(Image: ThinkStock)

“You know what the best thing is about Facebook?”

My teenage daughter threw the question out there. Given that she spends way more time on her laptop each day than she does interacting with her loving family, I couldn’t wait to hear the answer. Was she going to praise the ease with which you can check out your friends’ 400 latest photos? The ability Facebook gives you to hook up with friends of friends? Or maybe she’s into the new alerts that tell you what articles your friends are reading online (which, by the way, I can’t stand).

“It’s the birthday reminder,” she said with a big smile. “Isn’t it great the way you get that email telling you all the birthdays coming up that week so you can say happy birthday to people? I never miss anybody’s birthday anymore. And on my birthday, I got, like, a thousand messages!” Like most girls her age, she’s prone to exaggeration, but given that she has more than 1,300 Facebook friends, this is entirely possible.

I’m an old school card-sender and I keep two types on hand at all times: sympathy cards and belated birthday greetings, because I’m more likely to be late on the birthday front than on time. I subscribe to the better-late-than-never philosophy, especially when it comes to commemorating moments that matter. Some of the most successful people I know had a system for remembering people’s special events long before Facebook came along. Black Enterprise founder Earl G. Graves, Sr. literally makes it his business to acknowledge the significant days of not only his peers, but of their assistants! Through the years, he has traced many a pivotal business deal back to the fact that he sent someone’s secretary flowers for her birthday.

My card sending days started early, sparked by a moving story my mother and her baby sister always told. It went something like this:

My mom and her sister, Yvonne, talked about buying flowers and taking them to their Aunt Dora’s house with a card. It was her birthday. But the sisters got sidetracked, time got away from them, and they didn’t go, or even call. The next day, Aunt Dora was dead. She was hit by a subway train and both of her legs were severed at the ankle. My mom said that when they arrived at the hospital to see her, the nurses motioned to a bag in the corner that contained Aunt Dora’s shoes. Her feet were still in them. The doctors’ presumed the tragedy was not accidental because the train wasn’t one that Aunt Dora would have typically taken and she was not pushed. No one actually said the word “suicide,” but the question has hovered over her death like a black cloud ever since. Whenever my mother tells the story, even now, some 60 years later, she says, “If Yvonne and I had just gone to see her, at least she would have known somebody really cared. She would have known that we remembered her birthday.”

My mom and Aunt Yvonne were changed that day. My mom became good about remembering people’s special days, even if just with a last minute phone call, but Aunt Yvonne became single minded in her commitment to letting everyone in her circle know they were never forgotten. She left nothing to chance, creating a calendar exclusively for birthdays and anniversaries. She kept a stockpile of cards and stamps on hand and made sure her address book stayed current. Replenishing her stash of greeting cards often, she sent a bunch out each week, never missing a year, a month, or another birthday after Aunt Dora’s. “It’s a small thing,” she’d say, “but it means so much.”

I have a dear old pal who is also a colleague in the media world and a Facebook friend. (Yes, George, I’m talking about you!) I tease him relentlessly for having 4,914 “friends” (and counting) on Facebook. Now, he happens to be one of those people who actually does seem to know everybody, but still, 5,000 is a huge number, even for a nice guy and consummate networker. I’m guessing not all of those people get a birthday messages from him when their special dates pop up in his email. But here’s the thing: On his birthday, his Facebook blows up! I mean, he’s got wishes and prayers, videos, songs, and jokes coming at him for days, including from “friends” who are mere business contacts as well as relative strangers. What’s not to love about that? In fact, it’s occurred to me that that’s why he has so many FB friends—not a bad birthday strategy!

In times like these, 5,000 wishes can keep you going for way longer than it takes to reach your next birthday. But it only takes one to maybe just get you through a tough day—or minute.

Technology gets a lot of flak for heightening our sense of isolation from each other, but I have to agree with my wise techno-happy teenage daughter: Facebook may connect you with lots of pseudo-friends, but it also reminds us of what true friendship is all about. (Reminder to all my friends out there who may not be on Facebook, my birthday’s in two weeks. Just sayin’…)

Earl G. Graves, Sr with IBM's Rodney C. Adkins (Image: Corey Shelton/EconoPix, Inc.)

