Issue #17

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Be your Own Success Story The Premier Educational Resource Magazine For Minority Young Adults

Featured in this issue

Jalen Rose

“. . . I want to close the educational gap in Detroit . . .”

College Money Advice

The $300 Mistake (And Other Ways That College-Bound Students Waste Money)

HBCU & U

Wendy Raquel Robinson Actress & Educator talks about the relevance of HBCUs

B.O.S.S. Article

4 tips for dispelling job search myths after graduation

www.boss-emag.com

B.O.S.S. Spotlight Cappriccieo Scates President & CEO Mytrell Records, tells us why education is the only solution

4.99

2 Years

Strong

Collector’s Edition

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EMAGAZINE

the

Publisher’s

Change begins with me…

I cannot put into words how excited I am about B.O.S.S. eMagazine’s 2nd anniversary issue “2 years Strong.” Not only is this our anniversary issue, but it is our first issue in print! This issue is special to me. Emotionally, this journey has been overwhelming, but I’ve been preparing for this all of my life. We have reached back over the past 2 years and highlighted the most read articles to date.

This issue takes me back to the beginning, to our first issue, and back to the original reason I started B.O.S.S. When I surveyed the Top 25 Black Magazines, 16 magazines focused on music and entertainment, four magazines are about hair, and four are business related.

Not one magazine is about education. And on top of it all, there has not been a successful non-entertainment AfricanAmerican focused magazine on the shelves of Barnes and Noble in 43 years! I really felt that it is time for a change in reference to the lack of educationally focused magazines for minorities. It has been a rewarding challenge for us to bring you a publication that challenges the status quo for urban media.

The evolution of urban youth magazines has to begin with us. If we want our youth to see positive images, WE as a community, have to print them! We must take responsibility to print not what is popular, but what is best for our future. B.O.S.S. eMagazine believes it is imperative that minority youth have a resource that not only speaks of them and to them, but a platform that caters to their potential and current success. Positive Media = Positive People.

In conclusion, we are not just looking for obligatory congratulations; we are expecting our supporters to STAND with us and support us as we move into this unchartered territory. Our communities have been begging for media that is positive and educational… that is why B.O.S.S. is here! So, help us make B.O.S.S. eMagazine the #1 urban youth magazine in the nation, help us make history. The time for talking is over, it’s time for action.

@MR_HowardClay

Desk

Howard J. Clay/ Publisher

Howard J. Clay

Howard J. Clay is available for speaking engagements, clinics/ seminars, as well as appearances for organizations, corporate and school events.

For Booking howardjclay@hotmail.com

T:10"

HEADED FOR HISTORIC GAINS.

Introducing Better FuturesTM —a whole new kind of investment with a greater return than money. When you invest, it helps kids go to college. Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in.TM ©2013 UNCF

Invest in Better Futures at UNCF.ORG/INVEST

Editor’s

Today.

It’s here.

Be proud of yourself for making it this far and taking this step.

Today is the start of something great.

Besides this being the first print issue of B.O.S.S. (which, in itself is so exciting), this is the exact moment that you have decided to make progress towards becoming your own success story. I applaud you for that.

No matter where your journey may take you- graduating high school, going to college, the military, professional school, starting your own business… I am here to be your cheerleader and advocate. I was once in your shoes, so I understand the level of anxiety and confusion overwhelming you at this turning point in your life.

I was stuck staring at 9 college acceptance letters asking myself, “now what? What do I do next?” I went from questioning my every decision to making a conscious decision to take the best route for ME. As a “1st First” (first generational college student) myself, I had to forge a path in unchartered territory. That is where you are right now. You have made the best decision for yourself and the proof is you reading this magazine.

As your cheerleader and advocate, I will congratulate you on your triumphs, encourage and reassure you of your choices, support you when things get tough, and guide you away from making a bad decision for your situation. I have made so many mistakes along my journey and I want to deter you from making them yourself. In staying true to this, I pledge to continue making a publication for you that speaks to you and is the resource that helps you along your way.

Today is the start of something great.

Be proud of yourself for making it this far and taking this step.

Today.

It’s here.

@Drea_Elizabeth

Note

Andrea Paul Editor- In- Chief

Andrea Paul is available for speaking engagements, clinics/seminars, as well as appearances for organizations, corporate and school events.

For Booking drea@boss-emag.com

eMAGAZINE

Staff Founder/Publisher

Howard Clay Jr.

Co Founder/Editor in Cheif Andrea Paul

Art Director

Emmanuel Johnson

Editorial/Digital Content Manager Cierra McClurkin

Marketing and Advertising Manager Desha Elliott

Media Relations Manager

LaTresa “Tree� Cunningham

Promotions Director Jeffrey Royce

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Please include your name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity or space Mailing: P.O. Box 6503 Marietta, GA 30065 Subcriptions: www.boss-emag.com Email: editor@boss-emag.com Phone: 678 719 9779

Contributing writers:

Lindsay Harper Travis Jackson Sia Knight Marcia Franklin Robinson Terra Couzins Brad Allen Tiffany Hall Nneka Russell

Contributing Editors: An Howard Linda Clay

B.O.S.S. eMagazine is the premier educational resource magazine for Minority Young Adults!

Subscribe today!

SCAN ME

2 Years

Strong

Thank You!

Section 1

BE YOUR SUCCESS 17 Inside B.O.S.S.

Cover Interview - pg22-26 Jalen Rose Interviews of Interest -pg28-34 Dr. Steve perry Dondria Nicole Daymond John Kamerion Wimbley College Money Advice -pg36-37 Graduates Bad with Money 1st First -pg38-42 Overwhelming Excitement Stress free First year advice $300 Mistake

eMAGAZINE

Substance In Every Issue Section 2

Section 3

R OWN SS STORY Young BOSS pg46-47 Picture of Success

Articles pg48-53

Gentleman & Scholar Realty to Reality

Road to becoming L.A.D.Y

B.O.S.S. Spotlight -pg54-57 Cappriccieo Scates

Entrepreneur pg67-69 Small Biz Lady

Turning point

Community pg70-75 Tree’s Motivation DERRICKisms

Entertainment pg78-79 Supply and demand

HBCU and U -pg58-65

Dispelling Job Myths

Wendy Raquel

May 2014

My child is going to college at Their tomorrow depends on your words today.

Help complete your child’s future by encouraging them to get a college degree. Call the Hispanic Scholarship Fund today at 1-877-HSF-INFO or visit YourWordsToday.org to learn more.

.

17 Cool & Surprising Black History Facts

BLACK HISTORY Facts.

by Janelle Harris

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1. Cathay Williams was the one and only female Buffalo Soldier, posing as a man named William Cathay to enlist in the 38th infantry in 1866.

She served for two years before a doctor discovered that she was a woman, leading to her discharge.

2. Both Condoleezza Rice and Martin Luther King, Jr. started college when they were just 15 years old.

She studied political science at the University of Denver; he majored in sociology at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

3. Journalist Ida Wells-Barnett refused to give up her railcar seat for a white man in 1884, and bit a conductor on the hand when he tried to force her. She was dragged off the train. She sued the railroad and initially won, but the decision was overturned.

4. In 2008, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt became the first man to ever set three world records in a single Olympic games.

5. The media made the Black Panthers notorious for their Afros, dark apparel, and willingness for armed self-defense, but their manifesto for change launched programs that benefited black communities nationwide, like free dental care, breakfast for low-

income children, even drama classes.

6. Lincoln University in Pennsylvania is the first institution of higher education founded for African-Americans. It paved the way for the 104 other historically black colleges, which have produced distinguished alums like Thurgood Marshall, Spike Lee, and the almighty Oprah.

7. Black ingenuity helped devise creative — and effective — plans to escape enslavement. In 1848, husband-and-wife team William and Ellen Craft made it to the North, and eventually England, when she dressed as a white man and he posed as one of her slaves. A year later, Henry “Box” Brown literally mailed himself to freedom in a shipping box during a 27-hour trip from Richmond to Philadelphia.

8. Liberia was founded and colonized by expatriates. The West African country is one of two sovereign states in the world started as a colony for ex-slaves and marginalized blacks. Sierra Leone is the other.

9. Jesse Jackson does more than make up words: he negotiated the release of Lt. Robert O. Goodman,

Jr., a black pilot who had been shot down over Syria and taken hostage in 1983.

10. Before he was a blockbuster actor, Will Smith was The Fresh Prince and, along with partner Jazzy Jeff, won the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance.

They boycotted the awards because the category was barred from television.

11. The hair brush, lawn mower, cellphone, refrigerator, and — thank heavens — the air conditioner were all the fruits of African-American inventors’ creative laboring.

12. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson had an older brother, Matthew Robinson, who was also a star athlete in his own right. He won a silver medal in the 200-yard dash in the 1936 Olympics — coming in second to Jesse Owens.

13. Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman elected to Congress and the first black major-party presidential candidate survived three assassination attempts during her 1972 campaign.

14. Eatonville, Florida, the childhood home of writer and cultural anthropologist (and

my all-time favorite author!)

Zora Neale Hurston, is also the first town in the country to be incorporated by AfricanAmericans.

15. in 1948, multitalented actor, singer, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson was considered for a U.S. vice presidential spot on Henry A. Wallace’s Progressive Party ticket.

16. The still-reigning King of Pop, Michael Jackson, snagged several Guinness World Records, including highest annual earnings for a pop star, best-selling album of all time for his classic, Thriller, and most Grammy Awards won in a year (he took home 8). Incidentally, Beyonce holds that record for the ladies — she took home six in 2010.

17. Tice Davids, a runaway slave from Kentucky, was the inspiration for the first usage of the term “Underground Railroad.” When he swam across the Ohio River to freedom, his former owner assumed he’d drowned and told the local paper if Davids had escaped, he must have traveled on “an underground railroad.” (Davids actually made it alive and well.)

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FAFSA

Hello My name is

FAFSA >

It's that time of year always

When high school seniors and college students begin the FAFSA process. FAFSA? What do these abstract letters mean? Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application is oh-so-important if you want/need to be considered for financial aid.

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B.O.S.S. Issue 17

As a high school senior or college student you will need the following information to complete your FAFSA.

1) YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Make sure you have your social security or tax ID number available. Also, you will need your ID/ driver's licence number as well.

2) FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR YOURSELF.

Did you work in 2011? If so, you will soon receive a W-2 form from your job and if you filed an income tax return you will need those documents as well. Lastly, if you have any bank accounts in your name, you will need your current bank statements. Use this income info as needed.

You do not NEED information for both parents if one parent's income will not be considered as a way to pay for your education. In simple terms, if you have lived in a single parent household all of your life, you will only need the information from the parent you have lived with. Only stipulation: You must NOT be able to get parental info in order to not use it. A deceased parent, a parent who you have no contact info for apply here. For those students who have lived in foster care, or otherwise a "ward of the court" you will not need to provide any parental information.

