Own Your Power

What a whirlwind of a month this has been! I just want to thank everyone for the support of my first book, “Jack of All Trades, Master of None?” The launch party was on June 9th and we had a fabulous turn out. I’d like to give a special thanks to my AMAZING team, our sponsor North Fork Bank, Mike Scott Jones of www.msjimages.com, and Michelle Wild of Wild Photography.
For those of you who missed it or who live out of state, take a peek here: http://www.gotstohaveit.com/jacklaunch_gallery.html In this exciting issue Andrew Morrison of Small Business Camp He’s an amazing business coach, mentor, and friend of GTHI. I bring to you Mr. Andrew Morrison! He’s hard hitting and will sock it to you to keep you on your toes. Andrew is also, just one of the many powerful folks on my advisory team that’s helping Gots To Have It expand and accomplish our many goals. 1. Tell me a little about yourself? I’m 39 and have been married for the past 12 years to Dr. Lynne Holden. We have a “dramatic” seven-year-old daughter named Morgan. I serve as a Deacon at The Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York, and I’m the President of Small Business Camp – an entrepreneurial training company. 2. How did you discover your passion? I’ve always been good at helping people solve their problems. My nickname in High School was “Dear Abby.” I was given that name after a famous advice columnist. In College, they called me “The Pill” because I always offered good advice, but at times it could be hard to swallow. 3. What do you find most rewarding about your career? Seeing the “light bulb” turn on in my clients’ minds as they release limiting beliefs and live a more fulfilling life. I enjoy helping people navigate through the turbulent waters of depression and low self-esteem to become more action oriented and guided by inner wisdom. 4. What have been your major obstacles and how did you overcome them? A stuttering problem coupled with negative peer pressure were major obstacles I had to overcome. Public speaking solved my stuttering problem. I joined Toastmasters and became the President of my Student Union in college. Meditation helped me to find a sense of self-esteem within and not be distracted by outside circumstances. 5. What are the biggest fears your clients have and how do you help alleviate them? Fear of non-conformity is the biggest issue my clients are struggling with. They seek to conform to the world’s definition of success. I help people break through that and just be themselves. They finally let go of their attachments and just focus on doing their best. “Failures” are carefully examined to become “Feedback”; and “Frustrations” are turned into “Fascination.” 6. What are three of your favorite things? Mediation, Martial Arts and Gardening 7. What is your zodiac sign? Libra 8. Do you play any musical instruments? Saxophone 9. What CDs are in heavy rotation in your CD player? Buju Banton, Morgan Heritage, Beres Hammond How’s your business doing? Are you ready to take a look at it? Read an article by Andrew, by going here: http://www.90dayplan.com/article/score.htm , we are profiling Andrew Morrison of Small Business Camp, offering tips to get you focused and make the transition from leaving your 9-5, as well as sharing a list of empowering events!   Hit the Road Jack! Tell “Jack” to get out of your way so that you can uncover YOUR passion… By Simone Kelly-Brown Are you a Jack of all Trades, Master of None? It’s okay, your secret’s safe with me…Working with entrepreneurs as my clients and meeting hundreds of them over the years has brought to my attention that not only are we a creative bunch, but sometimes we are just too overwhelmed! With a new idea sprouting up every month, we sometimes want to keep adding more to the pot. Unfortunately, that amazing stew you first started off with doesn’t taste as good with so many things dumped in it. Juggling many things can be hazardous to your health and your sanity — especially when it’s just you doing the juggling by yourself! We need to slap the blinders on so that we can focus on our strengths and stop straying off course. Hey, I’m no angel and I’ve been a Jack myself, so I know. However, the first step to recovering is admitting you have a problem! Could you be a “Jack” who is possibly in denial? Step into my office and let’s see if I can help you. Answer the following questions, yes or no. 1. Do you have a full-time job and one or more “side-hustles” that you haven’t quite gotten off the ground, because the paying job is taking up all of your time? 2. Do you have one job or one business and juggle several unrelated projects at once? 3. Do you have more ideas, plans and proposals than fully completed projects? 4. Do you have various streams of income, but not really passionate about them all, because you just got into them for the extra cash? 5. Does your business card takes a good five minutes to grasp, because you have five job titles and businesses on it? 6. Are your friends and family sick of hearing about your latest “fabulous idea” because you never follow through and bring them into fruition? 7. Do you have a full-time job that drains your energy, leaving you to drag yourself into the office everyday? However, you have a side business that you love doing and it puts a smile on your face each time you work on it? Did you answer yes to any of these questions? Okay, let’s have some fun! Get a pad and pen and make a list of all the projects/jobs/businesses you are working on right now. Now imagine you had all the money and time in the world, you had no debt, you have plenty of free time. What on this list of duties would you still do…FOR FREE? That’s right…for FREE. You love it so much because it’s fun, you are passionate about it and comes naturally. Ah…now we’re talking! Think about where you spend most of your time now and what your values are. Would it be with family, friends, in nature, traveling, etc…? How do you really want to live your life? Try and narrow down the things on your list to your number one favorite and start to devise a plan of working towards doing that full time. Of course, in the real world you have bills, you have obligations, etc. But that shouldn’t be an excuse, and shouldn’t stop you from at least TRYING to figure out how you can make the transition. Don’t shoot your idea down before even trying…dust that little devil off your shoulder or better yet, tell him: Simone said, “SHUT UP!” LOL! Now listen to your gut. What can you do starting today to make it work? How Do You Make the Transition? (The following is an excerpt from Jack of All Trades, Master of None?) Your need for start-up money is the reason why you shouldn’t storm out of your dull 9 to 5 just yet. Yeah, you might hate your job, but think about it as the contributor to your “layaway plan for escape.” Realize you’re probably going to spend more money than you make that first year in business. Here are some pointers to help prevent you from living back at Mom’s in your old room. Get your business plan together. This goes hand in hand with Fear number one: Failure. The more you have dissected what you need to do, the more realistic things will be for you. Get your Side-Hustle going! Start small with projects after work and on weekends. You can test the waters to see if your business is even worth expanding. A slow transition is key. Know your monthly budget and save accordingly . Stash away a chunk of your paycheck from your job and side hustle for your “layaway plan for escape.” You should have at least 6-12 months if money saved so that you can keep a roof over your head and food in your belly. Don’t count your 401k, that’s for retirement only! You don’t want to pay that 30% penalty for withdrawing. In the end it all comes down to being happy. Do you want to live your life with regrets? Honor yourself and your values, but most importantly, remember anything you want is attainable! If you want it, you GOTS TO HAVE IT!

