Success Runs in Our Race: The Complete Guide to Effective Networking in the Black Community
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About this ebook
A completely updated and revised edition of a bestselling book that has helped tens of thousands of people learn how to network effectively, Success Runs in Our Race is more important than ever in this fluctuating economy. With scores of anecdotes taken from interviews with successful African Americans -- from Keith Clinkscales, founder and former CEO of Vanguarde Media, to Oprah Winfrey -- Fraser shows how to network for information, for influence, and for resources. Readers will learn, among other things, how to cultivate valuable listening skills, which conferences blacks are most likely to attend when looking to build their business network, and how to effectively circulate a résumé.
More than a guide for personal achievement, this is an information-packed bible of networking that also seeks to inspire a social movement and a rebirth of the "Underground Railroad," in which successful African Americans share the lessons of self-determination and empowerment with those still struggling to scale the ladder of success.
George C. Fraser
George C. Fraser is the chairman and CEO of FraserNet, Inc., and publisher of Success-Guide Worldwide: The Networking Guide to Black Resources. He is the founder of the annual Power-Networking Conference, one of black America's largest conferences. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Reviews for Success Runs in Our Race
1 rating1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A very insightful book. I have read several books that deal with self motivation and empowerment, but this is the first book that I have read on networking in the African American communities. The principals will never change, but I wish Dr. Fraser had a new version with current statistics.
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Book preview
Success Runs in Our Race - George C. Fraser
Revised and Updated Edition
Success Runs in Our Race
The Complete Guide to Effective Networking in the Black Community
George C. Fraser
To those whom I have helped and/or who
have helped me…my network
Todd Abbey
Diane Abbott
James Abbott
Eric Abercrumbie
Jean Abernathy
Pat Ackerman
Robert Acquaye
Phyllis Acres
Charles Adams
David Adams
Janus Adams
M. E. Adams
Rod Adams
Ron Adams
Roosevelt Adams
Tanzie Adams
Valencia Adams
Michele Adams-Proctor
John Addison
Wilford Adkins, Jr.
Selom Adogah
Gerald Adolph
Herbert Adrine
Ron Adrine
Russell Adrine
Ahneva Ahneva
Na’im Akbar
Bruce Akers
Lisa Alaimo
Steve Alcorn
Kurt Aldag
Alicia Alexander
James Alexander
Carlean Alford
Omar Ali-Bey
Carolyn Allen
Clyde Allen
Hector Allen
Judith Allen
Robert Allen
Stefanie Allen
Lavonia Allison
Tanya Allmond
Paul Altig
Goldie Alvis
John Amos
Wally Amos
Anna Anderson
Carl Anderson
Claud Anderson
Donald Anderson
Ken Anderson
Kernie Anderson
Warren Anderson
Lamont Andrews
Richard Andrews
Ron Andrews
Mary Ann
Debra Anthony
Ed Anthony
Henrietta Antoinin
Ana Aponte-Curtis
Jay Apple
J. B. Appling
Marsialle Arbuckle
Susan Arceneaux
Josh Archer
Christi Archibald
Tom Arco
Carroll Armstrong
J. L. Armstrong
Anna Arnold
Eddie Arnold
John Arnold
John Arrington
Karen Asher-Osbourne
Lavalle Ashley
Robert Ashley
Nana Ashong
Brett Ashton
Ken Askew
Giovanna Athias
Pat Atkin
Connie Atkins
Elizabeth Atkins-Bowman
Susan Au-Allen
Anthony Austin
Clarence Avant
Lenora Avery
Lillian Ayala
Roy Ayers
Sonia Babers
Barry Backmon
Pierre Bagley
Anthony Bailey
J. T. Bailey
Lee Bailey
Marietta Bailey
Tom Bailey
Lawrence Bain
Art Baker
John Baker-Brown
Dee Baldwin
John Baldwin
Myra Baldwin
Carolyn Baldwin-Byrd
Angelique Ball
Charles Ballard
Stacey L. Balsley
Tom Baltimore
Andrew Banks
Anna Banks
Monica Banks
Will Banks
Milt Barbee
Don Barden
Skip Barner
John Barnes
Ken Barnes
Ronald Barnes
Ron Barnett
Joe Louis Barrow
Willie T. Barrow
Alexander Barton
Dawn Baskerville
Phyliss Batson
Tom Baylock
Bernard Beal
Tracy Bean-Oliver
Thomas Beaver
Hal Becker
Ella Becton
Alex Beerlerman
Mike Belkin Alice Bell
Ed Bell
Terri Bell
Walter Bell
Brandon Bellamy
Werten Bellamy
Siddiq Bello
Erline Belton
Y. Marc Belton
Frances Benko
Lerone Bennett, Jr.
Keith Benson
Michael Benz
Bob Bergman
Antonia Bernard
Margaret Bernstein
Paul Besson
Isisara Bey
Adam Beyah
Charles Bibb
Deb Bibb
Leon Bibb
Lee Bickley
James Biggar
Bob Billingslea
Jerry Birch
Marvin Bishop
Scullly Black
Wilbert Black
JoAnn Blackman
Barry Blackmon
Pat Blackmon
Gene Blackwell
Joseph Blackwell
Nakato Blair
Norman Bliss
William Blue
Rena Blumberg
Edward Blunt
Roma Blunt
Carol Bolden
Tom Boles
Roger Bond
Michael Boney
Gail Boone
Monica Boone R
on Boone
Dawnyell Bower
Angie Bowie
Regina Bowie
Claudette Bowles
Keith Bowles
Wendell Boyce
Jarmell Boyd
Pepper Boyd
Mary Ann
Boykin Pete Boyle
Reg Brack, Jr.
