Young Black Entrepreneur Magazine

THE

PowHER!

Issue

YBE

YOUNG BLACK ENTREPRENEUR

MAGAZINE YBEMAG.COM Issue 8 07.2016

2016 MoveHERS & ShakeHERS RUSHIA BROWN MAYA DILLARD SMITH GIA WALKER BECKY A DAVIS SHEA PEGUES TANESHIA NASH LAIRD MONICA TOOKES DENITRIA FOUNTAIN NOBLE BROWN TANESHA TAYLOR ROBIN HARRIS-WALKER DETHRA U. GILES DENISE ROGERS SOL BROWN LEANNA ARCHER KEYA NEAL PAULA WHITTLE BIANCA M. WILLIAMS

MAMA WAS A YBE 10 MISTAKES NEW BUSINESS OWNERS MAKE

P POWER

MAYA DILLARD SMITH DISMISSED AS ACLU OF GEORGIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OH TO BE A ROSE WHO YOU CALLING A B*TCH?!?!

PLUS

THOMPSON B E S P O K E

A

K I N G ’ S

C R O W N

THOMPSONBESPOKE.COM

Rashan Michel Owner

Young Black Entrepreneur

Pg 5

$$ Publisher’s Letter

Pg 6

$$ Alia Lewis Black Woman's Magic Featuring Shea Pegues

Pg 8

$$ Jon Reid 10 Mistakes New Business Owners Make

MAGAZINE

YBE

Pg 10 $ Becky A. Davis

CONTENTS

Pg 11 $ Leanna Archer Pg 12 $ Sol Brown Pg13 $$ Johnny Clarkson P Power

$: Interview $$: Article/Contribution

Pg 14 $ Paula Whittle Pg 16 $$ Maynard Eaton Maya Dillard Smith Pg 18 $ Denitria Fountain Pg 19 $ Noble Brown Pg 20 $ Denise Rogers Pg 22 $$ Dethra U. Giles Oh To Be A Rose Pg 24 $ Taneshia Nash Laird Pg 26 $ Monica Tookes Pg 28 $$ Rushia Brown Who You Calling a B*TCH?!?!

Pg 31 $ Tanesha Taylor Pg 33 $ Keya Neal Pg 34 $ Bianca M Williams Pg 36 $$ Sciler Williams The Business of Balling Featuring Rushia Brown Pg 38 $ Robin Harris-Walker Pg 40 $ Alia Lewis Make Your Money Work Featuring Gia Walker

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Yo u n g Bl ac k E n t re pre n e u r Ma g a z i n e

Quarterly

A NobleS ol Art Grou p Publication

07. 2016 ISSUE 8 For advertising rates: Info@NobleSol.Net Publisher & Founder OKEEBA JUBALO Advertising Director Johnny Clarkson Director of Public Relations Rushia Brown Marketing Advisor Antonio Owens Creative Direction & Graphic Design NobleSol Art Group @NobleSol.net Contributing Writers Rushia Brown Johnny Clarkson Maynard Eaton Dethra U. Giles Alia Lewis Jonathan Reid Scilar Williams Copy Editor Anita Maxwell @secondeyeglance.com Kat Brown

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2 0 1 6 b y N o b l e S o l A r t Gr o u p . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d .

MAMA WAS A YBE! Publisher’s Letter Denim Jacket & Watch redeFINEd ART by OKEEBA JUBALO

I was maybe six or seven years old when my mother decided to become an entrepreneur. Then again, my father decided for her.

My dad made up his mind that his wife would be a schoolteacher, so he decided to open up a daycare center for her. The funny thing about this was that my mom never liked children enough to actually open a school. She only did it to entertain my dad. My parents went through all of the motions to open the daycare they called Paradise Child Development Center in Charleston, South Carolina. It was such a long time ago, but I can still remember the details of my mom’s frustrations.

One of her struggles was the fact she was not working in her passion or purpose. My mom worked for an insurance agency prior to her daycare venture. She really loved selling life insurance.

My dad, on the other hand, did not like the hours of an insurance agent because so many of their sales depended on being available during late evenings. In my dad’s mind, being available in the evenings did not make sense when there were two young children at home.

Another major issue my mom faced was not having the support needed to make her daycare successful. Yes, my dad helped with the financial aspect of it, but he had no interest in

watching or developing anyone’s children besides his own. So that forced my mom to wear too many hats. If you are running your own company, you know what I mean.

You have to work every single detail within your company until you can find GREAT help…whenever that happens…if it ever does. My mom tried to rely on family members to pitch in and help, but that proved to be short-lived. Most of my family members who stepped in did not really care about the progress of the business because they just wanted a paycheck. Once again, a lack of passion created more issues than answers.

Creating marketing collateral was a big problem as well. Even as a youngster, I was gifted at creating art. I did what I could do at that age, creating flyers and signage. My young talent helped, but it did not resolve the issue. Needless to say, my mom’s first attempt at becoming a YBE was filled with trial after trial.

Eventually she worked the bugs out and had a large number of children enrolled in her school. I do not know all of the details behind the dollars and cents, but I do remember that there were a lot of children. Shortly after getting things off the ground with her child care center, my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. This shifted our lives into another direction.

Under the weight of this new challenge, my mom eventually closed the doors of her center, went back to working in the insurance industry, and cared for my dying dad full-time while raising her children. Looking back at it, Paradise Child Development Center raised my level of understanding as a YBE in so many ways. Every lesson that I learned from that time period has proven to be valuable.

These are a few lessons that I learned: 5 YBEMAG.COM

1. Follow your passion and the profits will come.

2. Make sure you have a budget to support your vision. A part of making your vision materialize is hiring talented and smart help.

Another part is understanding that family members won’t always be as qualified.

3. Marketing is very important.

This should be factored into your budget.

4. You won’t always be able to predict the hard times that arise, but just know that they will.

5. If your spouse isn’t on board with the business, having the responsibilities that come with a family could make growing your business twice as hard.

My mom ended up retiring in her mid-sixties (as an insurance executive). She worked her way up, had a number of leadership positions within her company, and she loved it. My mom would work from sun up to sun down because that was her passion. She taught me a great deal about staying with it until the job was done. Even though she closed the doors of Paradise Child Development Center many years ago, those lessons helped to train my eyes to see what I see now.

I know that running your business can be very challenging, but Young Black Entrepreneur Magazine is here with you in the trenches. The trials we go through and the testimonies are not just for us. Take the lessons from the YBEs we introduce you to in each issue and learn from them. Keep pushing and know that there is a difference between taking a break and being broken. I salute you and please know that you are teaching so many others just by doing what you do daily.

OKEEBA JUBALO Young Black Entrepreneur Magazine Publisher and Founding Editor YBEMAG.com

YBE FEATURE

BLACK WOMAN’S MAGIC

By Alia Lewis

SHEA

PEGUES

“My parents had a t-shirt shop when I was a kid, but I modeled for a number of years,” Shea says. Along with the t-shirt business, Shea’s parents also owned a franchise convenient store, and currently own a mini mall and Popeyes Chicken franchise.

idapsolutions.com

Photo: NobleSol Art Group

CEO, spokesperson, and model Shea Pegues is the definition of a YBE on the move. From going the distance, to securing new business deals, to returning calls of YBE interns whom she’d mistaken for customers, Shea’s hustle is evident in everything she does. Combined with her passion and impeccable work ethic, it’s no wonder that her business, Innovative Design and Printing (IDAP) Solutions sets the bar for quality and professionalism in the printing industry. Even while speaking with YBE Magazine on how she built her business from the ground up, Shea was strategizing and working with her power team of eight employees. Shea started IDAP Solutions in 2010 and in 2013, officially opened her shop a few miles of Atlanta in Chamblee, GA. Growing up in the busy streets of Michigan, she watched as her parents labored over different business ventures. This instilled a spirt of entrepreneurship in her. “My parents had businesses all of my life so that’s all I know,” Shea says. Even with this, the decision to invest in the printing industry didn’t come until much later.

Although Shea was not yet interested in the printing, she always worked extremely hard. When working with her parents in her youth, Shea remembers the times when she and her family had to work at the store until 3 or 4 am taking inventory and doing price counts. Because of this, her transition from focusing solely on modeling to being an entrepreneur came naturally. Now, anytime Shea meets someone for the first time, she tries to incorporate IDAP Solutions into her conversation. She claims that if someone says they know her but doesn’t mention IDAP Solutions or her medical device, they don’t really know her. “Word of mouth can kill you or build you,” Shea says. She encourages YBE’s who want to increase their sales through marketing to adopt this mindset. “Social media is a great way to gain free advertising,” Shea says. To be successful in entrepreneurship, the CEO believes that YBE’s should be risk takers and not be afraid. “It’s knowing that everything isn’t going to be a slam dunk right off the top and knowing that there will be long days and short restless nights,” Shea says.

She tells fellow or prospective YBE’s, “You have to get up and keep going. Sometimes you’re not always going to have money. There will be highs and lows, but that goes along with taking risks. Sometimes I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if I’m going to make it or if I’m going to have the energy.” So she prays. “And when you think that you can’t go anymore, somebody will say something.

It’ll seem so small and trivial to them, but it’ll be so profound 6 YBEMAG.COM

and help take you to the next level,” Shea reflects.

Among the many benefits that come with owning a business, Shea loves being able to touch other people’s lives and pass something on to someone else. She encourages many of her friends and customers who come into the shop who may need a shoulder to cry on. She understands that being a CEO can be rough at times. When starting a business, “everybody who says they got you, don’t necessarily have you,” Shea says. “After they make that initial purchase, where are you going to get your next few customers from?

How are you going to keep people coming back?” Shea says. These are legitimate issues that every YBE will have to consider at some point in their business. Things usually always work out. “It’s always when I can’t see it coming that something great comes around the corner,” Shea says. Customers will arrive when you least expect it.

Along with the being the CEO of IDAP Solutions, Shea is also a spokesperson for Chrysler, has invented a medical device, and continues to work as a model. When asked how she manages everything, she says, “My days and weeks are never cookie cutter. I try to make it work. I don’t turn down any opportunities that are good. The only time I feel like I’m spreading myself too thin is when I miss things for my son. Then I have to pull back and do a self-check,” Shea says. “Other than that, I’m very upfront about what I can and can’t do.

