Profiles of Principled Entrepreneurship: Pilot.ly’s Cultural Insights Technology is Changing the Way Content Creators do Business

In the second series of the Profiles of Principal Entrepreneurship presented by Koch Industry, BLACK ENTERPRISE focuses on entrepreneurs who are driving innovation, taking risks, and striving to have a lasting impact on their communities.

In the first installment of the series, we sat down with James Norman, founder and CEO of Pilot.ly, a cultural insights technology company, at his Oakland, California, headquarters. Norman believes that you have to have an ‘ignorant’ amount of confidence in order to be a successful entrepreneur.

At the age of 9, Norman began his entrepreneurial journey and by the time he was 16-years-old, he began to sell home audio devices. After receiving feedback from his peers, he pivoted to selling car audio to be able to meet the needs of his customers.

“That was my first point of customer feedback. I was like, ‘Oh, there’s actually a customer base, and they have a thing they want. So let me provide that and focus on building a business in that way.’ And so we ended up building a really burgeoning car audio business back in ’96,” said Norman.

Years later, his ability to build products and innovate through technology ultimately led him to become a serial entrepreneur.

Now through the Oakland-based company, content distributors better understand why people feel the way that they do about content through the company’s cultural insights technology.

Pilot.ly is a community of entertainment enthusiasts who want to help shape the media around them. Working with the content creators of the world, their mission is to connect them with viewers who can give articulate opinions which can then be used to improve their videos.

Meet James Norman

Doing business in Oakland

Norman strategically chose to headquarter his business in Oakland as it is a growing economy.

“We have a very established community of black and brown people. That’s something that a lot of us didn’t grow up around. So, to see it on a daily basis is inspiring. I’m literally on a text message with 12 people, and these dudes are doing it. To have those people around you all the time is really irreplaceable. That’s what you get here. We all end up out here…there’s nowhere else you really want to be. New York’s too fast, Chicago’s too cold. Atlanta’s too hot. This is the perfect place.”

As an efficacious founder in the Bay Area, Norman is passionate about making sure that other founders of color win. That is why he created Transparent Collective, a nonprofit that helps African American, Latinx, and female founders access the growth resources and connections they need to build successful tech companies. ​

Related: The Gathering Spot Transforms Black Businesses and Communities

Great teams help drive innovation

Norman has a diverse team of top talent. And as a leader, he has learned that success is measured by how well others on his team are doing collectively.

“You cannot afford to be fighting with people internally while you’re already fighting the rest of the world to get business done. We’re trying to create a culture here that is both conducive to us being productive internally, but also fits within the industry once we’re operating.”

To that point, as a businessman, Norman says, “When you’re running a business, you’ve got to operate like a business. Any free time you have has to be somehow allocated to see how that business can be accelerated. You’ll think you have free time, but if you have free time, you’re not really running a business.”

In addition to time and resource management, Norman also has this advice to off entrepreneurs looking to gain success.

“Get yourself in the place where you feel like you’re moving towards your vision so you feel really positive about what you’re doing. And along the way, always be open to conversation and disseminating information that you’re capturing to keep moving towards your goal.”

 

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/36MQRl9

This Black Woman Was a Corporate Board Activist—40 Years Ago!

In almost 2020 “woke” America, after four years of “year of the woman” taglines and seven years of #blackgirlmagic posts, you might assume women of color are now living, if not our best lives as a group, certainly way better ones.

But all the trending stories about women’s issues, women’s movements, and corporate women’s initiatives aside, the fact is that the lives, successes, and narratives of even some of the most remarkable black women are still routinely marginalized, and even ignored.

Case in point: Dolores Wharton.

Who, you ask? Precisely. Which is why Wharton’s new memoir is such a fascinating and worthwhile read.

From Privileged Child to Proud “Working” Wife

A Multicultured Life recounts the remarkable adventures of a multifaceted woman who, at 92, set out to write and publish her own story, her own way.

“I don’t need the money and I’m too old for any sort of book tour,” says Wharton, who also wrote Contemporary Artists of Malaysia: A Biographic Survey, published in 1972. “I really just wanted to see if I could do it.”

Wharton more than did it. Her book reads like a fairytale, as much for its glamour as for its dark turns.

Petite, polished, and proud in a back-straight, chin-up, rise-above way that quietly demands the same of those around her, Wharton has always had enormous presence packed into her small, feminine frame. Her voice—strong and clear—still rings true, both in person and in print.

