ime sure does fly is an understatement! Another year comes to an end and a new year is upon us. 2020 has certainly been a difficult, but eye opening year for all. Still in the midst of a global pandemic, entrepreneurs continue to emerge. As entrepreneurs, a year ending is a time to reflect on past business practices. Tweak what's not working and continue to use what is. Ask yourself, what did I learn about my customer base this year? Who did I meet that I can collaborate with to make 2021 a better year for my company? How can I better serve the world with my products & services? The last issue of 2020 highlights an amazing young lady who hails from Brazil. Luciana Kimus Wilson barely spoke English when she arrived in America. She identified a common problem and turned it into an opportunity to serve her community. She connected a childhood dream, created a company, solved the
problem and became a millionaire. Read about her incredible, inspirational entrepreneur journey on page 20. You will also meet Sara Pena, a well respected bilingual advocate with a proven track record in areas such as economic mobility, civil rights & civic engagement. Her story begins on page 10. The team at Entrepreneur Platform Magazine would like to thank our readers for your support all year. We look forward to new creative ideas and amazing stories to inspire and motivate you next year. Have a wonderful Holiday Season!!!
Kelli M. Williams DISCLAIMER: The written and video content, views, suggestions and advise expressed in this magazine are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not reflect the opinions or advise of Entrepreneur Platform Magazine, LLC, its parent, affiliate or subsidiary companies.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MYCHAL CONNOLLY
MAINI HOMER
OPHELIA NIXON-UKE
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hy It’s So Important W To LOVE What You Do…Maini Homer
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Zandra Beauty
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Shout Productions
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aranda Davis P Maximize Your Credit Score
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r. Finance M Brandon Ellington Access Capital Today
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ndefeated Mindset U Chaplain Ophelia Nixon-Uke
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ubscription S Entrepreneur Platform Magazine
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atie O’ Reilly K Katie O’s Food Carnival
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atie O’ Reilly K Cooking Healthy with Everything Yellow
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Mikki Koomar
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ntrepreneur E Books of the Month
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estern & W Southern Life
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ntrepreneur E Consultants
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IO B Sara Pena
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ad and Serial D Entrepreneur Mychal Connolly Continues To Launch and Stand Out In Business Arthia Nixon
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SARA PENA
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adonya Yvette L Infinity A Journey To Becoming over Story C From Brazil to USA Millionaire Luciana Kimus Wilson Maini Homer
DISCLAIMER: The written and video content, views, suggestions and advise expressed in this magazine are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not reflect the opinions or advise of Entrepreneur Platform Magazine, LLC, its parent, affiliate or subsidiary companies.
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MAINI HOMER
Why It’s So Important To LOVE What You Do… MAINI HOMER
H
ave you ever been in that situation? You know the one. When you are doing something you really dislike? Maybe you are doing it for the money. Or maybe, you are doing it because someone was telling you to. Whatever your reasons, it really isn’t good is it?
