Who’s The Greatest?

By William Reed

The sequester is but a bump on the road to America’s real ruin. For those who don’t know, the U.S. is no longer “the greatest nation.” Nor does it even make the list of the 10 most prosperous countries in the world.

Whether Black or White, middle to upper class, urban, rural or suburban, most Americans operate under the assumption that the U.S. still ranks as No. 1 in the world.  Yes, the U.S. remains the world’s largest economy, and we have the largest military by far, the most dynamic technology companies and a highly entrepreneurial climate.

However, Blacks who still preen at the thought of Obama being the “commander in chief” are going to have a “rude awakening” when it’s all over. A sobering 2012 index analyzed 142 countries in eight categories: economy, education, entrepreneurship & opportunity, governance, health, personal freedom, safety & security and social capital. The index shows that the U.S. is no longer “the top dog” rather, 12th in prosperity; 3rd in oil production; 7th in literacy; 27th in math; 22nd in science; 49th in life expectancy; 178th in infant mortality; 3rd in median household income; 4th in exports and 39th in income inequality.

The first step in solving any problem is to recognize there is one. As we move toward the future, it’s important that we note that the decisions that created today’s growth – decisions about education, infrastructure and the like – were made decades ago. What we see today is an American economy that has boomed because of policies and developments of the 1950s and ’60s: the interstate-highway system, massive funding for science and technology, a public-education system that was once the envy of the world and generous immigration policies.

The economic bottom is falling out while the Black middle class waddles down “discount aisles at Walmart.” We are the group at the highest risk of economic downturns, but over the past 50 years, Blacks have bought into a mindset of dependency. Ninety-three percent of Black Americans recently voted for a continuation of that dependency on government for handouts from food stamps to welfare. Democratic leadership has caused Blacks to collectively accept the fact that America has become a debtor nation.

Suck it up. Let’s acknowledge that the big government agenda the Democrats have pursued over past years has stunted economic growth and led to staggering levels of wealth decline among Blacks. Cartoon character Pogo provides great insight: “We’ve met the enemy and they is us.” Our plight today is based on our past practices to “go along to get along.”

Much of America’s forward growth depends on the results of the 2014 congressional elections and 2016 presidential campaign. What kind of decisions will the masses of Blacks make about being open to the messages of Republicans?  In his book, America the Beautiful, fiscally and socially conservative figure, Dr. Benjamin Solomon “Ben” Carson, Sr., an African-American neurosurgeon and director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, pushed himself into the forefront of the public’s attention. In his book, Carson provides new perspectives on our educational system, capitalism versus socialism and our moral fabric, to which people should be attentive.  America the Beautiful is an incisive manifesto of the values that shaped America’s past and must shape her future, the book calls upon us all to use our God-given talents to lead and improve our lives, communities, nation, and our world.

America can be great again. Good leadership is what we need. All that’s required is leadership that will fight for moral values, stand up for what is right, and strike down the wrong laws for the right reasons. Maybe it’s “mainstream” Blacks have adopted that cause them to accept leadership that has followed the same path of profligate spending and reckless disregard of the long-term economic drain for short-term economic gains.  We have opted for mediocrity and self-indulgence and we have reaped the harvest that we have sown.

We become great again by becoming an informed and educated electorate, making the right decisions to go forward.

William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org.

NBA Hall of Famer Turned School Crossing Guard: It’s Not About The Money, It’s About The Kids

By Black Men In America.com Staff

Washington, D.C. native and NBA Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley is one smart dude, who’s probably a bit cheap.  Since last fall, Dantley has apparently been working as a crossing guard in Silver Spring, MD, a suburb of Washington, D.C.  In his new position, Dantley earns approximately $15,000 per year including a benefit package with health insurance.  NBA veterans aren’t provided health insurance.  According to reports, the 58-year old Dantley is not broke.  Say what?  A retired NBA player who still has his money?  Dantley is reportedly financially secure, likes working with children and does not want to sit around the house all day.

Dantley recently told CNN that he forked over $17,000 for health insurance coverage last year, which is more than his crossing guard salary, but health insurance comes with the job.

More power to A. D. for being a role model and keeping our kids safe.

NAACP’s Ben Jealous Says Black Americans Doing Far Worse Under The Obama Administration

February 10, 2012

In a recent interview on MSNBC’s “Meet the Press,” NAACP CEO and President, Ben Jealous, told the show’s host that black Americans “are doing far worse” than when President Obama first took office. “The country’s back to pretty much where it was when this president started,” Jealous told show host David Gregory. “White people in this country are doing a bit better. Black people are doing far worse.”

Statistics show that the African-American community is in bad shape under the Obama Administration.  The Labor Department reports that the black unemployment rate was at 12.7 percent when Pres. Obama initially took office. As the employment rate for the nation dropped below 8 percent, black unemployment increased to 12.9 percent and then to 14 percent for December.

