Becoming an entrepreneur/business owner has been a part of the “American Dream” for as long as time can tell, and a growing aspiration for many. But did you know that according to the 2018 Annual Business Survey, Black/African American owned employer businesses account for only 2.2% of the 5.7 million employer businesses in the United States? While this number has been increasing since 2002, this population is still disproportionately smaller than the population overall. Why might this be the case? Based on a poll of 400 Black business owners commissioned by Groupon and the National Black Chamber of Commerce, 80% of Black business owners said they faced significantly more challenges getting their business of the ground because of their race. This episode of The Workforce Wire features a discussion between three successful black business owners taking their seat at the table. Join us as we speak with Korey Neal, President of K. Neal Truck & Bus Center, Delegate Darryl Barnes (District 25), President of Men Aiming Higher, Inc. & Barnes International Ltd., and Laurie Sayles, President & CEO of Civility Management Solutions (Civility MS) about their experiences and challenges as Black entrepreneurs.

Youth activism has been on the rise throughout the past two decades, but COVID-19 accelerated engagement among youth in our nation. According to CNN, although the pandemic has led to community lockdowns and increased isolation among youth, “Young Americans, in particular, are showing commitment to a pragmatic center of policy priorities: affordable health care for all, environmental sustainability, international cooperation, civil rights and economic justice. Despite their current isolation, most young Americans embrace empathetic leadership and they are devoted to serving their communities.” Join us in this episode of the The Workforce Wire while we discuss this with Brandon Cooper, Richard Elliott and Janna Parker, three activists that have been using their voice to make a difference in our community, their pathway to becoming leading voices of activism in Maryland and if this is a pathway that will lead them to pubic office.

Slavery, Jim Crow, and decades of economic inequalities have severely impacted the earnings and wealth of black Americans. McKinsey & Company reported that the median white family had more than ten times the wealth of the median black family in 2016. Additionally, McKinsey & Company stated that, “the racial wealth gap between black and white families grew from about $100,000 in 1992 to $154,000 in 2016”. Two years later the Business Insider include the following stated in their article, “In 2018, the average black American was earning roughly 60% of the average white American, and that ratio has been largely stable throughout the past two decades.” In this episode of The Workforce Wire, Walter Simmons will be joined by Marcus N. Daniels, Commercial Real Estate Broker at NAI Michael, and April Richardson, CEO of DC Sweet Potato Cake to discuss strategies behind increasing the earnings of black Americans and increase the overall wealth of black America.

As Money Under 30 stated, wealth meant to sustain a healthy financial future for years to come, characterized by long-term financial prosperity in combination with your total net worth. If the income gap wasn’t alarming enough, The Brookings Institution found that the net worth of a typical white family ($171,000) is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family ($17,150).

What is Stormwater Management? We’re glad you asked. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Stormwater management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow into streets, lawns and other sites and the improvement of water quality.  Urban or developed areas with poor Stormwater management can have flooding, erosion, turbidity (or muddiness), storm and sanitary sewer system overflow, and infrastructure damage.  A proper Stormwater management system will not only provide green infrastructure helping the environment, but also aides Workforce Development providing jobs, education & resources to the community it serves. On this episode of The Workforce Wire, Employ Prince George’s President & CEO, Walter Simmons, will facilitate a discussion between two Stormwater management experts from the Prince George’s County Clean Water Partnership (CWP). The CWP allows Prince George’s County to have access to private sector efficiencies and expertise to develop, manage, and maintain stormwater infrastructure.  Join us as we discuss the intersection of Stormwater management and Workforce Development with The Clean Water Partnership’s Community Partnership Liaison, Keisha Brown, and Mentor Protégé Program Director, Michael Burke.

Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs in the coronavirus recession, but for many of them the news is getting even worse: Their positions are going away forever,” according to Politico, “Permanent losses have so far made up only a fraction of the jobs that have vanished since states began shutting down their economies in March, with the vast majority of unemployed workers classified as on temporary layoff. But those numbers are steadily increasing — reaching 2.9 million in June — as companies start to move from temporary layoffs to permanent cuts. This episode will features a discussion on this topic with Maurielle Stewart, President of Inquire within Coaching, providing a real world and expert opinion on how on to fall forward, manage a job loss, and recharge your career toward a pathway to success.

Everyone has New Year's resolutions, and with the current economic climate, many of those resolutions involve regaining employment and financial stability. However, for some, the goal is to stop being an employee and become an entrepreneur. Becoming a business owner can be much harder than many know. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that approximately 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 45% during the first five years, and 65% during the first 10 years. Only 25% of new businesses remain in business after 15 years or more. This episode of The Workforce Wire features three extraordinary CEOs who have already taken the leap into entrepreneurship. Not only are these leaders’ entrepreneurs and CEOs, they are also millennials! Join us as we speak with Korey Neal, President of K. Neal Truck & Bus Center, Hope Wiseman, CEO of Mary & Main, and Davion Percy, Managing Director of Percy Public Affairs about their journey to become CEOs, how they balance running a company as young professionals, and what advice and tips they have for the next generation of CEOs.

The Coronavirus brought the United States to a standstill! Everyone has been impacted by the pandemic, but America’s small business community may see the greatest impacts. In April, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that 24% of small businesses were temporarily closed and 43% of small business owners believed that they had less than six months until they would have to permanently close their businesses. As small businesses around the Country struggle to survive, we’re talking with small business expert, Michael Burke, CEO of Quest Consulting, and one of the DC Metropolitan Area’s most successful and innovative entrepreneurs, April Richardson, President of Culinary Partnerships LLC, Food Opportunity LLC, and Savor at Studio 3807, about strategies small businesses can implement to survive. We will also discuss the opportunities that may present themselves to small businesses, how small businesses can create their own opportunities, and how small businesses can best position themselves to take advantage of all opportunities made available to them. 

The United States Department of Justice reports that over 650,000 people are released from prison every year. Unfortunately, studies show that approximately two-thirds of those released will likely be rearrested within three years.  The Workforce Wire podcast series, “Walking in My Shoes”, features returning citizens who have successfully transitioned from incarceration and identify, in their words, why they were successful, why many are not successful, and what can be done to decrease the recidivism rates of returning citizens. In the final episode of the Walk in My Shoes series we will explore the life of a returning citizen who was convicted of a crime, served time and was INNOCENT!

Part 5 features Huwe Burton, a Bronx native, who was wrongfully convicted of murdering his mother in 1991 and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison at just 16 years old. After spending more than 20 years wrongfully incarcerated, Burton was released on parole in 2009 with the help of the famed Innocence Project. In January of 2019 Burton was finally exonerated.  Learn about Huwes experience, journey and reflection as a wrongfully convicted returning citizen.