Lastly, if your grandparents or any other family outside of your biological or adoptive parents are your legal guardians, you can NOT use their information to file your FAFSA.

3) YOUR PARENTS’ PERSONAL, EDUCATIONAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

Have your parent(s) or their info available while completing the application. You’ll need their ID numbers, income information for 2011, and their education level. Did they complete high school, college, have a vocational certification? All that goes on your application.

4) YOUR (PROSPECTIVE) COLLEGE INFORMATION.

For seniors, you most likely have a list of colleges you have already applied to and those you are planning to complete admissions applications for.

To file a FAFSA you will need all the school codes for all of the schools you have and will apply to.

In this section, you will need to state whether you will be living on or off campus.

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Let’s Get Started 1

Head over to the official FAFSA website at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the official site of the FAFSA application. Any other website you come across claiming to be a FAFSA site but does not include .ed or .gov in the URL, please be cautious about entering any personal information.

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Click the “Start Here” button. You will be directed to the first “Student Information” page. Enter your name, social security number, and birthday when prompted.

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You will be prompted for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for either the student or a parent. If this is your first FAFSA application, you will need to apply for a PIN. Follow the prompts and enter the necessary information. You will be sent a PIN via email. Both you and your parent(s) need to apply for a PIN. Your PIN is considered your official signature for the FAFSA. This is how you will sign your application at the end of the process and how you will log in the the website when you need to make changes and renew your FAFSA for the next year.

Subsidized loans

Grants

free money you do not have to repay; comes with stipulations- a certain amount of credit hours per semester, certain GPA, or Financial need. The money is paid directly to your college.

Work-study

Federal program where you apply/attain a job on-campus and use your pay to cover any needs you may have. The money is paid directly to you.

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money you borrow that must be repaid after graduation or if you drop below halftime student status (usually less than 6 credit hours a term). With this type of loan, the gvovernment pays interest while you are in school.

Unsubsidized loans

money you borrow that must be repaid after you leave school. With this type of loan, interest accumulates while you are in school.

Enter in the necessary information. Once you officially log on to the FAFSA application, the website will take you step by step through each section. Before any financial sections, you will be prompted to complete a “worksheet”. These worksheets help you visualize the information and then transfers the appropriate numbers to the actual application. All in all, it is a calculator used to help you simplify the process.

Pay attention to your SAR , EFC, and DRN. You will get this information once you submit the application.The SAR is the Student Aid Report. This is what gets sent to the list of universities you claimed you wanted to be considered for financial aid. It summarizes all of your information, so look it over and make sure everything is correct.

If you find anything wrong with it, you can make corrections right away. Your EFC is your Expected Family Contribution. Based on the correct info you provided on your FAFSA, the EFC is the amount the system assumes your family will be able to pay out of pocket.

This is in no way a number you and your family should use to determine whether or not you will be able to pay for college. The computer/ FAFSA system generates it, based on this application. If you think your EFC is incorrect, re-check your SAR and make the appropiate corrections. Lastly, you will see a DNR. Along with your PIN, you will need this number to make corrections after a FAFSA is filed.

AFTER FAFSA 1

2

3

Check with each of your listed colleges.

After your FAFSA has been submited and reviewed by the financial aid offices at the schools you have applied to, contact them to ask if you need to submit any other documents to complete your file. These documents can range from court documents stating that you are a ward of the court, to institutional financial aid applications, to scholarship applications.

The financial aid award.

After you have applied, been accepted, and submitted your FAFSA, a college will now send you a financial aid award, either as a part of the admissions welcome package or electronically. Once you recieve all of your aid awards from each school you have been accepted to, review them carefully. Compare the cost of attendence (tuition, room and board, expenses) against the amount of aid a school is offering you to determine your unmet need. The FAFSA website has great information about comparing financial aid awards. Check it out at https://studentaid2.ed.gov/GetMoney/pay_ for_college/award_compare.html.

REMEMBER!

The application for FAFSA opens January 1st.

It is advised to complete your application as soon as possible after that to ensure you receive your maximum amout of aid. By filing a FAFSA in January of your senior year in high school, you are applying for financial aid for the following school year. For example, the senior class of 2013 will begin their financial aid applications January 2013 to receive aid for the 2013-2014 school year.

Consolidation

A loan program that allows a borrower to combine various educational loans into one new loan.

By extending the repayment period (up to 30 years depending on the loan amount) and allowing a single monthly payment, consolidation can make loan repayment easier for some borrowers.

Principal

The amount borrowed. Interest is charged on this amount, and guaranty and origination fees will be deducted prior to disbursement.

Deferment

An authorized period of time during which a borrower may postpone principal and interest payments.

Deferments are available while borrowers are in school at least half time, enrolled in a graduate fellowship program or rehabilitation training program, and during periods of unemployment or economic hardship.

Award Letter

The official document, issued by the financial aid office, which lists all the financial aid awarded to the student.

While award letters vary among institutions, the letter generally lists the expected family contribution, cost of attendance and all the terms of the aid awarded.

Next year.

You will have to renew your FAFSA application every year you will be in school in order to be considered for financial aid.

The process is essentially the same, except most of the information will be prefilled with last year’s info. Make sure you update changes in your ID/driver’s licence number if you have changed your residency and school info if you plan on transferring.

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One section

eMAGAZINE

Cover interview

Jalen

Rose

A Change in Detroit B.O.S.S.: B.O.S. S. stands for Be your Own Success Story. What does being a B.O.S.S. mean to you?

Jalen: I love sports and I fell in love with basketball. Basketball was always my drive, my love, my focus, but I never wanted to be considered a dumb jock. Being my own success story was to follow my dream and hopefully making it to the NBA, but also I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to be educated. I wanted to be somebody that was well rounded.

And to me, that’s what being a B.O.S.S. is all about.

A lot of people think that having a lot of money is being successful.

What does being successful mean to you?

It’s unfortunate that we attribute success to money. Success is not money. Success is faith; success is happiness; success is being

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goal-oriented and never settling for less. In high school, success was to graduate. I took pride in my education and it showed with me being an honor roll student. In college at University of Michigan, I was on the Dean’s List and I graduated.

I feel as though I am one of the only people who actually works in the field they studied in college. I don’t know how that idea changed in our society, but now we all major in one thing and end up working in something else. I’m fortunate enough to where radio, television, and film is what I do. In conjunction with ESPN and ABC, I have created the production company, Three Tier Entertainment. The main project we have produced or executive produced was the Fab Five Documentary for ESPN. Along with all of my titles, I am

also the founder of a charter high school. That’s success. For me, it’s about uplifting my community, giving back to and rebuilding the city of Detroit, and motivating the young men and women to be successful outside of the fast street life. [Success] doesn’t happen overnight… it takes a while. You may see me on TV today, but realize that this is my 13th year covering the NBA Finals.

Tell us more about the school you founded, Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA).

[Jalen Rose Leadership Academy] is a tuition free, public, charter high school on the northwest side of Detroit. I grew up there, so it’s important for me to do what I can to give back to the community that I came from. These days, you basically need a college degree to work at McDonald’s. Times

Success is not money.

Success is faith; success is happiness; success is begin jalen being goaloriented and never settling for less.

have changed and we now live in a global economy. When you put your resume on the desk at a job interview or you submit your application for a university you are competing with people from across the world. The Jalen Rose Leadership Academy exists to push young men and women to compete in a global economy.

At JRLA, we have an extended school day that lasts until 4pm and an extended academic year that is in session until August.

Our curriculum consists of the Michigan normal academic standards with math, English, and the sciences, but we also have a leadership focused curriculum.

Here, we teach our students about social skills, etiquette, decision

making, and general life skills that they would be exposed to on a daily basis.

I wanted to create a private school environment for public school kids and try to close the educational gap. In Detroit, the annual spending per student is $7,100. In Birmingham, it is close to $13,000… so of course they’re going to have more technology, better teachers, and better facilities. Right now, I’m trying to turn an elementary school building into a functional high school and it takes a lot of money and a lot of time. I thank our donors and their commitment to JRLA. Currently, we have 300 students in 9th through 11th grade enrolled at JRLA with our first graduating

class completing in 2015. We stagger the enrollment so that we can create an environment of success with each student, where each grade level feels as though they are receiving special treatment. This is how we are creating a culture of success.

I’m very proud of our students.

Our school has become a proven ground for second chances.

Students who did not do well in middle school can come [to JRLA] and be accepted with no regards to race, financial status, age, or gender. A family may have the means to send their child to private school, but would instead decide on JRLA. They will receive the same experience, but they will save $15,000, $20,000, or even

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“I wanted to be somebody that was well rounded... that’s what being a B.O.S.S. is all about.” $30,000. I am working for our kids to have that $30,000 invested in them with new technology and facilities. They deserve that.

We have around 15 activities at our school. We have academic games, we have lacrosse, we have rugby, and we have boys’ and girls’ basketball, cheerleading, and volleyball. Sports helps students learn life lessons and keeps them active and engaged. It teaches them to deal with situations when the team is doing well, but they aren’t playing, when the team is doing poorly, but they are playing their best. It teaches how to deal with success and failure. It teaches students to be able to manage the rigors of being an athlete one day and a student the next morning.

We also have a partnership with University of Detroit- Mercy.

They have been a terrific partner.

Currently, our juniors have a chance to take correspondence courses at U of D and are

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experiencing college so they won’t show up to campus as freshmen lost and confused. They will have been exposed to it already and will be prepared. In addition, the University has agreed to admit all of our graduates into their College of Liberal Arts and Education, quarterly. Jalen Rose Leadership Academy really was just a graduation of my foundation that helped aid 40 kids in going to college. I also have a scholarship at the University of Michigan that graduated two kids and now has a junior at the school as well.

Graduation is our mission.

Tell us more about Three Tier Entertainment.

I have Three Tier Entertainment with my business partner, Adel Nur. We’re very selective in what we do. Before we did the Fab 5 documentary, we produced the play The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. It was kind of in the Tyler

Perry fashion where we toured the “chitlin’ circuit” for 9 cities.

We created a stage play that was very successful and it has made me proud. We also did a couple of vignettes and productions for Jeep.

Right now, I’m working on some productions with ESPN where I’m going to produce features for them. My goal is to eventually build up enough credits to where I can walk into a film house and get a budget. It doesn’t take up as much time as everything else that I do but I’m still passionate about it. [Production] is just a passion for me more than anything else.

You get to live out your dream as an ESPN/ABC analyst. How does that feel?

It’s awesome! I tell people all the time that only about 10 people who are retired athletes or entertainers are people who the public actually care for what they did five to ten years ago.

Working in multimedia was always a passion of mine. I remember being a guy who had a room full of friends playing Techno Bowl or playing Madden saying, “hey, when you lose you have to commentate the game.” There wasn’t any running off to the store or falling asleep… you had to commentate. I got a lot of practice from that.

