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Archives for January 2017

How to Start a Successful Blog and Build a Name for Your Brand

January 31, 2017 by Lidiya K 3,203 Comments

Many individuals and businesses underestimate the importance of having a blog. Some decide to either not publish content at all, while others don’t invest enough money and time into content creation and distribution.

That’s a huge mistake, though. And your brand and revenue will suffer from it. You might not realize how much you’re losing by not having a blog, but it’s worth creating one to see how powerful it is for building connections and authority and turning visitors and readers into customers and users.

So, let’s see what it takes to start and run a successful blog these days:

1. Select your niche.

You might already have a company or personal website, so adding a blog will mean to just start writing and publishing articles.

But before that, you should define your overall strategy, set some goals, see what others are doing, be realistic as to how much and what type of content you can create exactly (or what your budget is for hiring a team to do that).

Why choose one niche? It’s much better to start with a particular topic and grow from there over time.

The thing is, there are too many blogs that cover all topics at once. Some of them are pretty popular and with tons of articles in their archives, so you can’t aim to beat that from day one.

The smarter approach to getting your blog off the ground is to be strategic about it. The topic you start writing about will be what people will soon connect your name and brand with. So make sure it’s something you know enough about, which you’re passionate and care about, and that’s evergreen and an issue enough people want to learn more about.

2. Make it informative and valuable.

Short blog posts with no actual advice aren’t something that will catch your readers’ attention. In fact, so many sites try this and just create content like crazy but put no time or real meaning in it, that you can consider these spammy. And Google would never rank them high because it wants to put on top only quality pages with enough words and a good link structure.

This means that you should build the right mindset starting today. Accept content marketing as a lifelong strategy and journey, which will benefit your business and authority in more ways than you can imagine.

So don’t go for the quick results.

Even if you pay for traffic, you won’t get the type of audience that you’re targeting. These aren’t the people who’ll pay for your products or services, or who even know what they need.

Also, don’t do it for the money. Irrelevant affiliate links, putting ads in the sidebar, or linking to a product of yours many times in one post is just too much. You’ll make people leave your site and never come back again.

The surest and most genuine way to get the right eyeballs is to write valuable, long-form posts on the topic, and inspire and give practical tips and steps with each.

3. Know who you’re writing for.

There are people out there whose lives will be much better if they find, buy and use your products. They just don’t know about it.

Some haven’t even thought that the solution is what you’re offering, so you need to find them, define their problem clearly and say how you can help.

To get to them, however, you need to know who these people are exactly.

That’s when you should create a reader’s and buyer’s persona.

Who’s your ideal customer? What’s his daily life, career, age, financial status, etc.?

What are his dreams, fears, goals, relationships? Where does he live and what does he want to change about his life? Where does he spend time online and what type of content is he consuming?

Take some time to figure all that out in the beginning, and start writing articles, creating information products (that you’ll give for free), publishing insightful posts on social media, and even paying for audio and video content production at some point.

Marketing research matters and, as you see, you should consider both the demographics and the psychological profile of your ideal customer.

4. Using your blog as a tool to improve your brand.

Make sure your website looks professional, but don’t overdo it. When it comes to a blog, people are there to read, and nothing else.

It’s not a coincidence that publishing platforms like Medium have no sidebars. One of the main elements of great reader experience is a full-width page template, where text is in the center of the screen, and there are no distractions around it.

Take your time when finding and choosing images too. They speak to people on a deeper level than words most of the times.

Formatting plays a big role too. Make the article skim-friendly (short paragraphs, headings and subheadings, bold and italics for key parts, etc.) as most people go through so many posts every day that there’s just no time to read them thoroughly. So they just skim the page to get the main idea. Make it easy for them to do that and they’ll check other pages on your site too.

The language you use when writing must be the right one. Don’t be pushy when talking about your business or mentioning products. Instead, simply include suggestions and links in the right places. After you’ve built trust with free stuff and great advice, people will be more likely to click on these and check out what else you’re offering.

So that’s how you start and run a blog successfully and use it to build a name for yourself.

