Category

Business

Sep 29
Love0

5 Kick A$$ Biz Tips for Women

By Business, Money Management, Women's Wealth 2 Comments



20160929_232428-1

In case you didn’t know … #WOMENSWEALTH ROCKS!!!

After a great first day at FinCon, I attended Fidelity’s Women and Money event hosted by Tonya Rapley MyFabFinance.com and Melanie Lockert DearDebt.com. It was a delicious dinner on a yacht filled with wonderful and brilliant women in the financial literacy industry. We connected, shared money tips for women, laughed and celebrated each other.

A few of my take-aways from the dinner event were:

Put Your Oxygen Mask On First

img_20160922_220743Most women give so much of themselves to everyone around them that they forget or neglect Giving Back to the Giver. There is a reason why the first instruction when we fly a plane is to “put your oxygen mask on first.” Taking care of ourselves is crucial. As women, we must allow ourselves time to rejuvenate, repair and replenish our mind, body, and soul so we can continue to give our blessings to the world.

Fail Forward

Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche reminded us that failure is not final, rather a step closer to success. She gave an impressive example of how we were taught to ride a bike. When we started riding a two-wheeler, we fell a few times, but that didn’t stop us. We kept trying until we rode that two-wheeler with no help and didn’t fall. She explained that it is strange that people are so afraid to fail when it comes to money. Just like learning to ride a bike, falling off our budget, credit or investments is not final. We should Fail Forward, learn from our mistakes and keep working towards financial success! Let’s have some Fun Failing Forward!

We Lose When We Don’t Ask

Tara Wacks of About.com explained that one of the reasons why women don’t get the same pay or benefits as men is because “Women don’t ask.” Tara and other ladies shared why it is so important for women to ASK for more. Even if we think the answer will be “No,” the answer will always be “NO” if we never ASK! So ask for that raise, that promotion, etc. Just ASK! Check out Tara’s new movements TheBalance.com and Shift.TheBalance.com. They give Women the tools needed to ASK!

You are Your Best Investment

img_20160922_220932We were asked to share our best investment. A resounding response from ladies was that investing in themselves was their best investment and had the biggest return. I was one of them and agree. I shared that my best investment, other than attending my first FinCon, was my investment in self-publishing my first book, Financial Fornication. When we invest in ourselves, there are no losses, and we do get the biggest return!

“F” That!

A lovely woman of wealth Emily Guy Birken, author of “The 5 Years Before You Retire,” stood up proudly and shared her final tip for the women at the event. She eloquently shared, “F THAT!!!” People are going to be upset if you stand your ground, be a savvy business woman, ask for what you deserve and don’t take people’s S#IT! So “F” That! Do YOU! It’s your life and your wealth. Don’t let anyone that is not going to positively contribute to your success control your actions and intimidate you from doing YOU!

There was so much more information shared at the Women and Money Event. The bond that was made at this event will last a lifetime. I encourage women to connect, collaborate and continue to kick A$$ because #WomensWealth Rocks!!!

This post was proofread by Grammarly



Feb 15
Love0

5 Things Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Beyonce’s Formation

By Business, Money Management No Comments

Are you an Entrepreneur or want to be? Well, Beyonce’ came out of nowhere without warning and caused an international uproar. Feather Scott of Success With Feathers, shares “WHAT ENTREPRENEURS CAN LEARN FROM BEYONCE’S FORMATION” to elevate your business to the next level.

beyonce formation lessons for entrepreneurs

Create Conversation and Think Pieces.

Beyoncé teaches us the power and importance of not just creating a product or service but creating a think or conversation piece also.

Every since the release of the video, Beyoncé’s Formation has inspired nonstop discussion and interpretation. Rather people love it, or they hate it… They are talking about it, dissecting it and making her more relevant by the second.

Reflection: In what ways can you start tweaking what you have to offer or creating products and services that create a major buzz?

Don’t Play, SLAY!

Whenever you do what you do, don’t play, slay!

Being bold is something that many people in general are afraid of and Beyoncé teaches us time and time again that whatever you do, do it fiercely and confidently even if that means stepping on some toes.

That’s not to say that you should try to offend people on purpose but..

Reflection: Your audience will only be as confident about what you have to offer as you are.

Capitalize on the Element of Surprise

Something that Beyoncé does very often is capitalized on the element of surprise. No matter how long she goes on hiatus she remains very anticipated because no one knows what she is going to do next.

Rather it’s with dropping music, announcing a pregnancy 6 months into it, reinventing herself, her image or trying different things, Beyoncé never fails to keep us on our toes.

Reflection: Think about ways that you can increase your mystique and be more calculated about what you reveal so that people can anticipate you?

Some of us give so much of ourselves away or reveal too much about what we are working on to the point where most people just do not care anymore or write us off as having little to no importance.

Mystique and less accessibility will make you much more desirable in the world.

You Don’t Owe Anyone an Explanation

Formation has many people up in arms. There is a literal social media war because … (continue reading “WHAT ENTREPRENEURS CAN LEARN FROM BEYONCE’S FORMATION” by Feathers Scott)

 

Need help starting your own business? Here’s is what can help you be your B.O.S.S! CLICK HERE to learn about the B.O.S.S. System.

