WEB Series 101 Experience w/ @WomenEntre2 Co-Founder Jania Massey

It has literally been 2 years in the making for WEB Series! It seems like yesterday in Panera Bread with our laptops up, bouncing off ideas, making plans, choosing instructors and coming up with structure. To think, we just completed our first class, I'm filled with such joy! I am so humbled and appreciative of the women taking this class and letting us be apart of their journey!

Lessons I've learned: TLG

1. Timing: we originally planned to launch this in 2014 but 2015 proved not only a better fit but gave more time for us to grow in our own businesses and purpose

2. Learning: we may have put this series together but I've been learning new things about business and making sure I apply it to the fullest. I am always a sponge and feel like I'm getting just as much encouragement as the women in the class.

3. Giving: the whole point of this series is giving. How can anyone succeed without giving back to others? To be an open honest vessel to others is not only a part of my purpose but necessary for my growth! Sharing is way more than caring, it’s loving.

All in all, I can't wait to see the future of this series! I hope we not only inspired but encouraged and motivated people to not be afraid and to know you can do it! Always strive for your best and always believe in your purpose.

WEB Series 101 Experience - Branding & Marketing w/ Jamie N Miller

Recently, I jumped over the fear of instructing to a large crowd as I taught my first class to a group of students about Branding and Marketing for your business as part of our WEB (Women Entrepreneurs in Business) Series 101 courses. All week I kept thinking what if they don’t receive the message or lesson I am trying to convey as an instructor, does that make me bad at leading in my business? I put the PowerPoint together and was sure that it was awesome. The night before I had to present, anxiety kicked in and I began to second guess every piece of information that I placed on the slides. I even thought about scrapping the entire thing and starting all over again. 3:34am came so quickly and there I was still up reviewing my slides. I prayed over my presentation and took a look at my slides one last time and said “You’ve Got This”. Needless to say I loosened up once I started with the slides and by the end of the class I was so thankful that the message was received and the students were able to learn some new things when it came to strategic branding and marketing for their business and personal life. I did teach myself a valuable learning tool as I finished the class and that is to just be ready! Things can come unexpected or they can be planned but if you stay ready you don’t have to “get prepared” for what will come! So appreciative of the experience and thankful for the beautiful group of passionate entrepreneurs we encountered during our first series! I’m looking forward to our next installment WEB Series 201 and the bonus series we are offering for 101 during the Summer!

Love and Light,

Jamie

Connect with Me via Social Media @The518Group Branding | Marketing | Brand Management 

#HERstory2.0: The World's Most Powerful Female Entrepreneurs by Forbes

Check out 16 women who Forbes says, "redefined power by building their own businesses against all odds." We've highlighted a couple below but check out the full list at Forbes HERE!

Sara Blakely, Founder SPANX

Photo: Getty Images for Spanx

"At 29 Blakely invested her entire life savings, $5,000, trying to come up with something flattering to wear under her white slacks. Six months later the one-time Disney World ride greeter and door-to-door fax machine salesperson found her new line of shaping underwear named one of Oprah Winfrey's Favorite Things. Since then Blakely has taken Spanx from a one-product wonder sold out of her Atlanta apartment to a powerhouse with $250 million in annual revenues and net profit margins estimated at 20%."

Sofia Vergara, Cofounder Latin WE

Photo: AP

"Offstage the Modern Family star is the critical co-founder of a 17-year-old talent management and new media company, LatinWE, which pulled in an estimated $27 million last year. This year saw the release of a social networking site connecting Latino talent with fans. A Pepsi spokeswoman calls the company 'the connective tissue between Pepsi and the Hispanic marketplace.'"

Have any stories of your favorite women entrepreneurs? Share in the comments below!

#HERstory2.0: Transforming the Financial Landscape of Money by Taking ACTion -Marsha Barnes

We often hear stories of people that have amazing ideas smashed into an even more amazing blueprint or business plan. My journey was the total opposite of this. Simply put I saw a need in my community and I went for it. No long drawn out prep sessions or prolonged desire for perfection. Just a thought that I took aggressive action towards to accomplish which is one of the overall objectives of The Finance Bar, “Transforming the Financial Landscape of Money-by Taking ACTion.” Prior to The Finance Bar, I lead a non-profit, Financial Empowerment-Charlotte. It was 100% non-profit. I was often asked the question of why I did it and the one that I always received was, “Why are you doing it for FREE?” As I look back, I wasn’t doing it for FREE. In a money sense yes, in a changing the thought process of my community and beyond no. There’s not a price tag that can be placed on service. The amazing people and organizations that I was able to connect with and continue relationships with may have never come to fruition unless I was willing to think beyond what I could gain. In fact I gained a ton. Knowledge, partnerships and my dream come true The Finance Bar.

