Series Editor: Kenneth Lipartito, University of Houston 1999 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award, Honorable Mention 1999 Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) Letitia Woods Brown Prize for best Book published by a Black Woman Historian/Best Book Published on African American Women's History 1999 American Association of Publishers Scholarly and Professional Division, Award in Business and Management Category 1999 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book in African and African American Studies 1999 Black Caucus of the American Library Association 1998 Award for Outstanding Publication 1998 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book in Management and Labor With in-depth surveys on business trends and waves of industrial progress, this series offers a critical look at the practices and evolution of the business world.

"Should I lower my price point? Give my new product away for free online? How do I compete when my goods, services, or business model might be duplicated?" In this candid, 21st-century-savvy guide, Dante Lee illustrates how passion can become profit by addressing the questions that every businessperson needs to ask. Black Business Secrets discusses the entrepreneurial skills that African-American business owners must master in order to compete in a world where most new companies fail within three years. Whether you’re a weekend entrepreneur or a career-changing professional, Lee’s motto—"don’t be a worrier, be a warrior"—applies. From personal branding to best practices, this empowering blueprint offers surefire tips and strategies designed to ensure business survival and success.

The most successful business leaders always have their own compelling philosophies, but all too often the thoughts and ideologies of high-profile African American leaders are forgotten or passed over. This exciting new study reflects on some of the leading black business pioneers of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Black business activity has been sustained in America for almost four centuries. From the marketing and trading activities of African slaves in Colonial America to the rise of 20th-century black corporate America, African American participation in self-employed economic activities has been a persistent theme in the black experience. Yet, unlike other topics in African American history, the study of black business has been limited. General reference sources on the black experience—with their emphasis on social, cultural, and political life—provide little information on topics related to the history of black business. This invaluable encyclopedia is the only reference source providing information on the broad range of topics that illuminate black business history. Providing readily accessible information on the black business experience, the encyclopedia provides an overview of black business activities, and underscores the existence of a historic tradition of black American business participation. Entries range from biographies of black business people to overview surveys of business activities from the 1600s to the 1990s, including slave and free black business activities and the Black Wallstreet to coverage of black women's business activities, and discussions of such African American specific industries as catering, funeral enterprises, insurance, and hair care and cosmetic products. Also, there are entries on blacks in the automotive parts industry, black investment banks, black companies listed on the stock market, blacks and corporate America, civil rights and black business, and black athletes and business activities.

For as long as there have been blacks in the Americas, there have been African-American entrepreneurs.

An interest in the history of African American entrepreneurship has produced a number of studies of economic development on the national level, but very few have examined this growth at the local level. Against All Odds was written to bridge that gap. Bessie House Soremekun provides a historical analysis of black entrepreneurship in Cleveland, Ohio, from the early 1800s to the present day. Soremekun's statistical analysis of the factors that contributed to the success of African American businesses in Cleveland is supported by extensive research, and her policy recommendations about how entrepreneurship could be stimulated through public and private programs are thought provoking. In addition, examining historical and current trends of African American entrepreneurship, Soremekun presents brief biographies of several successful entrepreneurs, among them best-selling author George Fraser and internationally acclaimed architect Robert P. Madison. The book also documents the life histories of business owners who have had unsuccessful business experiences, compares black male and female business owners, and offers insights into why some businesses succeed while others fail. Against All

There are more black entrepreneurs, athletes, lawyers, doctors, teachers, and politicians in the United States of America today than at any other point in history. Janneh K. Wright, an entrepreneur and advocate for black-owned businesses, explores the history of the entrepreneurial spirit in the black community-zeroing in on how blacks have been wronged and how desegregation did not live up to its promise. He urges black business owners and entrepreneurs to stop depending on governmental action to fix their problems or right the wrongs of the past. Instead, he urges black busnesspeople to look to themselves and to their own communities. By providing useful tools and examples for the business owner, the model provided in this guide will help you win business, invest in black communities, and overcome negative perceptions. You can also enhance entreprenuerial skills, boost profitability, and lift up yourself while lending others a hand with the lessons and strategies in Black Business Success Model.