Blog

When I ran for Mayor of Baltimore in 2020, my primary platform for change in the city was economic development, particularly for the African American community. Every analysis that we conducted, utilizing the “5 Whys” of problem solving, concluded that the root cause of the social issues confronting the African American community (i.e. poverty, homelessness, violence, addictions, poor education performance, etc.) is all rooted in lack of economic opportunity and economic inequality. This inequality is rooted in America’s centuries old decision to institute white supremacy policies in its social and governmental institutions which inherently...

I must admit that my first reaction to the President’s student loan forgiveness program was, “I paid off my student loans, why can’t they? Why should I have to pay for someone else’s unwise choices?” We all know that choices have consequences. Yet, when I took a deeper dive into this issue, my initial reaction to this event didn’t make much sense. My conversation on this matter did not have to go any further than a cursory conversation with my five children and my two grandchildren who are in college and of college age. Even though my wife and I, by God’s grace, were able to pay for our children’s college tuitions (e.g., Virginia Tech,...

President Biden’s signing of the Inflation Reduction Act has almost single handedly revived and energized the renewable energy market. This legislation could very well be the most impactful initiative to address climate change and carbon reduction that the world has ever seen. This boost for clean energy efforts has motivated and energized the staff at Bithenergy as we have been finding solutions for our clients even in the midst of great uncertainty. This legislation provides a needed level of certainty and stability in the renewable energy sector which makes it easier for us to continue the work we are doing to support and service our...

For the first six months of 2018 my wife and I travelled the world in search of answers to the many questions that I had about global entrepreneurship. Since 1982, as a graduate student at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, I had conducted research and published my findings on many aspects of American entrepreneurship but now was setting my sights on a more global perspective. After visiting close to 35 countries and passing through 100 ports of call, I had begun to piece together the dynamic of global entrepreneurship trends and patterns. Of all the lessons learned (more to be shared in my next book on Global...

This picture of me was taken June 10, 1984, on the front steps of the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. This was graduation day at Tuck so I was elated about having worked my way through the rigorous business program there. But more importantly, a few days later, my wife Carolyn and I would welcome our third child, Collin, into the world. For some reason, the Marketing Department at Dartmouth decided to use me as their poster child for attracting more students of color to the business school. That year I was one of only three African Americans who graduated from Tuck. Maybe it was my closely cropped afro? My wife says it...

One of the entrepreneurs that I have helped/inspired sent me a picture of him on his vacation in Jamaica. As he is lounging on the beach, he is taking time to leisurely read my fourth book, Strategic Partnerships: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Joint Ventures and Alliances. This particular entrepreneur is about to launch some amazing businesses and wanted me to know that my book has made a difference and has become a tremendous resource for him and his team. There are so many entrepreneurs around the world that I have been blessed to be able to play some small role in their entrepreneurial success. Knowing that my work has made a difference and...

It is estimated that by the end of the year, the global digital transformation market is expected to grow past $1 trillion for the first time. I never thought about the benefit of digital transformation for Black owned businesses until the National Business League (NBL) announced an initiative to enhance the digital capacity of at least 1 million Black-owned businesses in America. This is a wonderful idea whose time has come. Our tech company, Bithgroup Technologies, Inc., has been providing technical and business consulting services in supporting our clients to digitally transform their businesses. We are open to using our expertise to...

Like most Americans, my ancestry is a mixed bag. While my mother’s people had roots in Virginia, my dad’s people originated in the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago but later migrated to the United States. Regardless of their roots, both of my parents used and were familiar with the African American term, “MOJO.” The term MOJO first appeared in the 1920s in the lexicon of southern African Americans. The term is defined as a state of energy or being where you become popular, persuasive, and successful. Whenever my family was prospering, Momma would say, “Your daddy got his MOJO working! Years later, as I was writing my fourth book,...

If you look at my job titles, you likely wouldn’t label me as a ‘creative’, but creativity is a driving force in my success. I write books and speeches about my story, I find creative solutions to real-world problems, and arguably, I recreate myself on a regular basis. One of the reasons that our company has remained in business for more than three decades is our commitment to excellence and creativity. I have learned that the best way to nurture your creative talents is to fearlessly force yourself into challenging and difficult situations. From there, commit to find a solution and aggressively develop alliances and strategic partnerships...

Recently I delivered a sermon on something I called “desirable difficulty.” This term, first coined by my favorite author, Malcolm Gladwell, describes a situation that on the surface is untenable, but upon further analysis, may in fact end up being valuable. In this scenario, there is often a residual asset that remains after the initial pain of the difficulty dissipates. On a personal level, I can relate to this phenomenon. Having been raised in poverty in South Baltimore, I learned to appreciate the taken for granted blessings of good health, food security, clean, fresh air, and strong cognitive skills. Without these blessings, life as we...