Igwe Duru, Wenetly Leaders Young Visionary '22

Wisdom And Wealth Answer To Value, Not Your Age – Change Your Mindset Today!

Wisdom And Wealth Answer To Value, Not Your Age – Change Your Mindset Today!

It’s always a great experience for me to listen to my son have a good conversation with his uncle Prince Collins T.

Yesterday, they talked about business, wealth creation, and many other related topics, and I wondered if my son was just a 10-year-old boy or an old man hiding inside his young body.

Reflecting on their conversation later through the night, I couldn’t help but remember the words of the wise Elihu who said: “But there is a spirit in man: And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” – Job ‭32‬:‭8‬.

It was an honor to explore the mind of yet another living legend. And, to have the privilege of sitting down with a young Nigerian-American Visionary who is on track to become history’s next black billionaire is not to be taken lightly.

Igwe Duru, Wenetly Leaders Young Visionary ’22

I received a life-changing message from my son, Igwe. He said, “Uncle, I want to create value and build wealth from it, and not businesses, because when you stand for something, and you take calculated risks, you get more significant rewards and stand out.”

This 10-year-old mind was more determined to learn what it means to create value and be valuable in life. It not only filled me with immense joy and pride but also served up a vital lesson and inspiration I want to share with you today.

What is your dream and purpose in life? What drives and pushes you every day to pursue those goals you’ve set for yourself? My dear, do you know that without creating value and being valuable to others, no amount of money you make can ever give you a meaningful life?

Thomas Edison invented the electric bulb.

If I were to ask you now who was the world’s richest man in 1879 – long before Forbes, you would surely need Google and a few minutes to research before you can answer that, right? However, if I asked you to name the inventor of the telephone, the light bulb, or the first airplane, your intellectual mind would readily remember those men, wouldn’t it?

Do you know why? The former amassed a lot of money and was soon forgotten after he passed on. The latter set of men, however, devoted their lives to something more profound. They sought first to create and be valuable by identifying major human problems and solving them with their inventions. Today, long after they’ve died and been buried, the world still remembers and celebrates them, and their families still benefit from the wealth those inventions generated.

The Creator gifted every one of us with our gifts, talents, and purposes when HE made us. You will be doing yourself and creation a disservice if you’re all concerned about chasing after money and businesses alone instead of seeking to create value for humanity and inevitably profiting from it.

Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone device.

Wisdom is no respecter of persons or age, and I again bless God for my charming, intelligent, sophisticated, and incredibly wise Prince Igwe Duru!

Igwe Duru, “Build Wealth Not Bussiness” Author

If a boy this young can apply himself and come up with great words and ideas like these, I believe that you can do so much more, too. Stop limiting yourself and begin to soar above every obstacle before you today!

Remain richly blessed always, amen.

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Meet 12-Year-Old Prince Michael-Alaohuru – Nigerian Royal Arts Maestro Keen To Follow After Leonardo Davinci

Meet 12-Year-Old Prince Michael-Alaohuru – Nigerian Royal Arts Maestro Keen To Follow After Leonardo Davinci

There are quite a few exceptional 12-year-olds who are doing and achieving truly remarkable feats worldwide presently. Still, this particular Prince is a boy with an in-born mastery that is both exceptional and amazing.

Born Prince Michael-Alaohuru, he is a pencil and hyperrealistic artist almost like no other, and the fact that he had no formal or instructive training before he began and mastered his craft attests to this.

Currently, a Basic 8 student at Jarspok Montessori International School Port Harcourt Rivers State in Nigeria, West Africa, Africa, Prince has been drawing for over ten years, and the young maestro has even greater plans for his talent.

“I have been drawing since I was two years old. I started drawing naturally on my own, and it was the drawings of the great Leonardo Davinci I started sketching and practicing with back then,” he revealed.