As a black child of privilege (Wharton is descended from a few generations of high achievers including entrepreneurs and politicians on both sides of her family) and the first woman and first African American elected to the boards of three major corporations—Phillips Petroleum, the Kellogg Com., and Gannett—her story fills in a gap in history that most didn’t even know was there.

Spanning the years from her affluent Harlem-based childhood to her time as a young mother living in Southeast Asia and ultimately as a pioneering champion for corporate diversity, Wharton has had an incredibly distinct vantage point on life—one that is rarely considered in the spectrum of black American history, or women’s history, or business history.

Her résumé, alone, defies all odds. President Gerald Ford appointed her to the National Council for the Arts in 1971 and she served as a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) for a decade, ending in 1987.

More incredibly, at a time when the vast majority of corporate boards remain stunningly white and male (especially in tech companies which, despite constant organizational chest-thumping about their young, innovative, disruptive cultures, remain stubbornly entrenched in a 1940s approach to race and gender equality and inclusion) Wharton not only served on several major boards, she created the nonprofit Fund for Corporate Initiatives, the first known organization designed specifically to help prepare women and minorities for similar roles.

She became a diplomatic but outspoken and respected board activist, advocating for the creation of committees that prioritized issues of corporate social responsibility at both Phillips and Kellogg. The work of these committees encompassed corporate contributions to nonprofits, education, minority employment programs, environmental concerns, and safety standards.

“Diversity in the workforce was the hot topic of the time,” Wharton writes in her book, “one that we explored deeply.” Although she has been retired for 20 years, it is not lost on her that progress, as relates to diversity, has been woeful. “Regrettably, in many companies, interest in these early initiatives has fallen off,” Wharton writes.

The Wharton Love Story

It is also not lost on Wharton that she has led an extraordinary life for a woman of any race.

“Above all,” she writes, “mine is the story of an American black woman whose life has been enriched by a series of unexpected adventures.” She would experience most of those adventures in tandem with—and largely because of—the love of her life, Clifton Wharton.

She met the man who would become her husband on Harvard Yard, having been introduced by a cousin who attended Radcliffe. They would marry at the home of the iconic singer Marion Anderson, who was a neighbor of Wharton’s mother and stepfather, in Connecticut.

Clifton Wharton became the first black president of Michigan State University; the first black chancellor of the State University of New York; and the first black CEO of TIAA-CREF (or any Fortune 500 company). He went on to become Deputy Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton.

The Wharton love story—they will celebrate 70 years of marriage next April—would make even the worst cynics blush. Theirs has been an unshakeable alliance driven by a sense of adventure, ambition, and purposefulness, and the deepest mutual affection and respect one can imagine.

Like many women of her generation, Wharton spent her prime years known primarily as the wonderful wife of a prominent and powerful man. She embraced and even reveled in that role while refusing to let it confine or fully define her.

While her husband’s career dictated the course of their trajectory, no matter where it took them, she seized every opportunity to expand her skills, her knowledge, and impact, even while their two sons were young.

Not Finished Yet

Wharton embraced her unpaid roles as “first lady” of the various institutions her husband led with gusto, always seeing her value and pushing at the edges of others’ limited expectations to contribute until they saw it too.

As the Wharton’s longtime friend, legendary attorney and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan put it in presenting the couple with an Executive Leadership Council award in 2016, “While Clifton has had a distinguished career, Dolores has been blazing trails of her own.”

Although Clifton Wharton has always given his wife full credit for her individual success as well as much of his own, Dolores Wharton’s dynamic and pioneering work was still largely relegated to a patronizing line here or there, until now. Her self-published memoir, available on Amazon, finally sets the record straight. And she hints at more installments to come.

She addresses the reader directly in the book’s last line: “Please know that I intend to explore, more and more, as long as there is yet more to explore.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/36NZax2

This Black Woman Was a Corporate Board Activist—40 Years Ago!

In almost 2020 “woke” America, after four years of “year of the woman” taglines and seven years of #blackgirlmagic posts, you might assume women of color are now living, if not our best lives as a group, certainly way better ones.

But all the trending stories about women’s issues, women’s movements, and corporate women’s initiatives aside, the fact is that the lives, successes, and narratives of even some of the most remarkable black women are still routinely marginalized, and even ignored.

Case in point: Dolores Wharton.

Who, you ask? Precisely. Which is why Wharton’s new memoir is such a fascinating and worthwhile read.

