Name: Bilal S. Little
Profession: Investment Consultant
Age: 31
One Word That Describes You: Charming
Born in the industrious town of Waterbury, Connecticut, Bilal S. Little has worked his way up from a talented and studious young athlete into a top ranking executive at a private financial investment firm. Now, the 31-year-old University of Southern California Marshall School of Business attendee sits as the senior vice president and regional director in the Advisor Solutions Group at Neuberger Berman. The New York City-founded company was launched in 1939 and today has $250 billion in assets under management.
The “Brass City” investment consultant provides consultations to financial advisers in Southern California and Hawaii at Neuberger Berman, having joined the firm in 2006. The son of a Christian mother and Muslim father, he utilized his duality of faith and focus within self to cultivate a simple path to serve as inspiration upon entering into the demanding world of finance. “It was simple,” he tells BE Modern Man, “following graduation from Hofstra University in 2006; I was awarded an opportunity to learn about the asset management business.”
Neuberger Berman had been owned by Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. since 2003, operating as the asset management arm of the investment bank, until Lehman filed for bankruptcy in 2008, during an historic time of crisis on Wall Street. On September 15th, the date of Lehman’s bankruptcy, Little retained $300 million in funds under management. He credits his experience as a competitive athlete with helping him to remain focused and determined during this time of turmoil and transition for Neuberger Berman, and the financial sector in general. “I played football at Hofstra University,” he explains, “and I ran track and field in high school, so having always played sports helped me deal with adversity.”
Holding a bachelor’s of arts in interdisciplinary studies, he had the fortitude to expand his knowledge and skill set with Neuberger Berman as an internal sales associate, running his own region. “Staying updated on unique investment products and maintaining strong client relationships were key challenges that I struggled with initially. It was similar to running my own business,” Little says.
At Neuberger Berman, Little continues to develop and hone his skills, becoming one of the top ranked salespersons—raising approximately $500 million for the company. As a man indebted to the lessons learned from team activities, we asked Little if his own peers were supportive or dismissive of his aspirations. He says, “Donald Somerville, my mentor, as well as a great supporting cast of people, have influenced my life. A strong mentor helped to pull me towards my goals, while supportive peers helped to push me toward them. Because I fully understand this concept, I am mindful of the people who are around me at all times. Additionally, I seek out others that have been
through unique experiences that can help me reach my undiscovered potential.” It is that passionate seeking of knowledge that highlights just how normal it is to be extraordinary as a black man.“There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs.”
Read on Page 2 to find out just how important this Zig Ziglar quote is to our BE Modern Man, Mr. Bilal S. Little!
Little cites this as his favorite quote, which means he surely knows the ethos of hard work. Other key tenets that he believes are integral to black men’s success: “intellectual development and the empowerment of our communities. I have always believed that God has created all men equally, but these are intangible core values [that black men have that] are based on integrity, self-respect, and a sense of community,” he says. As an energetic young man, full of life, and a lover of reading and training his mental faculties, Little serves as proof positive.
As a current student at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, Little is studying for his executive M.B.A. While enrolled, he has learned some significant life hacks that he urges others to take advantage of when it comes to collaboration, whether in a big group or alongside a peer. “One of my recent professors, David Logan, who teaches a course on Leadership, Management and Strategy, co-authored a book called,Tribal Leadership,” he says. “In short, people are motivated by different things, but as a leader, the motivating factors can vary greatly depending on the subset of people you are working with. By fostering a healthy collaborative environment through listening to your group dynamics before offering a solution, a person can achieve greater results quickly.” Little also says that Nelson Mandela is an ideal historical figure to look up to when rooted in education or trying to learn one’s craft.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” he says. “Because I work in the world of finance, I have a unique perspective. I tend to equate education with information. For me, it is the great equalizer that can bridge so many gaps. Remain driven by information and you become limitless in what you can achieve.” Through learning his own strengths and weaknesses profoundly, Little was able to stave off any high level of doubt while courting his future successes. In fact, we asked him what about his greatest career setback, and his answer may surprise you. “With a doubt that was rooted in my sense of belonging in this industry, I failed a security license exam (Series 7) at my first attempts. I had the support of my firm, friends, and mentors, but I needed to develop a true understanding of the laws and regulations that governed my industry before
trying to answer questions on an exam.” Having grown stronger from the hitch in his plans, Little figured out his own personal learning style, which allowed him to succeed in part due to the failures he experienced in the past.Bilal S. Little, a man with athletic prowess and financial intellectualism, utilized lessons learned from Waterbury, Connecticut, to become the answer to the quid aere perennius question. Understanding that a “paradigm shift” is happening when it comes to black men, as a BE Modern Man, Little wants the reader to know that there’s more to us than what meets the eye. “We have lawyers, doctors, professors, and businessmen and women that are model citizens,” he says. “We have more than just sports and entertainment representatives.” Believing that as more examples of these “outstanding figures” are highlighted by exemplary measures, Little urges us to consider that certain tangibles (size of wallet or social standings) will fall to the wayside in favor of community, belonging, and self-confidence.
We at Black Enterprise salute you, Bilal S. Little, for contributing positive images of African and African American culture to the masses. Your mission of showcasing black excellence through education and refined execution frames us in an enthusiastic light, and is meant to be celebrated and appreciated!
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