Speaking about his biggest desire and dream in life, Prince also disclosed: “I want to be one of the world’s greatest pencil and hyperrealistic artists. I see a great future for myself in this, and I’m not planning to branch out of this style of art in the future.”

The down-to-earth, vibrant, and brilliant young boy also disclosed that he would love to study in one of the most renowned Arts universities or institutions in the world and earn a good living off his art pieces within the next five years.

According to his father, Mr. Michael Alaohuru, Prince could go for hours without food or attention from anyone as long as he had a pencil and paper to play with, even when he was just a little over one year old.

 

“His mother called my attention to this initially, and I started watching him closely afterward. He was so passionate about having his fun toys (pencil and paper), and we figured that he was naturally gifted and inclined towards Fine Arts.

I’ve always supported him and my other children, and constantly push and encourage him to stop at nothing to be the best at his purpose and gifting in life,” Mr. Michael added.

Parents like the Alaohurus and many others like them worldwide give us so much hope and joy, especially with how they’re making outstanding contributions to the lives of their immensely talented children.

A child is a gift from God to you, but you must raise them well and ensure that they find their true purpose in life and fulfill it. May God bless every parent out there fulfilling this special divine mandate and watch over all their children, too…Amen!

Wenetly African-American Young Visionary

Meet Elijah Muhammad Jr. – Amazing 12-Year-Old Cybersecurity Major Making History As The Youngest Black College Student In Oklahoma

Meet Elijah Muhammad Jr. – Amazing 12-Year-Old Cybersecurity Major Making History As The Youngest Black College Student In Oklahoma

Elijah Muhammad Jr. may not look like your average pre-teen, but he is on course to break numerous educational records and make history in Oklahoma, USA, as the youngest Black college student at only 12 years old.

The boy wonder is already a high school senior at Prep One Collegiate Academy and has also enrolled in three courses at Oklahoma City Community College.

An interesting point to note, though, is that Prep One is a homeschool program led by Elijah’s father, Elijah Muhammad Sr., who has proudly stated that the boy is following after his older siblings.

His father also revealed that Elijah is poised to graduate with a high school diploma and a college degree next year.

“He’s graduating with his associate’s degree and his high school diploma at the same time, which will be next year.

Elijah Muhammad Jr. is on course to make history in Oklahoma, USA, as the youngest Black college student at only 12 years old.

“His sister just made history as the youngest graduate from Langston University and Oklahoma Community College with two associate’s degrees on the same day,” Muhammad Sr. disclosed in an interview.

Elijah’s sister, Shania Muhammad, made history when she became the youngest student to obtain an associate degree after graduating from Oklahoma Community College.

Having broken his sister’s record, Elijah is eager to emulate her by landing multiple scholarships to help pay for his education.

According to him: “I’m very excited about getting scholarships because I’ve seen my sister get multiple scholarships, and I was like, man, I can’t wait until I start getting my scholarships.”

He also revealed that many of his classmates were astonished to see someone his age taking classes with them. “A bunch of them were like, ‘How old are you? Once I told them my age, they all got surprised,” Elijah said.

Registered as a cybersecurity major, Elijah is currently taking the following courses: Computer Hardware, Intro to Computer Technology, and Computer Operating Systems.

Wenetly African-American Young Visionary

Along with making history as the youngest student to attend college in Oklahoma, Elijah also bested the average Black high school senior with his 17 composite ACT score.

Following that remarkable achievement, a historically Black college in Mississippi called Rust College awarded him a full scholarship. And according to his father, he will undoubtedly be going to an HBCU to follow in his mother’s legacy.

Muhammad Sr. further revealed that Elijah’s mother recently earned her doctorate from Hampton University and currently serves as an assistant professor and director of operations at Langston University.

On the other hand, Elijah revealed that he is still keeping his options open as he is yet to decide where he will be attending school.

When quizzed about it, he said: “I heard Hampton does have a good cybersecurity program, but I’m just exploring my options right now.”