 

 

Related articles across the web

Oct 28
Love0

4 Advisors Every Business Owner should have on their Team

By Business, Insurance, Investments, Money Management No Comments

If you’re a business owner, you are used to wearing a lot of hats. Still, you can’t be an expert at everything, which is why it’s important to build a network of trusted professionals that you can turn to for help whenever the need arises.

business-teamNo matter how successful you are, there are plenty of reasons to establish a professional network. In addition to exchanging contacts and referrals, there’s also the opportunity to share ideas and receive free advice from specialists in their field. And, much like getting a second opinion on a medical procedure, your network can act as a system of checks and balances by making sure you weigh all your options.

Ask yourself: Whom should you invite to be part of your network? While the members may vary depending on your strengths and weaknesses, your team should probably include some—or all—of the following professionals:

Attorney

Unless you have in-house council or a legal background yourself, an attorney—especially one with some experience in your industry—is almost a necessity. Among other things, an attorney can help defend you and your company from potential lawsuits, review contracts, and help with succession planning.

Accountant

While most people only use their accountant during tax season, business owners will find that an ongoing relationship can save them money in the long run. Not only can an accountant keep you from running afoul of the IRS, they can also show you how to structure your business and become a more tax-efficient operation.

Banker/Financier

As we all know, cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. And in today’s restrictive lending environment, having a banker in your corner can be a real boon. By providing easy access to credit, or letting you hear about the most favorable rates, a banker can be an invaluable addition to your team.

Insurance agent

A professional insurance agent can help you prepare for a number of critical business issues. Specifically, an insurance agent can help your business overcome the loss of a key employee, enhance your executive benefit package, fund a buy-sell agreement, and protect your family’s future by insuring your business interests.

As you can see, there are a host of advantages to creating a network of professionals with expertise in their field. Best of all, it’s a win-win for all parties, so setting one up may be easier than you think.

This educational, third-party article is provided as a courtesy by Tarra Jackson, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company. To learn more about the information or topics discussed, please contact Tarra Jackson at TRJackson@ft.newyorklife.com.

Sep 13
Love0

8 Ways to Start Your Business With Little to No Capital

By Business, Money Management No Comments

Do you want to start a business, but don’t think you have enough capital to get your start-up started? Jonathan Long, contributor for Enterprise.com, shares 8 tips to start your business with little to no capital.

[us_separator type=”invisible” icon=”fas|star”]

Syndicated

Entrepreneurs will often have amazing business ideas, but they put them on hold due to a lack of capital. They assume that their idea will never get far off the ground unless they have major funding behind them.

It seems that every day there is a new startup receiving millions of dollars from venture capital firms, but what you don’t hear about is the several startup failures that burn through millions of dollars only to fizzle out and shut their doors forever.

If your idea and plan of execution aren’t well thought out from the beginning, no amount of money can turn it into a winner. Have a great idea but very little money? Don’t let that stop you! Yes, there will be ridiculously long days with little to no sleep. Yes, you are going to be stressed. But those that want it bad enough will make it.

Here are eight tips that can help you get your idea off the ground with limited funds.

1. Build your business around what you know.

Instead of venturing off into uncharted territory, make sure that you build your business around your skills and knowledge. The less you have to rely on outside sources the better. When your business is built around your own personal expertise you can eliminate consultants and outside assistance.

Also, having that knowledge is sometimes all that is needed to successfully take the plunge into entrepreneurship.

2. Tell everyone you know what you are doing.

Inform your family, friends, business contacts and past colleagues about your new business. Call, send emails and make your new venture known on your social-media profiles. Your friends and family members can help you spread the word, and past business contacts can introduce your brand to their professional contacts as well. This type of grassroots marketing can help introduce your company to a much larger audience.

3. Avoid unnecessary expenses.

You are going to have plenty of expenses, and there are some that just can’t be avoided. What you can avoid though is overspending. Take something as simple as business cards. You could drop $1,000 on 500 metal business cards that give off the “cool” factor, or you could spend $10 on 500 traditional business cards. Being frugal in the beginning can be the difference between success and a failed business.

4. Don’t get buried in credit card debt.

There is a smart way and a suicidal way to use credit when starting a business. New computers, office furniture, phones and supplies can all quickly add up. Instead of purchasing everything at once and throwing it all on a credit card, use your company’s revenue to finance your expenses. Eliminating the stress and burden of debt will greatly increase the chances of creating a successful business.

5. Make sure your receivables policy won’t sink you.

If your business is a retail operation then this isn’t going to apply, but if you are providing services such as consulting or products to retailers you need to make sure that your payment policy is well thought out. Can you remain above water with net-15 or net-30 terms? Don’t base your receivables on what you think your customers will want. Base them on what is going to make your business operate successfully.

6. Build up sweat equity.

When I first started my business I worked around the clock, handling every aspect of the business as well as the marketing and growth. All of the hard work and long days that you put in isn’t for nothing. You are building a brand and your hard work is essentially increasing the value of … (continue reading 8 Musts to Start Your Business With Little or No Money via Enterprise.com)