One of the things that I try to do is if I can’t do something, I’ll say no, and if I can do it, I’ll make sure that it gets done.”

Although Shea transitioned into the role of an entrepreneur pretty smoothly, she says that having her son was the biggest training session.

“Before giving birth, I could basically do what I wanted, came and went when I felt like it,” Shea remembers.

“And then I had to learn some kind of self-control, some kind of program or system of how you do things.

I had to have some type of rhythm in my life.” Shea deeply loves her son and motivates him to be the best at whatever he focuses his mind on, but she describes the process from having no children to having a son as being hard. “I now had someone who depended on me,”Shea says. “You had to be there. You couldn’t go out when you wanted. That was the hardest transition. Once I accepted that it was hard, then it became easier for me. You just have to accept what things are, work around them and it doesn’t become stressful.”

For YBEs who are interested in entrepreneurship, but don’t exactly know where to start, Shea encourages them to find something you like and find the need for it among other people. “Find out how you can turn it into a business. I like printing. I think it’s fun. I get excited when people see their creation come to life and they’re are just pickled pink about the result.”

Shea loves the joy customers express after seeing their idea printed on shirts, or they’re running their own clothing line with the help of IDAP. “I enjoy that!” Shea says.

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Shea offers this final piece of advice to the YBE nation: Find out what you like. When you decide to design and sell a product, make it simple and when you get that perfected, grow. Find some kind of organization and narrow it down. Don’t be so broad. Whether you’re working for another company or building your own, find what fits good in your world and love what you do.

Overall, Shea has paved her own way to success and has inspired the masses in the process. Despite only being in business for six years, IDAP Solutions sets the standard for printing needs. Whether customers need signs and banners, embroidery, screen printing for t-shirts, or car window decals, IDAP Solutions can deliver quality products that customers are excited about.

10 Mistakes New Business Owners Make

By Jon Reid MBA PMP CIA

AllenReidEnterprises.com Almost everyone knows a successful small business owner, and there are plenty of stories of big corporations buying little startups for millions of dollars. It sounds so easy, but running a small business takes time, hard work and commitment. To get your new business off on the right foot, avoid these common startup mistakes.

1. Not Having a Business Plan. A good business plan evaluates the market for your product or service and the competition you’ll face. It looks at the amount of money you’ll need to get started and run your business and the income you can expect to make.

Putting together a business plan takes some work. There’s a chance that you’ll discover that your great business idea isn’t so great after all. Without proper research, a small business owner sometimes jumps right in without a plan and then wonders why things didn’t work out the way he imagined.

2. Not Having a Marketing Plan. Your marketing plan goes hand-in-hand with your business plan. After all, you can’t expect to make any money if no one knows about your business. As part of your marketing plan, you’ll identify your ideal customer and figure out the best way to appeal to that customer and differentiate yourself from your competition. You’ll establish ways to measure your success so you can change course if something isn’t working. Without a marketing plan, you’re apt to waste time and money on a scattershot approach that doesn’t do much to bring in business.

3. Impatience. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your new business won’t be either. Most businesses do not earn any profit in the first year or two, and it’s common to suffer setbacks after some initial success. Successful business owners are prepared for this and have the patience and financial reserves to keep pressing forward.

4. Overspending. Many small business owners get into trouble because they do not keep their costs under control.

It pays to be conservative in your spending until your business has a consistent track record of profits.

Watch out for budget-busters such as office or retail space that’s too large or expensive, non-essential employees, and too much of or fancier equipment than you need. Be wary of taking on debt. As a new business owner, you’ll almost certainly have to sign a personal guarantee on the amounts you borrow, so you’ll remain responsible for paying those debts even if your business fails.

5. Underpricing. One sure way to work hard and still lose money is to underprice your goods or services. New businesses commonly do this for two reasons: either they’re trying to get more business by undercutting the competition, or they haven’t done their homework and do not realize what they should be charging. When you do not charge enough, you may not even be able to cover your overhead.

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6. Not Forming the Right Business Entity. In their rush to get up and running, new business owners sometimes decide to wait to set up a business entity or they hastily form a limited liability company because that’s what their friend said they should do.

Choosing the wrong business entity—or not setting one up at all—can have serious consequences down the road. For example, if you operate as a general partnership, you may be surprised to find that you are personally responsible for all the business’ debts—even the ones you never agreed to cover. If you set up a corporation, you may end up paying higher taxes because you’re taxed at both the corporate and the personal level. Do your research and get some startup advice from legal or financial professionals, if necessary, to make sure you’re structuring your business in a way that will save you money and help you avoid liability.

7. Thinking You Don’t Need Insurance.

Setting up a business entity limits your personal liability for business obligations, but it won’t protect you if someone slips and falls on your premises, if you have an accident with a company car, or if you are sued for a defective product, malpractice or any other sort of personal wrongdoing.

These sorts of claims can be devastating to both your business and your personal finances. Consult an insurance agent and get enough insurance to cover you.

8. Not Having a Written Agreement with Your Business Partners. Whether it’s a partnership agreement, an LLC operating agreement, corporate bylaws or a buy-sell agreement, every business needs a written document that explains each partner’s rights and responsibilities and describes what will happen if one of them leaves the business. All too often, business partners fail to put anything in writing because they get along well with each other and think they’ll always be able to resolve things informally. This is frequently untrue, and disputes between partners can be difficult, expensive and emotionally draining.

9. Failing to Protect Intellectual Property. If your business produces artwork, music, software or inventions, the things you create may be eligible for copyright or patent protection. In addition, your business name and logo are intellectual property that may be eligible for state and/or federal trademark protection. Your logo may also be protected by copyright. Smart business owners keep track of their intellectual property and take steps to protect it by registering it with governmental agencies and actively policing its use by competitors.

10. Thinking You Can Do It All Yourself. Entrepreneurs tend to be self-reliant individuals, but knowing your limits and learning to delegate tasks are important skills if your startup is going to succeed. Try to focus on the things you’re good at and enjoy doing, and find others who can handle tasks that you dislike or that require specialized knowledge. Starting a business is exciting, but don’t let yourself rush into things. If you want your business to succeed, take the time to plan and protect yourself. And then be patient and give your business time to grow.

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BECKY A.

DAVIS BeckyADavis.com

Who are you?

My name is Becky A. Davis, also known as the “Chief BOSSpreneur™” for my ability to help women transition from employee to entrepreneur. I have been called the “Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon” for my straight-forward coaching skills that develop women into well-rounded business owners. I also help women entrepreneurs Crack Their Business BossCode™ to unlock the flow of clients and cash flow.

My life changed course from a near death experience and set me on a course to a new life. After a surgical procedure almost took my life in 2012, I made it my business to get down to business and pursue my purpose and passion for helping others to accelerate and grow. Leaving a career as a regional vice president and 15 years of service with a Fortune 500 company and a 25-year career in upper retail management in July of 2012, I launched my consulting and coaching firm, MVP Work LLC in January of 2013. I host workshops, teleseminars, webinars, masterminds, and offer private coaching to women entrepreneurs all over the world. I am a national speaker and best-selling author.

I have been featured in a number of publications for my contributions to women and entrepreneurs including Essence, Black Enterprise, and The Network Journal. I have been on ABC,

FOX and TV One. I have received awards from 25 Women Who Inspire, Women of Excellence, a Woman of Influence along with actress Jasmine Guy, journalist Soledad O’Brian and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

I’m in the consulting and coaching industry. I chose this industry because I worked as a coach and leader of people in corporate America. I love helping people achieve extraordinary results How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

I saved money for three years before leaving corporate America to start my business. To get everything up and running it cost me $30,000 to fully launch. I was paying for it with my corporate checks.

How has your revenue/staff grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth My business has grown 100% each year in business, which has been amazing.

Once it started to move faster than I expected, I had to start using a scheduler to make appointments. I started using a new email responder that also was my customer contact system to handle follow-ups. I updated my website to do more work because I didn’t have all of the right information. I was taking calls that the

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website should have answered. I now use consultants to support me on small projects and large projects. I use interns to help with events and project.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

This industry is full of women. I have worked to move my business forward by getting the help I need. I’ve hired coaches to help me in the areas I needed to build my business every year.

I’ve hired a brand coach, speaker coach, marketing coach and business coach that really helped me grow my business. I wanted to be able to make an impact on my clients, so I got different certifications that would help my clients develop. I also believe it’s important to deliver excellence and over deliver in value which helped to grow my reputation, brand, and referrals.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

You have to stand out from the rest because there are so many people in this industry. There are bad coaches who are not delivering real quality and value to clients so many people are leery of coaches. You have to show people that you are not like the rest by providing value.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

Personally my mother has been my greatest teacher because she raised me to work hard and taught me to never let anyone tell me that I’m not good enough. Professionally, I had a manager who took the time to mentor and pour into me as a woman in leadership. She was the first person who gave me, not just the corporate feedback, but the stuff you learn the hard way. She cut the learning curve by guiding me to navigate the corporate terrain. It helped me to grow and excel in every role within the organization.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect.

Expect to be uncomfortable.

making upwards of $800,000 yearly.

With the demand for the product increasing, I have had to go from manufacturing from home to mass production.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

Yes, there are many women in this industry. I have been able to rise to the top because I have always paid attention to my customer’s needs and cater to those needs in the best way I possibly can. I am always looking for ways to improve my products and expand my market.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

Photo: Joseph Rodrigues

LEANNA LeannasEssentials.com

ARCHER

Who are you?

My name is Leanna Archer. I am the 20-year-old CEO of Leanna’s Essentials, a hair and body care company I began at the age of 9.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

I am in the All Natural Hair and Body Care industry. The product I ultimately decided to begin marketing was a homemade recipe by my great-grandmother. I used this product in my hair growing up and it has been in my family for generations. In receiving compliments for the length of my hair and my overall hair health, I came to realize that this product was working wonders for me.

When people would ask where they could purchase the products I was using, I took it upon myself to make it available for them. I began by giving this product out in my little brother’s baby food jars for free.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

After a few people had sampled this product, they were willing to pay me upfront to produce more product for them. That became my seed money. My start-up capital was just $150.