Filed Under: Business

Womeneur Spotlight: Angelique Miles of The Miles Method

January 30, 2017 by Sharon Beason wc@womeneur.com 3,038 Comments

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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” css=”.vc_custom_1485746553890{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1485744342565{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

Angelique Miles

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: Coming soon

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”http://facebook.com/angeliquemilespublic” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/angeliquemiles” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/angeliquemiles” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”5885″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Having spent over 25 years in the entertainment industry, Angelique Miles is a former music publishing executive who is responsible for signing publishing deals with platinum and Grammy-nominated artists such as Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Anthony Hamilton, and Busta Rhymes, just to name a few. Angelique believes in the necessity of an active lifestyle that encompasses all the compulsory components of fitness. Over the years, it has given her great satisfaction to pass along her growing knowledge and enthusiasm with the highest standard of guidance, safety, and professionalism to those wanting to adopt a lifestyle of physical and mental well-being. Offering tips, workouts, personal accounts of her exercise endeavors, tidbits on healthy food, and workout music suggestions, as well as beauty advice, Angelique deeply prides herself in motivating the unmotivated. With her well-furnished awareness and skill in the ever changing field of health and wellness, she aspires to continue broadening and enhancing women’s understanding of the importance of a healthy existence.

What inspired your journey into business?

Regarding my music career: I always loved music, so although I really did not seek it out, the business found me. I happened to be working with a temp agency that sent me to Capitol Records A&R department and the rest is history. My wellness business was born out of necessity, and at full disclosure, vanity. I was no longer working in the music business, so I had more time to devote to fitness and wellness in general, which I had dabbled in throughout my music executive career. After having a long career in entertainment, I wanted to make a living at something I enjoyed and had a passion for. Wellness is my passion.

What steps did you take to start your business?

I am still taking steps! Lol. It is a never-ending journey. Social media played an important part in getting started. Realizing people were genuinely inspired and motivated by my journey. Also, through working in the entertainment industry, I know plenty of successful individuals who have given me sound advice on being an entrepreneur. Moreover, I am always soaking up information. I am also inspired by other wellness entrepreneurs. Since being a wellness influencer and entrepreneur encompasses doing much more than one thing, I am always making connections to grow and broaden my business.

What did you do before this and is this your first business?

As previously mentioned, I worked as a music publishing executive at several of the world’s largest publishing companies.

What is one thing that really helped you with starting your business?

Passion

What are your biggest business ownership fears?

Failure, and not making enough money.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?

I have a great family and network of friends who I can always call on for support, but getting in a good training session or a good sweat always makes me feel better.

What do you enjoy the most about business ownership (what’s most rewarding)?

The most rewarding thing about business ownership is that it is mine. [bctt tweet=””After years of having to answer to people, it is great to be my own boss.” via @angeliquemiles” username=”@womeneur”]

What do you enjoy the least (what’s least rewarding) about business ownership?

Starting a new business, it can be feast or famine, laboring long hours, and moments of insecurity.

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?

I would have started my own business sooner, with a more stable financial foundation.

What’s one thing in business you cannot go one day without using?

My iPhone

What’s your secret to cultivating a good relationship with your customers/clients?

My secret is making an individual feel like they are not just a client, but a partner with me on a fitness/wellness journey.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

To be a global wellness brand for women – particularly women over 40.

What are 3 tips you can share with anyone wanting to be a business owner?

  1. Be consistent
  2. Be passionate
  3. Never give up

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Filed Under: Womeneur Spotlight

5 Morning Routines to Help Create a Productive Day

January 25, 2017 by Lidiya K 649 Comments

Starting the day right is key for being productive, but it can also help you be energetic, put you in the right mood and keep you focused ’til the evening. The best way to do that is to create a morning ritual that will help you be healthy, happy and successful in the long run.

A morning routine is a set of habits done right after you wake up. It may take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. But planning your morning, coupled with filling the very first part of your day with productive, creative and healthy activities is what makes this practice so beneficial.

Let’s see how to create the ideal morning:

1. Prepare the night before

It all begins in the evening. That’s when you make the decision to rise early the next morning, thus forming a desire that helps you to actually do it. Together with that, you take some actions to make the most of your morning when you get up. This can include writing your to-do list, getting your clothes ready, preparing your meals, and more.

These steps guarantee you a great morning because you save yourself some time and worries in advance, and prepare mentally at the same time. Anything you do in the evening that’s part of the morning ritual also plays a big role in your personal organization, and makes you more productive in general.

