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Shaquille O’Neal Says He Plans To Become A College Professor In A Few Years To Teach Courses About Business Administration And Mentorship

Shaquille O’Neal wants to sport a new hat in the coming years. O’Neal has established his footprint in various ways outside of his time in the NBA, which concluded in 2011 after 19 seasons. He walked away with four championship rings and career earnings totaling $286.3 million, notes Spotrac. He has since gone on to establish himself as a businessman and sports commentator, serving as a host of “Inside the NBA,” where he reportedly signed a contract extension with TNT that will earn him a $15 million annual pay day. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, O’Neal’s ventures over the years include his fast-casual restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, which operates in various states and even has a rewards deal with Carnival Cruise. He’s also the second-largest shareholder of Authentic Brands Group, a company that benefits from his name and likeness through merchandise and endorsements, in addition to those of other prominent figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and...

May 12, 2025

Shaquille O'Neal Explains Why He Passed On 2 Deals With A Major Cereal Brand After Winning Consecutive NBA Championships

After winning an NBA Championship, Shaquille O’Neal once turned down a deal with a major cereal brand. Back in 2001, O’Neal secured his second national championship alongside his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant. O’Neal put up 29 points, leading the team to victory, according to the NBA. Unsurprisingly, offers were coming O’Neal’s way, including from Wheaties cereal. They had also reached out when he secured his first championship in 2000. However, O’Neal declined both times. He was more of a fan of its competitors, such as Frosted Flakes and Fruity Pebbles. “My people said, ‘Hey man, won’t you be on the cover of Wheaties.’ I said, ‘I can’t do that.’ They said, ‘What do you mean, brother? Breakfast of champions.’ I said, ‘Don’t know what it tastes like, never gonna taste it.’ ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Well, Frosted Flakes will always be my first option if you want to talk cereal business with me and Fruit Loops, then Fruity Pebbles,” he said in an interview with The Wall...

Jan 10, 2025

Costco's Board Of Directors Requests For Shareholders To Vote Against A Policy That Would Remove Its DEI Program

Costco is doubling down on its decision to maintain its DEI policies. This comes amid several major companies retracting their commitments, such as Google. CNBC reported that Google had established new programs to empower Black staffers following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. At the time, its CEO, Sundar Pichai, stated the intention “to build sustainable equity for Google’s Black+ community, and externally, to make our products and programs helpful in the moments that matter most to Black users.” The company aimed for a benchmark of 30% of leadership being composed of underrepresented groups by 2025. However, in the years since, Google has fallen significantly short of that goal by reducing staff and shrinking programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as has its parent company Alphabet. By mid-2023, DEI job postings by companies in general were showing a downward trend. Job site Indeed offered data that revealed a drop of 44% in postings compared to the...

Dec 31, 2024

Funny Marco Net Worth: How the Comedian Built His Fortune

Funny Marco, the popular comedian and social media influencer, has captured the attention of millions with his hilarious pranks and engaging content. As his fan base continues to grow, many people are curious about his net worth and how he turned comedy into a lucrative career. Let’s explore Funny Marco’s net worth, how he earns his money, and the steps that led to his financial success. Income From Social Media And YouTube Funny Marco initially rose to fame through his viral prank videos on Instagram and YouTube . His unique humor and ability to keep audiences entertained helped him gain millions of followers across multiple platforms. These social media channels not only gave him a large fan base but also opened the door to lucrative opportunities. Through YouTube ad revenue, brand partnerships, and sponsored content, Marco earns a significant portion of his income. With millions of views on his videos, he has become a recognizable figure in online entertainment, and platforms...

Nov 8, 2024

The Largest Black-Owned Dentistry In Charlotte, NC, Is Embracing The Latest Technology To Improve Patient Experience

Justin Harlow’s dental practice is expanding across Charlotte, NC. The dentist leads Harlow Dental, which offers cosmetic dentistry, invisible aligners, tooth extractions, dental implants, and porcelain veneers, among others. Per the company website, the clinic also has the latest technology to provide care for its patients. These improvements include digital X-rays that use less radiation. “The old-fashioned, uncomfortable, traditional dental x-ray is a thing of the past. Digital radiography has not only sped up the x-ray process, these modern x-ray machines give off much less radiation, making them safer for all patients,” the website mentioned. “In addition, both dentist and patient can view digital x-rays immediately. The images created by these x-rays can also be enhanced, showing a level of detail that is just not possible with traditional x-rays. The results can easily be emailed to specialists or your insurance company, offering a much higher level of convenience.” Other...

Oct 10, 2024

Terrell Davis Shares How An 'Unethical' Financial Advisor Led Him To Enlist An Unofficial Board Of Directors During His Early Days In The NFL

Former NFL player Terrell Davis had to get rid of an accountant for being unethical. During an interview with AFROTECH™, the two-time Super Bowl champion reflects on early financial decisions he made during his foray into the league. He had been drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1995 and entered into a three-year deal, worth $484,000, which included a $38,000 signing bonus, per Spotrac. “When I first got into the league, there was no financial education. It was just trying to figure things out the best way you could and that was it,” he mentioned. “There was no one who came up to me and told me, ‘Here’s the plan. Let’s do X, let’s do Y, let’s do Z.’ There was none of that. So I had to look around and just watch people and see what they were doing.” Among Davis’ lessons included the importance of hiring the right team to help him navigate the business of being an athlete. Early on, he worked with an advisor, who he was referred to by another individual. It became clear the advisor...

