How to Succeed in Business Without Being White: Straight Talk on Making It in America - Hardcover

Graves, Earl G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0887308082 ISBN 13: 9780887308086

Publisher: Harperbusiness, 1997

Synopsis

A guide for aspiring African American entrepreneurs offers advice on how to overcome business challenges, take advantage of available opportunities, and find success in corporate America

About this title

Reviews

A shrewd combination of self-promotion and solid business sense, this first how-to from the sixtysomething publisher of Black Enterprise magazine (and owner of the largest minority-controlled Pepsi-Cola franchise) does indeed have good advice to heed. In fact, his counsel supersedes race and extends, quite simply, to any individual trying to succeed. His multiple sets of commandments--from "Sell to their needs, not yours" to "Set specific financial goals" --are built on experiences he freely relates, such as his appeal to the Germany-based CEO of Mercedes-Benz when the corporation's American marketing executives ignored his magazine advertising pitch. Stories of a more personal nature, too, infiltrate the book, lending warmth and personality to otherwise mundane instructions. Best are his chapters identifying inspirational African Americans and the 10 greatest challenges facing black Americans; it is here where Graves' words truly fly off the page. The basics of business for anyone; the basics of a great life for any person of color. Barbara Jacobs

For over 25 years now, Graves has been the publisher of Black Enterprise, a successful monthly magazine for African Americans in business. He is also president and CEO of a company bearing his name and chair of the Pepsi-Cola Company of Washington, D.C. In this, his first book, which is part memoir, part career guide, and part advice column, he details the difficulties he had and still has getting advertising from white companies. Graves outlines the benefits of networking, offers advice on careers, and lends a helping hand to budding entrepreneurs with tips on how to find financing, grow a business, and form alliances. There is a wealth of useful data here, but Graves attempts to cover too much ground. His work makes a good complement, though, to Cheryl D. Broussard's Sister CEO: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Her Own Business (LJ 1/97). Recommended for business and African American collections.?Ann Burns, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harperbusiness
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0887308082
• ISBN 13: 9780887308086
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320