Building a business takes time and effort. Along the way, we are all bound to make a few mistakes. In over 10 years of coaching, consulting with, and interviewing business owners, I've helped them avoid quite a few mistakes. In this episode, I'm sharing 9 of the biggest business-building mistakes I've come across. My hope is you will learn from them and avoid them as you build your business. Listen on Apple Podcast You’ll learn: * 9 Big Mistakes Entrepreneurs...

Today’s guest Kimba Williams and her co-founder Board Certified OB/GYN, Dr. Barb met on a cruise. They got to talking and discovered that even though they could find nontoxic alternatives for everything from shampoo to body lotion, they struggled to find natural options for feminine health and hygiene products. After the cruise, they decided to team up and worked with a chemist to develop Kushae - a line of natural, non-toxic feminine health & hygiene solutions that support women...

If you’ve ever had a bad reaction to costume jewelry, you’ll understand why today’s guest, Maya Portorreal, launched Kitten Co Jewelry. After not being able to find affordable jewelry that didn’t irritate her skin, she created a custom line of .925 Sterling Silver Jewelry that is water-safe and sensitive skin-friendly. She turned her $800 initial investment into a $472k/year business. In this episode, Maya is sharing all the details of how she built Kitten Co Jewelry. From finding her...

Creativity is not just for "artsy people." After interviewing over 50 people from different industries, today's guest has distilled the art and science of creativity into frameworks we can all use. As a Creative Strategist, Natalie works with leaders to help them weave creativity into the fabric of their businesses. In fact, she says there is a direct line between creativity and increased ROI in a business. If you're looking for ways to get out of a slump and boost your...

New business owners are either hesitant to promote their businesses or feel unsure about where to advertise or what to say. Instead of shouting for the rooftops about the amazing thing they've built, they choose to wait and see if customers will come their way. The internet has so many free tools and platforms that can help you get the attention of thousands of customers from the comfort of your own home. For week 4 of the Side Business Lab Bootcamp, I’m showing you a 5-step...

Once you’ve decided on a business idea and have gotten clear on who it’s for…it’s time to figure out whether or not this is a viable business. We want to know if people will actually pay for the solution we’re offering. Instead of spending years tinkering without knowing if anyone wants what you have, try this 2 step process. For week 3 of the SBL Bootcamp, I'm showing you how to validate your business and get your first sales. Each boot camp episode will have a...

Not everyone is your customer and the sooner you learn that, the better for your business and your sanity as a business owner. When I ask excited new business owners who they hope will purchase their products and services, they often say "everyone!" Unfortunately, that response is the equivalent of trying to chase multiple rabbits in different directions. For week 2 of the SBL Bootcamp, I'm showing you how to figure out who your ideal customer is. Each boot camp episode...

When most people think about starting a business, they probably pull out their notebook and start listing out all the businesses they think would be cool to run. What you may not realize is that this is approach is backward and is ultimately is a big part of why your list of business ideas is sitting somewhere gathering dust. So today as a part of a 4-episode side business lab bootcamp, I’m going to lead you through a process that will help you start building a business! This...

Have you ever been at a nail salon and wondered what it takes to run it? All the products lining the walls; the line of people waiting; the phone ringing off the hook…What does it really take to launch and run a successful nail luxury salon? Today’s guests, Kelli Coleman and Anika Jackson Odegbo, launched The Ten Nail Bar with no experience. Six years later, they not only have their flagship location in Detroit but have also opened a second location. They have been so successful they...

As a business owner, it’s vital that you learn to pitch your business. Oftentimes you only have 30 seconds to convince a potential customer that you have the solution they need. Today’s guest has not only been on Shark Tank but has helped 7 of her clients get successfully funded on the show as well. She’s the Killer pitch master and she’s teachings us how to take nonexistent or basic pitching skills to killer pitch status. If you’re ready to learn how to land new clients,...

If you or anyone close to you suffers from food allergies, you’ve probably inspected ingredient lists and food labels to make sure it’s safe for you to eat. Because of her allergies to milk and wheat today’s guest Nubian Simmons, decided to learn how to make her own dessert mixes from scratch for people with food allergies to the Big 8 foods. 5 years of trial and error and $100,000 later, she has developed a line of products that ensures everyone can indulge in dessert. In this...

Have you ever wondered who owns the vending machines you come across in places like hotels, hospitals, and gyms? What if I told you every day people like you and me could own those vending machines? Today’s guest turned a $650 vending machine into a multi-6 figure business. In this episode Crystal Warren, better known as Crissy Tutors, walks us through the steps we will need to take to launch a vending machine business of our own. From the best places to find vending machines, to how...