“Stop paddling upstream” We’ve all had to do things in our lives that we haven’t liked, right? We’ve all found ourselves in situations where our choices were minimized and we’ve all had those moments where getting out of bed to go to work is the hardest thing to do. How many of you have burst into tears at the prospect of going into your day job? I know I have. What we must do in these situations is ask ourselves why? Why are we doing this to ourselves? Is it because we believe we have no other options? Is it 4 | ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM MAGAZINE | NOV/DEC 2020
because we are doing our best to impress the people around us? Is it because we think we can do no better? The thing is, we all have as many choices as the next person. We all havethe same opportunities in life. The difference between those that go after their dreams and those who don’t, is their belief systems. I’d like to take you on a journey, an adventure of sorts over the past few years of my life. For those of you getting to know me, I am a #1 International Best Selling Author and I’ve been in business for 23 years. I’ve created 12 successful businesses from scratch, and have been self-employed now for over 23 years. Whilst all of these are pretty mean feats, it doesn’t mean I’ve always gotten things right. Around three years ago, I was blessed to find NLP. At the time I was doing well with a business I’d had for 14 years. It was an easy business to run, only really requiring a couple of hours input a day. It was also providing me with more than enough income to live well. Sounds like the dream doesn’t it? The truth is, it was. The trouble was my mind was not in its best place and so I didn’t recognise it as a dream. I would whinge and complain about the difficult customers, the platform I was selling on, just about anything I could
MAINI HOMER
find. Looking back, I realise now what an incredible gold mine I actually had. But that’s a story for another day. I trained in NLP, and the trainer of the course was very influential. In his mind, everyone in the room had to become coaches and because at the time I was still hell bent on pleasing people, I started to do just that. I’d take on clients one on one and give them full breakthroughs, completely transforming their lives. Because of my business background, I found it relatively easy to attract clients. So within a few weeks of going down this road, I was earning good money. I was also impressing the trainer of the NLP courses as well which made me very happy. Well so I thought. Something was not right though. See alongside having to coach, I also had to put myself out there to attract new clients. This meant doing Facebook Lives regularly, posting on Facebook several times a day and really getting out into the public eye. Before I knew it, I was hiring my husband to help me on social media. The workload was incredible, but I kept on going. After all, I was pleasing the NLP trainer who by this stage had become a very close friend. I wasn’t loving the work though. In fact, the actual coaching was dragging me down and causing me to feel horrible inside. I really didn’t like listening to people’s history because I found myself taking on their pain. I was struggling to distance myself from their struggles and this was just adding to the problems I was still sorting out for myself. I kept going though because I was determined to show the NLP trainer I was his superstar. The validation I was receiving from this man was well worth the pain, I told myself. In my mind, it really was. It was incredible. WWW.ENTREPRENEURPLATFORMMAGAZINE.COM
I was working full time on the coaching, doing everything I could to impress others. I definitely was the superstar and the validation was incredible. I was so tied up in this world that I failed to notice something else that was happening. What I didn’t see was my other business slowly slipping through my fingers. I woke up one day, just a few short months into the coaching to see my other business disappear. POOF! 14 years down the tube. Gone! I took my eye off the prize and it vanished. At first I wasn’t sure how to react to this. It was the first time anything like this had happened. It was over though, and there was no getting it back. So, all I could do was continue with the coaching. Then just a few weeks later, the relationship with the NLP trainer ended. This was an abrupt ending and to this day I still do not know why. All of a sudden I was completely on my own. I had a coaching business which I did not love, and very little else. Thank goodness I had a loving supportive family around me, because inside my world was crumbling. So, I set out to make a huge success of the coaching business, which I did easily and effortlessly. In the space of a year, I had four coaches working for me, and I was earning $6K a week. I was absolutely miserable though. The reason for that is that I had grown so tired of taking other people’s problems on board. I was also grieving the loss of my great friendship as well as the loss of my mother, and very quickly, it all got too much for me. I burned out completely and just had to stop! Over the next six months I attempted different ways of climbing the mountain. I attempted to get some online courses up an running and failed. I did Continued on page 6
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MAINI HOMER Continued from page 5
a live training for some and earned a little, but as soon as I got back into the coaching, all the bad feelings returned. It was when a friend told me to “Stop paddling upstream� that the penny dropped for me. I didn’t love what I was doing, and so I had to find something else. But what? That’s when I did another training course on article writing
đ&#x;˜Š
What I discovered was a new passion. I loved writing and I found very quickly that I was very talented at it. Having completely healed my own lack of self doubt by this stage, I even put some articles up to be published. They were accepted first time! I suddenly realised I had something here that I totally loved, was really good at, and other people loved as well. So, I decided to develop this. It was because of this course that I gained the courage to write my book. Instantly I earned the title of #1 International Best Seller in three categories and three countries. I felt like I was ON FIRE! What I didn’t love about this though was the constant having to put myself out there, and so I knew that this idea needed a few more tweaks yet. I did some more digging and discovered a beautiful soul who taught me yet another way. It was during this training that the idea hit me. Instantly, I started a small article writing account on Fiverr. I got a few of my friends to support me
with a win/win situation in exchange for some feedback, and I was on my way. In the space of just two months, I’ve created yet another income stream that will soon out do the coaching business, and the business I had for 14 years. I am truly loving what I am doing. It’s exciting, It’s interesting and I am already making big plans for it’s future. I am able to work “behind the scenesâ€? so I don’t have to do Facebook lives, or really be active on social media at all. It allows me to earn really good income and help others as well. Already I’ve hired two writers and a website builder‌ Yes I’m doing that as well.
