The Real Deal in Heels

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THE

REAL DEAL Sharelle Rosado is Selling Tampa and Beyond Are you ready for the Metaverse?

5 WAYS TO

MONETIZE NOW!

ISSUE IV

|

SPRING 2022

MONEY MISTAKES

That Keep Your Business Broke

YOUR FAVORITE BFF Cheri Johnson on motherhood and girlfriend shenanigans

MORE RESOURCES TO START AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS

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From the desk of the

FOUNDER I'm in love with reinvention. Gone are the days of tossing things out that we perceive as old or that we feel may have served their purpose. Reinvention is defined as the action or process through which something is changed so much that it appears to be entirely new. Since early 2020, we have all been reinventing every aspect of our lives, from how we interact with one another to how we shop and even our careers. As we settle into the new normal, our desire to reinvent has not slowed down. We want meaningful lives filled with rich experiences. We can all agree that the past couple of years have shown us that things can change instantly.

Uncertainty can breed self-doubt and slow you down.

If you want to create something new and improved, for that matter, you must trust yourself. For some, the confidence that it takes to trust ourselves comes easy, and for others, it's an overwhelming process. Conquering self-doubt is the real battle. I'm going to need you to channel your favorite professional athlete and hone your craft daily. Truly trusting yourself takes practice and lots of patience, and it may not happen overnight.

However, if you really want to reinvent yourself, your business, your relationships, your body, etc., you will have to put in the work. In no time, you'll hear that little voice in your head confirming, "You got this!"

The ladies featured in this issue of BWMB, Sharelle Rosado, who is building a real estate empire her way, Deja Riley, stepping out of the shadows of her family and charting her own path through fitness and advocacy, along with others, are showing us where betting on yourself can take you. They are not asking for permission or waiting for approval to reinvent themselves, and this is your challenge to do the same.

ett r r a G n o ig L a h is En

Trust your Brilliance!

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contents Coaching 10The Industry and the Metaverse

Five ways coaches, consultants, service-based leaders, and influencers can jump right in.

16 2 6Deals in Heels 38A-Listed 48 Passion to Profit On the MOVE

Deja Riley on shifting narratives and creating a safe, inclusive space.

How Sharelle Rosado is taking the real estate market by storm.

A candid conversation with Robin Andrade on life, real estate, and the Ladies Who List

life you love.

Ten critical steps to creating a business and

THE SQUAD JASMINE WILLIS - Senior Editor MARIA HARRIS - Senior Editor MUZIKSCRIBE - Managing Editor STACI MOORE - Senior Project Manager STEPHANIE ROSA - Senior Art Director

THE LEGAL STUFF: The information contained in this publi-

cation is for informational purposes only and is subject to the terms and conditions found on www.blackwomenmeanbusiness.com. Ellese & Co, the publisher of BWMB Magazine assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, event or organization has been provided by the respective subject or contributor with no verification by us. Further, the opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its contributor and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ellese & Co or BWMB Magazine, therefore, we carry no responsibility for the opinion expressed thereon.

All rights reserved copyright Ellese & Co 2022

Contact: hello@blackwomenmeanbusiness.com www.blackwomenmeanbusiness.com Advertising Inquiries hello@elleseandco.com 626.536.1227 WWW.BLACKWOMENMEANBUSINESS.COM 5

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5 Steps to Building a Converting Community on Instagram LEAH J

Community is the 2022 buzzword, especially in the branding and marketing industries, and rightfully so. The brand and consumer relationship is essential and will be the foundational piece to anyone's 2022 content strategy. So let's put a name to it, and it's called community-based marketing.

Here's why this strategy will work for you.

According to SalesForce, 84 percent of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business. Communities are a powerful source of brand advocacy, and that's why you should tap into this marketing strategy.

We'll break it down even further. People seek a deeper connection with the brand - buying decisions reflect consumer identities. We purchase based on emotions rather than logic, and these consumers represent the communities in which we belong. People buy from brands that look like them and share similar stories, values, and perspectives. Wait! Here's the surprising part - once you build and nurture your community, it becomes self-serving. Similar to parenting, when you foster engagement within your community, then they become self-serving.

This strategy helps reduce advertising costs, and higher customer retention rates are added pluses when using this marketing method. Providing the consumer with a voice allows room for direct sales.

Before launching a community, define its purpose, how the quality and integrity will be maintained, and any key performance indicators (KPIs) early on. (Tip: Create a buyer's persona which includes their demo-

graphics, habits, goals, frustrations, etc.)

Now let us dive into these very important steps!

1. Establish a Brand Tone

The brand tone is how your business communicates to your audience. You disseminate information through specific wording and writing styles. Remember, no one likes a hard sell.

2. Get Comfortable With Sharing Your Brand Story

Your brand’s story is a compelling narrative that shares your values, mission, and goals across all media platforms. And, to sweeten the pot include personal anecdotes.

3. ACTIVELY Participate

Almost everyone on your page holds some mutual love for your products or services.

It's okay to hold conversations. Don’t post and ghost! Use your Instagram stories, reels, and comment sections to engage with

your community. Save those reviews sent to you via direct messages and post them as a thank you (bonus – it also doubles as a referral for the skeptics). Be accessible, but only to a certain extent.

4. Provide Value

Educate your audience about your product or service while focusing on the solution. You're keeping people engaged by not forcing them to buy. Reels and Carousels are examples of short-form content that do this job very well. This also falls into #3!

5. Stay Consistent, Stay Connecting

If people aren't showing up, don't worry.

Remember, if you build it and nurture it, they will come.

Community-based marketing thrives through organically built relationships.

Consumers find more value in what you’re offering, the disconnect between brand and consumer disappears, and brand loyalty emerges. As we continue to learn about new branding and marketing strategies as business owners, the amplification of our voices will continue to grow in ways unimaginable through our unique way of storytelling plus cultural impact. Three out of four Black millennials are more likely to consider a brand that positively and accurately reflects Black culture and lifestyles. (www.thinkwithgoggle.com)

LEAH J works with small businesses to access all the secrets of building an authentic brand story and maintaining a loyal community on social media.

Starting as a blogger and celebrity reporter, she has gained invaluable experiences over the years, allowing her to build a online and offline, and grow an influencer brand.

Instagram @ itsleah_j

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The Coaching Industry & the

Metaverse 5 Ways to Monetize JASMINE P. GREEN

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“Change with the times or get left behind.”

My grandmother said this so many times that I’m now convinced she had to have known what was coming.

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First, it was the Internet. The people who were crazy enough to believe in it have since made millions, ten times over. Fast forward to this good year of our Lord 2022.

The Metaverse is now the new opportunity for early adopters to change how they do business indefinitely.

So, what is the Metaverse exactly? Simply put, it is a digital arena where users can interact socially with other users in a 3D virtual reality. There are bars, clubs, football stadiums, homes, parks; the list goes on and on. You'll need a VR set (i.e., Oculus) to access it, and you're ready to be transported to a space of your choice.

Since the application of the Metaverse is fairly new (okay, maybe not, we're finally catching up to the aliens), many entrepreneurs are left wondering how they can monetize it for their businesses — especially those in the infotech and service-based industries.

Here are five ways coaches, consultants, service-based leaders, and influencers can jump right in.

Webinars & Masterclasses - Currently, we rely on technology such as WebinarJam or GotoWebinar to host live sales events with our leads. Imagine being able to connect with your leads in your own branded virtual space. You'd be able to share your process and frameworks and walk them through your sales process — enrolling them into your programs/ courses right there on the spot.

Virtual Stages - I'm a huge fan of summits & live challenges. Typically, everyone's gathered on Zoom or in Facebook groups

soaking up knowledge and connecting with other people via the comment section.

And listen, if you know how to do it, the comment section is lit. Imagine this; your attendees get access to your event in the Metaverse, with an NFT (non-fungible token) from your collection, granting them access to the event. I'll be covering NFT's in another article but know that there are infinite ways to monetize with this route alone. You will be able to empower your audience, engage with them and sell your offers from the virtual stage in real-time.

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Sales Environment - Picture it, you dress your avatar up and enter into your virtual office. Your prospect enters, and they find themselves inside of a visual presentation.

