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Archives for May 2015

Anu Prestonia

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Womeneur Spotlight” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Take a walk down the path of these entrepreneurs, business owners and progressive women.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^2944|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/womeneur-spotlight-anu-prestonia_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-anu-prestonia_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461296616250{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461296463443{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

ANU PRESTONIA

CEO & FOUNDER[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ accent_color=”#e3672b” css=”.vc_custom_1460496937176{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Website:

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”https://www.facebook.com/AnuEssentialsHairBody” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/anuessentials” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/anuessentials” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2942″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Anu Prestonia is a trailblazer in the natural hair care industry. She opened the doors to in 1989 in a Brooklyn brownstone and has since set up up shop in Manhattan and is currently located on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill. Over the years, her salon has serviced A-list clientele such as Oprah Winfrey, Terry McMillan, Angela Basset and others. The certified Hatha Yoga Instructor promotes healthy living and lifestyle and also began creating a line of natural hair oils. The line has since expanded to include bath and body products and launched Summer 2012 as .

What inspired your journey into business?
My product line is an extension of my salon business. I was inspired to offer clients botanically infused, organic products to offer the healthiest open for their hair, their bodies and the planet.

What steps did you take to start your business?
Research to find a manufacturer whose philosophy was in line with mine. I also did testing and market research. In addition, I had decades of hands on experience with my target market.

What are your biggest fears?
That I won’t find the funding I need.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Knowing that what I offer has value and that I have put so much into it already helps me to get through the rough times.

What are your weakness in business and how have worked pass them? 
My weakness is working with the financials. I am still working on understanding them and trying to find them as compelling as marketing.

What’s been most rewarding?
What has been most rewarding is the testimonials I have received from happy clients.

Who were you before you started your business?
I was a student in college studying communications

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
I would have studied business and accounting

What’s one good software or application you cannot live without?
STX and Quick Books

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
Building my on line social presence. Communicating with my customer about the benefits

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I see my brand expanded to include a dozens of new products and being distributed nationally and internationally.

What are 3 tips you can share with budding and current entrepreneurs/business owners?

  1. Only do it if you love what you’re about to invest in. Passion and love will get you through the rough time and there will be tough times.
  2. Learn all you can about the industry you’re going into.
  3. Learn as much about money and metrics as possible.

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Don’t Let Social Media Popularity Define You

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Today, social media has helped many businesses grow and evolve. It is also a steady platform for creative minds. The progressive leap of digital media has inspired many entrepreneurial spirits to connect their ideas with others all over the world. In the midst of all the awesomeness, there are still a few who have fallen in the category of “doing it for the gram.” I’m referring to folks who feel inclined to say things they don’t mean or react in ways that step out of their character. The type of people with a sole purpose of competing for followers rather than staying connected with their followers.

During a recent Twitter chat centered on Black creativity, we all agreed that social media is a great place for self-promotion. Some wondered, at what point does self-promotion become too much? My answer? – When you break out of character for recognition and not for growth.

Sometimes, we come across people who feel validated by their high number of followers or their thousand and one likes. They begin to exude this level of importance that becomes a turnoff for people who just wish to connect. They end up thirsting for recognition on social media over effectively growing and developing their creativity.

The important thing folks forget, is that people are watching. Observers notice when your authenticity dwindles. They notice when you start focusing on someone else’s agenda and not your own. Like an internal radar, they can sense when you’ve traded in your dreams for the mirage of popularity. They lose their genuine connection with you and in the end, you’ve lost.

Like growing up and into your own, it’s important to remember to stay grounded. Think of it as if a gust of wind trying to swoop you in a foreign direction but your values and your dreams hold you steady. As a writer, I have battled with staying on my own path. I won’t deny that I have strayed into territories I should have avoided but growing is learning and I’ve learned it’s more important to stay true to myself. The digital world can sometimes promote competition and it’s only natural to get swept up into the mix but I’ll let you in on a little secret. – Everyone doesn’t have to like you for you to love yourself.

Of course, we all want to be liked and praised on our everlasting wisdom, but let’s be real, there will always be that one person who will disagree. One useful tactic to keep under your belt is to ignore the critics. And it starts with being true to yourself. If in fact that you are, then the opinions of your peers will never affect you, because you know how to take the insults and competitive rants with a grain of salt.

If it doesn’t apply let it fly.

