Regina Watts-Small Business Spotlight

Tell me about yourself…

I'm the CEO of All Things Love which is a christian Tshirt line. All Things Love is a visual minister, reminding all that God is Love. My apparel is meant to Empowering, Motivating, and Encouraging while building the Kingdom.

I am also the President/Founder of S.A.S.S.I.E inc social club, which stands for Sisters Effecting Sisters Socially intellectually and Emotionally. We have be in existence for over 7 years and we focus on mentoring girls ages 7-17.

What motivates you to keep going?

My family motivates me. I learned early as a child to always give back, so I do a a lot of community service with my club, kids and family.

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and professional life?

I do. Doing all things in moderation makes for a peacefully spirit.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

The biggest thing I would stress is "you can do it". It may not be easy but you can do it. Also always invest in yourself and in your business, take classes and network.

What’s your favorite social media platform? 

Instagram is what I use most, but I have my clients post their pictures of themselves in their Tshirts from my line and I get a lot of new customers this way, I do the same on Instagram.

What book are you currently reading or would recommend to fellow entrepreneurs?

I have two, Successful Woman Think Differently by Valorie Burton and Act Like a Success Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey. 

What’s your favorite app?

PayPal is a small business best friend. 

What's your favorite Podcast account name?

I listen to Daily Hope with Rick Warren and Our Daily Bread every morning to feed my spirit.

What’s your favorite Entrepreneur website/blog to visit?

I follow Lenise Williams and Vicki Irvin, both help business owner to be the best at what they do.

What’s your favorite quote?

It's not a quote but my favorite Bible verse. Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your was acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. 

Tinnie Garlington-Small Business Spotlight

Tell me about yourself…My name is Tinnie Garlington and I am a native of Atlanta, GA. I grew up on the Westside of Atlanta. My childhood was not a your normal upbringing. I had to deal with the harsh realities of growing up with a mother with an addiction and a father that was in and out of my life. 

What motivates you to keep going? I was always eager to learn new things and see others happy. Growing up for me was tough because I didn't understand why people were mean and couldn't get along.

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and professional life? Later in life I lost my way and became a mother at the age of 14 years old. That time in my life was really hard. I was not able to experience the life of a teenager. I had to take the fast track to single motherhood.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur? At the age of 20 I decided to return to school to obtain my GED because I was tired of working two jobs that were taking me no where. After I obtained my GED, I attended a local college to obtain my Medical Administrative Assistant Certification. To make a long story short, afterwards my life was a series of blessings. Through that I have been employed with Emory Healthcare for 11 years.

What’s your favorite social media platform? I am now working on building brand as a writer and consultant. I have a passion for problem-solving and taking on challenges. 

What book are you currently reading or would recommend to fellow entrepreneurs? What motivates me to keep going is knowing that God has a purpose for my life. He has blessed me with two handsome boys and has continued to elevate me even when I felt like I didn't deserve it.

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and
professional life?  At this time I am working on balancing my personal and work life. I found myself taking on so many different projects to not have to focus on what was going on in my personal life. I had to take a step back and become more organized. 

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur? The advice that I would like to give to an inspiring entrepreneur is to be honest with themselves. Ask questions and do the research. Don't try to rush progress. Take their time and really work hard on their business plan and stick to it. Don't chase the money, chase the promise.

What’s your favorite social media platform? At this time Facebook is my favorite social media platform. I recently created a Instagram account and I must say its going to take some getting used to.

What book are you currently reading or would recommend to
fellow entrepreneurs? I am currently listening to Today Matters which is an audiobook by John Maxwell who is one of the best leadership coaches in my opinion. 

What’s your favorite app? I don't currently have a favorite app at this time. I have been too busy to get into the apps. 

What's your favorite Podcast account name? My favorite entrepreneur site to visit is Oprah. I love her and aspire to accomplish some of the things that she has. 

What’s your favorite quote? My favorite quote is "People and things are powerless, your reaction is their only power" by an unknown author. 

Support and stay connected with Tinnie with the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timewithtinnie

Instagram: tinniesworld

Website: www.dlblf.org

Monike S. Benjamin-Smaill Business Spotlight

Tell me about yourself…My name is Monike S. Benjamin. Im 28 years old and I currently reside in Queens, New York.  I am a licensed hair stylist and makeup artist.For as long as I can remember I've always had my hands in HAIR!Whether it was mine (much to the displeasure of my mother lol) or one of my family members or classmates. Owning my own salon was a dream that I was never quite sure if Id realize. Yet this past year has amazed me with blessings and I am now the proud and humbled owner of my first salon ; Beautiful Impressions Studio Salon in Springfield Gardens, New York.