đ&#x;˜Š
I am really excited for the future and what is coming next. So if you find yourself in a situation where you know inside you dislike what you are doing, have the courage to take action and change it today. Make sure what you are doing is for you and for the right reasons. Life is way too short not to love every moment of your life‌ Fully and completely, and absolutely for YOU! People can reach me now either on: Maini39 oustandingmaini@gmail.com Maini Homer Maini Homer
Photo by Ali Kazal | Unsplash.com
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OPHELIA NIXON UKE
UNDEFEATED MINDSET CHAPLAIN OPHELIA NIXON-UKE
E
ven in the midst of defeat you can be the undefeated one that people will have no choice but to respect when they see trials coming up against you, yet still you walk out of every situation not bearing the bruises from the battles you’ve faced. You have victory at all times on your side when you learn to
Every single obstacle found in your path should be looked upon as an encourager… not to let the negatives become the main focus, but rather you use them as fuel for mustering up strength to pull from the things that seek to bring you down. You can’t be defeated if the remind yourself of who you are. You can’t be defeated when you don’t allow frustrations to overpower your thoughts and your actions. This is when you’re able to rise up out of the ashes like a phoenix, and stand in the midst of you enemies while claiming the highest of victories. You know why such a thing is made possible? Because, despite the fires you’ve had to walk through, despite the hate you’ve had to face, 8 | ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM MAGAZINE | NOV/DEC 2020
despite the attacks on your health and the fight for your life, you still don’t look like what you’ve been through. Your greatest wins are going to be birthed from the pain you’ve gone through time and time again, as it gave you the firepower to pick yourself back up to see another day. Your biggest Victories are going to manifest from what you’ve had to sacrifice, but never forget, no great sacrifice ever goes without a great reward in return. No matter what each moment brings, like yourself, I too had to learn how to cherish it with a undefeated mindset, for if not defeat would have swept me up into a tidal wave that there’d be no escape from. The way in which you see or choose to perceive the things you’re confronted with, it will make the difference in whether or not you’ll be defeated or if you’ll rise above. During my own journeys, I found two key components that helped to keep me sane even while on the battlefield of situations that threw me curveballs in life. They were passion and perseverance.
PASSION
As a people, we all have dreams of having more than what we already have as none of us want to stand in a place of lack wherein we find ourselves struggling to make ends meet on a continuous basis. However, if we cause this desire to turn
OPHELIA NIXON UKE
into a greed, then have no doubt that it will turn against you to create your biggest downfall. But, if you see it as that thing that you are passionate about, which allows you to look towards each day with a drive to succeed while placing a smile on your face, then it can be the very thing that will propel you into achieving some of your greatest victories. The issue is, we as a people tend to see the negative side of everything before we see the value. Not every challenge has to be taken as a defeat. This is where you learn how to shift your mindset, so you’re able to understand how what seems like a set back could actually be an immediate reset, because you are choosing to be one who is undefeated. Every single obstacle found in your path should be looked upon as an encourager that will and can catapult you into areas never thought imaginable, which if utilized correctly is going to produce for you manifestations that has never before been seen for yielding you your highest level of successes. Whatever it is to you, whether dreams, passions, or desires though important it may be to have it, it should never be allowed to manifest into a dominating force as it will begin to control you whereby causing you to lose sight of your mission until it defeats you, making you a victim instead of a victor. In layman’s term, what you allow to control you makes you its puppet. One of the greatest lessons to be learnt, can be taught even by the unwisest person, which is; never become so hyped up over your accomplishments or wins wherein humility and diplomacy is lost, nor should you be weighed down because of a debacle, wherein you now view every glass as being half empty.
