Entrepreneur 101

One of the most challenging obstacles that entrepreneurs face is the the unknown (but usually that's one of the most exciting things). Sometimes we wish that there was some type of school that catered to our needs. The Supercool School a.k.a. the Startup School might be the answer to those problems. Started by Bjorn Lasse Herrmann, the school is set up as a cross between a social network and traditional classrooms. Once you sign up, you can request a particular class for your specific interest. There are plenty of options and many more to choose from. It allows entrepreneurs to connect with each other and learn different lessons from each others experiences. Check it out at startup.supercoolschool.com and leave me a comment on what you think. Peace.

Breakthrough!!

Okay people,

For the past few years I have been researching real estate investing, but it has definitely been more intense since I graduated college. For the past few months, I've been trying to figure out what my next move is going to be. I've been trying to find a mentor to help me along the process. So far, no luck. But I think tonight I may have met my match. I don't want to get my hopes up but I think we found a winner. I'll keep you posted!

Spotlight YBE: "Miss Success"

"What's the formula for success? Well I studied for this test." One of my favorite lines from J. Cole's song 'Heartache'. One young woman in particular was given the nickname 'Miss Success', at a very young age. Sakita Holley has been on the path to greatness for a long time. She has always been an independent, innovative thinker, wanting to go outside the box whenever she could.

 

After graduating high school, she attended Howard University. On-campus she was very involved in organizations such as PRSSA and Capstone Communications (serving as President of the student-run firm), internship programs, the Women's Lacrosse team (where she was Captain); among other things. After graduating from HU, Sakita continued to pursue her dreams to be an entrepreneur. She started freelancing under the guise, House of Success in 2006, and has been looking to grow the business ever since.

 

One of most admirable traits that she possesses is her commitment to making sure that the people around her also do well. She has a mission to help people recognize and manifest their potential, and ultimately maximize their success. It is from this that she gets her  gratification. Sakita still lends her excellent PR skills to a multitude of clients and is an active member in many organizations. Don't just take my word for it, because her work speaks for itself.

 

Check her out at sakitaholley.com and www.hos-pr.com , where she's, "Always thinking, Always creating."

CrEaTiVe SpAcE

Now if anybody knows me well, they know how much I love cartoons. They are the one thing that no matter how old I get, I will always watch them. Call it what you want, but it helps me keep my sense of humor going and my imagination. For some of you "mature" people that don't watch cartoons...well, you have to do something to spark and maintain your imagination and creativity. Tonight, I was sitting at my computer and channel surfing, and came across a show on CNBC about the animation giant Pixar. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, created Pixar.

The special that I saw told the story of the how the animators pushed Pixar to be the leader in computer animation. Their sole purpose was to create, and create at will. So in order to stimulate their creative process they had to have favorable conditions. This meant a unique workspace. It's amazing how a relaxed, fun environment can make it possible for people to create masterpieces. Even in the business world, your creativity is one of your most valuable assets. Set the right conditions to cultivate it and the results can be astounding! Here's a snippet of the film and at 1:27 you can get a sneak preview of what I'm talking about. For more on the film, you can go to

http://www.leslieiwerks.co/pixar.htm . and http://www.leslieiwerks.com/ . Enjoy, and try to figure out what your creative space looks like. You never know what can happen when your creative juices are flowing!

So...I'm in a position right now where I'm kind of stuck. I need to come up with a strategy. Planning is one of the most critical parts of doing almost everything in life. People who set out a plan and more importantly, EXECUTE it, usually become very successful. My issue is figuring out a clear,  concise plan. I'm taking one of my friend's advice (someone who is going to be part of "Spotlight YBE" later this week) and "dumping" my ideas out on paper. "Dumping" means writing your ideas down on paper or in a computer, without regard to structure or conscious thought. Just a continuous flow of thought. This process allows you to get your ideas out as raw as they are in your head. It helps you really see what your are thinking and help bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious mind. When you are able to flow in and out of this conscientiousness at will, you can unlock your potential at an astounding rate. I am trying to make this connection but it is definitely a long process.Once I figure out my plan, then I can follow through and track my progress. In the mean time, I still have to move forward. Still researching, still writing, still creating. Everyday. If you have any suggestions, leave some comments and let me know. I LOVE the feedback! I'll keep you all updated on my status as it changes.Thanks for listening.

"The MisEducation"

I work at a high school in an urban area as a TA(teacher's assistant). I've only been at the school for a few weeks but I have already seen some issues that have rubbed me the wrong way. Outside of the obvious lack of resources, learning curve, and other issues, one sticks out to me in particular. Why is it that children in an urban area, if not in other areas, have entrepreneurship or finance as part of their curriculum? 

For finance, I'm not just talking about learning how just balance a check book or use a credit card (which by the way are important but not the only thing they need to know). I'm talking about cashflow, learning how to read financial statements, and what the different asset classes are and how they can attain them. Why do I pose this question you ask? 

The other day while I was in the school, I passed by a bulletin board that read, in big bold red letters 'GO TO SCHOOL, GET A JOB, AND BE HAPPY'. That really disturbed me. Most school systems are set up to have an academic and a professional(i.e. job training) component to their foundation. The two critical components that they lack are the ones that could eventually help some of these neighborhoods improve dramatically. FINANCIAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION!! These two aspects of the learning process can greatly affect a child's future endeavors. 

Most schools teach children to WORK for a great company. Why not teach them how to OWN a great company that can employ a lot of people? This subject always gets me frustrated because I see what happens when the education of how money can work FOR you gets overlooked...I see that I'm going to have to make this a series when I can give more information...until next time, keep your heads up!

Good Company

There's an old saying that you are the company that you keep. Well if that's the case then I'm definitely going to be successful, a million times over. I just had some great conversations within the past couple of days with people that have some very interesting insight on how they see opportunity in the world. Talking with people who have unique viewpoints gives you a chance to think about things that you may not have considered before. They're against the status quo.

One conversation involved a person who is  in the midst of making a life-changing decision that will either make or break them. They simply said, "If I do this and it doesn't work out, I'm okay with that. As long as I know that I did it I'm okay with the consequences." Now most people wouldn't have been okay with failing at a given task as my friend is. Admittedly, she told me that there are people making more money than she is, enjoying benefits and vacations at her job, but hate coming to work everyday(as does she). Problem is they are content with this mundane lifestyle, as long as they can reap the financial rewards. My friend isn't. She knows that there is something bigger than herself left to accomplish and she is going to at least try if not succeed at it.

Another one of my friends gives me an opportunity to explore my creative side. He is a renaissance man when it comes to the arts. It's his release and avenue of expression. He always tells me to try something out because the reason why other people are going to tell me that I can't do something is they too scared to do it themselves. The things that he has done thus far have amazed me because he makes sure that he creates before criticizes. That way the idea gets out first, then tweaking or perfecting it comes later.

Both of my friends, including countless others all have one thing in common: they help bring out the best in me. 

 1. They help push me

 2. Challenge me

 3. And hold me accountable for the mistakes I make and help me correct them

People like that always add to your overall aura and help manifest the positivity in your life. I'm sure that most of you have some people like this around you. It's the reason why I keep this type of company. You are always learning, always laughing, and always moving forward in the direction to success because your support system is successful and they want to see the same for you. So if you're not going in the direction you want to, aside from checking yourself, look at your company. Maybe you need to make some cuts on your team.

Spotlight YBE: Yahzilla

I used to replay a song called 'Elevator Muisc' all the time. It talked about reaching for the highest level of success and some of the stops along the way. The best part was that one of my good friends Yahya Ismail, was the creator. He is one the many multi-faceted entrepreneurs that I know. His talents range from videographer, to audio engineer, to musician. He has been able to exercise his resources wisely and begin to make a name for himself in many different capacities. Recently, he just finished up an album set to be released soon, started an online tv series called "Supa TV," and has been shooting videos for The Source Magazine, Bilal, and OkayPlayer.com just to name a few. The 24 year-old is setting himself up to be a renaissance man and is also spreading his entrepreneurial wings. He has always went against the grain and took risks to do the things that he dreamed of accomplishing, But like I say about all the people I can personally vouch for, their work speaks for itself. Take a look at some of his work below. You can contact him at  yah0102@gmail.com and check his work out at  yahspov.blogspot.com/ and www.supatv.blogspot.com/  

 Enjoy!!

 

Caesar breaks new YaYa Song on Shade 45 with Pete Rock from Yahya Ismail on Vimeo.

Capture studios fashion show promo from Yahya Ismail on Vimeo.

supa tv webisode 7 from Yahya Ismail on Vimeo.

Best of Both Worlds

The October issue of  Forbes Magazine had a very interesting cover story:  Jay-Z, Buffett, and Forbes on Success and Giving Back

Yeah, I said the same thing. In this picture Jay-Z, Warren Buffett, and Steve Forbes sit down to have lunch at the Hollywood Diner in Omaha, Nebraska, the home state of Buffett. The initial interview was done later that day at Buffett's office and lasted about an hour long. Forbes wanted to incorporate both mogul's perspectives on wealth, success, and social obligation.This picture tells a thousand words and then some. Would you ever have imagined this group getting together for lunch? And the funny thing is if I showed this picture to the students I work with they wouldn't even have a clue to who Warren Buffett or Steve Forbes is. Or why Jay-z would be sitting down with them! I guess that's where my obligation to them comes to play. Anyway you can catch the article in the October issue of Forbes Magazine or click the link to read it now at

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-

Enjoy!

The $6.7 Billion Man

The kingpin of the social empire Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that he will be donating $100 million to the Newark, New Jersey public school system. According to ABC News, the 26 year-old entrepreneur said that he, New Jersey gov. Chris Christie, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker will be publicly announcing the donation on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" on Friday. Some people feel that this is just a PR stunt to boost the CEO's profile and movie, which will premiere next week. For all the PR professionals that I know, tell me what you think. Is he genuine or not? You be the judge.

Check out a clip from the movie "The Social Network"
Check out the full article at abcnews.go.com/Technology/zuckerbergs

Changin' Lanes

A few days ago, I had a very interesting conversation with a lovely, intelligent young woman last night. Ms. Patterson and I were in the hospital visiting someone when a nurse walked in to take the patient's vitals. Out of nowhere, she said, "I should have a been a nurse." Now this isn't the first time I've heard her say this but as the conversation continued, I noticed that this was something that she was passionate about. She said that she didn't pursue nursing earlier because someone had told her that she wouldn't make any money and she felt that the math might have been out of her league.

Now the crazy part is the nursing field fits her to a T, but nonetheless she went a different route.(Sidenote: she still loves the other path that she took and she's a light-weight beast). So my challenge to her was that if that is something that you feel you have a passion for than why not pursue that dream? She began to say, "You know what, I'm going to look into that and see what happens." That's what I'm talking about!

The beauty of being a human being is that we have the distinct ability to make choices. We're allowed to change our minds. We make decisions, then sometimes decide that its not the right path for RIGHT NOW, take step back then change lanes. Nobody ever said we can't switch lanes again but we are allowed to pursue different dreams. 

We know that we need money to survive but that should not dictate what you do to make your life fulfilling. That's when creativity comes into play, i.e. entrepreneurship. The issue comes when there is a lack of creativity,a lack of determination, or to encompass all of it, FEAR. I'll save that conversation for another day. Bottom line is to make sure that you learn how to exercise your right to change lanes, even if the other drivers are too scared to.

Fear: Part 1

Every human being has fell victim to the almighty factor that is always present: fear. This one emotion is responsible for countless wrong decisions or no decisions at all in many situations throughout history. The inability to be able to make decisions due to fear has cost many people jobs, relationships, in some cases lives. Although it is extremely difficult to shake fear, you can learn how to manage it. When I first heard this concept, I was confused but I soon learned what it meant. Managing your fears allows you to recognize them but not let them keep you from accomplishing your goals. These can also come in the form of excuses, which are very common. Here's an inspirational passages I never get tired of hearing by Marianne Williamson:

 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

-Marianne Williamson

I'm working to manage my fears so that I can move forward with my journey. Believe me, this a lot easier said than done. Everyday I try to make a conscientious effort to address fears of mine, even if it's something small. Try to write some of your fears down and see if you can learn how to manage them. I will be coming back to this topic more often then not, so don't be surprised if it becomes a frequent post.

Spotlight YBE: "Brown Sugar"

Each week I'm going to profile a few young, black entrepreneurs that I think are on their way to success and can offer something to the general public. So why not start with the people that I know the best: my friends. I have plenty of close friends that are on their way to becoming successful entrepreneurs, from music to media. So here's the first.

Every so often I go online and get my fix of entertainment, music, and event news. I have many blogs that I will religiously go to that have reliable information, varying perspectives, and interesting events to attend. One of my favorite sites to go on is Girlmeetspr.com.

The creator, Melissa Patterson, has a very simplistic, genuine yet well written way of relaying information, with a perspective that is clearly her own. Her blog is dedicated to event planning, entertainment, and lifestyle news. Her articles are trendy, often exposing the public to unsigned artist or little known events that deserve the spotlight not given in the main stream blogs. She is also in the process of starting a public relations company and possibly an event planning company. Don't take my word for it, go check her out at www.girlmeetspr.com, and I'm sure you won't be dissappointed! You can also contact her at Girlmeetspr@live.com and follow her on twitter @GirlMeetsPR .

"So Much on my MindThat I Can't Recline..."

I've noticed that through all the start-up business advice that you can get...the most important work that you can do is on yourself. Most of the information that I have been reading and listening to has always gone back to one point: yourself. The self-analysis process seems to be the underlying message to all the advice that I have received thus far.

So my problem is not that I don't have any good ideas, it's just that I just that I can't decide which one I'm going to dedicate my time to. On the one hand, I don't want forget about all my good ideas but at the same time I need to commit to a task and see that it gets done. It's like one person having many tabs open on a computer; you might look you like you're being productive but really, nothing is getting anything accomplished. Right now, I need to sift through the many ideas and figure out which one I'm going to stick to. My passion. That is a difficult question to answer but it must be done.

Is This Thing On?

Mic check (taps mic). Hello world and welcome to the life of an up and coming young entrepreneur. It's taken me a few months to get the courage and the motivation to sit down and share my world with YOU, the people. In order to help me learn from my mistakes, I'm going to be sharing the mishaps, misfortunes, and triumphs of a young, black entrepreneur (hence the title of the blog). I figured that the best way to get started in this process to become financially free would be to take the first step. This blog will hopefully chronicle my journey, as well as others, on their path to become an entrepreneur at a time when most people are shoving their dreams in the trash can. Writing my experiences here will definitely help me but hopefully help YOU to take that leap of faith and like Nike, "just do it."