Business

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Green Desk Dumbo, nymag.com

In New York City, office space is limited on every one of the five boroughs. Hustling through busy sidewalks, nudging through ridiculously crowded subway cars and squeezing your booty in to that corner table for a quick lunch meeting has become the norm for entrepreneurs in the Big Apple.  Sometimes the city life can be hard to handle. As entrepreneurs, we are not only trying to find our place in the business world but we are also trying to find a place to conduct business that won’t break the bank.  Is that too much to ask?

Renting an office in NYC can be costly and depending on your business it can be unnecessary. Coffee shops, home offices and the local library are no longer the only options for entrepreneurs like you and I and quite frankly can be a setback. With the growing success of the shared economy market –  Airbnb, Citi Bike, and PoshMark – entrepreneurs are constantly trying to find a creative space to get the job done. More and more entrepreneurs are turning to co-working spaces, which are open offices that are designed to temporarily host entrepreneurs and their teams.  Many of these facilities are available throughout NYC and other highly populated metropolitan cities throughout the U.S. They serve as a godsend to freelancers and entrepreneurs.

Listed below are co-working spaces that provides an atmosphere that is suitable for the next generation of business owners in NYC:

1. The Productive
Added Gem: 24/7  Access & Day Passes

If you are a night owl, this one is for you! The Productive is the “co-working studio” located in Midtown Manhattan which offers multiple space options. The setup includes open desks, computer workstations, and virtual offices.  There are four levels of membership with the option of a day pass for $30:

• Full-Time Open Desk – 24/7 Access: $210/month
• Computer Work Station – 24/7 Access: $310/month
• Nights & Weekends – M-F: 6PM-10AM, S/Sun: $130/month
• Dedicated Desk – 24/7 Access: $410/month

2. Green Desk
Added Gem: Sevent Locations in Brooklyn and Queens and Two Additional Locations Coming Soon

With offices located in prime locations, members receive scenic views, high-speed internet, fresh organic coffee and a great collection of other amenities and services.

• Single Open or Shared Desk – $30 daily
• Single Open or Shared Desk – $299/month
• Virtual Office – $79-$99/month

3. SoTechie Spaces
Added Gem: Event Space & Virtual Offices

This incubator space allows entrepreneurs to use business support services such as mail delivery services, mail forwarding and the use of the Business Support Center. In the heart of Bryant Park, SoTechie is a 24/7 facility with various memberships to accommodate unique schedules:

• Manhattan Virtual Office:  $49.95/month
• 2 Day Weekly Co-Working Space: $175/month
• 4 Day Full-time Pass (co-working and events only): $90
• Night Owl (Friday-Sunday night): $200/month

4. Sunshine Suites
Added Gem: Receptionist Services & Package Delivery

As a fellow Bronxite, seeing the celebration and investment in small businesses in the Bronx is exciting to witness. Sunshine Suites is a “business incubator” that has partnered with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to bring shared office facilities to the community. The company has six locations throughout NYC and the Bronx is the first co-sharing space in the borough. Receptionist services are available from 9am-6pm during the normal work week and a large number of business resources are available.

• Large Working Tables: $195/month
• Desk Rental: $295/month

5. Brooklyn Desks
Added Gems: Chic Facility for Work and Events & ZipCar Rentals

Brooklyn Desks is the “one stop shop” of co-working spaces. All the bells and whistles of the traditional co-working space are found here but with some great additions such as an outdoor terrace, roof rentals, a kitchenette and a relaxation room. To me, this space gives you the illusion of a large and  fun tech company, like Google, but with you as the CEO.

• Shared Spaces (day passes): 1 day – $15, 2 day – $40, and 3 day – $60
• Desk Space: 1 day – $20, 2 day – $50, and 3 day – $75
• Monthly: Shared – $276, Desk in Shared Private Office – $300, and 1 desk private office $395

As an added incentive, monthly memberships include weekly happy hours and the facility is pet friendly!

Entrepreneurs in any industry have plenty to think about and that is why the opportunity to “check the box” on something as simple as work space is important! Figure out what makes sense for you and your team and create structure around your business. Investing in a monthly membership will give you the amenities of an office without the hassle of ownership. Untraditional career styles are perfect for untraditional work environments. Never miss a day to grow your business. These co-working spaces can be used as a tool without breaking the bank!

Bonus: ShareDesk
Added Gem: Search thousands of work and meeting spaces across the world

ShareDesk is a search engine site for entrepreneurs looking for meeting/team working space and for venue managers to post their available location and manage their business using the Optix® software. With a catalog of over 2,400 venues, entrepreneurs in New York and beyond can find an environment that suits their needs.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

talareq.com

There’s nothing more thrilling than landing a new client. Getting their business is the culmination of all of your efforts over the course of a few months (and in many cases years). That being said, if you have been in business for some time then you know that all clients are not made equal. Some are fabulous and you just want to clone them. Yet others require a prayer and a bottle of wine to tolerate.

When I went into business a few years ago, I spent a lot of time envisioning heavenly days working with near-perfect clients. I never thought about what I would need to do if I encountered a client who wasn’t the right fit for my business. The latter scenario is something every business owner should anticipate and spend time thinking about.