After getting laid off from her job, today's guest not only set up a thriving virtual assistant agency but also trained over 100 others people to launch their own VA businesses. In this episode, she walks us through a roadmap we can use to set up a VA business of our own. As of May 2021, the percentage of job postings on LinkedIn offering a “remote work” option had skyrocketed by 357%. Given that employers are now more open to a virtual workforce, the marketplace is ripe for virtual...

How would you like to be so productive that you free up 20-30hrs of your time every week? Today’s guest is going to teach us exactly how to do that for ourselves. Kierra Asnauskas is a productivity coach who gives business owners and leaders, in general, the tools they need to be more productive. If you've ever wondered "where has the time gone?" or felt like you don't have enough time to get things done, Kierra's systems will definitely help create a mindset shift. If you're...

It's February and I'm only now dropping the first episode of 2022. If you've listened to the past four seasons of the show, you know that's not typical. So today I'm sharing where I've been in this solo episode to kick off season 5. We'll be back with regularly scheduled guest interviews this Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcast What's In My Update: * How are things with the business?* Why I took a break* What's next?* Our first family vacation in a while* Buying a...

How does the average person come to own a hotel? Did you know that 50% of the motels in the US as owned by Indian Americans? As a 33-year-old, today’s guest purchased a Hilton hotel. Until I met Davonne Reaves, I had never thought of purchasing a hotel as a business or even as an investment. You’ve probably guessed that she is in the minority as less that 1% of hotel owners are Black women. Davonne started her career working at the front desk of a Hyatt hotel at night while she...

I recently received an email from a listener who is thinking of starting her own video podcast and wanted to know how I went about creating my video podcast. So...In this episode, I'm sharing my entire video podcast production workflow. From the right software, equipment guest pitching processes, and more. Adding a video component to this show has really taken it to the next level! If you're interested in hearing how I do it, click play! Listen on Apple Podcast You’ll...

We all go through those times when we feel like we should be so much further with our businesses or feel like we’re not doing a good job.  In today’s episode, I’m sharing 7 Questions To Ask Yourself If You’re Struggling With Your Business. These questions will help you troubleshoot the challenges you’re facing. I’m also offering some action steps you can take if you find that the questions relate to you. Listen on Apple Podcast You’ll learn: * 7 Questions To Ask Yourself...

In today’s episode, we meet Rita Onyx, the CEO of multi-media company, Onyx Star Media. Along with her family, she has built a multi-million-dollar portfolio that includes original video content, books, games, music, apparel, and more. Two weeks after starting their YouTube channel, she quit her job as a nurse practitioner. Since then, their brand has consistently made six-figure months. Six years later, their portfolio has expanded to include a flagship animated series streaming on...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to host a virtual event? If you’re interested in learning how you can incorporate virtual events into your business, take out your notebook because today's guest, LaKisha Mosley is sharing her playbook with us. LaKisha is a virtual event producer and CEO of The LM Experience. The pandemic forced her to find ways to help her clients continue to get the word out about their products and services through events. During our conversation, Lakisha...

Have you ever wondered what sets the Googles and Amazons of the world apart from the rest? Why are some companies more successful than others? What makes them great? It turns out these companies didn’t get to where they are by chance and researchers have been looking to their success for years. So in today’s episode, I’m sharing 9 reasons some companies achieve greatness while others are just…good. If you’re in the process of building a company, these 9 traits could help set your...

In today’s episode, I’m talking about the adjustments that new entrepreneurs need to make as they navigate the journey of running their own businesses. This topic isn’t talked about much even though we all go through it, which is why I’m breaking down the five things every new entrepreneur needs to know before they make the switch to full-time.  Click that play button if you’re ready to start your entrepreneurial journey off on the right foot using the tips and tools that helped me...

In today’s episode, I’m offering a different perspective to some popular business advice we often see on beautiful Instagram graphics. While on the surface this advice may seem harmless, if not inspirational, I’m breaking down how this advice can actually be harmful to the growth of your business when you’re first starting out. Click that play button if you’re ready to double-check the business advice you've been following. Listen on Apple Podcast You’ll learn: *...

In today’s episode, I’m giving you my 5 best tips on quitting your job to start a business or go full-time in your current side business. It’s not an easy decision and certainly shouldn’t be made in haste. That’s why I break down how to determine if this is the right decision for you, why you need to get a realistic idea of what it takes to be successful as an entrepreneur, and the importance of setting up a solid plan for when you actually follow through with quitting your job.  Click...

In today’s episode, we meet Briaan Barron, the Creative Director, Strategist, and CEO of Grail, a streaming and social network platform that helps people of color source and share simple, how-to video tutorials for hair, skin, nails, and body care. After several mediocre experiences at her local salon, Briaan took beauty matters into her own hands and created an online destination dedicated to high-quality self-care rituals for people of African descent. During our conversation, Briaan...