This boy’s extraordinary story shows everyone that there are tremendous and extremely limitless potentials and blessings that being united and purposeful as a family can bring.

Much credit also goes to Elijah’s father, who is apparently very invested in developing and progressing his children’s innate abilities. We believe that every father out there in the world should emulate him.

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Meet 11-Year-Old Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke – The Autistic Artistic Genius Who Is First African To Win The Prestigious Flame of Peace Award

Meet 11-Year-Old Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke – The Autistic Artistic Genius Who Is First African To Win The Prestigious Flame of Peace Award

When Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke was reportedly diagnosed with autism when he was only 3 years and 6 months old, many other parents would have become gloomy, depressed, and given up on him. Luckily, though, Kanye’s folks were not such people, and it has worked out perfectly for him today!

Although limited in verbal skills by his physical challenge, his parents noticed early on, too, that he was an exceptionally gifted artist, and they wisely helped him to develop it fully.

A resident of Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria, his mother disclosed that they noticed that Kanye was always drawing on walls and any surface he could find. Hence he was enrolled in an art class, and he began to communicate by reflecting his emotions in his works and painting.

He has since grown into a remarkably renowned autistic artist who helps other autistic kids by raising awareness about autism.

In 2021, Kanye was awarded the prestigious Flame of Peace (Flamme des Friedens) award in Vienna, Austria. Described by many art critics as spectacular and phenomenal, the young Nigerian is the youngest ever awardee and the first-ever African in the history of the award to win it.

Flame of Peace (Flamme des Friedens) is an award granted by the Austrian non-profit organization Vereins zur Förderung des Friedens (Association for the Promotion of Peace), which promotes world peace.

Kanye was reportedly discovered by an art enthusiast who visited the Nigerian ambassador to Vienna, Austria, and saw his outstanding works on display there, and the rest is history.

His work was subsequently displayed at the prestigious annual OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) art exhibition. The premium yearly art exhibition brings together artists from around the world to showcase their works. Kanye stood out among over 70 other renowned artists and the crème de la crème of the art world present at the competition.

Speaking about the award, his mother, Sylvia Tagbo-Okeke, said: “We are happy that Kanye won the award. We have noticed his artistic skills, and we are sure that he would go places.

This award has shown that Nigerian kids can go places if given the opportunity and enabling environment. This award is not only for us but for Nigeria as a country.”

Also speaking on behalf of the institution during the award, Dr. Kolja Kramer added: “We are delighted to be able to inform the public that the selected Artist, Kayne, will receive a medal by the Flame of Peace Association handed over by the President of this institution HIRH Archduchess Herta Margarete Habsburg-Lothringen during the opening ceremony of the PEACE exhibition.”

And having received recognition from such a well-respected global organization, Kanye was also awarded the United Nations Young Artists For Peace Award.

From being diagnosed with autism before he was four to becoming the first sub-Saharan African child to receive such a prestigious award as the Flame of Peace, Kanye’s life teaches us all one crucial lesson: It is only those who quit that fail in life!

No matter the odds or how high they are stacked against you, there is always something inside you that God has deposited there to help you get through it.

When life attempts to break you with some harsh and unforeseen setbacks, never become depressed or seek to throw in the towel. An enormous gift may just be lying fallow within or around you, and God has permitted that setback to happen so that you may be still, look to HIM, and HE will surely direct you to that which will liberate you inside of you already.

His parents also teach us a great lesson that no child is useless or an unbearable burden, no matter their physical, mental, or psychological conditions. While many would have given up on the boy, they did not, and today they are reaping the fruits of their persistence and divine wisdom to hold on and help him develop his innate abilities.

Never let your present situation and challenges cloud your judgment and box you into making hasty permanent decisions.

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Meet Tanitoluwa Adewumi – Youngest National Chess Master And Best Selling Author At 11!

Meet Tanitoluwa Adewumi – Youngest National Chess Master And Best Selling Author At 11!