2. Wake up determined

The best combination for a powerful mindset is to go to bed after you let go of anything that has happened during the day, and to wake up with a smile ready to kick start your day. Intention is important also. If you don’t know what you’ll do once you’re awake, you won’t really be motivated to do it. An even worse scenario is to leave bed only to go to work, when you actually don’t like what you do for a living. Whatever the case, you can fix that by planning your morning the night before and having a reason to wake up.

Once you hear the first alarm, you’re more likely to get up. That makes you want to start the day, and over time, that makes you live more passionately and make the most out of each day. When you’re out of bed, feel good about it. You’re given 24 hours and can do anything you want with them. Appreciate this, smile about the opportunities you’ll be given later today. It can turn your whole life around.

3. Write

If you are looking to adopt a practice all successful people share, go for this quick and simple practice. Place a notebook and pen beside your bed in the evening and jot down anything that comes to mind when you open your eyes. Or you can open the laptop and type a few pages of what you plan to get done for the day. Both ways work. But to take morning pages to the next level, here’s what you can write about:

  • List a few things you’re grateful for. The act of writing them down makes you internalize each and you feel truly thankful;
  • Write down your 3 most important tasks for the day. Use your to-do list as a starting point (or create it now if you haven’t done it already), and see which 3 things from all items are key. Look for the ones that will actually get you closer to your goals once completed. Now put these on top. That’s how you prioritize. Then, break them down into smaller actions, so that you can know what the next steps to take are. That’s what you should work on once you’re done with the morning routine;
  • Journal your thoughts. Let out anything you’ve been keeping in your mind. Writing is therapeutic, it helps you remove mental blocks and leads to being more creative and productive. That will pay off later in the day;
  • Describe your ideal lifestyle. Write about your goals and dreams. Imagine you’ve already achieved them. Draw the picture in details in your mind and put pen to paper. This type of visualization makes you focused and you can do your work with more concentration and motivation during the day, knowing you’re getting closer to the lifestyle you deserve.

4. Get active

Many people complain that they don’t have any time to work out. But by getting up earlier, you can easily squeeze in a quick workout or even a jog.  It will not only keep you in shape, but is a fantastic way to jump start your day to feel fresh and energized.

5. Meditate

Let’s dedicate some time to your spiritual health too. The morning is the only time of the day when you probably have some me time, so doing it right means you’ll be at ease for the whole day and even react with calm when unexpected things come up.

Meditation is a quick and easy solution. Just find an isolated place and sit down. Start breathing deeply and focus on your breath until all random thoughts in your mind are gone. That’s when you find peace and are mindful. You can also think of a positive affirmation and repeat it to yourself while meditating to make the effect stronger and boost your motivation for the whole day.

All that is enough to help even the busiest person be more organized and productive, and can lead to personal and business growth too.

What other ways to kickstart a morning do you know of?

Filed Under: Real Talk, Uncategorized

The 3C Factor: 3 Attributes You Must Have to Attract Your Tribe

January 24, 2017 by Maleeka Hollaway 3,272 Comments

Ladies! We all know that ONE girl that when she walks into a room, she makes heads turn (and if you’re like me, YOU ARE THAT GIRL Lol). Well, have you ever wondered how she does it? Sure, her makeup is laid and her hair is slayed. Her ‘fit is bomb and her shoes are to die for…but what is it about her that commands the attention of every eye in the room? I’ll tell you what it is. It’s charisma. It’s character. It’s confidence. She has it. You have it. You just need to own it!

I believe each and every one of us are born with everything we need to make this journey called life happen. No matter how great or how small, those parts of you that make you who you are all work together towards getting you where you need to be and to pull those who need to experience you in your direction. Experience you…yes, I said it. Honey, everyone you have a conversation with needs to leave it feeling as if they’ve been taken on an encounter with a dope soul.

There are three attributes you need to send out those winning vibes to bring who you need into your space.

1. Charisma

Charisma is the compelling attractiveness someone has. People are naturally drawn to them because their personality is contagious! Before people decide to love you, they have to like you. And if you desire to attract winning opportunities, you have to embrace the part of you that needs to connect with like-minded individuals to flourish. This is the attribute that will allow you to rise to the top and become the crème of the crop.

2. Character

Who are you when no one is watching? (Please do tell!) That person is who you really are. Believe it or not, you can only stay in character but for so long before your role is exposed. The people you attract will possess the same characteristics you have, the good, the bad and surely the ugly. Be mindful of that.

