October 29th Blog

Greetings!

I am absolutely delighted to present you with our 26th issue of Entrepreneurial Alternatives Newsletter. I send you warm greetings from Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis, where I now hold the position of Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement, and Entrepreneurship. For the past few weeks, I have been getting adjusted to my new environment in the great city of Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis 500 and the super bowl championship team, the Indianapolis Colts. So far, all of my new colleagues have given me a great Hoosier welcome! We continue to get numerous phone calls and emails at our entrepreneurial training centers. The National Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is still located in greater Cleveland as is the Entrepreneurial Academy. My new email address in Indiana is beshouse@iupui.edu and the phone number for our Cleveland offices is 216-731-4426.

Our theme for this edition is change. All around us the world is changing and we cannot stand idly by. As Sylvia Robinson once wrote, "Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong. Sometimes it's letting go." So, we must be willing to embrace change if we are going to move to the next level, even if this change takes us into new, unchartered territories. We must also adjust our sails to respond to the new dynamics and demands of the 21st century global economy and all that this entails.

In this edition, we present the 5th personality characteristic of highly successful entrepreneurs; present information about my new position at IUPUI and new contact information for me; provide information about the new International Award that I received from the International Black Women's Congress; and provide our Dear Dr. House-Soremekun letters for the week.

Quotes of the Week

"There has never been a statue erected to the memory of someone who let well enough alone."

--Jules Ellinger

The Ten Personality Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs, Part 5 (of 10)
by Dr. Bessie House-Soremekun

Personality Characteristic Number Five: Frugality

The following information is an excerpt from Dr. House-Soremekun's fourth book, "The Ten Personality Characteristic of Successful Entrepreneurs." This book is based on research findings of Dr. House-Soremekun's in which she examined the lives of hundreds of entrepreneurs and was able to isolate and identify ten personality traits that they shared in common which contributed to their ability to achieve entrepreneurial success).

Frugality refers to the art of being able to sacrifice short-term gains for long term benefits. Many people are simply not able to do this. For some people, this may involve a major paradigm shift. This personality characteristic is particularly problematic for African American people because of our history. We have moved forward out of slavery, but for so long, many economic and political rewards have been denied to us. Some of us are still waiting for our forty acres and our mule.

If you are the type of person who has to have quick riches, entrepreneurship is not for you. Entrepreneurship is like being on a roller coaster ride, especially in the early stages. Few African Americans inherit multimillion dollar enterprises from their parents and sometimes it may take years to develop your business into a profitable enterprise. You must save more and spend less and be frugal as you start and expand your business operation.

If you would like a copy of Dr. House-Soremekun's audiobook, please e-mail minoritybusinesses@gmail.com for instructions on how to purchase a copy.
Dr. House-Soremekun Receives Prestigious International Award

Dr. Bessie House-Soremekun was the recent recipient of the prestigious Oni Award from the International Black Women's Congress on September 22, 2007 at their annual conference held in Portsmouth, Virginia. According to the leadership of the International Black Women's Congress, "The Oni Award symbolizes the essence of all that is good in African people. The word ONI is taken from the Ife culture of Nigeria. It represents a spiritual force that protects the people. A recipient of the Oni Award has been identified as someone who protects, defends, and enhances the general well-being of African people. A recipient of the ONI is diligent, persistent, and noncompromising. We like to think of her as our unsung heroine. With the creation of the Oni Award, the International Black Women's Congress salutes those women in our communities who keep on working on behalf of African people. They are truly committed. Their vision is clear."

Dr. Bessie House-Soremekun is the Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement, and Entrepreneurship at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI), where she holds dual Full Professorships in both the Department of Political Science and the African American and African Diaspora Studies Programs in the School of Liberal Arts. Her research and publications have focused both on African political and economic development processes as well as African American economic development and entrepreneurship. She is a nationally recognized leader, advocate, and expert on entrepreneurship and economic development. She is also an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and inventor. She is the President, Founder, and CEO of the National Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., whose main objective is to promote entrepreneurial efficacy and economic growth all across this country. According to Dr. House-Soremekun, "the role of a scholar at an institution of higher learning is to produce and disseminate knowledge that can be used to solve real world problems. I am deeply honored to be the recipient of this wonderful award and am delighted that my research and outreach activities under the umbrella of my entrepreneurial training centers have led to the creation of more than 51 new business start-up companies by people of African descent in recent years. "
Dear Dr. House-Soremekun

Dr. House-Soremekun -

Congratulations on your new appointment. Hopefully, you'll enjoy your stay in Indianapolis.

Have a pleasant weekend,

Dr. Kwaku Obosu-Mensah
Lorain County Community College

Dr. House-Soremekun -

Congratulations.

You receiving your new position is great!! I wish you all the best. It was a great pleasure to work with you. I learned so much from that experience. I'm very pleased just to have known a great African-American woman like you.

Much love to all your accomplishments in the future, I know you will have many many more, as this is only half time for you!!!!

-Bethany Green

Dr. House-Soremekun,

Congratulations! I wish you the best in your future endeavors. I wish I had had the opportunity to work with you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Necia Boone,
Olde Northfield Township Bicentennial Committee

Dr. House-Soremekun:

Congratulations on both your new position and receiving the first Marcus Garvey award. I'm planning to attend the International Business Conference, maybe we will have a chance to talk.

Evelyn Y Cleveland
Ohio Department of Development

Bessie -

Congratulations, and I am quite proud of you and hope you will keep me on the mailing list when you relocate to Indianapolis.

Love always,

Jeaneen Mcdaniels

Dr. House-Soremekun -

I read all of the news about you from so many colleagues who appreciate all that you have done for Kent State and the community. And I read, with delight, your account of your new position at IU-Purdue University. It sounds fantastic. I wish you & your family great happiness in your new home.

Abracos,
Dr. Doris J. Turner,
Kent State University,
Modern and Classical Language Studies

Dear Dr. Obusu-Mensah and others:

Thanks for your kind words and your notes of congratulations on my new job in Indiana. I am looking forward to becoming a Hoosier and, in my spare time, attending some of the football games of the Super Bowl Championship team, the Indianapolis Colts.

Hope your summer is going well.

All the best,

Dr. Bessie House-Soremekun
President, Founder, and CEO
National Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc.

Director
Entrepreneurial Academy of Greater Cleveland

Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement, and Entrepreneurship
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

Professor, Political Science
Professor, African American and African Diaspora Studies
Quick Links
# NCE
# E-Academy
# B. House Communications, Inc.
# The Dr. House-Soremekun Minority Business Blog

In Closing
Finally, we at the National Center for Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurial Academy of Greater Cleveland want to make a call out to any former student of our Centers. If you move or have some other method of contact, please notify us! We love hearing about your new businesses, business plans, and any other successes that you might be experiencing. If you could send us a recent photograph and a small description of your success, we will include them in one of our upcoming editions of Entrepreneurial Alternatives.

Our demand pull is high, and we cannot conceivably get everything that we would like done without your aid. We are looking for volunteers for both of our centers. If you are interested in volunteering for us, please call our Cleveland center at 216.731.4426.

There are individuals in our class that we have not heard from since they stopped attending; keep in touch! Contact information is at the bottom of this blog.

Dr. Bessie House-Soremekun
Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement, and Entrepreneurship
Professor of Political Science
Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies

Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis
425 University Blvd.
Cavanaugh Hall Room 504 A
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5140

Email: minoritybusinesses@gmail.com
phone: 216-731-4426
web: http://www.eacademy.biz