Rodney C. Adkins, IBM’s Senior Vice President, Systems and Technology Group, has received the highest honor BLACK ENTERPRISE bestows upon a top-ranked exec: 2011 Corporate Executive of the Year. One of the nation’s most powerful business leaders in the tech sector, Adkins manages a 50,000-employee division that generates $18 billion in revenues and serves global clients in automotive, telecommunications, healthcare and manufacturing.

He was presented the award by BLACK ENTERPRISE Chairman and Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr. at the National Network of Black IBM Retirees and Alumni conference, a business development and leadership event that brought more than 200 to Atlanta this past weekend.  “He’s a born competitor…a driven, visionary leader…and an extraordinary manager of talent and resources,” Graves said of Adkins’ attributes. “Moreover, this year’s honoree—and the company he represents—stands at the vanguard of 21^st century corporate leadership, constantly resetting the bar for diversity and fairness in the workplace.”  Celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, IBM has been listed among the BLACK ENTERPRISE 40 Best Companies for Diversity since the roster’s inception in 2005.

In gaining such recognition, Adkins, 53, is in good company. Past recipients include American Express Chairman and CEO Kenneth I. Chenault, Aetna Chairman and CEO Ron Williams (retired), McDonald’s Corp. President and COO Don Thompson, Whirlpool International President Michael Todman, Amway Chief Global Marketing Officer Candace Matthews and Symantec CEO John W. Thompson, an IBM alum.

He’s deserving of the placement: His achievements and management prowess has placed him among the leading candidates to replace retiring IBM CEO Samuel J. Palmisano. Appointed to his position in 2009, the Miami native who holds a degree in physics from Rollins College and a master’s in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology oversees all aspects of IBM’s server, storage, systems software and retail store solutions business. The company’s integrated supply chain, which includes global manufacturing, procurement and customer fulfillment also reports to him. The 30-year veteran who is an engineer by training was also responsible for oversight of the servers for Watson, the computer that won the Jeopardy! competition against two champions earlier this year.

True to form, Adkins spent his acceptance saying that “he was humbled by the honor… and I thank the magazine helping me have a great professional and personal year” before giving the audience a presentation on the 130-year history of technology and Black achievement. Excited by technology entering “the learning era” and IBM’s Smarter Planet thrust, he foresees the computer power and analytical capabilities of Watson transforming healthcare, finance, transportation and media sectors, among others.

Beyond using technology to improve  quality of life and taking IBM to greater global influence and profitability,  Adkins, a board member of National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, promotes educational and mentorship programs to develop the next generation of African American engineers and scientists.  He told the audience: “We all have a responsibility to reach back and pull through.”

For more on Adkins, read the September 2011 issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine currently on newsstands and view Executive Editor Caroline V. Clarke’s Power Player interview on the award-winning, nationally syndicated television show, Black Enterprise Business Report on Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9 (check times and listings in your area).

In an era of African American media consumption from wider and more diverse sources than ever before, black-owned media are still seen as the most committed to the interests and advancement of people of color. Evidence of this can be found in the recent American Magazine Study done by Affinity, a media research firm, in which readers ranked black enterprise among the top 10 most trusted magazines and the third most inspiring.

However, the story of Black Enterprise, and black-owned media in general, is about more than groundbreaking articles and award-winning content across diverse media platforms delivered by top-notch editors and producers. It’s also about a passionate, tenacious, and dedicated advertising and sponsorship sales team committed to ensuring that those of you who make up our audience—and the trillion dollars in spending power you bring to the table—are not taken for granted. As the founder and publisher of Black Enterprise, I’ve spent most of my career leading this crusade. It is in that spirit that I was pleased to be inducted this year into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame in March.

I wouldn’t have gone far as a young publisher when I launched Black Enterprise in 1970 without advertisers who were willing to invest in what was then an untapped, barely understood black consumer market. Today, the black enterprise brand extends well beyond the magazine to television, live events, and digital and social media platforms. And those advertising partners who have taken the journey with us have been rewarded with robust sales and customer loyalty.

It was a long, hard-fought battle to get advertisers to recognize and value the then emerging black business market, even after we proved its existence and proceeded to help define and expand it. A few potential advertisers even told me that they wouldn’t advertise with us because they didn’t want to associate their products and services with black people. Today, African Americans are a coveted market that no savvy company would ignore, and African Americans are featured in global campaigns that target all audiences.