from you what you refuse to give up. If your Passion is the the driving force to you getting to your next hurdle, then allow Perseverance to be the wind that gets you over it. Perseverance is your gauge to keep you in the path of success with a mindset of being undefeated. So this way, even when it feels like the tides of life are rising upon you quickly at an excessively high rate, you are still able to stand confidently knowing the capabilities you possess. One of life’s instructions we are given from childhood is to fight to the very end to get that win, and allow nothing to deter nor distract you from the prize. However, while the win is very important because it shows you have the drive, the power and the tenacity to go after what you want with no concerns for how hard you have to fight, and not concerning yourself with who you have to contend with in order to get to that victory. Nonetheless, we have to remember that it is just as important to keep our minds conditioned so we can remain undefeated even if we’re not crowned winner. The winner isn’t always the one with the prize, quite often it’s the one who kept a positive outlook on the situation despite not being the lead, because your loss today will bring you your victory tomorrow, if you keep the mindset of one who does not bend in the face of defeat.
Whatever you believe you can certainly achieve! Chaplain Ophelia Nixon-Uke
PERSEVERANCE
No matter what, tell yourself giving up is not going to be an idea or thought entertained because you are undefeated. I’m telling you this right now, you hold the power in your hands to create the wins that you want at all times, because no one can take Photo by Ran Berkovich | Unsplash.com
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Sara Pena 10 | ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM MAGAZINE | NOV/DEC 2020
SARA PENA
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY Sara Pena, a Newark native, leads New Jersey’s Center for Hispanic Policy, Research, and Development (CHPRD). She was twice named to InsiderNJ’s INSIDER 100: POLICYMAKERS POWER LIST for her work leading the Center—in 2019, her nominating statement simply said: “Respected.” During her tenure, CHPRD has been widely-lauded for expanding its statewide footprint and national presence in advocacy for Hispanics and Latinx. Sara holds a B.A. from Kean University and a M.P.A. from Rutgers. CORE COMPETENCIES • Well-respected, bilingual (English/Spanish) advocate with a proven track record in areas such as economic mobility, civil rights, and civic engagement • Effective leader and project manager with full fluency in public affairs, policy development, as well as departmental operations • Skilled communicator with C-suite and top agency experience and expertise in meaningful engagement with stakeholder groups, regulators, and elected officials • High-visibility impact player and operator driven by deep policy know-how in a variety of settings and issue areas SELECT EXPERIENCE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF STATE • Trenton, NJ Director, Center for Hispanic Policy, Research, and Development April 2018—Present
• Senior Department leader appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to oversee New Jersey’s preeminent advocacy organization for Hispanics and Latinx
• Develop and strengthen private-public partnerships to serve residents
• Lead flagship Governor’s Hispanic Fellows Program, in existence since 1988, demonstrating steadfast commitment to building a leadership pipeline for New Jersey
• Increase Center’s presence in localities and municipalities, better positioning it to service more communities and individuals, and ensuring that communities up and down the state are well-represented
Sara Pena
• Help community-based organizations scale up their operations and explore new areas of service delivery, improving the lives of many New Jerseyans in the process
• Heighten awareness around the challenges Hispanics and other minorities face today, bringing an important voice and perspective to policy conversations around immigration; empowering LGBTQ+ New Jerseyans; and enhancing the dignity and economic opportunity of over 9 million residents.
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SARA PENA
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SARA PENA Continued from page 11
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL • Newark, NJ Senior Community Outreach Coordinator, Marketing & Communications Department May 2015—April 2018 • Served as on-the-record spokesperson and responded to media inquiries and press outreach
• Led community outreach efforts for region’s leading academic medical center, managing partnerships with all levels of government and active stakeholder groups
• Designed events to increase community impact; intimately involved with all planning and implementation, including the identification of speakers and logistical coordination
• Directly collaborated with hospital’s senior leadership on brand strategies; coordinated positioning and message development as well as media relations in nation’s prime media market
• Spearheaded new Community Advisory Council and leveraged footprint to better serve Newark’s diverse communities
COUNTY OF ESSEX, NEW JERSEY • Verona, NJ Assistant, Director of Public Works July 2011—May 2015 • Served as secretary to Essex County Construction Board of Appeals and assisted with activities of Essex County Planning Board • Directed office scheduling, work flow, and meeting coordination • O rganized and implemented special projects such as events and fundraising in high-activity, high-visibility office • A cted as key liaison between community and office leadership team Additional experience at NEWARK BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER; LA CASA DE DON PEDRO in Newark; and BROADWAY CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER in New York City.