The story of Nigerian chess prodigy Tanitoluwa Adewumi is one that not only inspires many others still stuck in rot and trying to make better lives for themselves, but even those with seemingly established lives yet with one mental or physical challenge or the other.

If there was anyone who should never have had the mind or willpower to play, let alone excel at chess, it was Adewumi because of the harsh and life-threatening circumstances he was born and grew up in.

Before he was 8 years old, Adewumi and his family had to flee northern Nigeria and seek asylum in the United States of America because they were worried about the incessant attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram and other extremist militia groups in that region of Nigeria.

They lived in a homeless shelter in Manhattan, New York, after moving to the USA, but in 2019 the little star in the home shone brightly as the sun, and his light dispelled the darkness in their lives and home.

Adewumi won the 2019 New York State K-3 Chess Championship, and later that year, he became a national chess master, making him the 28th youngest person to achieve that feat.

That championship title win came a flow of financial support that ran into more than $190,000 in just four days for him and his family, and their lifestyle and testimony changed for good permanently.

His outstanding chess prowess also won him several other prestigious trophies and accolades. Now, the 11-year-old maestro has begun practicing for more than 10 hours daily for over a year because his new goal is to become the youngest-ever grandmaster in the history of chess. What an inspiration!

That’s not all there is to this fantastic young master, though. Adewumi now also runs an organization called the Tanitoluwa Adewumi Foundation, which focuses on helping other refugees and immigrants.

He is also an accomplished writer and author with his books “My Name Is Tani…and I Believe in Miracles” and “New Home: A Refugee Finds Hope and Kindness in America,” already rated as best-sellers with 5-star ratings across many literary platforms worldwide.

What is your excuse for keeping your light buried in obscurity and not exploring the greatness the Creator has put inside you? What is that challenge and limitation that you have allowed yourself to be subdued and constrained by?

If this remarkable young boy could break out of his daunting mental and psychological limitations to become a master at chess from the age of eight, why do you still believe that you cannot do the same and even more today?

You have a world of limitless potential and abundance within you. Reach in and break out today, and the whole world will rally and celebrate you, too, because that is what you were created to be: a celebrated star and icon!

Stay blessed always.

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Meet Alena Wicker – The Youngest Black Person To Get Into Medical School At 13, And Remarkable Inspiration To Many Others!

Meet Alena Wicker – The Youngest Black Person To Get Into Medical School At 13, And Remarkable Inspiration To Many Others!

The story of 13-year-old Alena Analeigh Wicker, who recently made history by becoming the youngest African-American person to be accepted into a medical school in the United States of America, is not only super inspiring and deeply touching, but it holds some critical lessons for many others worldwide, too.

Although the amazing young girl is reportedly almost done with her undergraduate studies at both Arizona State University and Oakwood University in just one year, she has also set her eyes on becoming a medical doctor.

And her goal, which she plans to have achieved by the time she’s 18, is already aided by the fact that the University of Alabama is already interested in her following her feat at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine.

 

After reportedly being initially accepted into ASU’s engineering program, she promptly discovered that her love for sciences was in another field. According to her: “It actually took one class in engineering for me to say this is kind of not where I wanted to go.

I think viral immunology really came from my passion for volunteering and going out there and engaging with the world. I really want to leave my mark on the world. And lead a group of girls that know what they can do.”

Alena also revealed: “What I want from healthcare is to really show these underrepresented communities that we can help, that we can find cures for these viruses. I want to inspire the girls. I want them to see that there are no limits.”

 

The young prodigy started a foundation at 12 that provides resources to exceptional minority students through scholarships and mentoring as they transition from college to career life. The foundation is known as the “Brown STEM Girl foundation.”

A profoundly deep part of her journey and story can be seen in how the fantastic young girl celebrated her mother on Instagram after receiving her Med School acceptance letter recently. Alena said:

“Today, I’m just grateful. I graduated High school LAST YEAR at 12 years old, and here I am one year later. I’ve been accepted into Med School at 13. I’m a junior in college. I’ve worked so hard to reach my goals and live my dreams.