My love language for personal finances comes from deep within. A deep rooted passion in changing lives. We often hear that “Money isn’t everything, or having good credit isn’t a badge of honor, or life goes on without money.” Actually, I totally agree. In the same manner I’ve seen the rewards of being financially prepared by squirreling away for the future. People not in fear of a pink slip because they are financially prepared for the curve balls that life can often throw us. It’s a space that’s filled for a topic often missed in many homes “financial literacy.” Dreams come alive when we commit to managing our finances appropriately. How many times do we delay those “I would like to……ideas as a result of lack of money?” Delayed vacations, or even a perfectly balanced month to pay our basic bills. Those mishaps keep me awake at night. Each of us deserves to show up in life in every aspect (physically, mentally, and financially).

My journey towards personal finance is a deed of speaking on a topic that matters and affects many people. I knew that it was my passion when I couldn’t stop thinking about it after experiencing the following incident. “I recall being in line at Target. As I stood waiting at the checkout I witnessed a young lady having every credit card that she attempted to use declined.” My heart instantly broke for her and from that day my mission has been to teach, by placing our focus on a topic that can help us or hurt. When I was younger and even to this day, I’ve always known my Mom to shop sale racks. Always saving, and living a seemingly minimalist lifestyle. I now find myself following in her footsteps. How awesome were here action taking teachings. J

Finding my passion, my purpose and honoring it is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I challenge everyone to step into their “thing.” Chances are the very thing that moves your inner being is a need to this world. Teaching, consulting, and celebrating inside the personal finance sector is work, it just happens to be a work that I “LOVE” doing.

By Marsha Barnes | Founder of The Finance Bar

www.thefinancebar.com

#HERstory2.0: Just Do It! -Joevanne Estrada

Honestly, I never in a million years thought I would even co-own a company let alone LIVE DOING WHAT I LOVE!!! My passion is twofold, I love higher education & sports! First and foremost I have the blessing of saying I am in my 10th year of my career in higher education as administrator and would not change it for the world because this line of work introduced me to the world of being a coach!  Higher education and sports has completely changed my life and these two ingredients combined have been responsible for so many of the successes we live to see today. 

During my time as a Coach I utilized my time during the summer to create cheerleading camps for my teams to fundraise, but most importantly to change lives! This idea then filtered into a bigger thing of its own when I formed a very close relationship with my teams captain Regan J. Hales, co-founder of UFIT.  Regan was an awesome athlete (and still is) she loved what we did when we would do cheer camps for the youth! She had a knack for planning and being my assistant in the summer :) Once Regan graduated we had this conversation about how great it would be if we did camps all of the time! It was like an epiphany!!! We talked about it and figured we can do it! We were so successful in what we did for every young girl we trained. We also saw the need for these young athletes to be exposed to TRUE CHEERLEADING & DANCE TRAINING because it rarely exists! 

Moving forward we were on top of it and created UFIT!!!! It was just an amazing feeling when we began to write the mission and vision for our business. To see that clients were quickly booking our services was just awesome. As the business operation manager I saw an increase in our clientele and events within the first year and a half. The support we have gotten from our main sponsors has been tremendous. I will never forget the first year we outsourced to Charlotte, N.C. It was our first time doing a youth camp for kids. Two weeks before we had maybe ten people signed up. Regan and I declared we will have this camp NO MATTER WHAT even if it’s under a tree branch. That is how driven we were about our passion and what we do! Luckily, we ended up with forty-five kids and it was absolutely amazing. 

Being an entrepreneur takes GUTS!!! You have to JUST DO IT (Like Nike says) and take the RISK as long as you know you are going to stick by what you do! I cannot ask for a better business partner and support around me. UFIT has faced a lot of trials, but through it all REGAN AND I have always found a solution to the problem. As business owners we survey the issues and risks, but focus on how we can be successful. There is never a dull moment in our office (lol our office's being talking to one another in our cars as we commute to work every day!!!). 

This is honestly a dream come true and I get the chance to not only train future cheerleaders and dancers, but encourage them to gain some type of exposure to post-secondary education and I am even willing to be that person they can talk to if jumping into a career is something they want to do! Cheer & Dance allows young people to develop interpersonal skills, they learn to work with others, and gain leadership skills all while cheering and dancing! Our UFIT athletes learn discipline, self-respect, and how to take care of their mind, body, and spirit. To know that I can assist in making a young person’s life better shows me that my purpose in life is being fulfilled each and every day!  Anyone who works with UFIT will ALWAYS REMEMBER US!!! 

Cheerfully yours, 

Joevanne Estrada 

#HERstory2.0: Changing the world, one squad at a time... -Regan Janell

I’ve always had a big mouth, athletic build (my arms were more cut than my brothers at the age of 6) and a joyous spirit (my soul has spirit fingers).  Cheerleading is life. Not just being out there in front of your school at a game, a spectators at competition or a crowd at a community service event, but it’s always been the art, the technique, the passion, drive and unity of individuals into a team and team into a family.

Jojo (Coach Estrada) and I came up with the concept over 5 years ago. She was my coach who was more of a mentor to me. I adored her hard work ethic, and more of how she pushed all of us on our squad because she believed so much in us.

