Corey Bell Forges Ahead As Duke Wrestling's 'Smooth Operator'

Corey Bell was a 4X ACC Champion wrestler for North Carolina and has been instrumental in the development of several of Duke's upper weights in his position of assistant coach over the past several years. Coach Bell led Frank Cornely to 2 ACC Championships (2004, 2005), Levi Craig to an ACC Championship (2004) and placed all three of Duke's big men in the finals in 2005 (Frank Cornely 1st @ 184lbs, Mark Thompson 2nd @ 197lbs, and Venroy July 2nd @ HWT). Despite his impressive wrestling and coaching accomplishments on the mat, he is most noted for spending the better part of the last twenty years compiling every remix of 'The Percolator' into one comprehensive anthology.

Since he was an NCAA wrestler at UNC-Chapel Hill, this Durham native has been the resident diplomat, politician, comedian, entrepreneur, and all around 'smooth operator.' Active in many student-based organizations as an undergraduate, Bell was also a noted barber on campus. He cut friends' hair on the side and upon graduating in 2001, moved on to open three barbershops in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Corey was featured in the May 2008 issue of "Black Enterprise," under the subtitle, "Recession-Proof Investments." The article below, taken directly from that issue, discusses Coach Bell's creative approach to business and ability to grow his business each year while the economy recesses.

SMOOTH OPERATOR

Corey Lee Bell Jr. offers a new business approach with The Renaissance Barbershop. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Renaissance is Bell's third barbershop. His others, Lewayne's and The Campus Barber, are located in surrounding areas.

The 29-year-old, who graduated from University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill with bachelor's degrees in African American studies and communications, pays barbers 50% of the profits they generate month to month, rather than renting out chairs. "While [the first two] businesses were making as much as $120,000 [annually], I was still collecting only $31,000 in rent from my barbers, recalls Bell, who chose to abort this structure since launching Renaissance in October 2007.




"Under this model, my barbers make about 50% more than the average barber that rents"

For 2008, Bell anticipates total revenues for all his operations to approach $400,000, with Renaissance generating nearly 60% of that figure. Intent on remaining debt free, Bell got creative in securing capital for Renaissance. He negotiated a five-year contract with his landlords, with one year rent-free. "You've got to be as proactive, creative, and as out-of-the-box as possible.

"In the beginning, I didn't want to take too many risks," continues Bell, who got his start cutting hair for friends. "Now, I have no problem taking risks because that's where the most potential comes from."