This experience takes discovery and strategy sessions to an entirely new level.

Coaching Sessions/VIP Days - Once you've enrolled your client, you can now bring them into a virtual setting to receive coaching from you. Instead of sending them a Zoom room login, they can immerse themselves in a virtual space viewing any documents or training you've planned.

People invested in NFT’s, cryptocurrency, and the Metaverse already are early adopters themselves naturally aligning to you. This is your opportunity to show up as a leader and innovator and serve them. your mastermind, you can add an inclusion where your members can attend monthly/ quarterly virtual events with you and other experts to deliver transformational learning experiences.

What questions do you have about developing utility with NFT's, cryptocurrency, and the Metaverse? Join the conversation on BWMB’s social channels!

I'm feeling inspired, so I'll throw in a bonus use for the Metaverse.

If you're ready to plan, create and launch your Metaverse, email me at hello@jasminepgreen.co.

A Private Community - Most coaching programs and masterminds include a private space where paid members can share ideas, wins, and ask questions. With your Metaverse, your students can interact with each other sharing real-time conversations. All successful course creators realize that when their community is thriving, their program thrives. This special inclusion will create deeper connections amongst students, truly creating a supportive space.

Delivering your programs and offering experiences in the Metaverse instantly sets you apart from others in your industry and niche. It also gives you room to leverage more income streams within your business model. Think about this — People who have already invested in NFT's, cryptocurrency, and the Metaverse are early adopters, naturally aligning with you. Now is the time for you to show up as a leader FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB and innovator and serve them.

Private Masterminds - This option should be executed if you've already mastered your frameworks and have gotten results.

You might be thinking about (or already have) a mastermind that helps your clients take their results to the next level. Inside

JASMINE P. GREEN is an 8 Figure Biz Mentor x Crypto Dev. I’ll show you how to monetize your coaching programs with NFT’s and the Metaverse. Get inspired  www.facebook.com/jasminepgreen1018

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What’s Your Why? I S

I T

P A S S I O N,

When you first decided that you wanted to start your business, you likely were thinking:  I can’t wait to get away from this awful job.  I just want to be home with my kids.

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P U R P O S E, O R

 This dead-end job is going nowhere.  I’m tired of working crazy hours and holidays.  I know I’m worth more than they’re paying me.

P R O F I T S?

These and many, many other thoughts go through the heads of every would-be business owner and are often the driving force behind their final, “I quit.”

To find the inspiration to make your business thrive, you must identify the real why behind what you do. Let's explore.

Passionate Whys

“Passion-based” is a phrase that’s found a massive following in the past few years and seems to be the holy grail of entrepreneurial adventures. And for business owners with a true passion for their field, it can be a strong motivator.

Some business owners are passionate about a subject, spending their waking hours learning about the topic. Some are passionate about a market and would do anything to help their ideal client achieve their goals.

Learning to harness that passion can help be your saving grace on those late nights when you are running on empty.

Financial Whys

Maybe you want to retire at 40 to travel the world or send your kids to an elite private school. Maybe you love living a luxe life and dream of owning homes across the globe.

Whatever your big dream, you knew it would never make it happen while putting in time at the 9-5. While everyone seems to go on and on about those passion-based dreams, the truth is there’s nothing wrong with wanting financial fulfillment. Money is a necessary tool, and we need it, and the more we have, the more ease we can finance. And, wanting more of it is nothing to be ashamed of, as long as you maintain your integrity and authenticity in pursuit of it.

Philanthropic Whys

Plenty of business owners engage in business to have more to give. You’ve no doubt heard of—or maybe even know—people who use their earnings to fund ministries, movements, advocate for those in need, and support a variety of charities at home and abroad. Others use the time freedom they’ve built into their business to volunteer with thing such as local hospitals, animal shelters, and children’s organizations, etc.

If you have a heart for a cause, a philanthropic why might be the driving force that takes your business to the next level.

These thoughts are great for lighting a fire and inspiring you to make a scary jump to entrepreneurship; however, they’re not so great for motivating you to grow and improve your business. These things, alone, will not encourage you to improve your skills, raise your rates, and be brave and authentic in your marketing, and they certainly won’t help you find the courage to make a significant investment or launch an out-of-thebox offer.

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LIVE

Three lippies for your next

I have close to 20 lippies on my desk so that I can quickly grab one to standout the next time that I hit that live button. You should have a few show-stopping staples that you can count on.

Black Magic Hypnotic Impact High Shine Lipstick Glossy shades wash the lips with color and give them a reflective sheen. Amplify your lips with a buildable wash of color and rave worthy shine. Now 100% vegan! www.uomabeauty.com

Sangria Splash Matte Lip Whip Highly pigmented and smudge proof, there’s nothing to “wine” about when it comes to this vibrant Lip Whip www.beautybakerie.com

Bawse Lady LIQUID MATTE Liquid matte lipstick goes on like gloss, dries matte and lasts all day - without drying your lips out. www.thelipbar.com

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scored a nomination for the 1990 Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. White is probably best known for playing Charmaine Brown - Pam's bestie - during the two final seasons on The Cosby Show and its spin-off A Different World, as well as the voice of Penny's bff, Dijonay Jones, on the animated Disney Channel series, The Proud Family; a role that she's currently reprising on the Disney+ revival, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

"You know, it's so funny. I play all of these girlfriends who, just are not quite like me.

I don't talk fast, but I am that solid girlfriend. I am that trustworthy girlfriend, even though Dijonay gossips and she might throw Penny under the bus every now and then to save herself, but, eventually, she'll come back to the bus and help her up, so, I bring myself to the role."

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is now streming on Disney+ Instagram @karenmalinawhite

Louder and Prouder Our favorite scene-stealer is back as Dijonay Jones

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Karen Malina White attended Philly's High School for Creative and Performing Arts and eventually went on to graduate

cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Howard University. It was during White's senior year at Howard that she was not only crowned Miss Howard University but also secured her very first acting job.

For her portrayal of Kaneesha Carter in the 1989 Joe Louis Clark biopic, FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB Lean on Me, Karen

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m

move Deja Riley is shifting narratives and creating a safe, inclusive space for all people not only to look better, but feel better.

Deja Riley is a motivational force to be reckoned with.

Never one to depend on nepotism, Riley, a Georgia native, forged her own very successful path by relocating out west to sunny Southern California.

After migrating to Los Angeles, Deja quickly began establishing connections within the dance community resulting in a chance encounter with veteran award-winning choreographer, Laurieann "Boomkack" Gibson [Michael Jackson, Beyoncé]. A position as Gibson's assistant was soon offered, ultimately leading to a very high-profile gig - dancing alongside the one and only Lady Gaga.

Although she would go on to dance with some of the biggest allaround entertainers – Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Trey Songz, and the aforementioned Queen B herself - performing with the global superstar at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show throughout the next decade, Riley eventually made the courageous to forge a new career in the fitness space.

Finally able to focus on something that made her genuinely happy - the ability to empower others - she would soon go on to launch Deja Riley Athletics, combining both her love for dance and fitness.

In October 2018, Deja married her longtime boyfriend, Jimmy Izydorczyk [née Izydorczyk]. "That is my best friend. That is my confidant. That is my favorite travel partner. That is the love of my life. That is the future father of my children. I just, I love that man," she gushes, blushing.

Further expressing her bliss, she continues," he has truly taught me how to love myself more. I think that is why I fell so deeply

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in love with him. We met eight years ago at a friend's house at a New Year's Eve party. We just hit eight years of being together and three years married this past October. It is just one of the most beautiful journeys. I think that having a life partner, having a forever teammate is one of the greatest gifts that God can give you. I'm so happy he put me with this man."

As the first dancer and Black female boxing brand ambassador for lululemon, trainer for MIRROR interactive home gym, the host of her own YouTube channel, DANCE OUT OF THE BOX (a shadowboxing and dance cardio fusion), and serving as Director of Culture for the organization Fit For Us, Deja continues to break barriers and knockdown stereotypes. Living the dream while making a long-lasting impact on the fitness industry.