Irene Branch
Richard Branch
Ed Brandon
Charles Bremer
Paul Bresnick
Moses Brewer
Glenda Bridgeforth
Camille Bridges
Ken Bridges
Sam Briggery
Roslyn Brock
Ralph Brody
Sheila Bronner
Arthur Bronner, III
Dennis Brooks
James Brooks
Jesse Brooks
Laura Brooks
Sylvia Brooks
Ann Brown
Baron Brown
Charles Brown
Damon Brown
Darian Brown
David Brown
Ed Brown
Eric Brown
Ernestine Brown
Frances Brown
Gasby Breely Brown
Gloria Brown
Jesse Brown
Les Brown
Lorie Brown
Majid Brown
Malcolm Brown
Matt Brown
Ona Brown
Paulette Brown
Renee Brown
Rochelle Brown
Rodney Brown
Roger Brown
Ron Brown
Tamara Brown
Theresa Brown
Tony Brown
Virgil Brown, Jr.
Virgil Brown, Sr.
Winford Brown
Paul Brownridge
Tommy Bruno
Marian Bryan
Donna Bryant
John Bryant
Paul Bryant
William Bryant
Janice Bryant-Howroyd
A. Deane Buchanan
Silas Buchanan
Alonzo Buchanan, Jr.
Ruth Buczynski
Phyllis Buford
Carol Bugg
Janet Bullard
Steve Bullock
Jill Bunton
Todd Burden
Bill Burges
Caesar Burkes
Charles Burkett
Earli Burks
Eral Burks
Len Burnett, Jr.
Dargan Burns
Khephra Burns
LaWanda Burrell
John Burry, Jr.
Barbara Burton
Fred Burton
Rodney Buscher
Andre Bustamante
John H. Bustamante
Tuan Bustamante
Minnie Butcher
Annette Butler
John Butler
John Sibley Butler
Marlene Butler
Michael Butler
Rita Butler
Leisa Byars
Gilda Byers
Liz Byers
William Byers
Juanita Bynum
Erskine Cade
Jolie Caldwell
Deborah Calhoun
Danny Cameron
Pam Cammady
BeBe Moore Campbell
Gerald Campbell
Jane Campbell
Tony Campbell
Cheryl Canady
Joyce Cannady
Tracey Capers
Rick Capretta
Victoria Cargill
Wendy Carlton
Eric Carmichael
Maria Carothers
Austin Carr
Frank Carson
Bev Carter
James Carter
Jocelyn Carter-Miller
Karl Carter
Kevin Carter
Marquietta Carter
Robert Carter
Ruth Carter
Juluis Cartwright
Denette Casey
Paula Casey
Ray Cash
Jorge Castillo
E. T. Caviness
Janet Century
Audrene Chakmakjian
Mary Anne Chambers
Theo Chambers
Joseph Champ
Nathan Champman, Jr.
Ed Chanantry
James Chandler
Wayne Chandler
Kelly Chapman
Mike Chapman
Veronica Chapman
Emma Chappell
Carl Character
Nick Charles
Clark Chasen
David Chavez
Tom Chema
Bill Cherry
Chahn Chess
Farai Chideya
Faye Childs
Dwight Chillious
Robert Chinn
John Chisell
Hunter Chisolm
Jim Chones
Rose Christian
Maurice Christopher
Susan Claiborne
Dana Clark
Frank Clark
William Clark
Andre Clarke
Constance Clarke
Faye Clarke
Frank Clarke
Leslie Clarke
William Clay
Kevin Clayton
Xernona Clayton
Frank Clayton, III
Susie Claytor
Phillip Cleaver
Mike Clement
Jill Clements
Linda Clemmons
Mack Clemmons
Polly Clemo
Bonita Cleveland
Gregory Clifford
James Clingman
Keith Clinkscales
Kenneth Cloud
Ed Coaxum
Delmarie Cobb
Leonard Cobbs
Gail Cochran
Johnnie Cochran, Jr.
Raiford Cockfield
Gwen Cohen
Virgis Colbert
Johnnetta B. Cole
Johnnie Coleman
Lonnie Coleman
Lonzo Coleman
Al Collins
Annis Collins
Keith Collins
Retanya Collins
Robert Collins
Ed Comwell
Lester Coney
Culbreth Cook
Debert Cook
Thelma Cook
Lawrence Cooke
Barry Cooper
Judy Cooper
Margot Copeland
Terrence Copeland
Carole Copeland-Thomas
Sherman Copelin, Jr.
John Costen
Ludie Couch
Pat Council
Shaun Court
Cynthia Cousins
Lee Cox
Maurice Cox
Paul Cox
Roosevelt Cox
Michael Craig
Norm Craig
Charlie Crawford
Cody Crawford
L. Marilyn Crawford
Bruce Crawley
George Crawley
Leroy Crayton
Henry Creel
Marvin Creel
Claude Crenshaw
James Croll
Fred Crosby
Ricky Crosby
Stanley Crouch
Andy Crowe
Melvina Crowell
John Crump
Thomas Cuffie
Sherry Culpepper
Donna Cummings
Tanya Cummings
Bob Cunningham
Fatima Cunningham
Jimmy Cunningham
Karl Cureton
George Curry
Dee Cutter
Michel Daley
Stephen Dalton
Ronald Daly
Anthony Daniels
Diane Daniels
Ron Daniels
Monica Daniely
Vernetta Daniely
Tom Darden
Aaron Dare
Sean Daughtry
Michael Daum
Hezekiah Davidson
Ralph Davilla
Ben Davis
Chad Davis
Cherisse Davis
Crystal Davis
Darwin Davis
Dawn Davis
Dwayne Davis
Edward Davis
Greg Davis
Kelly Davis
Ken Davis
Maceo Davis
Michael Davis
Pat Davis
Phil Davis
Sylvia Davis
Tim Davis
Wayne Davis
Tom Davis, Jr.
Asfilofio De Oliveria Filho
Curtis Dean
Donna DeBerry
James DeBerry
Clarence Dees
Normando DeHalle
Dino DeLoach
Norman DeLoach
Gary Dennis
Sheila Dennis
Reginald Denson
Bill Derrick
Billy Dexter
Harlan Diamond
Ralph Dickerson
Cheryl Dickson
Wendy Dickson
Tanya Diggs
Flora Dillard
Dennis Dillon
Christine Dinez
Nancy Dinger
David Dinkins
Jeffrey Diver
George Dixon
Bob Dockery, Jr.
