Log on to BlackEnterprise.com/events to see the live stream of the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference.  We’ll bring you select sessions from the conference and interviews with panelist, attendees and your fellow entrepreneurs.

See our schedule below and be sure to tune in!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

8:15 am – 8:30 am: Opening Remarks with Black Enterprise President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr.

8:30 am – 9:15 am: One on One Conversation with Tavis Smiley

9:30 am – 10:45 am: Social Media X Factor: Take Your Business Marketing Strategy to the Next Level

With strategies and best practices you need to optimize your business development, this session will ensure that your social media strategy is about to get an upgrade!

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm: Small Business Awards Luncheon featuring a one-on–one conversation with world renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm: Going Up! The Elevator Pitch Competition is Back (Hosted by PepsiCo)

Entrepreneurs bring their best 60-second business pitch and go head-to-head with fellow attendees to compete for a $10,000 grand prize, plus an 8-week mentoring workshop with The CASHFLOW!

Friday, May 25, 2012

9:15 am – 10:30 am: Sourcing Capital  for Your Tech Startup

Amazon and Facebook are online institutions, but they began as startups. This session, led by tech experts and entrepreneurs, will tell how to raise money from venture capitalists, angel investors, and other funders to get your company where it needs to be.

1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m: BE Small Business Success™ Boot Camp—Mastering the Search Engine for $$$ (Facilitated by Google)

When customers Google the service or product you offer, will they see the name of your business pop up? If not, you’re losing potential sales by the thousands.

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm: BE Small Business Success™ Boot Camp E – Mobile Marketing

It’s time to make mobile work for your business!

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm: BE 100s Anniversary Celebration & Awards Dinner (Hosted by Dell)

Kim Coles is looking forward to celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit as a judge for the finals of the Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition.

Comedian and TV personality Kim Coles is no stranger to the Hollywood scene. She is best remembered for her numerous roles in hit television shows like her five-season turn as the unforgettable “Synclaire” on FOX’s ground-breaking comedy series Living Single and her breakout performance on the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color. She also authored the book, I’m Free But It Will Cost You: The Single Life According to Kim Coles (Hyperion).

Coles is co-host of  the Oprah Winfrey Network’s (OWN) newest game show, Are You Normal America?, which will include man-on-the-street polling of diverse individuals and will premier later this summer. But before settling into this gig, Coles will join The CASHFLOW Founder Magnus Greaves, radio personality and author Michael Baisden and Black Enterprise CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. as a judge for the ever popular Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition, taking place at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26).

A group of select entrepreneurs will bring their best 60-second business pitch and go head-to-head in the high-stakes competition. The grand prize winner will be awarded $10,000, plus gain the opportunity to take advantage of an eight-week mentoring workshop with The CASHFLOW, a program to help urban entrepreneurs start and grow
businesses and gain access to capital and other resources.

Coles is eager to hear this year’s business pitches. “I’m excited about participating on this panel because I love the visionary spirit of entrepreneurship,” she says. “I applaud and admire anyone who steps out of the box and I cannot wait to cheer everyone on to the business of their dreams!”

The comedic actress has set out on her own entrepreneurial path and seeks to empower others. She is combining comedy and inspiration with Open the G.I.F.T.S., a transformational program designed to inspire her fans to identify and express their true gifts, to live life out loud, to experience greater joy, and to be more fulfilled. The G.I.F.T.S. program has been adapted for corporations, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions, and is attended for a broad audience base—women, men, teenagers, and young children.

“The G.I.F.T.S. Program is a lifestyle journey, where we encourage each other to make new choices in our lives,” says Coles, who also is operating a namesake nonprofit foundation and is producing a one-woman show this summer. “I have been on a personal journey in the last couple of years to find more purpose and passion. Of course, I have been blessed to have a very interesting, varied and fulfilling show biz career. And yes, there have been ups and downs, but I have managed to stay afloat and remain grateful even when work was scarce.”

For those top 10 finalists gearing up for the BE Elevator Pitch in Chicago, Coles offers some words of wisdom:

Be passionate about your ideas. The audience will feel it and so will the judges.

Be authentic. We can feel that too!

Make a difference. I know you want to make money. But do you want to make a difference?

