Lil’ Jon is an Apprentice all-star. Image: Rex Features via AP Images

It’s time again. Time for another round of the business reality show The Apprentice; an “All-Star Celebrity” version for this season.  And this time around, the cast is dominated by African-American apprentice wannabes, all of whom have been on the show before. On the cast are: Dennis Rodman, Claudia Jordan, LaToya Jackson,  Omarosa (who is making a third appearance, sure to ruffle the other contestants with her famous diva attitude) and  rapper Lil’ Jon.

This comes to a surprise to Dr. Randal Pinkett, who won The Apprentice in 2005. “I am somewhat surprised particularly given the near-absence of diversity amongst the winners. It will be interesting to see if this season’s diverse cast translates into a diverse winner,” Pinkett tells Madame Noire. Pinkett has proven to be a true businessman, having just inked two billion-dollar government contracts for his company, BCT Partners.

It will be anyone’s guess who wins, but EW is counting out Rodman, Jordan and Omarosa (who recently grieved the loss of her fiancé, actor Michael Clark Duncan). Lil’ Jon and LaToya are “sleepers.”

“This  is could be the light at the end of the tunnel for the African-American chance at winning Celebrity Apprentice. [Lil Jon] did a pretty good job last time, and maybe he can do better, especially if he’s not stuck with Gary Busey for too long,” notes The Grio.

If you don’t already know, here’s what at state on what is billed as “The Ultimate Job Interview”: The winner gets $250,000 to donate to the charity of their choice. The show is in its 13th season.

By Brittany Hutson

African Americans have long been taught that the way to succeed in business is to work hard, give 200%, and stay in line with the rules of the game. Well, what happens when you do everything by the book, only to learn that your best really wasn’t good enough? This is the predicament many Blacks know too well and it was no different for Dr. Randall Pinkett.

Five years ago, Pinkett was named the first African American winner of NBC’s hit reality television show The Apprentice, where he competed against 17 other candidates for the opportunity to run one of Donald Trump’s companies for a year. Despite his achievement, Pinkett was asked to share it with a white woman. Angry and insulted, Pinkett objected. This is one moment that Pinkett describes as a “black faces in white places” moment— a point at which it becomes clear that playing well isn’t enough.

In his latest book, “Black Faces in White Places,” co-authored with Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, an assistant professor at the Rutgers Business School, Pinkett offers ten strategies on how you can succeed at playing the ‘ever-changing game’—a metaphor for the challenges minorities face. It’s a ‘game’ that Blacks still haven’t quite mastered. According to the research included in the book, 2.5 percent of executives in Fortune 500 companies were Black in in 1995; today, that percentage is nearly 4 percent. “We have a lot to do as Americans for it to be a level-playing field in this country,” says Pinkett. “That’s one of the messages that we’re really trying to amplify through this book that in 2010, that is unacceptable.”

Here’s a look at the strategies included in Pinkett’s book:

(MyCentralJersey.com) — When Randal Pinkett and Jeffrey Robinson attended Rutgers University together in the early ’90s, the glass ceiling of the corporate business world seemed impenetrable to many African Americans.  Five degrees each and several successes later, the enterprising pair has penned “Black Faces in White Places: 10 Game-Changing Strategies to Achieve Success and Find Greatness” (Amacom, $24.95), a detailed account of how they and other blacks have smashed that ceiling to win what the authors now call “the ever-changing game.”

Read More…

Earlier this month, The Atlanta Post, along with Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades) Champagne, held an awards gala to honor 9 individuals who best reflect the ambition, success and originality that constitute our brand.

As a publication which covers black business news, entrepreneurs, media and politics, we found no better way to convey our mission than to highlight those who have forged ahead in all these areas,  developed their unique brands and, in turn, raised the bar for other African-American visionaries.

Our co-host, Armand de Brignac Champagne, complemented this endeavor as a company exemplifying expertise and reflecting a standard of refinement.

IN THE CATEGORY OF: Business (1 Honoree)

Dr. Randal Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author, scholar and community servant. He is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar management, technology and policy consulting firm based in Newark, NJ.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Atlanta Post, along with Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades) Champagne,  held a gala launch party on April 6th to celebrate our site’s recent launch and to also honor the luminaries that best exemplify our brand and who serve as a beacon for all who would emulate their success. We had a great time with the eight award recipients, as well as with our spectacular guests, who enjoyed the recently rated No. 1 champagne in the world from Armand de Brignac throughout the night. Of course, we wanted to share the pics with our dedicated readers. Let us know what you think of our honorees and who we should include at our next awards event by leaving a comment, or connecting with us on Facebook or Twitter. Enjoy!

Ryan Mack of Optimum Capital Management (far left) was honored for his work in finance and Randal Pinkett (far right) was honored in the business category.  Also pictured: Manyell Akinfe and Atlanta Post editor China N. Okasi.