Refrain from living your life in the image of someone else’s. Focus on your agenda; on your mission. That’s the key to being authentic. Don’t make the popularity factor a reward for your hard work. Continue to do the work and it will get the recognition necessary for growth.

Have you ever struggled with staying true to your brand on social media? Have you ever noticed some people lose their way in the race for popularity? What are some of your tips to remain grounded in this competitive digital world of social media?

Andrea Bernadette

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Womeneur Spotlight” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Take a walk down the path of these entrepreneurs, business owners and progressive women.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^2939|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-andrea-bernadette_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-andrea-bernadette_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461296235413{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461296084918{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

ANDREA BERNADETTE

CO-FOUNDER[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ accent_color=”#e3672b” css=”.vc_custom_1460496937176{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Website:

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”https://www.facebook.com/a.bernadette11″ /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”https://twitter.com/abernadette11″ /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/Abernadette11″ /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2938″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A family of sisters put their heads together to create the sustainable fashion accessories brand, . The New York City-based company partnered with women in Uganda to create a collection of accessories ranging from headbands, bracelets to handbags, which are all made from recycled materials. These sustainable Womeneurs are all about people, planet and profit.

What inspired your journey into business?

After living in Uganda for three years my sisters Amberle and Andrea Reyes created . The business idea was inspired by the artisans they worked with during their time in Uganda. They used practically every resource they had on hand to create items made from recycled materials. My sisters wanted to bridge the cultural gap between Africa and the West.

What steps did you take to start your business?
While in graduate school at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Andrea began to develop the business plan to import fashion accessories from recycled materials from East Africa to the U.S. Each class she took in the Global Fashion Management program focused on an aspect of her business.

What are your biggest fears?
Having your own business is like having a baby. You give up your Friday nights and Saturday mornings to take care of your “baby” not because you have to but because you want to. When you are not with your “baby” you feel like a neglectful parent. The biggest fear is not knowing what the future holds and what your business will grow up to be.

What do you do to stay motivated?
I watch documentaries on social issues that are close to my heart. I look back on where we were this time last year to acknowledge how far we have come.

What are your weakness in business and how have worked pass them? 
Balancing current business and new business.

What’s been most rewarding?
Seeing relationships grow and develop.

Who were you before you started your business?
Working in the fashion industry and going to school.

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?
Register my business outside of NYC.

What’s one software or application you cannot live without?
Google Drive.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
Authenticity. Showing the good, bad and the ugly.

Where do you see your business in five years?
The movement expanding in NYC where full time employees are hired.

What are three tips you can share with budding and current entrepreneurs/business owners?

  1. Fail fast, fail often.
  2. Do something that is outside of your comfort zone each day.
  3. Think of collaboration more than competition.

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Make More Cash: 4 Tips for a Successful Side Job

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In recent years, business ownership and entrepreneurship has skyrocketed.  Many Americans have come to terms with the reality that a solo career may not allot for the wealth they aspire to obtain. The name of the game is to create multiple streams of income and having a side hustle can be a lucrative endeavor. A side hustle can help with saving extra money for travel, paying off debt, creating a nest egg for your family or to invest in the stock market.  Whatever your reason for increasing your income, here are some pointers on how to start a successful side hustle.

Energy Management

The first thing I’m asked when I advise clients on starting a side hustle is, “When will I have time to do that alongside my career and personal life?” Well let me be honest with you, it’s a lot easier than you think.

We all have the same amount of hours in each day and no matter how much I want more hours to complete more work, the reality is I have to change my mindset and capitalize on the 24 hours I have available.

First thing you need to do is, change your mindset from thinking time management has anything to do with the amount of hours in a day.  Instead you should capitalize on the time of day when you’re the most focused and productive. This is what I call energy management.

Get a calendar and make a grid of the time of day when you’re most productive. For myself the time of day I’m most productive is between 8am-10am and again from 1pm-4pm. During those times I have a hefty goal completion list, which is different from a task list.

My goal completion list is compiled of things only I can accomplish and execute while my task list is filled with smaller jobs that can be done independently by an assistant or intern.

During my high-energy times most of my work is creating content and continuing revenue generating conversations.

My calendar also highlights my low energy time slots. During that time I delegate task to others on my team, I respond to e-mails, catch up with media and news trends that can drive my marketing team.

Simply put, prioritize your day based on when your body and mind works best.