EDUCATION M.P.A., Rutgers University—School of Public Affairs and Administration • Newark, NJ; PI ALPHA ALPHA National Honor Society B.S., Business Management, Kean University • Union, NJ
Sara Pena SELECT AWARDS & HONORS
• President, LUPE Fund, Inc. (2017-19) • Treasurer and Executive Board Member (2008) • Advisory Committee Member of the League of Women Voters in NJ (2018)
• Honored by Newark Municipal Council President Mildred C. Crump as TRAILBLAZER (2019) • Named to InsiderNJ’s INSIDER 100: POLICYMAKERS POWER LIST (2018, 2019)
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SARA PENA
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SARA PENA Continued from page 11
• Honored by the Newark Circle of Sisters at WOMEN ON FIRE: OUR TIME IS NOW! (2018) • Member, Human and Children Services Transition Committee -New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (2017) • Recipient, Illustrious Award, Institute for Latino Studies (2017) • Honored by then-Essex County Board of Freeholders President Britnee N. Timberlake (2016) • Recipient, Commendation, Essex County Board of Freeholders for Boys to Leaders Foundation (2016) • Recipient, Achievement Award, Newark Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee (2016) • Board Chair, Newark’s Roseville Community Charter School (2016) • Mayoral Appointee and Commissioner, City of Newark Commission on the Status of Women (2015-2019) • Awardee, SHAPING OUR FUTURE LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT, Friends of Hispanic Research and Information Center (2015) • Inaugural Class Member, Emerge New Jersey (2014) • Awardee, ESSEX COUNTY TEAMWORK AWARD (2013) • Founder, Boys to Leaders Foundation (2013) (www.boystoleadersfoundation.org) • Member, Annual Newark Women’s Conference Board (2011-12) • Honoree, Newark Municipal Council (2011) • Fellow, Leadership Newark Program (2009) • Volunteer, North Ward Center (2008)
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MYCHAL CONNOLLY
Dad and Serial Entrepreneur Mychal Connolly Continues To Launch and Stand Out In Business ARTHIA NIXON
S
pringfield, Massachusettes Back in the 1980s, before the term “kidprenuer” was coined, Mychal Connoly was a pint-sized businessman who had tripled the sales of his grandmother’s home-based snack business in the space of three weeks. He says he realized what his peers wanted
Your confidence and self-belief have so much to do with your success. in terms of candies and snacks, encouraged her to stock up and at nine-years-old wrote and executed a marketing plan that generated enough for them to have a steady income. She offered him a commission and he was focused on making that commission because he wanted to purchase a game. Fast forward to 2020 and Mychal has literally written the book on what it means to launch and stand out amongst competitors. He launched several successful 16 | ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM MAGAZINE | NOV/DEC 2020
businesses including a baby diaper decorating company Mr. Stinky Cakes, a consultancy firm and a company that generated six figures within three months during the COVID19 pandemic. “You have to create collaborations even when they don’t exist,” says Mychal. “Everyone thought I was crazy to have a digital truck and drive it around doing nothing. They were convinced I should have been using the truck for deliveries because of the size. I took my truck, uploaded the logo of a major national franchise and parked in front of their company then reached out to them on social media. By the end of the week, I had a contract to be their official mobile digital billboard. You can’t limit yourself. You must always create a way even if the signs say that’s impossible.” Mychal is the kind of guy who spends his Mondays interviewing up and coming business people or challenging his group followers to think outside the box. His tough big brother style is one that gets people to see their inner potential in a big way. His clients have included the creators of million-dollar brands and he thrives on connecting people to the right networks so that they can build together.