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But don’t allow that progress to convince you that the battle to ensure that black consumers are recognized and valued has been won. Amazingly, even in 2011, there are companies that still don’t get it and others that welcome black consumer dollars—as long as they don’t have to actually pay to get your business. Want a list of the companies that do get it, that are serious about investing to reach you via the media that represent and inspire you? Just check to see who purchases advertising and sponsorship with black enterprise and other media dedicated to serving African American audiences. If you spend money on a major brand-name product or service that you never see advertised in black media, you need to ask why.

Of course, I am proud of Black Enterprise’s four-decade-plus record of serving as an advocate and providing a showcase for black executives, professionals, entrepreneurs, and others who believe in our Wealth for Life mission. But, I take even greater pride in an aspect of the media business that is equally if not more important: fighting to ensure that African American consumers are respected, valued, and taken seriously by American corporations and the advertising industry.

Mr. Graves addresses the crowd during his induction into the Advertising Hall of Fame

Last night, in the ballroom of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, packed with the most prominent and powerful players in advertising, BLACK ENTERPRISE Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr. was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame, receiving the industry’s highest honor. One of eight inductees, Graves joined the ranks of advertising pioneers and icons due to his contributions for raising the standards of advertising excellence by using BE as a platform to diversify images of African Americans in business and communicate the power of the black consumer market, Frank Cooper, senior vice president & chief consumer engagement officer for PepsiCo Americas Beverages and chairman of the American Advertising Federation, the leading industry trade association, said in his presentation of the award. He was also recognized for his major achievements in business, media, politics and philanthropy.

Another milestone was the AAF’s selection of comedian Bill Cosby, the first non-athlete black celebrity endorser, as the inaugural recipient of the President’s Award for his lifetime contributions to advertising.

The esteemed panel of Advertising Hall of Fame inductees (Image: Doug Goodman)

Graves and Cosby were in good company. Other inductees were Southwest Airlines Founder Herb Kelleher; Jack Conners, Jr., founding partner of top marketing communications firm Hill, Holiday, Connors, Cosmopulus, Inc; David Abbot, retired chairman and creative director for Abbott Mead Vickers, the largest agency group in the UK; Jack Smith, former deputy creative director of advertising giant Leo Burnett; trailblazer Laurel Cutler, a director at Foote, Cone & Belding, the nation’s largest agency; Eduardo Caballero, founder of the country’s largest Spanish language rep firm and the first Latino to ever to receive the honor; and auto manufacturer General Motors, one of the world’s largest advertisers. Past inductees include CNN founder Ted Turner, former Chairman & CEO of NBC Universal Bob Wright, the late founder of Time Inc., Henry Luce, and the late founder and publisher of Ebony and Jet, John H. Johnson.

The 62^nd induction ceremony brought out industry leaders including BE 100s CEOs such as Don Coleman of GlobalHue (No. 1 on the BE ADVERTISING AGENCIES list with $483.5 million in billings); Carol Williams of Carol H. Williams Advertsing (No. 2 with $280 million in billings); and Bryon Lewis of UniWorld Group Inc. (No. 3 with $202 million in billings).

In accepting the honor, Graves shared his challenges of gaining advertising when he started the publication more than 4o years ago because “some advertisers didn’t want to associate their products with black people.” He says he used the magazine as a vehicle to influence decision makers to realize the value of black consumers to the bottom line of major corporations. “For a long time, though, I couldn’t get others to see it. I’d get asked: ‘Where is this black business class?’ Today, African Americans are a coveted market that no savvy company would ignore. And African Americans are featured in global campaigns that target all audiences, “ he says. “What changed? Simple: Racism just got out of the way. I think it’s more than fair to say that BLACK ENTERPRISE played a central role in changing perceptions.”

Fellow inductee Bill Cosby made waves as the first non-athlete Black celebrity endorser

He also noted the vital role of Cosby, who pitched Coca-Cola, Jello Pudding and Crest toothpaste, played as one of the first African American personalities to be the center of a major national ad campaign in changing the perception of black participation in all aspects of American society . “He succeeded in that role because all Americans, regardless of race, felt that he represented them,” says Graves. “I have no doubt that there’s a direct line from the nation’s embrace of African Americans in advertising to its election of the first African American president of the United States.”

