#HERstory2.0: she is ME! -Jania Massey

#HERstory2.0: she is bold… she is ambitious… she is aware… she is a believer… she is a dreamer… she is ME!

Circa 1991, a typical day with my great grandma, Mama Julia, watching Price is Right and eating her famous grits. I was only 8 years old and I knew it was time to clean and play in Mama Julia’s costume jewelry. This was my favorite time of the week. Every Tuesday was “pull out the goods” day and Mama Julia allowed me to play, try on and take pictures of all my favorite accessories. This moment defines my introduction to fashion and beauty and to this very day, I have my favorite pieces from Mama Julia (RIP). To be totally honest with you, I had no idea that I would end up being the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Ethan and Zoey, a fashion styling company, all I knew that I loved fashion. Back then, fashion wasn’t as popular as it is today, I mean the Art Institute was only in LA and Janet (my mom) wasn’t having me be across the United States alone. I remember growing up wanting to be a dancer and if I would have kept at it, I would probably be behind Beyoncé performing “Who Run the World.” Ok that maybe a stretch but I always knew I was creative, had my own sense of style, direction, pose and I needed to be heard in one way or another.

Who knew that God would align my entrepreneurial spirit with my passion for fashion in creating a company? Ethan and Zoey was established by Deidra Young and myself, officially in July 2009. Thinking back on it, Deidra and I had the same exact idea and vision to start this company individually, but God saw fit to merge us together. We have had the pleasure in working for Macy’s, TJ Maxx and Marshall and we most recently became fashion editors for a Charlotte based magazine called, The Spread Magazine. I can say that the Fashion world isn’t an easy profit, the ugly truth about fashion is that people want to look good but don’t necessarily want to pay or pay a lot. But the beauty of fashion is those clients who do love the results and give you that hug assuring a job well done. I will never forget the smile of a client’s face at the end result of a photo shoot. Beauty maybe only skin deep but a smile exudes happiness that can’t be measured.

I am also an avid volunteer in the community and in April 2013 I created a volunteer group, Philanthropy Circle 365(PC Group 365), which recently (June 2014) became a 501c(3) organization. The bases for this non-profit is to develop a new trend – “giving back is dope”.  In a very short time, I have had the honor to raise money for different charities by using my skills of event planning and marketing. My very 1^st event was a kickball tournament that raised money for Miracle League, a baseball league for special needs children, and we raised $2400. Currently, I am planning my next event which is a gala to raise funds and awareness for Epilepsy Foundation.

Bottom line is, I encourage anybody to do what they love, and I know it sounds easy but I promise it so worth it. I have not accomplished all my goals, honestly I am still adding things to my resume, but I am further than I ever could imagine and so grateful that I took the first step, which is the hardest. I encourage anybody who is reading this to take that step, with God’s permission, and enjoy the journey along the way. It is nothing like climbing to the mountain top!!

Few encouraging scriptures:

1 Peter 5:7

Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 55:22

Make sure you follow my business(es) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

@ethanandzoey

@pcgroup365

@dearJania- personal Instagram

XO

Jania Massey, MHA

#HERstory2.0: This is who I have been created to be. -Yolanda N Davis

#HERstory2.0: I am a believer.  I am hardworking.  I am an overcomer.  I am compassionate. I am strong.  This is who I have been created to be. 

At the age of nine years old, my mom took me to Blockbuster to have an Ident-A-Kid video made.  These videos were made in order to increase the chances of a child being located should they get lost.  For the video, I was asked several generic questions such as my name and address.  But the question, or better yet the answer, that got the most attention was when I was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  I politely responded, at the tender age of nine, in my small, country dialect, “an accountant.”  Most would say, “What child says they want to be an accountant at the age of nine?”  Well, that would be me! 

