Entreprenuer – sisters like us win

Posted on April 19, 2021 by delta — Leave a comment

Business Minded: Starting a Business

Starting a business.

Everyone wants to start a business. But is everyone mentally ready to journey down the road of business ownership?

Is it Easier to Work for Someone?

Yes! It is easy to work for someone else. You submit your resume online, and fortune enough, the hiring person: usually someone in human resources will reach out after gone through hundreds if not thousands of people hoping to land the same job. You are contacted to see if you are still interested in the position. If so, you schedule an interview by phone or in-person to see if you are the right fit for their company and you, as well, get to ask questions to see if the company is a good fit for your career goals.

Nevertheless, you show up, give your best first impression, and, if you are lucky, you are either offered the job or scheduled to return for a second interview with someone higher up within the company or who you will be reporting to each workday.

If you accept the offer you, agreeing to their terms and policies, you get a beginning date, work, and roll in some dough. But, as I said above, hundreds if not thousands have applied for that exact position so, the odds of you getting it can be like winning the lottery. And if not so lucky, you are back at the drawing board, computer searching the internet for another position you may qualify to perform.

Mentally Hard Business

Searching for employment is hard work, especially since the pandemic hit. But searching is a full-time job; in itself. And starting a business is even much harder.
As stated above, working for someone else’s process; but when working for self be mentally ready to wear many hats and the long work hours.
People tend to think owning a business is easy. I am here to tell you that it is not!

Business ownership requires a certain level of mentality and discipline, not to mention a lot of time and money. Because it can get stressful and lonely if you do not have a team, people around you to support and encourage your idea.

When starting a business, if you are going at it alone, you must be your therapist, cheerleader, and staff unless or until you have revenue flowing in to outsource or hire staff.
Not everyone can visualize your business idea, and honestly, not everyone wants to see you owning one and succeed.

It is not necessarily because they are haters but because they either have not or do not dare to start one themselves or can’t understand why someone would go through the trouble when someone has already done the hard work for you.

Equipment and Skills Needed to Start a Business

Besides being your own biggest cheerleader, you need to be strong-minded and have thick skin.
Being a published author (Cracks in the Pavement series), I have always admired J.K. Rowling’s tenacity in never giving up hope of getting Harry Potter out into the world.

Starting and owning a business requires a certain kind of mindset everyone’s equipped with.
Self-motivation and self-awareness: knowing your best skills and weaknesses are a good way to gauge if someone has what it takes or is cut out for business ownership.

The List

Below are a list of equipment and skills needed to set up and grow a business because the owner will wear many hats early on.

1. Mentality: Your brain is the computer operating what goes in and what goes out. Should virus-like stress or doubt infiltrate the owner’s mind, the operation can be temporarily put on hold if not shut down.

Having a business plan to refer to staying focused and positive thinking is a way to protect viruses from getting in. It is a requirement to not only run a successful business but our daily lives.

2. Discipline: This requires a strong mind and desire to stay on track with getting the tedious day-to-day task done.

There will be things about growing a business you will love doing and completing the task you dread having to do. But compiling an email list or cold calling can pay off. Think of JK Rowling. Discipline and persistence will eventually pay off.

3. Consistency: When smartphones are reimaged for upgrade and or, updating; data and functional capabilities are consistently being considered and added for better output or use for the consumer. The same is for a business. What you put into it is what you get out of it. So little efforts put in, small results come out.
Keep working at it. The payoff will come.

4. Drive: like a computer drive, one must hold onto and keep (store) in mind the why they started the business in the first place. Holding on to the why you started, the purpose, and intentions will drive out passion and motivation to keep going even when those tough moments arise.

Conclusion:
Being mindful and mentally aware of doubt or stress getting in, staying disciplined, being consistent, and keeping the why at the forefront will drive you, business awareness, and consumer connections.

Like any life goal or success, a business simply blooms with deciding to start one, an idea, and hard work.

Daily Affirmation: I have the mindset to start a business and see it through.

Whichever flower you choose to be BLOOM!
Dawn

Posted on April 12, 2021 by delta — 4 Comments

Behind a Name and Branding

What is behind your name or brand?

I once overheard a colleague pose this question to another co-worker:

“What if Dawn Dean isn’t her real government name?”

It ticked me off, seeing how I had come so far to adore my name and its meaning (first light, to begin).

