Why Do We Leave Billions On The Table? - by Ben Harvey

Magic Johnson on Black Business:

We have got to, first of all, start owning our own businesses. It's what makes Harlem go or Chicago go or any community go. It's not enough to be passionate about it—the No. 1 thing you have to do is research to make sure there is a business there. No. 2, make sure there is demand for what you are going to have your business in.

And when we own our own business then that dollar touches a lot of hands in our community because that money stays in Harlem, for example, instead of somebody owning a business and taking it out of Harlem. That's why it's important to keep it in your neighborhood because you can give people jobs in your community. It also sends a great message to young people that they can dream to one day own their own businesses in their community as well.


Magic speaks the truth and leads by example. For far too long, our talented, well educated and well resourced believed in order to be successfully one had to escape rather than mine the under-developed riches in the black community.

The prevalent and much flawed mentality that educates our potential business pioneers away from the black community (thank you Carter G. Woodson) is as followed:

The focus is get your education (rightfully so), credentials and resume and then ask mainstream America for a six figure job.

Well the P-Diddys, Russell Simmons, Jay-Zs, Magic Johnsons, and Tyler Perrys of our community are blowing that flawed thinking to smithereens. And in replace, we have a more self-sufficient template we all need to study. They are demonstrating that there are riches and fortunes to be made in our community.

The biggest irony is that one of the first thing newly arrived immigrants set out to do is establish businesses in our community - they know we leave billions of dollars on the table.