Ernest’s Post

This quote by Don Peebles (a wildly successful Entrepreneur) was shared on linkedin and I wanted to help amplify it due to its importance: "The pillars of our democracy rest upon capitalism. If it's unfair, then our nation cannot endure. We know that the pathway to wealth runs through entrepreneurship and the fuel to run the motors of business is capital…   Today there is over $82T invested in venture capital and private equity. Of that $82T, less than 1.3% of it is invested in firms run and owned by women and people of color combined. What that means is 98.7% of all venture capital money, $81T dollars out of $82T is provided to white men. Yet white men represent only 31% of America's population. Women represent 51% of America. Black Americans are 13% of America. Thus, you have 54% of the population receiving less than 1.3% of the investment capital." Thank you Allison Byers for sharing.

Black Business Month is coming to a close, but our commitment to supporting Black-owned businesses should not. Despite the progress made, many Black entrepreneurs still face significant challenges, including limited access to capital and lower revenues compared to their non-Black counterparts. Supporting Black-owned businesses is a powerful way to address the racial wealth gap, which remains a significant barrier to economic equality. Let's make it a priority to seek out and support these businesses all year long. Be sure to check out the DeKalb Black Business Guide that was put together by Decide DeKalb Development Authority, making it easy to discover and support local Black-owned businesses. https://loom.ly/nitvyF4

Before she passed away in 2019, Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to the Vanderbilt fortune that was created by her great-great-grandfather, railroad and shipping tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, made it clear to her three children that they should not expect a trust fund from her. Here's a real life estate planning example we can learn from: https://buff.ly/3ydPFKz

The Official 2023 Haute 100 Miami List. There’s no denying that the last several years have redefined the city of Miami, ultimately evolving the landscape like never before. After making a triumphant return last year following a two-year hiatus, our annual Haute 100 list for the 2023 year is officially here, celebrating the most influential names in Miami — including philanthropists, entrepreneurs, power couples, developers, creatives, athletes, hospitality power players, and more. https://lnkd.in/e68WvWiT

Tune in to Grow Omaha featuring Eide Bailly's Jerry O'Doherty and Mark Rogers as they discuss energy tax credits. Learn about incentives for both profit and nonprofit entities! #EnergyTaxCredits #BuildingProjects

To close Black History Month, we’re honored to share three CO.created short films on the Dearfield Fund For Black Wealth. The first is episode 1 in “the creation of home” series, featuring the Johnson Family. After helping 178 families with down-payment assistance, the Dearfield Fund has sharpened its strategy to better serve Black women, who made up 60% of the fund’s borrowers as of late 2023. The Dearfiled Fund acknowledges the incredible potential in Black women like Nicole Johnson, who represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. What’s more, by raising $20 million in investments, the Dearfiled Fund believes it can pass along $50-$75 million in generational wealth for Black families like Nicole’s in Denver’s Black communities. Watch the full film, and learn about the home the Johnsons are creating here: https://lnkd.in/g5mj_Yif Click on this hashtag — #DearfieldFundBlackHistory — to view all three Dearfield films as they roll out this week. #blackhistorymonth #homeownership #downpaymentassistance #equityinvesting #racialequity #investing #sustainableinvesting #racialwealthgap #restorativepractices #housing #housingaffordability #blackwealth

It's not what you know... It's not who you know.... It's who knows you. When you "own" a specific problem, you become the person people go to to get it solved. It makes it easy for people to tell others about you and refer business to you. A great example of this in the online course world is Susan Garrett. Susan is a dog trainer. If she had an "I'll train your dog to be "good" course," she would have struggled. But she led with a specific problem... Recall - "I'll show you how to get your dog to come back to you every time" She became known for recall, and because she was solving a specific problem, her students saw real and demonstratable results and referred others to the program. The great thing is that once you have a client, you can offer them a wider selection of services on the back end. It also helps if the problem you own is the top-of-mind, #1 pain point that's keeping your audience awake at night.

I had an amazing week with The Reserves Network Account Executives Tylor and Ricky getting to know our Cleveland customers. Cleveland is rich with a history that shaped America and companies that impacted our lives in ways you'll never know. Check out this article to learn more about the people and businesses that have made an impact on history: https://lnkd.in/g7STfpVt #Cleveland #BusinessHistory #TheReservesNetwork #AccountExecutives

If you are married and want to start your entrepreneurial journey, make sure your partner is up for it. This is not for faint-hearted partners; there are many ups and downs. For some time, you may have to live a life that you are not used to. You may have to skip weekend parties with old buddies, group holidays, or dineouts as your finances may not allow for them. It is not a one-man show at home. A long face can bring down the energy of the entire family, but when someone says, 'Don't worry, we are together in this; keep going,' it lifts the morale immediately. #Trust #me, you will need the support of your partner at home to fight the battles outside.

A very interesting perspective which can be applied for the majority of today’s professional roles.