The Reasons ‘Black Enterprise’ Chose Atlanta for Its 15th Annual Entrepreneurs Conference

When Black Enterprise magazine held their press conference to announce they are bringing the renowned Entrepreneurs Conference Expo to Atlanta, it will be, shall we say, the confluence of mutually agreeable circumstances. Meaning that the premier publication for African American wealth creation will conjoin with the city that best exemplifies the ethos BE ardently advocates.

There are multiple factors make Atlanta the ideal city to host BE‘s 15th annual Entrepreneurs Conference and Expo on May 16–19 at the prestigious Marriott Marquis:

1. Black prosperity: DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta jostles with Prince George’s County in suburban Washington for the title as the wealthiest county of blacks in the country.

2. The Cascade Road corridor in southwest Atlanta was featured on “60 Minutes” several years ago as the wealthiest black zip code (30331) in the world, the home of multiple athletes, celebrities and African American dignitaries.

3. Black Hollywood: The successes of Tyler Perry Studios, Rainforest Films, BET’s “Mo’Nique” show, and the productions of the notorious “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Keyshia Cole’s “The Way it Is,” as well as “Tiny & Toya” and “Being Bobby Brown,” among others, Atlanta has gained the reputation as “Hollywood South.” The Atlanta metropolitan area is also home or a second home to many African American athletes, hip-hop stars, actors and other celebrities.

4. Promise of Success: Black Americans believe they can achieve upward mobility and ascend the corporate hierarchy by moving to Atlanta. Also, Atlanta is home to a plethora of colleges, universities and leading black institutions, including the famed Atlanta University Center.

5. Atlanta is the city that arguably most African American adults want to move to or vacation in.

There are additional reasons, as pointed out by Black Enterprise‘s formidable CEO, Earl “Butch” Graves Jr.:

“It always surprises people to hear my father [legendary BE founder Earl Graves Sr.] say that if he were launching a business today, he’d forget New York and start right here in Atlanta,” he said at Atlanta City Hall with Mayor Kasim Reed at his flank. “Why? Because [for] those out there just starting out and looking for healthy opportunities, the South trumps the North [as] a strong environment for small business and responsive political leadership. No city fits those requirements [better] than in Atlanta.

“[It is] a city long recognized by Black Enterprise and the world for that matter, it is the cradle of African American achievement and civil rights advocacy, political influence, new opportunities in business,“ Graves adds. “Little wonder our readers have consistently voted Atlanta as one of the best cities to live for African Americans.” –terry shropshire