Dream BIG, have fun and remember to breath!”

The Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition is one of the major attractions of the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the first black woman to build a billion-dollar company.

Oprah Winfrey may be the first Black woman self-made billionaire, but Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO of Act•1 Group, is the first Black woman to own a billion-dollar company. In 2011 Act•1, the nation’s largest Black female-owned business, held the No. 3 spot on the BE Industrial/Service list of the national’s largest Black-owned companies, with $1.4 billion in revenues for 2010. Over the last 30 years Bryant Howroyd has steered her Torrence, Calif., based-company through turbulent economic climates to emerge as a leader in the $120 billion staffing industry. The business titan and BE 100s CEO will share her keys to success as a featured keynote speaker at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26).

In 1978, Bryant Howroyd started Act•1 Personnel Services as a single-office operation that evolved into the ACT•1 Group, an expansive global operation that today employs more than 1,300 people in 240 satellite offices in the U.S. and eight other countries, offering a range of services from employee background checks to executive travel management. This growth has earned ACT•1 the distinction of being the largest woman minority-owned employment agency in the United States.

Covering an array of industries and serving corporate giants such as Merck, Sempra Energy, and AT&T, Bryant Howroyd has mapped out an expansion strategy based on understanding the demands of a changing work environment, anticipating client needs and providing customized services that deliver maximum results. The recent economy has wrecked many companies, large and small, yet, Bryant Howroyd continues to grow her business, increasing its international presence. Act•1 is well on its way to becoming a $2 billion by year-end 2012.

Bryant Howroyd represents the enterprising spirit of African American entrepreneurs—men and women—that remains unwavering. She says now is the best time to start a business because opportunities are ripe. “Whenever you have an economic situation that is weakened a bit, whenever you find societies are having challenges, you also have the opportunity to bring solutions people may not have thought about before and you can deliver in ways they’ve never been open to receive it,” she explains.

“You have to ask the right questions and listen for the right answers,” she advises, “Be where you say you’re going to be and how you say you’re going to be there; communicate with clarity and make sure you have full circle communication. Those are the simple ABC’s of business and I think they also serve very well in life as well,” adds Bryant Howroyd who believes vagueness is what causes business failure.

You also have to think and act globally. “No matter what the size of your business, no matter what the generation or iteration of your business, you are in a global business,” she says. “We all compete globally – no matter what we manufacture, no matter what we deliver as a service or a solution, there is someone else in the world also doing that–and technology has brought us together into a single community.”

Bryant Howroyd will share with new and established entrepreneurs her seven ingredients in creating success: competitive edge, dedication, dynamic foresight, resilience, focus and clarity, employee appreciation and, her biggest asset, faith.

Janice Bryant Howroyd is among the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Supermodel-turned-entrepreneur Beverly Johnson will share how reality TV fits into her branding strategy at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference. (Image: Rob Kim/FilmMagic)

Beverly Johnson is highly regarded as the premier African-American supermodel. She was the first black woman to appear on the magazine covers of Vogue and Elle. She was named one of the 20th Century’s most influential people in fashion by the New York Times. Johnson is parlaying her famous name into a line of products and also a reality TV series appearing on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), Beverly’s Full House. Johnson will be on hand to talk about the show during the session “Building Your Brand Through Reality TV” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26).

Throughout here career Johnson has understood the power of branding. In 1978, Harper’s Bazaar asked what she wanted out of her modeling career, she replied “to be a brand.”  She honed in on this marketing concept long before celebrities were considered viable brands. The right opportunity came along with the Beverly Johnson Signature Eyewear Line which was in Sears stores nationally. The next brand was The Beverly Johnson Hair Collection, which included wigs, hair extensions and other hair products for Amekor Industries. And now there is The Beverly Johnson Lifestyle Brand, a multicultural beauty line of hair care products and drawstring ponytails available at Target stores. Johnson also offers skincare, bath, and body products that are available via her website www.beverlyjohnson.com.

Johnson points to how she had always been the girl on the box, but now she owns the box and what’s in it. “I had the opportunity for the last 14 years of being the face and name of Amekor Industries. I decided it was time for me to create by own destiny. So, I made the leap of faith and decided to create, manufacture, and distribute my own line of products and to own the box my face was on,” she says, coming to the realization that there was a hole in the market for a hair and skincare line for women of color owned by a woman of color.

