Introducing CM Cap.

I have been an entrepreneur for over 14 years. And in that time I have been intimately involved with and have faced many of the issues and challenges encountered by business owners. From marketing strategy to answering the question of ‘access to capital,’ I have experienced the reality of what one goes through in turning an idea, into a profitable business venture. I also know the experience of meeting temporary defeat in the same cause, and other highs and lows.

I have been a journalist or publisher working in print, electronic, and broadcast media for over 13 years. And in that time I have been involved in show hosting, investigative reporting, commentary, news analysis, and editorializing for international, Black, alternative, entertainment, financial, and mainstream media outlets. As a result I’ve seen how news is broken, images are made, controversy started, and the power of truth – when it is established and when it falls to the earth and lies in the street.

I have been a producer, promoter, manager, adviser, and consultant in the music industry for over 18 years. And in that time I have seen the entertainment industry from every angle imaginable, in front of the camera, behind it, from the perspective of the established celebrity and aspiring artist, to that of the mogul and multi-national corporation. I have seen true creative genius and disposable talent, fads, trends and business models that are built last. I have also seen entire business models crushed by technological change, competition and substitutes.

I have been a macro and business economist for over 8 years. And in that time I have advised small businesses, corporations, state, local and federal government, as well as foreign governments. I have provided media strategy and analyzed business plans for businesses seeking as little as $2,500 and as much as $40 million. I have seen stubbornness in CEOs; mistakes and errors by CFOs; arrogance by COOs. I have witnesses the process of change at the managerial level, and the ability of individuals at all levels, to make a difference that matters to organizational culture and which means success and profitability for the bottom line.

I have been a political strategist for over 4 years. And in that time I have advised elected officials and politicians on campaigns, media, message, debate preparation, and outreach. I have ghostwritten speeches, performed opposition research and served as a backdoor emissary to and for those in power, as well as those seeking it. I have seen the interplay of power centers and the negotiations that take place between the most influential individuals and institutions in culture, economics and the political arena.

All of these experiences and perspectives inform my view of what makes things happen, and the incredibly important role that personal power, entrepreneurs, and business activity plays in the world today.

All of these experiences and perspectives have shaped the vision of CM Cap - The Power Brokering, Entrepreneurial Development, and Business Growth Company – and have inspired me to bring it forth.

****

While I have worked with individuals and institutions of all creeds, classes and colors – and will continue to do so, my heart is foremost with the Black entrepreneur and the unique mass movement that I believe is underway in North America. While it is local in scope, it is global in reach. In all of my years of interaction in the areas described above I have recognized unique challenges, intriguing opportunities, and peculiar or striking circumstances where Black business is concerned. I write about many of these in my forthcoming book, The Science of Business.

One of these striking circumstances that I have observed and encountered is how important strategy is, and could be, to Black entrepreneurs and small business owners, if only they were able to receive it in a way that was easy-to-understand, and applicable to their cultural experience, and affordable. Too often, it seems that strategy is something reserved for larger or non-Black organizations and leaders – the domain of a few to provide, folks like the enormously influential McKinsey & Company. And that it is something that in the minds of too many Black cultural, political, and economic institutions is a luxury or something abstract, that is not relevant to their daily struggles. The reasons for this void or disconnect are many. Some of it is cultural conditioning, much of it stems from slavery and discrimination, and part of it is due to the inability of strategists to speak the language of Black people – which is more than ‘technical speak’ – and understand how powerful an effect culture and the individual spirit has on entrepreneurship and business.

And this inability or oversight is not just something exclusive to those outside of the Black community. I have found that many of our brightest and brilliant minds in business, and those who are most accomplished and held as role models of success, have gone to extremes in internalizing and promoting a ‘mainstream’ approach to business that is not only impractical to the masses of Black entrepreneurs but which is in many ways, unrealistic and a form of romanticism. In an effort to be held out as examples of the American Dream, many Black entrepreneurs and business leaders have advertised the roots of their own success improperly and incompletely.