Act I: Inception Deja: I started dancing at the age of 3, and I was very excited to just be moving my body at a very early age. My parents always said that I just couldn't sit down. They had to do something with me. So I played instruments. I played violin, the saxophone, the piano; I was in the theater. I was in dance, (it) was always my very first passion. It was the one thread that I stuck with throughout my entire life.

From the age of three to twelve, I was dancing; classically trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical flamenco, hip hop, you name it. I moved into competitive dancing at the age of 12. I loved my competitive

years; I would always call it 'dance college.' It was where I gained so much experience, so much knowledge, and wisdom from some of the greatest choreographers and dance teachers.

Act II: Professional Start When I was 19, I went back out there ready to hit the ground running. And then it was kind of crickets. Like I went to all of these different auditions. I thought I had what it takes. I think I was spoiled by that. I went out there just super fired up and ready, and slowly but surely was like crunched down to size to the point where I was like feeling super defeated. At that point in my journey is when I met Laurieann Gibson. If you don't know who she is, please go look her up. I owe so much of my career (to her). I started working as her assistant. It was one of the toughest years of my life, but also one of the greatest years of my life; it helped me to build a very strong backbone. It built all of the tools that were necessary for me to survive in the dance industry.

She [Laurieann] gave me my initial start in dancing for celebrities.

She helped me to just grow in so many different ways; to grow with my movement, feel comfortable in my own skin. And so I'm

so grateful for that. She then gave me my first job on Dancing with the Stars with Lady Gaga. From there, my career started to take off. I've worked with some incredible choreographers, and I loved dancing, but I think what changed and made me pivot was the lack of mental health like that.

Act III: Career Transition I lacked the ability to take care of my mind, as well as my body. I always learned all of the things that you need to do to stretch, get massages, like make sure that you're constantly training all the things to keep your body in check, but the things that I needed as far as mental strength to maintain a healthy life. I discovered that literally on the Super Bowl 50 field dancing behind Beyoncé.

I'm like, 'this is one of the biggest jobs of my life, (but) I feel so small and so insignificant and so insecure.' I just knew at that moment, like me being in, coming up into my late twenties and being at this huge monumental moment and not being able to enjoy it because of what I was feeling on the inside. All of the things that were blocking me from the true joy of that moment had built up to that point.

From there, I turned my attention to fitness, and I had a personal trainer at the time. And, we're just working on strengthening my body for dance, like for, in between tours and traveling and doing film and TV. Like I would come back and train with her. One of the most amazing things I started to discover was that it felt very similar to dance. As I started to learn how to place my body and how to properly have technique throughout strength and cardio, I noticed that there were so many similarities to dance and fitness. I think what turned me on about it is how good I felt after I would have a workout.

Act IV: Deja Riley Athletics Getting to that place of truly feeling good, again; mind, body and soul, and the three always must work together. I think that you find that you're in the right place, and in the place that you're exactly supposed to be when all of those three align. That was magical for me, that feeling that I would get out of a workout, and then I would just be like, 'alright, I am superwoman! Like I am it, I am everything. I am worthy. I am enough.' Like these affirmations were the immediate thought that I would have when I would do a workout and quite the opposite of what I would feel when I would come off stage or when I was in rehearsals and constantly breaking myself down and beating myself up about steps and things that didn't really (matter)

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I also sit on the board of AAB, which is the Ambassador Advisory Board. We also partner with other various organizations to continue to create the change that needs to be seen in the fitness industry, especially when it comes to inclusivity. On top of that, I am very proud of the work that I do with Fit For Us, which is an amazing organization that advocates for black wellness and fitness professionals. I enjoy doing all of that work under the umbrella of Deja Riley Athletics. I know that there's so much more to come.

Act V: The Brand I'm a huge believer that fitness is not a one size fits all lifestyle.

Neither is wellness. What it looks like for me is not going to be what it looks like for you. That work is more important to me than anything that I do. To make an impact on the future leaders of tomorrow, of our future, the ones that are going to be taking care of us is some of the most powerful work that you can do. So as long as I have breath in my body, I will continue to teach. I will continue to listen. I will continue to perform. I will continue to show up for our people, but also just specifically for the youth because if we don't build them up to know that they can take these positions to know that they can stand on these platforms, to know that they have the power within them and they don't have to search for it anywhere else, then what are we doing? Like what are we living for? That is, honestly, the foundation of the work that I do.

in the grand scheme of life. That, honestly, was like the turning point, and then I moved into fitness.

This went on for six years. I was able to turn that into a business that I birthed in 2018 called Deja Riley Athletics. Under that umbrella, I've worked with the likes of POPSUGAR, Reebok, Puma.

I could go on and on with the list of amazing partnerships that I've had. I've been featured in Forbes, featured in Essence. Honestly had the honor of changing people's lives, which is the greatest gift of all. I am extremely happy to be in the position I'm in now. I'm so happy that my dance career led me here.

I currently am in partnership with lululemon and MIRROR. I'm an instructor on MIRROR and a global ambassador for lululemon.

What I do specifically in my business is form different brand partnerships. That's honestly what keeps my business alive, aside from selling merch and putting out different products. Ultimately I want to make another pivot in my career and bring that full-circle moment to not just using my body, but also using my voice. This year I am making a strong pivot, and now BWMB gets to hold me accountable because I'm saying it out loud... my career will make a pivot into hosting. From being a fitness personality and public figure and being able to use my body and voice in tandem, which is probably one of the most terrifying thoughts that I've ever had.

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I know that people listen to me, people believe what I say, people take what I say very seriously and then go and apply it to their own lives. One of the biggest things that I decided that I was going to do before I started a brand partnership(s) is I was always going to be authentic. I was always going to let the connection happen organically rather than chase anything. I've been very fortunate in my career that my light goes out into the world and attracts exactly what's supposed to come to me, but I also have had to be very careful. I've had to be very mindful in the process. I think eyes wide open is like one of the biggest things; always like looking at your surroundings and understanding the people that you're speaking to.

With my brand, I will never, ever do something just for a check.

For me, it is more important I am helping to change the lives of people because I honestly feel like you can, anybody can, put any information on the internet these days, right? Like, if you do trust me, if you follow me, and you watch my brand, (then) it is my

FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB

responsibility to not lead you astray. So I take that very seriously.

That's also advice that I would give to any other young black businesswoman or entrepreneur. Make sure that you are in alignment with everything that you stand with. It could be so damaging to find yourself looped in with something that you don't stand for.

Act VI: Dropping Gems Build your own. That's what I did honestly... like, yes, I partner with these other brands, but if nothing else, I always have my brands. Like, if God forbid all of these brand partnerships went away tomorrow, I have built my name up and built up my brand alongside these other brands. I'm not defined by any of them.

Those are just a few of the tips that I would give to another Black woman and other businesswomen. I would also say build your strong team. I look like I might do this as a one-woman show, (but I also have my) PR and my lawyer. I have a social media manager and project manager. I have various teams of people that I work with daily. I have trainers. I, even being a trainer, have my own trainers. These are the people that I lean on to make my brand shine. I think it's very important that you trust the people on your team. I think it's very important that you have people that see the brand and see you, and understand the vision very clearly so they can help you execute it.

Read your contracts, do the research that you need to do. If you can afford one, get a lawyer to look it over. I cannot tell you how many times I have made the mistake of signing a contract and not seeing something in it that later on comes back to bite me. That is my number one thing, especially for us as Black women, we need to read those contracts. It's also important for us to know our worth. I know we hear it very often, but I think that we also hear so often how disposable we are; replaceable we are. I had enough of that after my dance industry (days).

it's one of the most selfless acts that you can partake in; loving yourself is putting yourself first.

