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Archives for December 2015

Build Better Work Habits

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Work habits may vary according to your field, but there are some that  can be categorized as universal no matter the environment. You want to be organized, efficient, adept at problem solving and follow-up, a team player and possess the ability to prioritize.

However, the best habit you can possibly have is the habit of evaluating and changing your existing habits. Yes, it’s convoluted, but if you habitually examine your repetitive behaviors and learn to improve or change them, you’ll be way ahead of the game.

There’s a common misconception that it takes 21 days to build or break a habit. Research actually shows that how long it takes to make a habit is individual, based on a person’s environment and what the habit is. The average, however has been documented as 66 days to build a new habit.

The good news is that the key to developing a habit doesn’t lie in pushing yourself to some magic number of days. It’s all about working with your existing patterns of behavior and structuring a new action into those patterns. In this way, you’ll create “sticky habits” by taking advantage of what you already do!

Think of your behaviors as action chains. You sit down at your desk, then open your email and drink your coffee. You have control over each element in that action chain. You can go directly to the file room and organize your files instead of sitting down at your desk. You can sit down at your desk, work on the most important thing of the day, and drink your coffee. Inserting or altering one or two variables in an existing chain of action allows you to incorporate a new behavior with minimal disruption.

Breaking it down even further, consider the “3 Rs” of habits as developed by behavioral researchers. Everything you do has a:

  • Reminder (or trigger)
  • Routine (the action chain)
  • Reward (benefit or consequence of the behavior)

I can personally attest that this method works, although my example is more personal in nature, the process still hold true!  I kept a daily gratitude journal for a year and to say the first few weeks were rocky would be an understatement.  I totally skipped a few days in a row and would have to write  several posts at a time recalling the previous days events.  This was not sustainable and defeated part of the reason why I committed to this journal in the first place.

I found a way to include writing my journal entry into an already established routine: Shower in the evening (reminder).  Get in my bed (routine).  Turn on the television (reward).  I agreed to write my journal entry prior to turning on the television: Shower in the evening (reminder). Get in my bed(routine). Write my journal entry (added routine). Turn on the television (reward).

It also helped that I left the laptop on my bed when I left for the day so it acted as a visual cue when I entered my bedroom for the evening.

So just remember, if you want to build a new habit, do so by working with those you already have. Add a better link to your existing action chain by altering a factor in Reminder/Routine/Reward. It’s that simple![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

3 Small Business Accounts You Should Have

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Published with permission from Bola Onada Sokunbi, founder of the CleverGirlFinance blog. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Whether you are an entrepreneur in the early stages of your business or a seasoned business owner it’s very important you have separate financials for your personal life and for your business.

Having separate accounts might seem like an annoyance but from a tax and legal perspective it’s something every serious business owner needs to have. It also makes your business bookkeeping process less complex than it already is because there would be no stress figuring out or confusion about what expenses are personal and what are business come tax time.

Below are the 3 accounts you should have as a business owner:

1. BUSINESS CHECKING

If you are accepting payments from your customers (especially credit card or debit payments), issuing refunds or making purchases, you need somewhere to keep those funds and that would be in a business checking account. Other benefits of a business checking account include the ability delegate financial tasks to trusted employees by adding them onto the account. This way you can avoid having to give them cash advances or reimbursements for certain business transactions they can make on your behalf. You’ll also be able to monitor the transactions they are making easily by logging into your account and you can also set limits to how much they can spend.  In addition by having a business checking account, you can also start establishing a relationship with your bank over time in the event that you need financing for your business in the future.

2. BUSINESS SAVINGS

It’s certainly a good idea to have a business savings account where you can build up mid to long term business savings for future projects, products or whatever long term ideas you might have in mind for your business. Having business saving means that instead of having to rely on outside financing and paying interest you may be able to  self-finance your next project on your own.

3. BUSINESS CREDIT OR CHARGE CARD

Having a business credit allows you to establish business credit history with the commercial credit bureaus over time. This is important in the event that you require further financing for your business. In addition, having a business credit card may provide you with certain types of purchase protection and may also provide you with the benefit of earning rewards or points based on your transactions.  You’ll also be able to add on employees and monitor their transactions. Keep in mind though, that similar to your personal credit cards, you should avoid carrying a revolving balance and instead pay your balance off in full each month.