I remember playing for the Pacers, then getting traded to the Bulls.

They had about 10 wins into February and I knew I had to look towards my future… We weren’t going to the playoffs, so I reached out to a contact I had at BET Madd Sports. I told them that if the Lakers and the Nets made it to the finals to just send me a camera. I would get the credentials. I would get the footage. I would edit it and you will have a segment. I did that for the first year and it was good.

I turned around, took that footage and pitched it to The Best Damn Sports Show. They allowed me to do it the following year, and before I knew it, I was covering the NBA Finals every year. It became a segment in The Best Damn Sports Show and I became a regular when the season ended. I went from physically playing in the league to working in the media.

When I retired [from basketball] in 2007, I was full-time with ESPN, but I also worked with NFL Network as a correspondent. I worked with Top Rank Boxing…

I worked with TNT, ABC, ESPN… There weren’t as many multimedia outlets at that time and it wasn’t as popular then as it is now. That’s where it all started and I love

“You don’t become successful by just talking about what you want to do or what you’re going to do.”

what I do. I joke all the time that I need to come to work with a ski mask and gloves. It’s like a robbery. You guys are paying me to be at the game that I would be watching anyway?! (Laughs.) My job is to watch the game, go on TV, and actually give my opinion. It’s ideal. I love what I do. I really love what I do.

When you first had BET send the camera for the finals, did you get paid for that?

I did not. I was planting a seed.

I’m big on that… a little seed here, a little seed there. Then see what happens. I worked for BET Mad Sports one year. I did Best Damn Sports show the next year. I’ve done sideline. I’ve done game broadcast, I’ve done studio. Every part of the media-- I’ve pretty much done it. The refreshing thing is for me to be a former

26

professional basketball player, but still have the respect that the NFL Network would hire me, and Top Rank Boxing would hire me. That’s when you know that you are really going in to a special space.

What advice do you have for youth who are interested in becoming an entrepreneur and starting their own entertainment company, or who would like to be an analyst on television?

You have to be willing to work regardless of the field or endeavor.

You don’t become successful by just talking about what you want to do or what you’re going to do.

There’s a progression of steps before actually becoming a public figure that you never see. It’s like being a basketball player. People don’t see the practice, they don’t see the drills, they don’t see the weight room, they don’t see the

offseason. All they see is that I’m at the game. That’s all they see.

So again, you have to be willing to work. You have to be willing to sacrifice. You have to have discipline and diligence and also be a leader.

Also, I want to give this generation hope to aspire, to love, to uplift, to build, to just be a beacon of success, be a beacon of hope, be a beacon of faith. Travel in peace, travel in faith, travel and have a focus, have a discipline.

Have a backbone. Take pride in knowing you can do something special. Be a role model to those around you-- your brothers, your sisters, your cousins. You can be the first person in your family to go to college. You can be the first one to graduate. Take pride, have discipline, and be willing to work.

Dr. Steve Perry CAN WE SAVE OUR SONS?

From Issue 12 To me, this was of the most defining moments of our online publication, landing an interview with “Mr. Education” “Mr. Save our Sons”, Dr. Steve Perry. Dr. Perry is clearly one of the most sincere educators of our generation.

And for him to take his time and talk with us was priceless. I am honored to include him in our 2nd Year anniversary issue.

Thank you Dr. Perry!

2 Years

Strong

B.O.S.S.: When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Dr. Perry: I used to think about being a politician because my mother was on the Tenant’s Association in a housing project. I remember seeing her and another woman fighting for what appeared to be simple things.

In the duplexes where we lived we had wood siding that was twenty years old and falling apart… they fought to get the place resided. The story always ended up with some politician, sitting at the end of the table, looking down on my mother and the others who were fighting for us. I hated it. I thought I could do something to help my family and my community by being involved in politics.

What was your college experience like?

Back home, it seemed as if people would say that you can’t be anything or that you weren’t smart enough.

We believed it so much that it

became some immovable force that made it impossible for us to be successful. It was like someone had built a wall around the projects and we had no way out. I wanted to do something different- I didn’t know what different was, but I definitely hated being poor.

I got to college and on the Thursday of the first week of school, I used everything I learned in high school.

My father, who was very short on good advice, told me that if success doesn’t motivate me, then I should think about failure. My single goal at that point was to make it through the first semester of college. That’s all I had to do… Just make it through my first semester. In doing that, I figured that if I could do that just one time, then I could do it seven more times.

I discovered that I could be pretty good at this school thing if I just focused. I ended up spending more times on the Dean’s List than not and got a full ride to the University

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

of Pennsylvania. I was hungry… I didn’t want to be poor anymore.

In college, who was a part of your support system?

I felt like an alien on campus and back home. I would go home and try to talk to people there… it was like I had done something wrong.

They would say things like, “you talk funny now.” The one or two times I would call home to connect to someone about what was going on I knew they just didn’t get it. It was almost like they were upset with me for complaining- I’m sorry for calling home at eighteen years old because I’m lonely, my bad. I had these big dreams and having the big dreams seemed almost to be a liability. No one where I’m from is where I am and no one where I am is where I’m from.

Tell us more about what you are doing now.

I’m a principal of a school, that’s what I’ve been all along. You get a job to make a living; you pursue a

calling to make a life. When you make a living, that’s how you pay your bills. A life is how you pay your debt. How I pay my debt is I wake up and I go to school. I make it possible for other people to do the same. I will never take credit because I was given the opportunity, but I just saw so many kids whose story was the same as mine. They were just kids who woke up on the wrong side of the tracks and it just wasn’t fair.

Before we started Capitol, I had a non-profit organization where I worked with kids in the Upward Bound program every summer that were so smart. I would work with them for six weeks and then send them back to school. Within two weeks of the school year, I would see that they were placed in lower classes. Their self-esteem was ripped. I thought, what are they doing to my kids?! I felt like I was a winner who could beat these other educators at their

own game. There was no reason to say why I knew it. I had never worked in a public school before.

I had never met anyone who had started a school. I didn’t know that you could just start a school… I just figured we would do it.

What’s your advice to the youth today?

Kids have to realize that this is not a game. You are right, there are people against you. People who are for you are for you and those against you are against you. They come in all colors just like you. So, the best thing you can do is [work hard] so when the opportunity arises, you will have everything you need to be seen as a person deserving of another opportunity. {Interviewed 2013}

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From Issue 14 To date, Dondria’s Issue has recieved over 350k views online.

This was our first “music” issue and I have always been a fan of Dondria. So imagined how happy I was to meet her and find out how committed she is to the youth of today. I am honored to include her in our 2nd Year anniversary issue. Thank you Dondria!

2 Years

Strong

Dondria Nicole EDUCATION AND HIPHOP B.O.S.S.: We have interviewed a lot of artists and we want to know how important is education in the music industry?

Dondria: I think it’s very important.

I know college is not for everyone, so some people may go into the military, some may opt to go straight into the workforce, or play basketball, or do music... I think education is really important because it will help you find out who you are. It also teaches you to set goals, time management, money management, and how to network and create good relationships. Those are just a few tools education can give you.

When it comes to the music, I think the most important thing is the history [of the music] because it is where we came from and what we are inspired by. Today, the youth are inspired by J. Cole and Lil’ Wayne.

They must realize that those artists

were inspired by the artists who came before them and so on. I think it is important to know the history of R&B and the history of Hip-Hop because that is really where the passion comes from. You may start off doing music as a hobby, but after you discover where they came from and why they did it, people would appreciate you more. Other than that, it is always good to have an education at the end of the dayespecially in this world, the more educated you are, the further you can get in life. Everyone needs it.

What do you think is the current state of education in the black community?

I think it’s only okay, unfortunately.

It seems as though where you live increases or decreases your chances or getting a good education. In the same aspect, I think everyone should have an equal chance at education. At the end of the day, the

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

people who really want it and the people who are really determined to be successful in life, they will do it, no matter what. They can find a way.

How has education benefited you in your career?

It has benefited me in a number of ways. Math- No matter what you decide to be when you grow up, you need to know your MONEY! (Laughs.) If not, people will take advantage of you. If you don’t know what you are getting or what you are entitled to, you can get walked all over. Even though I know a lot of people who don’t like math, it is very important.

My education also helped me to be more open-minded and wellrounded. Believe it or not, I used to have stage fright. When I would go to school and do presentations in front of my class, those speaking opportunities gave me a chance

to come out of my shell and help me get to where I am today. So, if I didn’t go to the schools I went to and encountered the people and teachers I met, there would be no me... there wouldn’t be a Dondria.

If you had a teenager in front of you, what advice would you give them in regards to moving forward and not giving up?

I would first tell them that if you give up and if you just throw it all away, you have lost. I know most people do want to drop out or quit because they are scared of not succeeding or because they are not confident in themselves, but your dropping out or giving up is you losing. Nothing is worse than not trying at all. You never know how far you can make it until you try.

There are so many possibilities in the world, and we all have gifts that God has given specifically to us that we have to use to reach

other people. I would try to find out what their talents and gifts are to help motivate them to not quit. {Interviewed 2013}

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Daymond John THE B.O.S.S.

From Issue 10 This was the first interview that I was actually very nervous during the call because of the SUCCESS that this man is.

Daymond John was perfect for our 1 year anniversary issue and help to brand us to a whole new demographic. I am honored to include him in our 2nd Year anniversary issue. Thank you Daymond John!

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Strong

B.O.S.S.: At what age did you know you wanted to become an entrepreneur?

Daymond: I wanted to be an entrepreneur at an early age… maybe 6 or 7 years old. But, at the time, I didn’t know it was called “entrepreneurship.” When I knew that I wanted to pursue it [entrepreneurship] as a career and make it a life time goal, I was about 16.

I was 33 when I realized I would do this full- time. I had various jobs- I had a van service that was not making “money,” but I was making a living from it. Then, in 1989, I started FUBU, but I didn’t get really well known until 1997. I don’t think we should look at entrepreneurship as ‘something that is going to make me money…’ It being ‘a challenge’ is [how entrepreneurship should be thought of].

Looking back, how do you think your education played a role in your successes?

Daymond: School is helpful when it comes to entrepreneurship, because no matter how much money you make, or how much money you bring in, or how much money you retain, you can only learn about finances through schooling.

Compounding interest, percentages and basic business formulas, and understanding what your expenditures are and how much you can save, comes from school and educating yourself about your business.

What would you say to young people looking to become an overnight success?

I know they are young and eager and don’t know any better. When I was 15, I figured I would be a millionaire by 18 or 19. Right around 22, I was working at Red Lobster when my friends started to come home from college. It was then I began to believe that “I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was.” Plus, I was broke. Today, unfortunately, there are too many videos showing that in

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

three and a half minutes you can go from being broke to being in a mansion with the car and the girl or guy… I think Robert [Herjavec] says it the best, “every overnight success takes 15 years.”