Commentators such as Yvette Carnell, Dr. Wilmer Leon and Dr. Boyce Watkins at Your Black World have consistently stated that the president’s performance in the black community should be judged based on the quality of his results, not the color of his skin.  Also, Dr. Julianne Malveaux recently wrote that the Obama Administration needs to speak out more about existing racial disparities and persistent problems in black unemployment.

You can read the entire article courtesy of our friends at Your Black World.  Click here to go there now.

What do you think?

Athletes Gone Broke: Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems!

By Black Men In America.com

Did you know that 78% percent of NFL players are under financial stress or bankrupt just two years into retirement. Within five years of retirement, 60% of NBA players are broke, according to Sports Illustrated.

In the new documentary “Broke,” which is set to air on ESPN Tuesday evening (October 2, 2012), Director Billy Corben provides a “step-by-step guide on how to go broke” by talking to the current and former professional athletes who’ve gone broke themselves or have watched teammates and peers drain their bank accounts.

A disturbing large number of Black athletes have squandered millions of dollars due to bad business decisions, divorces, child support payments, uncontrolled lavish spending, overall poor financial planning and lack of personal discipline.

Two of the more recent athletes in the news who have gone broke are former NFL stars Vince Young and Jamal Lewis.

In August 2012, former NFL player Jamal Lewis, 32, was arrested and charged with child abandonment.  Earlier this year Lewis declared bankruptcy.   He is one of many professional athletes to file for bankruptcy.  According to court records, Lewis has $14.5 million in assets, and $10.6 million in liabilities.  Court documents also reflected that Lewis now earns $35,000 per month, and spends $34,050 of it.  In addition, Lewis’ cars cost $5,700 per month, his mortgage is $6,000 per month and he owns a $200,000 boat, along with a $150,000 Ford F-650 XUV.   Lewis also owns other vehicles, which explains why his car payments are so high.  The court documents reflected that Lewis did not contribute anything to charity.

In July 2009, Lewis continued to play football.  While still with the Ravens, Lewis invested in a cross country trucking business.  His company had a fleet of around 200 trucks delivering perishable goods.  Lewis personally guaranteed the loans with his bank.  By June 2010, Baltimore County Circuit Court records reflected that M&T bank won a judgment last year against Lewis for more than $350,000 in unpaid lease installments and late fees and $35,000 in attorney fees.

On July 30, 2006, Vince Young, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft, signed a six-year contract with the Tennessee Titans that was worth $48 million dollars.  The contract had a maximum value of $57.79 million, with $25.74 million guaranteed.  Here we are six later and young is out of the league and according to his lawyer, has run out of money.

Young earned over another $4 million last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Buffalo Bills in May.  Young was released in August before the start of the regular NFL season.

Let’s take a look at some of the athletes who have “gone broke.”

• Eddy Curry – A few years ago, NBA player Eddy Curry, despite making over $60 million in his career, Eddy Curry (NBA) is in serious debt while still shooting the ball. According to an Associated Press report, Curry defaulted on a $575,000 loan with an 85 percent interest rate (you read that rate correctly—85%).  Curry was ordered by a judge to pay back $1.2 million to Allstar Capital Inc.  Curry reportedly lost his $3.7 million home to foreclosure while trying to maintain monthly expenses exceeding $250,000 per month.  Curry is currently in training camp with the San Antonio Spurs.

• Warren Sapp —The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Oakland Raider and NFL Network commentator owes more than $6.7 million to creditors and back child support and alimony, according to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in South Florida.  Sapp’s $6.45 million in assets includes 240 pairs of Jordan athletic shoes worth almost $6,500; a $2,250 watch; and a lion skin rug worth $1,200.

• Dennis Rodman — The eccentric Hall of Fame basketball star is allegedly broke and behind on over $800,000 of child support bills. Rodman’s also been challenged in court for failure to pay child and spousal support to his third wife, Michelle.

• Travis Henry — This former NFL Running Back has 11 children with 10 different women.  Henry fell behind on child support payments and reportedly tried other avenues to generate money.  Henry currently serving jail time for cocaine trafficking.

• Latrell Sprewell — Early in his career this former NBA player turned down a $21 million contract from the Minnesota Timberwolves citing that the contract did not offer enough money because he had a “family to feed.”  According to MSNBC, Sprewell had his Italian yacht seized by a U.S. marshal after his mortgage went into default. Eventually his home, valued at $5.4 million, went into foreclosure in 2008 despite the fact that he made nearly $100 million during his career.

• Lawrence Taylor — The NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker’s life has been marred by cocaine addiction, statutory rape charges and bad investments. Taylor also plead guilty to tax evasion.