Note: In order to establish business credit that is completely separate from your personal credit, you need to set your business up as an LLC / Corporation. If you are a sole proprietor, your business credit is tied to your personal credit – post on business credit coming soon 🙂

If you are a business owner but you don’t already have your business accounts setup, you should consider getting them set up as soon as you can.

Two great resources to help you get started with your research on finding the best business checking, savings and credit card accounts are NerdWallet.com and BankRate.com (under account type, select “Business”).

Has this post has been helpful in explaining why you need separate business accounts?

Stephanie A. Cunningham of Museum Hue

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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^3077|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-stephanie-a.-cunningham-of-museum-hue_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-stephanie-a.-cunningham-of-museum-hue_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461350021372{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461349782721{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

STEPHANIE A. CUNNINGHAM OF MUSEUM HUE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR[/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=”http://facebook.com/MuseumHue” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/museumhue” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/museumhue” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3076″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The excitement, inspiration and creative opportunities that emerge from cultural spaces like museums have struck a cord in art/culture lovers as well as small business owners. Stephanie A. Cunningham has tapped in to that area with her company, , which is a “platform to advocate for educators, culture workers and museum professionals.” Museum Hue’s mission is focused on advancing the visibility and viability of people of color, utilizing museums, the arts and cultural institutions, as a medium for discussion, creation, and solutions.

Stephanie and her team launched the company earlier this year and it has lived up to its mission by spreading information and opportunities for people of color who have a passion and love for the arts along with the desire to seek job opportunities in this creative space. It’s important that museums around NYC, around the country and around the world not only focus on art from a diverse group of people but the people that are working in the art field are diverse as well.

Museum Hue brings together purpose driven museum professionals, artists, arts administrators, etc. to connect, collaborate, cultivate, and create change. They are convening to build consensus and begin their work: as a safe space for discussion, and a movement for skill building, trouble shooting, reinterpreting, reflecting, and connecting. The company recognizes the absence of diversity and inclusion in cultural enclaves and venerable institutions and we use our presence and voice to counter this reality, foster agency, and help create opportunities and narratives for people of color in culture.

What inspired your journey into business?
My love for the arts and history began in my formative years when my parents, new immigrants to the United States of America form the Caribbean frequently took me to the Brooklyn Museum to learn about different cultures and see how they expressed themselves, their belief, and the world around them through artistic endeavors as diverse as the artists themselves. I co-created Museum Hue because I felt left out in a field that I love and once respected. I worked hard, paid my dews, but was still rejected. In rejection I mean no promotions or job offerings. Time after time again. I thought is it me, maybe its me but maybe its also the highering practices and racism. I didn’t see much people of color in many positions in the museum outside of the maintenance and security departments.

What steps did you take to start your business?
I spoke with some of my colleauges in the field who identify as a person of color (Black, Asian, Latino, etc) and they were having the same frustrations as I was. So many people of color who are interested and qualified to work in the museum field are jobless or are ready to leave the field because they cannot get past the entry level position they are in. I decided that I would speak up and form an organization that holds these truths up to museums.

What are your biggest fears?
To doubt myself when taking the next steps. I don’t ever want to get to a place where I fear doing something new or radical.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Museums offer so many different career options and opportunities. Some the positions include: Educator, ethnographer, professor, curator, anthropologist, heritage worker, cultural worker, gallerist, performing artist, visual artist, multimedia artist, arts administrator. We deserve a right to these opportunities and we deserve access to museums in meaningful ways.

What are your weakness in business and how have you worked past them? 
Since Museum Hue launched in February 2015 it has been non-stop in creating events and planning tours. I realize that I need help and have identified trustworthy people to assist me.

What’s been most rewarding?
The most rewarding is the fact that we have already helped people gain internships, jobs, and entrance into graduate school. Many museums and other cultural institutions have begun to tap into Museum Hue’s network to diversify staff and student body.

Who were you before you started your business?
Before Museum Hue I was a Museum Educator and I still am. Stephanie Cunningham is a Museum Educator. I have worked at the Brooklyn Museum, New-York Historical Society, Weeksville Heritage Center, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. I hold Bachelors of Arts degree in Art & Art History from Brooklyn College and a Masters of Arts degree in Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies from Rutgers University.

As a Museum Educator I have taught grades K-12 and college lectures using museum’s permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. My work has allowed me to interact with many communities throughout New York City. I have also taught art history and art education at New Jersey City University and the City College of New York, respectively. My experience teaching a wide audience of different ages and backgrounds in both the museum and classroom setting, has given me the skills necessary to create programming for diverse groups. I have applied my skills in program development, arts-in-education, and strategic alliance building, to use the arts as a catalyst for community empowerment. I am on several boards, most notably the Flatbush YMCA, where I assist in the creation of art exhibitions within the space.

