Amidst all of the fun and entertainment, Black Enterprise remained true to form by providing financial knowledge and empowerment via the Prudential-sponsored BE Modern Man: New Faces of Wealth Luncheon.
This candid conversation, hosted by Black Enterprise SVP/Executive Editor-at-Large, Alfred Edmond Jr., broke down what it means to achieve financial goals and make a powerful impact in the surrounding community and the world at large. The panel featured actor Dondre Whitfield, entrepreneur and retired NBA superstar Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, and motivational speaker and connection coach Jonathan Sprinkles.
Edmond started the panel with a simple question: What does it mean to be a Black Enterprise Modern Man? The panelists answered this with varied similarities. Hardaway proclaimed that to be a BE Modern Man means to lead by example, always push forward, and be all that you can be.
“I’d like to inspire kids to look at me and say, ‘Hey, he made it. I can make it, too,'” said Hardaway. Sprinkles added that every time you enter a room and you exemplify African American excellence, you are portraying a BE Modern Man.A major takeaway from the panel discussion was the importance of getting financial coaching. “A financial planner should hold the same stake in the African American home as the family physician,” proclaimed Edmond. “It’s not only the rich who should receive financial advice.”
The panel also generally agreed on the importance of exposing youth to the process of wealth development, not just the payoff of accumulated wealth. In exposing youth to the wealth-building process, realistic expectations and goals can then be set, and an understanding of the value of money will follow.
Hardaway advised us to
write down our financial goals and look at them every day. Sprinkles recommended turning your mess into your message, and Whitfield acknowledged the importance of spending significantly less than you earn.To learn more about BE Modern Man and living a healthy financial life, be sure to visit BlackEnterprise.com/BEModernMan. And if you took the panel’s words to heart and want to look into getting some financial advice, visit www.prudential.com.