, you probably wouldn’t suspect that he’s a successful real estate investor from Baltimore, but that’s why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Over the last 10 years, the Morgan State University graduate has accumulated an impressive real estate portfolio through wholesaling deals and buying and holding properties.

Mark Whitten [Instagram.com/markflipshouses]

16. WHEN A RELATIVE DIES AND YOU CAN’T AFFORD THE FUNERAL

The average cost of a funeral with cremation is $6,000- $7,000 in 2019. For many grieving families, paying thousands of dollars to bury a relative just isn’t economically feasible. When a relative dies and you can’t afford the funeral because funeral costs are out of your budget, here’s what you need to do.

(Image: iStock/RichLegg)

17. MEET THE REAL ESTATE INVESTOR WHO OWNS 18 PROPERTIES AT 26-YEARS-OLD

Homeownership is a secure way to build wealth. For many Americans, homeownership is an instrumental way of creating generational wealth for their families. For Jamisa McIvor-Bennett, founder and CEO of Rosebud’s Investments, her introduction to ownership began with a conversation with her grandmother, which ultimately led her to become a real estate investor at the age of 19.

Jamisa Mclvor-Bennett, CEO of Rosebud’s Investments (Image: Instagram)

18. WILL SMITH INVESTS IN APP THAT HELPS TEENS WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY

Will Smith became an investor in Step, a mobile-based banking service app for teenagers, through his Dreamers fund. Step allows teens to easily send and receive money from their family and friends, get real-time notifications, and they don’t have to deal with the monthly or overdraft fees and no minimum balance that traditional banking customers incur.

Will Smith (Image: World’s Big Sleep Out)

19. JOHN LEGEND IS CREATING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS

John Legend wants to make sure people with criminal backgrounds are given more opportunities for employment.

John Legend and Marcus Bullock, Founder, and CEO of Flikshop (Photo: courtesy of Unlocked Futures)

For the best in black business and entrepreneurship be sure to follow BE.