Howard Dodson
Xavier Dominesis
Virgil Dominic
Bob Donaldson
Kyle Donovan
Linda Dorman
Julius Dorsey
Keith Dorsey
Tommie Dortch
Larry Doss
Janice Douglas
Shawn Dove
Norma Downs
George Ducas
Joe Louis Dudley, Sr.
Mabrey Duff
Mike Duncan
John Dunn
Michael Dunn
Cal Dupree
Donald Durrah
Ed Dwight
Michael Dye
Michael Eric Dyson
Berthel Eagle
Michael Eanes
Julian Earles
Willie Eason
Robert Eaton
Virgil Ecton
Alfred Edmond, Jr.
Jerome Edmonson
Al Edwards
Buck Edwards
Eddie Edwards
Henry Edwards
Karen Edwards
Ron Edwards
Rondle Edwards
William Edwards
Henry R. Edwards, Jr.
Preston Edwards, Sr.
Adele Eisner
E. David Ellington
William Ellis, Jr.
Nolen Ellison
Tereasa Embry
Wayne Embry
Ollie Emerson
Curtis English
Larry Eskridge
Glenn Estelle
Emma Etuk
Doris Evans
Josulyn Evans
Lisa Evans
Monica Evans
Therman Evans
Benny Evans, III
Jon Everett
Mary Everhart
George Faison
Nabii Faison
Mel Fallis
William Fambrough
Robert Farling
David Faroo
Walter Fauntroy
Tom Feelings
Cedric Fellows
J. R. Fenwick
Ken Ferguson
Tom Ferguson
Valerie Ferguson
Gerald Fernandez
Jose Ferrer
Chad Fields
Ed Fields
Pat Fields-Davison
Melvin Finch
Robert Finch
Dale Finley
Fred Finley
Jim Fisher
Lee Fisher
Gloria Fitchpritch
Floyd Flake
Charles Fleming
Greg Fletcher
John Flowers
Kim Folsom
Kia Fomby
Janine Fondon
Joan Fonseca
Emory Foote
Muffet Foote
Bob Foraker
George Forbes
Allen H. Ford
Henry E. Ford
Harold Ford, Jr.
Margaret Ford-Taylor
Randy Forrest
Carol Foster
Gerry Foster
Willa Fox
Sherrie Foxman
Sheila Fraizer
George Frame
Bryan Franklin
Cedric Franklin
Rachelle Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rodney Franklin
Adam Fraser
Edward Fraser
Gregory Fraser
Hyacinth Fraser
Jean Fraser
Joseph Fraser
Kyle Fraser
Millicent Fraser
Scotland Fraser
Scott Fraser
Walter Fraser, Jr.
Shirley Frazier
Maxine Fredericks
Don Freeland
Leroy Freelon, Jr.
Claire Freeman
Craig Freeman
Dee Dee Freeman
Henry Freeman
Shine Freeman
Ann Fudge
Sam Fulwood, III
Johnny Furr
Mildred Gaddis
Roderick Gains
Collen Gallagher
Greg Galore
Gloria Gamble
Gwendolyn Garnett-Thomas
Tulio Garonzi
Willie Gary
Gina Gates
Greg Gates
Jacquelyn Gates
Reginald Gates
Luther Gatling
Jim Gelarden
Vic Gelb
Marvin Gentry
Karl George
Lewis Gibbs
Andy Gibson
Jill Gibson-Bell
Russ Gifford
Richard Gilchrist
Erick Gilkesson
Robert Gillespie
Reginald Gilliam, Jr.
Robert Ginn
Louise Gissendaner
Stephanie Gitner
Henry Givens
Norma Givens
Dean Gladden
Celeste Glasgow
Jerry Glazer
Everett Glen
Emanuel Glover
John Glover
Sterling Glover
Paul Goggin
Don Goins
Thomas Goins
Adam Goldstein
Margarete Goodall
Valerie Goodman
Bob Goodwin
Ida Goodwin-Woolfolk
Bruce Gordon
Ed Gordon
Kerry Gordy
Sam Goss
Mirian Graddick-Weir
Donald Graham
Stedman Graham
Mudcat Grant
Melvin Gravely
Don Graves
Earl Graves, Jr.
Earl Graves, Sr.
Paula Graves
Shirley Graves
Darrius Gray
Holloway Gray
William Gray, III
Delilah Grayer
Hermenia Grayson
Dorothy Riley Green
Lee Green
Mark Green
Maryjoyce Green
Robert Green
Amie Greer
Michael Greer
Thomas Greer
John Gresham
Mark Gresham
Rosey Grier
Robert Gries
Curtis Griggs
Donald Griggs
Nadine Guerrier
Mathis Guice
Udayan Gupta
Roberta Gutman
Rick Hackley
Jim Hagen
Ken Hail
John Hairston
Teresa Hairston
Ken Hale
Janice Hale-Benson
Sangue Hales
Don Haley
Brian Hall
Delora Hall
Regina Hall
Steve Hall
Wesley Hall
Aundrella Hamed
Charlotte Hamilton
John Hamilton
Leonard Hamilton
Neal Hamilton
Scott Hamilton
Yvonne Hamilton
Jaron Hamlett, Sr.