It was Johnson who pitched a reality TV show concept to longtime friend and branding dynamo mogul Oprah Winfrey. Beverly’s Full House explores the complex relationship between Johnson and her plus-size model daughter, Anansa Sims Patterson, her son-in-law, and her granddaughter as they all live under the one roof. “It’s a constructive show about mother and daughter relationships. I knew that if I wanted my daughter to talk to a therapist or a life coach she would have said ‘no, you may need it but I don’t.’ But she is a big fan of reality TV,” she says.

Furthermore, the television series documents Johnson’s journey in building her new company, Beverly Johnson Enterprises. At age 60 the ‘modelprenuer’ has courageously made the shift from endorsing a beauty brand to owning her self-titled beauty brand. “The series also highlights and shows women that it is never too late to empower yourself to achieve whatever goals and dreams you have inside of you,” says Johnson. “That is how Beverly’s Full House came to be.”

At the Entrepreneurs Conference, not only will Johnson provide tips on how to calculate the risks vs. the benefits of reality TV exposure, she will share some insights on building a personal and professional brand including:

Value Proposition: What do you stand for?

Differentiation: What makes you stand out?

Marketability: What makes you salable?

Johnson is among the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Soul Purpose CEO Nadine Thompson (Image: Courtesy of Subject)

When it comes to staging a comeback after a setback Nadine A. Thompson understands all too well. Thompson is the founder and CEO of the Soul Purpose Lifestyle Company, a unique direct sales company that produces natural personal care products. Soul Purpose comes on the heels of Thompson’s first venture, Warm Spirit, which she founded in 1999 but experienced a hostile takeover in 2007.

Thompson is one of the featured panelists on the session, “Sisters Inc.: Bouncing Back,” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26). The Sisters Inc. session, one of the most popular and enduring features of the conference is designed specifically as a forum for women business owners to discuss the trials and triumphs of their entrepreneurial journeys. Thompson will be joined on the session by Brenda Braxton, owner of BBraxton, Exceptional Grooming  for Exceptional Men in Harlem, N.Y. Braxton will share how she rebounded after being forced to shut down her business in 2009 due to mismanagement, and the valuable lessons she gained from the experience that has made her a better, stronger entrepreneur today.

Thompson will provide insights to other entrepreneurs on the resilience it takes to overcome perceived failures based on her own personal challenges. Thompson had it all at the time as Warm Spirit’s herbal beauty care product line had gained national recognition including Oprah’s O magazine and celebrity endorsers including Diane Keaton. With a nationwide network of more than 30,000 consultants and annual sales of over $16 million, Warm Spirit transformed the face of the direct sales and network marketing industry by providing an opportunity to achieve wealth and financial freedom that had not always been accessible for women—and even less so for the African-American community.

Brenda Braxton of BBraxton for Men

But then the unthinkable happened. Thompson lost the company to her financial investor and his new business partner after she disagreed with a business plan that they had created. Thompson says that her belief she was an equal partner, and therefore a shareholder in the company that she had created and nurtured was shattered.  “I owned nothing, not even a single share of the company that I built.” She attempted to raise the capital needed to purchase Warm Spirit but her offer was refused. She was forced out of the company. “I was devastated, crushed, and depressed. The beautiful company that I created and built over the last 10 years was stripped away,” she recalls. Even more disturbing, Warm Spirit filed for bankruptcy twelve months after Thompson left the company.

But an important message that gave her strength and helped her move forward during this trying time came from the Bible scripture: “Be Still and Know That I am God.” Committed to her goal to build a global network marketing and direct sales company that would empower women, Thompson decided to start over in 2008. Her rebirth was Soul Purpose.

“I believe more than ever that the entrepreneurial experience is a journey; the key is understanding that there will be challenges disguised as failures,” she says. “Successful entrepreneurs are those who are able to learn from the challenges and bounce back resiliently from perceived failures.”

Thompson reveals eight lessons that she has learned from her experience:

Resilience is essential! Read as much as you can about resilience and if you don’t have those skills acquire them.