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
Nothing! My experience has shaped the woman that I am. There is only one direction that I will continuously go…..forward. I always think about my past experiences and how I can use them.

What’s one good software or application you cannot live without?
Excel! Everything goes on a spreadsheet.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
I think my openness and honesty has worked in my favor. I am always on message and very clear about my mission.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I see Museum Hue involved in more conferences in the discussion for equity and diversity, more cultural institutions adhering to our advice, helping institutions that focus on communities of color gain more funding, etc. The possibilities are endless.

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

  1. Speak to trusted people (friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, etc) about your idea. This will help you formulate your thinking and flesh out further ideas.
  2. Listen to feedback and advice. Some people may not like your idea but find out why and maybe this can help you further tweak your idea.
  3. Create a detailed outline step by step plan then….Go for it! It will be scary, people may be skeptical but if you know that this is something that you can’t stop thinking about then do what feels right.

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Embrace Your Crazy Idea

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Have you ever conjured up an idea that sounded crazy? Even while the excitement was building up around said idea, there is still some reservation for actually exploring it.

 

“If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.” –Albert Einstein

 

How many times have you thought of starting something, changing a direction or even moving at a different pace and you ended up talking yourself out of it because a) either you were too scared or b) you were really really scared.Every grand idea should instill that fear. It’s nerve wrecking, debilitating and downright scary to take on something new but it’s always worth it. Give yourself some credit to be able to follow through with your crazy idea, then give yourself some organization to fully help it flourish.

Zero in on your crazy

Organize your thoughts. The creative mind is a constant flood of new ideas, theories and possibilities so the best way to keep track of these is to write things down. Jot them down in your notebook, on a napkin or scribble it in the corner of your palm. Keep record of all those useful pieces to your puzzle so that later when you need to get organized, everything can fall into place just a little bit easier. Business model canvases can be a great source  to help with directing your idea into more solid territory, and ultimately a business.

What problem are you solving?

Take a look around you. Everyday we see people with the same ideas yet they address different problems. Some may even be addressing the same problem, with a different approach. How are you trying to solve a similar or unique problem? What is your one of a kind approach? What are you solving? The questions are tough but valid. It’s important to take notice of the people who have done it before you. Understand their methods and search for their mistakes. Make it your business to solve the problems that they couldn’t solve. Ask yourself the tough questions so when it is time to answer them from someone else, you’ve already given yourself the answer.

Get Feedback

If your idea is crazy, but you’ve polished it enough to make sense to the people around you- you’ve got a home run. Reach out the people who would give you their honest opinion. Give them a rundown of your plan and gauge their reactions. Take into account that not everyone will think you have something good so still feel encouraged and offer up some positive questions to help shape your idea. What do they like/dislike about it ? Does it sound like something they would be interested in? Have they ever even heard of anything similar? Could they give some suggestions? It’s always a good idea to ask these questions and ask for feedback. Sometimes we get so very caught up in our creative world, that we forget there are people outside who can help. Feedback is an awesome way to boost your confidence in your creation and the best time to start is after some organized thinking and strategic planning.
We all have extraordinary ideas brewing in the deep cauldrons of our creative minds but sometimes fear can be the only obstacle and it’s unfair. Unfair to yourself and your potential. Give yourself some credit and take charge of your crazy. In this world nowadays, it may be the only thing that sets you apart.

How have you turned your crazy idea into a business? What advice would you give to someone just starting off with their idea? What was the most valuable piece of advice given to you?

3 Tools To Sell Your Products on Instagram

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Companies big and small are shifting their marketing strategy to incorporate the huge impact of social media. Customers across multiple demographics are heavily influenced by social media in terms of where they obtain their information, how they interact with each other and various brands and most importantly, where they spend their money.  There are several tools available allowing you to sell your products on Instagram, so why not make it easier for your customer to shop from you?

1. Spreesy

Place a shopping link in your bio, where customers are taken to a customized, Spreesy storefront with a summarized listing of your products.