What motivated you to keep going despite all the rough years?

That actually was a reality when I said that my friends were coming home from college and I wasn’t as smart as I thought. It was then I decided to stop doing things for money. I started to do something that I really, really loved, which was dressing people. At that time, […] being a young, hip, black, straight, “designer” was never heard of. There was only Karl Kani. While all my guys were trying to be drug dealers and rappers and gangsters, I was out there trying to sell fashion! I was laughed at, but I realized that was what I really loved and I loved what I was doing. From there, 5

to 6 years later, I started to really make some money.

In your own words, how would you define “BOSS”?

Being a boss, you clearly understand that the “buck stops at you.” You understand that you are not by yourself and that you desperately need other people around you. You can thank a lot of people for your success, but you can only blame yourself for the failures. You need to be up before everyone else and go to bed after them. The idea of you just pointing and telling people what to do-- that’s not reality. You can delegate, but you have to be willing to do it yourself. Being a boss, you have to understand that you have a bigger obligation.

Understand that people trust you, people depend on you. You are not only responsible for yourself, but responsible for others. Being a BOSS is understanding that you

may not be rewarded for those things.

What is your number one piece of advice you would give a young person seeking your help?

The number one piece of advice I would give would be to go out and create a business out of something that you would do for free anyway. If you happen to love snowboarding and you take your time looking for snowboards, dressing people for snowboarding, and instructing people, then that is the business you want to be in.

If you can’t wait to wake up and do it, whatever business you are passionate about, then you have to do it. If you don’t make money, you will have a great time doing it! {Interviewed 2012}

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Kamerion Wimbley NFL AND EDUCATION

From Issue 16 The geniouness of his smile drew everyone in to our first “NFL� issue that recieved 150k views online in 3 days! This gentle giant, and man of few words, demonstrated that it doesn’t take long to make a lasting impression.

I am honored to include him in our 2nd year anniversary issue.

Thank you Mr. Wimbley!

2 Years

Strong

B.O.S.S.: Who was your favorite teacher and how did they motivate you to continue your education?

Kamerion: My favorite teacher was a guy named Mr. Loon. Not only did he continuously encourage me to strive for greatness and uplift my spirits with encouraging words, but he asserted on more than one occasion that I was indeed a very special student that would go far in life.

What encouraged you to pursue a career in your field?

I initially realized my athletic capabilities, specifically pertaining to football, when I was in the 3rd grade. As my childhood progressed, so did my technique as a football player. Reality finally set in when I arrived at the first day of high school football practice and was immediately placed on the Varsity team before I had an opportunity to showcase my talent.

Did you graduate from college? If yes, why was graduating College so important, compared to just leaving?

No, because I chose to focus on the promising future that awaited me at the time. However, I will receive

my Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Social Work at Florida State University upon completion of my Internship.

What advice would you give young football players in high school and college, concerning the importance of education?

If you aspire to be a professional athlete, education must be a priority. In addition, it is important to understand that the chances of capitalizing on this opportunity is slim to none, so you should always have an alternative career path in mind.

What other educational activities do you participate in?

I recently attended the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at Stanford University. It was quite beneficial and enabled me to connect with entrepreneurs and investors who openly shared strategies on how to run companies at an optimal level. I also learned about the valuation process and how to determine if a business opportunity is lucrative and worth capitalizing on.

AD SPACE

Patrice Washington 3 Reasons College Grads Are STILL Bad With Money

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B.O.S.S. Issue 17

I‘m increasingly alarmed at the notion that having a college degree somehow makes a person intellectually superior in the area of personal finance.

Last I checked, personal finance has yet to be made a mandatory course on every high school and college campus in this country even though it is the one subject you actually do need in the real world no matter what path you ultimately select.

So, why is it that when I write a blog post about poor spending behaviors, the first person to disagree always justifies their opinion with “I’m a college graduate . . .” as if that means anything to me. Guess what? I’m a college graduate, as well and I left one of the best institutions on the West Coast with thousands of dollars of debt- not including student loans. I had grants, scholarships, parental support and a full time job all four years. I was a Dean’s List student who unfortunately, just sucked with money.

I wasn’t out buying designer bags and taking Spring Break excursions either. It was truly the little things that added up and I actually fell for the “Life Takes Visa” slogan!

Luckily, the light bulb came on early and I was able to turn things around fairly quickly, but what happens to the college graduate who is stellar academically, as well as in their chosen career and still doesn’t know how to manage money? Here are 3 reasons college graduates may still find themselves in a money rut:

1. We have the “I’ve made it/ I deserve it!” attitude.

As college graduates, we tend to want everyone to know that we’ve made it. As soon as the ink settles on our first offer letter, we’re out leasing luxury cars, dressing in designer everything (for our new position, of course) and moving to the “good” side of town.

The difference is that as super intellectual college graduates, we don’t want to admit that we’re trying to keep up with the Kardashians, so we say, “I have to look the part to be taken seriously in my career” or “I went to college and I deserve this (insert unnecessary indulgence here).”

2. We honestly believe we automatically know better.

We believe our degree justifies us as smart in every subject to everyone around us. This is not about someone else being “dumb” or as I’ve read on the

comments, “ghetto.” This is not a “Hood vs. Harvard” debate. Just because you may be the first in your family to go to college, yea you may know more than the other kids from the neighborhood, but now you actually have more access to debt sources and can likely fall prey to them more quickly and aggressively than your “uneducated” counterpart. Don’t let the pride in your degree stop you from getting help when and if you need it.

3. We confuse our income with our net worth. So reportedly a college graduate earns about double the income a non-college graduate earns annually. Does this mean that their net worth is necessarily more?

Absolutely not! It wouldn’t matter if you earned $100k per year or $50k per year, the wealthier person is the one who lives beneath their means and makes sound investment choices. Period. Just because you earn more money than the next person, don’t assume you are better off than they are. You may look well off, but they might really be where you wish you were financially.

At its core, the issues we have with money as adults are based upon what we grew up learning, seeing or hearing about money from our parents and other adults or influencers around us as a child. If we don’t become aware of why we relate to money the way we do, many of us will continue to sabotage our financial success, regardless of whether we’ve had formal education or not.

NOTE to those who are tempted to e-mail me about the economy: Stop blaming every thing on the recession, depression or economy. The recession is not the reason for EVERY foreclosure and/or bankruptcy out there; it just exposed how many people were truly living beyond their means and with no financial plan in place. If everyone, college graduate or not, doesn’t get some type of personal finance education, this will not be the first time we see our economy devastated by financial mismanagement.

Until Next Time.

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st 1 First

If you think college is a scary thought for some high school students, imagine being the “1st First”!

What is the “1st First”? It’s the first child from a family who is the first to go to college. Schools and scholarship committees call these youth, “first generation college students.”

For a lot of minority high school students this is an unfamilar reality.

In this section, you will always find advice and articles to help make the transition to college a little easier for our 1st Firsts.

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

Overwhelming Excitement Overwhelming Anxiety by:Ashley Evans

I constantly battle between these two emotions as I journey through two very important periods of my life. The excitement of being in my senior year of high school is something I have been looking forward to all my life. This is where everyone strives to end up. This is the sign that you have made it.

Before now, all that hard work in the past didn’t seem worth it but now, it’s so obvious that it was. At the same time, now you’re facing adulthood and you have no idea how to make that transition. Once you graduate, no one sees you as a kid anymore and that’s the scariest part. Who cares if you go to college? Who cares if mommy and daddy kick you out? Who cares if you can’t take care of yourself?

Once you graduate, you’ve got to face the music that now you’re on your own.

I’ve never had more fun than when choosing which schools I’m applying for. The constant mail and phone calls received from schools all around the country wanting lil’ ole me at their college is absolutely flattering. Searching for the perfect school, seeing what every college has to offer, learning about their student life and seeing how much fun college life will be, it gets no better than that. Remember, you can only go to ONE school and that ONE school may not be the one you always dreamt about. The crushing reality is you may not be able to afford that school, your family may not want you to go

there or worse, you may not get accepted.

When dealt all these cards during your final year in high school along with the ton of homework your teachers are giving you, the extracurricular activities you participate in, and the craziness of just being a normal teenager, it’s a wonder many 17 and 18 years olds don’t lose it around this point in time. To be honest, there’s no way to prep for the things that come your way when you face this delightfully frightening stage in life. The best advice is to work hard, and keep the faith. Surely you’ll get through this feeling more accomplished than ever.

1st First

Stress Free First Year in College Annette Conley

@netta4eva College can be great and overwhelming the first year. You meet a lot of people, try new things, and get to know the real you. You can never be completely prepared for college before you start. Attending college during the first year affects each student differently. Especially students who choose to leave home and live on their own. Some students are ready to get away from home and others get extremely homesick. Whatever your circumstance, you should try to get the most out of the new journey you are starting.

Most incoming freshmen have not been independent of their families in such ways that college allows. You will not know how you will be affected until you actually leave home. To avoid being to homesick or not adjusting well to the campus, you should refrain from going home often during your first semester. Even if your home is close to campus, visiting home too often will most likely make you miss home more and love campus less. However, you should stay in contact with loved ones because they will help you along the way. You should also get involved in organizations and events on campus so you

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can feel at home away from home.

It is common for most first year students to stay in the dorms on campus. This can be a great or horrible experience depending on the situation.

Living with a friend can be a tough decision. It works for some people and ends friendships for others. Even though you may get along with someone, living with them will make you see them in a different light. If your roommate is random, try to contact them before you meet them in person if possible. It will make things less awkward for you and help you avoid bringing duplicate items. Most of the time dorms do not have much space. Try to bring the minimum items that you need at first so you can have space in your area and fairly share space with your roommate.

It is essential that you are prepared for college from day one. When you are not, it can quickly result in you falling behind or lowering your grades.

It is helpful to make sure you find where all of your classes are before the first day. You should also estimate how long it will take you to get to your classes from where you live. Accessing all of your syllabi as soon as possible and making notes of important dates for your courses help you feel in control of your grades. Usually your books will be listed on your syllabi. However, to avoid wasting money you should contact your professor or hold off buying books until classes start to confirm which books are required versus recommended.

Motivation is essential to staying in and graduating from college. Your true motivation will help you realize the importance of getting the most out of your experience. It is important to set reasonable goals for yourself to achieve. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and use the resources provided for you. Keep academics first and manage your time wisely. Realize that in college there will be a lot of studying and hard work, but it is worth it in the end.

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

First Year in College Advice Elayne Virginia

When everyone tells you the first year of college is an adjustment, they are telling the truth. Even as a high school student who spent summer after summer away from home at various educational programs, it still doesn’t compare to college life.

I go to a school nearly twelve hours away from home and I knew no one when I first arrived.

