Fields of Success

Most of us have one reaction when we hear the name Joe Profit; we think, “Can that really be his name?” It seems all too fitting that one of the most prominent businessmen in America could have a surname that literally defines financial success. But Joe Profit’s story is about much more than success in the business field, it is about success in all fields of life.Raised in one of the poorest areas of the country during the days of segregation in the American south, Joe Profit grew strong through the lessons of determination and perseverance he learned in the cotton fields of Louisiana. After enduring the hardships of racism as a child, he elected to attend Northeast Louisiana University, an all-white state college, where he became the first African-American to play football at a white university in the entire state. After blazing a trail for African-American athletes in the south, he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. From there he started his of many businesses. He was the first African-American franchisee for the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) in the state of Georgia and quickly started a string of Burger King Franchises. At one time he owned the top two revenue earners for the company in the Atlanta region. In addition to his restaurant operations he founded his own international telecommunications firm, now named Multimedia Digital Broadcast Corporation, which INC. Magazine ranked as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in America for three years in a row. Through Profit’s business endeavors, he has given back to the private and public sectors, and has given jobs to over 800 people.Profit himself has received numerous awards, including the Granville T. Woods Award for Outstanding CEO, and Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernest & Young, one of the largest professional service firms in the nation. He was inducted into the Business and Professional Hall of Fame, the Institute of American Entrepreneurs as a life time member, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame for football. In addition to his contributions to the business world, he has served on the Federal Communications Commission, the White House Small Business Advisory Committee and the U.S. Department of Transportation Advisory Board. He has also been featured in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and on CNN.Today, Profit dedicates much of his time to charity work. His foundations, Youth United for Prosperity, Legends and Kids, and Pro Players and Entertainers Network all work to encourage underprivileged youth to pursue success in business, community, family and all areas of life.