Entrepreneurship can be a tough road yet sometimes it is wise, not to try to re-invent the wheel, but follow the path of other entrepreneurs who paved the way for you. Go from a pocket full of dreams to launching your first startup with some of our favorite quotes from these successful Black entrepreneurs.
1. “If you have a dream AND you have a job. That’s amazing! You can learn how to navigate both. Your employer, or as I like to call it your “investor”, gives you the money to invest in your dream, and pay your bills while you chase your dreams.” [Twitter]
Lisa Nichols shared her story with Mindvalley about how she went from having $12 in her pocket to being Mindvalley’s A-Fest keynote speaker for seven consecutive years. Nichols is the CEO of Motivating the Masses, Inc. which lists her as a best-selling author of six books with a motivational speaking platform that has reached 80 million people globally. She is known for her contribution to the law of attraction hit “The Secret,” a book that has sold 30 million copies worldwide.
2. “If you don’t believe your story ain’t nobody else going to.” [TED Talk]
DeVon Franklin has multi-award-winning movie productions which can be seen on his official site. The list includes films like “BreakThrough” and “Heaven Is for Real.” According to Variety, the former MGM executive landed a first-look deal with Fox becoming CEO of Franklin Entertainment. He is also a best-selling author of “The Wait” which is co-authored by his wife, Meagan Good.
3. “If you approach 100 people for seed capital, 99 of them may say no, you just need that one.” [HuffPost]
According to the National Black MBA Association, Dr. William Pickard is the chairman of the Global Automotive Alliance, which has had over $5 billion in sales. He also co-owns five Black-owned newspapers, and a chain of McDonald’s restaurants, and is a Managing partner of MGM Grand Detroit Casino.
4. “One plus one is not two. One plus one for Black couples who are in business together is like two squared.” [AfroTech]
Kim Lewis is the founder of CurlMix, along with her husband, Tim Lewis. The duo went from cooking up hair products in their kitchen to a multi-million dollar natural hair care brand. During a recent AfroTech interview, Kim explained the power behind having her husband as a co-founder and how it has benefited the brand’s decision making progress.
5. “Many of us stay up until 2 a.m. watching stuff on Netflix, but you get off of work at 6 o’clock. So, what could you do from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. that can prove this company is worth it.” [AfroTech]
Candice Matthews Brackeen is founder and CEO of Hillman Accelerator, the first program of its kind in the Midwest dedicated to supporting Black tech startups. Candice also acquired NewMe accelerator which has raised $40 million in startup capital for founders.
6. “Every season somebody else was coming out, one talk show, two talk shows, three talk shows, there have been over a hundred talk shows since we started, but every time I would feel like alright gotta step up our game. The way you step up your game is not to worry about the other guy.” [YouTube]
Media mogul, Oprah Winfrey’s biography includes starting from humble beginnings in the state of Mississippi, where she was born to a teenage mother. Today, Oprah’s net worth is $2.7 billion making her one of the first Black billionaires in the United States.