While I quickly made friends outside of class, I found out it is much harder to form the study groups everyone recommends to help you pass your classes. It is much different from high school where you might see a person in another one of your classes or at lunch when people typically have a moment to talk. Most of the people I was able to study with I met when they would ask me a question about an assignment in class. Though I always thought it would be awkward, asking random people from your classes “hey, do you want to study for the exam?” tends to work really well.

While I found that challenging, I think the most challenging thing is time management. I literally write everything that I have to do down so I don’t forget. Currently, I’m enrolled in 14 credit hours (5 classes), working ten hours a week, and on a team that requires at least four hours of practice each week. Then there are all the distracting things people forget to warn you about like the people

@ElayneVirginia who will come by your room and distract you from your work, or the numerous unexpected activities that seem too fun to miss. I think the most distinct difference between high school and college is that in college, there is ALWAYS something to do that is fun and does not involve work. Finding balance between the work and fun is very important but tricky because there is a fine line between the two.

I believe that college really is about finding a balance between all these different intersections of life. I’m finding that things that worked for me in high school no longer work now that I’m in college. I can’t do work in my bed (I have to be in a study lounge or quiet space) but I can spend less time sleeping and more time studying. For me, “finding balance,” means that I occupy most of my time in order to keep myself focused. While that might not work for everyone, there is at least strategy out there that will work for someone. Though I have not completely mastered this idea of “balance” yet, I have gotten a lot better since I started school. But after all, I’m still adjusting to the college life,

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1st First

The

$300

Mistake by: Sia Knight

Recently I overheard a conversation between a high school senior and her adult mentor. I was on my way to a meeting but the content of their conversation literally stopped me in my tracks. The 12th grader was excited because she had come across a “reasonably priced” service that would assist her on her Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for a mere $300. I tried to contain my combined feeling of shock, anger and disgust as I asked, “What are they going to do for you?” She happily replied that this service was “cool” because she would submit her financial information to the “counselors” and they would file her official FAFSA. She continued by telling me that they are even going to send her a list of scholarships that she would be eligible for and, as a bonus, they were going to send her reminders each year when it was time to file the FAFSA. Looking back, I wonder if the student could tell how crestfallen I was that she had thrown $300 out of the window.

Unfortunately, this young lady is not alone. Many students spend money unnecessarily hoping to get help with the college admissions process. There are three areas that I have observed college-bound students needlessly spending funds: 1. Paying for help with the FAFSA – It’s not called the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid by

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mistake. Many school systems and some non-profit organizations even sponsor events where families can get help with the FAFSA by trained individuals.

2. Paying for help to find scholarships – Some of the so-called scholarship search systems provide nothing more than what could be discovered by doing a Google search.

3. Paying for expensive enrichment activities – Some companies send out very official-looking envelopes that contain ”exclusive” and/or “special invitation”offers for students. Almost always the implication is that participating in this activity will help your student get into college. While these opportunities may be valid in and of themselves, the value that they hold in the college admissions process is doubtful. Check out what I have had to say about this in a previous blog post.

The bottom line is to be careful. Do your research before spending your money.

In an effort to help my audience save money while preparing for college, I am offering a special discount on my online course, 5 Factors That Set You Apart in College Admission. Click here to receive 62% off of the retail price (From $47 to $17).

Two section

Young BOSS Articles B.O.S.S. Spotlight Student of the Month HBCU and U

eMAGAZINE

Young BOSS

Blake Brady PICTURE OF SUCCESS

with myself.

I love doing photography and video and having people respect my craft.

I have clients that respect my work; there is nothing more rewarding than seeing their baby grow from an idea to a final product. Watching their eyes light up after seeing the finished video or photo shoot lets me know they appreciate my work documenting something that is very dear to them. My clients are one of my biggest motivations.

Meet Director of Photography, Blake Brady. Working alongside the director, Blake is responsible for the overall visual look and feel of film, television shows, music videos, and commercials. He works with cameras, filters, lighting and directs the crew accordingly. Continue reading to find out how he prepared for a life on set.

B.O.S.S.: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Blake: Growing up, I always wanted to do something different.

My family was in the medical field, but I loved cooking and I loved being behind the camera. I got started with photography by just documenting life. Whatever I was doing at the time, like fixing cars or preparing food, I took photos

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of it.

What motivated you to pursue this path?

Success motivated me. My definition of success is doing something you love to do and getting paid for it. It’s not about becoming wealthy or rich; it’s about being as good as you can be at your craft and becoming better than you were yesterday. In my mind, I’m only in competition

When you were in high school, how important was education to you?

In high school education was important. My business, art, science, and mathematics classes set the foundation for me and my business.

It molded me into the entrepreneur that I am and without it I would be oblivious to everything that is important to my business now. How to properly speak to a client, how to count money and manage my finances, and how to operate my camera are all skills that came with the education.

What would you be doing if photography wasn’t an option?

Growing up, culinary arts was my go-to thing. I used to say, “I am going to be a chef. I am going to be a chef. I would like to have my own restaurant one day.” That idea is not totally out of the picture, but when I started spending more time in the kitchen and taking photos of

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

my work, I learned that I enjoyed photography and video more.

What advice do you have for other young entrepreneurs who would like to start in the same field as yourself?

Go to school, take classes, study, pay attention, practice, and continue learning. You can never learn too much because there is always something new; something is always changing… not only with my craft as a director of photography, but for anything.

No matter what you decide to do, you have to get an education in order to learn the basics and get a foundation. You can then take that knowledge and mold and shape it to fit you and what you’re doing.

Secondly, go out and be the best you can be. Don’t look for competition because you are your only competitor. There is no one that can hold you back but yourself. If you don’t put in an effort to go to school and learn, and then you don’t practice your craft or study, you will only be as good as the minimum. You have to put in that extra step. Photography, video, cooking, being a cop, lawyer, selling cars… it is what you have to do. If you only put in the basic amount of time and training, it will be hard to understand your clients, their needs, and your industry. If you want to be great you have to put in the time and the effort.

Article

Jermaine Dupri

A Gentleman and a Scholar After years of seeing, listening, and admiring J.D. on television, I would have never imagined what I experienced while interviewing such a legend. From his poise to his speech to his articulation, you would have never thought this was the same person who has produced hit after hit and worked with some of the industry’s greatest artists.

You could have mistaken him for a professor at a prestigious University or College. Usually when I interview people, I’m thinking about the next question while they are talking, but when interviewing J.D., I found myself listening attentively while the “professor” spoke. From just a 15 minute conversation, I learned

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a lot. I learned the “character” and the “deepness” of a man who has seen his share of good and bad and has the experience to match the wisdom.I learned that you don’t have to take the traditional educational route to be “educated.”

Life will educate you whether you are ready or not, so never count yourself out because you don’t have a formal background... never devalue the importance of life’s education. Finally, I learned to never, ever judge a book by it’s cover. When you think of “Hip Hop and R&B” you can’t not think about J.D.! Not only was he eloquent with his talk of current events, but he knew the history and the past.

Truly, with all the “mess” and lack of role models displayed in the urban community, here is a man I think everyone needs to get to know. Thank you Professor Dupri, I got my education today!

Here are a few excerpts from our conversation about education.

B.O.S.S.: What do you think is the current state of education today?

J.D.: From what I hear and from what I see, a lot of kids are actually about their education- more than ever. Take the twin sisters from Spelman College- That is the first time we’ve seen that happen. Even from seeing on Instagram how

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

2 Years

Strong

excited people were about Pres.

Obama being at Morehouse College.

With technology taking over, I think many black students want to go to bigger universities that have better education. My daughter’s 15 and she’s talking to me about going to Harvard. I look at her like, “where did you get that from??”

(Laughs.) You see many black kids who are tech- savvy and they feel like they have to be amongst the people who are exposed to that side of education. Just from a black standpoint, I am seeing a lot of students who are excited about higher learning.

How has education and learning

helped you in your long career in the industry?

It’s really interesting for me because I was considered a fool because I dropped out of high school. (Laughs.) I feel like education is not just about going to school. Education is about listening to people speak, watching what people do. It’s really up to you when it comes to educating yourself.

For me, not having that formal education, it pushes me to learn and absorb as much information as I can so that when I speak to people and am in certain situations I can figure out a way to get through it and get through life.

What advice would you give to a

student thinking of dropping out of high school?

The people who go to college just have a better edge at life. With the way life is now, you just have to have that edge. You can no longer go through life thinking that you can just make it. You must have that thing everyone says you need to fall back on, otherwise you will always feel left out and like you’re missing something. {Interviewed 2013}

Article

REALTY to REALITY

The right move for the community.

Raymond Fountain II is an educator and a mentor coach to adolescents within the urban Cleveland area for a non-profit Open Doors Academy. He didn’t start in education after graduating from Miami University of Ohio in 1999. After years of working in corporate America he began his career Entrepreneurship to pursue a career in Real Estate working with his family business. He was very successful in Real Estate making six figure income before business declined after the 2008 real estate market plummeted. Mr. Fountain came into working with teens in 2007 at his local church, The Word Church. He stated, “I just felt I had a calling to working with teens and I finally started pursuing it while volunteering at my church.”

After getting the education bug he went back to college to pursue education where he graduated in December 2012 with a Master of Education from Cleveland State University.

Raymond’s current position at ODA is a Mentor Coach where he provides homework tutoring, mentoring and guidance throughout programming.

Open Doors Academy is a non-profit after school enrichment program. His core daily activities includes going into the local Cleveland high schools to check on academic progress and to check with teachers and staff on their progress in school.

“Sometimes I have to go to homes as well to get an update on my scholars to see how their behavior is at home as well as in school. The goal is for our students to be well rounded individuals so that they can reach their full potential as an adult.”

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Raymond is genuine in helping students achieve success in school and in life. Outside of the schools he continually mentors the youth at his local church where he implements group guidance and counseling on a weekly basis. He is married to Sommer who is also in education and is a school Principal locally in the Cleveland area.

Raymond states, “My passion is to influence young African Americans that you can be whatever you want to be in life just be assertive.” His goal is to have a positive attitude on life and a passion to serve the youth within the Cleveland community.

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Terra's Journey

The Road to Becoming L.A.D.Y. Most rags to riches stories start out with the painful recollections of individuals birthed into a painful, poverty stricken past. Then, they persevere against the odds stacked against them and become a success story for the world to applaud. It is stories like this that keep us humbled, grounded, focused and encouraged believing that no matter where you come from, your start does not determine your finish.

Terra’s road is a little different. Her parents were both educated and there was no sign of abuse or neglect in the household. It was actually the total opposite. She was loved and nurtured. She was given every tool a young woman could ever ask for to become successful. “I was smart and I knew it. I was actually so smart I thought I knew everything,” says Terra. “Even at the age of 9, I thought I knew what was best for my life.”

After being taken out of public school and placed in a Catholic school because of her inability to focus, Terra became more disciplined with her schoolwork.