It’s not all about the money…

It can be very easy to get caught up with lining your bank account when it is tied to deciding whether or not to retain your clients or leave them. Before you decide either way, here are some client considerations:

1. Is there synergy between your business and the client’s business?

It’s not enough to know you can execute the work. You could be working with this company for months and sometimes years. Like any healthy relationship there ought to be chemistry or something more than money that makes the collaboration worth it.

2. Are your clients clear on the scope of their needs?

Yes, it is your job to assist them with what they don’t know. However, time is a precious commodity in business and the last thing you can afford to do is to waste time trying to get clear on their expectations and goals. Goals can evolve over time, but constant revisions to the intended scope is a waste of time, efforts and energy for the business owner.

3. Do you constantly need to have the dreaded talk about payments with your client?

Assuming that you and your client have reached an agreement on terms of payment in the beginning, you should not have to constantly defend the worth of your services. If you continuously have to deal with being questioned about your rate and any justifications of work to that effect, it may be time to reevaluate the relationship

4. How about the know-it-all clients? Are you able to execute your duties as agreed upon?

Have you noticed that despite your client’s cries for help, they seem to have all the answers? If they are going to hire you, they will have to trust you to provide the services you are contracted for. If you reach a point where you are never right and they always know better than you, it may be time to move on.

5. Are you going insane?

I have heard stories from friends about losing sleep, calls at odd hours during the night, heart palpitations, vomiting etc. while working with certain clients. If you are going through any of the above it may be time to call it quits.

Working with a variety of clients has been one of my greatest joys and lessons in business. You don’t need a client to be perfect for the partnership to work. In fact, it is the imperfection that makes my work necessary as an owner of a consulting firm. Making sure that you have a potential exit strategy and expectations are clearly communicated in the beginning can save you a lot of angst.

Don’t be afraid to let go of a client. It took me sometime to understand that this is okay. The key is to always end on a respectful note. While this client partnership may not be ideal; you never know where your next referral may come from.

There is a right kind of client for us all. Sometimes, you have to have a clear vision with the clients you want to work with and actively pursue that demographic. Otherwise, you end up with money in your pocket, stress and feelings of drudgery because you are working with a company that is not in alignment with how you do business.

The choice is yours.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

nycedc.com

When a business jumps into social media, many find that it is a force to be reckoned with. Over the last several years it has become more and more important for businesses to bolster their brand through social media. However, the decision of what platform to use and how to use them can be an intense learning process.

Tailoring your brand takes a level of expertise. Many organizations and institutions are now hosting business and professional events and classes where they teach specific skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur in today’s social media driven world.

When you think about branding, look at it as the art of creating a unique identity. When it’s done right, you can attract your target audience within the industry you are working in. When developing your company and your digital presence, branding and social media goes hand in hand.

Social media has platforms and tools that can be used to virtually connect with customers, exchange information, and share your ideas to a diverse range of consumers. Most businesses utilize social media platforms with the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. When used effectivley, social networking can become an integral part of your success.

According to a 2014 report conducted by the Pew Research Center for Internet, Science and Tech, most of the internet users, in the U.S. are over 18 years old. Seventy-three percent are Black and from that amount, 74% are Black females.

When people visit your website, your vision for the business should be clear, and it should represent how you can help and engage your customers and social media followers. I am constantly on learning mode and there is a plethora of information that will help you understand the meaning of a hashtag to breaking down the basics of how search engine optimization (SEO) works.

The following information are just a few tools to get you on the right path.

Networking Events – Branding and Social Media

Eventbrite is an online tool that can be used to search for events. You can find just about anything from small conversations about social media to day long branding classes. For example, aspiring filmmakers can settle into classes like – Women Making Movies Presents: Building Your Social Media Presence While Making Your Film, while entreprenuers can attend the class – Business Outreach Center Network Presents: Making  Social Media Work For You.

Online Immersion Programs, Classes and Workshops

General Assembly is focused on the holistic entrepreneur and tackles the importance of social media. It provides courses in web development, user experience design, product design, data analysis, digital marketing, mobile development and business foundations. GA offers full and part time classes, workshops and one-on-one mentoring to enhance entrepreneurs web designing skills. For those of you based in NYC, the following workshops will be taking place in May:

Basics of Website Design
Understand web design conventions and how to maximize their use

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Cost: $35
Place: GA NYC – 902 Broadway, 4th Floor

Picture This: Instagram for Business
Learn how to #hashtag, growth hack, and build a mobile brand

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Time: 8:15pm – 9:45pm
Cost: $35
Place: GA NYC – 902 Broadway, 4th Floor

Social Media Weekend Bootcamp
An overview of how to tailor social media tools to your existing business strategies and social media tools for monitoring and return of investment (ROI).

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2015
Time: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Cost: $175
Place: GA NYC – 902 Broadway, 4th Floor

Entrepreneurs are not expected to know everything but we should be very resourceful! Understanding your skill set and the areas you need to improve on personally (i.e. soft skills) and for your business are things that are worth evaluating. Jotting down what will take your business and brand from a novice level to expert will take time but with the proper training, networking and dedication anything is possible.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]