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

During the first few years, we were making in the range of $100,000-$150,000 per year and now 11 YBEMAG.COM

Apart from being inexperienced, my biggest challenge at first was getting people to take me seriously because of my young age and secondly, differentiating myself from my predecessors.

Being that I was throwing myself into an already competitive market, I needed to find a way to market my brand and set myself apart from the mainstream.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

I have always learned and continue to learn from anyone I cross paths with and learn from others’ experiences in my industry. I feel that the learning process is never-ending and that there is always room for growth. My greatest learning experience growing up and in managing my business, is that failure is a necessary part of success. Embrace it and realize you’re one step closer to accomplishing your goals.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect.

It will never be easy, but always rewarding.

Who are you?

SOL

FUTURE YBE MOGUL

BROWN

My name is Sol Brown and I'm 15 years old. I'm an upcoming sophomore at Decatur High School in Decatur, Georgia. I am the CEO of Cotton Candy Bedazzled Accessories.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

I decided to start a business in the retail industry because I wanted to make and sell my own products.

I'm able to make things that appeal to women of all ages. My dad is the reason why I wanted to become an entrepreneur. He's given me the support to proceed in my business. All my life I've been surrounded by entrepreneurs. I've been taught that owning my own business is the key to success. My goal is to be able to make money. If I can be my own boss while making my own money, then that's the best possible outcome.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

There are a lot of women in the retail industry. The fact that I'm only 15 and making my own products says a lot.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

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NobleSol.net

Photo: NobleSol Art Group

Bedazzled Accessories

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My dad is the reason that I'm the entrepreneur I am today. Without his drive and dedication to what I want to do, I wouldn't be in the position. He's given me more than I could ask for, especially for the business experience.

Women have a certain natural ability that will always outweigh and sway their male counterparts. Now I know you are searching through your mental database to figure out what this power could be. Let me take one of the choices off the table for you. P power has nothing to do with anything sexual! The “P” I am referring to is the power of a beautiful PERSONALITY and can be an ironclad decision persuading asset.

P IamJohnnyClarkson.com NobleSol.net

POWER

By Johnny L. Clarkson lll

YBE

As much as we fight for equality there are still many facets of the business world that are not equal.

There are many factors that sway decisions at the negotiation table.

These factors include race, religion, cultural upbringing and one of the most important factor is gender.

I know some of you may be thinking of course gender plays a role.

If a man is applying for a job as a construction worker, he's going to get the job. If a woman is applying as a cosmetologist, she will get the job.

In most cases for these two scenarios you would be correct, but that's not to say those are not unisex career paths. Specifically my point of reference is for the entrepreneur and not simply employees. As an entrepreneur gender can be a major key to your success depending on how you use it.

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This topic may make some uncomfortable but that does not make it inaccurate. Women will always be able to naturally bring something to the table that men can’t. We were actually designed that way when created. Some women rely solely on this, but those executive minded, mogul wired female entrepreneurs combine their beautiful personalities with work ethic, knowledge and determination. Once you combine these traits with the natural ability to grab the room’s attention success is inevitable.

In our society so much is based on our external layers, but personality is the true engine inside the super car of success! Good character, tons of confidence and lack of fear can be seen when you enter a room. That confidence makes you walk differently, that lack of fear makes you greet others differently, and that good character makes you negotiate differently.

Here a few keys to balancing your P Power: 1. Focus more on your strengths as an entrepreneur and less on what culture says statistically about your career path.

2. Embrace your personality and walk within its’ leverage.

3. Prepare for every possible NO in order to encourage every possible YES. 4.Develop the skills you lack in but master the POWER you have naturally.

5. You don’t have to be mean to mean what you say.

I am determined to create a legacy in Atlanta, and an international presence with AIFW. From entertainment executive, to fashion mogul, to PR maven, to event extraordinaire, to marketing guru, to mother, teacher, visionary, and community leader, my brands and expertise have quickly acquired national and international acclaim.

Currently I own a progressive Public Relations firm and am Founder of 'The Fashion Apprentice,' a mentorship program for young girls within the fashion industry. With such a demanding schedule, I find it imperative to keep God first and foremost in my life, and attribute Him to my success. My story is a story of hardship, faith, innovation, and triumph with chapters to be written. I believe that with God on my side, I am able to look at the impossible and see possible.

2.What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

AtlantaIntlFashionWeek.com

PAULA Who are you?

WHITTLE

I have managed to defy impossibilities and obstacles to become an Atlanta legend in creating a fashion and entertainment powerhouse. How does one go from a highly sought after entertainment manager, to Fashion’s IT girl, producing an annual global fashion event? I saw a need and I decided to fill it; therefore, to bridge the gap and connect continents through fashion and entertainment.

Over the last ten years, my partnerships are just as impressive as my who’s who of clientele which have included: Sony, BET, VIBE, VH1, Virgin

Records, SoSo Def, Rockmond Dunbar, R. Kelly, Ludacris, Usher, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, RHOA Cynthia Bailey and Marlo Hampton plus many more. In 2003, I emerged onto the fashion scene as a model agent. In my typical style, I couldn’t just be a part of the fashion industry, I had to re-invent it. Hence the creation of Atlanta’s premier fashion event, the Atlanta International Fashion Week.

Now, I am the brainchild and director of the most avant-garde fashion and entertainment event, the Atlanta International Fashion Week, making history in 2007 with its debut.

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Fashion and Entertainment Industry.

With the creativity and passion for the arts, I navigated my way into the world of entertainment and now fashion arts.

Fashion is the heartbeat of style and the driving force of our society.

Aspiring designers, models and enthusiasts need a platform and outlet for networking, promotion and presentations.

3. How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

With vision, I was able to take what I had (only a few dollars) and turn it into what is now-a multi million empire using no funding sources. To start a business, all you need is creativity and vision. The rest will come.

4. How has your revenue/staff grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

It has grown over the past 10 years through hard work, dedication, innovation and strategic marketing. In this digital age, there is a lot of software to manage business in the

areas of marketing, finance and administration. I use all the apps available through Google (i.e. google forms, docs, calendar, finance, analytics) along with mailing list apps such as MailChimp. Other apps for management are Quickbooks, Evernote, Asana, Infusionsoft, Hubspot, Base, Dropbox and many more.

5. Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

Capital is a challenge and then being able to build a strong team. Although, opportunity and equality is the biggest challenge for female entrepreneurs.

Doors separate us before entering different places. Women need more doors opened for them which can propel them to success.

7.Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

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6. What was your biggest challenge that you faced in your industry?

Here are some words of encouragement: You are your only limit. There is unlimited potential in the business world and it all begins with a thought, an idea, a solution to a problem. First, believe in yourself then build your brand - your unique concept and then they will come. Being a female entrepreneur - a matriarch of business means the birth of a nation by providing and supplying the needs of a community. An entrepreneur is not just a business owner, we are global leaders determined to change and enhance commerce.

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The reason I do what I do is for the next generation - to help someone else.

We provide platforms to help, not women, but people excel to the next level in their fashion business or career.

We also assist and mentor young girls for the fashion industry with our program, Fashion Apprentice. Our mission is to not only grow but assist tomorrow's trendsetters with their goals and dreams through various programs and financial assistance.

8. In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakHER what to expect.

Everyday is a learning experience. You never stop learning. Life is the best teacher. Failure is also the greatest teacher. Its'the bridge to success. You can never be successful until you have failed which I have and it was my greatest teacher.

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"There are many issues the ACLU tackles -- and rights we defend -- that I am particularly well-versed in.

Transgender issues are not one of them,” she says in a public statement.

“As such, I have actively sought out opportunities to learn more since I joined the ACLU. I've had numerous conversations with subject matter experts to learn more about the issue and its intersectionality with other competing rights, particularly the implications for women's rights. The conversations have been refreshingly candid.”

TheMaynardReport.com

She continues, “I understood it to be the ACLU's goal to delicately balance competing rights to ensure that any infringements are narrowly tailored, that they do not create a hierarchy of rights, and that we are mindful of unintended consequences. I have been thoughtful in so doing as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia.”

MAYA DILLARD SMITH DISMISSED AS ACLU OF GEORGIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dillard Smith Advocates Safe Space to Communicate About Transgender Rights

By Maynard Eaton The national controversy and media coverage of Transgender rights and fervent "Bathroom Bill" debates has claimed another victim. Maya Dillard Smith, the newly appointed Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia, has lost her job after finding herself caught in the crossfire’s of the Transgender movement and race relations. She apparently has been punished for daring to ask pertinent and probing questions about the divisive issue.

Ironically she was sacked the same day hundreds of parents packed a North Georgia school district in response to the federal government's threat to pull funding if students aren't given the choice of whether to use the girls or boys bathroom. Dillard Smith's transition arose as she sought to address the balance between transgender rights and legitimate public safety concerns to protect women and girls.

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Upon taking over at the ACLU of Georgia, Dillard Smith found herself embroiled in an uncomfortable and racially charged situation.

Dillard Smith is a strong and uncompromising Black woman who inherited a case defending the KKK's free speech rights.

“Although the KKK has a legacy of ‘hate’ speech as well as having enacted untold violence against Black people, especially here in the South, I zealously defend their free speech rights because it is the principled thing to do under our constitution,” she says.

“It is what we do as the ACLU. What I personally think about the KKK is of zero consequence to the right we defend. And, I have spent considerable time educating Blacks who are enraged by our efforts. Likewise, I passionately defend the rights of Transgender, and I educate others, but I still have questions, as I deal with issues that implicate multiple competing interests.”

“Regrettably, although the ACLU is legally designed to be a non-partisan organization -- with a mission to defend the rights of all people -- it became increasingly clear to me that it is a special interest organization not unlike the conservative right, which creates a hierarchy of rights based on who is funding the organization's lobbying activities,” she says. “Thus, I found myself principally and professionally unaligned with the organization as it consistently failed to honestly and authentically balance the competing interests of religious freedom and LGBT equality, free speech and nondiscrimination, and criminal justice reform and racial justice."

Building upon her ACLU experiences, Ms. Dillard Smith is creating a new community Face Book page about the need for creating a safe space for conversations, and launching an educational video called "A Safe Space" on her website: www.findingmiddleground.org.

"One of the reasons I am going to love this job is because the ACLU takes on the toughest and most controversial civil rights and civil liberties issues.