Sweaty Smile Squad, Mount Up! www.instagram.com/dejariley

GET DEJA’S FREE

WORKOUT

Act VII: In Conclusion I start my day as soon as I open my eyes (and) I close them again for meditation. I sit up-either on my cushion, on the floor, in my bed sometimes-I do my morning meditation, and then I let that streamline into some daily movement. Moving my body in the morning is important. Whether it's a stretch or maybe a little dance. I'll put on my favorite song and just get some movement flowing. I take that movement into writing and reading. Whatever my book is on my nightstand, I'll read that right now. I'll do journaling in the morning. I usually, whatever my first thoughts are or something that might've been in my dream or something, that's just on my heart. I just let it bleed through the pen. Oftentimes, especially as black women who carry so much, we're always told we are so strong. We feel like it's selfish to put ourselves first, but

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3 Ways

BURNOUT Shows Up for Entrepreneurs & How to Solve It TERRA FONTENOT-BEARD

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Burnout is not a topic we sit around in the co-working spaces or conference rooms to discuss.

But it does affect entrepreneurs hard since our existence and financial stability depends on us being creative and innovative every single day.

Here are three ways burnout can show up for you as an entrepreneur and how to solve it.

YOU'RE DREADING MONDAYS AGAIN

You lost the spark somewhere along the journey and now dread the Monday client calls, email alerts, and business planning!

Phew – we understand!

Let’s turn this around. Start a new routine by ending your last working day of the prior week, generally Friday, with cleaning up and organizing your desk, listening to voicemails, and sending priority emails and texts. This way, on Monday, your day is fresh, and you're not sweating the small stuff of the prior week. Is this foolproof?

No, but it should help reduce those Monday blues.

YOU AREN’T FEELING CREATIVE

Unlike the cold or flu, burnout doesn't hit all at once. Arianna Huffington once said: "Nothing kills creativity faster than burnout." Creativity takes stimulation, a fresh perspective, and freedom to explore what’s inside your head.

It is imperative to understand your limitations and get your creative juices flowing again. Be confident when saying no to projects you are not interested in. You may also want to consider exercising more. Exercising and meditation are common forms of stress relief. Our minds are connected to our bodies, and a healthy body promotes a stimulated mind.

YOU’RE FEELING LOW ON ENERGY

As much as we might want to work around the clock, overworking ourselves is the leading cause of exhaustion. Fatigue can mean anything from a lack of sleep to a severe health condition, and it can wreak havoc on your cognitive skills and brain activity. Fight against fatigue by finding your tribe and seeking support from those within your inner circle, taking regular breaks, implementing a new self-care routine, or starting therapy if you need it.

Want more?

Visit our blog

In a world filled with so much negativity, is it possible to live a positively charged life? The answer is yes! Consider, for a moment, how this same day could have started if you were focusing on positivity, instead. Read more on our website www.blackwomenmeanbusiness.com

TERRA FONTENOT-BEARD With over a decade of experience in managing staff, day to day operations and millions of revenue dollars for corporate organizations, Terra Fontenot-Beard offers a unique blend of leadership, expertise and knowledge. She has established an entrepreneurial platform as a triple-threat entrepreneur, 2x author, mental health advocate and an accounting, tax, and business operations outsourcing consultant at Fontenot & Associates Solutions, LLC, as the founder. The formation of her outsourcing firm is helping improve the success rate and longevity of small business owners and leaders. www.instagram.com/fontenotsolutions

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Heels DEALS IN

How Sharelle Rosado is taking the real estate market by storm

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elling Tampa, a spinoff of the show Selling Sunset, premiered on Netflix on December 15th, 2021, introducing a cast of all Black women real estate agents to the world of reality TV. The new series of Selling Tampa focuses on the brokers of Allure Realty, a luxury real estate brokerage formed by Sharelle Rosado.

Since opening its doors, Allure has become a market leader in and around the Tampa area, dealing exclusively in luxurious homes. From a personal standpoint, Rosado is engaged to NFL Wide Receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and just welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Serenity Paula Johnson.

Black Women Mean Business

With the excitement of welcoming a daughter, a hit TV show, and her thriving businesses, Allure Tampa and Allure Miami, BWMB could not wait to sit down with Sharelle Rosado to find out how she was managing it all. She quickly and calmly explained “I feel like the military prepped me with the mindset to stay ready, so you won't have to get ready. I was in, a division where we deployed, we could deploy within 24 hours. It's just, my instinct is to make it happen.”

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Rosado served as a paratrooper and was twice sent to Afghanistan while on active duty. Although she was a little nervous at first, leaving the military was necessary because she knew the end goal was not to continue being in something where she had to leave her family. “I didn't want to put that stress on my kids anymore, relocating them every year if I had to deploy. I started real estate while I was still in the military. I prayed about it. And, I said, 'you know what?

This is for me. I'm going to go this route.' Before I was medically retired out of the military, I started the process of opening up my brokerage in 2019."

Luxury Real Estate

"I would look at the different agents who sold luxury and wonder, why can't I get into that market? It's hard to get in. I was like, I'm going to change; I'm going to get into that market. Once I devote more time to real estate, I’m going to tap into that market. That was my goal. I was going to do whatever it takes to get into that market.

And, here we are today."

She found it challenging in a market like Tampa because you rarely see it. “It's a predominantly white male industry. You either have the ones who've been in the industry, the older white women who've been in the industry for a while, that's their area or you have predominantly white. As minorities, we don't give ourselves enough credit; that we can do it just as good or better. It's just breaking that barrier, showing that we can get into this industry, and we can kill it, just as well or better."

The Show

When opening Allure, a reality show was the furthest thing from Sharelle’s mind. It was something that producers saw in them that they didn't even see in themselves. “I'm big on marketing when it comes to a business. People need to see who you are. When I first opened my brokerage, and I hired my team, I was like, okay, ladies, let's get it together. We need to let the world see who we are. We are a new minority brokerage in Tampa. We're small, but

"We never thought in a million years that we would have a show."

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we're going to show that we have powerful women. We are a triple threat. We're beautiful, we're black, and we're about our business.

Let's show the world that. I started off doing photoshoots and I had a few producers reach out to me."

Sharelle did not jump at the first offer. “I'm gonna do my due diligence and do my research on the production companies. I really didn't care for the work that they had done, at the time. I said if these producers want us, why not Done and Done? They are the ones who produced Selling Sunset. I went to their social media, and I started liking pictures, adding them. A day later they reached out to us, and they were like, 'Hey, we're interested in you.' I was like, 'well, we're talking to a few producers right now.' They were like, 'we're sending over some paperwork, please stop, we want to work with you.'

We knew we wanted to work with them, but you know." No one could have imagined just how successful the show would be. With

success, there will always be those that don’t share the praise. "Of course, we're not gonna please everyone, and we're okay with that.

Our biggest goal with this reality TV is to show that it can be done.

We're not showing the world that, oh, we're selling multimillion-dollar homes. That's not the purpose of the show. We're tapping into this industry and eventually, we're going to take over. That's what I want minority women to see. It may not happen overnight, but it's going to happen. Just go after what you want. Continue to go, no

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matter what obstacles come your way, just continue to strive. And it'll happen. Don't give up!"

Relationships

One of the assumptions that we want to nip in the bud is that this show is filled with drama. Is there some tension and disagreements?

Absolutely! However, Sharelle handled the tension like a woman who means business. “I want people to know, if they didn't get this message from the show, it's okay to have differences. It's okay to have different opinions. It's okay to disagree. At the end of the day, we know how to come back together, it’s your communication. Even if you're a family, you can part ways and that's okay, but still uplift each other, still support each other. As Black Women, we don't do that enough. We don't see it enough. Like, let's sit together

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at the end of the day. We need to stick together more. Once you stick together and support each other, no matter which route you go, it opens up so many more doors."

"That's what people got to understand. There's going to be drama.

But it's how you handle the situation. At the end of the day, everybody has a temper tantrum; everybody can lose their cool, but it's how you end it, how you communicate, and how you bring it back together. That's what I love about my brokerage. We may have disagreements, we're family, but we can come back at the end of the day and work together like nothing happened."

Growing your Business

Sharelle gets an A+ in the branding department. She truly understands its importance in a highly dependent industry. But it has not

Getting Down to Business

During our interview, Sharelle flipped the script on our founder and interviewer, Enisha Ligon-Garrett. When Enisha stated that there were some business GEMS dropped on the show, Sharelle, ask her “What did you get out of it? Did you enjoy it?”