Identify What You Want to Do

The idea of starting a side hustle around doing what you love to do sounds so cliché that people find themselves making the creation of a side hustle harder than it needs to be.

  • Ask yourself what can you produce with love within the shortest amount of time and effort? Then do it.
  • Your side hustle should bring you as much joy while creating it as it does to those using your products or services.

Know Your Customer

When was the last time you were browsing through a store and an overly eager salesperson approached you and then proceeded to explain how much the item in your hand would change your life? I don’t know about you, but those types of conversations make me cringe and are truly annoying. Don’t be the person who created a product or service that has changed your life and you think it will have the exact same results or drive the same needs from customers.

Get out there and have conversations with your potential customers and find out what they want and what they need. Once you’ve collected data about your customers needs, create those products and services with those things in mind.

The worst thing you can do is spend hours creating something that you found to be amazing and no one needs or wants it.

Money Matters

Money should not be the only driving force for your side hustles. If you find yourself being excited about your inbox being flooded with inquiries and request for services – you may end up working with someone you are not compatible with, making the job harder to fulfill and complete.  These relationships can also lead to unflattering reviews that can be more damaging to your brand then the dollar amount they paid to work with you.

One way to ensure a potential client is a good fit is by creating a list of specific questions you can use to access the way they manage their work, communicate and fulfill job related tasks. It’s OK to tell clients no if it’s not an ideal fit. This will  save you both time and money down the road.

Do you have a side hustle? What are your tips to manage your day in conjunction with your day job and personal life? Share advise in the comment section below.

Atim Oton

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Womeneur Spotlight” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Take a walk down the path of these entrepreneurs, business owners and progressive women.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^2935|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-atim-oton_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-atim-oton_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461295830975{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461295489389{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

ATIM OTON

CO-OWNER[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ accent_color=”#e3672b” css=”.vc_custom_1460496937176{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Website:

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”https://www.facebook.com/CalabarImports” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://instagram.com/calabar_imports” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/calabarimportsbklyn” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2934″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Atim Oton, co-founder of the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based retail store , ventured into entrepreneurship after paying a visit of her home town in Nigeria. Oton and her business partner purchased fashion accessories and cosmetics, from the town of Calabar, which they ventured throughout NYC once they returned to the states. After several street fairs, the retail Womeneurs finally made their way into their very own store.

What inspired your journey into business?
Calabar Imports was inspired by global travel and unique African and Asian products in fashion, home decor and jewelry

What steps did you take to start your business?
Began as a vendor, tested and sampled products for about eight months before opening up as a physical store. Studied the market price points and consumer habits.

What are your biggest fears?
Smart Expansion

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Travel and take time off to rest.

What are your weakness in business and how have worked pass them? 
Dealing with finance. Currently, my partner deals with the financial side of the business but I know I need to spend more time taking on some of the finance responsibilities.

What’s been most rewarding?
To see us grow from one store to three stores in only three years. It took time, but we knew we needed to do it. The next huddle will be five stores.

Who were you before you started your business?

  • A designer in architecture
  • Magazine owner
  • Design educator
  • Associate chair at Parsons School of Design
  • Creative jogger turn retail entrepreneur

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?
Expanded the business earlier.

What’s one software or application you cannot live without?
Skype.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
The Basics: Personalization and Spending time with them.

Where do you see your business in five years?
With five stores and expanding into producing clothing and products from my own factory.

What are three tips you can share with budding and current entrepreneurs/business owners?

  1. Take Risks
  2. Walk differently, don’t follow and be your own person
  3. Study others, not just those doing your industry

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3 Tips to Refocus Your Impact

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Many moons ago I felt unsatisfied with the work I was doing.  I had a great salary, I was working around people I genuinely liked and enjoyed spending time with them both inside and out of work. However, I felt a void that I could not fill.

In an attempt to figure out what I needed from my employer, I sat down one evening and wrote a list of some of the things I wanted from my next career move. It wasn’t long after that I found myself working for a non-profit charter school supporting educators, community members and best of all students who were not only eager to learn but motivated to do the hard work necessary to be successful.