"We litigate and we legislate, but there is also the strategic part about it which is the ability to have conversations and shape public opinion on all of these various issues. So it is from that level of candor and transparency that I assume this role of leadership."

Dillard Smith has been acknowledged as "super qualified" to lead ACLU of Georgia by seasoned leaders in Atlanta. Acclaimed attorney Sherman Golden, a native Atlantan and financial specialist characterized the millennial leader in a recent interview with this reporter:

"She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Berkley, a law degree from UC Hasting, a Masters in public policy from Harvard, clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, clerked at the California Supreme Court. That's a serious background. You tie that with somebody whose heart is in the right place and is fearless, and has a budget.....That's an opportunity that is rare in Atlanta -- for somebody with resources, who is also educated and exposed, who also has courage. Those are very, very rare qualities."

A year ago, Maya Dillard Smith was recruited from California to fill the ACLU of Georgia affiliate's Executive Director position. Professing to be up for the charge, Dillard Smith moved her family of three daughters, and began re-building ACLU of Georgia. In her first year, she took the fledgling organization from near zero credibility to one regularly called upon.

As Executive Director, Maya Dillard Smith communicated her commitment to "provide thought leadership on civil rights and civil liberties, execute strategy on public policy change, and initiate high-impact, game-changing litigation" throughout the state of Georgia, and nationally.

There has been no comment from the ACLU of Georgia Board of Directors.

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At 37, Maya Dillard Smith was the youngest of the ACLU's 53 executive directors, and one of only 5 African Americans. In a Saporta Report story I wrote about her entrance into the position, Smith shared her excitement about coming to Georgia:

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In a parting shot at the ACLU, Dillard Smith suggests that the organization has lost its way, and is now being guided by money and not principle or the pursuit of true civil liberty.

DENITRIA FOUNTAIN

DenitriaFountain.com Photo: NobleSol Art Group

Who are you?

My name is Denitria Fountain. I am a self-motivated, successful, and positive woman. My career began in the mortgage industry 17 years ago where my passion grew with assisting people achieve the dream of homeownership. I have worked in every aspect of the mortgage industry. This has allowed me to gain a wealth of valuable knowledge and to educate buyers and sellers.

I enjoy giving back to my community by participating in programs such as Habitat for Humanity, Feed the Homeless, donating to women shelters, as well as volunteering at church and with other local organizations.

2. What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

My industry is real estate. Real estate appeals to me because it tells a story in a thousand words. I am excited to be a part of an industry where lives are changed one closing at a time. Homeownership is powerful and I enjoy

educating people on the importance of investing in real estate. It is appealing because of the connection that I get from assisting my clients. They trust me to negotiate on their behalf and guide them throughout the process.

Seventeen years ago I was introduced to the mortgage industry and was fortunate enough to have been introduced to different aspects of the industry. Although, I’m a realtor, mortgages and real estate go hand in hand. At 23 years old, I purchased my first investment property. I gained a wealth of knowledge throughout the process and learned the dos and don’ts as a landlord. Real estate is my true passion!

3. How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

To start my real estate business, I spent approximately $900 of my personal funds on the real estate course, state exam, business cards and marketing materials. Once my license was placed with a broker, I incurred monthly office dues of $114, which allowed me to represent buyers and sellers, along with providing access to other technology needed to run the business.

4. How has your revenue/staff grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

I am currently operating as a one-woman shop. I manage everything from paperwork, showing and listing properties, being available for my clients, attending closings, and so much more. My revenue is increasing as the business grows. I’ve learned to focus on the proven system and the revenue will follow.

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5. Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

Women dominate the real estate industry. Having a successful career in real estate requires me to continually practice and strengthen my skills to stay at the top of my game. Selling real estate is mostly built on referral business, delivering excellent customer service and exemplifying professionalism, along with knowing my market.

All of this makes a recipe for success.

Having a brand creates relevance in the social media market, which has allowed me to keep my name and face in front of millions of viewers.

6. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the industry?

My biggest challenge that I faced in the industry was starting at ground zero. Although, I had been in the mortgage industry for 17 years, learning how to sell homes was different. I had to learn to focus on my niche and maximize it to the fullest.

7. Who has been your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

My greatest teacher was the mistakes that I’ve made along the way. I use my mistakes as learning opportunities and not negative downfalls. I’ve learned to evaluate each mistake, ask myself what I could have done differently, and make a mental note not to make the same mistake twice.

8. In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHer or ShakHEr what to expect.

Expect nothing less than greatness and success.

FUTURE YBE MOGUL From a very young age, that level of freedom appealed to me.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

At my age, I do not have access to the funding resources such as business loans like most adult entrepreneurs. I do however have a supportive family who would do whatever is needed to help me succeed, especially my father.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

NOBLE Who are you?

NobleSol.net

Photo: NobleSol Art Group

BROWN

I am Noble Shayda Brown, a new face to entrepreneurship. I am driven and dedicated and will fight to the end to succeed. That's what I know about myself, and though it is not the end of who I am, it is a start.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

I’ve recently begun to take interest in the Baking industry as a business. I'd always enjoyed the physical acts of baking but viewed it as a hobby rather than a career path until I realized that it could actually be how I make my

money. I have been in and around the industry my entire life, but it was only seen as my quality time with my grandmother. Now I have begun to see a new side. I enjoy baking and often receive compliments about how delicious my treats are. I decided to turn something I enjoy doing into a business. I am inspired by the idea of being my own boss. I am inspired by the idea of being able to take off of work whenever I like, or write my own check, and the greater chance to determine my own pay through my efforts. It's not just about the money.

It's about the control that you have of yourself. There is no one telling you when and how to do certain things.

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I've had two great teachers who have extended my knowledge beyond belief in their own ways. For one, my grandmother was most influential on the acts of baking. She continues to teach me new and important skills while I grow as baker. While my grandmother is more focused on the baking segment, my dad is more focused on the business aspect. He encourages me to think about how I'm going to get my business out there and make my money.

What is the biggest challenge you face in your industry?

My biggest challenge ahead is breaking into the Baking industry or any industry as a business owner at a young age. I know I will have to prove myself in an already established industry full of other bakers. I will have to differentiate myself with Shayda Bakes.

Leakes. Following that show I was asked back to do more interviews with other celebrities such as Academy Award winning actress Mo’Nique, R&B Singer Kelly Rowland, Singer/ Songwriter Kelis, Fashion Designer Donna Karan, Empire’s Ta’Rhonda Jones, Carmen Electra, Bravo’s Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce star Retta, and so many more. Since then I’ve been speaking as an advocate for women and using my own television platform that allows women and mom entrepreneurs to do the same. Society Moms has been featured in local newspapers like the Baltimore Sun, The Gazette, Bowie Blade, on radio shows like BLIS.FM, SiriusXM Radio and most recently I was guest on The Dr. Oz show.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

DENISE Photo: Jordan Jennings

Who are you?

SocietyMoms.org

ROGERS

My name is Denise Rogers. I’m a single mom of three, a speaker, founder and owner of Society Moms LLC, an Executive Television Producer and Host of the Society Moms Talk Show.

I founded Society Moms after a very difficult time in my life. I’d been a successful entrepreneur for more than 20 years. In 2011, during a divorce, I underwent what should have been a simple medical procedure that developed complications, causing me to be hospitalized for more than four months and physically unable to run my businesses. I was devastated.

After some time off to heal, I made the decision to return to the workforce and found that working for others didn’t allow me the flexibility I needed to be a good parent. I took to the internet to share articles about how I felt society viewed the single mom. Other articles I’d written were exclusive interviews with women who shared with me compelling, yet relatable stories that led to success. The one thing I knew was that I wasn’t alone and there was power in sharing stories that inspired other women. After a year, I was contacted by a Huffington Post Live production assistant who asked if I’d be interested in being a show correspondent to interview RHOA NeNe 20 YBEMAG.COM

My industry is media. Media appeals to me because it’s important to see more women in these roles. Today media is at the forefront of everything we do. Those who have heard me speak know that my message is “Reaching the Masses”. I believe we become successful when we leave home, so I believe in getting on a plane for an exclusive interview. I feel it sheds light on women who are doing amazing things and I put it on television where it can be seen and make the biggest difference. When asked to speak to entrepreneurs, one of the first things I tell them is, “You’ve made the decision to control your bottom line. Now you must make the decision to control your image.” Media is the stage for the message we share with the world, whether you’re in sales, a doctor, lawyer, tv personality, or a kid on Snapchat.

Media is recording your story and has become the bridge between you and the rest of the world. It can work for you or against you, so be aware of your message.

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How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

As a blogger, I started my business with the basic things most people today have at home. I had a computer, paper, pen, the internet and my feelings. When I made the decision to solidify my brand, I filed necessary documents to form the proper business entity, trade named it, created my own logo, trademarked it, set up social media pages for my business, and created my own website that connected my social media handles. I also worked as my own publicist. The entire process was on average $1,000. Since then I’ve formed business relationships with major minority-owned companies that believe in Society Moms and what it stands for.

How has your revenue/staff¬ grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

My revenue has grown tremendously.

I’m blessed to say that each year there has been great increase. I think one of the biggest things I’ve done is develop relationships with clients who appreciate having someone who motivates them and imparts to them key principles to establishing and maintaining a successful business. At the present time, I have a virtual assistant out of Atlanta, Georgia, who is brilliant. Over the years, I’ve put systems in place to manage the growth of my business. I’ve also learned how to invest in untapped markets and how to apply the knowledge I have in business finance toward everything I do. I’m also thankful for the many things I’ve learned as an entrepreneur in the 20 years prior to creating Society Moms. It’s helped me with many business decisions.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

Although there are many more women in my industry than there were just two years ago, it’s not enough. It’s important to realize that women make up more than 51% of the U.S. population

and workforce. I’ve joined other organizations like Women’s Media Center, SHESOURCE and some others I feel have similar purpose. I’d like to see more women involved of course. There needs to be an increase in awareness that sparks accountability when it comes to how women are portrayed in society whether at home, socially or professionally. The greatest thing I’ve done to rise to the top is being a speaker on various platforms including both radio and television, conferences and workshops about the need to place women within the media industry to relay our stories from our perspectives. When the Society Moms Talk Show first aired on television it reached only 55,000 people in Bowie, Maryland through Comcast Cable.

