John W. Rogers Jr. founded the nation’s first Black-owned mutual fund company and remains committed to expanding opportunities for other minority groups. Rogers comes from a family who upheld civil rights, fairness, and economic justice, he revealed in an interview with the SIU Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. It would be his father who sparked his interest in finance and economics. When Rogers was 12 years old, he received stocks as gifts for Christmas and his birthday. These included $200 worth of shares from companies such as General Motors and Commonwealth Edison, and he was able to pocket the dividends from those investments. “My dad was very insistent,” Rogers explained in the interview. “He wanted me to learn everything there is to know about the market, so he made me read the annual reports of the companies that were sent out every year, the quarterly reports that the companies would send out in those days, and I’d read about those companies.” His father also connected...
Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is a serial investor passionate about educating the youth in STEM. NFL Days Fitzgerald Jr. is a former NFL player drafted in 2004 by the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN mentions that his selection for the team was a no-brainer for general manager Rod Graves and head coach Dennis Green, who passed away in 2016. The Football Foundation notes that Fitzgerald Jr. was one of the best wide receivers in college football history. He was also the first sophomore to receive the Walter Camp Player of the Year award given to athletes who strive for excellence in their careers while benefiting others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by College Football Hall of Fame (@cfbhall) “[Green] knew the family, he knew all of that, but there was no question about [Fitzgerald’s] football ability,” Graves said, according to ESPN. “Based on all the information we had, we felt that he was the No. 1 player in the country.” Larry Fitzgerald Foundation One year after being drafted into the...
If you’ve been plugged into the stand-up comedy scene at all in the last decade or so, you’re likely well acquainted with the name Roy Wood Jr. The hilarious comedian, best known for his work as a long-time correspondent and occasional guest host on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” can most recently be seen cracking up the panel on CNN’s “Have I Got News For You.” Wood may not have invented the comedy news genre, though he’s certainly put his own entertaining spin on it, having gone on to head such significant events as the White House Correspondents Dinner . His latest stand-up comedy special, “Lonely Flowers,” premiered on Hulu today, Jan. 17. Since Roy Wood Jr has become such a hot commodity in the world of comedy lately, it only makes sense that fans are wondering just how much cash he’s taken in with his numerous hosting and writing gigs. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with a comprehensive guide to Wood’s life, career and overall net worth. Wood’s Early Life And Career...
Michael Rainey Jr. has teamed up with partners to launch a financial literacy initiative that will benefit his hometown of Staten Island, NY. Hot97 reports the actor has collaborated with the Restoring America through Recovery Education (R.A.R.E.) Foundation, which aims to provide financial education and training to underserved communities. “We are dedicated to giving every individual the opportunity to recover, improve, and thrive financially. Our mission is rooted in the belief that everyone, regardless of their past or current circumstances, deserves a respectable chance to achieve financial stability and success,” its website reads. The partnership facilitated Rainey Jr.’s appearance at Port Richmond High School, where he shared his personal journey in wealth building and provided meaningful advice to students. “As a kid being in this room I would definitely go home, ask my parents what their credit score is and then start the conversation of when can I become an authorized user...
David “Slim” Penn Jr. has opened a cannabis shop in Pasco, WA. Penn’s journey into entrepreneurship began as a child, according to the Tri-City Herald. He would mow his neighbors’ yards and had a paper route. “I remember those 20-pound papers,” he told the outlet, embellishing the weight of newspapers in the past when they were larger and heavier. Today, that business mindset has carried over into the cannabis space. Penn is now a franchisee of Lucky Leaf Co., which is owned by his friend David Morgan, who has stores in Spokane, WA, and Pasco. Penn had previously backed Morgan when he was looking to challenge the city to allow for legal cannabis sales to adults back in 2022. The following year, a council approved removal of the ban and permitted the legal sale of cannabis, paving the way for three storefronts including Lucky Leaf Co. Now, Penn will operate his own store alongside his partner Jamie Badden, who serves as the manager of the store. To get the shop up and running, they...
