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The Billion Dollar Brains Behind BET: Robert Johnson is Born

“We sort of lived paycheck to paycheck, like a lot of African-American families do,” says Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, “still do.”

Taking a Bet on BET: Johnson Jumps onto the Small Screen

Johnson was in a business meeting at the NCTA when he met a businessman who wanted to start a television station for the elderly. “I said, hmmm, let me see that,” recalls Johnson. “So I looked at it, and I said, wherever he had elderly I crossed out and put black people. Black people are a certain demographic, black people are poorly depicted on television, so on, and so forth.”

Lesson #1: Do Not Look at Things in Only Black and White

What is one of Johnson’s greatest successes? “Being an African American who succeeds at the highest level,” he says, “since nobody expects minorities to be there.”

Lesson #2: There Is Nothing Wrong With Being Cheap

He knows it and he’s proud of it: Robert Johnson is cheap. He did not get to where he is today by being careless with his money or by taking expensive chances. He got to the top by spending less than his competitors, by being frugal with his money, and by focusing on the bottom line.

Lesson #3: Go After Customers both New and Old

“If there’s something I can do and I feel it should be done, I just want to do it,” says Johnson. “I just don’t want to leave it undone because I’ll sit back and say, why didn’t I do that? Why didn’t I start that business?”

Lesson #4: Every Opportunity is Yours for the Taking

“I’m in business to make money,” says Johnson. “You can do well and do good. But at first, you have to focus on the blocking and tackling of running a good business.”

Lesson #5: Turn Up the Volume to Tune out the Critics

BET might have gone on the air over twenty years ago, but it has no fewer critics today than it did when it first started. Indeed, throughout its lifetime, BET has been criticized from people all across the spectrum. From white conservatives to black liberals, BET had its enemies from all walks of life. But throughout it all, Johnson remained focused on his number one goal: to make his business profitable. Other than that, there was no criticism that could distract or deter him.

Music to his Ears: How Johnson Brought BET to the Big Leagues

Not every venture Johnson started found success. A BET clothing brand and chain of themed restaurants crashed sooner than they ever took off. But before he had time to lament the failures, Johnson was already on his way to launching something new. How did Johnson manage to go from a childhood of living cheque to cheque to becoming the first self-made black billionaire in the world?

Robert Johnson Quotes

Robert Johnson Quotes

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