Black In Business

Recently I had dinner with a gentleman that has become the essence of a successful brother. I first met this gentleman when I was a recruiter for Abbott Diagnostics Division. My associate, whom I will refer to as BM, was a junior military officier. BM was considering a move to the corporate world and had a background that was attractive to my company. We had good luck with Junior miltary officers,”JMO’s,” they had ambition, worked hard and had accepeted large responsibilty at an early age. BM made me very proud of the way he has seized the opportunity given to him and became a star. BM drives a 2 seater Mercedes, owns a big house in the south and has traveled the world. When we met he was well dressed and extremely confident. I quized him because many folk do not reach that level of success.

Family influenced BM’s thinking. His mother told him he could do anything. His parents were not formally educated, his mom went to 5th grade and his dad had no education. I can relate to that because my Dad only went to the 3rd grade. Yet BM’s parents showered him with love and set a sense of expectation that has carred him on. BM recalled football games across town verses, upper class white teams with better equipment. Yet the poorer, ill equipped BM and his teamamtes always won because they expected to. BM want on to a historically black university on a ROTC scholarship. He was in ROTC in high school and met an older white man, who saw BM’s potential and became one of BM’s biggest supporters. Early in BM’s journey to adulthood, 3 keys to his now success were evident. Strong foundation of parents and a mentor, desire exhibited through sports, and a belief that it could happen.

BM finished college and went to the military as an officier. His interview with me was so powerful that I became determind to have him as part of the Abbott family. We flew him in from Nashville to St Louis, to meet with two people. BM blew them away with his intellect and communication skills. There was a managers meeting going on that day and this young black JMO endured an additional 5 interviews before he was cleared to recieve his offer. We have discovered that top notch black talent often times will have to sit through much more scrutiny than whites. BM was prepared, after all he was also an army ranger, the baddest of the bad.

BM first assignment was in sales and he was given a territory made up of accounts, no body wanted and we had no marketing programs to address. You ask why do many blacks fail? It is because of reasons like the asignment BM was given. He kicked butt and became a decroated salesman, salesmanager, international product manager, and even worked in acquisitions as a manager. BM also excelled as a trainer and his leadership in all of these roles allowed all those associated with him to enjoy great years. BM is now a director with a major company in life science.

BM has accomplished a lot and has done great. Yet in my opinon, there are still less talented whites that recieve higher positions on less accomplishment. BM has completed his MBA and has every credible certification in training to continue to improve. For young people building your career, BM’s story is a good indication of what it takes.

In closing BM has worked hard, excelled in leadership, cared to help his empolyees excel and continued to improve his credentials. He has lofty goals and some day may sit in a CEO job. BM with all of his God given talent feels if he can over come being a d black man in the white business world full of sterotypes and bias than more blacks should. Read BM’s story carefully, there is a lot to gain from his jouney.