Demetrius Hammett
Kevin Hampton
Mami Hampton
Kim Hankerson
John Hankins
John Hanson
Constance Haqq
James Hardiman
Darren Hardy
Lawrence Hardy
Pat Hardy
Solomon Harge
Blanton Harper
Carolyn Harper
Tom Harrington
Anthony Harris
Brock Harris
David Harris
Nancella Harris
Portia Harris
Rey Harris
Robert Harris
Stayce Harris
Wallace Harris
Yusef Harris
Leon Harrison
Tony Harrison
Reginald Hart
Earl Harvey
Richard Harvey
Steve Harvey
Randy Hasty
RoNita Hawes
Shirley Hawk
Delores Hawthorne
Darlene Hayes
Eleanor Hayes
Helen Hayes
Jimmy Hayes
Marschell Head
Rufus Heard
Dorothy Height
Angelo Henderson
John Henderson, III
Lewis Henderson
Ron Henderson
Shirley Henderson
Allie Hendricks
Jim Henley
Ernestine Hennings
Vanessa Henry
Glo Herbert
Soloman Herbert
Marva Herman
James Hewitt
Joseph Hewitt
Ilene Heyward
Jonathan Hicks
Patrick Hicks
Randy Hicks
William Hicks
Michael Hilber
Darrell Hill
David Hill
Deborah Hill
Muzette Hill
Pat Hill
Paul Hill
Valerie Hill
Amy Hilliard
Asa Hilliard
I. V. Hilliard
Larry Hines
Greg Hinton
Melody Hobson
Gerri Hodby
Daryl Hodnett
Latrelle Hogg
Ben Holbert
Larry Holeman
Victor Holiday
Melvin Holliman
Reuben Holloway
Scott Holloway
Howard Holly
Joann Holly
Lee Holmes
Pam Holmes
Stephan Holmes
Bert Holt
Don Holt
Dundee Holt
Rachelle Hood-Phillips
Carole Hoover
Mary Hoover
Horace Hord
Isaac Horton, III
Mike House
Bessie House-Soremekun
J. D. Houston
Samuel Howard
Wes Howard
C. Diane Howell
Hamp Howell
Marilyn French Hubbard
Cheryl Hudson
Mickie Hudson
Thomas Hudson
Charles Huffman
Hosiah Huggins, Jr.
Cathy Hughes
Jim Hughes
Mary Ellen Hughes
Vera P. Hughes
Al Hunt
Jim Hunter
Jim Hurley
Sam Hyman
Andy Ingram
Oliver Issac
Leon Isaac-Kennedy
Al Jackson
Charone Jackson
Derrick Jackson
Elaine Jackson
Frank Jackson
Hayes Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Leonard Jackson
Maynard Jackson
Rita Jackson
Debrina Jackson-Gordy
John Jacob, Jr.
Hanifa Jahi
T. D. Jakes
Leonard James
Myra James
Charles James, III
Sandy Jamison
Mabel Jasper
Mario Jean
Murial Jeffries
Tony Jeffries
Hensley Jemmott
Al Jenkins
George Jenkins
Rodney Jenkins
Sebetha Jenkins
Lorretta Jennings
Larry Jennings, Jr.
Renaldo Jensen
Lynn Jeter
Satish Jethani
William Jiles
Daymond John
Allison Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Byron Johnson
Carolyn Johnson
Charles Johnson
Chris Johnson
Diane H. Johnson
Eric Johnson
Fred Johnson
Genita Johnson
Harry Johnson
Henry Johnson
Hortence Johnson
Janette Johnson
Jeff Johnson
Joe Johnson
John H. Johnson
Khalil Johnson
Laura Johnson
Mickey Johnson
Richard Johnson
Roger Johnson
Ron Van Johnson
Shelby Johnson
Alexandria Johnson-Boone
Joseph Joiner
Felicia Jolivet
Bev Everson Jones
Carolyn Jones
E. Edward Jones, Sr.
Ed Jones
Geneva Jones
James Earl Jones
Jakki Jones-Nance
Jefferson H. Jones, III
Kevin Jones
Lafayette Jones
Larry Jones
Lonnie Jones
Marilyn Jones
Martin Jones
Melvin Jones
Paul Jones
Paula Jones
Penny Jones
Reginald Jones
Robert Jones
Sylvia Jones
Zemira Jones
Charles Jordan, Jr.
Vernon Jordan, Jr.
Consuella Jordon
Eugene Jordon
Oscar Joyner
Tom Joyner
A. Keith Kaid
Bichlien Kaldahl
David KanKam
Brett Kaufman
Peter Keay
Floyd Keith
Anthony Kellum
Charles Kelly
Gwen Kelly
Richard Kelso
Anthony Kendall
John Kendall
Rose Kendrick
Claude Kennard
John Kennedy
Arif Khatib
Saad Khayat
Fred Khoury
Vivian Kidd
Dennis Kimbro
Leon Kimloch
Barbara King
Bridget King
Cecil King
Gayle King
Les King
Oona King
Richard King
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Ron Kisner
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Ronnie Knight
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Jackie Knox-Kelly
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Robert Lavelle
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Kathryn Leary
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JoAnn Lee
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Richard Lee
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Tony Lesesne
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Wanda F. Lester
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Michael Lewellen
Bracy Lewis
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John Lewis
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Melissa Lewis
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Kent Matlock
C. J. Matthews
Dee Matthews
Darryl Matthews, Sr.
Westina Matthews-Shatteen
Fred Mattingly
Bernadette Mayfield
Leslie Mays
Norman Mays
Cassandra McCall
Richard McCann
Nolan McCants
E. Lance McCarthy
Phyllis McCarthy
Bernie McClain
Jerry McClain
Gerri McClamie
Nancy McClaran
William McCleave
Carol McClendon
D’Joane McCorkle
Quentin McCorvey
Anna McCoy
Darlene McCoy
Richmond McCoy
Denise McCray
Mel McCray
Ruby McCullough
Donna McCurvin
Cynthia McDaniels
Lolita McDavid
Bobby McDonald
Robert McDonald
Rushion McDonald
Monica McDonell
Gerald McDonough
Barbara McEachern
Ron McFadden
Maria McFarlane
Renee McGee
Sherry McGee
Jeffrey McGuire
Jimmie McGuire
Lloyd McHamm
Emmit McHenry
Dwight McKee
Crystal McKenzie
Wanda McKenzie
Patrice McKinley
Antonio McKinney
Lois McKinney
Don McKneely
Angela McLowan
Stephany McManus
Marvin McMickle
Michael McMillian
Fran McNeal
Glenda McNeal
Eric McNish
Abner McWhorter
Pat Means
Michael Medcalf
Leon Merrick
Idris Merriman
William Merritt
Harriet Michel
Fred Middleton
Harvey Milam
Bennie Miles
Avis Miller
Darrell Miller
John Miller
Larry Miller
Marcellus Miller
Ray Miller
Ronnie Miller
Stanley Miller
Scott Mills
Howard Mims
Tony Minor
Steven Minter
Bert Mitchell
Maya Mitchell
Mello Mitchell
Fred Mitchem
N. Denise Mitchem
Owen Montague
Mark Monteverdi
Lewis Montgomery
Marvin Montgomery
David Moody
John Moody, Jr.