3. Confidence

There is something magical about a woman whose smile caresses her face as if someone perfectly painted it on and whose presence says “I am THAT girl!” I’m sure you’ve heard time and time again that “confidence is key,” well it’s true. Believing in who you are and what you have to offer is critical to your success as a person and as a professional. Confidence convinces (You’ll catch that one later) and those you desire to have on your squad need to have confidence in your character.

When you allow the essence of who you are to shine through forreal, all three Cs will naturally flow from you. Your tribe needs your 3Cs. So, discover your uniqueness and embrace it. Everybody cannot handle your light. Those who are for you will come. And those who aren’t, well, they just aren’t. No love lost but all love given.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Business

Strive for Progress, Not Perfection

January 18, 2017 by Maleeka Hollaway 7,121 Comments

As we stepped into into 2017, I’m sure you’ve already made a list of the things you want to accomplish but have yet to. I’m sure you’re looked back on 2016 wondering “where did the year go?” “How much progress did I make?” And I’m sure you may be also thinking, “2017 is going to be my year!”

Am I right?

This is the thing: every year can be your year if you play your cards right. We all get the same amount of time in a day but what we choose to do with that time is what sets us apart from the rest of the bunch.

It is okay to want  all of your ducks to be in a row before you start something new or re-visit a lost dream, but let’s be realistic, life happens! We can’t wait on the perfect conditions to come to our aid. Why? Because perfection is not the goal, progress is.

Yes, I said it. YOUR GOAL IS NOT PERFECTION, ITS PROGRESS!

Progress is defined as “forward movement towards a destination, in space or in time.” Forward movement is critical. The key to setting and reaching goals is to plan in increments. Take steps to reach a goal so that it doesn’t not become overwhelming and eventually obsolete.

Creating a list of daily tasks and completing each one is good. Meeting and exceeding your quarterly and yearly goals is even better! And listen, sometimes working through life’s mishaps when you don’t feel like your work matters, is progress. I bet you can remember a time where your feelings took over your desire to do anything that included getting out of bed. But you got up anyway! No matter how big or small, progress is good.

You don’t need perfection to make progress and operate in excellence. Doing what you do and doing it well, is excellence. Dominating in your niche and in your lane is excellence. Serving mankind with a heart of gratitude is excellence. Now is not the time to settle on your success just because you don’t think you or what you are doing is good enough. Take these last few days of 2016 to set yourself up to make massive moves in 2017. How are massive moves made? By taking forward steps daily until you get to where you desire to be.

Remember, the goal is not perfection, but to continue making progress.

Filed Under: Real Talk

4 Easy Ways to Validate Your Business Idea

January 17, 2017 by Lidiya K 3,083 Comments

Richard Branson once said that business ideas are like buses. There’s always another one coming.

If we analyze what goes on in our mind in one day, assuming we’re creative individuals and entrepreneurs by heart, there will be some solid ideas we’d even decide to turn into reality.

But there’s just not enough time to work on each; give it a try and see where it goes. What’s more, most of these won’t work. Be it because there’s no market for it, isn’t something we’re passionate about that we can dedicate our life to for the next few years or even decade, or because we don’t have the skills, team or preparation to execute something like that.

There are many reasons why an idea might not work. That’s why it’s crucial to validate it long before you start investing time and resources in turning it into a real business.

So the next time a business idea pops up in your head, here’s what you should do first to make sure you’re working on something worthwhile:

1. See if there’s a market for it

Some ideas sound too good to be true, and they probably are. Do research, look around to see if others are making money in the same niche in a similar way. Go on Amazon, YouTube, Udemy, etc. and see what topics people are looking for the most, and whether or not the top products in these categories are making profit and think if you can create something similar.

2. Don’t innovate, solve a problem

Setting the goal of creating the next hot social media network that will be bigger than Facebook and Instagram, is just not realistic. And you don’t need to go that big. The work it takes, the chaos that will bring to your life, the investors, the lack of any free time, the mistakes that might be worth millions of dollars, etc. That means no personal life, no joy found in the work you do, and so on. So leave innovation for the game changes, the ones who already have initial capital and the connections necessary for that. Instead, focus on optimization.

Have a business idea? Great. Ask yourself if it solves a problem enough people share. Every business, every product or service that’s successful, is based on this – there must be a need to meet, a struggle to help people with and make their life easier. Most profitable online businesses do well because they help their customers save time or save/make money. And these are things we all want.