I have always had a greater sense of purpose for my life. Following my dream to be an accountant, I have experienced the corporate world as an auditor at one of the nation’s Big 4 accounting firms. Although I strongly pursued becoming an accountant, I never lost my passion to also make a difference in my community. I founded two nonprofit organizations in 2008 and 2009. But I did not stop there, I decided in January 2011 to combine my passion for giving back and my corporate/financial background to form The Y9 Group, a boutique consulting firm specializing in 501c3 nonprofit administration and management. The Y9 Group’s mission is to enhance nonprofit organizations' ability to achieve their missions and sustain themselves over time through improved processes related to effective leadership and financial management.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, taking the plunge wasn’t a big deal. However, there has been a lot of unfamiliar territory throughout the process that’s made me question my decision to be a full-time entrepreneur, question my passion, and some days make me want to completely give up. Each obstacle that I have faced in life has shaped me into this being.  With every hardship I have chosen to believe that the Lord has “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give [me] an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).” With every barrier I have consciously chosen to work harder to overcome what was designed to hold me back.  With every triumph over each obstacle I have grown stronger and more compassionate towards those who will face the same challenges.  Life’s circumstances, my faith in my creator, and the conscious decisions I have made define me. 

Women Entrepreneurs 2.0 is an extension of my compassion towards those who may face the same feelings or questions when taking the big plunge to entrepreneurship. I, together with the co-founder and other ladies who share their wisdom with us each month, want to hold your hand through the process, helping to provide the encouragement and resources that you may need. Let’s grow together!

Yolanda N. Davis, creator of The successFUL Way, is an accomplished serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and follower of Christ. She is the founder and CEO of The Y9 Group, a boutique consulting firm specializing in 501c3 nonprofit administration and management; NC Realtor® and licensed real estate broker under Y9 Real Estate; and founder and president of both Tea Talk, a Christian women's fellowship, and The Y9 Foundation, The Y9 Group's philanthropic arm.

Yolanda previously worked as an auditor specializing in the financial services for Ernst & Young, LLP. 

She is currently a Juris Doctorate Candidate at Charlotte School of Law and holds a Graduate Certificate under the Masters of Public Administration program in Nonprofit Management from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a Masters of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology (minor in Chemistry) from Winston-Salem State University.  

Yolanda's passion for successFUL living is at the core of her growing empire and life philosophy. She is most committed to empowering women both spiritually and financially through strategies that help build, inspire, engage, and connect others. Yolanda is a strategist at heart, who loves to assist individuals in birthing the potential within them by creating opportunities for strategic thought - improving processes, rethinking strategies, and implementing solutions for success!

Website: www.TheY9Group.com | Facebook: /TheY9Group | Twitter: @TheY9Group

Instagram: @TheY9Group | About.Me: /YolandaNDavis

Diversify...Please

We all know (or at least you should) that branding is one of the most essential activities for every business, organization and individual—hey, if it were not for branding, most of our clients would not need us. However, today I’d like to focus in on the need for diversification—and I’m not referencing race, class or culture here. I’m talking about diversifying your business model, creating a foundation that allows for multiple revenue streams and eventual expansion in the marketplace. To withstand economic downturns, waning trends and any other factors that will impact your bottom line, you must learn how to be a “one-man band.”

When I was still attending Northwestern’ s Medill School of Journalism (before making the switch to Communication Studies in NU’s School of Speech), I was a broadcast journalism major with aspirations of stardom. One point that our instructors always drove home was that even though we were “broadcast” majors, we still needed to know how to do more than just look pretty and speak well. Our job was to be journalists first; everything else was secondary and icing on the cake. We learned early on that to be a success you better know how to work a camera, edit, produce and report—all on your own, without any assistance, hence the term: “one-man band.” The same applies to business.

As an entrepreneur, you need to understand all the ways you can diversify and grow your business, while still keeping it consistent and streamlined. It’s not easy; it takes careful planning, detailed strategy and loads of creativity. Think outside the box. But make sure that you understand all of the components that make your brand work. Yes, it is important to have a great team, but you still need to have an innate understanding of everything that is done. After all, it is your name—your brand.