• Kenny Anderson — The NBA Point Guard was already broke by the time he retired from the NBA in 2005 after making approximately $60 million.  Since then, he went back to school, got a degree and is now the boys’ basketball coach at David Posnack Jewish Day School in Davie, Fla.  Anderson accumulated over $40,000 in monthly expenses to go along with child support for eight children.  Anderson also owned eight cars, a home in Beverly Hills, a $10,000 monthly allowance, and regular $3,000 giveaways to relatives. In his divorce, he lost nearly $6 million in a prenuptial agreement.

• Scottie Pippen — Although he made an estimated $120 million during his playing days, former NBA great Scottie Pippen lost millions in mismanaged money (he sued his former law firm for the mismanaging). He also made the ill-advised purchase of a $4 million Gulfstream jet and later found out it needed $1 million worth of engine repair.  At one point, Pippen owed U.S. Bank more than $5 million in principal, interest and attorneys’ fees, which he reportedly could not afford.  On June 30 of this year, Mr. Pippen left the Cook County courthouse in tears after a jury awarded him $2 million out of the $8.2 million he was seeking in one of those lawsuits against two attorneys at the Chicago law firm Pedersen & Houpt.

• Terrell Owens — Back in January 2012, former NFL player known as “T.O.” admitted to GQ magazine that he was friendless, almost broke and “in hell.” He claimed that he lost his millions not because of an extravagant lifestyle, but because financial advisers steered him astray.

• Evander Holyfield — The former 4 time Heavyweight boxing champion who made over $250 million during his career said:  “I’m not broke; I’m just not liquid.”  Holyfield’s $10 million 54,000 square foot home with 109 rooms on 234 acres was foreclosed in 2008.  He also owed a landscaping company over $500,000 in unpaid services and had problems paying child support for his 11 children.  Holyfied also owed $200,000 in back taxes.  The good news is that the house recently sold at auction for $7.5 million.  The bad news is that at the time of the sale Holyfield owed more than $14 million.

• Deuce McAllister — Former NFL player McAllister lost millions when his Nissan dealership in Jackson, Miss. went belly up in 2009. Nissan is currently suing him, claiming the dealership defaulted on hundreds of thousands in payments and even more on exceeded credit limits.

• Michael Vick — The elusive NFL Quaterback filed for Chapter 11 in 2008 after serving prison time for participating in a dog fighting ring. He lost millions in all sorts of ways, including failing to pay for 130 rental cars and defaulting on a loan to set up a wine store. Vick’s appears to be headed in the right direction as he recently signed a $100 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

• Muhsin Muhammad — The former NFL Wide Receiver owed tens of thousands in overdue credit card bills and ended up selling his home on eBay.

• Antoine Walker – Former NBA star Antoine Walker, earned more than $110 million and filed for bankruptcy in 2009, one year after retiring from the NBA.  Walker’s financial moves reportedly included supporting 70 family and friends, building his mother a 10-bathroom mansion, owning at least two Bentleys and two Mercedes and collecting watches.  In an interview with ESPN’s First Take TV show on October 2, 2012, Walker said, his financial woes were not largely due to gambling.  He admitted to gambling but not as much as has been reported.  Walker said his problems stemmed from bad investments in the real estate market, bad advice and supporting a lavish lifestyle with friends and family.

• Raghib “Rocket” Ismael – Ismael played two years in Canada and 10 in the NFL, earning an estimated $18 million to $20 million in salary alone. He then started to invest in a series of ventures that went bust, including a Rock n’ Roll Café, COZ Records, a movie, cosmetics, nationwide phone-card dispensers, and calligraphy proverbs kiosks.

• Mike Tyson – This former boxer may be the “King of Broke.”  Tyson reportedly earned over $400 million during his career.  Tyson’s fall from grace included a nasty divorce, a rape charge that led to a prison sentence, felony possession of drugs and a DUI charge.  At one point, Tyson was worth less that $700 dollars.  His situation has improved. He appears to be doing well in recovery for drug and alcohol problems, has remarried, had a movie made about his life and he is on Broadway starring in a play about his life.

• Allen Iverson – This former NBA dynamo reportedly earned over $200 million in salary and endorsements is reportedly broke.  Iverson, aka “The Answer,” apparently has no answer to cure his financial woes.  Iverson reportedly owes $859,000 to a Georgia jewelry store.  Trouble seems to follow Iverson in the form of arrests for assault, carry a concealed weapon and gambling debts.

White athletes go broke too.  Names like Bernie Kosar, Mark Brunell, Johnny Unitas, Bjorn Borg, Rollie Fingers, Curt Schilling, Sean Salisbury and Lenny Dykstra have gone broke.  We chose to focus on athletes whose names and careers you are more familiar with.

Is the reporting of broke athletes different for white athletes than black athletes?  Are there more racial stereotypes associated with the black athletes?  Or is it just a matter of sports stereotypes?  We’re just asking?  We believe that many people, regardless of their race would go broke if they became a multimillionaire over night, especially, without any financial training.  We need to teach our children financial literacy skills as soon as they learn how to count.