By high school, Terra had proven that she was ready for the halls of a public school atmosphere again and was given another try. She failed miserably. “I naively thought as long as I succeeded my senior year, I would be fine.” Her grades were average to below average and didn’t quite make the cut for some of the top colleges she had applied to. “…If I could go back in time, knowing what I know now, you wouldn’t have been able to pull me out of the library...” Terra knew it was a very simple formula-studying = good grades; good grades = good college; good college = possibly a good job; good job = good money!

Terra’s journey to truly loving and defining herself has been a long one. “I’m just now realizing how the things I neglected to do growing have turned into major issues in my life today,” Terra explains.

“It’s almost like it’s coming full circle and the need to face things head on became a necessity.” Terra speaks very openly and candidly about the “rock bottom” experience that caused her to begin writing about and build the LADY model. “I was admitted into a mental hospital. I was at the end of my rope and I just wanted to disappear.” At the time, she felt as though she couldn’t grasp what happened to her life over the course of several years and Terra was spinning out of control. A failed marriage, little education, holding a job barely making ends meet, and feeling a sense of a lost identity, Terra had to get her life back.

Terra has recently launched an amazing organization and movement stemming from her L.A.D.Y. book series. The book tells the story, but the organization does the work. Terra realized that sharing her story through her writing that many people would benefit from an organization that understands the emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of today’s women who have gone through life the “hard” way. It seeks to penetrate the hearts of those that have encountered years of painful experiences. As a result of their past hurt, many suffer from bitterness, depression, and have become unforgiving. We never address the pain, nor do we acknowledge the fact that we are bitter, but it is expressed in our behavior and how we interact with others. L.A.D.Y the organization works to rebuild the true beauty and essence of being a strong woman and a true LADY.

2 Years

Strong

From Issue 1 Capp was the first interview that BOSS ever did almost 3 years ago.

I’m at a lost for words to describe this man, leader, friend. From day 1 in Atlanta, Capp has mentored and guided me to becoming a better ME. He was instumental in my success in the music industry and moving forward with B.O.S.S. eMagazine. It is my great honor to include him in the 2nd year anniversary issue! Thank you sir!

Thank you for everything.

B.O.S.S.: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

That’s interesting. I actually wanted to be a truck driver. If I can recall correctly, that’s the thing I wanted the most. And then, I found out later in life that my Grandfather owned trucks… I didn’t grow up with my

54

grandfather, so I never knew he had his own trucking company. I didn’t know until I attended his funeral and I read in the obituary. I thought that was very interesting… how the gene pool works. You don’t really know it, but those things have a great affect [on you], overall. So, I wanted to be a truck driver. And of course, as many

kids did, I went through the sports phase. I thought I was going to the league, the NBA. At one point, I realized about my junior year of high school that it wasn’t going to happen. I wanted to be 6’4”, I did get to 6’0”, and so I’m cool there.

B.O.S.S.: So, at what point did that change? Where you had to do something different?

B.O.S.S.

SPOTLIGHT CAPPRICCIEO

SCATES

Well, to be honest, I got married very early; I had kids very early.

By the time I was 19, I was married with two kids. I think that obviously makes you grow up— [being] responsible. So, I tried to be very responsible. I got “Saved” early in my life, around 18, so I tried to do what I thought was the right thing. The right thing was, you know, to raise your kids and family, marry the girl that you were with, and all that sort of stuff. And I think, ultimately, that’s the type of thing in [my] life that made me have to grow up. My 19 was much different than the average 19 year old because I had responsibilities.

So, that changes you. [It] makes you say [things like], “you know what, I want to join the army, so I can take care of my family!” So in essence, that is what I ended up doing. I spent six years in the army, but I think had not been for that situation, I [would have continued on the path to being an attorney].

I ultimately wanted to be a lawyer later in life and that was my goal I had started college.

B.O.S.S.: Since we are already on that topic, take us through those

years. From then to now.

Well, from the military, initially when I joined, honestly, I didn’t have a great outlook on the military itself. I thought that the people in the military were a bunch of quitters and cop-outs who couldn’t make it in college.

Or they were your high school athletes who didn’t make it to the League. They didn’t have a choice but to join the military. And then, I later discovered that some of the most articulate, smart, educated, well-grounded people were in the military. So, I think, that in a lot of regards, it gave me a great foundation. I learned how to be on time and I didn’t mind to cut my hair or shave my beard. It taught me that regimen, which ultimately I used. I started a company while in the military called “Precision Management” and there is a lot in [that] name. You can’t be precision if you are not on time-- if you don’t do things in a particular order.

So, I think that structure [I had] came from the military. I got that precision. I started managing accounts for record labels and I started doing independent

promotions, like radio, retail, club, street promotions; working for Sony, Universal, and Tommy Boy.

B.O.S.S: While you were in the Army?

While I was in the army, yeah.

This was like 1993 and I started approaching the last years of the military […]. I was at the sixth year and I was at that point where either you reenlist for 4 [more] years and do 10 years and make this a career or you get out. So, I started my business and an interesting thing happened. I was really praying about [what decision to make] asking God for some direction and guidance, and I just picked up the Bible, I opened [it], and wherever I opened to, I started reading. I said, “This is going to be the thing that’s going to help me make my decision.” And the scripture said something to the affect of, “I already planted the seeds and the harvest is plentiful.”

And it said to me, basically, that whatever is on the other side, you are fine, just go ahead and step out on faith and believe that it’s plentiful on the other side. And so, that was the thing that made me

BOSS Spotlight

“I think that if you read anything by Frederick Douglass, or anyone like him, the key, fundamental thing is education. That’s the empowerment. . .” decide to chase my dream and do the independent promotions and music business thing.

It’s interesting because most of the people you turn to for advice they are going to fall into 1 of 3 categories. Either they are going to be someone who is a dependent of someone else, someone who works until the age of 60 and retires, or someone who dies and doesn’t make it “that far”. But the general smaller population of people who are successful, unfortunately, we don’t know those [super successful] people. So when we turn to folks for advice, we are not able to say, “hey, Donald Trump!

Hey, Bill Gates!” We [typically] don’t know those people. If I would have went to Russell Simmons and said, “hey I have these ideas, I want to do this music thing,” he would have looked at my office and said, “Capp, I started in a college dorm room, look at what you have.” I had a big office compared to what

56

he had. My office at that time was probably, 400 to 600 square feet.

That was huge in comparison, but I didn’t know him [to ask].

So, the people I would turn to for advice? I’d go to my grandfather, but what’s my grandfather going to tell me? Here is a guy that worked 34 years at the steal mill, who actually retired. He was so effective, they had to call him back for six months to train because they couldn’t replace him. So, if I said, “hey granddad I’m thinking about chasing my dream in the music business,” he’s going to say, “psst, son, you better stay in the army and get your benefits!” It’s not a knock, but… I realized there weren’t too many people I could turn to for advice, so I had to look within and believe spiritually, and have faith that I could actually be successful at [my dream].

So, from there, I eventually got an opportunity to go to Ruff House Columbia Records where

I did national radio promotion. I promoted Kriss Kross, the Fugees and Cypress Hill. I wrote a book on artist management called 10 Steps to Successfully Managing Recording Artists published in October of 2004. None of that is to brag, just to give you the basis of where I came from and all the things that have happened.

But more so than anything, I think it has been more about being consistent. That’s one thing I’ve learned the most, is to stay consistent and stay humble. The thing that I’m [still] learning now is to stay consistent and stay humble. If you possess those things, you are going to be fine.

Your gift will make room for you because of your humility. People will just want you in the room.

But in the mean time, as long as I can be in that room and have my own voice, then I’m fine. But, if I have [to be] in the room and I’m

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

“and-dem” …wait a minute, I don’t want to be “him-and-dem”. Now if it’s “him and Capp” then I’m cool. I worked with Teddy Riley for about 4 years, the first thing I asked Teddy when I started working with him was, “will you allow me to just be me in the room?” Which he thought was weird. I didn’t want anything. I didn’t want any money, let’s just work, and let’s just figure this thing out, just, please, don’t make me “Teddy-and-dem.” [If so], I will have a problem because I can’t effectively do what I need to do in terms of networking and growing my brand.

At SESAC, I heard they were going to open an office in Atlanta. I just wanted to put my name in the hat. […] I sent [SESAC] my resume in June of 2006, I had an interview in July 2006, and I didn’t find out I got the job until September of 2006. I started working in October of 06. When I did finally land the job, the first thing I did was fall to my knees and just cried because I thought about how hard I worked for the opportunity. […] There’s not a day I feel like anything that has happened in this office-- any

success that we have had is not deserved. We all have worked very hard to get to the point where we are. As a team, as a staff I’m honored every day to come here and just see that so many great things are happening and I have no idea …it’s just to far beyond my belief. I thought I was going to come here and sign a couple of writers [to SESAC]. I didn’t know there was going to be so much more involved.

B.O.S.S: What would you say to someone who didn’t get to 6’4” and they are thinking about what they need to do next? You went to the army and it worked out for you, but what would you tell someone who wants to be in the music business, but not famous.

I would say, certainly learn the business. Educate yourself. That’s the one thing I can say that cannot be taken away. People always talk about the “expense” of education.

But, if you think education is expensive you should try ignorance. I assure you that that is far more expensive than education.

Know that RATE multiplied by Time equals Distance. The Rate at

which you spend doing something multiplied by the Amount of Time you spend doing that something eventually gets you to the Distance.

A lot of times, people stop and quit.

Education breeds objectivity. I talk about that in my book. The more educated you are, the more you can say, “Hey, that isn’t right!

This is…” But if you don’t know, you are subject to what anyone else is telling you. […] You would be surprised at how many people adhere to that model-- they don’t even think about there being another possibility, or angle, or question, or answer. They just take [what other people say] at face value. The biggest thing is education. One of my heroes in American history is Frederick Douglass…he is my hero, my hero!

I think that if you read anything

by Frederick Douglass, or anyone like him, the key, fundamental thing is education. That’s the empowerment… that is the way… that’s what I’ve done. {Interviewed 2011}

HBCU

&U

ARE HBCU’S STILL RELEVANT IN TODAY’S SOCIETY? @HBCUPrideNation Providing the HBCU experience and education to high school students in inner-city communities nationwide

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HBCUs are relevant in today’s society because they are the blueprints for the true essence of the AfricanAmerican community. We can not appreciate the significance of own culture and identity without learning about the contributions of African-Americans that paved the way and attended HBCUs back in the day. Even though HBCU students of the 60’s are different from those of today, the one thing that both have in common is the opportunity that HBCUs provide for the personal, professional and leadership development of their students. Our institutions are our legacy so we must support them and keep them alive!

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4

Tips for

Dispelling

1

Job Myths.

I don’t have to sell myself in the interview since I attended (insert college name here)!

