For My Creatives: Boss Up!!!!

Everybody want to be a Boss until it is time to do Boss things. People think being a Boss or Entrepreneur is easy peasy because people photoshop and filter their great moments and bank account statements. *Insert Kanye Shrug*

Let me be the first to let you know that everyone isn't built to be a Boss. Everyone isn't built to run a business full-time not knowing where their next profitable project is coming from. 

In business, you will be doing a lot of volunteer work. You will be competing against folks who were well wishers/fans but feel they can deliver services or make better products than you. You will find out who truly rock with you once you go into business. You will find out what you are truly made of once you go into business. You just don't go into business and think you have arrived and luchini is falling from the sky. Nah. You will have to be disciplined, focused, determined, half-cray, and a forever learning. Yeah that's cool, you have a number of downloads, number of likes and followers on social media and you have created a "buzz"! 

But how have you turned them numbers into profitable? Not projected profits but actual profits in your bank account? Did you register your business with your state and city? Are you a LLC? S-Corp? C-Corp? Do you have a business account? Do you have your intellectual property on point? 

You can be popular all you want and still be part of the Broke Phi Broke (We Don't Got It Club). You can be getting ripped off and people stealing your intellectual property because you didn't think it was important to seek an Intellectual Property attorney. Make sure you take care of business first before you come on social media and flaunt. Make sure your I's are dot and T's are crossed because people be out here ready to profit off your hard work. I love you and want you to consider everything I've mentioned before going into business. 

Also don't forget you still have bills to pay, you still have a family, you still have to stay true to yourself and take care of your holistic health. 

Love and Light,
Drea

Schedule Your Startup Your Startup Complimentary Session: bit.ly/coachingwithbrowngirl

Get Paid, Not Played: Free Mini Business Plan for Creatives, Social Entrepreneurs and Side Hustlers

Hey Tribe, I have created a free and simply mini business plan that should help all creative and social entrepreneurs to map out your side hustle/small business needs. 

1. Your WHY/Mission/Vision- In order for you to upstart your side hustle/small business, you need to know why you are starting in the first place. This is called storytelling/your pitch. People usually connect with you due to your story. We all have a story to share and when you are in business, people want to know your story and you need to know your why. Take a few minutes to think about your why and write it down. 

2. #Goals #Goals #Goal: You should have personal goals, professional goals and business goals. These goals will help you and your business to grow. When you sit down to write your goals think BIG because this is "Do or Die" time when starting and growing a business. Don't shrink yourself or your goals. You goals should consist of happiness. How much money do you want your business to make? Location-free business? International business? Local business? This is when you are going to explore your goals, write them down, develop a timeline, 3-5 action plans to achieve goals and get it in. No shortcuts. No shrinking your greatness. Make sure your goals are achievable and realistic. 

3. Who is your business for? Your target market? This piece of business is very pertinent because you need to research, know your customer,can they afford your services/products, see your customer before they see you, solve their problems, understand their goals, know where they shop, their hopes, dreams, and etc. You need to flush out this section. Be very descriptive. Give your ideal customer a name. Gender. Where do they live? What do they drive? Martial status? Educational status? Location? Traveler? Nationality? Ethnicity? Music genre of choice? How much do they make? Brands they love? Personality? What they do for a living? What are some things they hope and dream? Volunteer? This will help you to know your customer and start creating products and services based on what you have wrote down. 

4. Social Media Platforms/Where are your customers? Do they like social media? Are they on Facebook? IG? Have Twitter fingers? Pinterest? Snapchat? Love emails? Love text message? Where do you clients communicate the most on? 

5. What are your services/products? Do you have affordable pricing? Have you sent out surveys and received feedback back? Focus groups? Giveaways and contests? Appropriate labeling? Why should anyone purchase your services/products? How many streams of income can you create from your products/services?

6. Outside Activity: Do you attend vending events? Networking events? Have business cards? Go to conferences? Public speaker? Enter pitching contests? Participate in your local incubators? Chamber of Commerce? ETC

7. How much coins do you need to start your business/side hustle? There are plenty of grants you can apply to start your business. You have loans, micro loans and other kind of business loans. Do you have a separate business account? Can you start your business right now without any funding or funding from your own pockets?

This mini business plan should keep you business. This is the primarily stage to see how to operate your side hustle with a plan and vision. 

Please share this mini business plan with your fellow side hustlers, creatives, and social entrepreneurs. Let's get paid and not played for our creativity.

Support Your Family and Friends Wholeheartedly! (Video)

Please support your family and friends that are doing positive and awesome things in life. Stop jumping on trends and stop celebrity worshipping. Your people need your support wholeheartedly.

The Unpretty Side of Side Hustling! (Video)

(Video) National Black Women Society: Women of Color Summit Power Lunch Session: I Am My Own Boss and I Make My Own Money

On September 17, Andrea C. Imafidon, CEO/Blogger/Coach of Brown Girl From Boston was invited to share her entrepreneurship journey with Black Women professionals in Boston, MA at Simmons College. The name of her Power Lunch Session entitled: I Am My Own Boss and I Make My Own Money. Check out the video above and and learn some tips on being your own Boss and making your own money, your way.