MYCHAL CONNOLLY
The side that he doesn’t always share on his social media is the donations he’s given to hurricane victims, mentorship to single parents, and about a dozen foster children who have lived with his family.
So far, his sons Mychal Jr. and Aiden are active in his newest venture, the Stand Out Truck. They participate in nearly every aspect from seeking out clients to switching out the signs.
“I have two sons who are my world,” says Mychal. “They’ve inspired me to be a better man in more ways than they can imagine and they are the reason I understand the importance of legacy building, teaching children the proper tools when it comes to generational wealth and so much more. My sons are a big part of my business even though they are teenagers and when the pandemic hit and they were home with us, they got to see a whole lot more than usual. My foster children as well have taught me so many lessons and when they leave our home, I hope that they leave with the tools we have given to them so that when they age out of the system or find forever homes, they have a life skill to set them up.”
“The only thing they don’t do is drive,” laughs Mychal. “It gives us time to be together to communicate and communication is so key in business. Another thing is that you can’t be selfish with information. Some of us have to do better than those who came before us and offer our information to those who come behind us. Whether it’s as simple as offering something through a social media post or video or selling that information in a book or workshop.”
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Mychal said that it is especially important for young black boys to see black men in attainable roles instead of simply athletes or entertainers. Continued on page 18
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MYCHAL CONNOLLY Continued from page 18
“2020 has shown us so many things as it relates to black men in the U.S.A, and growing up in the Caribbean, I realize me and my children are living two different experiences,” said Mychal. “As black
men we have to be there. At the same time we have to be able to understand that we have to create products and services so great, that people won’t see it because of the owner but rather because it’s an amazing product. At the end of the day, it’s all about business and profiting from your businesses.”
Mychal’s top five tips for launching and standing out are:
1.
L ove yourself. Believe in yourself. Invest in yourself. Big Up Yourself. Your confidence and self-belief have so much to do with your success. Create a positive self-image. And surround yourself with people that will help develop a growth mindset.
4.
B uild a team. There are four main parts to any successful business: leadership, operations, financials, and sales/ marketing. Most people are strong in one, maybe two, of those areas but rarely is it that you find someone who is a master of all. When building a team you want to find people that have the same mindset as you that no matter what, the business will succeed, but have a different skill set than you.
2.
Y ou are an idea + an asset + execution away from making 25k in 60 days, 150k in 1 year, 2.5m in 3 years and 120 million in 5 years and 2 billion in 10 years. Find your combo. Do the work. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
3.
F ocus on your customer experience. Give them so much value that they really love your products and services so much that they will buy repeatedly and tell three people about your business that will do the same.
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5.
ake time for what really matters. Literally schedule time M to be with your family. Even though I run businesses, Chair a non-profit organization and sit on the executive committee for another I still make time to play NBA 2k with my sons and coach their travel basketball team. Time is the most valuable commodity, spend it wisely.
LADONYA YVETTE
NOW
AVAILABLE!