Today, The Society Moms Talk Show airs on both Comcast channel 77 in Bowie and Verizon channel 11 throughout various cities reaching 236,889 residents throughout Prince George’s County in the last year alone.

We also provide our youth with gifts in areas of media and communications. In 2015-2016, Society Moms, LLC made history when it became the sole underwriter for Bowie High School’s tv production program, making the school the first Prince George’s County high school to have their own cable television show.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

I think by far the biggest challenge I face in my industry is the less than positive images the media portrays of women, especially minority women.

This should drive home the personal message to women that change is needed. Empowerment for women is owning our images. I feel that women’s stories aren’t always delivered in the most authentic way. I’d like to see an even balance of male to female representation in all aspects of media from writing to film, production, field production, directing and editing.

Not only talk shows, but productions of tv series and movies as well. Having Channing Dungey, who was recently announced as ABC’S new president and the first Black (and woman) person to lead a major network gives me great hope that we’re on the right track.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

I would say my greatest teachers have been my children. Being a mom has taught me I could do things I never knew I had the strength to do. Loving my children has been one of the greatest fuels to my success. Being a mom causes me to be good at the things I was once insecure about, better at the things I’m only good at, and to accept the things I can’t change. My mom has been a pillar of strength for me throughout my life. She has taught me to develop a greater level of faith and to look within for the strength I need to tap into when life challenges me. My greatest learning experiences have been my failures. I’ve learned in many cases failures can be distant rewards. Learning from mistakes is always an opportunity to gain wisdom applied to future success.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect?

I would tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER to “expect to be more than enough to succeed.”

Email: denise@societymoms.org Website: www.societymoms.org Facebook: Society Moms Facebook: Denise Rogers Twitter: @societymoms Instagram: @societymoms LinkedIn: Denise Rogers

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NATION

Oh To Be

A Rose

DethraGiles.com Photo: Jay Cunn

DETHRA U. GILES

She stood out like a bright yellow rose in a sea of dark purple African violets as she sashayed into the room. Surrounded by black, gray and navy blue suits, she sauntered in with her bright yellow dress, multicolored jacket and the baddest pair of shoes this side of Milan. She was bad! She was everything I was told not to be by all of my professional mentors. She laughed loudly and authentically. She spoke with an ethnic tone to her voice.

She wore bright colors and open-toed shoes. She seemed to walk on the wind and with her went the attention in the room as the heads turned her way when she passed. Her dress was not tight but it fell on her curves and allowed for onlookers to see how her body naturally swayed with every glide of her step. She was a woman, unapologetically.

She did not invite the stares nor did they make her shrink. She stood strong, proud and feminine. She was everything I had sacrificed in an effort to become her. And who was she?

That was the same question I asked.

The guy sitting next to me answered the question in an unenthusiastic tone that matched his and my gray suits. He simply said, “The boss. She is the boss.”

Here she was, behaving like the Bad Professional Girl that I was warned not to look like. How dare she look like a woman!

Be sure to wear only black, navy blue or gray suits with button down collared shirts. Pull your hair back into a bun. Closed toe shoes are appropriate in the business setting.

Wear loose fitting clothes that hide your shape. Wear minimal nude makeup for a natural look. Do not dare wear bright colors. Loud laughing is an absolute no-no but you may giggle a little. These were the instructions I got when I entered the professional world.

In essence, I was told to look as much like a man as possible and leave my femininity at home. I did this…until I saw her- Yellow Rose.

Here are three things we can learn from Yellow Rose: 1. There is nothing unprofessional about being a woman. Rose defied all the rules of professional appearance.

She did not want to look like or fit in with the men. She wanted to stand out as a woman because she understood that neither the curve of her hips nor her affinity for bright colors was unprofessional. Does this mean that every woman should trade in her black suit for an Easter Sunday worthy pastel blue ensemble? No. It means that wanting to wear pastel blue does not make a woman any less intelligent or experienced. There is a code to professional dress and a code to looking a way that allows for other professionals to take you seriously.

However, nothing in that code requires that a woman leave the essence of her gender identity at home when she goes on the hunt for business.

2. If you don’t like the rules, go somewhere where the rules don’t apply.

There are square pegs and round holes 22 YBEMAG.COM

and there is nothing wrong with either.

However, if you are a square peg it is your responsibility to find yourself a square-pegged situation. Let me decode that for a second. If you have spent your entire life wanting to wear a McDonald’s uniform, DO NOT apply for a job at Burger King. Women should have the opportunity to express themselves, however organizations also have the right to establish codes of appearance whether formally or informally. If that code does not fit your particular style, then find a new organization.

3. If that place does not exist, create it!

Yellow Rose was not just the boss, she was the CEO and founder of the company. All of the bland black, gray and navy blue suits were there to see her, to interview and bid on her business. She had created her own place where her womanhood was embraced. Often we women try to fit in to our environment. When we realize we do not fit in, our natural response is to try harder. Stop trying harder and try creating. I remember being a little girl and being upset with my mom for enforcing some rule that I did not like. I would often ask, “Why come you get to make all the rules?”

She would simply respond, “When you own the house you create the rules.”

The same is true for your professional life. Stop being dictated to and start dictating. Go own the house so you can make the rules.

I should not have to tell you Joeff Davisthat this article is not about attire. It is about so much more. It is about the fear of being assertive because you may be called a “Bitch”. It is the fear of being compassionate because you may not be taken seriously as a strong negotiator. It is the fear of being all of the things that make you a woman because doing so will somehow deem you inferior. Your femininity is not a liability. It is your biggest asset.

Every business woman knows that you should capitalize on assets, so stop hiding it. While you may try to downplay your femininity, it should still come out because no matter how you dress it, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

DENITRIA

F O U N TA I N

M A S T E R I N T H E A R T O F R E A L E S TAT E

Taneshia.com

TANESHIA NASH LAIRD

Who are you?

My name is Taneshia Nash Laird and I’m a social entrepreneur. What this means is that my company Legacy Business Advisors is focused on solving social problems and positively affecting the socioeconomics of communities.

My work has been focused on helping other social entrepreneurs realize their big ideas as well as assisting the political and governmental leadership in cities and towns market and fund their economic development programs.

I came to this work after having a wide-ranging career with jobs in the entertainment industry, private equity, real estate and government.

When I was young I actually wanted to be a hip-hop mogul. I’ve come to realize that I sought that as a focus because I saw how people used their rapping skills to earn money and get out of tough circumstances. My first job was director of media relations for Planet Rock Music, a hip-hop label.

Then I was head of promotions for Rapp Style, a clothing company founded by Chuck D of Public Enemy.

Then I took a job on Park Avenue in New York City researching media investments for a media merchant bank’s client. I also did business development at a small Black woman-owned design studio where we had clients like Sean “Puffy” Combs 24 YBEMAG.COM

and Dana “Queen Latifah” Owens. I helped that entrepreneur reposition and expand her company landing million dollar contracts. It was there that the entrepreneur bug first hit me, and I went on to start my own consultancy in Manhattan, providing strategic communications strategies for major mixed-income, mixed-use (residential and retail) projects for developers in Harlem and Brooklyn.

While doing that I first dabbled in consulting with other social entrepreneurs. I was introduced to an NFL player who wanted to develop a rehabilitation facility in his hometown of Trenton, NJ. While working on that project, the mayor of Trenton recruited me to be the director of economic development. That was my first foray into the public sector. I was then recruited away from Trenton City Hall to run a public-private partnership focused on business and economic development. While there, then NJ governor Jon Corzine, appointed me a board member of the NJ Urban Enterprise Zone Authority. It was through these jobs that I learned about writing local and state legislation and how incentives were given for large-scale developments. Many people leave these jobs and become big time lobbyists for corporations, earning hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. I decided to take the knowledge and work with people who ordinarily couldn’t access the kind of information I have like entrepreneurs and (often under-resourced) mayors of majority Black towns and cities.

Typically, they cannot afford the high-priced specialty attorney or lobbyists who typically are hired to do this work.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

My primary industry is economic development. Again, it wasn’t until I was appointed a city official that I even knew economic development was a “thing”. On the public side, economic development professionals help administer programs that are designed to grow communities, cities, regions, and our country on a national level.

Public sector economic development professionals may also design policies to grow the economies within which they are concerned. Incentives to keep corporations in a community or for creating jobs are the sort of thing I’m talking about. But there are also lower interest loan programs and so forth that are part of economic development.

It appealed to me as an industry because I had observed that communities that had few opportunities, few jobs, viable businesses and so forth, were often the ones where crime proliferated. It sounds basic but I truly believe that if there are more jobs and services in a community that translates into less loitering and crime.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

Since I’m a consultant I was able to bootstrap my start-up, meaning I just needed to come up with the name and create a legal entity by filing with the state. I then created business cards and a website. With those in place I started pitching my services. My first client was a local non-profit that wanted to promote a project they had completed.

After advising them on that I also advised them on potential donors and introduced them to top state officials giving them more exposure for access to grants and contributions.

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

I’m pleased to say that my revenue has grown steadily. I also figured out ways to offer my services to more prospective clients by packaging them. For instance, a city or town might not have the budget to put me on retainer for a sustained amount of time so I created a “development funding assessment” service where I spend a day learning about all of their community development plans and then issue them a report of all the potential resources both public and private such as grant programs and private investment that they can access to fund those programs.

Those assignments can be one-offs, but recently one returned because i identified millions of dollars in funding. To submit a proposal on a longer term project. Again, that came about because of a two-day project that I completed. Before I offered that service, I was spending a lot of time talking to people who shared that they loved the idea of working with me but couldn’t afford me. More growth meant I needed more staff. I have a team of professionals that I built from people I knew before I started my company.

Right now they are project-based which works for all of us. One person’s main passion is writing her novel, but with me she puts her degree in economics from Yale and her prior time as a management consultant to good use. I have another team member who is passionate about sports marketing and is an adjunct professor in sports management. Because of my background I still get calls about working with athletes for their foundations and community relations work. We also had a youth sports client so her passion and expertise fit there.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

To be honest, I’m not sure. What I do know is that I recently realized that not only was I the only Black woman in the last five meetings about client projects, but the only woman. That’s not cool. I’m not sure if I have necessarily risen to the top yet. Check back with me next year.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

Being the lone woman in meetings is often tough and especially being the lone Black woman. I try not to think that I get resistance to my work when I’m representing clients because I’m Black. Frankly I think my gender often trumps my race and not in a favorable way.