What motivates you to keep going? I think the word ENTREPRENUR should be a synonym for insanity ! Lol.I purchased this salon in May of 2014... Since then I have encountered constant uphill battles that make me wonder at times what was I thinking! However, in the end I'm always reminded that I've always wanted this and I've always been a fighter ; so fight I will because nothing in this world worth having comes easily.     I'm the type of person who is notorious for putting all of my eggs into one basket. That being said I constanty remind myself that I am going to put everything I have into making this work. No back-up plans means I'm am assured that I will put blood, sweat, tears, and my whole heart into what I am doing sink or swim. I am motivated by the drive to succed at what I'm doing, by the drive to be more than ordinary, by the drive to strive for more than just settling for a job I hate simply for security. I want to know that 50 years down the road I can look back and be proud of myself for stepping out f my comfort zone and daring to do something about my dreams.

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and professional life? Ha! Do I feel like my personal life / buisness life are balanced.... What a question. Not at all! Granted I am still very new to this sector of life, so I expected the adjustment period to be a bit interesting. However this has been a very trying 8 months. It's definetly an interesting learning curve ; trying to juggle work life (which can be all consuming), home life, relationships, children, social life etc.    In my line of work it is so easy to get consumed with working in the buisness that you forget that you have to learn to seperate being the buisness from running the buisness. Im learning that that is the only way to take the buisness to the next level and possibly have a moment to breath and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Prior to learning that , you get the constant on the go , frazzled feeling like your always playing catchup and sacrificing one thing for another. Balance is definetly a learning experience.

 What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur? There are definetly a couple of pieces of advice that I would give to an up and coming entrepreneur:~First and foremost... Do your research! I cannot stress how important this is. You need to know your industry, their rules & regulations. You need to research where your trying to set up your business so you know if the area is suited for your vision. ~Planning... Now planning can be objective because obviously you cannot account for any and every situation that may arrive starting out, but you need to have some idea of where you want your business to go and how you plan to get there... This ties in with reseasearch because its always a good idea to seek out otheres of like mind or who have walked the road before you. Its also good to read read read.....~Motivation... Don't get it twised.. starting out isnt always peaches and cream. If noone has informed you before, I will.You will NOT always wake up and feel like a milion bucks. There will be long days sleepless nights,  frustrating moments that will make you question why the heck you got into this etc. But you have to keep yourself motivated. Keep yourself around positive and like minded people. Dont allow the negitivity to consume you.. Keep pushing and keep fighting and things will get easier in time.

What’s your favorite social media platform?  I would say right now my favorite social media platforms are Facebook and Instagram. I like the fact that they both give you instant access to millions of people on any given day.They allow you to constantly refresh peoples memories as to whats goin on. In my line of work things are very much visually oriented. Sothese two sites allow me to send out pictures of the work done at my salon to tons of people, keeping Beautiful Impressions in constant rotation.

What book are you currently reading or would recommend to fellow entrepreneurs? Currently Im reading Steve Harvey's  "Act like  a success, Think like a Success " I love this book because he hold nothing back. He approaches the book like an older uncle or father figure thats going to keep it real with you. No fuss , no frills, just straight up with no chasers.

 What’s your favorite app? My favorite app... Hmmm I'd say for right now its a cross between my Square card reader app and my Style Seat app. The first one allows me to take credit/debit cardsand have the funds directly transfered into my account with no fuss.The second allows me to post pics, prices, descriptions of services offered , and its geared towards potential clients/customers who are specifically on the site to look for someone in the industries offered.

What's your favorite Podcast account name? I don't currently have a favorite podcast. I'm pretty much a Tunein Radio and Pandora junkie.

 What’s your favorite Entrepreneur website/blog to visit? I'd say my favorite two entrepreneur websites to follow are Snobmobb (www.snoblife.com) and Alikay Naturals (www.Alikaynaturals.com) . I can vividly remember watching the journeys that both of these ladies have been on. Watching them as they sarted out on youtube and seeing what they've grown into... As a young female entrpreneur they keep me inspired constantly. They make me proud and give me a real life and even more relatable example of what the possibilities are....

What’s your favorite quote? Two of my favorite quotes are "She believed she could, so she did" ~ R.S. Grey and  "Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you've ever been to stand back up taller than you ever were" ~Unknown

To support and stay connected with Monike please visit the links below: 

Instagram: @Monibdstylist

name. Www.styleseat.com/monikebenjamin

Email: Mbenjaminr@gmail.com

Facebook (Search): Monike Benjamin or Moni B. ~ Hair & Makeup

Shante Jones-Small Business Spotlight

Tell me about yourself...My name is Shante Jones, single mother of 2 awesome young men. I am a social worker by professional and co founder of the B.R.A.S.S. House Inc in Baltimore, Md. Our organization will house homeless women with children while offering supportive services that will strengthen families and encourage them to become self sufficient.