Oct 7, 2024

Melissa Pennington Shares How She Leverages Artificial Intelligence To Enhance The HR Experience

Melissa Pennington is leveraging the advancements of technology to improve her work in human resources (HR). Exposure To Human Resources The Queens, NY, native carries more than two decades in the sector, which she was first introduced to as a high school student. She took a Myers-Briggs personality test, which suggested she consider a career in HR. She was unfamiliar with what it entailed until further research. “I remember thinking, ‘What is that?’ The more I explored, the more I realized how perfectly it aligned with who I am,” she told AFROTECH™ in an email interview. “As I grew into my career, I started to understand the impact HR could have — not just as the department dealing with policies or consequences, but as a true catalyst for positive change.” Pennington’s focus in her work would settle on nonprofits and medium to small-sized businesses. This was inspired by her grandmother, who moved to the United States in pursuit of the American dream. She owned multiple beauty...

Oct 7, 2024

Authentic Brands Group, With Shaquille O'Neal As Its Second-Largest Shareholder, Finalizes Its $1.2B Purchase Of Champion

It’s official! Shaquille O’Neal is tied to a billion-dollar deal! As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, O’Neal is the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group. This is the result of a 2015 deal that gave the company the rights to manage his name in merchandise and endorsements. O’Neal explained the significance of the deal during a previous AFROTECH™ interview stating, “My Authentic Brands deal, I was able to ensure that hopefully I can stay around after I’m no longer on this earth. And I was walking down the street one day and looking at these Elvis cups and Elvis key chains and Marilyn Monroe, and I said to myself, ‘How are these people still making money for their families?’ They’re not even around. So, I found out how that business works, and I contacted two or three of those agencies and asked them if they were interested in partnering with Authentic Brands, and we’ve been doing major things.” He added, “I’m now the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group,...

Oct 4, 2024

Following Diddy's Exit, Revolt Employees Now Become The Company's Largest Shareholder Group

Revolt employees now become the largest shareholder group of the media company, The New York Times reports. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Diddy had exited his position as chairman of Revolt TV and sold his remaining shares to an anonymous buyer. Now it has been announced by Revolt CEO Detavio Samuels that Diddy has officially separated from the company he founded in 2013 alongside Andy Schuon. “One-hundred percent of Sean Combs’s shares have been redeemed and retired,” Samuels said, according to The New York Times. “He is no longer chairman. He is no longer on the board. He has no shares, no equity in Revolt. We have completely separated and dissociated from each other.” The majority of Revolt’s employees, which consists of about 80% people of color, are now the company’s largest shareholder group, the outlet notes. The initial value of Diddy’s shares in the company is unclear. “Today marks one of the biggest days we’ve seen at REVOLT and in media (especially Black media),”...

Jun 4, 2024

Kenny Smith Earns More As A TNT Host Than He Did In The NBA

Kenny Smith has become a familiar face in sports broadcasting, and he’s being fairly compensated for his contributions. His background in sports can be traced back to his playing days on the basketball courts of the University of North Carolina, according to the National Urban League. Upon graduating with a degree in Industrial Relations, he would be drafted to the Sacramento Kings as a sixth overall draft pick in 1987, ESPN reports. On Oct. 14, 1987, Smith signed a multi-year contract with the team, RealGM mentions. He would go on to play for several teams, including the Houston Rockets, for six seasons. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kenny Smith (@kennysmith) They would earn two National Championships in 1994 and 1995 during his tenure. “I was one of the perfect pieces that fit into that championship mix,” Smith told Houstonia Magazine. Smith played for a total of ten seasons in the NBA and also attached his name to the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic,...

Apr 30, 2024

East Chop Capital Closes Second Fund Valued At $11M To Expand Minority Investors’ Access To Alternative Investments

East Chop Capital has closed its funding and will deploy capital to Black investors. According to a press release provided to AFROTECH™, the private equity firm’s founders and HBCU graduates Calvin L. Butts Jr. and Carrington Carter have closed an $11 million fund, which draws equity investments from 93 limited partnerships, including Liberty Financial Services. This brings East Chop Capital’s total raise to $15 million. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, $4 million in 2021 had been raised to support its presence in the global vacation market, which is projected to reach $132.7 billion in 2033, as reported by Future Market Insight. East Chop Capital is poised to achieve a 25% return, taking into consideration the fees or expenses involved in overseeing the fund. With additional capital at its disposal, East Chop Capital is poised to amplify its efforts in the initial round, with plans already set in motion to invest in Florida and Texas. “Fund II is about scale and pattern...

Apr 30, 2024

Authentic Brands Group, With Shaquille O'Neal As Its Second-Largest Shareholder, Agrees To Buy Champion In $1B Deal

Shaquille O’Neal’s Authentic Brands Group (ABG) deal continues to pay off. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, O’Neal’s agreement with the brand management company in 2015 allowed the group to profit from his name and likeness in merchandise and endorsements. The Hall of Famer joins its roster of other prominent names such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jackson. “We’re thrilled to have a true business partner in Shaq,” Nick Woodhouse, ABG president and chief marketing officer, told ESPN at the time. “Through his bigger-than-life personality, he has turned himself into one of the strongest sports brands in the world.” In return for signing onto the deal, O’Neal became ABG’s second-largest shareholder, and to date he credits this as his turning point in business. “My Authentic Brands deal, I was able to ensure that hopefully I can stay around after I’m no longer on this earth,” O’Neal explained to AFROTECH™ . “And I was walking down the street one day and...

Apr 24, 2024