The moral of the story? Create a brand that will grow with you, an overall foundation that will transition as you need it to. Ensure that your company is equipped with wings, able to fly to the next level at any given time. Sometimes you only get one shot. Be ready for growth.

Jameka S. Whitten is an entrepreneur, burgeoning speaker/media personality, blogger and Owner/CEO of JSW Media Group. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @JamekaShamae for updates, crazy commentary and inspirational quotes! 

Originally posted on JSW Pulse:  http://www.jswmediagroup.com/blog/diversify%E2%80%A6please/ 

Credit Report: How, What, When, Why?

How do I read my credit report, is a question that surfaces more than “How do I save when all I do is spend?” My personal examination, is understanding that a result of the lack of saving money does not have the capability of telling you, “no” in the same manner as a not so posh credit score does. “No to yet another credit card, No to a car loan, No to a personal loan, and No to the job that you’ve always wanted.” While reading a credit report can appear to be overwhelming it is actually a simple exercise.

The key to understanding the ins and outs of your report is to reflect on the “Did I’s” i.e.:

Did I apply for credit?

Did I open a new account?

Did I move?

Did my last name change?

Did I make all of my payments on or before the due date?

Did I allow any of my debts to go beyond 30 days past due?

Great anxiety goes into undertaking debt, with a great percentage of those emotions being a result of not knowing what’s on your credit report? Vanished medical bills, charged off credit cards, liens and levies that are a thing of the past (or so we think). We’re often afraid that if we scrape the surface, unexpected little creatures will begin to jump in our laps. The time is now to release any fear, and face what has kept you in bondage for years and for some decades. Let’s take a walk in the land of credit reports:

§  Review the most familiar items first, this would be your personal data. Is your name spelled correctly throughout the report? Are your current and previous addresses correct? Current employer and past employers in tact? Lastly, but most important is your social security number correct?

§   Next, let’s move to your accounts. Review each item, to confirm that each are correct beginning with the creditor, original amount, balance, account numbers, and your 30, 60, 90 day analysis, are all aligned with your contractual agreements.

§   As you navigate beyond your accounts, next in line would be your inquiries. Reflect back on any request to obtain new credit accounts, an increase in the balance of current accounts, or a background check that requires a review of your consumer credit report. Make certain that each listing is correct

§   If after reviewing your report, you notice inaccuracies or any uncertainties, devote time to contacting your creditors or the credit bureau to resolve these matters. Depending on the complexity of your information, it could take all 3 credit bureaus 30 days or longer to provide a letter of explanation.

§  The worse and most unproductive thing you can do to protect your credit is to not review your information at least twice a year, (every 6 months). Change comes by doing and facing that which keeps us in bondage.

For those of you, that are not already aware, www.annualcreditreport.com offers a free credit report minus your actual score. Use this site to your advantage to obtain information about identity theft, protecting your credit score, frequently asked questions, and more.

What steps have you taken to safeguard your financial future?

A corporate trainer by trade and a devout finance coach 24-7, Marsha has over 11 years of finance experience, she is the founder of Financial Empowerment, a non-profit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Marsha is dedicated to providing financial education and coaching to women, young adults, and children. Financial Empowerment offers educational programs, seminars, and sessions covering various personal finance topics to include: Saving, Budgeting, Debt Management, Credit Control, and Small Business-Consulting.

Committed to Financial Empowerment and its mission, Marsha has taken a holistic approach in her community and beyond by making appearances on WCCB-Fox News Rising, Fox News Carolinas Channel 4, and as a contributor to Single and Living Fab, Founding Editor Jacque Reid, and on Steel Leather Lace Elephant created by pRoy.

Marsha holds both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Management and Leadership, she is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.  In her free time, Marsha enjoys spending time with those dearest to her heart (her husband and son). 

Website: www.financialliteracy-coach.com | Facebook: Financial Empowerment | Twitter: @finance_litcoac 

Instagram: @marsha_finance101 | Radio: www.blogtalkradio.com/marshaandmoney