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Again, since the sort of work that I do is usually undertaken by attorneys or lobbyists – for the benefit of big corporations - those are male-dominated industries. I’ve developed a thick skin and ability to laser focus on my end goal and not get distracted by the racism and sexism when it occurs.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

Two years ago I was a part of another business that did this sort of work. My business partners were all men and the majority were White men. I thought I needed them to be successful. They were wealthy and successful on Wall Street. But social entrepreneurship and urban redevelopment don’t have the same driver at its root as Wall Street.

While they were good people, they just didn’t get a lot of what I recommended we do. So what I learned is that my past experiences have given me the equivalent of a master’s degree in public policy. I knew how to navigate in government in a way that my partners didn’t. The business sort of imploded with a huge flame-out.

Without my knowledge or consent, my business partners sent what was essentially a “screw you” letter to the mayor of a city in which we were proposing a $99 million project. I was horrified! There were a number of lessons in that experience including making sure from the door that you are all on the same page with how you choose to operate. Values matter.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect.

Unless someone actually dies, no mistake you make in business is fatal.

Taneshia Nash Laird CEO, Legacy Business Advisors LLC www.legacybizadvisors.com IG: taneshianashlaird Twitter: taneshia

NATION

Creative fields have always reached me deeply and were clearly connected to a bigger picture of life that I admired and wanted to be a part of. Many artists inspired me as a young person. I started writing as young as five years old. I have always journaled and never let my visual gift become disconnected from my written gift. They are connected and they keep me balanced.

There isn’t anything that has given me as much joy as stroking my brush across the texture of a blank canvas with no idea where that stroke would lead me and what story it would tell that lived deeply inside of me. Painting is like writing a book that lives inside of you that you have not outlined yet.

It is a pure gift that sometimes you are reading for the first time as the viewer is seeing it for the first time. It is a connection of spirits and souls.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

MONICA TOOKES Photo: Joeff Davis

ShopMonicaTookesArt.com

Who are you?

I am an artist. I am a female painter. I am a passion-filled soul of a human being who loves creating works of art that leave open doors for people to walk their imaginations into. I am connected to people in ways that even I don’t understand most times. I have been blessed with a gift that allows me to paint the movement of life in hues that speak to the hearts of those that can feel its whispers. I am one who lives passionately, loves deeply, creates ferociously, and breathes in life with intensity.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

I am in a creative industry. I am a fine artist, gallery owner, and entrepreneur.

My company, Monica Tookes Art LLC, seeks to create and redefine the value of art and its appreciation in empty spaces. I love artists. Creatives are passionate, hardworking, uniquely gifted, intelligent, and very inspirational. I have always connected to the arts-music, dance, theater, writing, poetry, and various other forms of the arts.

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When I opened my first gallery, all funding came from my part time jobs bartending in upscale bars, restaurants, and lounges. My tips from those jobs financed my business. As my business grew, I was awarded the opportunity to access funding from a small low interest business loans and crowdfunding.

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

My business is a highly referred one. I must meet high expectations in order to continue to build solid relationships with my clients and collectors. I do not have a staff and handle many of my projects, events, and contracts with support of close relationships, mentors, and volunteers. I am constantly researching new business ideas and reading to keep my business instincts on point and comparable with the market and my target audience.

When I started my business after graduating from Spelman College, I saw very few women in my field. I knew of many, but never had contact with them because they were much more seasoned in their careers and had strong representation in place to sell their works for them while they created new work. Now that has changed dramatically. There are some incredible female painters out there and their work is mind-blowing in all mediums.

It is so inspiring!

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

The biggest challenge I ever faced was making a clear decision regarding how commercial I wanted to become when I did not know what the future would look like. I was clearly a fine artist and my customers buy more original work from me than prints. However, I did want to reach more people with my work, with limited and strategic marketing strategies in place. I never want the value of my work to be compromised with generic marketing and over commercializing my brand.

Her unimaginable loss and how that felt for me knowing she was pushing her dreams to the surface ignited a fire inside of me to jump right in and launch my girl’s leadership and mentorship program, Girls in the Gallery. I had been building this dream for over a decade. Now, it was time to launch. Her memory lives within a dream we shared in conversation and now that gentle push for me to follow that brush stroke will unveil an incredible masterpiece just for girls. I am extremely humbled by it.

YBE

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect.

Be patient as you build your business.

Every idea is not in the best interest of your business. Throw out things that do not benefit the growth of the business and build upon the ideas that do!

MONICA TOOKES Empty Spaces Gallery, Owner/Director/Fine Artist www.shopmonicatookesart.com MTSpacesGallery@gmail.com Instagram: MTEmptySpacesGallery, MonicaTookesArt, Facebook: Empty Spaces Gallery, Monica Tookes Art

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

My greatest learning experience came out of the tragic murder of a dear childhood friend and creative this past year. I learned that we must push passionately and diligently toward our goals each day without fear and live within those dreams by giving back to others and never giving up. Time is precious and procrastination can shatter incredible ideas.

NATION 27 YBEMAG.COM

RushiaBrown.com

Photo: NobleSol Art Group

WHO YOU CALLING A B*TCH?!?!

The MISperception of the STRONG BLACK WOMAN in the Workplace

by Rushia Brown

My introduction to the business world came as a young girl as I witnessed my mother’s struggle to climb the corporate ladder as a strong black woman. I watched how her passion for her job propelled her to work extremely hard in attempt to measure up to her white male counterparts. Watching my mom showed me that the “work ‘til 5” mindset was merely a concept. Angie Brown introduced me to the “work ‘til it’s DONE” mindset!

But despite her efforts, I often saw her broken spirit. It would not be until I grew older and entered the business world myself that I began to understand why she was discouraged.

Her STRENGTH was seen as a WEAKNESS!

Our business world claims to be an environment that supports the “survival of the fittest” mentality, but I guess it depends on who you are. As a Black woman standing 6 foot 2 inches with a muscular build and an affinity for high heel shoes, my presence is automatically noticed when I walk into a room, and is often viewed as intimidating.

The fact that I have long been comfortable in my own skin and very opinionated does not seem to make my business persona very appealing. I’ve heard the whispers, seen the stares, and even read emails about how I shouldn’t be so aggressive in my pursuits. I have joined a sisterhood of women I don’t even know, yet, I too am frustrated and tired of defending myself against being labeled as angry, loud, aggressive, rude and obnoxious. Sometimes I feel that a majority of Black women are afraid to be their true selves at work because they will be judged. We are overlooked for what would be deemed a great idea if only presented by someone else.

Studies have shown findings regarding the perception of the Black woman in the workplace. Dr. Sandra Miles, director of student affairs at Indiana University–Purdue University Columbus, found that amidst her study group, angry was the word that occurred most often across groups.

Forty-seven percent of all responses mentioned anger, aggression, being difficult, emotional or having a bad attitude. Images of incompetence (uneducated, lazy, affirmative action hires) showed up in 14% of responses.

Loud or opinionated was 12% with bossy, pushy, unfriendly or bitchy at 11%. Compliments (strong, hard-working) were only 9.5%. These perceptions have also played a part in the lack of Black women being promoted to C-Suite positions in major corporations. Black women have long held on to the last wrung of the ladder in corporate America When the masses think of “Black executives”, they think of Black MEN. When they think of “female executives”, they think of WHITE women. Black women are not seen as typical for either category and get lost in the shuffle. Though our strength propels us to seek leadership positions, it must be accompanied by business 28 YBEMAG.COM

savvy, finesse, resourcefulness and interpersonal skills.

Knowing how to maneuver around the stereotypes is an asset that has no price tag. As I learn to work in various business circles, I have found a few key tactics that have proven extremely beneficial: 1. Know Your Business Circle: The sooner you can evaluate WHO you are dealing with, the sooner you can know HOW to deal with them. Yes! You have to add psychologist to your list of talents. The mind game is one you must master!

2. You Draw More Bees with Honey Than Vinegar: You know what’s being said and what the expectation is, so you have to be the exact OPPOSITE. Learn to smile and do your strong presentations in a calming tone.

3. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Be proactive in joining others for business and social activities. You will give your co-workers a chance to see the REAL you or at least the image they need to see of you.

4. Mentors vs. Sponsors: It is important to know the difference between these two types of people pouring into your life. Both are beneficial! Mentors talk WITH you. Sponsors talk ABOUT you-to the right people. It’s important to have someone willing to put some skin in the game to make sure you get the opportunities you deserve.

5. Know your Worth: Each of us holds a gift or talent that is specific to us.

Don’t allow anyone else to write your story. Your belief system, work ethic and willingness to push through the stereotype will be the foundation of your success.

In an article entitled Be Fearless, written by First Lady Michelle Obama, she speaks to many girls and women who are afraid to walk in their purpose for fear of being told no, the fear of underachieving, or fear of what they will be called. I would like to leave each of you with a thought: It’s not what you’re called…it’s what you answer to.

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Photo: Tanesha Taylor

Are there many women in the industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

There are definitely a lot of women in the travel industry. We constantly share ideas regarding travel destinations, the best vendors to use, etc. In order to rise to the top, I enlisted the help of Noble Sol Art Group (NSAG) to create an efficient and user-friendly website for my company. I’ve also increased my social media presence, made a point to follow up faster with potential clients, and continue to provide excellent customer service.

What is the biggest challenge that you have faced in your industry?

TaylorMadeTravelServices.com

TANESHA TAYLOR

Who are you?

I am Tanesha Taylor. I am the owner of Taylor Made Travel Services and a lover of travel. I turn ideas into lasting memories for my clients.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

My industry is travel. For many years I planned trips for my friends and family members. I was constantly called upon due to the unique and detailed itineraries that I developed. After I started receiving referrals to assist with trip planning I knew that it was time to turn my hobby into a career. The travel and tourism industry has an annual economic impact of almost 6.5 trillion dollars worldwide.

So many people are overworked, stressed, or just need time away. My creative nature, financial management skills, and love of exploration led me to be the best person to turn travel ideas into realities.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you use?

