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WHEN FRANKLIN RAINES WAS APPOINTED chief executive officer of Fannie Mae in 1999, he became the first African American CEO of a major corporation. Called the Jackie Robinson of corporate [...]

'THERE IS A REAL CRISIS AS IT RELATES TO African American advertising agencies, and while most are loath to talk about it, I believe there are serious battles when pitches [...]

AFTER THE BIRTH OF HER TWIN DAUGHTERS, ELIZABETH and Victoria 12 years ago, Elena 'Elle' Borneman promised them home that they could call their own--though she didn't know how or [...]

WHILE WORKING AT WARNER-Lambert Co. (now Pfizer Inc.) from 1995 to 2002, Mary Winston attracted the attention of then-CFO Ernie Larini. As assistant treasurer in charge of setting strategy and [...]

FOR SOME ENTREPRENEURS, HANGING out a shingle marks an opportunity to build wealth or live out a lifelong dream. But for Osyris Uqoezwa, starting The Racy Choice, an innovative lifestyle [...]

CAMERA FLASHES POP DURING A PHOTO SHOOT IN an intimate studio located in downtown New York City. Shane and Shawn Ward, the twin brothers who own Detny by SHANE&SHAWN, a [...]

AS AN OVERWEIGHT CHILD, JEFFREY Banks endured years of ridicule and rejection. By the time he reached his senior year of high school, he weighed 400 pounds and was diagnosed [...]

WHEN C. MICHAEL BRAE ENTERED THE doors of Oakland's Alien Temple Baptist Church in 1991, he didn't expect to find an opportunity to own his own record label. But as [...]

AS A BOY, MIKE CHUBB WAS INTRIGUED BY COMPUTER--generated special effects. Whether watching Star Wars, Terminator 2, or playing video games such as Virtua Fighter, Chubb marveled at how computers [...]

On a typical Saturday night, Gregory Bowyer can be found moving swiftly and inconspicuously through the crowd at Excalibur, his year-old nightclub. While he's checking on operations and making sure [...]

When it comes to operating an African American-owned ad agency, change is good. Perhaps no one knows better than Tom Burrell, chairman emeritus of the highly successful Burrell Agency. The [...]

SOME GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS ARE BORN ON THE front of cocktail napkins. Others are created in 30-page business plans. For the partners of RyanKenny, an Atlanta-based high-end clothing line for [...]

WHEN HE SIGNED UP TO BE AN INDEpendent associate for Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc., Cameron Brickey thought network marketing was an easy way to make a buck. Several weeks and [...]

IT'S NEARLY 5:30 P.M. ON A BALMY TUESDAY night in Los Angeles, California, but Valencia Roner, president and CEO of VXR Enterprise, isn't headed for home just yet. Fighting traffic [...]

IT WAS A FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN 1992. Raven Patrick De'Sean Dennis III was moving about his New York apartment, preparing to host a Sunday dinner for a choir from Benedict [...]

Marilyn's Fashions stores up profits by offering convenience Need a new wardrobe, but too busy or tired to shop for it? Let Marilyn N. Wright comb the racks for you. [...]

Zanzibar thrives in serving up international cuisine and music Michel Daley, co-owner and director of marketing and promotions of Zanzibar on the Waterfront, is the first to admit that starting [...]

Three entrepreneurs overcome the hurdles of ownership SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE CHALLENGED EVERY DAY. They're challenged to compete with the big boys of their industries; to secure the capital that [...]

During his 15-year career, Malcolm Briggs held several high-visibility spots in broadcast media. He has been a television sportscaster, an anchor for an NBC affiliate in St. Louis, and a [...]

With an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a reputation as a top performer, Penny Knoll had ambitions of reaching the pinnacle of corporate success. But talent notwithstanding, Knoll found that [...]