While in the short term this may endear them to key power centers in the American establishment, in the long-term, it minimizes their sacrifice and trivializes the contribution they could make to those who are mired in the cultural struggle that they, themselves came from, and which is largely responsible for their success. Big subject. And something I intend to write about in the blog and communications section right off of the front-page of CM Cap. “CM Cap Communications” is my forum to give my latest thinking on events, articles, individuals and institutions that are relevant to entrepreneurship and business – all from the unique perspective that my experience and business philosophy informs. And all in language that you can relate to and understand (that does not mean you won’t need a dictionary every now and then). I hope you will book mark and check it out regularly.

CM Cap starts where the others have left off or never go. We are the first company that we know of solely dedicated to providing high level strategic consulting to the Black Entrepreneur, Start-up and existing Small Business.

And we aren’t coming to this legion and army empty-handed.

All of the best insights I have obtained from the worlds of culture, economic and politics are leveraged, as well as a philosophy, The Science of Business ™ and a unique Hip-Hoppreneur ™ service to encourage and support individuals, businesses and a mass movement.

The Science Of Business ™ is a model - a worldview of uniquely organized insights regarding the five pillars of Capital, Power, Will, Suffering and Standardization that are presented in the forthcoming book by the same title, and applied through five services at CM Cap available at :http://cmcap.com/home.asp?sec=services.

The Hip-Hoppreneur ™ service is an offering of business advisory services for artists, moguls, and those in this generation influence by a culture that places street credibility, loyalty, and a connection to one’s community as the highest of values. What many thought was only an artistic and cultural expression, we believe is the foundation of an entrepreneurial strategy and business model that can enrich individual business, create wealth and develop communities.


****

With CM Cap my deepest desire is to be a tangible factor of power contributing to a resolution of the ‘access to capital’ problem experienced by Black entrepreneurs. It is a problem that all of us are dealing with. I initially though the major obstacle in this area was matching entrepreneurs with capital providers from capital markets. I now know better, and understand deeper, that while the entrepreneur learns to follow a more scientific approach in conceiving, planning and organizing their business, they also need to broaden his definition of capital and must become an active agent in helping to organize pools of it for her or himself to access.

I think that some of the insights that I have and my experience and perspective - recently sharpened by an intense study of business and finance and their intersection with politics, culture and economics (as part of my effort to write The Science of Business) – has something to offer that is currently unavailable.

And not only that, we have worked extremely hard to make the strategic advice that we provide – in one form or another - affordable to any person or business, regardless to what level they are in the process. We have five offerings altogether, and can provide other services upon request and through other financing arrangements.

There are many folks out – authors, economists, self-help experts, and opinion leaders – who provide important pieces to the puzzle which make for keys to success in business. I respect and have learned from many of them. But my realization is that unless all of the best of those perspectives, and a few others not usually applied to entrepreneurship, are organized and applied to this mass movement in Black business development, they amount to little more that case studies, examples, and literature, disconnected from a larger and greater impact than individual success stories, theories, and historical accounts can provide.

We have many economic development advocates. We have many business professionals and experts. We have many inspirational guides. And we have strong political advocates and thinkers in this field, but few, that I think, are able to speak all of the languages and organize them efficiently and effectively and present them as advice, that any first time entrepreneur or small business owner is able to follow and immediately benefit from.

For years I have quietly provided this kind of advice to people across the spectrum – writing marketing plans, business plans and advising on valuations, operations and management structures and hierarchies. I have also connected entrepreneurs to capital sources and dissected the most complicated of business transactions on behalf of clients. It is one of the reasons that everyone from television networks, to small business owners, government agencies, Members of Congress, record labels, religious leaders and private equity firms have sought my insight and access to my network. I consider it a high honor.

And I would now like to provide the same advice, and even better, to those who need it the most, the members of this mass movement of disproportionate ‘do for self’ entrepreneurship taking place on the ground, particularly in cities all over this country.

So, if you are a professional thinking of starting your own business; an entrepreneur who has already made that decision, or an existing business grinding it out, I hope that you will see value in what we have to offer and take advantage of our services.




CM Cap: The Only Strategic Consulting Firm Dedicated To The Black Entrepreneur and Start-Up

Cedric Muhammad

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

To discuss this article further enter The Deeper Look Dialogue Room

The views and opinions expressed herein by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions or position of BlackElectorate.com or Black Electorate Communications.