 

Mama, I made it. I couldn’t have done it without you. You gave me every opportunity possible to be successful. You cheered me on, wiped my tears, gave me Oreos when I needed comfort, you never allowed me to settle, and disciplined me when I needed. You are the best mother a kid could ever ask for. MAMA, I MADE IT! You always believed in me. You allowed me space to grow and become and make mistakes without making me feel bad. You allowed me the opportunity to experience the world.

I pray God blesses me so big you never ever have to want for anything in this earthly life. You sacrificed so much for me (people have no idea what we have been through), and here I am while it seems so far away, the end of this college chapter is going by so fast. MOMMY, I MADE IT!”

Even if we don’t repeat anything about Alena at this point, we think the vital lesson in her remarkable story is pretty obvious already. No matter what happens in life, always ensure that you do everything within your power to give your children the very best of everything you can offer always.

Also, never forget that you are your child’s first cheerleader, motivator, confidante, inspiration, and beacon of light and hope.

 

If you give anything less than these to any child, you have set a bad precedent and example for that child, and you are unknowingly hindering their potential and purpose in life.

May God helps us to raise our children right and never become a stumbling block on their path; Amen!

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Meet Egypt’s Abdulrahman Hussain Dubbed “World’s Smartest Child” After Astounding Feat In Arithmetic Tournament!

Meet Egypt’s Abdulrahman Hussain Dubbed “World’s Smartest Child” After Astounding Feat In Arithmetic Tournament!

A 13-year-old Egyptian boy named Abdulrahman Hussain was recently dubbed the “smartest child in the world” after besting 3,000 other competitors at a global academic competition.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Intelligent Education Group (IEG) in Malaysia, the firm hosted a tournament tagged the Intelligent Mental Arithmetic International Competition, and amazingly, Abdulrahman reportedly solved 230 complex arithmetic problems in a record-breaking 8 minutes!

Held at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Malaysia, in December 2021, there were children from over 70 countries vying for the coveted title and prize at the IMA International Competition, and they were all put through a series of grueling tests during the competition.

After emerging victorious, Abdulrahman thanked his teachers and family for their guidance and support, as he acknowledged that they were why he succeeded at the tournament.

According to reports, the boy had begun training in 2012 using the Malaysian mental skills development program and had also participated in several other competitions.

His teacher, Batul Mohammed Montasser, also reportedly revealed that he had been training his mental capabilities for five years in preparation for the competition.

In a statement published on the IEG website, they believe that “child prodigies are simply children who have received an effective early education,” which is why the organization makes resources available for people to learn from the Intelligent Mental Arithmetic Programme.

“According to a scientific study, the so-called ‘child prodigy’ is but a common individual who happens to have developed an earlier and better mental faculty.

For the schooling children, the method will be of great help to them in their ability and capability of calculation, response, concentration, and memory, which in turn will assist them to balance their brain power and strengthen the function of both their left and right brains,” the IEG says.

An important lesson everyone can learn from Abdulrahman’s remarkable feat and rise to glory is that nothing just happens in life. Whatever greatness you aspire to, you must prepare and work hard for it!

The days of “Que sera sera” where people idly stood by and hoped things would fall in place for them no longer cuts it – it never did before, too!

With the help of his parents and teachers, Abdulrahman reportedly prepared for that arithmetic tournament for 5 years, and the result of such hard work paid off tremendously!

What is your child skilled and naturally passionate about today? Are you helping and encouraging them or a hindrance and burden? Please make the right choices for yourself and them today!

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Meet Barnaby Swinburne, The 12-Year-Old English Schoolboy Smarter Than Albert Einstein!

Meet Barnaby Swinburne, The 12-Year-Old English Schoolboy Smarter Than Albert Einstein!