Yes! I had a problem with my name growing up because it did not have more syllables. I know, crazy, but I love it now and wouldn’t change it if I got paid to; then again, maybe I would consider it for a tax-free cool million. Nah!

See, I have always believed if I had nothing else, I had my name, my character summed up in a nutshell, representing me when I am not present in the flesh, sort of like a business card.

I quickly got over her ignorant remark and asked God to forgive her cause she clearly, did not understand that her words or actions could influence others and turn a person’s life upside down.

Besides, I know, and God knows my name.

Over my life, I have learned people will attempt to write your narrative to suit their desires of how they wish to perceive you instead of getting to know the nonfiction version of someone or something.

It’s just unbelievable how people are always so quick to spread untruths to make themselves feel good. Anyhow a name, brand, company is the sum of its character (products and services).

A business name

A business name and its logo represent the character behind the brand.

The name and visuals draw attention to the company or person and are, in most cases, if not all, the deciding factor if one should buy into the brand or try out the product.

Buyers first see or hear the product advertised via radio, television, magazines, and social media. They may or may not click the offer button or google the name and buy.

Once they like the products or services, the name becomes the face of the brand or business but, the quality of the products or services keeps consumers coming back for more at any cost.

The quality behind the name

Take this Hermes silk top and this power red yet sexy Escada skirt that will forever hang in my closet. Why? Not so much for the name per se. But because I love them, the quality of the materials, the classic silhouette and print, and their versatility.

Are you beginning to see why someone questioning my name, my character, my identity would tick me off? LOL

But like with poetry and painting, people will have their preconceived notions and interpretations of what the author is conveying or what the artist’s thoughts were behind the painting.
Sometimes that can be good if that is what the artist wanted but sometimes, in real-life, with people, it can be harmful to assume.

In my blog, the business look has changed as my life has changed. But the intention behind the concept has not.

Take Dominos. It started with the name Domino’s Pizza, offering a variety of pizza toppings and crust options. As the menu evolved, adding sandwiches and other products, so did the name.

However, some companies’ names are better left alone IHOP as an example. IHOP, the International House of Pancakes attempted to change its name to IHOB, International House of Burgers. Now, I will say, their buffalo chicken sandwich is delicious, but in the twenty-plus years of eating there, I have chosen to eat their airy, fluffy pancakes on most visits.

Adding products or services to your brand or business is a great way to expand your brand, reach and help others, but what I found most difficult in building my brand/business is choosing which product to be the star. Should it be my books or my story of how I have overcome adversity?

I’ve struggled, questioning if I should have two separate entities or merge the two things I wake up passionate about; writing and helping others together (blog).

Though my name is important to my brand, it helps build a relationship with my readers but getting the right message out is most valuable, and your sis intentions. Should my name never be remembered, but something I said or wrote is, I have served my purpose, met my exceptions, and won.

Because if I changed my name to Michelle or Kenya, it wouldn’t erase my life experiences or my desire to inspire others through writing books or blog posts. And like those restaurants I have mentioned above, I have my special recipe to offer sisters like us that encourages us to win.

Whichever flower you choose to be BLOOM!

And check out your sister YouTube spot Dawn Dean Sisters Like Us Win.

-Dawn

Posted on July 13, 2016October 3, 2019 by delta — Leave a comment

The Entrepreneur Giving Back

You may not have heard of Miora Evasoa, the entrepreneur giving back to her community of Madagascar (yes there is such a place), but you will. Miora, have had dreams of owning her own business as a little girl and coming to America has allowed her to dream big. With her beautifully handmade crafted handbags, hats and clothing. Miora is able to help those back in her home town of Madagascar where the raffia palm tree grows and is harvested by hand for the locals to craft goods to export.

Miora Evasoa

https://www.facebook.com/BagEra.US/

Entrepreneur and Humanitarian

http://WWW.BAGERA.US

Miora has two passions, entrepreneurship and helping others. Born and raised in Madagascar, she started her first business at age of 13. She sold snacks at a table in town to help support her family. She later earned a double major in marketing and tourism from the University of Antananativo.

Miora moved to the United States in 2014 with the goal of starting her own business. After earning a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Northern Virginia Community college, she launched Best of Madagascar, LLC. Best of Madagascar gives America (and the rest of the World) the opportunity to buy high-quality, fair trade handcrafts, clothing, and other goods from Madagascar. According to Miora, “My dream has always been to own my own business, but my passion has always been to help others. Best of Madagascar lets me accomplish both.”