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FROM BRAZIL TO USA MAINI HOMER uciana Kimus Wilson is an incredible woman. Not only is she an extremely successful entrepreneur, she’s also juggling being a wife and mother to two beautiful children as well. Being the founder and mega boss babe of the Top to Bottom group, including Top to Bottom House Cleaning, Top to Bottom Remodeling and Design, and Top to Bottom Athletics, means she’s always on the go. Not to mention being in partnership with her sister with a travel agency in Brazil. So, where did this adventure all begin? As a child, Luciana dreamed of being a mom as well as a successful businesswoman. “I always thought it was so elegant to see a woman that works hard and takes good care of their kids.” Well, from what I’ve seen, this woman does it all in bucketloads. Inspired by her father, Luciana grew up watching him in the entrepreneurial arena. Over the years, she got to watch him learn and grow, and she puts her success down to his motivation for making her the woman she is today. Starting in Brazil, helping other international companies to create successful businesses, saw Luciana launch into the world of entrepreneurship. One huge feather she has in her cap is that all the businesses she helped start in Brazil are incredibly successful today. It hasn’t always been easy for Luciana, though. Moving to the United States, she had to work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. Even doing this was not bringing in enough income for her to live comfortably, so she started looking for more. Continued on page 22
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LUCIANA Kimus Continued from page 21
One of the jobs she was doing was cleaning houses. Luciana was smart enough to notice the potential in the market and decided to exploit it. One thing that irked her and something she felt she could monopolize on was other companies’ charging extra for the tiniest thing. Luciana decided to make her point of difference based on the way they do things in Brazil. In Brazil, they clean according to the rules of “faxina.” Basically, this means that everything is moved so that the cleaning is much more thorough. The best thing of all, there is no extra charge for this added service. This is how Luciana’s business became so successful. Now, some of you may be wondering, is that it? Is that all it took to get this thriving set of companies off the ground? Well, of course not my friend. Luciana needed to have the motivation and drive to make it all happen. Luciana’s husband helped her a little by buying her very first vacuum. Now in most cases, if a husband bought his wife a vacuum as a gift, he’d better be able to run pretty fast, right? But not in this case. It’s really what started it all. From this moment on, Luciana went from strength to strength. She has built her business to be the #1 Cleaning Business in Wilmington, NC, based on her Google reviews. She puts her success down to her systems, fair prices, good quality products, and staff. This, she says, is what makes it all work so well. One question that comes to mind is how hard she is working to make all of this happen? Luciana says she works around 8-10 hours a day. She also admits to answering emails after work because, like any dedicated entrepreneur, she likes to be responsive to her clients. “I like them to know I am there for them,” She says. A typical day for Luciana consists of going into the office early, and after her cleaners have left to work for the day, she’ll sit down with a steaming cup of coffee. This is when she tackles and responds to emails. Luciana also works with a personal trainer during the day, so she often makes calls while working out. Other than that, she’s making plans, scheduling appointments, or taking time to visit clients. Continued on page 24
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LUCIANA Kimus
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LUCIANA Kimus Continued from page 22
It sounds like Luciana has it all, doesn’t it? Well, she definitely has a great life, but that has taken hard work and dedication. She’s the first to admit that balancing work and family life is a complicated game. Lucky for her, she is surrounded by an incredibly supportive family who understands the bigger picture. In fact, both her daughters work for her. Luciana is driven by success. She’s determined to succeed and also wishes to make her husband proud. One of her driving forces is actually her biggest fear. Luciana is, like many of us, afraid of failing. “I know I have a lot of families that depend on me, and I’m really afraid of failing them, so it makes it easy never to stop going.” She says. So, what is success to Luciana? Well, success to Luciana means a few things. It means she can live comfortably, being surrounded and supported by those who love her. Success means having a certain level of stability, and with that comes a high level of happiness. Like many of us, Luciana wants the best out of life, and she’s determined to have just that. When asked what she thought the biggest talent she needed to have to be a successful entrepreneur was, Luciana said she had to be able to multitask. What she truly loved about being an entrepreneur was being able to share her learnings and history with others to help them. She truly believes that everyone can be an entrepreneur if they have the right motivation and work ethic. Another great tool that Luciana has utilized more than a few times is collaboration. She believes that collaboration is a powerful tool for all small business owners, regardless of the industry you are in or the type of business you have. The connections you form with others and the different ways you collaborate with those people you developed relationships with will help you grow your business to new levels. So, what advice does someone like Luciana have for a young budding entrepreneur straight out of college? The first piece of advice she’d give would be to have a solid plan. You can get that plan by asking the right questions. Ask yourself, how much money do you want to make? Then write a list of all the career choices that could make you that much money. The next step would be to gain employment in the area you’d like to proceed in. Continued on page 26