I started my business with savings of approximately $2,000 which went towards a website and marketing materials. My other costs include office supplies and monthly travel agency association dues.

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

Due to an updated website and more promotion, my revenue has doubled in the past year. Referrals and social media marketing have also contributed to my increase in sales. I work with a network of individuals within the same industry to assist in the growth process.

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My biggest challenge was becoming familiar with the best vendor services for my clients. It took extensive research and trial and error to learn how to navigate different cruise sites and learn company policies on cancellations and bookings. Joining travel agency groups where I could have access to experienced service advisors assisted me a great deal.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

Organizing motor coach trips to festivals has been my greatest learning experience. These trips led me to interact with hotels and learn their group booking procedures and gave me the opportunity to work with the transportation area of the tourism industry. Having to deal with the full logistics of trips along with the accommodations for sometimes over 90 guests at a time proved to be one of my greatest learning experiences.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a new MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect.

Know that God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask for and that a successful life is the result of a disciplined life.

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NEAL KEYA KeyaNeal.com

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

The brand has grown financially due to income from classes and the sales of products and tools. As a result, we are able to expand our digital reach, inventory, and visibility. The Kolour Kulture brand now includes a group of elite colorists known as “Team Kolour Kulture.” We offer hands- on training courses, interactive look and learns, Kulture Kamp retreats, and participate in major trade shows, and expos.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

My success is measured by the success of a stylist that has encountered The Kolour Kulture experience. Due to the passion that I have for the beauty industry, I find that my biggest challenge is that I often want and expect more for others than they want or expect for themselves. However, the disappointment over those few pales in comparison to what I feel as I watch my fellow stylists grow and thrive. The network of people and the body of work that we produce is phenomenal!

Photo: Jackie Hicks Make-up: Letitia Thornhill

Who are you?

My name is Keya Artistically Neal and I am a cosmetology entrepreneur. I have been a licensed cosmetologist for 23 years. My passion is healthy hair and enhancing the beauty of women while helping to increase their self-esteem. I am blessed to be in a field where I can use my artistic approach to provide happiness to women all over the world. If your hair looks good, you feel good! The is true for if your hair doesn’t look good, you don’t feel good.

This is why I created The Kolour Kulture.

The Kolour Kulture is more than a sentiment- it’s a movement. We are changing lives and building a kulture for the new millennium.

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

Over the past 12 years, I have been teaching advanced cosmetology to stylists across the nation; specializing in color, haircutting, and chemistry.

Within any industry, things are forever changing, evolving, and new developments are being made daily. The Kolour Kulture is a color-focused educational hub based on core principles to advance the industry. We use this platform not only to educate, but also to establish network support, help reinvent business structures, and increase profitability.

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YBE

NATION

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

bprettylashes.com

BIANCA

M WILLIAMS

Who are you?

My life began in the wonderful city of Brooklyn, New York. I, Bianca M Williams, was born to a native New Yorker dad and a Guyanese mother.

Early on I never cared to make friends, but was always focused on my next move. At the age of 16, I had my beautiful daughter. That is when my extra creative genius senses went into overdrive and never reversed. I didn’t realize it then, but now I do. There was a need to strive harder, push harder, do more because I was looked down on for being a teen mom.

After graduating high school (#5 in my class) I decided to attend a community college to study mortuary science. I quickly changed my major when I found my knack for helping people was better served in helping living people.

At the age of 22, I began working for a top insurance company and quickly moved my way up to manager. At the time, I decided I would only give myself two years there but ended up staying there for four years. In 2014, I decided to pursue my dreams in the beauty industry and to mentor teen moms with my foundation. The Successful Teen Mom Foundation helps teen moms define and make their own dreams of success come true.

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I am in the beauty industry. In 2009 I obtained my cosmetology license and began working in hair salons but wasn't too satisfied with the treatment I was receiving and decided to leave. I remember that being one of the happiest times for me-creating and making people beautiful. What I didn't know was that I was going to take it further than hair. When I quit my insurance job, I began sewing again, which was an early passion of mine before my Favorite Aunt Lynette passed away in 2006. Her death was so devastating to me that I stopped sewing for years. As I began sewing again and attending shows, I would always have to get glammed up and the eyelashes were always my pet peeve.

My eye would always itch and the lashes would irritate me. I would have to take them off before the night was over. So I said to myself, “wouldn't it be cool if I came out with my own line?” I prayed to God about it, put it in the universe, spoke to my husband about it and ran with it from there.

Eighteen months later, business is alive and well.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

To start B Pretty Lashes, it initially took about $1500. Some was from savings and the rest from my husband.

To make things easier, more cost effective, but still give a great product, B Pretty Lashes started small. As revenue came in, more product was ordered.

How has your revenue grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

Over the last 18 months, revenue and B Pretty Lashes staff has grown.

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

There are many women in the beauty industry though not many who own their own products. That is what I wanted to change. As Black women, we make the beauty industry the billion-dollar industry that it is but we have less than a 3% stake in it. That is a huge gap and a major problem to me. I wanted to be part of developing the solution. I have decided to help other woman build a business they can be proud of, where they can be financially stable all the while maintaining a household. B Pretty Lashes has built a business for women, by a woman, in support of women.

helps us, but it presents a model for a younger generation of entrepreneurs to mimic and build legacies.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

My greatest learning experience has been to listen to the No, accept and enjoy the struggle and hard times.

Those times when you are unsure if you will make it, where you have to skip a couple of meals, those friendships you lose along the way, the gray hairs you gain, and the bad business moves and deals, all lead to your greater purpose in life. Those experiences were God sent. He has blessed me with my mantra: Always be positive. Never stop dreaming. Never stop believing. Never stop learning. Be happy. Always put it in the universe. In the words of BMW, "Always put the Yes, before the No." bprettylashes.com @bprettyglam @bprettyinc @biancamwilliams

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

The biggest challenge I have faced thus far is the understanding of the ever-changing industry and the support. The industry changes so quickly that sometimes when you come out with something, before you finalize it, some other “new thing� has already come out. As far as support, too often in our communities that word doesn't exist or it is far and none. I often hear, "Oh I have supported you. I bought a pair of lashes", or "I came to a show."

Support is not a one-time thing. It is continuous. You don't just buy one pair of Nike or one Apple product. It is a continuous thing. Small businesses need support more than ever, especially the ones in our community. It not only

YBE

We now have B Pretty Lashes Independent Consultants who are able to be their own bosses and create an unlimited income for themselves and their families. One thing I have learned from the corporate world is that systems work and are put into place for a reason. We pride ourselves on knowing each role and protocol so if someone leaves or relocates, we can pick up right where they left off.

NATION 35 YBEMAG.COM

The Business of Balling

RUSHIA BROWN

By Sciler Williams

YBE FEATURE

Photo: NobleSol Art Group

Retired WNBA player, Rushia Brown, is not only the epitome of Black girl magic, but she is also a walking powerhouse. She has been nothing short of steadfast in her journey. Each day she relies heavily on her belief in perseverance, attitude, sacrifice, setting goals, inner strength, optimism, and never giving up (P.A.S.S.I.O.N.).

In the wake of her father's death, Rushia went through a depression. She was a daddy's girl and though she felt lost after his passing, that didn't stop her from persevering.

WPBALUM.COM It was during her sophomore year of high school that Rushia picked up a basketball and began putting her energy into the sport. "I wanted to make him proud," she shared, when we talked about the affect her father had on her playing. Proud is exactly what she surely made him as she went on to graduate from high school as a top athlete, have her number retired at Furman University, win international and European championships, and make the cut for not one, but two WNBA teams.

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Though Rushia’s dreams go far beyond just her personal success, she desires more than anything to help other women move on their rightful paths. In 2011, Rushia founded the Women's Professional Basketball Alumnae (WPBA) in an effort to assist female athletes with their transition into the mainstream. “Funny enough,” she admits, "I didn't do anything to prepare." Instead, she did something far better. She allowed her weakness to become her strength. By creating the WPBA, Rushia made the unknowns known after taking many leaps of faith.

On a daily basis, she encourages other female athletes to identify what their skills are and then utilize them in a progressive way.

Among Rushia’s many passions is her love for helping the youth. OverTime Basketball Academy is a company she started in 2007, in which she works overtime to help young female athletes find the balance between their athletic and academic careers. What's so amazing about Rushia is that she has been in the shoes of her clients. Through her experiences she is able to fully identify with their needs and share her wisdom.

What's even more commendable is that she is a Black woman sacrificing time and energy to help other women.

Rushia’s main motivation can always be found present as she gives back. Her 4-year-old daughter, Morgan, is always front and center to witness the greatness of her mom.

Morgan, like her proud mother, plays a number of sports already. Rushia hopes to set an example that her daughter will be proud to follow. Right now, they take time traveling and learning how to use their skills in the best way possible. "I want to continue to walk in my purpose," she says, "and help others do the same."

In the future, Rushia plans to work more closely with the WNBA so that more women athletes can transition easier into life after sports. She also desires to collaborate with other women leaders in order to continue in her passion to empower women. We have only seen the beginning of Rushia Brown, so be prepared for her greatness.

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YBE NATION

How has your revenue/staff grown over time and what systems have you put in place to manage that growth?

ACSG revenue has steadily grown from 17% in the first two years to about 40% annually. Incorporating several systems and team members have contributed to our growth.

Bringing on a seasoned SVP of Business Development created the client diversity we lacked. Prior to bringing in the business development leader and a seasoned sales staff, 80% of our business came from referrals. I was on auto pilot because the business came to me. Since we were known as the “go to� company to resolve emergency client facing cyber security issues, all client matters were urgent all the time. As a result, we were able to isolate that division of the business and spend time on developing other areas of the business including strategic security planning for long term relationship with new clients.

ROBIN

Are there many women in your industry and what have you done to rise to the top?

HARRIS-WALKER Who are you?

My name is Robin Harris-Walker. I am the Principal Cyber Security Strategist for my company, Applied Cyber Strategy Group (ACSG).

What is your industry and why did this industry appeal to you?

The information security industry commonly known as the cyber security industry appealed to my sense of business resiliency. As network engineer in 1996, I observed a steady increase in cyber-attacks that were preventing the networks

I designed from being available online.