Entrepreneurialism by definition includes risk. Accept that.

Challenges and opportunities for growth are often disguised as failures.

Intuition is a gift; do not ignore it!

Learn from your mistakes and do not repeat them because that it involves insanity.

When criticized hear it “with a grain of salt” but always ask yourself what the possible truth or opportunity for learning is embedded in that criticism.

Strong faith, belief in a power higher than oneself and good friends will sustain you.

Work hard every day and honor your Sabbath.

Thompson will join fellow Sister Inc. panelists to share their personal stories as well as strategies on how other women can come back and overcome challenges in life and business, whether it is a failed marriage, bad business partnership, or a major financial loss.

Thompson is among the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

The workshops, to be led by a staff of Google experts, will provide one-on-one consultation with Entrepreneurs Conference attendees, including businesses looking to launch new websites, as well as companies looking to optimize already established websites for their businesses. Among the valuable assets entrepreneurs will gain from the 1-hour workshops are online tools and training from Google team experts, as well as custom search engine optimization (SEO) strategies for their businesses. Topics covered by each workshop are as follows:

Grow Your Business Online

• Learn the basics of how other people find your business online, with methods like SEO, web analytics and more.
• Run your business more efficiently with online tools, including applications for improving collaboration and communication.

Promote Your Business Online

• Attract customers down the street or across the country with online marketing tools like Google AdWords and AdWords Express.
• Learn to focus your marketing efforts and budget for your target audience.

The workshops and free consulting services being delivered by Google, a conference sponsor, are exclusive to registrants and will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis, with limited consulting slots available. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity access the insights of Google Inc. Global Diversity Program Business Development Manager Chris Genteel, a speaker/presenter of this year’s Entrepreneurs Conference.

Google is among the major corporations looking to do business with you at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Are you ready to swim with "sharks" like FUBU Founder Daymond John?

In today’s tight economic climate, angel financing continues to fill the gap in start-up capital between family, friends, and the business owner. There are more than 300,000 angels active in the country, funding over 60,000 companies and investing about $22 billion a year. Angel investors—private high net worth individuals—continue to provide the lion’s share of all seed funding compared to venture capitalists. In fact, there was a significant increase in angel investment activity in 2011, including a rise in total investment dollars, number of investments and deal size, reports the Center for Venture Research.

Attending networking events and elevator pitch competitions are the best ways to find angel investors. Still, meeting with an angel investor to pitch your business is like having that proverbial first date. How do you ensure that what you say is a turn on and not a turn off so that you get a second date or opportunity to close the deal with a written check in hand? Helping to shed some light on this subject is Daymond John, founder and CEO of the urban clothing line FUBU, co-star of ABC’s Shark Tank, and CEO of Shark Branding, who will help kick-off the opening event, “Equity Date With An Angel,” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26). John will be joined by Timothy Reese, co-founder of the Minority Angel Investor Network and managing partner of Forge Intellectual Capital.

Timothy Reese, co-founder of the Minority Angel Investor Network

John will be on hand to hear business ideas, critique speed-date like pitches, and give tips on how best to jump-start and capitalize a business venture. He helped revolutionize the sportswear industry and urban fashion in the 1990s as founder, president and CEO of FUBU (“For Us, By Us”). He guided FUBU to $350 million in revenues in 1998, placing it at the same table with such designer sportswear labels as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger. Over the last 18 years, John has evolved into more than a fashion mogul. In 2007 the street-smart businessman penned his first book, Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding & Lifestyle, which was named one of the best business books of 2007 by the Library Journal. It was followed by The Brand Within: Branding Yourself from Birth to The Boardroom, the second title in his “Display of Power” series of business, motivational and empowerment books for budding entrepreneurs.

John says he has embarked on a newfound mission—to head to Silicon Valley. “Tech companies excite me,” he says. “I want to bring all of my celebrity friends along with all of my marketing, lifestyle and branding knowledge and dig deep into technology,” adds the ambassador for Shopify.com, where any entrepreneur can easily and readily set up a professional e-store. So, “I have been aligning myself with a lot of tech companies that make life easier for entrepreneurs.”

