Free Enterprise

Below is my response to this article

Sam’s Club CEO Under Fire From White Men For Insisting on Diversity

Rosalind Brewster, President & CEO of Sam’s Club since 2012

America is a corporation based on free enterprise, meaning that anyone, white, black, brown, yellow, or red can start their own business. Blaming others for your failure is nonsensical. Each of us, every human being on Earth has a gift that is uniquely theirs.

It costs less than $100 to incorporate a business in any state in the United States. I’m not sure what it costs in other countries. But the corporate tax per year is $150 before May 1 in the U.S. So for $100 plus $150 per year, you’re in business. Your target market can be anyone or just the people in your particular group. Advertisement is the key to doing business – letting people know you offer a product or service.

The problem is that people do not educate themselves on entrepreneurship. They are lazy and would rather get a J-O-B working to make somebody else (usually white men in business) RICH! The moment you take a job, you have placed a value on your time.

• If you are not getting paid what you think you are worth, who’s fault is that?
• If you don’t get the necessary degrees to increase your worth, who’s fault is that?

Stop blaming somebody else for your own shortcomings. Evidently Rosalind Brewster did the work to make herself valuable to Sam’s Club. She’s right about the importance of diversity. But how many women and people of color have done the work she has to be in the position she is in?

Either get an education or start your own business or do both. That is the solution in my opinion.

• Joan Cartwright, President & CEO of FYI Communications, Inc. (1997)
• Founder/Director of Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. (2007)