Thomas Jefferson High, Brooklyn New York—Career day! Simone Kelly-Brown gives students a crash course in marketing.

On April 8, 2005, Simone was invited to speak to a classroom of students at Thomas Jefferson’s 8th Annual Career Day. In addition to offering her experience and career advice, she also played a little game, called, “Crash Course in Marketing.”

Many of the students were exposed to the ins and outs of marketing by this fun game. Groups were assigned various products/services such as a Hip-Hop Artist, Video Game, Hair and Nail Salon or Sports Car. They had to come up with an innovative marketing plan in 15 minutes. The winning teams won CDs!

 

 

“Book Lovers Day Reception” at Columbia University on April 15th, was hosted by one of our media sponsors, Black Star News.

Simone was a featured speaker who talked about the inspiration behind “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.”

Featured in photo left to right:

Milton Allimadi (publisher of Black Star News),Angela Wallace (author), Natasha Haughton (author and coach), Simone Kelly-Brown

I gathered some things you can do this spring while you take a minute to smell those roses. There are things we need to do to clear our space and to reflect on what exciting things we’d like to bring in. My approach to Spring-cleaning touches on areas that all professionals and entrepreneurs can relate to:

- Reevaluation of our businesses

- Follow Up Calls - Getting Rid of Clutter

- Fire That Client - Take “Me Time” Breaks

1. Re-evaluation Time:

We are halfway through the year. My, how time flies! How has it been for you thus far? I suggest you give yourself a “Company Evaluation” every month to make note of your progress and see where you still need to tighten up your act. I made a similar format to the evaluation form used at one of my past jobs. I tried it on myself for a few months and it really helps you re-focus and remember what your overall VISION was in the first place. It also brings your strengths and weaknesses to the forefront!

Try it now, looking back on your own performance since January. Here’s an example of how to do it. List your responsibilities and objectives and rate each one. 1 being the worst and 5 being the best:

EXAMPLE…

Evaluation of The Sweet Tooth (Pastry company):

-Make an income of $3,000+ with orders for June: 2

-Develop a buzz about my company: 4

-Increase catering for events to at least 5 parties per month: 3

-Improve time management: 1

-Manage and build an effective team: 5

Pros: I did great with developing buzz, because of the press I received in the Daily News. Giving the editor free pies worked!