That being said, I was in the perfect place. I was using my current skills to change lives indirectly by being a member of a village but also by becoming a mentor, educator and down right friend to so many people. I say all these wonderful things not only because they’re true but while I loved my career move, I was also stretching my limits day to day. This increased my skill set by taking on multiple tasks but it wasn’t long before I started to feel overwhelmed with the work I was doing and questioned how impactful were my contributions as it pertained to our mission and goals as a school.   I smoothed out some kinks here and there, implemented some concrete systems and even talked a few people off the theatrical ledge during stressful times but on the grand scheme of things, I often felt like I was just another body in the room, keeping things quiet and steady.

To restore my commitment and passion for my work, I decided to regroup during spring break and focus on the small wins and on how I spent my time each day. Following are three tips that I’ve outlined that may help you figure out why you chose the path you’re currently on. The objective is to capitalize on the small wins and here’s how I did it:

1. Celebrate the small wins
Without fail, I found that time and time again, I would be in project management mode, where I am so wrapped up in forecasting my next move or looking for short comings that I didn’t simply stop and appreciate the small wins. In my position, I wouldn’t be the person on a praise list for a student getting accepted into an Ivy League school, and that’s ok.  When I stopped to appreciate the small wins, I was able to appreciate the detail and hard work put in by my team and myself to ensure that those same students had what they needed to be successful. By being more mindful of the small accumulative task I was responsible for in the drive to get students into college, I became less overwhelmed at work and remembered my purpose.

2. Engage in the conversation
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is you’re not a mind reader. This imaginary capability would make everything so simple and it would cut out the guesswork but it’s not a realistic option. The good news is that effective communication is equally successful when you begin discussing commonalities in the work place. I described myself as a member of a village because I know others who are equally, if not more so, as passionate as I am about education reform. Engaging in conversations with liked minded peers not only serves as a reminder to your mission but also to your passions outside of work.

3. Do something you’ve never done before. Repeat
When was the last time you volunteered to do something outside of your normal day-to-day responsibilities? When I was unable to pin point the impact I was having as an employee, I started to migrate into other departments. The luxury of my position was that operations had their hands in everything. These were people I worked with to get jobs complete, but when I doubted my impact, I started looking at their jobs differently as well. I volunteered my services and lead some intense programs but the best part was that by working in these other areas, I obtained a broader view of the organization. Using what I learned through volunteering had multiple benefits, I learned a new technical skill and I applied it in an under developed area within my own team.

Confession of Depression

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Depression is often misunderstood by those who don’t suffer from it. For many, it is a pain of numbness. Some may move through life on autopilot until one day the pain is so raw, they see no other way out of the perpetual sadness but to end their life.

You can feel ungrateful for a seemingly good life, wondering why it’s just not enough to make you happy.  Issues that might jar you slightly during a better time will rock you to your core. Bad news is harder to swallow, changes that much tougher to make because you feel hopeless and completely powerless. There is a no-way-out mentality, swimming in the abyss of despair.

I have battled with depression on and off for the past two decades. When I’m good, I’m great. I’m motivating, hardworking, goal and solution-oriented, positive and upbeat. But when I drop into the darkness, it’s a tough climb out, especially during the winter months.

I spent most of 2014 in the darkness. Enveloped by its unyielding strangulation, I was screaming in the cacophony to no avail. When you’re the rock, it’s hard to share your experience of the darkness. Your friends assume you’re just in a bad mood, offer a few maxims and platitudes with a quick hug. They don’t know how long this “bad mood” lasts so you may never bring it up again. Who wants to be the Debbie Downer? You keep it to yourself, feeling alone again in the darkness.

I am a positive person normally, so why couldn’t I just slap on a happy face and feel good? Why didn’t Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, and Les Brown’s words help, and instead make me feel much worse? The Bible and Qur’an aren’t my source of comfort, so those were out. It takes an understanding that depression is an illness to finally get through it. An illness requires treatment.

When you find the things that give you pleasure no longer do, or the goals you longed to attain seem like a waste of time, the bed becomes your hangout spot, and you feel that nothing else matters – it is time to get help.

Getting Through the Emotional Slump:

  • Exercise and reevaluate your diet
  • Listen to and recite positive affirmations
  • Keep a gratitude journal, where you write down what you’re grateful for each  day
  • Seek professional help. Don’t lean on your own understanding.

There is no reason you need to coast through life when you should be riding the waves, the ups and downs, the highs and lows. Pain means you are alive. Embrace it and know that it is temporary.