Enisha: “I enjoyed the tough love. I didn't feel like it came from a negative space but was like, this business is moving faster than we can keep up with it. We're not going to just let you sit on your heels here. Some real business moves were being made there. When you were talking about commission splits and the money, like the real money things.”

Sharelle could not agree more and takes it a step further. “As a business owner, sometimes you have to take on that bully role or be that mean person. The whole goal of running the business is not just to have that business and that ego, but to make money. I'm not going broke just to have a name. My whole goal is for me to make money!"

This is not something that she learned on the sidelines. Sharell has built a successful business by trial and error. “I'm still alive. I'm not going to say, I'm perfect. I just opened this brokerage at the end of 2019. Of course, there's going to be trials. I have a lot of mentors who I speak with and I'm like, ‘how do you determine the commission?’ The more you grow, it's going to change. Either they like it, or they don't. If they open their business or their brokerage, they're going to see the same. Everything falls back on you. At the end of the day, they can easily walk away with no risk. You're taking all the risks."

been the only key to her success. She also credits networking and getting out there, learning your sphere of influence, starting there first. "Pay for services, pay for things, pay for classes to better yourself. Invest in yourself. We always invest in things that don't have any value to them. Stop investing in those things and invest in yourself, invest in your craft."

The other strategy that has served Sharelle well is building the right team for her “They definitely have to be a go-getter. I don't babysit grown females or males. I'm straight up with my agents. I don't do training. Every one of them can tell you, I told them, ‘Hey, go to this brokerage, get the training, then come back and see me. I'm big on hiring go-getters. You have to have the drive, and you can't just hang your license and sit there just for clout."

This is just the beginning for Sharelle and Allure. She recently opened Allure Miami and staffed it with over twelve agents. She also let us in on a personal venture. “I wanna write a book because I have been through a lot. I want to tell my story of being a teen mom and overcoming so many obstacles. I just want to get the message out there that, as a minority woman, we go through a lot, but we still can achieve our goals.”

Learn More about Sharelle: Instagram @sharellerosado_

FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB

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3

MONEY MISTAKES THAT KEEP YOUR BUSINESS BROKE

Poor money management has been the primary cause of business failures more than any other issue. And it's no wonder! We aren't born knowing how to manage money, and most of us aren't taught the fundamentals of how to handle it either. Unfortunately, this means we get to figure it out through much trial and error (Hey Alexa, define living above our means).

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U

ntrained financial mindsets and bad spending habits that wreak havoc on our personal finances can also plague our business finances if we're not careful. Here are a few things that you should be aware of.

Catching Shiny Object Syndrome

Some things are hard to resist especially when your friends and colleagues jump

on the bandwagon! New tools, intense training, popular group coaching programs, and even “widely used” business models can all have a strong pull, and if you aren't careful, these shiny objects can quickly distract you from your current goals. If you find yourself catching shiny object syndrome frequently, try this two-step plan instead.

1. Too good to refuse" offers - make a plan for achieving a positive ROI (return on investment) before you make a purchase. If you cannot find a realistic way to make the purchase pay for itself, don't buy it.

2. Exciting new business ideas - Devise a "someday" list! Jot down your idea with a basic outline, then get back to the task at hand.

Your great idea won't be lost, but it also won't join the ranks of half-finished business plans that litter the internet. Again it’s a someday item meaning you can’t address it now, but its time will come!

Falling for the Sunk Costs Fallacy

If you've ever said to yourself, "I'm not using this subscription, but I can't give it up! I'm still paying the Black Friday price, and now it's much more expensive!" Then you've fallen for the sunk cost fallacy. Don't lie to yourself.

Take a few minutes and examine your current business expenses.

What are you paying for month after month that you’re not using? and working hard to make something from nothing a.k.a. hustling, but what you may not realize is you’re digging a deep ditch that could be nearly impossible to climb out of. Not only that, you're reinforcing a scarcity mindset that will continue to plague and deter you for years if you allow it.

Rather than pinching pennies at every turn, learn to utilize money strategically. Buy what you need when you need it. Invest in top-quality products and programs rather than settling for the things that will not completely solve the problem. It's like trying to duct tape broken glass!

Good luck and happy SMART spending!

This common mistake is famous among economists, and we all fall victim to it from time to time. So what exactly am I talking about?

The sunk cost fallacy describes our tendency to follow through on an endeavor if we have already invested time, effort, or money into it, whether or not the current costs outweigh the benefits. It's how we justify repairing your 15-year-old hooptie one more time (after all, you just put new tires on it), eating a meal we don't enjoy (simply because you've paid for it), and yes, continuing to pay for tools and resources you're not using.

Take some time to review your current business expenses. What are you paying for that you're not using regularly? Either make a plan to put them to work for you or cancel them. Stop falling for the sunk costs fallacy.

Too Much Penny Pinching

I bet you thought this was all about spending, didn't you? Here's the REAL tea – not spending enough can be just as bad as OVERspending for your business.

Hear me out! You are constantly looking for free and low-cost tools to maintain your business or pushing 12 to 18-hour days because you can't afford to outsource. This type of thinking won’t do your business any favors. Sure, it looks like you're bootstrapping

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10 TIPS FOR

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ating online can be a complicated process. Besides wanting to make a good impression with others that might be compatible with you, it's also essential to consider your security.

The key to success is creating an online dating strategy that supports your dating goals.

Here are a few tips.

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CREATE AN EFFECTIVE BIO It may seem strange or unnatural to have to analyze and critique yourself, but having an empty profile looks suspicious. Spend a little time writing your bio. Include who you are, what you like, and what you’re looking for.

If you are unsure of what to write, ask for help from a friend or family member. You might find one who has been through this experience themselves.

CHOOSE THE BEST PHOTOS Ensure that the pictures you use are recent, in focus, and avoid using filters. Your photos should be clear, honest, and show you in the best light.

GIVING YOU THE GAME

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Make sure that your mindset for dating is positive, and also be sure that you allot time to dedicate to dating. As an entrepreneur, we know our schedules can be all over the place. Let's say you decide to set aside two days a week, that you're going to allow yourself to be courted. Make sure that your mind is positive and that your outlook towards meeting the potential mate is positive.

Once you've set aside one or two days a week for dating, remain consistent because if they get a feeling that they are not essential or that you just willy-nilly about it, they are not going to stay long term.

2

REFRAIN FROM CONTACTING THOSE YOU MEET TOO FREQUENTLY Even if you think you have clicked with someone, it’s important that you avoid contacting them too often. Send them messages approximately as often as they tend to communicate with you. Sending them endless messages throughout the day before you have even met may end up giving them cold feet.

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AVOID STALKING THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA While it may be tempting to spend a few hours going through their social media profiles, this might make you seem like a stalker. Remember, you have plenty of time to learn more about each other.

5

STAY SAFE ONLINE We have all read those horror stories about online dating. This is why you should only ever meet in a public place.

When the time has come to meet in person, tell your family or a friend where you are going so that they can check up on you if needed.

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MEET SOMEWHERE COMFORTABLE If you choose somewhere that makes you feel comfortable, you’ll be more relaxed and able to enjoy yourself more. When you’re more relaxed and enjoying the date, you also make a better first impression.

ADVICE FROM RONNIE WALKER

Also, make sure that the person you attract knows what they are looking for in a partner. They may not be looking for an entrepreneur. They may be looking for a person who has a nine to five, a pretty set schedule, or is retired. Do not try to get them to accept the woman you are if they want something different. Listen to your prospects on the dating sites! If you need some clarification, of course, reach out, but make sure you don't go out of your way to get them to change what they desire. It's not going to work. www.ResultsWithRonnie.com www.DatingDiscussions.com Instagram: @OfficialRonnieWalker

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YOU CAN BE SELECTIVE Even if you’ve been single for a while, you don’t have to go on a date with the first person who asks, especially if you’re not feeling a connection during your messages.

to want to spend as much time together as possible. However, it’s important that you don’t forget about everyone else in your life, or the hobbies or pastimes you used to enjoy.

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This also goes for the date itself: avoid feeling pressured into going home with someone or to agree to a second date if you aren’t feeling it.

These are all things that make you who you are, and without them, you are not going to be the same person.