After graduation, she asked me what I wanted to do, by this time I was more like little sis and she was the big sis making sure little sis was going to have it together. In the midst of that summer, we talked about the cheer camps we put on at WSSU and I told her, I didn't care if I had to put on a camp in the back area of my apartment complex, I was determined to have a cheerleading camp!

Thank God I told JoJo, because I don’t think the apartment complex would've enjoyed over 50 girls ages 4-18 all gathered doing obnoxiously loud cheers, dance routines, jumps, stunts and tumbling.

Since that year, Coach Estrada and myself have successfully conducted over 4 strong summers of cheerleading camps offered to inner city youth and aspiring and progressive athletes, gained multiple clients on the east coast from Virginia to Georgia doing private cheerleading camps specialize in the true essence of technical cheerleading with a twist of Non Traditional cheerleading moves within the Stomp and Shake tradition. Not only do we conduct cheerleading camps, private and open, Team Camps, CIAA Community Service events but we also have recently introduced ourselves to the Competitive world by hosting Annual Cheerleading competitions  in Charlotte, NC!

We are now officially 501 (c) 3 , operating with a board of true shakers and movers within the Charlotte community! *Two Snaps for the Board*

I can honestly say, YAAAAASSS we did that, and we’re still DOING!

Having a business partner is a gift from God and I thank him for the relationship that we've built personally as my sister and as business women. We do this! And we do it VERY WELL!

Follow us on twitter and IG @ufit365 and like our page on Facebook. 

#HERstory2.0: Find Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. -Jamie N Miller

#HERstory2.0: She believed that She could and so She did – Forward Progress, Faith Over Fear

From a very young age, I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. The thought of being my own boss has always been exciting to me.  At the age of 16, I remember making CDs for my friends in High School with their favorite songs and charging five dollars per CD. Fast forward a couple of years and I remember thinking of different ways I could make money on the side while I was in college and eventually once I graduated I created a secondary stream of revenue by starting the beginning stages of my very own “marketing” company by using my relationships with people I had met in my network to do small jobs for them.

Granted at the time around 2010, I was inexperienced as a businesswoman but I was sure to remain PROFESSIONAL. I made sure to stay in contact with people I’d exchanged information with just to stay on their radar if they were ever in need of my services. I’d always had a niche for “connecting people and things” and I was intrigued by how marketing companies created campaigns to catch the attention of their targeted audience. Not to mention that I graduated with a degree in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing.  I started The 518 Group “unofficially” in 2012 after moving back to Charlotte and quitting my Corporate America job cold turkey because I didn’t want to feel boxed in with my creativity and my heart wasn’t in that particular field or area of interest anymore. I rounded up all my business cards I had collected through networking and reached out to those contacts to let them know about 518 and to spread the word as well if their business associates were looking for some of the same services.  Initially things did not go as smooth as I had envisioned in my mind in 2013. I was working but barely making any money. I would get tired, burnt out, felt uninspired and completely at the point of wanting to give it all up. BUT THEN, 2014 was a year of rebirth. I learned more about myself, how to run a business, more clients came through and I made sure to reach out to those in my network and circle for inspiration and motivation. Creating those great relationships throughout the beginning stages of 518 helped garner solid partnerships and business relationships that would aid in the growth of my overall business. Some of my past and present clients & partnerships include, Fantasia (Album Release Party at Label NC), DJ Skillz, Big Dreamz, Inc., Wingzza, Designs by Danny (Fashion Jewelry Designer), Sip & Shop CLT, Women Entrepreneur 2.0, The Garner Circle PR, brandUScriptPR and more! The 518 Group, a boutique style marketing, branding, and brand management company, seeks to be the essential piece to the evolution of your business.  We work closely with our clients to create creative content to bring their vision to life. 

Along with The 518 Group, I founded a non-profit organization around 2010 titled PROJECT F.I.R.S.T.  (Future. Inspire. Respect. Self-Esteem. Teach.) which focuses on education and empowerment for our youth. I founded PROJECT F.I.R.S.T to assist students in gaining access to educational resources and outlets in my hometown. Coming from a small area, I know exactly how hard the journey was for me to pursue higher education whether it was lack of income for tuition, minimal exposure to different institutions because of limited resources, or just being unknowledgeable about the entire college student process. My non-profit helps bridge a few of those gaps. We provide scholarships for students pursuing higher education, fundraising efforts, free school supplies for students, etc. This year we are working to complete our 501c3 process.

Many times throughout this journey as an entrepreneur, I’ve felt like I wanted to give up but there was a deeper message that would play in the back of my mind, “Find Your Passion, Live Your Purpose.” I’ve built relationships with so many other women pursuing their passion it keeps me inspired to work so much harder. The process is not easy but the journey creates that beautiful story that all entrepreneurs will experience and seasoned ones can relate. BELIEVE IN YOU. FAITH OVER FEAR.

Be Sure to Connect With Me!

Twitter: @The518Group

IG: @The518Group

FB: @The518Group

Personal IG Page: @jay_meeSC

Non-Profit: @PROJECTFIRST {Twitter, FB}

New Website COMING SOON…

Best Wishes in 2015! –Xo

Jamie