With multiple business ventures on his resume, the multi-millionaire Shark financier, author, and branding guru, will share his knowledge on the practices that have helped entrepreneurs get private individuals to invest in their companies, including:

How to get investors to buy into your business idea.

How to communicate clearly your business idea, your market, and your competitive advantage.

How to demonstrate that your business is scalable, with enough growth potential to be a financial success.

How to steer clear of common errors like over valuation.

How make sure you and a potential investor are an ideal match both at the initial point of investment and throughout the tenure of the deal.

Select participants of the “Equity Date With An Angel” session will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a private investor during our business coaching sessions held throughout the conference.

John and Reese are among the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Angela Benton

The controversial, highly anticipated CNN series, Black in America: The New Promised Land – Silicon Valley, hosted by Soledad O’Brien, profiled a group of African American tech entrepreneurs participating in the NewMedia Accelerator (aka NewMe), a nine-week incubator style accelerator program in Mountain View, California. NewMe helped black-owned tech startups to fine-tune their ideas, hone their presentation skills, receive mentorship from a bevy of digital rock stars, and pitch their businesses to potential investors.

NewMe co-founder Angela Benton, CEO of Black Media Web, L.L.C., along with NewMe participants Hank Williams and Anthony Frasier will head up the session,“Sourcing Capital for Your Tech Company,” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26).

Benton’s company publishes BlackWeb2.0, one of the go-to sites for African Americans in new media and the technology sector. Feeling disconnected from the strong startup environment in Silicon Valley is what birthed NewMe, which brought eight African American entrepreneurs together to live under one roof in Silicon Valley last summer. Benton also has developed an app called Cued, which creates recommendations for activities based on “where you are, what you like and your past experiences.”

Williams, an engineer turned entrepreneur, is the CEO and Founder of Kloud.co, which is an early stage tech company developing a new data management platform. He has raised $40 million in capital and has extensive knowledge about startups, having founded several tech-based companies including ClickRadio, Cybersonic and Pastel Development Corp. where he developed DayMaker, a best-selling and award winning personal information program.

Frasier is the 26-year-old co-founder of Playd, a social networking app that he likes to describe as “foursquare for gamers.” He also is the founder of The Koalition, an award-winning gaming site for urban youth and the meetup group  BrickCity Tech. Frasier received start-up funding from private investors after participating in NewMe.

During their NewMe experience, the trio represented the new face of Silicon Valley, where the startup tech scene is mostly young, white, and male. Women and Asians have made some inroads, but African-American and Latino tech leaders appear to remain a rare breed struggling to secure capital to finance their start-ups. As of 2010, black tech entrepreneurs had received just 1% of technology based equity investments.

The good news is that venture capital investment dollars grew in 2011, up 22% over the previous year. Venture capitalists invested $28.4 billion in 3,673 deals, 4% rise in deals from 2010, according to the National Venture Capital Association.  Overall investment dollars increased across every stage of development, but there was a 48% decrease in seed money, early stage investments. The Internet sector saw a bit of a jump in average funding.

While venture capitalists continue to show their interest in tech areas, they are proceeding with caution. So, the question remains how black tech entrepreneurs can get a bigger piece of the funding pie. Benton, Williams, and Frasier will address five critical capital raising issues:

How to raise money from venture capitalists, angel investors, and other funders

How to find the right source for each capital stage—research funds, seed money, and expansion financing

How to deliver what investors are looking for during an elevator pitch

How to identify and build a network of mentors, supporters and highly connected power players

How to get into incubators or accelerator programs to help take one’s startup to the next level

Benton, Frasier and Williams are among the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

Barbara Burrell (Photo by Quantrell Colbert)

Thanks to a love of exotic foods and eat-on-the-go convenience, street vendors from pushcarts to food trucks are growing at a fast pace. While fast food businesses have experienced a slowdown due to changing consumer tastes and the struggling economy, demand for unique and gourmet food trucks has surged. In fact, food trucks are one of the biggest success stories in the restaurant industry. According to a survey from the National Restaurant Association, nearly 60% of Americans said they would visit a food truck offered by their favorite restaurant, up from 47% a year ago.