AVOID TALKING ABOUT YOUR EX Even if your ex did break your heart, your new squeeze does not need to know. And you may come across as though you are not yet over them.

OFFER TO PAY Whether you are male or female, this is the modern world where we are all equal.

Even if you don’t end up paying for the whole date, it is polite to offer to pay for at least your own expenses.

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AVOID MAKING THEM YOUR WORLD You may have met the one, and it’s natural

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If you’re looking for love online, these strategies can help you navigate the world of online dating. Online dating can be a minefield but finding "the one" will be worth the effort.

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The A-Lister Robin Andrade is a lady who list and sells.

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s one of the key cast members of OWN's, Ladies Who List: Atlanta, Robin Andrade is a seasoned Georgia-based real estate agent who both founded and operates SELL Atlanta, a black-owned boutique brokerage firm that specializes in condo, loft, and penthouse listings and sales.

Andrade is the real deal as a member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors. She is also affiliated with the Rights to Life organization, offering much-needed assistance in beautifying the Mechanicsville neighborhood.

SELL Atlanta opened its doors in 2018; services include; new construction and resale homes, corporate and family relocation, and short-term furnished housing for the ever-growing Georgia film and entertainment industry.

Robin Andrade, a yoga enthusiast, is one of six ambitious ladies - Tiffani Hawes, Kira Oliver, Quiana Watson, Cristyl Kimbrough, and Tiana Harrison - who are featured on Ladies Who List: Atlanta, which takes an up-close and personal long look at professional, not to mention super successful, Black Women managing the day to day stressors that come along with navigating and balancing their careers and personal life routines.

BWMB had the opportunity to sit down with Robin, and she shared her story.

Humble Beginnings

I was pregnant at 16. I had a challenging upbringing, and I lived in a city at the time that was like being overcome by drugs. It was either you could potentially be a drug addict,

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or you could potentially get pregnant. When I got pregnant, it wasn't planned, but I didn't do anything about it either. I started to think forward, like, 'okay, my baby daddy is a good guy. He's older than me. Maybe he could be that little springboard I need to go somewhere better.

So we got an apartment. We paid regular rent at first, while on the waiting list for Section 8. Now I've always had a job. I worked 4-8 at the hospital in the kitchen as a dietary aid. I went to school during the day. My name came up on the list, and now I had this authorization to get an upscale place to live.

I had this fascination with historic houses. I ended up moving into the first floor of this beautiful three-family house in the north.

Like it was the perfect house, it had a widow's

peak on the third floor where you could see the Harbor where wives would wait for their men to come in on the boats."

Some time went by, a few months, and I get a phone call from the bank. The bank says, do not pay any more of your portion of the rent, which was probably like, I don't know, 30, 40 bucks. And I was like, 'why?' She said, 'because the house is in foreclosure. Because you live there, you have the first option to buy.' They said you need $2,000. I had a job, and my baby daddy had some savings. We bought that house, and we collected rent and were homeowners. I was 21. My kid was five, and that's it. It was a pivotal moment in time. Little did I know that one step towards homeownership would determine the trajectory for me moving forward.

I had two houses, and I was in my twenties.

So I lived the life. I had the picket fence. I had the dog; I had the backyard. I started growing apart (from my children's father) because now we're going from children to adults, and our kids are growing as well.

That's when I started to realize, 'I think I have depression.' My light was dim. I was going to work 9-5. I was taking the kids to school. I was taking them to after-school programs.

He wanted the perfect mom, he wanted dinner, and he wanted the house clean. I started always being angry and upset. That's when I started to think, 'Is this my life? Like, is this what I want? Like, what do I do now?

Welcome to Atlanta

I moved to Atlanta, and sold my house by the park. I came here and bought everything

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brand new with my winnings. I've made six figures off of that sale. It was great until the market crashed. I started working at a strip club (bartending) at Magic City in Atlanta.

Listen, I was so green. I didn't understand that life at all. It wasn't pouring liquor. It was beyond anything I could ever know. These people call you directly. You book their tables; you book their parties. I became the saleswoman in the strip club. I was there for four years. I was only supposed to be there for one year. I bartended, and I waitressed.

I bartended during the day on all the shitty shifts, made no money, came home crying.

My money was being depleted, really sinking into a very bad place. It was the best, most ratchet experience of my life.

On a Monday night, the biggest night of the club, I only had $20, and it was 1:00 AM, and we closed at 2:00 AM. I was like, 'I can't do this no more!' I'm drinking four or five shots before every shift and I'm smoking while I'm working. Like, I walked around in a fog. I was losing myself there. I was already lost when I arrived at their front doors, but I started spiraling. I would cry in their basement. One night I cried like a baby, and I walked out the door. I just left, and they didn't know I was gone until three days later.

I went home, and I sat on my big, gigantic 50-foot deck of the house that I built, and I thought to myself, 'am I going to lose this all now? Like, did I make a mistake? Should I not be here?' That was June. I believe in 2012. I closed ten deals that year. Ten little baby deals, but it was enough to put gas in my engine.

Establishing Sell Atlanta

And so it's 2017. I was like, 'I am going to buy a name for my brokerage that incorporates everybody. Not just me. It's not going to say Robin Andrade. Something real exotic.'

Right?' I was like, 'No, let's just do, Sell Atlanta.' I went to GoDaddy.com to reserve the name, and it's taken. I paid $70 to get a broker to tell me that the name costs $2,500.

I said, 'do you have a layaway plan? I've got that Afterpay.' I put the name on layaway, girl. Sell Atlanta has always been a collective.

It's never been just Robin. So I bought the name. I took the broker exam all while I was feeling depressed but I became the queen of downtown.

My personal brand is going to change the world, and how we look at real estate. My brokerage is out to help change, and reshape the way we look at the real estate industry.

I will be dropping a lot of free knowledge to up-and-coming agents who are already in the game and who are struggling, and they will be for free on my Sell Atlanta YouTube page. I do not think that we should be selling anything to any of our people. The goal of my brokerage is to spread the message of unity, working together, breaking the real estate law chains as best as we can. We need to start loving the hood because the hood is good. The hood is always going to be good, as long as you're good to it.

Ladies Who List: Atlanta

My role on this show is very controversial. I didn't want to come off as bipolar and crazy.

I just knew I was misunderstood. I knew that I had such a passion for what I do that I could easily be mistaken for someone who runs off the rails. In all actuality, the scene that they showed us in the park...no one could explain the level of anger that I had. It did look like I popped off for no reason. That's all our culture needed to stamp me crazy and bipolar.

I've got a lot of good things coming my way.

As far as my wellness journey is concerned, I've been approached by major companies that want to help me create a little something to help those (in need).

Robin On Robin

(In) my condo right now, the sun rises over here in the east, and it comes right over me.

And it shines on me all day. I get to watch it set in the west. It's amazing. I have an

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amazing view of Atlanta that nobody else has. So it's soothing. This little condo is soothing. It doesn't have a big sprawled-out space, but that is okay. It has what I need.

So, when you're out there shopping (for a home) for people, try to tune into what they need, ask them why they want this type of house. When you learn your client like that, not only do you end up selling them a house, but you gain a friend.

So right now, Robin is completely single.

Right now, I think that the man that's supposed to have me will find me when (the time is right), but right now, I feel like I have some work to do.

My love language is loyalty. I need to feel protected. I need to know that when I'm in my space, I can be 100% who I am with my hair down. I don't want to have to be guarded in anyone's company ever again. If you feel the vibe, ladies, then what you're feeling is probably something that you ought to pay attention to closer because our intuition speaks to us, but we oftentimes ignore it. We get ourselves into bad relationships with men just to be there, just for the false sense of love and hope. Those relationships are just as fake as having female friends who will backstab you, or set you up or make a mockery of your condition or share whatever you shared with them as a tool to come back and hit you with. Like, I've experienced all of that.

I'm funny. I'm a cry baby. I'm soft on the inside, and I'm hard on the outside. I love very hard. I'm willing to teach. I am an auntie to every one of my clients.