Deanna Moore-Latimore
Kelvyn Moore
Louie Moore
Madeline Moore
Melba Moore
Parasada Moore
Shelton Moore
Jovino Morales, Jr.
Madeleine Morel
Allen Morgan
Andrew Morgan
Beverly Morgan
Clint Morgan
Lori Morgan
Sheila Morgan
Deborah Morris
John Morris
Chuck Morrison
Joyce Morrow
Ariah Morse
Evan Morse
Charles Morton
Avis Mosby, II
Edwina Moss
Otis Moss, Jr.
Kofi Moyo
Akbar Muhammad
Laura Mullens
Joe Munoz
Myles Munroe
Bruce Murphy
Donald Murphy
Melvin Murphy
Jerry Murphy, Jr.
Hilton Murray
Bashirah Muttalib
Kalam Muttalib
Masequa Myers
Glenda Myhand
Ibrahim Naeem
Chris Nance
Donald Nance
Fred Nance
Art Naperstak
Mike Nash
Muhammad Nasserdeen
Jeff Nathenson
Carol Neal
Cathy Nedd
Greg Neely
Carl Nelson
Debra Nelson
Michael Nelson
Mickey Nelson
Norma Nelson
Ed Nesfield
Lisa Neu
Ozzie Newsome
Richard Newsome
Marlon Nicholes
Liz Nolley
Randy Norfus
Beverly Norman
Carl P. Norman
Percy Norwood, Jr.
Kirk Nugent
Irv Nunn
Afi Nur
Cyrus Oaks
John Odom
Dan Okrent
Mary Oldham
Patrick Oliver
Lea O’Neal
Richard Orange
Sam Orum
Anthony Overton
Lisa Overton
Jerry Sue Owens
Dominic Ozanne
James Pace
Janis Pace
Gloria Pace-King
Pamela Page
Charles Panky
Anthony Papa
Al Parham
Patty Park
Amelia Parker
Armetta Parker
Debra Parker
Ed Parker
Jennifer Parker
Jerry Parker
Kathyee Parks
Richard Parnell
Kimberly Parsons
Carol Patterson
Charles Patterson
Don Patterson
Lisa Patterson
Mari Lynn Patterson
Randi Patterson
Carol Patterson-Brooks
Charles Patton
Paul Patton
Hubert Payne
Anthony Peebles
Richard Peery
Richard Pelzer
Jose Pena
David Pendleton
Emma Pendleton
George Pendleton
Kevin Pendleton
Richard Pendleton
Ricky Pendleton
Benita Perkins
Milton Perkins
Dick Perlmuter
Dee Perry
F. E. Perry
Jeff Perry
Marc Perry
Pamela Perry
Richard Perry
Lavonia Perryman
Susan Peters
Cynthia Petrus
Ted Pettus
Regina Petty
Linda Pharr
Jeff Phelps
Allison Phillips
Vivian Pickard
William Pickard
Arnold Pickney
Raymond Pierce
Betty K. Pinckney
Jerry Pinckney
Mark Pinn
Mary Pitt
Marcia Pledger
Richard Pogue
Yvonne Pointer-Triplett
Tina Polite
Flip Pollack
Flo Pollack
Charles Poole
Tom Popes
Norman Potiker
Bill Potts
Alvin Poussaint
Caletha Powell
Inez Powell
Charlie Pratt
Pam Pratt
Delores Pressley
Bernice Prewitt
Art Price
Chuck Price
Earnest Price
Richard Priory
Michele Proctor
Patrick Prout
Joe Prude
Everett Pruitt
Mike Pruitt
Fred Pryor
Don Puchensky
Gary Puckrein
Catherine Pugh
Marino Puhalj
Gene Pulley
Carol Pusateri
Melvin Pye, Jr.
Alfred Quarles
Oliver Quinn
Roberto Quinones
Noraphine Rackley
John Rae
Donna Rae-Smith
Tina Rahman
Franklin Raines
Pemon Rami
Marya Randolph
Marty Raphael
Kelley Raspberry
Talut Rasul
Albert Ratner
Dori Ray
John Raye
Charles Reaves
Richard Reaves
Futrell Redditt
Nedra Redditt
Darrin Redus
Robert Redus
Gregory Reed
Larry Reed
Mike Reed
Raymond Reed
Ted Reed
Noel Reede
Jeffrey Reeves
Marsha Reeves-Jews
Octavius Reid, III
Tim Reid
Robert Reitman
Robert Render, III
Dannette Render-Reynes
Barbara Reynolds
Julian Reynolds
Rodney Reynolds
Sylvia Rhone
John Ribbins
Mark Ribbins
Bricelia Rice
Deanna Rice
Linda Rice-Johnson
Yannick Rice-Lamb
Henry Richards
Larry Richards
Chuck Richardson
Hank Richardson
Kellie Richardson
Gye Riddick
Dorothe Riley-Green
Scott Ringer
Gisele Rivera
Mike Rivers
Susie Rivers
Zie Rivers
Ken Roberts
Martha Roberts
Christ Robertson
Darnell Robertson
Kevin Robertson
Babidiya Robinson
Ben Robinson, III
Denise Robinson
Derrick Robinson
Edwin Robinson
Elaine Robinson
John Robinson
Ken Robinson
Larry Robinson
Myron Robinson
Randall Robinson
Rhonda Robinson
Shanna Robinson
Stacia Robinson
Tom Robinson
Vince Robinson
Pamela Rodgers
Jerry Roebuck
Clarence Rogers
Pam Rogers
Wilson Rogers
John Rogers, Jr.