From Privileged Child to Proud “Working” Wife

A Multicultured Life recounts the remarkable adventures of a multifaceted woman who, at 92, set out to write and publish her own story, her own way.

“I don’t need the money and I’m too old for any sort of book tour,” says Wharton, who also wrote Contemporary Artists of Malaysia: A Biographic Survey, published in 1972. “I really just wanted to see if I could do it.”

Wharton more than did it. Her book reads like a fairytale, as much for its glamour as for its dark turns.

Petite, polished, and proud in a back-straight, chin-up, rise-above way that quietly demands the same of those around her, Wharton has always had enormous presence packed into her small, feminine frame. Her voice—strong and clear—still rings true, both in person and in print.

As a black child of privilege (Wharton is descended from a few generations of high achievers including entrepreneurs and politicians on both sides of her family) and the first woman and first African American elected to the boards of three major corporations—Phillips Petroleum, the Kellogg Com., and Gannett—her story fills in a gap in history that most didn’t even know was there.

Spanning the years from her affluent Harlem-based childhood to her time as a young mother living in Southeast Asia and ultimately as a pioneering champion for corporate diversity, Wharton has had an incredibly distinct vantage point on life—one that is rarely considered in the spectrum of black American history, or women’s history, or business history.

Her résumé, alone, defies all odds. President Gerald Ford appointed her to the National Council for the Arts in 1971 and she served as a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) for a decade, ending in 1987.

More incredibly, at a time when the vast majority of corporate boards remain stunningly white and male (especially in tech companies which, despite constant organizational chest-thumping about their young, innovative, disruptive cultures, remain stubbornly entrenched in a 1940s approach to race and gender equality and inclusion) Wharton not only served on several major boards, she created the nonprofit Fund for Corporate Initiatives, the first known organization designed specifically to help prepare women and minorities for similar roles.

She became a diplomatic but outspoken and respected board activist, advocating for the creation of committees that prioritized issues of corporate social responsibility at both Phillips and Kellogg. The work of these committees encompassed corporate contributions to nonprofits, education, minority employment programs, environmental concerns, and safety standards.

“Diversity in the workforce was the hot topic of the time,” Wharton writes in her book, “one that we explored deeply.” Although she has been retired for 20 years, it is not lost on her that progress, as relates to diversity, has been woeful. “Regrettably, in many companies, interest in these early initiatives has fallen off,” Wharton writes.

The Wharton Love Story

It is also not lost on Wharton that she has led an extraordinary life for a woman of any race.

“Above all,” she writes, “mine is the story of an American black woman whose life has been enriched by a series of unexpected adventures.” She would experience most of those adventures in tandem with—and largely because of—the love of her life, Clifton Wharton.

She met the man who would become her husband on Harvard Yard, having been introduced by a cousin who attended Radcliffe. They would marry at the home of the iconic singer Marion Anderson, who was a neighbor of Wharton’s mother and stepfather, in Connecticut.

Clifton Wharton became the first black president of Michigan State University; the first black chancellor of the State University of New York; and the first black CEO of TIAA-CREF (or any Fortune 500 company). He went on to become Deputy Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton.

The Wharton love story—they will celebrate 70 years of marriage next April—would make even the worst cynics blush. Theirs has been an unshakeable alliance driven by a sense of adventure, ambition, and purposefulness, and the deepest mutual affection and respect one can imagine.

Like many women of her generation, Wharton spent her prime years known primarily as the wonderful wife of a prominent and powerful man. She embraced and even reveled in that role while refusing to let it confine or fully define her.

While her husband’s career dictated the course of their trajectory, no matter where it took them, she seized every opportunity to expand her skills, her knowledge, and impact, even while their two sons were young.

Not Finished Yet

Wharton embraced her unpaid roles as “first lady” of the various institutions her husband led with gusto, always seeing her value and pushing at the edges of others’ limited expectations to contribute until they saw it too.

As the Wharton’s longtime friend, legendary attorney and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan put it in presenting the couple with an Executive Leadership Council award in 2016, “While Clifton has had a distinguished career, Dolores has been blazing trails of her own.”

Although Clifton Wharton has always given his wife full credit for her individual success as well as much of his own, Dolores Wharton’s dynamic and pioneering work was still largely relegated to a patronizing line here or there, until now. Her self-published memoir, available on Amazon, finally sets the record straight. And she hints at more installments to come.