What do you think?

Are You Keeping Up With New Technology?

By Cheryl Myrie

Today’s world is vastly incorporated with the ever changing science of technology.

If you are not engaged in the area of technology you are out dating yourself and you are putting yourself at a disadvantage in being a competing candidate for employment, limiting your method to communicate and you are decreasing your perimeters in which you can operate.

In shadows of the court decision against Samsung, in the case of Apple vs. Samsung, it’s important to understand the direction this country and the global industry is headed, if we are interested in becoming economically empowered. Barry White one of my all-time favorite singers, gave great insight to those who were listening during a televised interview I was blessed to watch. I don’t remember the host or the show where the interview took place, perhaps someone who does know could provide us with the details by way of the comment box at the end of this commentary.  What Barry White said basically, was that anyone interested in getting into the music business, during the time period the interview had taken place, he said the opportunity had greatly improved due to technology. The new technology had introduced new electronic instruments, which also provided access to more than one instrument.  One individual could add the sound of different instruments, this was cost effective and enhanced the ability of someone starting out on their own and who did not have the connections necessary to incorporate other individuals with skills and knowledge of varies musical instruments. God bless his soul, that was a jewel of information he gave to those seeking to make a living by getting into the music industry.

Well the same hold true even more today. Yes socially many of us are heavily engaged in the technology world. And I am not saying there is anything wrong with the social interaction side of it. What I am saying is do not limit yourselves to just that side of it. I remember after getting married and having my children, I was seeking to get into the work force arena, and my siblings who were already there were telling me about the emphasis on computers and how simply it would be for me once I got the hang of it. However, I was hesitant about the hold thing, it sounded more complicated than they were making it appear. Anyway it would be some years later before I took a computer class and I have been hooked ever since. It was extra hard for me because I did not have a computer at home. So I spent hours in the computer lab on campus. I would see people come in and an hour or two later they would be leaving and I would still be there trying to complete my assignments. This went on for days until I completed my course and I passed with an A. I am grateful to my teacher for being the kind of teacher that wanted his students to learn.

Certainly these new instruments of technology have their side effects and/or downsides, which if you take a broader perspective is another avenue which could provide access to revenue, in the field of research. We as a society are now asking questions about proper use of our newly invented tools and the advent affect caused by misuse of them.

Is Gaining Wealth an “Impossible Dream?

By William Reed

The wealthiest Americans live in gated communities that protect them from the masses. A new poll reveals that many Americans are questioning their prospects for “upward mobility.”  The high level of pessimism is reflected among respondents in a recent poll conducted by The Hill newspaper that found half [47 percent] of likely voters believe it’s impossible for them to become wealthy during the course of their lifetime. The survey, conducted as the heated political presidential campaign becomes more acrimonious over the interests of the haves and the have-nots, found that fewer than 2 in 5 likely voters [37 percent] think they can ever become rich.

This presidential election will have more to do with the economy and voters personal well-being than ever before. The Hill newspaper’s survey findings suggest pessimism about the possibility of upward mobility as economic growth remains weak and jobs scarce. The national debate over wealth is intensifying as it creates economic divisions across the country’s population segments. Although the economy will improve a bit in the second half of 2012, it will be another disappointing year of slow growth capping the worst three years of economic growth, outside of a recession. Between 2005 and 2010 the median net worth of Americans under 35 fell 37 percent, and the wealth gap between the young and the old in America is wider than it’s ever been. The percentage of the workforce under age 25 has dropped 13.2 percent since 2008, and the U.S. unemployment rate is 12 percent for those age 18 to 29 because this age group’s parents aren’t retiring.

The wealth – more specifically, the median net worth – of households in the United States is varied in  relation to race, education, geographic location and gender.  Wealth in the U.S. is unevenly distributed, with the wealthiest 25 percent of U.S. households owning 87 percent of the total wealth.

The median wealth of White households is 20 times that of Black households. And, Blacks vote more on emotion than economic well-being. For Black Americans the annual median household income in 2010 was $29,328. It was $35,856 among all races. While Blacks make 62 cents of every dollar of income that Whites make, they only have 10 cents for every dollar of wealth that Whites have.

In The Hill poll almost 40 percent of people said that the threshold to being wealthy was a $500,000 annual income.  Twenty percent put the bar above $1 million. Thirty-one percent of people said a family earning $250,000 a year is wealthy.  And, 9 percent said $100,000 was the threshold.

Each day, America is comprised more and more of economic haves and have-nots. Since the 2007 recession the share of total wealth owned by the nation’s wealthiest one percent grew to 37.1 percent and that owned by the top 20 percent grew to 87.7 percent. The 2007 recession, and aftermath, also increased the wealth gap between the 1 percent and the 99 percent.

