If you have not noticed, The U.S. has been plunged into despair by a recession many of us never saw coming. As a Nation, we are at an all-time high in unemployment. As a race it is "par" for the course! African American job losses are soaring. The National rate for African Americans is 17.2% and climbing everyday with some states topping out at 20%.
The purpose of this blog is to take a look at the conditions for “A Black Man” in the U.S. now that we have our first African American President. We will ask all the right questions and speak with African Americans from coast to coast in determining the facts. However, with this topic you need only look in your own families to see its effects. Men far out pace the women in joblessness! Many African Americans I have interviewed, believe this Administration should do a better job to target our minority group with programs to correct the obvious disproportionate unemployment rates….NOT LIKELY!!!
With that being said, how are we going to get our community out of this decline?
“Black Men” we are going to have to start THINKING, DREAMING and LIVING outside those unfortunate boxes we have built for ourselves.
WE HAVE OPTIONS:
Many of our “Black Men” are unemployed (true), but this may just be the break you never thought was coming. Listed below are 5 {Just.Over.Broke} alternatives:
Let’s get back in the game “Men”
1.MLM- (Multi-level Marketing) 1860 - Traveling salesmen were known as canvassers, peddlers, hawkers and drummers. Some of these former peddlers created trained sales organizations. Had it not been for their influence, many of the corporate names we’re all familiar with today might never have been.
-Henry Heinz, a former peddler, created an organization of 400 salesmen to sell various vegetable products, like ketchup and pickles, to people who didn’t grow their own.
-Asa Candler, another former peddler, built a sales force to sell Coca-Cola syrup to restaurants after buying the formula from pharmacist John Pemberton for $2300 in 1886.
Out of these organizations came companies that allowed their salespeople to have their “own” business.
As you can see MLM’s are nothing new. Yet, in recent years there has been a influx of companies establishing excellent products throughout the U.S.
Here’s an excellent opportunity to earn a very decent income with a small investment. The best part of MLM is your investment allows you to take part of a system already in place. If you are willing to put in some time and energy you can earn at the very least part-time income.
2. Consulting- Many of us have a wealth of knowledge and experiences from our previous jobs. Corporations are at an all-time high with firing sprees, yet many of them are hiring consultants to work positions from outside the company’s umbrella. Also, depending on your particular expertise, you should be able to convert your knowledge into a need based business (computer repairs, teaching basic computer programs, teaching folks how to use their I-phones properly, graphic Art designs for social network ads, photography head shots for social medias) just to name a few. You simply have to be creative.
3. Real Estate Investor- Don’t listen to “They” out there who are telling you that real estate is dead! Have the values dropped miserably? Are people in bad loans? The answers are a resounding…YES! However, if you had the proper mentor, you would see where there is strife…there is opportunity. Real Estate will always be the #1 producer of wealthy people in the U.S. Keep in mind, there will always be a limited amount of land to buy and sell in the world. Don’t look now, but there are many investors buying up land and houses around the states who are chopping at the bit (waiting for the market to return)!
4. Start you own “Home based business”- Have you ever said to yourself “Boy if I had the time I would start (insert a business) or “Someone should open a service to do (insert the service)? There has been an influx on Millionaires created in the last 2 years due to one factor…THEY GOT FIRED! If you have that great idea, you have absolutely nothing to loose…GET STARTED! With the power of the internet and all these social networking sites, there is no excuse for a cheap way to market your product or service to the world.
5. Blogger/freelance writer- I just read yesterday a “How to make money online” by Yaro Starak http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/626/make-money-online-blogging-2/ through sponsorships. Yes, all you would be bloggers out there (We can actually earn a living doing this! LOL). Now, it takes practice and a certain knack for conveying your thoughts in a way that people want to hear what you have to say, but if you can master that (and there are tons of people out there that can teach you) you can do pretty well for yourself. Likewise, you (would be) writer barons can also find tons of freelance article work on the zillions of online blogs, websites and magazines. The pay won’t make you a millionaire but it can keep your lights on!
It is important that since we represent a large number of unemployed victims, we take some responsibility in resolving this crisis. “Black Men” have and always will represent a major created force in the U.S. Let’s take back our destinies and make the effort to think outside that damn Box! In fact as “Rev Run” said…Get rid of that damn box!
Flascucci~
Great post! Although, I'd have to say this should apply to everyone across the board. If we don't do something for ourselves and our families, who will?
ReplyDeleteMy uncles are still planning to live off their retirement benefits and I'm wondering where they think those are coming from because you know the whole system is just a bad joke.