Cost: $15 flat fee monthly

Major Benefits/Features:

  • General: No contracts, no commitments, automation (24/7), built-in marketing, mobile commerce, inventory tracking and much more!
  • Sales Channels: FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM
  • Payment & Pricing: PAYPAL
  • Integrations: ETSY, Google Analytics, SHIPSTATION, and SHOPIFY

2. Shopseen

Shopseen focuses on helping you manage how you sell your products online. “Shopseen makes it simple to enter products, get them listed anywhere you sell, get them promoted everywhere your customers are, and get your products shipped out the door – from your laptop or your phone.”

Cost: Free to $499/month

Fees: 1% to 10% of sales

Major Benefits/Features:

  • Shipping: Assist with printing unique labels and get your products to your customers with an integration plan with UPS, USPS and FedEx with a discount rate!
  • Multichannel Listing: Instead of choosing where to promote your products, Shopseen helps to promote your products on all platforms using one interface.
  • Social Buy Buttons: Utilizing the technology by using “Stripe Relay” to increase consumer buying power with one easy click of a button

3.  Like2Buy

A tool powered by Curalate can be used through Instagram with just a link in your bio! Adding your unique link in your bio will take customers to a customized online storefront where they will see a gallery of professional photos of your products which are available to purchase.

Cost: Supposedly a $1,000 monthly, but contact support for more information

Major Benefits/Features:

  • Single Photo-Multiple Purchase Power: A single image can (should) include multiple pieces where consumers can click and have multiple opportunities to buy!
  • Increase Instagram/Email Subscribers: Including links from social media to your online marketplace can increase revenue as well as loyal followers
  • Celebrate Fans: Give consumers the chance to be highlighted by showcasing their products to new visitors and potential buyers!

Other amazing tools for Instagram and Facebook are simple things like using relevant #hashtags. Try to think out the box when thinking of ways to optimize sales on your social media pages.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Azua Echevarria of Age Into Beauty

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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^3063|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-azua-echevarria-of-age-into-beauty_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-azua-echevarria-of-age-into-beauty_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461350670681{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461350411546{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

AZUA ECHEVARRIA OF AGE INTO BEAUTY

HEALING ARTIST[/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/ageintobeauty” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/ageintobeauty” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”https://instagram.com/ageintobeauty” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3062″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Azua Echevarria is a veteran professional makeup artist with over 27 years of experience. She is also a Reiki Practitioner and Healing Artist. She creates Spirit made healing jewelry and healing oils that she infuses with Reiki energy. It is always her goal to enhance her client’s own beauty as well as their mind, body and Spirit. Her brand “Age Into Beauty” offers products, services and experiences that celebrate personal Beauty, Wellness and Inspiration. In addition Azua also offers Floral Foot Soak & Foot Massage events, sound healing & meditation classes in addition to her professional makeup services.

As a means to reach more people through her healing methods and years in the beauty industry, Azua conducts a series of “Love the Skin You’re In” workshop which are a favorite amongst many of her customers, in which she provides attainable steps towards better loving yourself. Azua aims to become a part of various events and enhance any place that she goes with her talents, positivity and beauty methods.

This Womenuer™ shares her journey with us and her advice about life in the world of beauty!

What inspired your journey into business?
I’ve had many journies. Here’s the short version 🙂 This one began in 2008 when my mother left her physical body. In 2011, I went to see an Ayurvedist and life began to change. I’ve been making oils for myself since then. In March I created the first batch of Happiness Oils(20 bottles) and donated them to Brownskin Women, a local business that celebrates natural hair & brown skin. A couple months later after an investment gift from a friend I ordered 120 bottles and the ingredients to make a sizable batch, including labels, bags, etc. it’s been a grass roots operation since then but my vision is global, with never ending support from all Universal sources. But in the meantime, I am enJOYing life and seeking alignment with the Source.

What steps did you take to start your business?

  1. I meditated. This gave me a clear message for what I needed to do
  2. I asked for help. One of my largest challenges in the past. Once you get over the fear this becomes easier.
  3. Trusting myself. I worked on obliterating doubt, fear and smallness. This work continues each day

What are your biggest fears?
(I almost don’t want to speak these because words are very powerful) I’ll phrase it this way: I am getting better and better each day not fearing that I can thrive instead of survive. I say no more to: lack, smallness & doubt

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
I learned that I could survive ANYTHING after my Mother died.

What are your weakness in business and how have you worked past them? 
Still working on improving my website presence and web commerce and YouTube presence(non exsistent) although I know this will come in time. Good thing I’m patient!

