Top News
If you still haven’t heard of billionaire Robert F. Smith, it’s time to start paying attention. The Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners has lived his life mostly under the radar, granting limited interviews about how he’s built a private equity empire and net worth of $2.5 billion. He is No. 274 on the Forbes 400 List of Richest Americans and is richer than basketball legend Michael Jordan and BET founder Bob Johnson. Although the 54-year-old Smith has kept his life and work mostly behind the scenes, his business moves to support the black community are hard to ignore. ( San Diego Voice and Viewpoint)
Visit http://sdvoice.info/5-keys-for-success-from-african-american-billionaire-robert-f-smith/ to view the full article online.
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Business folks know that technical skills are merely the tip of the iceberg. People skills are invaluable, and building relationships is as much a part of good business as managing cash flow (and in many ways, vastly more important). So why do some of us choose to send signals that push prospective business away? If you choose to network, if you believe that building and maintaining relationships is important to building your business-- you should act that way. ( Business.com)
Visit https://www.business.com/articles/ed-drozda-the-secret-to-networking/ to view the full article online.
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Diversity in the Workplace
To align intent and impact for more powerful D&I results, first get crystal clear about your goals and intentions. Diversity is a means to an end. Inclusion is a means to an end. They are not the end! "Doing diversity" for its own sake — to look or feel good, comply with regulations, avoid lawsuits, or do the right thing are old school reasons that are incomplete at best and misguided at worst. ( Workforce)
Visit http://www.workforce.com/2017/03/30/clarify-goals-intentions-powerful-diversity-inclusion-results/ to view the full article online.
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For years advocates have called on companies to hire and promote a broader range of employees and managers. Now a growing body of research is starting to demonstrate that diversity is actively good for the bottom line. ( Financial Times)
Visit https://www.ft.com/content/1bc22040-1302-11e7-80f4-13e067d5072c to view the full article online.
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International
Facebook Inc. has increased the number of its African users to 170 million and plans to expand further by adding wifi hotspots and laying fiber-optic cables in a bid to spread its reach outside of developed markets.The figure is 42 percent higher than when the U.S. social network first opened an African office in 2015, The rollout of wifi in Nigeria and Kenya will be done via partnerships with international wireless carriers such as Emirates Telecommunications Group Co., known as Etisalat, and closely held Surf. ( Bloomberg)
Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-05/facebook-adds-wifi-hotspots-to-sustain-africa-customer-growth to view the full article online.
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Education
Kynadei Abrams and about 400 students enrolled in Kimball’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism program are optimistic about their chances of securing a summer job. They recently participated in two 30-minute mock interviews led by business and community leaders. Academy officials believe the annual mock interviews help students prepare for real life experiences. In April, the students will have an opportunity to meet potential employers when they attend a job fair hosted by the Dallas Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program. The job fair at the Dallas Hyatt Regency will feature about 200 companies ready to hire at least 400 high school students for the summer. ( North Dallas Gazette)
Visit http://northdallasgazette.com/2017/03/22/business-professionals-assist-dallas-isd-students-prepping-for-summer-internships/ to view the full article online.
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Entrepreneurship
As an entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to do something that you love every day as a career. It gives you the flexibility to work as your own boss in a field you care about, and you can make an impact and influence the entire market. But even entrepreneurs can begin to feel the wear of work. There are going to be times when you have to do things you don’t like, or focus on a project that you don’t find enjoyable. It’s just part of working – just like real life, not everything is always going to be fun and perfect. ( Business.com)
Visit https://www.business.com/articles/jordan-french-tips-to-inspire-entrepreneurs/ to view the full article online.
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The Economy
The Federal Reserve expects to start reducing its huge investment holdings later this year, unwinding a giant program undertaken in the wake of the financial crisis to revive the economy. The holdings — which amount to more than $4 trillion in Treasuries and mortgage securities — are a legacy of the Fed’s campaign to help the economy recover from the depths of a recession. The Fed, increasingly confident that the American economy is "at or near maximum employment," is beginning to loosen its grip on the economy, according to an official account that the Fed published Wednesday. ( The New York Times)
Visit https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/business/economy/fed-minutes-interest-rates.html?ref=business to view the full article online.
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