Cons: I was late for two important meetings, because of poor time management.

I like to write out the pros and cons of the overall performance as well. What did you do exceptionally well and why? What are the steps needed to make next month’s evaluation better? When you elaborate on your highs and low, you can be your own coach to some extent. You can then set goals to make improvements instead of floating through each month with no direction. Having this on paper might help stop you from repeating the same destructive patterns. You might even want to get a folder or binder to keep them all in, so you can note your progress.

FOR MORE TIPS: http://www.gotstohaveit.com/may03_newsletter.html

2. DUST OFF YOUR ROLEDEX with “How ya been?” calls

Have customers you haven’t spoken to in over six months? Pick up the phone and call them, even if it’s just to say hello. It’s even better if you have a special “SPRING TIME” promotion in mind just for old customers. Following up is very important, although it’s hard to do. Make the time for it, starting today!

3. Get Rid of the Clutter: Spring Clean your office/home office

But of course, it’s what first comes to mind when we say spring-cleaning! The question is: how many of us actually take action in getting rid of the clutter and start organizing?

Are you someone who…

* Consistently misplaces things in your home?

* Forgets to pay your bills?

* Has a war-zone for a home office?

* Still has that outfit from 1983 (that you KNOW doesn’t fit)?

* Wants to improve the energy and harmony of your home or office?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you’ll love the resources we have available to you! Get rid of the clutter that has invaded your life. Learn how you can create balanced harmony in your home, office, and life with the help of these Gots To Have It friends…

La Shell Wooten

Spirit Space Fung Shui

917-650-3576

Feng Shui for urban living? Is it possible to have balance in an urban environment? Contact La Shell and learn about the basics of the ancient Chinese technique called Feng Shui. Find out how to change the energy of your home and office and to improve your daily living with effective Feng Shui Consultant La Shell Wooten. (La Shell was most recently featured in September 2004 Essence Magazine!)

Tonja Oates, CPA,

http://www.thetmogroup.com

Ever wondered what other professionals do to get their financial mess in order? Learn basic tips to keep track of your finances, set goals, and best practices for keeping sound records with Tonja Oates of The TMO Group.

Two Give ‘ N Take members who offer superb cleaning services…

Sincerely Chores , “Organic Cleaning for You & Yours”

laverne@sincerelychores.com

(718) 846-2104

Nikia Sharp of Domestic Diva

http://www.domesticdivanj.com/

(973) 865-8826

4. Fire That Client!:

Yes, it’s true, sometimes you must let go. Are you drained by the negative energy of a particular client or project? Do you just have personality clashes? Are they asking for more than you agreed upon originally? Unfortunately, it happens. Sometimes you do have to let go and move on to keep your sanity. Unless you have a contract that is holding you to it, you do have the choice of who you want to work with. That’s the beauty of having your own business. Consider “Firing a Client” if…

- They try to take advantage and ask for more than what you originally agreed on AKA trying to get the “HOOK UP”.

- The client is not respectful of your time.

- Invoices are nit-picked to death or payments are consistently late.

- The client fails to review critical documents in a timely manner.

When you do send them on their merry way, always have a person to refer them to. And most importantly, try to leave things on good terms even if you did not see eye to eye.

Go here for more articles on how and why to fire that client:

http://content.talentmarket.monster.com/contractor/freeagentguide/managingyourbusiness/fireaclient/

http://welchwrite.com/dewelch/ce/ce991203.asp

5. Create “Me Time” Rituals Throughout Your Day

Now the weather is getting nicer, take short breaks in your day to go for a walk. Sit outside in the park and eat lunch. Do something that is a little rewarding for yourself after you finish a major project. People feel guilty sometimes just taking a 15 minute break (I know, I’m one of them…lol), but what most people don’t realize is that those “me time moments” allow you to recover and put your all into the rest of your day.