Richard Romero
Pat Roper-Sanders
Lee Rosenburg
Michele Ross
Rose Ross
Sharon Roth
Wayne Rothman
Stephen Rowan
Philip Rowell
Victor Rubell
Montrie Rucker
Reggie Rucker
Ben Ruffin
Renee Ruffin-Price
Judy Ruggie
Diogenes Ruiz
Barbara Russell
Frank Russell
Herman Russell
Mark Russell
Janet Saboor
Oscar Saffold
Synthia Saint James
Anika Sala
Warren Salmon
Carol Sam
Cynthia Samples
Thomas Samuels
Chuck Sanders
Clarence Sanders
Shauna Sanders
Harry Sandler
Tia Marshae Sanford
Dick Satterfield
Brett Savage
John Schambach
Nick Scheele
Edna Schenkel
Lynn Schiffman
Paul G. Schloemer
Charlie Schnell
Bonnie Schollianos
Glen Shumate
Janet Schupe
Belinda Scott
Darrell Scott
George Christopher Scott
Winifred Scott
Don Scott Scully
Laura Seaburn
Eric Dean Seaton
Jay Seaton
Shirley Seaton
Jan Sebastian
Jean Sebastian
Lee Seidman
Alan Seifullah
Deborah Seller
Laurie Shakur
Larry Shane
Amir Shariff
Al Sharpton
Alan Shatteen
Curtis Shaw
Juanita Shealey
Terrence Shelton
Cyril Shepherd
Charles Sherill
Chris Shick
Dee Dee Shine
Michael Shinn
Leslie Short
Katie Shorter
Lawrence Shorter
Betty Shorts
Glen Shumate
Sandra Sibley
Sondra Sibley
John Sidley
Esther Silver-Parker
Robert Silverman
Carole Simpson
Jane B. Simpson
Larry Simpson
Yvonne Simpson
Ted Sims
Brian Sisak
Saikouba Sisay
Dawn Slade
Ron Slaughter
Toney Sledge
David Slutzkey
Eric Small
Sydney Small
Wayne Smalls
Janice Smallwood-McKenzie
Ken Smikle
Tavis Smiley
Athena Smith
Barbara Smith
Bev Smith
Clarence Smith
Connie Smith
Herb Smith
Hilton Smith
Jane Smith
Michael Smith
Monica Smith
Myles Smith
Rosie Smith
Sylvester Smith
Wes Smith
William Smith
Willie Smith
Sonny Snead
Curtis Snipes
Ray Somich
Ratanjit Sondhe
Mark Spain
Michele Spain
Ricky Spain
Lori Spano
Darlene Spencer
Herb Spencer
Kelly Spencer
Steve Spencer
Peter Spitter
Lenny Springs
Pamala Springs
Renee Squires
Tonya Stancel
Hilbert Stanley
Suzanne Stanley
Bud Stanner
Suzanne Stantley
Cedric Steele
Joe Steele
Warren Steele
George Steinbrenner
Tim Stephens
Brooke Stevens
Keith Stevenson
David Steward
Burma Stewart
Daryl Stewart
Lisa Stewart
Pam Stewart
Louis Stokes
Aubry Stone
Harold Stone
Tom Stone
Robert Storey
William Strickland
Denise Stroder
George Subira
Thelma Sullivan
Lauren Summers
Pierre Sutton
Ed Swailes
Cathy Swartz
Floyd Swoope
Harry Sykes
Dave Synder
Olive Tabor
Booker Tall
Zel Talley
Steve Tanruther
Janice Tarachowski
Meg Tarada
Pauline Tarver
Beth Tassinari
Charles Taylor
Hilary Taylor
James Taylor
Marlene Taylor
Michael Taylor
Mikki Taylor
Susan Taylor
Ricardo Teamor
Buddy Teaster
William Tedford
Ted Teng
Ruby Terry
Rudolph Terry
Dennis Thatcher
Charles Thigpen
Clyde Thomas
Franklin Thomas
Gerald Thomas
Herb Thomas
Norman Thomas
Patricia Thomas
Winston Thomas
Al Thompson
Dallas Thompson
Geraldine Thompson
John Thompson
Tiona Thompson
Yvonne Thompson
Margaret Thoren
Charles Thoroughbred
Denise Thurman
Carol Tidmore
Larry Tidmore
Sam Tidmore
Jerald Tillman
June Tims
Jaime Tineo
Roger Tinsley
Lynn Toliver
Stanley Toliver
Barbara Tomczyk
Nathan Townsend
Onetha Trammer
Jane Tresville
Lee Triggs
Lee Trotter
Lloyd Trotter
Glendora Troy
Stephanie Tubbs-Jones
Edris Tucker
Howard Tucker
Marion Tucker
Sheryl H. Tucker
Earl Turner
Karen Turner
Mary Turner
Patricia D. Turner
Stephanie Turner
Wendall Turner
Lorna Turpeau
Ross Turpeau
Debra Tyler
Ralph Tyler
Lisa Urbanch
Betty Vadenbosch, Jr.
Isabella Varrasso
Phillip Vassell
Lorraine Vega
Andrew Venable
John Villanueva
Jose Villanueva, Jr.
Claire Villarosa
Vic Vionovich
Fred Virgous
George Voinovich, Sr.
Burton Waddy
James Wade
Tola Wahab
Maurice Wainwright
Mylion Waite
Adele Walker
Blair Walker
Carol Walker
Dwayne Walker
Earl Walker
Juliet E. K. Walker
LeQuisha Sunni
Walker
Seturah Walker
Curtis Wallace
Tom Wallace
George Walters
Aaron Walton
Eugene Ward
Alan Ward-Robinson
Reggie Ware
William Ware, Jr.
Shawn Warner
True Warner
Gerri Warren-Merrick
Angela Washington
Gordon Washington
Jan Washington
Nichole Washington
Sherita Washington
Simone Washington
Steve Washington
Omar Wasow
Maxine Waters
Sean Waters
Charles Watkins
Brian Watson
Charles Watson
Harry Watson
Darlene Watts
Robin Weaver
Darcel Webb-Shumaker
Rob Weber
Tina Weed
Michael Weil
Cornel West
Darryl West, Jr.
