Welp, Day 3 is down and BlackEnterprise.com has to say this is bittersweet. Bitter, because, well, things are winding down and we have almost concluded an awesome and impactful 2016 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit, and sweet because, thus far, this event has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Today alone, attendees have enjoyed a one-on-one session with CEO and Founder of Miss Jessie’s, Miko Branch, where she detailed her road to success in entrepreneurship; they learned the art of cashing out of a lucrative business from executives who shared exit strategies from acquisitions, to sales, to IPOs. Attendees found out how to navigate their niches despite oversaturation, and all things countering productivity; they learned “secrets†from the founders and CEOs of multibillion-dollar investment firms.
The night concluded with the awarding of the BE 100s best and brightest businesses.
The award recipients included:
Industrial Company of the Year
Sun State International
Auto Dealer of the Year
Wade Ford Smyrna
Financial Services Company of the Year
James Reynolds, Loop Capital Markets L.L.C.
A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award
Janice Bryant Howroyd, Act-1 Group
These awards were issued to companies that have exceeded excellence in business and entrepreneurship in their respective fields.
To call the night inspiration would be a grave understatement. It inspired, ignited, and informed each entrepreneur and those who never considered entrepreneurship, but will now.
Each award recipient shared their journey, There were failures, triumphs, unexpected turns, ups, downs, all around and then, the inevitable and ultimate success.
What did these entrepreneurs have in common, you wonder? Tenacity, relentless will to succeed, a purpose, and eyes constantly, unwaveringly, on the prize.
Listen, we’ve said it before, and we will say it again. The 2016 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit was indeed where innovation and capital met. Lives were changed, business courses were altered, dreams were realized.
Ultimately, purpose served, and this isn’t even the last day.