If you are in limbo, it is time to push through and forgive yourself for feeling bad. Today is another opportunity to feel better. And the fact that you’re still standing is enough reason to push through and make it. I believe in you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Ladies of I.M. Pastry Studio

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Womeneur Spotlight” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Take a walk down the path of these entrepreneurs, business owners and progressive women.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” bg_type=”image” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_new=”id^2930|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-the-ladies-of-im-pastry-studio_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-the-ladies-of-im-pastry-studio_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461295155864{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461294836271{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

THE LADIES OF IM PASTRY STUDIO

OWNERS[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ accent_color=”#e3672b” css=”.vc_custom_1460496937176{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Website:

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”https://www.facebook.com/impastrystudio” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”https://twitter.com/impastrystudio” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”https://instagram.com/impastrystudio” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2929″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Baking trio, Tiffany Washington, Jo-Laine Duke-Collins and Tamika Young, are the hands behind the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based customized pastry company,. In 2009, the team turned on the oven to bake up batches of cookies, couture cupcakes, and a range of desserts for celebrities, athletes and televised music events. Each Womeneur brought their valuable skills to the table to create an appetizing business.

How did the three of you journey into the business?
Tiffany has been baking since she was a little girl with her grandmother, Ilene Miriam – who the company is named after. In 2009, Tiffany started to do bake for friends and family. Her days of shuffling cookie sheets shortly turned into a full fledged business.

Jo-Laine, who has a keen eye for design and pastry aesthetics, was introduced to Tiffany by mutual friends. Tiffany and Tamika have known each other for quite some time as their husbands are really close friends. Tiffany then introduced Tamika and Jo-Laine and we all hit it off and have been unstoppable ever since.

What steps did you take to start your business?
We wouldn’t say there was one thing that we did to start the business. We were able to raise $33,000 in 33 days through our Kickstarter campaign. From there we worked with a supportive team of people who helped us along the way.

What are your biggest fears?
Naturally, the biggest fear is not succeeding. For us, failure is not an option.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Our children, our husbands, friends and family keep us going.

What are your weakness in business and how have worked pass them? 
In the age of digital media, communication has been the one thing we strive to work on. In the beginning, we would communicate 90 percent of the time through text or email. We decided that we will meet at least once a week in person to go over specifics pertaining to the business.

What’s been most rewarding?
The most rewarding is seeing this all come to life after all that we have gone through to get to this place. Sharing this moment together is the best feeling ever because we all have the same dream. Its very rare to find three women who all have the same visions and goals.

Who were you before you started your business?

  • Tiffany – An account manager at a publishing company
  • Jo-Laine – Worked in education
  • Tamika – Currently works in entertainment

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?
Through all of the ups and downs, we wouldn’t do anything differently. For every obstacle that we faced, we learned how to face it and come out on the other end wiser. This process taught us so much, that we now have all of the learning tools for when we open our next location.

What’s one software or application you cannot live without?
Social media. We love connecting directly with our customers and getting feedback on what they love. It’s like a focus group unlike any other.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
There is no secret. We just aim to provide our customers with the best product possible. Customer service is also important.

Where do you see your business in five years?
In five years, we hope to be a household name.

What are three tips you can share with budding and current entrepreneurs/business owners?

  1. Patience
  2. Communication
  3. Determination

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How To Get The Raise You Deserve

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When it comes to the dynamics of the workplace, asking for a raise is a very sensitive topic. Many companies, unfortunately, do not have a standard pay increase at the end of each fiscal year leaving employees seeking the desire for more money to accommodate the demands of the economy. Typically, from year to year, your work responsibilities, career demands (additional certifications, courses, etc.) and work hours may increase leaving a running list of justifiable reasons for an increase in salary.

Honestly, there is a bit of anxiety when having the “pay raise” conversation with your boss. You are not always sure of the outcome and there may be some outside factors that may hinder your company from providing you with your well-deserved increase. Although this may be the case, as Black women, it is important to ask for what we deserve especially if your company culture overlooks your hard work.

According to a March 2015 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families: A persistent gender-based wage gap continues to harm women, their families and the economy. On average, women in the United States are paid 78 cents for every dollar paid to men. For African American women, the gap is larger. African American women are paid, on average, just 64 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. When women lose income, their economic security and that of their families is diminished.