When Barnaby Swinburne felt the Christmas spirit and asked to take the IQ Test for his Yuletide present, little did he or even his folks know that it would be a defining moment and step in his life.

This test is carried out by the renowned High IQ Society, Mensa, which carries out their evaluation by conducting two tests – one with images and sequences and a second one with a lot of languages and they use the highest result.

At the end of the test, Barnaby raked up the highest possible score for a child and scored among the top 1% and the top 4% of the world population, respectively, on the two tests.

Now, the 12-year-old English schoolboy from Bristol, United Kingdom, is regarded as one of the most brilliant kids in the world after scoring an incredible 162 on the IQ test.

According to reports, this is the highest possible score for anyone under 18, and it is also reportedly higher than that of Albert Einstein, whose IQ was thought to be 160.

A German-born theoretical physicist, Einstein is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. He is also well renowned for developing the theory of relativity and made important contributions to developing the theory of quantum mechanics.

Barnaby has now been accepted into Mensa, the High IQ Society, after they received his top score at the end of December 2021.

Mensa takes in members whose IQ range falls in the top two percent of the world’s population, and Barnaby’s score earns him a place in the top one percent.

A lover of mathematics and chemistry, Barnaby reportedly wants to become a programmer and is already checking out university courses. He plans to attend Oxford University in England.

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Huge Encouragement, Lesson As Former Receptionist Becomes FedEx’s First-Ever Black Woman CEO

Huge Encouragement, Lesson As Former Receptionist Becomes FedEx’s First-Ever Black Woman CEO

After starting in 1991 as a receptionist for the company, which at the time was called Roberts Express, FedEx’s newest CEO Ramona Hood’s story is not only profoundly inspiring but also holds some critical lessons for everyone worldwide.

Formerly the company’s Vice President of operations, strategy, and planning, Ramona becomes the first Black woman in the company’s history to take up this prestigious position.

Having always reportedly shown great potential in leadership and tested in several roles in safety, operations, sales, and more, she was recently promoted to both President and CEO of FedEx Custom Critical, which provides same-day and overnight delivery of expedited freight.

After starting in 1991 as a receptionist for the company, FedEx’s newest CEO Ramona Hood’s story is not only profoundly inspiring but also holds some critical lessons for everyone worldwide.

 

While admitting that she had always been “pretty intentional and purposeful with gaining experience” in the company, Ramona started gaining an edge over her contemporaries by offering innovative and strategic ideas.

One such idea was the program that allowed FedEx Custom Critical employees to work from home in the early 2000s. “At that time, it was not common to have call centers where you would have individuals working from home. I looked at our processes and the technology that we had, and I realized nothing was preventing us from that,” Ramona said.

From heading a subsidiary FedEx Truckload Brokerage, moving to an officer position at FedEx Supply Chain in 2016, before returning to FedEx Custom Critical for an executive position, she has gradually kept moving up the success ladder at the company.

An Executive MBA holder from Case Western Reserve University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Walsh University, Ramona provides more than 28 years of FedEx experience and competence to her role, and we want to share these two key lessons from her story below:

An Executive MBA holder from Case Western Reserve University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Walsh University, Ramona provides more than 28 years of FedEx experience and competence to her role.

 

(1) Where you start does not matter as much as where you intend to get to!

Many of the great and inspirational world leaders we celebrate today were born without “silver spoon” or fat inheritances, but they never let that deter them.

It doesn’t matter where or how you were born. What counts is what you intend to do with your life. As the popular saying goes: Being born poor is not a crime, but staying and dying poor is an abomination!

How or where you start does not matter as much as where you intend to go and what you plan to achieve.

(2) Don’t allow yourself to be belittled or downtrodden because of your humble or even wretched beginnings!

We want to hope that there are still some people at this company who knew Ramona when she started there as a receptionist. We also hope for their sakes that they were kind to her then.

On a more serious note, though, you must never let anyone belittle or talk down on you because of your humble beginnings, no matter how wretched they may seem!