What’s been most rewarding?
Love myself more everyday!

Who were you before you started your business?
Me. Just more private & concerned about what other people think.

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
Meditate more. Ask for help sooner.

What’s one good software or application you cannot live without?
Instagram

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
Connection, telling my story, vulnerability

Where do you see your business in 5 years?     
Full, constant web presence and ecommerce. Financial Assistance (angel investor) purchasing needed supplies & ingredients, assistance bottling, labeling, packing & shipping products. Presence in retail locations that are aligned with my vision. Bookings to conduct community meditations that teach self love, manifestation & abundance, requests to appear in articles, on magazine covers, web magazines and on wellness shows that spread the message that we get better as we get older.

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

  1. Do what you love.
  2. Don’t care what people think.
  3. LOVE YOURSELF!

Azua can be reached at www.ageintobeauty.com or ageintobeauty@gmail.com. The best is yet to come!

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3 Ways To Bring Out Your Inner #Girlboss

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I finally got a chance to catch up on my reading to finish Sophia Amoruso’s  #Girlboss and the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal dropped some serious gems to her readers who were looking for a prosperous future becoming their own boss. I admire her openness and willingness to share her story but I respected more her brass to tell it like it is. EVerything she had to say was integral to becoming a well rounded successful individual but there were some pieces of advice that leapt from the pages at me and I thought I would share them with you.

“When your time spent making money is significantly greater than your time spent spending money, you will be amazed at how much you can save without even really thinking about it.”

1. Do The Dirty Work

There’s a lot of sleepless nights, cranky mornings and wigged out afternoons that come with running any type of company or business. Sophia was the one working woman machine who was the model, photographer, editor, sales expert and ceo of her growing brand and vintage clothing company. She didn’t shy away from the early mornings or grueling hours and she learned how to give some of her best work through her earlier challenges. Give yourself some time to impress you. Be ready to tackle the tasks at hand when getting your business off the ground and work hard at your goals. Success doesn’t usually come without the blood, sweat and tears of a hard worker, so be prepared to fight for your vision in order to help portray the best of yourself.
2. Small Milestones Can Add up to a Giant Enterprise

There are so many times in the past when I have looked over tiny milestones because they weren’t the larger ones I wanted to accomplish. Sophia reminds us to appreciate the small accomplishments. Understand the work to step over that hurdle and savor it before you move on to something else. On this journey of expanding your creativity with a business, there isn’t much time spent on appreciating the smaller milestones but they are the stepping stones to the larger successes. They are the small time wins that give way to the big time enterprises so learn to enjoy every small moment as its own defining one.
3. Treat Your Mind Like Your Money- Don’t Waste it

Then the church said Amen. Live within your means and understand your worth; financially and mentally. You are responsible for your health and well being so take care of yourself. Take care of your mind as you would your money because neither should be wasted.

Take control of your life and create a balance that feeds into your life financially while fostering growth mentally. Learn new things, meet new people and open up to new ideas. Be mindful of how important your time is and careful of who you deem worthy to spend it with. Accept the truth that not everyone deserves to be in your space and not everything warrants for your attention. Be careful of negativity and when your mind is working, let it work in favor of you. Lead your mind to valuable thoughts and take care of your business.

There’s a #Girlboss in every single woman. Doesn’t matter if you even consider yourself a #girlboss, just know that you are. Women are increasingly becoming the face of new businesses and it’s exciting to see how many of us have taken control while letting our dreams run wild.

Remember where your passion came from and pay attention to your growth. Words can only guide you to the right thoughts so now it’s time for you to take action and take control.

Are you ready to be a #Girlboss? What would you add to this short list of advice for women becoming wanting to become their own bosses?

Want to Prosper as an Entrepreneur? Set Measurable Goals

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Published by Guest Contributor  Antoinette “Toni” Warren, Founder of women’s entertainment media and lifestyle news site, .

Becoming an entrepreneur and deciding to run a business is not a small undertaking, to say the least. Many people do not know what it takes to really start and run a successful business. I often come across individuals who aspire to be entrepreneurs and want me to share my insight on what I’ve learned about running a website. Here’s one thing I’ve learned, most business hopefuls fail to set measurable goals. It’s a common mistake that I, too, can relate to.

