Entrepreneurship

Navarrow Wright offered this perspective from the Huffington Post:

“With American unemployment still hovering around 9.7% for the general population, and at 15.8% for African Americans and 12.4% for Hispanics, our greatest hope for economic recovery lies not in a return to traditional trade, manufacturing or corporate jobs, but in our ability to transition to the future, to actively take part in America’s burgeoning digital economy.”

He goes on to say:

“Despite the lower barriers to entry that the Internet provides for new media startups and tech entrepreneurs, the fundamental barriers that stand in the way of entrepreneurship, especially for traditionally marginalized communities still exist – lack of funding and almost no access to capital, insufficient understanding of business development and partnership opportunities, and an underwhelming commitment from established companies to “give back” and lend a helping hand for future generations of entrepreneurs.”

Read the entire post here.

Hustletown readers: Are African Americans in your sphere taking advantage of digital opportunities in entrepreneurship? Let us know your experiences!

Cathy Hughes

“Black radio is as critical a communications vehicle now as it has ever been. Katrina hit. Haiti, the earthquake, hit. My phones were so jammed that you couldn’t get a call through. Black radio was there [when all those crises in our community happened]. People may have had CNN on, but the TV volumes were turned down, so they could listen to black radio stations. [Black radio] provides the same type of social relationship with its listening audience that the black church does, only without the religious aspect.”

Visit the Atlanta Post for her full interview on how this self made mogul started in radio and more.

The Book Expo plans to pack several activities into the day’s schedule, including: feature authors, storytellers, spoken word and poetry performances, musicians, children’s book authors, publishers, panel discussions, editors, and more!

The site has a few links that need to be updated, so in the meantime you may also want to check out the blog for additional information on this and other major literary happenings in the LA area.

The 100 “Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America” honorees are touted as extraordinary professionals and entrepreneurs that serve as role models to inspire future leaders. Wilkins was selected due to his contributions to the telecommunications industry and commitment to the community where he lives and works.

As CEO of Diversified Businesses for AT&T, Wilkins is responsible for overseeing the AT&T’s international investments, Sterling Commerce subsidiary and AT&T Advertising Solutions and Customer Information Services units.

Hustletown readers: Our staff is dedicated to profiling examples of African American success in business and entrepreneurship to further inspire the community. If you know of someone personally who is making all the right moves in their business, please contact us for review consideration on the Hustletown site!

The New Equity Search Tool & Locator Service includes a search engine and matching tool to identify available financing based on small business and real estate project profiles. It also offers customized reports about the financing, including eligibility and funding agency contact information.

“There is no small business resource like this available anywhere,” said Chinwe Onyeagoro, founder and editor-in-chief of New Equity Daily. “It’s nearly impossible for a small business to get a traditional bank loan and venture capital financing. Most business owners don’t know what the alternative financing products are or how to access them. This search tool is designed to unclog the bottleneck.”

Other information provided includes: bond financing, community bank financing, grant funding, and mission-related investment among much more. The tool is currently limited to the Chicago area, but has plans underway to incorporate a national database.

Hustletown readers: Do you find this tool effective? Please let us know what you think in our comments section below!

The ThickButtons technology is based on the concept that it is easier to guess individual letters than whole words. The size of a phone screen is less of an issue because the buttons are enlarged.

“ThickButtons simplifies the way we type on our touchscreen smartphones,” said Dimitri Lisitski, co-founder of ThickButtons. “Recent studies have documented a spiking demand for touchscreen smartphones – and correspondingly, people have been typing a lot more – with some frustrating and hilarious results. Dictionary-based technologies often can’t keep up with names, slang and vernacular.”

ThickButtons cites no change in typing habits, less dependency on the dictionary, and easy typing on small screens as benefits. The development team is hard at work to offer the app on additional platforms.

Hustletown readers: More often than not, a well functioning smart phone is an invaluable aid for your business. Check out the full article and let us know if ThickButtons is something you will use!

Sierra’s formula is pretty simple. She sat down with her husband to determine a monthly dollar amount for their fixed expenses, such as car payments, utility bills, and so forth. That amount is deposited each month to their high interest bank account, where it sits untouched until the automatic payments remove it.  This provides a safety net, and allows her to focus less on due dates week in and week out.

The remainder of her income remains in a separate account. She can spend freely from it, knowing that her major bills are already secured. Sometimes the beauty of an idea is in how it changes the way we look at something, and this may be that critical tool to simplify your weekly finances.

Hustletown readers: Check out the entire  post, and let us know your thoughts. If you already use something similar to Sierra’s plan, feel free to share!

A good photographer is worth every penny, but if your budget is not photo shoot friendly, the different classes have much to offer. While most of the classes involve animal and nature, the sections on Extreme Close-Up and The World in Our Hands may provide some invaluable tips. They also give advice on equipment, if photography itself is your business.

Either way, enjoy the stunning images!

Hustletown readers: We here at Hustletown definitely want to encourage a network of professionals in every facet of business! If you have worked with a photographer who helped your business materials, pass on a link to their work in our comments section!

This should prove to be an excellent opportunity to build networks for your business. The conference also promises to provide speakers that will supercharge your business drive, sneak peaks on future trends, and workshop sessions designed to give you the cutting edge in the upcoming months.

Check here for further information, the agenda is absolutely packed for this event!

Hustletown readers: Do you attend conferences regularly for networking or business building purposes — or find them to be a drain on your time? Let us know your thoughts!

SCORE

The new eGuide, “Growing and Maintaining a Healthy Business Credit Score,” is now available for download under the “Financing Your Business” section at www.score.org. The eGuide is designed to educate business owners on the basics of their credit profile, as well as provide tips and resources about how business owners can effectively manage their credit.

“Making sure that your small business has a solid credit report is as important as maintaining a positive credit history in your personal life,” said Allen Anderson, president, Experian’s Business Information Services. “In fact, when creditors are reviewing the creditworthiness of a small business, having a solid business credit history becomes critical to that business’ success.”

Hustletown readers: Score.org offers many more tools and resources, it is definitely worth checking out! Read the full release for the eGuide here.