According to a CBS News/New York Times poll, a majority of registered voters believe that Mitt Romney’s policies favor the rich. Fifty-three percent say Romney’s policies favor the wealthy. Eleven percent says his policies favor the middle class, while two percent say they favor the poor. Thirty percent say Romney’s policies treat all groups equally. Of the social segments that favor President Barack Obama’s policies, 21 percent say his policies favor the rich, while 22 percent say they favor the middle class and 24 percent say they favor the poor. Twenty-five percent say Obama’s policies treat all groups equally.

What are your views?  Are Black voters in a totally different place than the mainstream of Americans?   The Hill poll’s respondents’ views differed based on income levels, with voters earning between $40,000 and $75,000 strongly preferring Romney over Obama. Among people earning between $40,000 and $60,000, 48 percent trust Romney more compared to 39 percent for Obama. People earning between $60,000 and $75,000 trust Romney more than Obama by a 34-point margin, 61 percent to 27 percent.

(William Reed is available for speaking/seminar projects via the Bailey Group.org)

Obama Fundraiser Critical of The Campaign’s Strategy

Roy Donahue “Don” Peebles is a real estate entrepreneur, author and political activist.  Peebles is the Chairman and CEO of the Peebles Corp., the largest African American real estate development and ownership company in the US, with a multi-billion dollar development portfolio of luxury hotels, high-rise residential and commercial properties in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Miami Beach.

Lately Peebles has spoken out about the presidential campaign, particularly about fund raising strategies.  Earlier this week Peebles was quoted in the New York Times saying that he found certain attacks by Democrats on Mitt Romney’s wealth to be “offensive.”

“What I get concerned about is the message from the Obama campaign that we only want someone who has not been successful to run for president. What do we want here? You can’t be successful and run the country? We don’t want somebody who has been successful to run it? That doesn’t make sense,” Peebles said. “So I look at that and I see that those things are becoming offensive to some of his strongest supporters, financially.

“It would be unrealistic to think that that kind of thing would not impact the enthusiasm for those who are supportive of the president, financially, and certainly would turn off others who were on the fence to say, ‘You know, what the heck with it. I’m done,’” Peebles continued. “And they go on to Romney.

Peebles said he does not think criticism of Romney’s time in private equity are out of bounds as long as they focus on his performance there, and said he preferred the Obama campaign spend more time focusing on Romney’s record as governor of Massachusetts.

But he also took issue with Obama’s recently revived talking point about raising taxes on those who make $250,000 or more a year.

“I’m so tired of hearing that the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes. Yeah we are,” Peebles said. “The super vast majority of wealthy Americans do not wake up every day and say, ‘Let’s see how we can pay less than our fair share of taxes.’ They say, ‘We’re going to follow the law and we’re going to hire some good accountants to tell us how to do it. And we’re going to pay no more or no less than our fair share.’

“So to say that wealthy individuals are not paying their fair is unfair and delusional,” he said. “So what should be said is that the wealthy Americans should have their tax rates raised because we need more money. Now by the way, if they got all these tax raises it still wouldn’t put a dent in the national debt.”

Click here to read the entire article at the Huffington Post.com.

The Adidas Shoe Controversy: Shackles On Your Feet?

By Black Men In America.com Staff

One has to wonder about the sensitivity to the black consumer associated with the Adidas marketing team as they developed the JS Roundhouse Mids, scheduled for an August release.   The company has sparked outrage and been accused of ‘promoting slavery’ by creating a new pair of athletic shoes which have bright orange ‘shackles’ that fit around the ankles.

The promo for the new shoe reportedly says:  “Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?”

Syracuse University professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, writing for Your Black World, said: ‘Shackles. The stuff that our ancestors wore for 400 years while experiencing the most horrific atrocities imaginable.” He also said he accepted some people would accuse him of overreacting but added: ‘There is always a group of negroes who are more than happy to resubmit themselves to slavery.

We bet there will be a line of black people pulling their kids out of summer school and standing in line overnight to spend well over a hundred dollars for these shoes.  These same jack ass parents will find every reason why they can’t take that same amount of money and open a bank account for little Malik and Raheem.  What are we going to do with our people? 

 

 

You don’t have to be black to see that this advertising campaign is insensitive.  One has to wonder how this campaign managed to get this far. 

 

What do you think?

 

Update:  June 19, 2012

Adidas announced yesterday that it’s cancelling plans to market the shoe design that critics say evokes slavery.  Early Monday, Adidas defended the shoes as the handiwork of a whimsical designer.  The shoe was designed by Beverly Hills designer Jeremy Scott.  Thanks to social media, Adidas found itself in a public relations nightmare and scrapped plans for marketing the shoe.

The Adidas statement reads, in part:  “The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery. Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, Adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace.”