What are measurable goals?  Measurable goals are goals that can be quantified and measured

Say you run a clothing boutique and you want to grow your customer subscription/mailing list from 100 hundred to 200. You have a starting point and a desirable numerical goal in mind that you’d like to reach, great. You also know that by increasing your subscription, it’s likely your sales will increase as a result from those subscriptions. That is another metric that can be measured to compare your monthly sales and how it correlates to the growth of your mailing list. You’ve now set two goals:

  1. Increase your customer subscription/mailing list (reach)
  2. Increase your monthly sales through marketing tools used to reach your subscription base and other potential customers.

In setting measurable goals, you also have to be realistic in your goal setting.

Setting Realistic Time-spans to Reach Goals

Let’s go back to that 100 customer subscription/mailing list. You desire to add an additional 100 subscribers to your boutique mailing list/newsletter etc. What is the likelihood that that will happen within the next 24 hours? Unless you’ve got unlimited resources and a huge advertising budget, it’s not likely to happen. And even if you did have the resources, building a subscription list is not likely to happen overnight. But, it may be more realistic to set reaching that goal in the next 30 days or more.

It’s important to know that while you are setting measurable goals, you want to give yourself a realistic amount of time to reach those goals and track your progress.

Track Your Goals & Progress

How do you track your progress? You can use tools such as Google Analytics, Compete.com, and Stat Counter just to name a few.

If you do have a boutique, it’s likely your hosting site (say Shopify) will have some built-in tools as well to help you track your growth, sales, subscribers, lost sales etc.

If you’re interested in setting goals to increase your social media followers and engagements, social sites like Facebook and Twitter already have built-in analytics tools to assist and measure your reach and growth (paid and unpaid). You can also use social sharing tools such as Hootsuite to track your social engagements and reach as well.

Setting measurable and realistic goals will also force you to hold yourself accountable in reaching them. It allows you to prioritize what tasks are more important than others.

Setting Long-term & Short-Term Goals

I suggest you make a list of your long-term and short-term goals. Making such a list will highlight which daily/weekly/monthly tasks should take precedence in reaching your overall goals. It’s likely you’ll want to attend to your short-term goals first, mainly because they’ll likely be a part of the day-to-day functions that ultimately impact your long-term goals and growth.

Changing Your Goals

Understand that sometimes your goals will change. That’s totally fine and is actually pretty normal. The idea is still the same, however. You can make an adjustment to your goals sheet, ones that best align with your business plan. Just make sure they are, again, measurable and given the necessary time. So, what have we learned about measurable goal setting?

  1. Goals should be quantified to motivate you in being proactive and a successful entrepreneur.
  2. Give yourself a sufficient amount of time in reaching those goals, whether weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly. Quantifying your goals allows you to measure against your progress.
  3. Use analytics tools to help track and measure how well you’re doing.
  4. Make a list to distinguish your short term vs. your long term goals; prioritizing your goals and what to focus on first.
  5. Understand that your goals will change but make the necessary adjustments to stay on target.

Womeneur excerpt: Although Antoinette discussed measuring and the timing of goals, when it comes to goal setting, it’s always good a good idea to incorporate the S.M.A.R.T. strategy:

  • Specific – Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are unhelpful because they don’t provide sufficient direction
  • Measurable – Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success
  • Attainable – Make sure that it’s possible to achieve the goals you set
  • Relevant – Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take
  • Time Bound – You goals must have a deadline

How are you progressing with your goals and have incorporated any of the above?

 

Ms. Toni is Founder of women’s entertainment media and lifestyle news site,

Twitter: @i_am_mstoni/@cottenkandi

IG: @iammstoni/@cottenkandi

Facebook Page: Cotten Kandi

Michelle Blue of Bené Scarves

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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^3069|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-michelle-blue-of-bene-scarves_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-michelle-blue-of-bene-scarves_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461351185675{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461350856660{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

MICHELLE BLUE OF BENÉ SCARVES

CO-FOUNDER & 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=”http://facebook.com/BeneScarves” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/BeneScarves” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/Benescarves” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3068″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In 2011, during the summer of Michelle Blue’s sophomore year at the University of Georgia as a marketing and fashion merchandising major, she took a trip to Ghana for a study abroad program. During that trip, she visited various programs that take in young girls and empower them through educational opportunities that prepare them to live independently. Because of here time spent with the young girls, Michelle felt an immediately connection to them and was in awe of their spirits. Michelle observed that despite the material possessions they seemingly didn’t have, they had so much joy and love to give.