So think it through. Once you find the problem and think your product is the solution, define this as clearly as you can.

That’s how you’ll promote it to potential users one day, and how you’ll explain what your business is about. Make it short and to the point.

3. Reach out to people and ask question

So far, so good. But you need other people to tell you that it’s worth building a product like that. Otherwise, you can’t rely only on your strategy and the encouragement of the people around you. It’s the users you’re making it for, and they have the final say. So ask them in advance. When doing your research to validate your business idea, you must also find out where your target audience spends time online, what they talk about, etc.

Choose a social media channel they like and use a lot, find them through hashtags, groups, or else, and personally reach out to 10 or 20 people for a start to ask them what they think about your product. You can create surveys with Google Forms, Survey Monkey, TypeForm and Facebook

And because you can’t just ask for something without giving anything in return, offer them to be your beta users and give them something free or discounted in exchange. That’s probably one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

4. Build a MVP

That’s the minimum viable product, the very basic version of how your product/service will look like when it’s finished and ready to be distributed. It’s important to keep it simple. Just create something that solves the problem you promised people to help with, don’t add any other features, don’t worry about design, marketing, or else. That happens at a later stage.

Now get this product to your beta users. Let them play with it a little. Then, wait for feedback.

Be sure that they will honestly tell you what sucks about this product, what they like the most and why, and how to make it even better. Listen to their words, take notes, and go make improvements to your product. That’s the simple and beautiful process of going from an idea to something that can become big, help people and grow your business.

So, any business ideas?

Filed Under: Business

Earning Passive Income as a Freelancer

January 10, 2017 by Lidiya K 3,297 Comments

Freelancing is a great way to start off your journey to a lifestyle of freedom, independence and doing work you love.

In the beginning, you get some of the benefits right away and you love your life more because of this. You can work from the comfort of your home, choose only clients you like and which seem like the right fit for you, start new projects whenever you feel like, set your own working hours, travel and still make money, take a day off whenever you feel like and then hustle harder for the next few to bring more money in, and so on.

These are the joys of being your own boss, working online, managing your time the way you want to, caring about what you do, being strategic and productive but not having to answer to anyone else.

At some point, though, you’ll notice some disadvantages. The main one being that you make money only when you’re at the computer. The more hours you invest it, the more you’ll make, sure. But too many freelancers fall into the trap of working too much, not taking breaks, not doing other things they enjoy, etc.

This leads to feeling like you’re at your regular job. You might start hating what you do because of that. And the magic of being self-employed is lost.

That’s not how a business owner spends his time. Administrative and repetitive tasks aren’t something you have to deal with for the rest of your life, you shouldn’t dedicate all your time to work, and you also need to grow the business.

What you need to aim at in this case is earning passive income. That’s how you take freelancing to the next level, how you get back your time but keep making money even when you’re away from your laptop, and how you take the leap from a freelancer to an online entrepreneur.

It’s not easy, of course, and you’ll need to try out a few things to see which one works best for you.

In case you’re wondering how a freelancer can make passive income, here’s what you should consider:

1. Create a product

If you don’t try something you haven’t tried before, freelancing will turn into a comfort zone. And comfort is the enemy of progress. Too many people working for themselves are scared of even thinking about creating a product. However, it’s much easier and cheaper than you think. We’re not talking about hiring a developer and paying thousands of dollars to create an app that might not even get any attention by users. Let’s start with something simpler and for which there’s already a market. You have knowledge on a subject, the point is to share it with people and get paid for it. Once you have a product, it will be a source of income for a lifetime.

Self-publishing an eBook is something you can do. You don’t need to be an expert or hire professional editors and marketers. You just need to gather your experience and knowledge on a certain topic, know more than beginners, organize the information in an understandable way (preferably create a step-by-step guide), do the work in the beginning when writing, editing and proofreading. Get help for the formatting and design if you want to or even create it in Canva or Powerpoint, and start selling it on Amazon or even your site. That’s it.

Then, you can turn this into an audiobook. In the future, you might add video and create a whole course, these are pretty profitable now. Sharing it on Udemy will get it directly in front of the people interested in courses and who want to learn more about this particular subject.

Once that’s done, the only process you’ll keep working on related to the product is promotion, as it never ends.