Natalie Wester
Pat Weston
Larry Wheeler
Lorna Whisham
Kwaw David Whitaker
Addie White
Albert White
Coleen White
Earl White
Eric White
Eugene White
George White
Jay White
Michael R. White
Monifa White
Ann White-Harris
David Whitehead
Reginald Whitehead
Anthony Whitfield
Cecil Whiting
James Whitley
Elaine Whitlow
Leonard Whitlow
Arnold Whitmore
Tony Whitmore
Deborah Whitt
William Whitten
Denver Wilborn
Michael Wilkens
Richard Wilkens
Larry Wilker, Sr.
Yvonne Wilkes
Alex Williams
Alonda Williams
Armstrong Williams
Ben Williams
Bruce Williams
Daisey Williams
Diane Williams
Dick Williams
Donald Corky
Williams
E. J. Williams
Earl Williams
Edna Williams
Edwin Williams
Erlene Williams
Faye Williams, Jr.
Gregory Williams
Ivan Williams
Ivy Williams
Jay The Gospel Kid
Williams
Judy Williams
Keith Williams
Kenneth Williams
Pamela Williams
Reggie Williams
Rita Williams
Steve Williams
Suzanne Williams
Tanya Williams-Bell
Terrie Williams
Vernona Williams
Willie Williams
George Willis
Greg Willis
Ione Willis-Hancock
Matthew Willmore
Cheryle Wills
Eddie Wills
Guy Wills
Gloria Wilson
John Wilson
Josleen Wilson
Ken Wilson
Mary Wilson
Raymond Winbush
Jesse Wineberry
Mike Winlock
Judy Winston
James Winston, Sr.
Michael Winston
Peggy Winston
Sherry Winston
Sherma Wise
Lorna Wisham
Cherise Witherspoon
Bill Witten
Bart Wolstein
Carter Womack
Daisy Dee
Wood
Rhonda Woodard
Al Woodcock
Wona Wossen
Bill Wright
Clarence Wright
Frances Wright
Janice Wright
Michael Wright
Nadine Wright
Wallace Wright
Leslie Wyche
Lynn Wyman
Leon Wynter
Malika Yamini
George Yarbourough
Bill Yingling
Ed Young
Michael Young
Nick Young
Ricky Young
Sandra Zabinski
Muhammad
Zahir
Calvin Zanders
Harvey Zay
Sharvishia Zeigler
Joe Zion
Robert Zion
Peggy Zone-Fisher
To be continued…
Contents
Foreword by Les Brown
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Success Runs In Our Race
Chapter 1: Twenty Thousand Personal Guides to Success
A New Millennium: A New Underground Railroad
The Next Phase of the Civil Rights Movement
Working Toward Unity
The Networking Guru
Success Runs in Our Race
Portrait of Success: Keith Clinkscales
Chapter 2: It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
The Enemy Within
Seeking Acceptance Versus Equality
In Search of Our Family
Memorializing Black Excellence
The Renewed Urban Village
The Rites of Passage
Afrocentricity Versus Eurocentricity
A Spiritual Connection
Portrait of Success: Mellody Hobson
Chapter 3: Perceptions, Reality, and Excellence
Used but Not Abused
Our Violent Image
Fixing the Image Problem
Cashing In on Our Intellectual Capital
Community Versus Individual Success
Excellence Redefined
Tapping Our Own Roots
The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa
A New Agenda
The Birth of the Urban Village
Portrait of Success: Oprah Winfrey
Part Two: Party For a Purpose: The Power of Networking
Chapter 4: Entrepreneurship and Networking: Closing the Wealth Gap
Starting More Businesses in the Twenty-first Century
Overcoming the Business Start-up Barriers
Doing Well While Doing Good
Four Key Factors for Entrepreneurial Success
Reciprocity: Leveraging Our Purchasing Power
Ten Steps to Starting Down Your Entrepreneurial Path
Ten Reasons for Doing Business with Minorities
Portrait of Success: Teresa Hairston
Chapter 5: Getting Together to Get Ahead
Sharing the Wealth by Networking
The Success Network for You
Getting Together to Get Ahead
Networking for Access and Success
Building Mutually Beneficial Relationships
Network Nurturing
The Big Four of Networking
Portrait of Success: Willie Jolley
Chapter 6: Make Networking Work for You
Defining Your Networking Goals
Setting Goals
Your Network Huggers and Shakers
Network Nemeses
Networking Tools
Starting Your Own Networking Event
Planning and Networking at Awards Ceremonies
Networking in Action
Portrait of Success: Marilyn French Hubbard
Chapter 7: The Art of Network Conversation
People Skills and Networking
What Is Your Agenda?
Overcoming Fears and Doubts
Remembering What’s-His-Name
The Etiquette of Introductions
Rules and Tools of Conversation
Portrait of Success: Willie Gary
Chapter 8: Networking for a Purpose
Networking for a Job
Job Hunting for the New College Graduate
Keep the Network Plugged In
Networking for Customers or Clients
Networking for Career Success
Networking at Conventions and Conferences
Networking for Information
Networking for Board Appointments
Network Marketing
Networking Versus Neck-Working
Portrait of Success: Damon Dash
Part Three: Creating a Success Stereotype
Chapter 9: Networking as a Way of Life
The Fraser Guidelines for Effective Networking
Networking Dos and Don’ts
Ten Tips for Whites Seeking to Network with Blacks
Portrait of Success: Cheryl Broussard
Chapter 10: Networks at Work
Networking for Economic Empowerment
One Hundred Multiplied by Millions
Creating Economic Inroads
Preaching Economic Redemption
Private Enterprise Does Public Good
In Conclusion: Networking for the Success of All
Portrait of Success: Bruce Gordon
Appendix A: The FraserNet Workbook
Appendix B: The Thirty Best Places to Network
Appendix C: The Most Influential Black Speakers in America: The Fabulous 50
Appendix D: The Best Black Clubs and Organizations
Glossary
Suggested Reading
Your Comments, Please
Searchable Terms
About the Author
Praise
Other Books by George C. Fraser
Copyright
About the Publisher
FOREWORD
It has been over thirty years now since I first met George Fraser and learned of his vision and his dream. Dreams were mostly all that we had back then—not much else but those dreams, and this powerful, compelling desire to live them.