Keep aspiring for greatness and more significant things in life, and in due time, your efforts, prayers, and determination will pay off and yield great results. You, too, will soon be celebrated if you do not relent or quiet.

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Meet Clarence Wooten – The Only African-American Who Has Founded & Sold 2 Tech Startups To Publicly Traded Firms

Meet Clarence Wooten – The Only African-American Who Has Founded & Sold 2 Tech Startups To Publicly Traded Firms

There had always been a mindset predominantly among the African-Americans in the United States of America that you can not become a millionaire without being an athlete or an entertainer.

This mindset held sway for decades until a generation of diverse thinking Black men and women started coming through the ranks in other sectors and showing the world that they could make seven figures in different fields and endeavors.

Clarence is the only African-American to have founded, scaled, and led two Internet startups to successful acquisitions by publicly traded companies.

 

One of such non-conformists is Clarence Wooten, a man widely renowned as a serial Silicon Valley entrepreneur and a creator and builder of several tech startups.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Clarence made his first mega millions when he sold his first tech business, ImageCafe, to Network Solutions/Verisign in 1999 for $23 Million.

According to Forbes, this deal was the launchpad for his career, and it also provided the capital for him to create more and expand and the success he has since enjoyed, too.

He is presently an Entrepreneur in Residence at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory (formerly known as Google X).

 

In an interview with Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Clarence disclosed that, although he has enjoyed massive prosperity and wealth in the tech industry, there is still a bittersweet feeling of being “a Black unicorn” in the industry.

The WSJ review of his unique story and personality said: “Mr. Wooten’s story is different in one important regard: He’s black and spent part of his childhood in the inner city.

That’s a rare biography among young millionaire Internet entrepreneurs, most of them white males, many from affluent backgrounds.”

Clarence is a former member of the board of trustees of Philadelphia University, one of the nation’s top design schools.

 

Haven spent his entire career and early life in Maryland; he moved to Palo Alto, California, in early 2011 to be bigger and better at his career and passion there in the heart of Silicon Valley.

That dream saw him found Venture Find and co-found Progressly, where he served as CEO and Chairman, respectively.

Clarence is the only African-American to have founded, scaled, and led two Internet startups to successful acquisitions by publicly traded companies. He was CEO during the sale of ImageCafe to Network Solutions in 1999 and Progressly to Box in 2018.

Upon founding Progressly, Clarence foresaw the consumerization of enterprise software and created a patented cloud-based workflow UI/UX for business processes that led to the company’s acquisition by Box in 2018.

He is presently an Entrepreneur in Residence at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory (formerly known as Google X), where he directs talented teams to create radical new technologies to solve some of the World’s most complex problems.

 

Clarence graduated magna cum laude with degrees in Business Management from Johns Hopkins’ Carey Business School and Computer-Aided Design for Architecture & Engineering from the CC of Baltimore County.

In 2006, he was named an honorary alumnus of the University of Maryland, and in 2010, he was named a distinguished alumnus of Johns Hopkins University. He was also inducted into the National Community College Hall of Fame in 2016.

Clarence is the subject of a Babson College Case Study and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and CNNfn.

A 2011 TechCrunch Disrupt finalist, he was named among the “Top 10 Blacks in Technology in 2012” by Blacks In Tech [BIT].

Clarence’s review from the WSJ and his story shows that there are no grounds you cannot break and no challenges you cannot conquer as long as you’re determined to be a success, no matter what!

 

He entered an industry that everyone regards as a “white thing run by wealthy young men,” and not only did he get a share at the table, he excelled beyond all expectations and bought his own tables!

Whatever your challenges and obstacles in life say, please know that you are only as limited as your mind agrees! If you refuse to accept any limitations in your mind and keep forging ahead, you will be celebrated as a champion too one day.

Clarence is a former member of the board of trustees of Philadelphia University, one of the nation’s top design schools. He is a proud father of two daughters.