Successful Black Entrepreneurs

Preface

ALL OF THE case studies included in this book were taught as part of my course at Harvard Business School. This course, “Black Business Leaders and Entrepreneurship,” was historic as it represented the first course, in any business school, devoted singularly to the challenges, efforts, and accomplishments of Black entrepreneurs. The course description and syllabus is included in the Appendix.

The primary objective of the course was the same as one of the objectives of this book—to identify, recognize, and celebrate the brilliance of Black men and women who achieved success as entrepreneurs. Of particular note, these people were and are not athletes or entertainers.

Rarely will you see the inclusion of athletes or entertainers on any list identifying successful entrepreneurs. The exception that nearly makes the rule is when such a list identifies Black entrepreneurs. This is problematic for the Black community because it implies that non-Blacks can achieve entrepreneurial success through their intellect and vision, but Blacks rely on their athletic accomplishments or entertainment skills to achieve similar success. It is unfair because it ignores the fact that these Black entertainers typically pursued entrepreneurial endeavors AFTER they had successfully established a brand. Establishing a brand allowed them to then use their names, financial resources, and hired management teams to extend the range of their impact to areas of new products or services. There is absolutely ...