There is a broad opportunity for vendors in large metropolitan areas across the country. No one knows this better than Barbara “Sky” Burrell, owner of Sky’s Gourmet Tacos in Los Angeles. Burrell will lead a panel, “No Store, No Problem,” at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo (BEEC2012) in Chicago (May 23-26), featuring business owners who are deploying various retail models to bypass the costs of brick-and-mortar retailing, such as food trucks, online retail stores, pop-up shops, and flea markets.

Burrell is a former corporate executive who literally followed her dreams into the food world. She spent the last 19 years running a successful restaurant before shifting gears to add a food truck to her operations in 2010. Burrell didn’t want to open another restaurant in a different location while in a struggling economy. So, she spent more than $100,000 purchasing a diesel truck and retrofitting it with brand new kitchen equipment. This way, her soul-inspired Mexican food brand could serve customers within a 70-mile radius. “We knew the truck would not only pick up business on the street, but it would bring new business to the restaurant,” says Burrell, who runs the business along with her son, Victor Burrell, and business partner, Kevin Minor.

Last year, Sky’s food truck generated a little over $100,000. Not only has it contributed 30% more to the company’s bottom line since 2010, but Burrell received an extra jolt of publicity when she appeared on the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race in the fall of 2011. “Now, we’re not just a destination,” she says. “We make the destination.”

Among the success secrets Burrell will share with BEEC2012 attendees:

• How to scale down the model of an existing business operation to fit a mobile or temporary retail location
• How to identify cost savings (such as no rent or other expenses associated with a brick-and-mortar location), as well as revenue growth opportunities
• How to handle securing permits, logistics, inventory, insurance and other issues for mobile or temporary retail locations
• How to use Twitter and other social media to attract new customers and generate repeat business, as well as identify new markets
• How to use non-store retail outlets to vet locations for possible brick-and-mortar expansion

Burrell is just one of the accomplished entrepreneurs who will share their success secrets at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Search and follow the hashtag #BEEC2012 on Twitter for the latest updates on conference speakers and sessions. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

This weeks book bundles are for current and potential entrepreneurs who would like to learn what has worked and what has the potential to work. Choose between book bundles about entrepreneurship, business finances, business growth and trends.

For your chance to enter visit our BE Rewarded site. For a complete list of books included in the bundle see below:

Entrepreneurship

Six Steps to Creating Profit by Patricia Sigmon

Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain by Ryan Blair

Do More Faster by David Cohen and Brad Feld

Business Finances

Harvesting Intangible Assets: Uncover Hidden Revenue In Your Company’s Intellectual Property by Andrew J. Sherman

Finance without Fear: A Guide to Creating and Managing a Profitable Business by William S. Hettinger, Ph.D. and John Dolan – Heitlinger, MBA

The Guide to Getting Paid: Weed Out Bad Paying Customers, Collect on Past Due Balances, and Avoid Bad Debt by Michelle Dunn

Business Growth & Trends

Doing Business In 21st Century India: How to Profit Today in Tomorrow’s Most Exciting Market by Gunjan Bagla

The WallStrip Edge: Using Trends to Make Money – Find Them, Ride Them, and Get Off by Howard Lindzon

Winning with Futures: The Smart Way to Recognize Opportunities, Calculate Risk, and Maximize Profits

Trends

Unthinking: The Surprising Forces Behind What We Buy by Harry Beckwith

Selling to the New Elite: Discover The Secret To Winning Over Your Wealthiest Prospects by Jim Taylor, Stephen Kraus, and Doug Harrison

Individual Titles

If You Can’t Calm the Waters Learn to Ride the Waves: How to Succeed in Turbulent Times by Clifton McKnight M. Ed

Minority Women Entrepreneurs: How Outsider Status Can Lead to Better Business Practices by Mary Godwyn and Donna Stoddard

Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies by Michael E. Gerber (Autographed)

Small business is BIG BUSINESS at the 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide, May 23-26, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to stay ahead of the curve. Beat the March 16 Early Bird deadline to get a $200 registration discount at www.blackenterprise.com/ec/! And be sure to nominate your company or another business for our Small Business Awards! Want to pitch your business idea and win $10,000? Don’t miss the chance to enter our Elevator Pitch Competition before March 30 to qualify for the $10,000 grand prize. To register and find out more, visit www.blackenterprise.com/ec/