Cosby, who appeared on the December 1981 cover of BLACK ENTERPRISE and was cited as the nation’s top star presenter in advertising, also discussed the value of media in breaking barriers. In fact, the veteran entertainer received his first commercial prior to becoming the first black actor of a dramatic series, I Spy, in 1965 when he called cigar manufacturer White Owl to serve as an endorser. In receiving his honor, he noted “that a lot of people had special meetings” about whether to put him on air and he recognized those who took a chance on him. Lacing his remarks with humorous asides, he discussed the need to “level the playing field” for blacks in different arenas – he and his wife invested $1 million and convinced the company Service Merchandise to sponsor Willy T. Ribbs, the first African-American to qualify for the Indy 500, some 20 years ago – and how the media industry can still bring about significant cultural change.

On March 30, 2011, BLACK ENTERPRISE Chairman & Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr. will be inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Fame, the industry’s most prestigious honor. As part of the 63^rd such ceremony, he will join a cadre of icons who have raised the standard for excellence as well as made a significant impact within and outside the industry.

When Graves founded BLACK ENTERPRISE in 1970 it was a single-publication company, defining its mission with this declaration: “Lacking capital, managerial and technical knowledge and crippled by prejudice, the minority businessman has been effectively kept out of the American marketplace. We want to help change this.” His leadership paved the way for the multimedia powerhouse that BLACK ENTERPRISE is today, sharing its “Wealth for Life “ message through an array of digital, print, broadcast and events platforms that reach a total audience of 6 million. His vision and energy have inspired the development of generations of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, investors, inventors–and one U.S. president.

In the beginning, he used his door-busting salesmanship to convince prospective and skeptical advertisers about “the green side of black,” reeling off stats about the nation’s emerging black middle class that included thousands of business people, physicians, lawyers, government officials and trade association chiefs. As a result, he broke new accounts with companies like IBM, Chase Manhattan (now JPMorgan Chase), Mobil (today ExxonMobil), GE and American Airlines.

It was his unyielding commitment to excellence that has fueled BE’s spectacular growth. Today’s readers voted it one of the most trusted and most inspiring publications in the country, according to the American Magazine Study conducted by Affinity, a media research firm.

Graves’ passion for breaking business barriers, developing new profitable ventures and now watching his media empire grow under the stewardship of his son, Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr. is matched by a dedication to the advancement of African Americans, especially young people. His humble roots and humanitarianism drives his philanthropy and mentorship agenda.

Whether growing a company or pursuing a cause, he wasn’t guided by blind ambition or reckless optimism. He had a bold vision, a detailed plan and the fierce determination to make both work.

Click here for a few of Mr. Graves’s business gems and see moments from his incredible journey, his recollections and his life lessons that may help guide you.

For me, our Entrepreneurs Conference represents a principle of business success that I have promoted and seen demonstrated throughout my lifetime as a business owner: We cannot build businesses of size, scale, and significance in the global marketplace without aggressively and effectively building and leveraging our relationships with others.

In fact, isolation is the enemy, helping to kill off hundreds of thousands of businesses each year. Especially if you are a black entrepreneur, or aspire to be one, you need to establish mutually beneficial relationships within your industry, with customers, suppliers, other business owners, bankers, lawyers, financiers, and corporate managers to grow your business. It is simple common sense that if you are in business, the more people you know, the more business you can attract and the better informed you will be to succeed as an entrepreneur. Networking often seems an overused and outdated term. But make no mistake—it’s still how business gets done.

Of course, true networking is about far more than meeting in hotel conference rooms to push business cards on each other, or even connecting on your favorite social media platform. It’s about forming authentic relationships based on a mutual desire to help each other and a genuine willingness to contribute and bring value to the table. Simply put, in order for black businesses to become full participants in the global economy, we have to be able to count on each other as vendors, customers, investors, and partners in joint ventures and strategic alliances.

A great example of this can be found in the story of Carol’s Daughter, the haircare and beauty products company founded as a mail-order and online business by Lisa Price in the ’90s. Price, who started out by experimenting with homemade fragrances and bath products in her kitchen in Brooklyn, has grown her company into a nationally recognized brand with a flagship store in Harlem and retail partnerships with the likes of Sephora, Macy’s, and Home Shopping Network. A key turning point in the success of her business: connecting with music industry executive Steve Stoute, who so believed in the potential of Price’s business that he organized an investment group, including celebrities Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, to finance expansion and a national advertising campaign. Stoute announced the deal at the 2004 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, in an effort to inspire other black businesspeople to come together to do such deals in increasing numbers and size.