DO IT FOR YOURSELF, YOU DESERVE THOSE GUILT FREE MOMENT

Where will you be February 1 st , 2006? So, a New Year has snuck up on you again and boy, you have a lot of things to do, eh? Welcome to the club, we all do. But oh no, you have way more, right? You have to start working on your business more so you can finally leave that job you are bored to tears with. You have to start saving at least $400 a month for a little cushion in the bank — that $67.02 is looking kind of lonely in your savings. You have to start getting fit , because you gained some extra ‘holiday weight’. You have to start reading more, oh yeah can’t forget, spend time with family and friends…the list goes on. I’m tired just thinking about your list, you sure have a lot to do!

Sometimes we like to create these enormous tasks list of things we need to accomplish in our busy lives. Over ambitious or unrealistic at times? Maybe… B but it’s a good start to at least have a list. For all of you New Year’s Resolution makers out there…WATCH OUT NOW! Don’t make a promise you can’t keep . !A recent survey finds that only 9% of Americans are serious about achieving their goals. Fifty-one 51% percent don’t have New Year’s Resolutions and of those who do, 79% don’t have a plan to achieve them. What I’ve learned about goal setting is that it’s best to work with the end in mind. If you can visualize what your life will look like, feel like, sound like, and hey, even smell like on February 1st, 2006 February 1, 2006, then we’re getting somewhere. I smell lobster dripping in butter and I hear the waves of the ocean crashing against the rocks. Oh, I’m on vacation in St. Thomas, don’t be jealous. LOL ! And I have a strong team holding down the fort, my business will be running just fine without me on my one-month break. Where will you be? If you can see how much money you have in your bank account, what kind of free time you’ll have, what people are in your life and in some cases…not in your life on February 1 , st 2006, then we are making major leaps and bounds. Are you with me? ~Nod politely.~ You have to see it first, then work on making it a reality. Painting that vivid picture, making that dream transform into your current situation will get your taste buds wet. The mind is an amazing thing . … Y you can pump yourself up by just closing your eyes and thinking. But the fun part is TAKING ACTION! All the dreaming in the world will do you no good , because if when you open your eyes, you’ll still be looking at your long list of things to do and plucking lint out of your pockets. You’ll just be a talker and not a doer. Talk is cheap, baby . … I say it all the time! TAKE ACTION … ! Sounds easy enough , but I’ve been working with entrepreneurs for 10 years now and I’ve seen many businesses come and go . …y You have to have staying power, you have to really work on your dream. “Get cracking!” is what I always say. They don’t call me Sergeant Simi for nothin’. I work with various clients and help hold them accountable. I’ll brainstorm with them, strategize for them, and help them plan out their goals and stay focused. I have a coach and advisors that hold ME accountable, they know what’s on my to do list and check in with me to make sure I DO IT! Who’s going to be on your team? Think about it and ask for help. Support is an integral part of the process i In achieving goals. Enough of my chatter…let’s get STARTED RIGHT NOW. Put your helmets on and get ready to jump in my Time Machine and go into the future! Get a notepad and spend at least a good 30 minutes on the following exercises. Let your creativity flow and don’t be afraid to dream big! JAN 2005 <——————–TO——————-> FEB 2006 1. “It’s February 1st, 2006 and I’ve accomplished even more than I could imagine, personally and professional. Can you believe that I….” Finish this sentence with a short story of a few paragraphs. Write it as if it already happened. This will be your inspiration when you feel like giving up. 2. Now that you’ve painted the picture that took you into the future, close your eyes and think about how happy you’ll feel, how accomplished you will be. Remember how you got to where you are. It didn’t happen over -night. Think about some of the goals that you need to accomplish before you get to February 1, 2006. GOALS YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH: 1 YEAR: 6 MONTHS: 3 MONTHS: 1 MONTH: 1 WEEK: IN 24 HOURS of reading this: What can you do by tomorrow to take that first baby step into realizing your goal? Baby steps are quite amazing, even if it’s something that takes you 15 minutes to do, make the cause and you’ll gain the effect that you want! Let’s Review : 1. Begin with the end in mind. Make the dream your reality. Positive visualization is a powerful tool … . w Writing it down just adds the icing to the cake. 2. Get an accountability partner. A friend, a spouse, a business coach or consultant, etc . …This person should check in with you each day or week to give you support. They should know all of your goals and you can possibly help them as well. 3. Break it into Baby Steps! List your goals by working backwards … 1 Year 6 months 3 months 1 month 1 week 24 - hour turnaround. Do you know where you will be February 1st, 2006? Take ACTION to make it happen! Good luck with Taking ACTION and let me know if this exercise helped you in any way.