This myth is a job search killer and new grads experience a rude awakening when they ind they must still compete for a job after graduation, despite the college or university they attended. Some new college graduates buy into the notion that the reputation of their college will open more doors than they do. To some extent, yes, the reputation of your college goes a long way to attract employers to recruit on campus. However, none of that will make the employer hire you.

Recruiters hire you, not your college.

2 I have to ind a job in my major!

Many new professionals fail to transition their conversations from talking about their majors to talking about their career goals or plans. I often remind new graduates that not all Psychology majors are Psychologists. Once you graduate, you are no longer bound by your college major when exploring the job market. Understanding this transition from major to career is a critical step. Instead of focusing on college major, new grads should read job descriptions carefully for duties, responsibilities, projects and tasks involved in the work.

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3 Internships are only for college students; not for college graduates!

Not true. New grads should look at internships as a way to build skills, explore industries and gain work experience after graduation. This is a really good strategy for those graduates who did not complete internships while they were in school. Keep in mind that the National Association of Colleges and Employers data shows that 60% of paid interns get full time job offers from their internship companies.

O

nce you land your first big job after graduation you are well on your way to building your career.

But, before you think it is time to slack off and become complacent, remember that you have really only just begun. In fact, once you are on the job, that first year of your professional life will test you in ways that college never did. No longer will you live on a semester to semester calendar, get the chance to change professors you don’t like or drop classes you hate. This first year on the job is when you get to establish yourself as a reliable professional.

4

Succeeding in that irst year on the job!

Shaquaya Shelby, Spelman College graduate who is currently a HR Generalist at Cortland Partners in Atlanta, offers these important success tips for new professionals in the irst year on the job.

Be Humble! Let go of the ego and sense of entitlement Be a sponge! Strive to learn as much as possible about the culture of your new employer Be resourceful! Know where to go for the answers you need Be visible! Volunteer for projects that are available to you and speak up if you have valuable ideas to contribute Be social and approachable! Network with team members in and outside of your department or immediate work group Be patient! Mastery of your job function and rewards for your accomplishments will come in due time Be honest! Have integrity and be accountable for your actions and choices Be a good listener! Do a little less talking, a little more listening, and ask great questions Be selective! Pay attention to the company you keep and surround yourself with positive, professional, and motivated peers. No gossiping or participating in of ice politics Be prepared! Remain as punctual, professionally dressed, and well spoken as you were when you interviewed. Don’t get overly comfortable.

2 Years

Strong

From Issue 14 Wendy Raquel Robinson was an EASY choice for our first “Women’s Issue”! Everything she represents is exactly what we believe to be a Lady Boss who is changing the GAME! And she was a riot in her interview! Luv her!

I am honored to include her in our 2nd Year anniversary issue.

Thank you Wendy!

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

R Y D N E W

L E U Q A

N O S e m N I a G B he O

Ranging t

Ch

B.O.S.S.: What did you want to be when you were younger?

Wendy: I guess the question should be, “What didn’t I want to be?!?” (Laughs.) When I started, I wanted to be a dancer, then I wanted to go into child development, then I wanted to “save the world”. Acting just sort of fell into my lap. It was like a childhood dream, but it was something that I was always exposed to at a young age. There came a point in time for me to go to college and I thought, oh my God, there is nothing else I want to do. I wanted to be the best at acting, so I majored in drama.

What type of high school student were you?

HA! Well, academically I was great; my parents stayed on me and made sure I got good grades.

But, you know I was a little ADHD and I had a lot of energy! I was talkative, I was social, and I was involved in a lot of things, from cheerleading to dance to other clubs. You know how some schools

have cliques and crews? I was a floater… I floated around with everyone. I went to school in the ‘hood, so you had to be able to hang a little with everybody and I did just that.

Why did you choose to attend Howard University?

Why not Howard?! There was a recruiter who came to my high school and when he started naming the Alumni that went there like, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad- everything clicked and it all made sense. After I started [researching schools], I learned that each HBCU takes the time out to really invest in you. You can have relationships with all your professors, in terms of sitting down and breaking bread, or really have a conversation and go further into the topic covered in class. With professors who were in the industry, I could ask them about what their experience was like. More importantly, I got a consciousness of who I am- Not only as a black woman, but as a woman with purpose. I was

surrounded by such incredible role models at Howard University that it just really changed the scope of my outlook and I felt like I had a purpose when I left.

That was more than just going to school and getting an education.

You graduated Magna Cum Laude. Why was that important to you?

You know what’s funny? I wasn’t striving to have that.

I was so invested in what I was doing that it came along with the accolades. I wasn’t trying to come out with honors… it’s crazy but I had such an amazing experience at Howard, it just affected me as a person and that reflected in my grades as well. If I had intentionally set out to [get honors], I wouldn’t have graduated Magna Cum Laude. It just happened. When you are doing something that you love to do and you are invested in it, you can’t do anything but excel in it.

How has your education helped your career?

If you want to be the best at what you do, you have to be trained in it. A carpenter gets on the job training;

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a doctor has to go to medical school… The same thing applies to acting or whatever you do. In terms of education, you have to read and learn the literature and comprehend it. I think the more you know about this business and the more you know about your craft and your art, the longer and further it will take you.

What do you think is the state of urban education right now?

We are at that critical point in our society where I am really very concerned. I believe teachers are underrated and underpaid, and in that, I’ve had children voice to me that it wasn’t until they went to this charter school that they actually felt like the teacher cared about them and their learning. Some of our teachers are overwhelmed- 40 students in a classroom is crazy! …with no [teaching assistant], 6 classes, taking work home they can never catch up on while being underpaid… It’s unfair. I think our urban schools are definitely not where they should be in order to prepare our children. Those children are going to lose interest and fall through the cracks.

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

“After I started researching schools, I learned that each HBCU takes the time out to really invest in you.”

A lot of our young people are not being challenged academically… At least a lot of the ones I’ve seen.

We are not engaging our young people enough to try and help them continue because the dropout rate is at its worst in history. This shows that somewhere there is a huge disconnect, so we all have to do our part. It’s a critical time right now.

You’ve done a lot of great things on screen, but a lot of people don’t know much about you off screen. Can you tell us about your Amazing Grace Conservatory?

Amazing Grace Conservatory is something very near and dear to my heart. For the past 15 years, I and my staff have been on a mission, not only to educate young people in performing arts and math, but to provide them with a home away from home. We give them a platform where they can express themselves freely without being judged.

We give them self-esteem, self-pride and an opportunity to just be themselves. They also learn how to read music, they sing, they dance… They get a variety of everything so they are able to do anything. We give students everything from acting to scene and character development. We even let them write their own scripts and music.

To describe AGC would be a whole other interview, but in a nutshell, I have found my purpose and it has sustained my passion in an industry where you can become irate very quickly and it has allowed me to not only share my gift, but to receive the gift of young people. It’s magical, it’s amazing. {Interviewed 2013} 65

section

Three Entrepreneur Spotlight Community B.O.S.S. Reporting Health & Fitness Entertainment

eMAGAZINE

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

Entrepreneur Spotlight

Melinda F. Emerson, SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 small business expert. She is an author, speaker and small business coach whose areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda develops audio, video and written content to help her Fortune 500 clients engage small business customers. She is a weekly columnist for the You’re The Boss blog for the New York Times. She publishes a resource blog, www.succeedasyourownboss.com which is syndicated by the Huffington Post and hosts a weekly talk show on Twitter called #SmallBizChat for today’s entrepreneurs. She reaches 1.5 million small business owners weekly on the internet. Forbes Magazine named Melinda Emerson #1 Woman for Entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. Melinda has been featured on MSNBC, Fox News, NBC Nightly News and in The Washington Post, Fortune, Essence and Black Enterprise. She is also the author of the bestselling book “Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.” Melinda is a graduate of Virginia Tech.

Entrepreneur

B.O.S.S.: One of your missions is to end business failure. How do you get businesses that have failed into the state of mind that success is an option?

Melinda: I think that by helping people look at failure differently it changes their mindset. There is no such thing as failure. You only win or learn in business. Not succeeding the first time is a part of paying your dues.

You should never spend time licking your wounds.

You have to be able to move past the scars and get focused to succeed in business.

B.O.S.S.: Have you ever ran into men who didn’t take you seriously because you are a woman in business? If so, how did you handle that?

Melinda: Absolutely. When I first started my company, Quintessence Multimedia, at the age of 26, I would find that people would walk up to my cameramen as if they were in charge of the business instead of me. I had to dress very professionally to be seen as a professional. When you are young and in business in a male dominated industry, you have to be on your game in order to remove all of the prejudices and misconceptions that people may have about you. When I was in college, I knew that I wanted to start my own company. I was inspired by Oprah, so I examined her production company and all her business ventures so I could be like her. I worked in broadcast production to make sure I knew about the components of running a production business very well.

B.O.S.S.: As a role model for women in business, how do you stay focused and keep away from negativity?

Melinda: Surround yourself with people who are “business-minded.” Keep the naysayers and dream snatchers away from your business. You definitely don’t need negativity when you are building a new business. Don’t share your ideas with everyone. Do not keep unsupportive family members or friends around you. Pull together a “kitchen cabinet” of advisors who are invested in your success. By doing this, you will have the right people in your life.

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2 Years

Strong

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

“...I never lose.

I either win or learn, but I never lose.�

B.O.S.S.: What would be your top piece of business advice for women who are seeking to start their own companies in 2013?

Melinda: My top advice for women who want to start a business is to develop a life plan before you ever write a business plan in order to build a business that aligns with your personal and professional goals. Find out how much money you need to make to be happy.

Start with that first and then build a smart business.

B.O.S.S.: What is the biggest lesson you have learned in becoming a business savvy woman?

Melinda: The biggest lesson I have learned is that you have to have a niche for your business to be successful. You need to focus on a specific target customer to build a sustainable business. Who makes more money- a [primary care physician] or a cardiologist? The cardiologist makes more money because they have a specialty niche. Your business must specialize in serving your target customer.

@SmallBizLady

Forbes #1 Influential Woman for Entrepreneurs, Host #SmallBizChat, Author Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months.Expert: Start-up, Social Media & Reinventing a Biz

{Interviewed 2012}

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Tree’s

Motivational Corner

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

They Matter I

get the pleasure of speaking to many youth through the different things that I do. The thing that I love about it is that there is never a dull moment.

Young people say so much.

Some things they say are funny, some of it is crazy, and some things make you think.

One thing I’ve noticed about what they say when they talk is that they listen to the things we, adults, say to them.

Even though we sometimes think they don’t listen because of their body language and facial expressions. I take this into account and try to give as much knowledge as possible.

I was speaking to a teenaged boy who is in high school and he was telling me about a fight that broke out in the lunch room one day. The details were not good. After hearing the story, I said to him, “I know they both wish they would have just walked away.”

He agreed. I then proceeded to talk about how the decisions we make matter in our lives.