As we say at Black Enterprise, the Entrepreneurs Conference is for those who want to do business, not just talk about business. If you’re serious about entrepreneurship—and I believe you are—I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta. Let’s continue to work together to grow our businesses and make deals happen.

How did I, as a young black entrepreneur, manage to get my business off the ground during a recession? How did Black Enterprise survive an even more devastating economic downturn before we even made it to our fifth anniversary? And how did we make it through five more recessions, including the one we as a nation are fighting to recover from now?

It boils down to this: faith. We never give up. We never stop believing that we will not only survive adversity, but we will conquer it, becoming wiser, stronger and better in the process. We refuse to surrender our hope.

As we close out our yearlong celebration of the 40th anniversary of Black Enterprise, I never forget that the history of our company—and that of African Americans in general—has been no crystal stair, to paraphrase the great poet Langston Hughes. We’ve made it this far not because we’ve traveled an easy road, but because we are a tough, resilient, determined people who’ve already overcome more than our share of daunting obstacles and demoralizing setbacks over the centuries, only to stand triumphant and full of hope in the end. Many of my proudest moments as the founder of Black Enterprise have come during the most difficult times. It’s our track record of surviving adversity in the past that we must focus on to maintain the confidence and determination to thrive in the future, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

I exhort you to do no less. Many of us are discouraged and frustrated because economic relief has been too slow in coming for too many people. The distress is real and legitimate; Americans of all races and economic backgrounds are under tremendous pressure as a result of an economy that continues to struggle. However, this is when we must remember that we’ve come through much worse, as individuals, as families, as a people, and as a nation. And from that we can draw new strength, renewed confidence, and faith—not just hoping we can succeed, but knowing that we will.

As we close out this year to make way for 2011, I challenge you to hold on to your dream of a better life and stay committed to striving to realize it. Keep the faith. Never give up. Do not surrender your hope. We at Black Enterprise believe in you. And through both tough and good times, we’re with you every step of the way.

On behalf of Black Enterprise and the Graves family, I wish you and yours a blessed Christmas and a New Year of realized hopes, fresh possibilities, and new prosperity.

These are questions of legacy. Now, as you might expect, the Black Enterprise Wealth for Life mission usually addresses this subject with a business and financial focus, with the goal of establishing and advancing legacies of multigenerational wealth among African Americans. Certainly, this is borne out by the content you’ll find at BlackEnterprise.com, on our Black Enterprise Business Report and Our World with Black Enterprise television programs, at Black Enterprise events, on the Black Enterprise app for the iPad, and of course,  in Black Enterprise magazine. In fact, you’ll find plenty of information and resources in this, our Annual Money Management issue, to equip you to create a financial legacy for yourself and for future generations.

However, there is far more to choosing to create a legacy than investment portfolios and business ventures. It’s not a choice made at some future time in your life, but in the present. In fact, it’s a choice you make, whether you’re aware of it or not, with every decision, every day. We are all born change agents, whether for better or for worse. We each have the power to make a difference, and it is critical—and of particular importance to the continued progress of African Americans—that we each exercise our share of that power.

Now, just how do you do that? First, you must truly believe that you matter, that you are important, and that there is difference-making power associated with your existence. Second, you must hold yourself accountable for the use of that power, not only on your own behalf, but to make a purposeful, positive impact on others. That means a commitment to preparation and the pursuit of excellence. As I said in this column in last month’s issue mediocrity won’t cut it. Your best won’t always be enough, but to knowingly allow yourself to deliver less than your best must be unacceptable to you.

Finally, you must act. Legacy builders don’t just dream, ponder, plan, or wish—they do. They show up and follow through with character and integrity. That means organizing and prioritizing your time, talent, and resources, and marshalling them on behalf of the people (including yourself), causes, and institutions you believe in. Smart, purposeful, and ethical management and investment of resources, both your own and those entrusted to you by others, is critical to legacy building and a fundamental principle of the Black Enterprise Wealth for Life creed.

Tomorrow’s legacies are created by today’s choices. I challenge you not to just leave a legacy, but to live your legacy. Our mission at Black Enterprise is and will always be to provide the information and inspiration necessary to empower you to make better choices and to live a better life. Whether or not you choose to use that power, and how you use it, is up to you. Choose well—it could make all the difference in the world.