Kevyn Nelson – Financial Consultant

Kevyn Nelson has always fostered the entrepreneurial spirit.  From running his own paper route when he was still in single digits to opening a recording studio at the age of 16, the Los Angeles native has dabbled in various business ventures for many years.

Today, as a sought after financial consultant, Nelson runs the two-year-old CVI Wealth and Asset Management Group (the sister company to his renowned Worldwide Credit and Financial Solutions).  Based in Manhattan Beach, CA, Denver, CO and Lawrenceville, GA, CVI serves a broad range of clients from L.A. to Atlanta, including a rather large contingency of entertainers.

With offices opening in New York and Chicago, CVI specializes in an array of services, among them wills and estate planning, investment consulting, credit restoration and enhancements, business plans, grant proposals, nonprofit formation, corporation services, business development, and business funding.  “We have an ongoing roster of about 30-35 people,” Nelson said.  “I also have a lot of clients on a rotating basis, so we average between 400 and 500 clients per year.”

Being a financial consultant during a recession can’t be easy, but Nelson has been undaunted.  He has learned how to customize his services to suit the unique needs of a clientele facing tough economic times.  “If it’s a client that I had three or four years ago, certain things that were timely then are no longer the case, so I give them updated information.”  Nelson says drastic changes in the banking industry have caused him to alter his strategies somewhat and he has been mindful of the counsel he dispenses regarding real estate investments.  “If a client doesn’t have a lot of available liquid assets, I don’t advise real estate investment right now, but those who have cash can pick up good deals because of all of the foreclosures.”

One of the most challenging areas of Nelson’s work — and perhaps the one for which he has the most passion — is providing services to entertainers, many of whom may be riding high professionally but suffering financially.  With a client roster that has included the likes of Ralph Tresvant, TLC, Adina Howard, Brian Austin Green, and “Moesha’s” Lamont Bentley, Nelson tries to show entertainers how to make their money outlast their fame.  “When it comes to entertainment, I focus primarily on independent labels, artists and executives.  I like to work with indie labels to show them how to use their budgets to access capital that can be used to sustain their projects.  With artists, I try to get them to understand the value of their intellectual property and with industry executives, I teach them where to put their money, especially nowadays with so many execs losing jobs and going into consulting.”

In addition to his hands-on, one-on-one counseling, Nelson also offers financial words of wisdom to those who may not be able to afford his $5000 consulting fee.  In his book, “Corporate Credit Unleashed,” available at Amazon.com, Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble, Nelson reveals the secret to building business credit.  In the popular book, Nelson teaches readers about business credit reporting agencies, ratings, building a business profile, and the process of building credit.

Nelson said he chose to focus so heavily on credit building because most of his clients have the misconception that “good credit will allow them to live a lifestyle that they can’t afford.”  He explains, “The purpose of credit should be to allow yourself to take advantage of investments.  If you’re going to have an 18 percent interest rate on a credit card, whatever you’re using that card for should be bringing you back 20-25 percent.  Credit is not to use so you can live a lifestyle that you can’t afford.  Once your debt ratio is over 40 percent, it doesn’t matter how high your credit score is — people will still start denying you.”

Educated at Southern California University of Professional Studies, where he earned a BA in Corporate Law and Entrepreneurial Studies, Nelson says he has serviced a wide range of clients who have acquired money from an equally wide range of sources.  But Nelson says his job is to serve his clients, not judge them.  “I know for a fact that there is definitely a need in the entertainment industry for the services that I provide,” he says. “There is a need for my services in a lot of markets and I’m happy to provide them as long as it’s done the right way.”

Dedicated and committed to always maintaining a high level of integrity in business, results-oriented financial consultant Kevyn Nelson consistently delivers.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevyndadreammaker

http://twitter.com/iamkevynjnelson

http://www.worldwidecreditandfinancialsolutionsinc.com

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http://www.thekevynjnelsonbrand.com

SANTA’S HELPER: AN ORGANO GOLD DISTRIBUTOR!

According to “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali “A friend is someone who is always doing for others and never expecting anything in return.”

How many friends of yours meet his definition?  I can count my friends on one hand!

For the past 43 years I have been married to a wonderful and great lady named Hattie Bell.  We have coordinated Christmas toy parties for elementary school children from DC, Maryland and Virginia during those 43 years.

This effort has been hosted by our non-profit organization KIDS IN TROUBLE, INC. without grants or loans.

The last decade I have been promising Hattie “This is going to be my last year” promises made promises broken.  I was once a kid in trouble and going to hell in a hurry. There is something special about a little child’s smile at Christmas that is addicted.

We usually try to average at least 100 kids for every toy party but this year because of financial difficulties we had to cut back to 50 children.