There are so many people who wish they could turn back the hands of time and take a second to stop and think before saying something hurtful to someone they love, or hitting someone out of anger, or

reacting in a negative way. Our words and our actions matter so much. The things we say and do weigh heavily on our future and the family and friends we have around us.

Keep this in mind and take a second to think before speaking and reacting.

For the things that we say and do, they matter! They matter a lot and can be the determining factor in us accomplishing our dreams or not.

To our youth, do not worry about what others say to you or about you. People will find a reason to tease you no matter what. You cannot please 71

Community

The things you say and do, they matter. They matter to the world, and more importantly, they matter to you. most people. That’s just how it is. Please God and try to do what is right. By doing that you will also please yourself.

Keep your mind focused on accomplishing your dreams and goals and do not let anything or anyone stop you.

Not even yourself.

The things you say and do, they matter. They matter to the world, and more importantly, they matter to you.

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By: LaTresa “Tree” Cunningham Twitter: @PurpleDiva13

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

GREEN GOING FORWARD… Join the Movement!

GreenGoingForward (GGF) is a platform which offers an exclusive look into how educational institutions are evolving and adapting their practices to support and contribute to the “Global” community. GGF emphasizes environmental sustainability and active implementation of processes and techniques that will assist the American public in participating in the social, economic and environmental aspects of the sustainability movement.

There is an immediate need to capture the sustainability efforts at minority serving institutions and confirm their viability. Many are in danger of their doors closing due to dwindling funds and devaluation of their societal relevance. GGF exists to provide a platform demonstrating the environmental leadership nurtured at minority educational institutions. Minorities in this country have historically done more with fewer resources.

Therefore, they have incomparable working knowledge of sustainable practices that can aid the American public and global community back to sustainability.

In partnership with FAB 4 Entertainment (FAB4Ent.), a collaborative of minority small business owners specializing in creative media, marketing, educational and entertainment programs, GGF is looking to take their message on the road with a series of “Eco Tours”. The first of which will take place at the Atlanta University Center in August of 2014. The “GreenGoingForward – Go 4 Green Sustainability Tour” will kick off on April 23, 2014 at Atlanta Metropolitan State College with a pre-launch “GGF Eco Conference”. This conference will link

environmental leadership across the community college and secondary school academic sectors. The members of FAB4Ent felt these two groups have been under represented in the sustainability movement and wanted to provide a platform for networking and information sharing.

The official tour will commence in August of 2014. Continuing the facilitation of sustainability networking opportunities within the University academic sector the tour will include multiple education institutions in the state of Georgia.

Attendees will enjoy a day of education, entertainment, panel discussions, sustainability art and videos demonstrating various methods of applying sustainability both professionally and personally.

GGF supports and celebrates the efforts of minority communities committed to the practice and promotion of sustainability. Historically, minorities have had to do more with less, which makes these groups perfectly suited to take the lead in the sustainability movement. The entire global community can benefit from using many of the models created by minority serving institutions.

GGF challenges local community leaders to join the movement and spread the word, to step up and finally be recognized for their efforts in promoting the benefits of sustainability for generations to come.

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Community

D.E.R.R.I.C.K. Interview The #1 Encouragement Speaker Derrick Hayes gives a DERRICK Interview by asking 7 questions through each letter of his first name to give you an insightful perspective from other experts, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and up and coming super stars.

Today’s DERRICK Interview is with Roy Jones, Jr. who is a professional boxer from Pensacola, FL that was born on January 16, 1969. In the 1998 Olympics Roy Jones, Jr. won the Light Middleweight Silver Medal even though many believed he should have won Gold. Jones went on to win championship titles in three divisions, becoming the first Middleweight champ to win the Heavyweight title in more than a century. Success as an athlete has allowed Roy Jones, Jr. the opportunities to become a commentator and actor.

Before the DERRICK Interview began I presented a personalized Derricknym in a frame to Roy Jones, Jr. that read ROY means Raise Our Youth. I also had two backup Personalized Derricknyms for him just in case he wanted to change them out. ROY was for Recognize Opportunities Yourself and Realize the Opponent is You. D is for Dream. What is your dream and what have you achieved?

My dream now is to go on and try to change the sport of boxing and make boxing back to what it used to be, make it a higher upper echelon sport. Make it a sport that people respect and make people want to commit to become great at boxing again.

E is for Encourage. What encourages you?

What encourages me is just the fact God blessed me with a gift and because I have that gift and I have had this gift for so long I’m always encouraged to keep going because the more you see people do things the more it encourages you to do better so the fact that he gave me a gift it encourages me.

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R is for Resource. What resources do you bring to the table that makes you unique or stand out?

The resource I have is mainly my connection with God and that is my best resource and with having that it is pretty much impossible for anybody to stop me from doing anything that I wanted to do.

R is for Ready? When did you realize you were ready for what you are doing now?

I knew I was ready at 15. Well actually at 14 I got disqualified from a tournament and when I came back on track between 14 and 15 I had a talk with myself one day and I said from this day forward I won’t depend on nobody else. I got it from here on because God has blessed me with the gift and depending on my Father and other people to get me places and do things that is not going to work for me because the people that were let down when I didn’t make weight were not mad at my Father as mad as they were at me because they felt like it was my responsibility and that is what I learned that it was

B.O.S.S. Issue 17

Derrick Hayes, an alumnus of Tennessee State University is available for small and large meetings, church events, academic speaking engagements and workshops. Please visit Derrick's website at www.DerrickHayes.com and to book him for a speaking engagement or media event, send an email to info@DerrickHayes.com or call (706) 615-1662.

time to go and grow up to become a man and at that point I was ready.

I is for Individual. Name at least one person that you know that you feel others should learn about and why?

One individual that people should learn more about is a friend of mine by the name of James Prince who is an entrepreneur who owned Rap A Lot Records and he was a guy that was just different and went out and made himself a millionaire. He has a superb life because he worked very hard at it and he turned something around something that was nothing at first and made it into something.

C is for Continue. When you fail, things look bleak or are not optimistic what makes you want to continue?

A lot of times I use one of my resources for that is to look at people that can’t do it, there are people who were born with ailments that can’t do things that wish that just for one day that they could get up and go out and give it their all so when you feel like you

can’t go no more you should look at them and be encouraged to go because they can’t and that should encourage you to do better.

K is for Key. What keys to success can you leave for upcoming entrepreneurs and leaders?

The main key to success is to always keep God first and you must always believe in yourself when nobody else does.

At the end I reminded the world that my goal is to DERRICK Interview the biggest names of the games and if you didn’t know, Yall Must Of Forgot (Roy Jones, Jr. signature rap song). Roy’s response was “or something like that.”

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Turning Point

B.O.S.S.: Tell us about yourself and your company.

Shamus: Shamus Goss with Going Strong Sports. I live in Atlanta, and have been here for 11 years. I have several different companies, but Going Strong Sports is my main company. GSS supplies full panel, sportswear and athletic gear to youth teams, all the way to semipro leagues. We take your team from step A all the way to the final step. For example, if you are playing football we do everything from your uniforms to your full equipment... We cover a lot of team sports and we do a lot of sports camps, but athletic wear is what we focus on.

B.O.S.S.: How long has GSS been in business?

Shamus: I’ve been doing team sports for 9 years now.

During my first 5 years I did it as a hobby out of my garage while doing other things. But, it was only about 2 years ago when I decided to take it seriously and do it full-time. After moving GSS out of my garage, we got into a warehouse. We soon outgrew it so we finally opened up a retail store.

B.O.S.S.: You said you did it for a hobby. What was the turning point that changed it from a hobby to a career.?

Shamus: A friend of my mine who has been like a mentor since the beginning used to have a sneaker line that he sold to Reebok for around $9 million about ten years ago. I called him one day to ask him about some information and he said, “When you are ready to make money, call me, other than that, don’t call me.” So I asked, “what are you talking about?” He said “You have a niche in that Atlanta market for your uniforms and your brand, but you are spreading yourself too thin.”

He told me that I needed to stop doing everything else that was ruining my time and not turning a profit and focus on what was turning a profit.

In 2010, I resigned from some of the other stuff I was doing and I refocused on Going Strong Sports. In that year I doubled my income and it’s doubled every year since then. I’m the type of person who listens. I have a lot of friends who are entrepreneurs and I get advice from them. If someone is in a position or place you want to be in, then that is who you take advice from. I may not use it all, but I’ll take it in.

That was my turning point.

BOSS: How has education helped you in your successes?

Shamus: When you get a good education or you have a good background in business, a lot of things are instilled in you. Things like being courteous, having customer service, and how to communicate. Having a lot of those things around me and surrounding myself with business minded people helped me to understand that if you have a business doing $250k a year, you do things differently than you would with one that does $25k a year. You have to adjust. I think having an education is very, very important. So, when that time comes to cross that road and become an entrepreneur, there are just certain things you need to know. Education teaches you how to interact with people. Also, how you approach a situation and how you react to certain situations. I think going to school and college put me around people with “like minds” and “like thoughts” because it’s hard to do business with someone who is not a “business” person.

BOSS: So how big is your company currently?

Shamus: We have around 300 accounts right now and we do about $1million in revenue. It’s just 3 of us who work in Going Strong Sports. We are not just a company, we are a brand. We are competing with Nike, Adidas, Reebok... No one is doing what we are doing and we are going to mix in our fashion expertise with the sports brand, until we become a house hold name.

For more information, visit www.goingstrongsports.com.

Entrepreneur Spotlight

Shamus Goss

Entertainment

Supply and Demand

Learn about Urban Home Entertainment, platinum selling film distributors who used their education and resiliency to change how minorities are portrayed in film.

BOSS: You realized that there was a need for African American films to be put out, what response did you first receive?

Barrett: It was always no and then they (Hollywood) said I don’t get it. They were making decisions for film titles that weren’t about them. I even got asked how did I know urban culture. I asked them “where do you get your hair cut? Where do you go to church? Where do you live? You’re in charge of urban films and you don’t live, work, and worship in the community, but I do.

BOSS: When you hear no, do you get discouraged?

Trae: There is an opportunity in a no. No will have you reassess your approach and strategy. No is never really solid in business. I refuse to believe that there is only one person or way that can shut down your whole movement.

BOSS: What’s Urban Home Entertainment’s mission?

Barrett: We are here to change the culture of what the African American narrative is. We fall in love, we pray,

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we argue, we sing, we dance, we have families- our movies tell that story. I made a promise to God that if he let me be a distributor that I would give back to the community. Our films inspire, help and entertain our communities.

BOSS: How important is education in your company?

Trae: Education is paramount. I had to prepare myself to be an absorbent, absorber of knowledge and learning. I went to Art Institute of Atlanta. Art institute is hands on, visual, appeals to your senses, has different faculties of learning and has team building that has helped me today. You have to hone and master your craft. You have to be able to stand in next to the best.

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