This lifechanging experience was a moment in Michelle’s life that she had to share with her best friend Sasha, a mathematics major at Florida A&M University. Together, they marveled at the hope of the girls in Ghana. More importantly, they knew they had a part to play and decided to work together to make a positive and sustainable difference in the girls’ lives, the lives of their families and their country.

In 2013, was born, a collection of scarves, inspired by the culture where this all began and committed to providing an education to girls in Ghana by sponsoring tuition, books, supplies and the uniforms for the girls to continue their education and fulfill their dreams. Michelle and Sasha hope to inspire others to do good in their communities and the world at large in their everyday lives. When choosing a name for their company, they scoured the dictionary and thesaurus for words that would reflect the spirit of our mission. We came across the word ‘Benevolent’ meaning ‘characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feeling; Desiring to help others’. Bené is derived from this word with a simple meaning- ‘good’.

This Womeneur™ took the time to speak with us about her career journey and great advice for you all to do some good in your businesses as well.

What inspired your journey into business?
While I was a student at the University of Georgia, I had the opportunity to study abroad to Ghana. Forever changed by the experience my best friend, Sasha, and I were inspired to start Bené, a collection of scarves committed to help support girls in Ghana continue their secondary education by providing tuition, books, supplies and uniforms to fulfill their dreams. www.benescarves.com

What steps did you take to start your business?
There were a lot of steps and trial & error that occurred as we were starting the business. Of course we made our business plan, did our research and reached out to mentors but the biggest obstacle for us, was getting stuck in the planning, and actually getting started.

What are your biggest fears?
Fear and Self-Doubt are very real but you can’t let it get the best of you. I have had to learn not to take our failures personally and know that it’s not a reflection of my capabilities but that it is all a part of the process. My biggest entrepreneurial fear now is not going for it and and not using all the gifts and talents God has given me.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Reading the Bible and surrounding myself around people who believe in me really gets me through. Sasha and I are also constantly reminded by the ‘why’, we started Bené to help support girls around the world to have access to an education and provide hope for their future. Knowing that we are making a difference in someone’s life keeps us motivated through this journey.

What are your weakness in business and how have you worked past them? 
It’s funny because neither Sasha nor I had in-depth knowledge about the fashion industry. In college I majored in Business Marketing with a minor in Fashion Merchandising (which only equated to about three classes) and Sasha studied Mathematics. So Sasha and I have really had to teach ourselves the basics of the fashion business. We are no where close to being experts but we have definitely learned a lot about production, sales and branding since we first started. We have surrounded ourselves with great mentors, we read/research a lot and go to different workshops/conferences, which has helped us immensely in working pass our weaknesses.

What’s been most rewarding?
When we started Bené we knew that we wanted to make a difference in the girls lives that I met on my trip to Ghana. We knew that it had to be sustainable and something greater than the two of us. Through Bené we have committed to sponsoring tuition, books, supplies and uniforms to the girls so that they can continue their education. The girls have their own dreams and aspirations of becoming teachers, doctors and nurses and its great knowing that we are helping them make those dreams a reality. When you educate girls, you’re not just educating them, you’re changing their lives, their family lives, and you’re contributing to their countries. When you think about what impact that really has, that can change the world. And if we can be apart of that, I think that’s awesome!

Who were you before you started your business?
A college student at the University of Georgia.

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
I wouldn’t change anything. The journey hasn’t been easy but it has totally been worth it. In the last two years, each experience..each failure…each success, has taught me so much about business and about myself and I wouldn’t trade it for anything

What’s one good software or application you cannot live without?
I am probably the worst person when it comes to technology but Google Drive is super easy and allows Sasha and I to upload, edit and share documents. We probably use it everyday.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
Be genuine! People can tell when you aren’t. I am all about building relationships with people and making sure value is reciprocated.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
In 5 years we hope to be supporting more girls in more countries around the world receive an education through fashionable accessories.

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

  1. You have to let go of your fears and inhibitions and just go for it.
  2. If you are gripped by an idea go for it, you don’t want to live with regrets and question what could have happened.
  3. Be sure to prepare yourself by researching your field, gaining experience and getting great mentors but at some point you just have to start. You will never feel like you know enough, have enough money or is the perfect time…and truthfully you never will.