During the week of December 18, 2011 I was out on a rainy night to pick up a donation from a friend of KIDS IN TROUBLE Dr. Anthony Mays.  He is the President and founder of BREAKTHROUGH BIBLE COLLEGE.  His office is located in Temple Hills, Md.  His trusted assistant Dr. Julia Doctor was waiting for me to pick up the donation.

Since it was raining I decided to park in a “Handicap Parking Space” without the designated sticker!  Needless to say when I got back downstairs my car was gone.

I stood in the rain trying to figure out where my car was?  I returned to the lobby of the building when this brother who had been sitting in the lobby approached and asked “Are you having a problem?”  He delivered the bad news that a tow truck had taken my car.

His name is Milton Hill.  After delivering the bad news, he offered to give me a ride to my mother-in-law’s home in Suitland (5 minutes away).  He dropped me off, we exchanged numbers and wished each other a Merry Christmas and promised to stay in touch.  I have since made him an honorary “Santa’s Helper.”

I also promised I would attend a presentation at his home in January of 2012.  I felt that was the least I could do for the kindness he had shown me.

I called the number on the sign in the parking lot to the tow truck company and was told it would take $175 if I wanted to retrieve my car.

I borrowed $25 each from my two brothers-in-law, Weldon and Steve who were visiting for the holidays. My wife Hattie came up with another $25.  The $100 donation from Dr. Mays brought the total to $175.

My “Friend” and Santa’s Helper Gus Banks lived nearby.  I called him for a ride in search of my towed vehicle!  In “The Hood” this is known as HUSTLING BACKWARDS!

To make a long story short, thanks to donations from Santa’s Helpers like Dr. Mays, Ms. Michelle Madison of Unity Health Care, Giant Food Stores, Ms. Carla Carter (The Cup Cake Lady), Pat Gray and Gus Banks, the 43 Annual KIT toy party was a success.

Children from the First Baptist Church of Suitland in Forestville, Md. and the Simba Maritials Arts Academy in SE, DC were the happy recipients.

On Monday January 9, 2012 I received a telephone call from Milton Hill my honorary Santa’s Helper wishing me a Happy New Year!  He also reminded me that on Tuesday January 10, 2012 he was having a presentation at his home in Clinton, Md.

The presentation was the one that I had promised that I would be in attendance.  I reminded him that I was a MAN of my WORD because it was the only thing that I really owned outright in this system.

The system can and will take everything that you own (material things) but once you allow it to take your WORD you will never be able to help anyone including yourself!

Tuesday January 10, 2012 would turnout to be a rainy, rainy day and night in Prince Georges County.  First, I don’t like driving at night and second I seldom if ever leave the house on a rainy day unless it is an emergency.  My wife looked at me and said “You gave your WORD!”

Traveling from Bowie, Md. to Clinton, Md. is like going cross country especially when it is dark and raining!  Since I was not familiar with Clinton and without a GPS to guild me I traveled to my destination on a wing and prayer.

Milton would have to come and rescue me again after I got lost because of the poorly lit street signs leading to his home.

He was expecting a full house but knowing some folks I warned him “We don’t like to leave the comfort of our homes if it is raining and dark!”  He laughed and agreed.

I still didn’t have a clue on what the presentation was all about until a young preppy
well dressed brother named Sulaiman Rahman from Philadelphia made his way to the basement.

His presentation would be about “Coffee!”  I don’t even drink coffee but I said, “What the hell I’m here now, why not listen!”

I have heard all kinds of presentations and invitations on “How to get rich quick or die trying” starting with Mary Kay, World ATM Company, to my last encounter in 2011 with a so-called global telecommunications CEO.

The encounter with the CEO left a bad taste in my mouth.  If I had known that my trip to Clinton would be about another get rich home based business scheme there was the possibility my WORD would not have been kept!

This is the same CEO I had met in the 90s when he was driving a bus and spinning records at local night clubs. He was brought to my home in Suitland, Md. and introduced to me by another young man I was mentoring.

In the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s my reputation as an athlete, youth advocate and out spoken radio and television sports talk show pioneer had already been established. In DC it was nothing unusual for young men to stop me on the streets or come to my home for advice.

When I was introduced to this young man I had already broken bread with drug kingpins and the President of the United States of America.  I had been from “The Outhouse to the White House” and interviewed some of the greatest athletes of our time.

Despite the success in the community and sports media I never lost sight on who I was and where I came from!

Honesty and integrity and “You Cannot buy him” were characteristics already associated with the name Harold Bell.

In the summer of 2011 almost two decades later I was called by another young friend associated with the CEO.  He was calling to invite me to hear a presentation on the campus of the University of Maryland.

He sold me when he said “Harold it is time that you get paid for all of your  contributions made to our community.”  Like many in the black community I was facing financial difficult times and this sounded like music to my ears!