I realize now, as I reflect on those days, that both of us were testing out smaller versions of our dreams back then, preparing ourselves, even though we did not know it. I was broadcasting a message of inspiration and motivation to radio listeners in a midwestern market. And George—well, George was out there trying to do well by doing good in our community, just as he is doing today with his successful businesses and, of course, this inspiring and information-packed book.
When I first met George Fraser, I was a radio disc jockey in Columbus, Ohio, pushing the limits of what my station managers would allow. They had hired me to entertain, but as I became more conscious of the power for positive change in that microphone, I could not resist the opportunity to call out to the community, telling them to stand up and be somebody!
George showed up one day at the station with a mutual friend. Of course, he was networking—need you ask? I am telling you, this guy is so plugged in that the folks at BET are talking about going up against Ted Turner, with the George News Network. That’s right. Look out, Ted, here comes GNN!
Back on that day when we first met, George was networking as an encyclopedia salesman. Now, I had some experience myself in door-to-door sales. So, when George told me back then that he was an encyclopedia salesman, I was fully prepared to inform him that he was intruding on my air time and to please close the door to my sound booth on his way out.
Of course, that didn’t happen. Nobody chases away the King of Networking that easily. And, as I quickly discovered, George was not simply selling encyclopedias. He was selling self-esteem in his community. He was selling pride and information and knowledge. Now, if that sounds like part of a sales pitch, it was, and it still is. It was George’s sales pitch then, and it is now. And I bought it. And then, before I knew it, I was selling it, too, on my radio show. George has this effect on people. His dream is contagious, as all good dreams are.
George had come to Columbus to sell the International Library of Negro Life and History encyclopedias. He sold me a set. He probably sold me ten sets, because in no time at all, I was selling those encyclopedias, too. At every opportunity, I put in a good word on my radio show for those encyclopedias because I believed in what they represented and I believed in what George was doing. Obviously, I still do.
I think we sold more of those encyclopedias in Columbus than anywhere else in the country. And if we didn’t, I would still say we had more fun than any other encyclopedia sales people in the country. That is what happens when you do something that follows your dream, when you do something that is positive for your community, when you live a dream that by its very nature inspires others to dream. How can you help but have fun and enjoy life when you are inspiring others to dream and succeed? There is such power in that.
After George and I had sold a set of the International Library of Negro Life and History encyclopedias to every man, woman, child, and Seeing Eye dog in Columbus, Ohio, he moved on. But naturally, Mr. Networking stayed in touch. Cards, newspaper articles, telephone calls just to catch up on things.
Oh, Lord.
And I was not easy to catch in the years that followed. The radio station owners finally pulled the plug on my microphone when my message became too powerful in the community. That led to my running for state representative and three successful terms in the Ohio legislature before I embarked on my journey to becoming a public speaker. George, in the meantime, went to work for Procter & Gamble, and then the United Way, and then into the Ford dealer-training program.
Each of us carried our dreams along, keeping them alive, strengthening them. George was still in the Ford program when I got one of those just catching up on you
phone calls. He told me he was putting on a networking forum and wanted me to be his first principal speaker. He explained that he was not so sure that his future lay in the automobile industry. He wanted to get back to living his dream of selling people on their own value and greatness, rather than selling them Taurus cars and F-10 pickup trucks.
Again, George had no trouble selling me. I spoke at that first SuccessNet Forum in Cleveland, and every time he has asked me since, I have gone and spoken, many, many times. It will always be like this for George and me because we share essentially the same dream. And we have seen each other struggle mightily as we stretched to achieve our own versions of it. I lived for months in my office because I couldn’t afford to have an apartment, too. George somehow managed to put out SuccessGuides that look like a million dollars at times when he didn’t have enough change for the parking meter.
We have watched each other struggle, and I think in some ways, we were inspired by each other. We each endeavored to stay on the high road even when we literally had to jump over the toll gates to get on it because we couldn’t afford the toll. We were poor, but we didn’t act poor or live poorly. Our spirits were rich, and we drew strength from the challenge of seeing our visions through to reality.
George has created and nurtured this vision and has refused to let it go. He has enlisted the help of many people, me included, and that is what it takes—networking and cooperation. George had a dream, and now that dream is his to live, and yours to share. He is going to be part of the solution, and this book will help many, many people.
You have probably read or at least picked up other networking books, but I guarantee you, this is like no other one. Success Runs in Our Race is far more than a how-to book by someone with training and knowledge in a particular field. This book is a powerful voice for change, for social action. Other books have exhorted us to take control of our destinies. This one shows us how to do it and why we must do it. This book gives us an agenda.
And there is something else in this book that is different from and so much more powerful than those other books that deal with networking. Most of those books, or at least the ones that I have seen, are rather like textbooks written by professors who have studied the field and come up with their own theories and conclusions. That is not the nature of Success Runs in Our Race.
This is a book rooted in life, in our cultural traditions and history. Life’s blood flows through these pages because this book was not written by a man who studied the subject; it was written by a man who lived his dream. I urge you to read this book and then live its messages. It may well change your life, and the lives of many others around you. This is an important book for you and for our community.
I must go now—my telephone is ringing. Need you ask who it is? Yes, George, I’ll be there. I’ll be there.
—LES BROWN
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book in its original and revised version had been brewing in my mind for nearly two decades, and had it not been for my friends, family, and associates…my network, I probably would have died with my experiences still inside of me, a mistake all too many of us make. First I must acknowledge the Creator for his divine guidance in providing me the inner strength and vision to write the words that spilled onto blank sheets of paper. A special thanks also goes to my spiritual leader, Rev. Allison Phillips,