C. David Moody Jr. once turned down an investment from Michael Jordan for his construction business. Since 1987, Moody, a Howard University alum with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, has been leading C.D. Moody Construction. He launched the Atlanta, GA-based venture seven years after serving as a staff architect and field engineer at Bechtel Power Corp. Moody was in his early 30s at the time of the company’s launch. While speaking with AFROTECH Brand Manager Will Lucas on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, he admitted he had a team of three — which later scaled to more than 60 individuals — and launched with low capital. In fact, he and his wife had to borrow a couple thousand dollars to get C.D. Moody Construction off the ground. Moody said his saving grace was financial advice from his father, who served as a professor and later vice provost of the University of Michigan. “My dad grew up in the depression, and things were tight and he grew up very poor in Louisiana,” Moody...
For almost a decade, Michael Rainey Jr. has been a staple in 50 Cent’s TV reign on Showtime. Following the release of “Power,” the actor went on to star in its spinoff, “Power Book II: Ghost.” As the series is in its fourth and final season, Rainey has recounted his journey of being a part of the successful TV franchise. During an interview on Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, he spoke about how 50 Cent has not only been a mentor to him but also a father figure. Working closely alongside the business mogul and fellow co-stars of the “Power” franchise such as Omari Hardwick and Joseph Sikora, Rainey shared that it served as a time for learning critical skills including how to handle his money responsibly. “I’m still young, so I’m still learning how to manage my money, but I really just take advice from people that are around me,” Rainey said. “Being on ‘Power’ not only changed my life career-wise, but just being on that show, being on set with everybody every day, just being around those...
Fans of 50 Cent’s “Power” franchise may have been first introduced to Michael Rainey Jr. in 2014 for his breakout role as Tariq James St. Patrick, but his acting days started years before. In an interview with Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, the actor recalled landing his first movie, “Un Altro Mondo (Another World),” at age 9 in 2010. Before the starring role, Rainey’s acting journey began when a talent agent approached his mom to consider placing him in the business. “She literally just walked up to my mom and said, ‘Your son has a great face for acting or modeling. Does he do any of that?’” Rainey told host Rosemarie Miller. “And she was like, ‘No.’ And then, like a week after, they had a meeting in the office and after that, they just started getting me auditions.” The auditions that rolled in included TV time for shows like “Sesame Street” and more. The progression of Rainey’s gigs led to landing his bigger role on “Power.” However, prior to the hit Starz show, he says that his...
From the time he was a kid, McKinley Thompson Jr. was never afraid to chase his dreams, and now everyone has him to thank for the Ford Bronco that the culture grew to know and love. Thanks to Thompson’s imagination and skill, he made history as the first Black designer to be hired by Ford Motor Co., and his first assignment consisted of working at Ford’s advanced design studio in Dearborn, MI, per the Ford media website. His love for cars first began around age 12 when he spotted a silver-gray DeSoto Airflow in Queens, NY, the neighborhood where he was raised. “It just so happened that the clouds opened up for the sunshine to come through,” Thompson recalled in a 2001 interview that was documented by The Henry Ford. “It lit that car up like a searchlight. I was never so impressed with anything in all my life. I knew that’s what I wanted to do – I wanted to be an automobile designer.” While serving as an Army Signal Corps in World War II, Thompson learned drafting and began work as...
Floyd Mayweather Jr. , widely acclaimed as one of boxing’s most legendary figures, has enjoyed immense success inside the ring and built a substantial fortune. His strategic endeavors have solidified his status as a cultural icon, captivating both fans and investors. Based on recent evaluations up until 2023, Mayweather’s estimated net worth currently stands at $1.2 billion. Predicting his financial standing for 2024 is difficult due to the inherent volatility of investments and the multifaceted nature of his business ventures. Nevertheless, considering his track record, it’s foreseeable that Mayweather’s net worth could reach a whopping $1.5 billion by 2024. Mayweather’s Career Success Mayweather’s career in boxing is marked by a series of historic moments that solidified his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Beginning his professional journey after winning a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics , Mayweather quickly rose through the ranks. In 2007, he faced off against...
A young athlete has secured a check for his talent before turning double digits. Ghalee Wadood Jr., a 9-year-old who plays for Snoop Dogg’s Youth Football League, inked a six-figure name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with sports agency Family 4 Life — making him the youngest from the youth league to sign a contract — according to Los Angeles, CA-based KTLA-5, an affiliate of The CW Network. In addition to signing Wadood Jr., Family 4 Life represents NFL players from the New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants.
If working smarter and not harder were a person it may just be Major League Baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr.