SOB Podcast - Page 4

NEW! SOB Episode: Stephanie Caudle – Owner & Founder of Black Girl Group

Here’s the latest episode of SOB – I’m speaking with Stephanie Caudle about her new micro job site venture and her continuous journey in the tech industry!

Style of Business

-Podcast Show Notes-

Episode 24

Summary:

In this episode, Keetria interviews Stephanie Caudle of Black Girl Group, a micro-job site and organization helping connect African-American freelancers to companies who are struggling to hire diverse, freelance talent. Listen as Stephanie shares the various struggles she has faced on her entrepreneurial journey. She shares about her noble vision of creating a platform aimed at helping African American women earn extra income as well helping the US marketplace become more culturally diverse and inclusive. Tune-in as she discusses the key factors that contribute to her success and the value of stepping out and taking that LEAP of FAITH.

Show Notes:

  •     Keetria introduces Stephanie to the show
  •     Stephanie is the founder and CEO of Black Girl Group, a micro-job site

o      Similar to Fiverr and Upwork, but caters solely to African American women

  •     The Origins of Black Girl Group

o      Was launched in November 2016

o      As a PR agent at Tom Ford, Stephanie was handling 45 clients and was totally burnout

o      Was laid off from her job immediately after registering her site; been working full-time on Black Girl Group ever since

  •     Stephanie has a two-fold mission:

o      1. Help women increase their load

o      2. Increase diversity

  •     Coming from a publishing background, was terrified of entering the tech industry; only 1% of women receive funding in the tech industry

o      Admits that her misgivings for the tech industry were unfounded; was recently accepted into an incubator program promoted by Google

o      Has received resources that have allowed her to grow as a freelancer and a startup founder

  •     Wants to leverage on the fact that African American women are the fastest growing entrepreneurs in the United States
  •     Realized the immense NEED for African American talent when she saw a Twitter ad for an African American writer placed by an influential CEO

o      The CEO was specifically targeting African American buyers, the race that spends the most money in America

o      The only way to get in front of African American audiences is through hiring African American talent

o      For hiring African American talent, you need to go to a platform such as Black Girl Group where you can find all this talent in one place

  •     Offers a variety of services such as virtual assistance, writers, web designer, developers and much more
  •     Learn how Stephanie’s marketing background has helped her

o      Graduated from North Carolina AT&T with a concentration in public relations

o      Is able to handle her own media outreach and pitching to gain visibility

o      Is able to create targeted content that resonates with viewers; recently created a blog post titled, ā€œHow do you make money as a freelancer without going brokeā€

o      Digital marketing experience helps her in keyword searches through which she zeros in on the right topics

  •     CHALLENGES encountered

o      Getting funding for her venture has been Stephanie’s biggest challenge; has received pushbacks because of the name of her company

o      People think that her business model is divisive

o      Many emotional challenges as well

  •     Stephanie’s shares how she kickstarted Black Girl

o      Writing for Huffington Post was her side hustle while she had a full-time job

o      In the midst of losing her job, took up freelance writing as a fulltime profession

o      Her experiences as a freelancer has equipped her to deal with the ups and downs of business

  •     The things she ENJOYS the most about being an entrepreneur

o      Being a mom, she values the flexibility that her profession offers

o      Wishes to help African-Americans succeed by giving them access to valuable information

  •     Shares that the Google Incubator she is associated with is especially designed to help startup founders of color; has received help in the form of legal fees, website development and staffing
  •     RESOURCES to help you manage your startup

o      Attended the 2-day internet summit focusing on digital marketing and broader technology

o      Has checked out the Blavity conference online

o      Recommends Medium to anyone looking for information about startups; this is where she got she found Google Incubator

3 Key Points:

  1.       It is always good to have a side-hustle which will fetch you some extra money. In the event that you lose your job, this can develop into your main source of income.
  2.       Finding a good incubator is a great way to kickstart your startup; there are incubators who focus solely on helping startup founders of color.
  3.       Be bold, go ahead and just take the LEAP of FAITH; the only reason we have 9 to 5 jobs is because someone decided to do just that!

NEW! SOB Episode: “The Importance of Consistency”

This week’s episode is a brief short on CONSISTENCY. We all struggle with staying consistent at some point in our life. While breaks and timeouts are called for and very much needed, consistency in anything you do will always prevail.

Style of Business

-Podcast Show Notes-

Episode 23

Summary:

In this episode, Keetria discusses the importance of consistency while handling a project. Often, we start off with ample enthusiasm as we get involved with a new project. However, our enthusiasm wanes if a project is prolonged. It is imperative that in such situations, instead of giving into frustration, we maintain a level of consistency throughout the entire project. Setting aside some time every day to work at your project will help maintain the momentum you need to keep moving forward. Putting in a couple hours over the weekend is also another trick recommended by Keetria that can help you cross the finish line.

Show Notes:

  •     Today, we discuss the importance of consistency

o      Often, as we continue working on a particular project for a prolonged period, our enthusiasm wanes, and we become too tired to even look at it

o      Tendency is to do nothing and put a project on the backburner for months

o      One needs to be consistent; SQUEEZE in time everyday so that you can meet your goals and deadlines

  •     Keetria’s ā€œSaturday workshopā€

o      Sets aside a couple of hours every Saturday in order to work towards her goals

o      Helps you achieve the momentum that you need in order to reach the finish line

  •     Aim to achieve consistency in every project; implementing a common-sense approach will stop you from getting burnt-out and help you achieve your GOAL
  •     Connect with Keetria through her website or Twitter

3 Key Points:

  1.       Working on a project for a prolonged time will decrease your enthusiasm and ultimately lead to burnout.
  2.       SQUEEZE in some time every day so that you work towards meeting your goals. 
  3.        Setting aside a couple of hours every Saturday is a great way to ensure that you achieve the desired momentum to cross the finish line

NEW! SOB Episode: Derick Gant – CFO of Gant Companies & Smart Money Management

CFO of Gant Companies & Smart Money Management Derick Gant visits with SOB to talk about how we can accomplish tasks and achieve goals by being the best that we can be. He also shares his insight on money management. You can connect with Derick on Twitter and Instagram.

Style of Business

-Podcast Show Notes-

Episode  22

Summary:

In this episode, Keetria interviews Derick Gant, founder and CEO of Smart Money Management, an organization helping people manage their debt and build wealth. Listen as Derick gives SOLID financial and business advice. He explains the importance of living ā€œThe 24K Lifeā€ā€”a life that is dedicated to being solid gold physically, mentally, and emotionally to name a few. Being at your peak trickles into all areas of your life and contributes to the success you so desire in life. So, tune-in as Derick describes the importance of physical fitness, what it means to live a balanced life, and some financial tips and tricks that will help you achieve freedom from the shackles of debt.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

  •     Keetria introduces Derick to the show
  •     Derick has been managing money, helping people get out of debt and building wealth for years!
  •     Two kinds of clients seek out Derick for advice:

1. Clients who have a large retirement fund and want optimal returns

              2. The second type are those who need advice with managing their debt, fixing their credit, buying a house and/or retirement planning among other things

When a new client, Derick starts off with a discovery meeting to find out where the client currently is and where he needs to go financially

               o      Primary aim is to help clients manage their debts; debt shackles a client to a terrible way of living

  •     Misconception that rich people do not believe in watching their budgets; they      know exactly how much they have and how much they are spending
  •     Even people who do not have enough money need to be a militant about sticking to their budget; learn to live WITHIN your means

               o      Plan for future purchases and avoid spending all you have in your checking account

  •     Derick explains the philosophy behind ā€œThe 24K Lifeā€

               o      Be the BEST version of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, educationally and spiritually

               o      Maximize your gifts and talent to increase your value in the workplace

               o      If you strive to be 24 karat gold (purest form) in your life, then GREAT things are going to come to you no matter what!

  •     Realize your true potential by taking time to invest in yourself
  •     Nobody is going to hand you a bar of gold; you need to dig out the nuggets
  •     To be financially fit, you need to be physically fit

               o      Your outer world represents your inner world

               o      If you are fit, you are mentally sharper

               o      People judge you by your physical fitness

  •     Strive to be in great physical, mental and financial shape

               o      If you are unbalanced, you’re not going to be happy and productive

  •     Finding a coach is the best way to become physically fit; seeking out like-minded people is another way

               o      Know yourself, and avoid lying to yourself

               o      Invest in a coach or consider buying fitness books

  •     People who are sick of their life and know they deserve better are the ones that turn their life around
  •     You can be physically fit in spite of having a ton of responsibilities; you can do whatever you put your mind to
  •     Weight-loss tip from Derick: do not focus on how much you need to lose, just focus on your next meal
  •     Has a gift of taking complicated information, diluting it down to digestible bites for people to fix their lives

              o      Wants to genuinely help people get to the next level, so that they can help somebody else do the same

  •     Develop a great team of people to propel you on the path of high growth

              o      Invest in building relationships with your banker and accountant

              o      Find mentors who have done what you want to do; people love to talk about themselves, and finding mentors is not as hard as it seems

  •     Know your product inside out; if you don’t believe in your product, no one else is going to
  •     Challenges faced while setting up 24K

               o      Clearly communicating his thoughts to his prospective customers through his content was Derick’s greatest challenge

               o      Keep patience and believe in what you are doing

  •     Derick shares his social media experience

               o      Has solidified value face-to-face with prospects and clients

               o      Has a viewing audience of 25,000 across all mediums

               o      Got a chance to do a local Ted Talk because of his influential social presence

  •     Key components of entrepreneurial success

               o      Make your personal financial life as solid as you possibly can; make it your side-hustle and work it so hard that it becomes your main resource of revenue

               o      Set aside $10,000; the first reason why people fold is because they run out of money. Segregate your personal finances from your business. Make sure that if you use your new business as a second stream of income to get that started, then you will never jeopardize your primary source of income until you can flip your secondary with your primary

  •     ā€œAnything will work if you do. So, roll up your sleeves, whatever it is that you are trying to do, and go to work. And, don’t quit. Don’t let anybody tell you, you can’t get it doneā€
  •     Connect with Derick on his website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
  •     Connect with Keetria through her website or Twitter

3 Key Points:

  1.       You cannot be financially fit without being physically fit; strive to be in great physical, financial and mental shape.
  2.       Make your personal financial life as solid as you possibly can; make it your side-hustle and work it so hard that it becomes your main resource of revenue.
  3.       The first reason why people fold is because they run out of money—segregate your personal finances from your business and work to make your secondary source (the business) your primary source of income.

NEW! SOB Episode: Tenzin Seldon – CEO and Co-Founder of Kinstep

Tenzin Seldon is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kinstep – a company focused on matching immigrant talent to great job opportunities and improving the employment rights for immigrants to the United States. Be sure to check out this episode to find out what spurred Tenzin into action. For more information on Kinstep, visit the company website at www.kinstep.com Connect on Twitter at TenzinSeldon_ and Kinstep.

NEW! SOB Episode with Rashad “Bow Tie” Mills – Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author & Mental Health Advocate

A great discussion about pursuing your talents and passions to help motivate others. Rashad “Bow Tie” Mills talks about how his business venture and desire to help the youth evolved into something bigger than he anticipated. The host of “Happy Hour” – Rashad uses his spirituality, passion, and purpose to give back. Don’t miss this one! Connect with Rashad on Facebook.

New! SOB Episode: “How to Build a Business with a Very Low Budget”

If you need some quick information on getting starting with launching your business, my latest ebook, “How To Build a Business with a Very Low Budget” might just be what you need. It’s to the point and easy to read and can be read while you’re on lunch break!

New! SOB Episode with Pam Terry – Public Speaking Consultant & Coach

In this week’s podcast episode public speaking consultant and coach Pam Terry shares valuable information on why public speaking is such a challenge for most. The CEO and Founder of The In Demand Speaker and NOWW Media, she also discusses a few tips on how to overcome those challenges. Be sure to listen in. You can also grab Pam’s free must-have guides 7 Proven Steps and How to Easily Create an Award Winning Presentation on her website at www.PamTerry.com. For more information on how Pam Terry can help accelerate your public speaking game – visit her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.

New! SOB Episode with Meiyoko Taylor – Speaker and Personal Development Leader

A wonderful talk with MeiyokoĀ Taylor – an Internationally recognized author, speaker and personal development leader. In this episode, we discuss one of the most common factors that hold us back – FEAR!

Meiyoko works extensively with people from all across the world, showing them how to take control of their life, find their passion, and unlock the greatness that is within. With his new book, ā€œFind Your Amazing- 5 Steps to Transforming your lifeā€, Meiyoko continues helps people unlock their true potential and create their own version of success, firmly believing that ā€œWhen your passion, purpose, and talents are in alignment something “amazing” has to happenā€. Follow on Twitter @MeiyokoTaylor.

New! SOB Episode with Designer & Artist Leah Smithson

Here’s the latest episode of the SOB – Style of Business podcast. In this episode designer/artist and business owner Leah Smithson chats it up with me about her art pieces and designs. The founder and owner of art outfit Talon and the Suneaters, Leah is a talented artist who not only paints but offers a unique line of wearable goods and custom made jewelry.

Be sure to check her out on Instagram and on Twitter @leahsmithsonart