2. Grow a site and monetize it

As a freelancer, you should have a site and a blog where you write and share opinion on important topics connected to your field.

Put more work and effort into this to get traffic. It will take time, but it will be worth it.

Produce fresh content consistently, provide a great user experience and make the site look professional with a premium theme.

Not only will you become an expert in the field by publishing practical content so often, but your site will grow and you’ll then be able to monetize that traffic.

The easiest way is to publish ads – available in, but not limited to standard and popular sizes – 728 x 90 leadersboards and 300 x 250 rectangles. Advertisers can pay you a flat rate for a specific duration or pay you based on impresssions or clicks.

Another option is affiliate marketing. You’ll link to other people’s products from within your articles, or emails to subscribers, or will even write whole reviews to products your visitors will find useful. Your goal is to encourage them to make a purchase. When that happens, you can easily get 50-70% commission. If you’re in a niche where you can promote software services, or big networking events, or else, each sale might mean a few hundred dollars for you.

The good news, and what makes this passive, is that when you write such articles (preferably super practical and long so that Google can be happy and rank them higher), they will be found by new people all the time and you’ll keep earning commission from something you wrote a long time ago.

These are the easier ways you can start earning passive income. Choose one today, brainstorm some ideas and start turning them into reality.

Soon, you won’t need to freelance all day, every day, and will begin to earn income without being at the computer.

Filed Under: Business

Womeneur Spotlight: Tieko Wilson of Tieko Nejon, LLC

January 9, 2017 by Sharon Beason wc@womeneur.com 3,130 Comments

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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^5812|url^https://www.womeneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tieko.jpg|caption^null|alt^null|title^tieko|description^null” css=”.vc_custom_1483905159221{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1483905195536{margin-bottom: -2px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

TIEKO WILSON

FOUNDER & BRAND STRATEGIST[/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: www.tiekonejon.com

Social Media: [dt_social_icons animation=”none” alignment=”default”][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”facebook” link=”http://facebook.com/TiekoNejon” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”twitter” link=”http://twitter.com/TiekoNejon” /][dt_social_icon target_blank=”true” icon=”instagram” link=”http://instagram.com/TiekoNejon” /][/dt_social_icons][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”5812″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

With a MA in Education and a BA is Sociology with a Minor in Small Business Entrepreneurship, Tieko Wilson, Founder and Brand Strategist of Tiko Nejon, LLC, left her teaching job to follow her passion and become a brand-builder for small business startups. She partners with them to define, design and deliver a brand that it REAL to the them by showcasing their specialty and meshing it with their personal style so that they may say YES only to their dream client. When not being a mother and wife, this lady boss offers Brand Strategy, Graphic Design, and Business Education services to her clients. We had the opportunity to interview this Womeneur and find out more about her business entering its 10th year of existence. 

What inspired your journey into business?

I believe I was born a entrepreneur but this particular venture began after I left my career of teaching in the classroom for ten years, my last assignment teaching Algebra. After conceiving my daughter, the idea of really doing what I love kicked in!

What steps did you take to start your business?

I studied, studied, studied. I performed by trial and error, sometimes way more error but I did not quit! I would seek and soak up all the information relevant to my industry and began to position my self as an expert worth of charging.

What did you do before this and is this your first business?

As mentioned, I was a school teacher prior to this, a total of 10 years. I last taught Algebra. I’m quite certain looking back on it, my years of braiding hair at the age of 12 for all kinds of folks qualifies as a business owner. I wold literally have clients booked for months out. This went on through college. My first government-aware business was when I was 22. Child Link, a tutorial company for children in group homes. Tieko Nejon was started in 10 years ago solely focused on Image Consulting before evolving into Image and Branding.

What is one thing that really helped you with starting your business?

Wow! If I had to narrow it down, I would have to say my love for learning. I think success is in always looking to learn something new. My husband’s belief that I could do anything and actually suggesting that I stay home from the traditional work and pursue my passion was the very best thing that could have happened.

What are your biggest business ownership fears?

I hate the word fear but I am apprehensive of other entrepreneurs that throw a title on a site and business card and call themselves a_____________. Fill in the blank. It seems like every industry is over saturated so I have to remind myself to not be distracted. As well as a consultant, we only eat if we stay booked. I have been fortunate thus far but I don’t take any of it for granted.

What do you do to stay motivated when you feel like giving up?