When I arrived at the Marriott hotel for the meeting there was a “Show & Tell” exhibit of about 12 brand new BMW automobiles and a Bentley parked out front!

Inside the room where the presentation was being held there were wall to wall black folks who looked like they had just stepped out of Esquire Magazine.  I was escorted to a seat in the front of the room for the presentation.

I listened to about 4 presentations and testimonies on the advantages of owning a home based business. I was impressed by the presentations, but I was surprised to see the last presenter.  It was the same young man who visited my home in the 90s seeking my advice on his next move to stardom and success in DC!

During his presentation I discovered he had literally gone from driving a bus to driving a Bentley. He gave me a wink as he bragged about his success.  I nodded my approval with a smile.

Shortly after the presentation I was escorted to the front of the line where he was signing his book titled “From the Bus to the Bentley.”  It was here he gave me a hug and told everyone waiting in line about how he had visited my home back in the day and had seen on my basement wall pictures of me with Muhammad Ali, Don King and other celebrities.

He then autographed in his book “To Harold Bell thanks for opening the door for me.”  The praise brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes, but the smile would later turn upside down to a frown!

I would attend several more presentations to check out the clientele. I would later discover another young man I was familiar with.  He thought he wanted to be a fight promoter.

He was now a member of the organization.  It was during the Mike Tyson “Na Mas” against Kevin McBride in Washington, DC at the Verizon Center in June 2005. The wannabe promoter was taken to the cleaners by one of the most notorious frauds in the boxing.

During the promotions I forewarned the young brother to watch his back.  But he got caught up in the bright lights and wanting to be a star.  He allowed the Don King wannabe to go to the bank without him.

He screamed “Foul” to me after the fact.  The blow by blow profanity laced e-mails between him and the wannabe promoter had smoke coming from my computer!

My next move was to request a meeting with the CEO.  I laid out exactly what my plans were for the future and how we could form a partnership to enhance both organizations.  The projects included, a soon to be book and a film documentary as it related to my pioneering efforts in the community and sports talk radio.

He took my DVD promo and a draft of my book and asked me to put everything in writing. I e-mailed him my proposal two days later (August 2011). He has avoided me (phone calls, e-mail, and texts) ever since.

On January 2, 2012 we met face to face at the conclusion of a NBA Celtics vs. Wizards’ game at the Verizon Center.  He was coming up the steps exiting the game and I was going down the steps to the floor.  The look on his face when he saw me was “Priceless.”

In passing he said, “Harold I have not forgotten you I still have your package on my desk at home.”  I wished him a Happy New Year and kept on moving!

His behavior has become the norm in the black community where it use to be our teachers saying “I got mine and you have yours to get” success and two dollars more than the next brother starts the same process of memory lost in the streets!

The next day after I had absorbed his declaration of “I have not forgotten you” I e-mailed him my response—it was not pretty. 

His response was typical “What did I do to you sir?”  He tried to play the victim and make me the Bad Guy for asking him for a Helping Hand instead of a Hand Out in writing as he requested.  His wife even got involved.  I received an e-mail from her saying “Do I know you? It sounds like you want someone to give you something!”

I learned an important lesson from my Grandmother Amy Tyler Bell after I became a local celebrity I think she sensed that I was beginning to smell myself!  She said, “Remember to always tell the TRUTH because there is no defense for the TRUTH, a LIE will change a thousand times but the TRUTH never changes.”  It is the best advice I have ever received.

This from the Bus to the Bentley charade made me close the chapter on a Home-Based Business.  I decided this was not my way to financial success.  This was until my encounter with Santa’s Helper Milton Hill.

The presentation at Milton’s home by Organo Gold rep Sulaiman Rahman and the presentation in Greenbelt, Md. by rep Antonio Adair on Saturday January 14, 2011 made me a believer.

In Greenbelt there was no display of a caravan of Mercedes parked out in front of the building or brothers bragging about how they recently took poor kids on a cruise who had never been out of the inner-city or look at the regulation NBA basketball court I built in my backyard for my kids!

The standing room only presentation was an easy to understand and down to earth one.  Antonio made you laugh and say “WOW” out loud to yourself on how to obtain success if you are willing to work.

The most important part of the presentation to me was, egos were checked at the door and there was no “I” in the TEAM concept!

I made the right decision to become a TEAM member and distributor with Organo Gold. The “aha” moment came when I read the March 2012 issue of Success / from Home Magazine.  There was the story titled “Charitable Souls Shine Bright / OG Cares Gives Back.”

In the story Co-Founder and Global Master Distributor Shane Morand said, “We are teaching our leaders to give back, its part of our culture.” I am definitely in the right place at the right time.

Next year with God and Organo Gold willing, the 44^th Annual Kids In Trouble Christmas toy party for elementary school children will have its own Santa Claus delivering toys, door to door.  This is one offer and cup of coffee I could not refuse.  Happy New Year!