She addresses the reader directly in the book’s last line: “Please know that I intend to explore, more and more, as long as there is yet more to explore.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/36NZax2

Antonio Brown stirs up fans with “No More White Woman 2020” campaign

Antonio Brown has been hitting Twitter and Instagram with his “No More White Woman 2020” campaign since last week, now it appears the slogan is linked to his upcoming album.

READ MORE: Antonio Brown files countersuit against accuser Brittany Taylor

AB posted his “No More White Woman 2020” message to Instagram under the caption “Album Teaser #StayTuned #NoMoreWhiteWoman2020 #CabRecords. Like expected, fans, followers and friends have responded by laughing, urging him to get off social media, or chiding him for the campaign that they say will hurt his chances of getting back into the NFL even more.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Album Teaser #StayTuned #NoWhiteWoman2020 #CabRecords

A post shared by Boomin (@ab) on Dec 17, 2019 at 12:07pm PST

 

“It’s been the campaign since day one 😩😅” wrote djsamsneak on IG.

“Ab Bro Chill They Going To Try To Slay You. I Love You Big Bro, Go Take A Year Off & Come Back Next Training Kamp. Your Kids Need Their Father & Its Been Dark Road You Going Down. #FamilyFirst,” wrote rex_dagod.

“IMAGINE this was a white guy and he said “No more black women 2020” IMAGINE the outrage,” wrote Nick Rocco @nrocco2.

I am blaming my current situation on white women in hopes of tapping into the emotions of people that are naturally annoyed by white people so that I can get some people on my side since everybody seems to be laughing at me and I’m not capable of self reflection.

— AB Translator (@ABTranslator4) December 17, 2019

AB’s tweets can be as wild as the president’s and people know this. Still, these tweets and IG posts appear designed to get people talking about his music project. If that’s the case, it’s working like magic. Nearly 110,000 people loved the pinned tweet and it received nearly 193,000 likes on IG.

Complex said Brown followed his “No more white woman 2020” tweet with an Instagram story post asking for “20 beautiful white woman for a photoshoot for my new album.” And then Brown uploaded a mock campaign flyer.

READ MORE: Did Antonio Brown just confirm he’s doing an album with Sean Kingston?

Brown, a wide receiver who formerly played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots, is reportedly releasing his upcoming rap album with Sean Kingston. A couple of months ago, Brown released a clip of his song, “Bad Decisions.”

The post Antonio Brown stirs up fans with “No More White Woman 2020” campaign appeared first on theGrio.

from theGrio https://ift.tt/2Pzv5vs

Former FAMU student killed by police after traffic stop scuffle

Police shot and killed a former Florida A&M University (FAMU) student Saturday night.

According to WCTV, Jamee Christopher Deonte Johnson, 22, was killed in northeast of Springfield after a traffic stop. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the suspect was shot after police pulled him over for the stop and, upon seeing the weapon in the car, attempted to arrest him.

READ MORE: White Florida man citing ‘Stand Your Ground’ law convicted of murdering Black man

At first, the suspect cooperated with police, according to WCTV, but when Officer J. Garriga tried to arrest him, police said a struggle started.

Johnson reportedly jumped into his car and attempted to flee. Officer Garriga, who was behind him, told the sheriff’s office that Johnson reached for his handgun and a scuffle ensued.

During the melee, police say Johnson floored the gas as Garriga was left partially hanging out of the car. Then, they said, Johnson stopped abruptly. It was then that Garriga reportedly fired four shots at the driver.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said officers tried to perform CPR on Johnson before paramedics arrived at the scene. Johnson was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police say a pistol with an extended magazine was found inside of Johnson’s car.

Johnson recently attended FAMU, according to the university’s Communications Department, Johnson majored in Business Administration and attended FAMU from the fall of 2015 until this past spring. He had not yet earned a degree and reportedly was not attending this fall semester.

The sheriff’s office said Garriga and another officer were treated at the hospital and released for minor injuries that occurred when the car was moving.

Meanwhile State Rep. Ramon Alexander is requesting a “detailed independent investigation into the shooting, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

READ MORE: Arrest warrant issued for white man who pulled gun on FAMU students in elevator

Alexander, a FAMU alum, issued a statement on Monday.

“I have formally requested that the Office of the Governor direct FDLE to monitor and review the aforementioned police-involved shooting to gather all the facts in a timely and expeditious manner,” Alexander wrote in the statement.

The post Former FAMU student killed by police after traffic stop scuffle appeared first on theGrio.

from theGrio https://ift.tt/2S514Wc