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Nicole Liammari of Rodan and Fields

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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^3109|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/womeneur-spotlight-nicole-liammari-of-rodan-and-fields_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^womeneur-spotlight-nicole-liammari-of-rodan-and-fields_650_650_90_ffffffgrayopac-7_s_c1|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1461357820297{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1461357705198{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

NICOLE LIAMMARI OF RODAN AND FIELDS

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT[/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=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/Nicole.Liammari” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3108″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Nicole Liammari is a Womeneur with a background in Law and Wealth Management/Finance and has found a way to become very successful at both careers! During her position at a wealth management firm, Nicole became introduced to  (R+F). Nicole was drawn to the mission and philosophy of the company’s Dermatologists and founders, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, and found that their products truly do deliver real results by using their ; it encompasses the idea that the right ingredients + the right formulations + the right order can give its customers beautiful skin.

Nicole is not only a part of the R+F team, but is a customer and her results are displayed for many to show that the company lives up to its mission. The photo above shows Nicole’s skin after using their product which “sealed the deal” when deciding to take the opportunity to partner up with them and promote their product as an .

R+F helps woman and men with all skin types of all ethnicities, solve/treat most common skin concerns such as Acne; Sensitive Skin; Wrinkles/Lines; Brown Spots and Uneven Skin Tone. They give people access to dermatology based skin care which is also clinically proven, without the need to visit the dermatologist office.

For Nicole, helping to make a difference in someone’s life by giving them the chance to take control of their skin, see their smile and help them to become happier has made the decision to work with this amazing company, priceless.

Nicole is a Womeneur because she has found a way to give back to a company that has personally helped her and show her business skills as being an independent consultant. She has taken the time to share with us her business journey and the future of her partnership with R+F.

What inspired your journey into business?
I never had amazing skin. I had acne when I was a child, then blackheads and uneven skin tone as an adult. Concealer and foundation were my friend. I never found an actual product to give me the clear, glowing complexion until I used the products from Rodan and Fields (R+F) Skincare. So after seeing my results and seeing the results of other people, I took the leap into the business side of it. I thought “wow, I feel great with my skin now, and I don’t need foundation or concealer anymore – I want to tell the world that clear skin is actually possible!”

What steps did you take to start your business?
I initially heard about R+F through a friend of mine, she sent me a Mini Facial which was amazing. After that I went on to try the Regimen specifically for my skin, which is Reverse, for brown spots/uneven skin tone/dullness. After that, I fell in love with my skin AND the product. I had to test it first. After seeing and reading all the other testimonials besides my own for the other Regimens R+F offers, I jumped on the opportunity learning all I could on each of the products.

What are your biggest fears?
This is hard for me to answer honestly because I do not consider myself a “sales” person. With R+F, the product really does the work and people do get real results. I guess my biggest fear is missing an opportunity or opportunities.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?
Giving up is just not an option for me and it’s not in my vocabulary. I understand building my brand is going to take time, persistence and patience. I have always been a “go getter” and “get it done” type of person. I often think to myself, “There are so many people out there that can benefit from R+F that don’t even know about it yet. I can’t stop!” I think of the personal frustration I had when searching for the right skin care product and if I can save or stop someone in that process and bring them R+F- I am on my way!

What are your weaknesses in business and how have you worked past them? 
Sometimes I just don’t know how to open up my mouth… lol.  Sometimes finding the right wording or introduction isn’t so easy. I am a work in progress.

What’s been most rewarding?
Seeing how the products make a difference in one’s confidence and in their life is most rewarding. When I see that smile they make, it truly makes me smile!

Who were you before you started your business?
Both careers were very stressful as I could not predict the outcomes, however, with R+F skin care you see immediate and actual results guaranteeing outcomes. The doctors are so confident in the products that they offer a 60 day satisfaction guarantee if in the event someone is not completely satisfied.

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
I would have started building my brand sooner and really hit the ground running.

What’s one good software or application you cannot live without?
We have what’s called the “Doctors Solution Tool.” It is an online (on my website)- 5 skin specific questionnaire- which when completed by our potential customer.. provides custom recommendations for their skin- one of the four Regimens/Lines. It is so simple.

What’s your secret to cultivating a relationship between you and your customers?
I freely give my time to educate people about the product. I also share my past skin issues which build trust and friendships. I feel it boils down to listening and creating a common ground first and foremost.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
Very busy, helping more and more people and their journey to great skin and helping others build their business as well.

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

  1. Know your product-it will help/add to someone’s life- make a difference.
  2. Be persistent and patient.
  3. Don’t let a “NO” get you sidetracked. Keep moving forward. Something may mean nothing to one person, but it may mean the world to someone else.

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