new places, new faces - Black Enterprise/Bank of America Entrepreneurs Conference

Black Enterprise, Nov, 2001 by Paula Mccoy-Pinderhughes

"The conference facilitates business exposure and [provides] a forum that allows for the exchange of ideas and honing the art of networking. It gives you a sense of empowerment," says Smith.

And empowered is how Pearl Ridgley-Hopson felt when she learned of the conference being held in her home state. "I was elated to hear that Black Enterprise was coming to town," says Ridgley-Hopson. "With the conference being held right here in Nashville, it provided me with the opportunity to network with other business owners in my area and to acquire additional knowledge about business partnerships and growth potential."

Ridgley-Hopson is the president of Innovative Business Technologies Inc. (IBTI) in Smyrna, Tennesse a management consulting and training firm. Downsized from IBM in 1994, her first reaction [to her misfortune] was: "`What am I going to do?' Then I realized that maybe this was my chance to do what I'd always envisioned--business ownership. This was truly a blessing in disguise."

Ridgley-Hopson's blessings grew at the conference when she connected with several companies who expressed a desire to do business. "My friend, Regina Burns, president of Harvest Reapers Communications in Dallas, introduced me to Amy Bunton, director of the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Existing Industry Services. Amy then provided me with an introduction to Victor Tyler, program manager at the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services."

IBTI currently provides training for the university's Center for Government Training. "I'm currently in negotiations to provide training services for Mr. Tyler's department as well. All told, including the contacts made at the Entrepreneurs Conference, IBTI should pick up an additional $150,000 in revenue for 2001."

Ridgley-Hopson says that she was nothing less than thrilled to have seen and participated in a forum where everyone had business ownership and entrepreneurial aspirations in common.

She was also motivated by the speakers--most notably Willie Jolley. "His words of inspiration, `Never do what's comfortable, do what's necessary,' and `Only the ridiculous can achieve the spectacular,' took me to the next level on my entrepreneurial voyage," she said.

Jolley's four steps to success--Vision, Decision, Action, and Desire--caused the conferees to pick up their pens and jot down his sage advice.

Because of the inspiring rhetoric and the contacts she made, Ridgley-Hopson says that her new goal is to encourage all business owners to attend the Entrepreneurs Conference. "It is an event that will give you a definite return on your business and personal investment."

One corporate giant who didn't always see a return on his investment is David Steward, CEO of World Wide Technology Inc. (WWT), No. 1 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICES 100 list with $802 million in sales. "I'd like to tell you that I've been through a lot to get to where I'm standing today," Steward said to the focused assembly. "I've taken my wife of 25 years through about eight or nine companies before enjoying the success of WWT.