I decided to transition from building network systems to securing the technology and information within them in an effort to keep companies operating. The cyber security industry is ever-evolving. As techniques used to break into systems become more sophisticated, technologies to counter the attacks are presented. This cycle is perpetual and becoming more intense by the minute. I enjoy the excitement.

How much money did it take to start your business and what funding sources did you access?

I used about $4000 from my salary as a contract employee.

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Cyber security is a male-dominated industry. I leveraged the experience and advice of my seasoned female general counsel and my male security industry mentor. As the minority in the cyber security industry I get ahead by investing in systems and following procedures that keep me abreast of the latest cyber-attack techniques, technology, legislation, personnel challenges and industry specific challenges that impact my client base before it hits the news.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your industry?

Having to demonstrate to male clients that I am competent as a cyber security practitioner and business owner has been the biggest challenge I have faced in my industry.

Who was your greatest teacher or what has been your greatest learning experience?

My greatest learning experience was about developing viable partnerships as a woman-owned security company. I made the decision to team with a group of cyber and physical security companies to compete for a large project. All of the technical capabilities amongst us made sense. We won the work. However, the operational systems and personnel limitations within some of the companies caused a solid contract to become cumbersome and costly. I learned, after that experience, to make time to “audit� potential partners. ACSG invests in 3rd party audits of potential partners on each opportunity now and the ones who fail are removed from the team.

In one word or brief phrase, tell a MoveHER & ShakeHER what to expect?

Expect great rewards for operating in excellence and anticipate stress for delivering anything less.

YBE

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NATION 39 YBEMAG.COM

Not only has Bridgepoint never been without children since a few months after opening their doors in June of 2012, the company grossed over $3.5M in revenue in 2014 and is currently spread across four locations in Decatur, Georgia.

YBE FEATURE

GIAWALKER BridgepointeAcademy.com Photo: NobleSol Art Group

Make Your Money Work By Alia Lewis

When someone steps inside of Bridgepoint Christian Daycare Academy for the first time, they can hear laughter and screams of joy fill the air. Eager children run to wrap their arms around staff members who in return look them in the eyes and greet them with a warm smile. In the nursery, teething babies wobble around with joy, and in the older classrooms, children shake along to songs that teach them the color yellow and the number three. Bridgepoint is a positive environment filled with education and fun, but it did not start out this way.

“If you want to see the early days of Bridgepoint, you will have to start with Hillandale,” Gia Walker, CEO and founder of Bridgepoint Christian Daycare Academy recounts. “That was my first center. This beautiful daycare was all set up. It was perfect,” Walker says, “but there were no children.”

Referring to her mother and herself, Walker says, “We would be at Bridgepoint from sun up to sun down even though there were no children there.

We worked it as if there were children in the building.” After no sign of change, Walker says she prayed and the children started to come. “Since that time,” Walker says, “We have never had a shortage of children.”

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Walker is sitting at her computer crunching numbers while overlooking the skyline in sunny southern California. She’s supposed to be vacationing but still catches herself working in between mani-pedis and spa sessions. “I go to California to mastermind,” Walker says. She’s planning her next business venture, an idea that is currently undisclosed. “If your money isn’t working for you, it’s stagnant. It’s dead,” Walker tells YBE Magazine. Walker is always conjuring up new ideas and strategies to take her and her business to the next level.

“Develop ways in which your money can move,” Walker says.

Perhaps Walker works so intensely because she knows what it’s like to have nothing. “My teenage years were really rough,” Walker admits. “I think the lowest point of my entire life was when I got kicked out of Savannah State.”

“I was 19 and I didn’t have any direction. I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Walker shares transparently. Despite this, she reveals that she always knew she would be wealthy. She knew she was destined for success. “I was broke! When you’re broke, you don’t have a choice but to succeed,” Walker says. “My mother always told me, ‘you’re going to be successful.

You’re going to have money. You’re going to do well. I just don’t know what work you’re going to do specifically,’” she remembers.

YBE

NATION

Walker has had some pivotal moments in her life. Being robbed at gunpoint and injured in the medical field are two things that Walker describes as major turning points in her life. The opportunity to make and do more finally presented itself. “I had a vision about getting into childcare but I didn’t tell anybody,” Walker says. Before that vision, “I had no desire to open a daycare. I had had no experience, nor did I know much about children.”

Walker may have discarded the thought had her mom not mentioned the exact same idea soon after. “She came to me and said, ‘we should open up a daycare,’” to which Walker responded, “you’re kidding!”

Walker couldn’t believe that her mom suggested the idea. “She was validating the sign from God,” Walker says.

However, Walker was still hesitant.

“We don’t even know anything about children,” she pleaded with her mom.

“And we don’t like children,” Walker said laughing. Her mom then assured her that it would be okay. She revealed that she owned a daycare before Walker was born so she knew a little about the industry. Soon after, they decided to take a leap of faith and Bridgepoint was born.

Today, across the four locations, 56 staff members come in to work excited to engage with students.

About 450 eager children line up to learn daily and 140 children in the after-school program show up looking for fun and friends. “We’ve only been in business for four years in June,” Walker says. “The incorporation of Bridgepoint was started in April 2011, but the daycare didn’t start until June of 2012.”

For aspiring YBEs who like Walker have always felt like they were destined for wealth and success, but don’t exactly know where to start, the CEO offers this advice: “Pray about it first. I truly feel that God is only going to make you successful at what He wants you to do.

YBE

Secondly look at what you know how to do. Ask yourself what you can bring to the table,” Walker advises. “I knew that I wanted to work with children. I knew I was a nurturer. I knew I had a skill of giving. I’m the type of person willing to help anyone. I have a customer service mindset. I always want to work it out. So look at the skills that you have and then hone in on whatever is making revenue. Start looking at what is successful and [ask] what can I add to this to make it even better.” Walker says that this will take you to a whole new level.

After being asked to describe the mindset of an entrepreneur, Walker replied, “I’d rather describe the stomach. You have to be hungry.

Anyone who is not starving to work for themselves won’t be successful.

Entrepreneurship is something that you eat, breathe, and live for even on the days when it’s not going too well. I live for this,” Walker says, “so it doesn’t matter how bad it gets, I’d still rather be doing this.” A while back a doctor tried to convince Walker to return to the medical field, because because of her special skill. “Come work for me.

I’ll pay you good money. I’ll pay you six figures,” the doctor pleaded to Walker.

“I’ll change your life”, to which Walker responded, “My life has already been changed. There is nothing that anyone could offer me that I can’t give myself.”

According to Walker, “If you’re going to start with the body of an entrepreneur, start at the stomach. You have to be hungry. The mind has to be eager and your eyes have to be open. You have to really want this.”

Because Walker has built her company from the ground up and remained successful, she knows firsthand the benefits of being a YBE. “I love the fact that if I want to throw the children a huge party, I can do that.

If I want to go and say, ‘hey Mom let’s jump on a plane and go to California

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NATION

for a week,’ we can do that. Financial freedom is a powerful thing. There are some challenges to being an entrepreneur, but there is no cap and glass ceiling on your salary. I can pay myself whatever I want. We can travel whenever we want by any means that we want to travel. You can make it happen. If you’re an entrepreneur, you can literally do and go wherever you want, and that’s a powerful thing. No one can tell you that you have to wait 90 days before you can take a vacation.”

Walker says you don’t have to worry about taking a bus simply because you can’t afford a plane trip. “There are no stipulations on what you want to do and I love that. I love the fact that someone can come to me and need my help and I can write them a check.

Philanthropy is a huge thing for me, and to my mother and father as well, so the fact that we’re able to help other people is very powerful.”

In a way, Bridgepoint was built on philanthropy. Walker says that Bridgepoint acts more like a co-parent than a daycare. They provide diapers and wipes, milk, social services, and behavioral therapy. Walker goes even further and offers dinner to children who stay later than 5:30 p.m., in addition to providing breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The academy also provides coats and shoes for children in need.

“There’s nothing Bridgepoint won’t do,” Walker says. Walker is also listed on the parent pickup list for most children at Bridgepoint.

Along with helping the children, Walker understands that parents need assistance too. “Many young Black women are raising multiple children by themselves,” Walker says. To alleviate some of the stress and ameliorate this problem, Bridgepoint hosts building workshops, assists with rent and utility bills,

Continued from page 41

helps connect parents with job services, and provides transportation for children whose parents cannot bring them to daycare. Bridgeport also participates in Toys for Tots every year and has sponsored Christmas for over 40 families in the past three years.

Even with all of the services provided at Bridgepoint, tuition is not as high as it could be because Walker does not feel the need to raise it. “I grew up in a very poor neighborhood in New Orleans,” she recounts.

Growing up, giving back was a lesson instilled in her by her parents and the nuns at her school. She was surrounded by generosity and wants to do everything she can to share that same spirit.

Gia Walker is the epitome of a successful YBE. Not only did she build her business in only four short years, but she is positively impacting the community one day at a time.

Walker attributes much of her success to God and to her parents, especially her mom’s unwavering support and belief in her. “I have a mother who pushes me and she stands behind me good or bad. Because of that, I always knew I would be successful, somehow someway,” Walker says. She is living proof that your beginning does not have to be your ending. Her success has come even after being expelled, robbed at gunpoint, and injured in the medical field. Success came after riding in the same car as her mom every day because they could not afford the gas for two cars. The seeds of success were sown when coming to work early and excited each day only to find an empty childless daycare. Her dispersion of flyers like clockwork in the scorching heat to local businesses and apartment complexes in the area were a down payment on success. Facing difficulties in raising startup capital and convincing banks to give this small business owner a chance didn’t deter her.

Today, Bridgeport is the premier daycare across Decatur, providing jobs to many in the local area, and helping families support their children. Today there is a mentorship program to help students who find themselves in similar situations to her own growing up. Walker is willing to go the extra mile and not turn a blind eye to a 73% population who live below the poverty line. Today she enjoys the fruits of her labor by traveling all over the world from San Diego to Montego Bay and soon, South America. YBE Magazine salutes Gia Walker who deserves all of the success that has and will continue to come her way.

MR

THE MAYNARD REPORT Good Journalism is good business.

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Maynard Eaton is an 8-time EMMY Award winning television news reporter.

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