What motivates you to keep going? My children and my desire to helps others motivates me to keep pushing

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and professional life? At times, balance is difficult due to the various roles I have. I have to force personal time otherwise it's downplayed by every thing else that is going on with the various roles that I play.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur? My advice would be set your eye on the prize. See the Forrest for the trees.........focus on the success of being successful at whatever your endeavor is. Don't let negativity on the part of others bring you down. Surround yourself with uplifting people who will challenge and encourage you to strive for more.

What’s your favorite social media platform? Facebook is my favorite social media

What book are you currently reading or would recommend tofellow entrepreneurs? Currently I am studying for the LCSW-C test. So no reading anything but that so I can obtain my final licensure as a social work

What’s your favorite app? My favorite app......mmmmm.....all apps that keep me informed about my businesses

What's your favorite Podcast account name? I don't use podcast

What’s your favorite Entrepreneur website/blog to visit? It's not a blog or website.....however it's a new group on Facebook -powerful women in business. The women in this group are uplifting and encouraging spirits.

What’s your favorite quote? Live, Laugh, Love

Support and stay connected with Shante with the links below:

Organization Name: The B.R.A.S.S. House, Inc.

Website: www.thebrasshouseinc.org 

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/BRASS-House-INC/193492460742645

Four Tips for Surviving Weddings, Birthdays, and Holidays as aentrepreneur

Yup, it's wedding season, and you have been invited to a ton of weddings. As a new entrepreneur, your income is based on the services you provide. I want to provide you with a couple of tips to assist you with surviving the upcoming holiday's/special occasions. 

Tip One: 
Create a budget for each category. No, how much your welling to spend as a wedding guest, holiday gift giver, and birthday queen. 

For instance, you may create the list below. 

Wedding gift $100

Birthdays $ 15

Holidays $ 15

Tip Two: 
Get on your creative side and use Pinterest as a source to create a homemade gift.

Tip Three: 
Create a savings account that is allocated for Birthdays, Weddings, and special holidays 

Tip four: 

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to lean how to say NO. I know, it's the last resort and that's why I saved it for last. 

For example: 

If you were invited to be s braids maid in a wedding. However, the only reason you're invited to the wedding is to meet the quota for the bride ( I.e. She needs four bridesmaids and can only think of four people, and she just so happen to think of you. Don't feel bad). If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Move on! 

Cameo D. Hoffert-Small Business Spotlight

Tell me about yourself… I am a wife and mother to 4 kids including 2 stepchildren.  I am an Air Force Veteran and have continued my career with the Federal Government for the past 14 years.  I am an Independent Presenter with Younique and run Cameo Danone Photography.  I am a free spirit, always willing to help someone else and motivate them to follow their dreams as I am doing now.

What motivates you to keep going?  My motivation comes from my faith in  God and with knowing that everything I do now, works to establish a strong foundation for my children to build upon.

Do you feel your life is balanced between your personal and professional life? Yes, I do feel like I have a good balance between my personal and professional life because I am pretty good at time management.  The key to maintaining a balance is to keep a record of your time and schedule accordingly.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?  Follow your dreams and never let a "no" discourage or stop you from pursuing them.  When one door close, another one opens.  

What’s your favorite social media platform? Facebook is my favorite social media platform.

What book are you currently reading or would recommend to fellow entrepreneurs?  I am currently reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki.  Great read to help you think about your finances in a different way.

What’s your favorite app?  My favorite app is VSCO.  Both of my businesses involve a lot of photography, and this app is a good way for me to edit photos on the go.

What's your favorite Podcast account name? I honestly don't have one?

What’s your favorite Entrepreneur website/blog to visit?  My favorite Entrepreneur website to visit is www.entrepreneur.com.  It has a wealth of information for individuals looking to start a business and some great articles and success stories.

What’s your favorite quote?  Imperfection is Beauty, madness is Genius, and it's better to be absolutely Ridiculous than Absolutely boring.  - Marilyn Monroe  I love it so much I have it on the wall above my desk:)

Support and stay connected with Cameo with the links below:

 Website 

www.beautybycameo.com

www.cameodanonephotography.com

Facebook 

www.facebook.com/beautybycameo and 

www.facebook.com/CameoDanonePhotography

Instagram - http://instagram.com/CameoDanone

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/youniquebycameo