 

Holiday Party Planning tips, brought to you by Xceptional Events

LITTLE PEOPLE
Don’t just shut them away in another part of the house; enlist them as part of your entertainment. There is nothing adorable then a child singing a song, doing a dance , or telling some jokes. They will feel like part of the event and their parents will love the opportunity to show them off.

AS NOT TO OFFEND
When inviting a diverse group to your seasonal event, use words like holiday on your invites and decorations. Never assume everyone celebrates the same holidays.

CHEERS!!!
A house drink special can also set the mood for your holiday event, i.e. Cranberry Holiday Punch (2 Cups Vodka, 4 Cups Cranberry Juice, 1 1/2 Cups Rose’s Lime Juice, 2 Cups Water, 3 tbsp. Sugar) . Combine all ingredient s in a large punch bowl. Add a large block of ice to keep it all cool. Serves 20. Or you can also try 7-Up Holiday Bowl (20 ounces raspberries, frozen, in syrup, partially thawed, 12 ounces lemonade, frozen concentrate, thawed 46 ounces pineapple juice, 64 ounces) . Place raspberries and lemonade in blender, process till smooth. Strain into punch bowl. Discard seeds. Stir in pineapple juice. Just before serving, add 7-Up. 7-Up, chilled (Non alcoholic)

KEEPSAKE
Just a little something to let your guests know you appreciate them. It could be as personal as a ribbon trimmed photo card ( O on a heavy card stock frame, place a 4×6 print of you, the family your pet(s), your staff, etc. Get creative and put a ribbon around the frame or an original design of your own. Put a hole in the upper right hand corner of the card and add some string so the picture can be hung. This way, you have a Keepsake ornament for your guests.) If time doesn’t permit or you need something a little more business-like, compressed T has put a new spin on an old concept. Instead of giving away plain old t-shirts, why not give clients t-shirts in the shape of Christmas Trees, Stockings, Wreaths, Candles, or better yet, create your own unique shape.

THIS IS NOT A SHAMELESS PLUG, BUT…
If at all possible hire an event planner to host the day of. You plan every detail of your wonderful evening then bring in a planner to make sure the event runs smoothly. There is nothing worse than doing all the fabulous planning to end up sweating, tried and stressed when the doors open. You should be at your best to greet your guests.

Show your appreciation this Holiday Season!

The holidays are a great time to share your gratitude with those who have helped you in your career and/or business. Also, it’s a great way to stay in touch with those that you might not have spoken to in a while.

1. Remember your customers . :
Get holiday cards that are BRANDED with your company name. You can order them from almost any business supply store, such as Staples and Office Depot for a very reasonable pric e ing.

2. Spice u Up your gifts and be creative .

• : It can be something as simple as a Holiday card , but maybe it’s done with vellum paper and a two-color imprint or clear cellophane. Maybe it’s a tin of holiday candy with a coupon giving them 10% off their next order with you. I’m sure everyone has special clients—you know… the ones you really want to show how much you appreciate their consistency in supporting you.

Regardless of what you get, the goal is to make an impression and send the message that you thought about them and want them to think about you when they’re ready to do work.

3. Lastly, execute your plan on tim e.

• Who wants a Christmas card a week after Christmas? Don’t put yourself in a position where your paying rush charges , because you didn’t plan properly. Many of us do get lost in the holiday craze but in general, give yourself a 2-3 week production window for most products that you order.

Holiday Products that you can brand with your logo:
o Spa-Related gifts
o Thermos
o Mugs
o Picture Frames or Albums
o Holiday Bookmarks
o Tote Bags
o Snow Globes
o Hershey Kisses w/ Tin
o Chocolate Chip Cookies w/Tin

Don’t forget online holiday promotions:
o You can e -mail HTML coupons
o Send “custom” e-card s greetings online
o Decorate your website with holiday glitz, i.e.: a little Santa Hat on your logo.
o Throw contests/sweepstakes and have your sponsor donate a Gift Certificate , . i.e.: “Win a Winter Wonderland Escape to the Catskills!”
o Have a 2004 product sale, making room for 2005 items.
If you are interested in ordering any products, let us know. Own Your Power can help you brainstorm on creative ideas and process your orders for thousands of items.

Diane Tinsley, CEO
Xceptional Events, LLC.
917-573-2879
www.XceptionalEvents.com