I first stay rooted in my belief in Christ who promised me that He had a plan for me and would be faithful to complete it. I then think about my two children. Nothing I do is for me now but it more about my children having a story to tell their children about me.

What do you enjoy the most about business ownership (what’s most rewarding)?

Most rewarding is being able to say yes and no when I feel like it, lol!!! I enjoy not having a “Monday”!!!!

What do you enjoy the least (what’s least rewarding) about business ownership?

I do not like the back end work; invoicing, banking, etc. I am working on delegating. I am horrible at that!!!!

If you had to do it again, what (if anything) would you do differently?

I would have definitely built an administrative team sooner. I now am looking for an administrative/personal assistant and it feels like it is harder than it should be. I should have done this prior to now!

What’s one thing in business you cannot go one day without using?

MY MACBOOK!!!!!!!!

What’s your secret to cultivating a good relationship with your customers/clients?

I make sure to over-deliver; give past the expectations. I also honor their time and talent. I am here to serve.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

I see my business as the go-to firm for building and educating on Branding. I look forward to quadrupling my team of designers, photographers and make-up artists. I look to author 2 books by then and increase my speaking [engagement] calendar. I also hope to be in a building that is a co-op working environment for creative brands.

What are 3 tips you can share with anyone wanting to be a business owner?

1) Become soooo good at what you do that you could do it in your sleep

2) Never stop learning and every opportunity is a chance to do so

3) Don’t work by mood but by schedule

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Filed Under: Womeneur Spotlight

3 Exciting Business Goals to Set in 2017

January 3, 2017 by Lidiya K 3,211 Comments

New Year’s resolutions often don’t work the way you may want them to. Most of the time it’s because you don’t make a plan, aren’t even sure whether you want to achieve the goals they set, and just rush into it without much thought.

In addition, you may set too many objectives, each requiring a big lifestyle change, investment of time, other resources, and a new mindset. Needless to say, it becomes overwhelming and you – like most people – have given up by the end of January.

But each new year is a blank book with 365 pages waiting for you to write it. It’s not just another opportunity to transform as human beings, but to also take our business on that journey with us.

Anything is possible. Just imagine where you can be standing a year from now.

Now, let’s see what these goals are. Choose one, do your research, define the first few steps, get excited, and start rocking 2017.

1. Let innovation drive you

Innovation is what the best products out there are based on. It’s what leads to progress too.

Why not become more innovative with your work and business thinking this year?

You might try a different marketing channel, change the way you hold meetings (maybe get people out of the office to boost creative thinking and let them freshen up at the same time), hire a new addition to the team that has an unusual approach.

Just do something completely different, even risky, and see how it goes. Innovation helps you grow too.

2. Just ship it

You know that product or service you’ve been thinking about for so long? The thing you’ve been researching, which your competitors are already making money from, but what you think you can do better?

Enough with the waiting. 2017 is about making things happen.

Create the minimum viable product and get it in the hands of a few people. See what they say. Maybe they’ll love it. Then, based on their feedback, improve it. Reach out to more potential customers (which means knowing the ideal customer is crucial in this case).

You don’t need to create the ideal product now. You just need a good idea that will solve a problem. And the best way to see if it can become something more is to let people give you honest feedback.

3. Let branding become a daily practice.

Doing the actual work, brainstorming strategies for growth, working on new ideas, and being busy doing everything else on our list, are all things that might let us forget that our personal brand is crucial for success.

But if you aren’t building your online presence consistently, you’ll be left behind. If you turn it into a habit though, if you list all the small actions you can take that will take your brand to the next level a year from now, you can crush it. And that can happen without too much work or effort.

Small efforts change the whole picture in the future. Every time you post something interesting on social media you might attract the attention of like-minded people. Each time you write content on your blog and share it with the world for free, you’re creating yet another chance for new people to get to know your business. Every time you tackle design for 10 minutes, you’re improving user experience.

All that becomes your brand. Don’t underestimate it, don’t leave improving it for later, because later becomes never.

I believe that each of these 3 goals can make a big difference in your life and your business. Start small, but be excited about what you’re doing. It matters. Plus, it turns you into the person ready to handle more responsibility, to become an authority in your field, to make connections with the right people and skyrocket the business.

2017 seems like the perfect year to achieve any of these 3 objectives.

Which one sounds most promising and why?

Filed Under: Business

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