The salary we earn year over year is not only an issue for us as individuals but our families and the overall economy. Here are a few pieces of advice to help you take control of your career:

1. Confidence:
When you come to the conclusion that you deserve and need a raise, you have to gain the confidence to actually speak to your boss. Regardless if you work at a large corporation (with many decision makers), a small business (with few decision makers) or online enterprise (with virtual decision makers), having a professional confidence may be the first step towards a potential “yes.”

2. Research:
Understanding what other companies are paying their employees that hold your position with the equivalent level of experience is important. This will help you narrow down the percentage and/or dollar amount that you should be requesting. Asking for a salary bump that is not realistic based on your role (and other factors like location, growth of the company, etc.) is not a smart idea because that will only leave room for a decline in your request.

3. State the Facts:
Why do you deserve a raise? This will likely be the one of the many questions your boss will ask you and this is the first question you should ask yourself. Rule out reasons such as “my living expenses have increased” or “my student loan payments have increased” to more tangible reasons such as “over the last six months, I have increase sales” or “over the last six months I have obtain three new clients for the firm.” These are examples you can bring to your meeting that will help your boss realize the value you bring to the company.

You cannot expect your boss to remember or stay on top of every thing you have done. We want to face this situation realistically and show that we are serious about the work we have done and the hard work will continue to bring.

4. Setting up the Meeting:
Depending on your company, you should schedule a face-to-face meeting with the person that is directly responsible to make the final decision. If you have to go through a few people to get to the person in charge, it would be best to speak to your counselor/career advisor for guidance or your day-to-day manager prior to speaking to the final decision maker.

Allow this process to be as professional and formal as possible in order to project the image that this is an important topic for you. You want your boss to know that you value your position at the company and in order to gain the appreciation you deserve, a pay raise is a necessary measure to show that.

5. The Final Decision:
Once you have gone through the process, it is ultimately up to your boss to make the final decision. If your request is accepted, you should definitely celebrate but with a pay raise you should want to show that you are worth every penny. If you do not receive a pay raise, it is logical to evaluate your place at your job especially if there is not a positive correlation between your salary and power, role or responsibilities as time goes on.

You should always work hard and a decline in your pay raise request should not cause any animosity between you and the company. Continue to be honest with what you want out of your career and make an effort to obtain that.

Being assertive about your life is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. You are the only one that is responsible for obtaining what you deserve in your career and having a plan and direction will help you accomplish that very mission.

Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed

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tripeaksconsulting.com

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.  If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.  If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place. – Nora Roberts

Many of us have dreams that are so hidden in fear that we think that they are either too big to come to fruition, or someone else ends up using our ideas. There is also the misconception that if we seek help to bring our dreams to light then we show signs of weakness or we are incapable of making it work.

How will you move toward your dreams and goals if you remain quiet and don’t seek advice? What is more important – your pride or achieving your definition of success?

Part of accomplishing your goals is to be vocal, seek out mentors, and form strategic partnerships that can contribute to your success.  Successful people will tell you that their network of associates, partnerships and mentors are the main tools that propelled them forward.

Be Clear

To get the answer and the help you need, you have to be clear and specific of what it is that you desire. Take the time to internally formalize what your needs are. If you want a specific career, be clear on the role you want and the type of organization that you would like to work in.

You also have to do your research. Why would someone assist you if you don’t have some knowledge about the industry you aspire to work in? To quote the fictional character Jerry Maguire, “Help me, help you.”  You have to be able to show a perspective mentor that you are worth their time.

Ask With Expectation

There is a difference between entitlement and expectation. You don’t want to approach someone with the attitude that they are supposed to provide you with guidance or assistance. However, you should exude confidence and believe that they will provide you with what you need, especially if you are clear about the direction on where you want to take your career. Most people are not going to be willing to help you if are unsure of yourself. So, it is important to be strategic when you ask for help and from who you ask for help.

The Right Opportunity

Part of being successful is to be able to view common occasions as mini opportunities. You can grow your network at brunch, volunteer groups, even at a  parent teacher conference. The key is that you have to be able to make a connection with people and be open to where the conversation may lead. It is important to note that you should make an effort to make connections with people who are inline with the goals you want to achieve.

In the end, there is always more than one way to get what you want, but you have to know what your end is. Knowing how success is defined for you, will allow you to be open to know what opportunities you should jump on and who you should be vocal to.

If all else fails, remember, “A closed mouth don’t get fed.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]