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LUCIANA Kimus Continued from page 24
That way, you can dig out all the good and all the nasty bits before you commit fully to going out on your own! Knowing this information in advance is a significant gold nugget to have. She’d also tell them to make sure they have enough motivation, dedication, and organizational skills. Being an entrepreneur is no walk in the park. In saying that, though, she truly believes that anyone is capable of it. You just have to be prepared to put in the time necessary. If Luciana could do one thing differently and start over again, the first thing she would do would be to go to Law school. “There are so many things I could have learned to help me with my business journey” she says. Some other tips and tricks she’s learned along the way include such things as finding the right system that allows you to conduct your business where you want and when you want. She also advises people to invest in a running class. Much has been learned from this one activity, including learning to focus, breathe, and relax. We asked Luciana what she would do if she had a magic stick. Three things came to mind for her quickly. She told us that no one would be hungry, there would be no war, and there would definitely be no video games. Sorry kids! Luciana Kimus is a model example of a successful entrepreneur. Starting from grassroots in Brazil, she’s built herself an empire that many envy. Over the next five years, Luciana plans to open a couple of franchises. She has also recently completed her real estate license, which means she can now start offering clients property management services as well. There is so much scope for Luciana and her business in the future. Keep an eye out on this dynamo as she grows and grows. There is so much more coming for Luciana yet.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
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LUCIANA Kimus
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LUCIANA Kimus
Model:
ANA JULIA VILLELA
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LUCIANA Kimus
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SHOUT PRODUCTIONS
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KATIE O'REILLY
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KATIE O'REILLY | MIKKI KOOMAR
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ENTREPRENEUR BOOKS OF THE MONTH
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WESTERN & SOUTHERN LIFE
What could happen to your income if you have a heart attack or stroke?
Lost income due to a critical illness may lead to difficulty paying household expenses. A Possible Solution Western & Southern Life’s Critical Illness insurance provides $10,000 to $100,0001 of tax-free income2 in the event of heart attack, stroke, renal failure, life threatening cancer or major organ transplant.3 You can use this benefit to help support your family while you recover. Potential Uses Loan repayments
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TALK TO YOUR FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE TODAY. Kelli M. M. Williams Kelli Williams Financial Representative Financial Representative 1013 Ashes Drive, Suite Suite 204 204 1013 Ashes Drive, Wilmington, NC 28405-8304 Wilmington, NC 28405-8304 office 910.473.5018 office 910.473.5018 cell 910.233.8038 fax 910.256.2362 email kelli.williams@wslife.com email kelli.williams@wslife.com website WSLife.com/agent/kwilli5 website WSLife.com/agent/kwilli5
1 Please refer to the policy approved in your state for specific exclusions and limitations. There are two Western & Southern Life Critical Illness products: Critical Illness Basic that reduces the benefit by 50% after age 65, Critical Illness Plus that does not reduce the benefit by 50% after age 65. 2 Western & Southern Life does not provide tax or legal advice. Please contact your tax or legal advisor regarding your situation. The information provided is for educational purposes only. 3 100% benefit is paid for covered conditions as defined in the policy. Other covered conditions result in a 25% benefit being paid only once. Critical Illness Insurance does not replace the need for major medical health insurance. This is a limited benefit health insurance policy. It contains exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits and terms to keep it in force. Product availability, benefits, coverage, exclusions and limitations may vary by state. Limited Benefit Policy Series 0907-80 and 0907-80-U issued by The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company. Critical Illness coverage is not comprehensive health insurance coverage (often referred to as “Major Medical Coverage”). It does not satisfy the individual mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It does not meet the requirements of minimum essential coverage as defined by federal law. Securities offered by Registered Representatives through W&S Brokerage Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. All companies are members of Western & Southern Financial Group. The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, operates in DC and all states except AK, ME, MA and NY. Western & Southern Life is the marketing name for The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company. WSL-10051-A 1909
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ENTREPRENEUR CONSULTANTS
Rhoda Johnson
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Karen Albert
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Kelli Williams
Western & Southern Life Insurance | Retirement| Investments Financial Representative Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Fixed Annuities, Critical Illness Insurance kelli.williams@wslife.com P: 910-233-8038
Belinda Salley
The Belinda Salley Talent Consulting Agency, LLC bsalley1968@gmail.com
Angie Bryant
SHOUT PRODUCTIONS Digital Media Specialists 910-262-6270
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