Be sure and binge all episodes of Ladies Who List: Atlanta, only on OWN. Instagram: @robinsellsatlanta

FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB

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Your Favorite BFF Cherie Johnson on all things womanhood and other girlfriend shenanigans Pittsburgh native Cherie Johnson's first foray into acting courtesy of her mega-successful screenwriter, TV producer and Uncle, David W. Duclon. From '70's juggernaut Happy Days to serving as executive producer of NBC's Silver Spoons, Duclon developed and later pitched a then brand-new pilot - Punky Brewster. Its premise centered around a young orphan girl taken in by an older grumpy man, and it turns out it was a match made in sitcom heaven. Duclon encouraged his niece to try her hand at acting, and lo and behold – it worked!

Cast in the role of Punky's best friend, the character was modeled and named after Johnson in real life. Soon after that, she secured an altogether different persona in that of Maxine "Max" Johnson, the best friend of Laura Winslow on Family Matters, and would remain in that role until the show's end in 1998. Johnson also made cameos on The Parkers and daytime soap Days of Our Lives and voiced a character on the Disney Channel's hit show, The Proud Family.

In 2019, Johnson created Cherie's World Podcast, a show with a wide array of guests such as actress Shar Jackson (her cousin), singer Raz-B [B2K], Dawn Robinson, Chris Haynes, Soleil Moon Frye [Punky], comedian DL Hughley and rapper Big Daddy Kane. She's even sat down with some of the Family Matters cast, including Darius McCrary, Jaimee Foxworth, Kellie S. Williams, and Shawn Harrison.

And if all of this isn't enough, Cherie's the national spokeswoman for Shadow Play Entertainment's literacy campaign, "Take Time to Read." However, no matter how busy Johnson - an avid sports fanatic who favors the Pittsburgh Steelers - is running her ever-growing empire, she always finds the time to devote to her gifted daughter.

FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB

Cherie is all business, but when BWMB had the opportunity to have a girlfriend chat with her, there were plenty of gems dropped.

In case you missed it, last February, a 10-episode reboot of Punky Brewster - on Peacock streaming service - aired, with both Soleil and Cherie reprising their nostalgic roles. www.instagram.com/cheriejohnson75

It may seem like

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Aleesha Carter on her first love, PR and her new adventures

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build up your own confidence so you can walk into any room and your energy speaks for you.

ith nearly a decade and a halfspent continually studying, learning and ultimately earning a coveted position as one of the top PR/marketing mavens in the entertainment world, Aleesha Carter is a fierce force to be reckoned with.

Having majored in marketing with a minor in public relations from Franklin University, Carter, who also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Strayer University, would later go on to establish her very own firm, KAC, Images and U, LLC Publicity.

Through this longstanding business venture, Aleesha has worked with some of the biggest entities in music, television, film, fashion and sports. Names like platinum rapstress Trina, singer/reality show vet K. Michelle, songwriter/producer Rico Love, celebrity make-up artist Sheika Daley and the NFL’s Cam Newton are just some of the many names on her elite clientele list.

The former publicity manager at Slip-nSlide Records [Trick Daddy, Rick Ross], who hails from Columbus, Ohio, by way of Atlanta, Georgia, has also represented notable brands such as Ka’Oir Cosmetics, CTE Music Group, and Young Jeezy's Street Dreamz Foundation, to name a few. Aleesha's work has been profiled on a plethora of TV networks: Revolt, MTV, VH-1, BET, Music Choice, NBC, Logo and WeTV. Carter is also the author of 2007’s street romance novel One Last Love Letter, as well as the more recent e-book series, Imperfectly Perfect Pitching: Vol. 1: Conquering Your Elevator Pitch; a volume two is currently in the works. www.instagram.com/aleeshacpr FULL INTERVIEW ON BWMB

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PROFIT PASSION TO

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Turning Your Passion Into Profit

We all have things that we absolutely love to do. Maybe you love to write. Maybe taking photos makes you feel like a million dollars.

It’s the thing that makes you feel alive. That creates a fire in your bones. But you don’t think you could ever make money from your passion. Surely, you think, I can’t make money doing [insert your passion]. Nobody would pay me to do that. It’s too much fun and I love it too much.

Thanks to the internet, almost any passion can be turned into a profitable side hustle.

You can make money doing the things that you love the most. Yep. You can turn your passion project into a profitable project.

How would it change your life to make an extra $2,000 per month? Or double that?

You can easily make that if you know how to create a profitable side hustle. In fact, if you know what you’re doing, you may be able to turn your passion project into your dream business.

Of course, all this raises the critical question: how do you start a side hustle? In this eBook,

we give you a roadmap for turning your passion into a profitable side hustle. We guide you, step-by-step, to making money doing what you love. #1 PREPARE YOURSELF Creating a profitable side hustle takes some time, diligence, hard work, blood, sweat, and possibly a few tears (well, hopefully not too many tears). As you take on this new venture, mindset is everything. You will need to get connected to your WHY. Take a look at your life as it currently is. Are you living your best life now? Are you completely fulfilled with your job? Are your finances holding you back?

You can make money doing what you LOVE. Envision what a successful outcome would look like and paint a picture in your mind.

Don’t overthink this. There will never be a perfect time to get started. Start working on your project today and adjust as you learn more and find the success you desire. #2: IDENTIFY YOUR PASSIONS AND INTERESTS Some of the best side hustles are created at the intersection of passion and profit. In other words, it’s all about taking the things you love and are good at and turning them into a profitable gig.

The first step is to identify what you love to do AND are good at doing. Both elements are required. Of course, you can hire someone in the long run. But most of the time, in the beginning, it’s just you and your dreams.

Ask yourself these questions:  What do you love doing?  What have people told you that you’re good at?  What do you lose track of time doing?  What valuable skills do you have that people would pay for?  What needs can you meet?

There is a psychological concept called “flow.” It’s when you find yourself so im-

mersed in an activity that you lose all track of time and are simply focused on what’s in front of you. When do you find yourself in the “flow” of things? Pay attention to these moments. It’s these activities that could turn into profitable side hustles. #3: VALIDATE YOUR SIDE HUSTLE Once you’ve determined what you think your side hustle should be, you need to validate it. Demonstrate that others will actually pay you for what you offer. Determine if there’s a “market need” for the product or services that you will offer.

So, how can you do that? Where can you find an audience on which to test out your idea? Some simple ideas include: Ask friends of friends on social media if they would be interested in what you have to offer. Yes, I said friends of friends. Your friends and family are not the right audiences for validation.

Keep it super simple, you can create a checkout page on PayPal or SamCart (if you are trying to be fancy). If several people purchase from you, you know that you’re onto something good.

Your goal is to avoid wasting time on ideas that won’t get any traction. If your polls, emails, and sign-up list aren’t getting much of a response, it may be time to move on to a different side hustle or adjust your approach to your offer. #4: DETERMINE WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS Unless you’re building something completely new and revolutionary, you’re going to be competing against others. If you’re going to succeed with your side hustle, you need to find a way to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Figure out how you’re going to stand out from the crowd.

How can you differentiate yourself from your competitors? There are numerous ways, including:

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 Better quality products or services  Better customer service  Faster delivery  Less expensive products or services  Higher or lower profit margins  A noble cause you support with profits from your product #5: DEFINE YOUR GOALS Defining clear goals will help you know what steps you need to take to turn your hustle into a reality. Consider laying out a set of goals that sequentially follow one another.

For example, if you’re going to sell products on Shopify, your first goal may be to create an account. Your second goal may be to research what’s on-trend in your niche.

When setting your goals, ensure that they are realistic. Your goal is to get traction, not reach your end goal right off the bat. Each goal should be realistic and achievable. #6: DETERMINE HOW YOU WILL SELL Before you can launch your side hustle, you need to determine how you’re going to sell your product or service. Thankfully, there are dozens of ways to sell products and services.

You can always sell in person. If you’re selling a product, you can take it to trade shows

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and markets. You could even go from door to door if you have the courage. You can sell directly to your friends or host parties where you show off your product.

