It’s the dawning of a new era. Despite the recent financial firestorm, much of the nation has pushed aside their angst and embraced a new spirit of optimism. On Jan. 20, change will come to America. And the catalyst will be Barack Obama. When he is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States–the first African American to occupy the Oval Office–he will not come to power as a 21st century messiah who will cure all our ills overnight. He will provide what’s been lacking for eight long years: presidential leadership.
There’s also electricity crackling through the offices of black enterprise. We, too, are euphoric about the prospects of an Obama administration and what it means to the world. In fact, we were the first national magazine to endorse our new president–at the beginning of the primary season. However, we are just as jazzed about the myriad changes occurring at our company.
Read this issue and you’ll see a demonstration of our brand of leadership. We’ve put a fresh coat of paint on every page, from the Table of Contents to Backtalk. For roughly 12 months, our editors, designers, and production team have expended their energy, passion, and intellectual horsepower to revitalize our publication. Their mission: ensuring that each item provides you with vital content that matches the urgency of our times.
No one advocates our agenda with more vigor than CEO Earl “Butch†Graves Jr. A true representative of the “Obama generation,†he has fueled the advancement of our media company through deft management and creative collaboration. For more than a decade, his mantra has been that wealth building, from investing to entrepreneurship, is the key to the progression of African American professionals and entrepreneurs. On more than one occasion, he has declared that the ills that plague the African American community–whether they involve education, health, or technology–can largely be fixed by closing the wealth gap. Each month in his new Executive Memo column, he will offer his unique insights into the ever-evolving world of commerce as well as indispensable lessons about business, finance, and life.
Another major development has been the introduction of a revamped version of our signature money management program: Wealth for Life. By reconstructing the decade-old Black Wealth Initiative, we improved our most important vehicle to promote multigenerational wealth building among African Americans. So now at any stage in your financial life, our principles can direct you to take the appropriate action to place you on the path to achieving your goals.
In the same vein, our entire editorial team spent months reshaping our coverage. Editor-At-Large Carolyn M. Brown recreated our news section, boiling the latest developments and trends down in TalkingPoints. Senior Personal Finance Editor John W. Simons and Consumer Affairs Editor Sheiresa McRae repackaged our Moneywise and Shopsmart sections as tools to help readers avoid financial minefields and maximize investment dollars and purchasing power. Editorial Director Alan Hughes, Small Business Editor Tennille M. Robinson, and Editor-At-Large Sonya A. Donaldson bolstered the Enterprise and Techwatch departments so 21st century entrepreneurs could sharpen their competitive edge and apply new technology to make their companies more productive. Editorial Director Sonia Alleyne and Careers Editor Annya M. Lott beefed up the renamed Workplace section, revealing new employment opportunities, career strategies, and global business trends. Throughout this process, the editors employed the critical support of Editorial Assistant LaToya M. Smith.
But we also offer some surprises–features written with proprietary research and from our strong point of view that cannot be found in any other business publication. In “Did They Cause the Credit Crisis?†we answer conservative pundits who attempt to use minorities as scapegoats for the subprime debacle. Our cover story, “B.E. Next,†is emblematic of our new approach. The feature reveals how a new generation of entrepreneurial supernovas is illuminating American industry by unleashing bold ideas and uninhibited ingenuity. And for those who want to find out how the best and brightest have taken their enterprises to the pinnacle of business success, check out our new monthly BE 100s Power Player feature.
To present our compelling stories in this new dynamic and reader-friendly package, we turned to the expertise of Creative Director Terence K. Saulsby, Associate Art Director Mary A. Brown, Senior Photo Editor Lonnie C. Major, and Designer Todd A. Chapman. To ensure that the accuracy of our information is unassailable, Managing Editor Alisa Gumbs, Copy Chief Seimond London and our top-notch team of copyeditors–Dale R. Coachman, Siobhan Dixon, and Robin White Goode–review every shred of material in this publication. Production Director Nancy Brown and Production Manager Darcel J. Church represent our last line of defense in terms of quality control.
Editor-In-Chief Derek T. Dingle is thrilled by the compelling new format, viewing it as the evolution of our objective to make the American dream accessible to millions. Because of the inhospitable nature of our economy, he says, be is needed now more than ever. “We continue to build upon our grand tradition of giving readers relevant, useful information,†he asserts. “In these times when commerce operates at the speed of light, our audience must have timely and accurate information so they can make the best possible decisions.â€
We are more than a successful magazine though; we are a full-service media company with two nationally syndicated television shows: Our World with Black Enterprise and the Black Enterprise Business Report; a string of successful events serving black entrepreneurs and professionals; and a new and improved Website offering content that complements what you’ll find in the magazine. For us, this expansion reflects the fact that in the 21st century, different audiences get their information through different mediums.
Whether you prefer to read a periodical, watch TV, listen to speakers at a conference, surf the Internet, or download content onto your BlackBerry or cell phone, black enterprise can be found wherever you want us to be. Although it may be a new era, our commitment to exploring new ways to serve our audience will never change.