You can also sell just about any product or service online as well.  For example, if your product is crafty (like soap or jewelry), artisan, or vintage you can sell it on Etsy.  If you’re getting products from thrift shops, you can sell them on eBay or Poshmark.  If you’re trying to break into the freelance world, you can find jobs in dozens of industries on websites like Upwork, Fiverr, or Thumbtack.

 If you’re selling eBooks, you can list them on Amazon.  If you’re promoting a course you’ve created, you can sell it through Kajabi, Teachable, Udemy, or Thinkific.  If you’re a handyman, you can find hundreds of jobs on TaskRabbit.  If you’re a coach, you can use Tailored. coach to connect with your clients.

 Appear as a guest on others’ podcasts.  Do webinars where you teach valuable lessons and then promote your product or service at the end.  Use paid advertising to drive people to your website.  Consistently apply for jobs on the platforms mentioned above.

No matter what you’re selling, there is an online platform to do so. A simple way to find the platform that’s best for you is to Google “Sell [PRODUCT/SERVICE] online.” This will bring up dozens of results and allow you to find the best place to sell your product or service.

#8: GET FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS After you’ve launched, always keep improving. If you want to achieve the kind of success that will change your life, you need to constantly better the product or service that you’re offering.

#7: MARKET YOURSELF To make your side hustle as successful as possible, it’s essential to consistently market yourself. You need to promote your hustle so that it gets in front of as many people as possible.

This is where customer feedback is invaluable. Your customers can honestly tell you what is and what isn’t working.

They can help you see past your blind spots and identify areas for change that you never would have seen otherwise.

Ask your customers what they like about your product or service. Ask them what features they find most valuable and which ones could use improvement. Ask them how your product or service has benefited them and what benefits they would still like to see.

 What are some effective ways to market your side hustle?  Ask your friends and family to spread the word.  Hand out flyers telling others about what you offer.  Give out free samples (if you’re selling a product).  Tell people about it on social media.  Build an email list and regularly promote your product or service to the list.  Start a blog and consistently talk about the pain points your customers feel.  Create a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to giving loads of value to potential customers.  Start a podcast in which you talk about elements of your industry and business.

#9: PROVIDE AMAZING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS One of the best ways to get new customers and keep your existing customers is to create amazing experiences for them. Your goal is to show them that you care deeply about them and want them to be incredibly happy with what you have to offer.

How can you create incredible experiences for your customers? There are dozens of

Don’t be afraid to market yourself. You’ve put in hours of hard work to get to this point. You’ve created a product or service that you truly believe in.

You know that you truly can help people and really want to make a difference in the world.

ways:  Provide amazing customer support.  Send a handwritten thank-you note with every product.  Include an extra surprise with your product.  Dedicate time to helping your clients work through their challenges.  Send a card on the anniversary of their first purchase.  Call each customer just to say thank you.  Create short, custom videos thanking each one of your clients.

The more you can delight and surprise your customers, the more likely it is that they’ll tell their friends and colleagues about you, which will generate referral business. If you go over the top with the way you treat your customers, you may even get exposure in prominent publications. #10: BUILD SUSTAINABLE INCOME Eventually, if all things go well (and they will), there will come a point where you have to decide whether or not you want to quit your day job and make your side hustle your primary source of income.

You need to get to the point where you have sustainable cash flow. In other words, you have a relatively stable amount of money coming in each month. If you have consistent cash flow, this gives you the option of quitting your day job.

When thinking about your income, don’t forget to take into account expenses. You’ll have to pay self-employment tax at the end of the year. You also probably have expenses involved in keeping your side hustle up and running.

One important thing to note when it comes to quitting your day job. There will probably be a sense of fear and apprehension about quitting your job. After all, your job offers you stability. But don’t let fear keep you from following your dreams.

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1 Goldman Sachs Announces Latest Round of Investments, Partnerships and Grants to Kick Off 2022 In partnership with Black-women-led organizations, financial institutions and other partners, Goldman Sachs has committed $10 billion in direct investment capital and $100 million in philanthropic capital over the next decade to address the dual disproportionate gender and racial biases that Black women have faced for generations, which have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. The initiative, One Million Black Women, is named for and guided by the goal of impacting the lives of at least one million Black women by 2030.

Chime Solutions (Atlanta, GA) to provide capital to Shelly Wilson, co-founder of Chime Solutions to accelerate its mission of creating jobs and economic opportunity for people in underserved communities.

Grameen America Elevate Initiative (National) to make microloans and provide

financial training, asset and credit building tools to underserved Black-women entrepreneurs across the country.

Funding U (National) to make loans to high-performing low and moderate-income students attending four-year, not-for-profit colleges across the United States.

Wonderschool (National) to reduce “childcare deserts” by scaling access to high-quality, flexible care for children and families.

On the Road (Dallas, TX) to expand existing operations and increase the number of women in high-paying, skilled auto repair jobs through an extensive apprenticeship program.

Sendero Verde (New York, NY) to finance the construction of a public-private, mixeduse, mixed-income development in East

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Harlem which will consist of a Harlem Children’s Zone K-5 Promise Academy, and affordable and workforce housing units.

South Meadows (Rome, GA) to provide capital to Dionne Nelson, CEO of Laurel Street to finance the construction of a 100% affordable residential development with 80 multi-family units, an onsite educational facility and community farm.

Four new partnerships will support the work of the following organizations The King Center (Atlanta, GA) to support the launch of the reimagined Beloved Community Leadership Academy over the next two years, creating a One Million Black Women cohort for Black girls from across the country.

Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (Oakland, CA) to combat food insecurity and low literacy rates, the partnership will employ Black woman-owned restaurants to provide meals in high-needs areas and help distribute 500,000 books through new Eat. Learn. Play.

Town Libraries used to promote neighborhood book sharing along with Eat. Learn. Play. branded bookshelves in local Black-owned small businesses.

New Leaders (National) to recruit and train principals of color. The

grant will develop a one-year pilot program to support Black women in education leadership.

The Tory Burch Foundation (National) will partner with the venture leaders at the Fearless Fund and peer coaching platform The Cru, to scale a grants program and community for entrepreneurs of color.

New philanthropic grants will be provided to expand the impact of the following six organizations across the country Black Girls Breathing (National) to address systemic issues impacting Black women and girls’ access to health care by providing free and accessible mental health care resources.

BlackFem (National) to transform school-based learning so that girls of color have the skills, habits, and resources to build and sustain personal wealth.

Corner to Corner (Nashville, TN) to help underestimated entrepreneurs in Nashville plan, start and grow their own small businesses.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington (Washington, D.C.) to support the social and emotional skills development of middle and high school-aged girls from low-income families to complete college and become economically secure.

Jeremiah Program (National) to help disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children through quality early childhood education, a safe and affordable place to live, empowerment and life skills training.

The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia (Philadelphia,

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PA) to increase the hiring and retention of BIPOC teachers working in Philadelphia schools.

Goldman Sachs Black Womenomics research informed One Million Black Women’s investment strategy and ongoing research and measurement remains core to the initiative’s success. Through partnerships with The Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the Urban Institute and The Center for Racial Justice at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, additional research will be conducted centered on continued investment in Black women across One Million Black Women’s previously identified impact pillars.

“This next round of funding strategically connects the dots across several One Million Black Women impact areas and not only supports the infrastructure that Black women and their families need to thrive but has the potential to uplift communities and address generations of racial and gender inequities,” said Margaret Anadu, Global Head of Sustainability and Impact for Goldman Sachs Asset Management. “We are focused on deploying Goldman Sachs resources in the most effective and impactful ways, and so we are thrilled to support these entrepreneurs and organizations who have a demonstrated track record of supporting their communities.”

“We are proud to lift up the brilliant work of organizations positively impacting Black women and girls,” said Asahi Pompey, Global Head of the Office of Corporate Engagement and President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. “The systemic gender and racial biases black women have faced won’t be reversed overnight, but with continued investment, coordination, and focus, we have good reasons to be optimistic.”

“At our very first listening session, the one and only Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, called One Million Black Women the start of a movement. With this next round of investments, partnerships and grants, we are reaching a new depth of how transformative Goldman Sachs $10 billion commitment is set to be.”

- Melanie Campbell, Convener, Black Women’s Roundtable, President & CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

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