Archive for 2013
Slow Down, to Speed Up with Kristie Kennedy
Slow Down, to Speed
Up!
Most purpose driven and visionary
leaders operate at a high octane pace, completely focused in pursuit of their
goals. Yet, even superman slowed down to be Clark Kent when necessary. The
power of rest gives you ammunition to un-leash your very best!
Without adequate time to restore
mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally we are short changing everyone
in our sphere of influence. A leader has great impact that ranges from those
closest at heart to the uttermost parts of the earth.
How do you know when it’s time to
pause for a moment of rejuvenation? What are the tell-tale signs?
How orderly is your living
environment? Usually, when we are moving at breakneck speed tidiness goes by
the wayside! Ask me how I know?
Lastly, have you been neglecting
your physical appearance? Personal
grooming is a primary indicator of where we are internally.
I know you may think you don’t
have a moment to waste; but if you honor your spirit with the gift of stillness
you will be able to accomplish significantly more in less time. The reason
being is that your intellectual capacity will be heightened with an increase in
clarity and the ability to execute precisely due to acute focus.
I am not just speaking in terms
of sleeping as a form of rest. You must be intentional and set aside a specific
time where you schedule space to allow yourself to breathe deeply and simply do
nothing.
In my home built sanctuary, I
light my favorite Hazelnut candle by Main Stay, plug up the waterfall and play
instrumental music in the background with a good book in hand to refill my
barren soul. We have the power to create inner calm whenever we decide to slow
down before we choose to speed back up.
Kristie Kennedy is a visionary leader, who serves as a women's beauty, business, brilliance and body image coach that operates in a multiplicity of gifts with a passion for empowering individuals to live magnificently in the face of adversity. She is a daring woman who is unafraid to take calculated risks. Her gift of inspiration brings a pure delight to anyone she meets. Ms. Kennedy believes it is essential to remain steadfast, unmovable and always abounding in the work that is set before you in order to achieve lasting success. For more information visit: www.kristiekennedy.com.
Entrepreneurs: Protect Your Ideas with Julie Holloway
Entrepreneurs: Protect Your Ideas.
According to Entrepreneurship Education — a core curriculum designed to teach kids in grades 4-12 what they need to know in order to run their own businesses — 80 percent of today’s college graduates will not be able to find a job in their chosen field of study. Given those statistics, it should not be surprising to learn 54 percent of those people aged 18 to 34 want to start their own businesses. When starting a new company, safeguarding your assets is essential to help your business thrive.
Back it Up in the Cloud
You probably know you are supposed to back up your data pertaining to anything of importance. This, of course, is of particular importance when you are brainstorming ideas of your business or hatching new plans to overtake your competition. PCMag.com’s lead analyst, Michael Muchmore, provides a great breakdown of a dozen cloud storage services. Keep the pricing structure and the type of plans available in mind when researching. Look for convenient features, such as folder syncing and mobile access, that make it simple to backup your data.
Add a Device
Don’t rely on just your cloud storage, though. Make a plan for those times when you might not be able to access the cloud. Having an external backup method in place gives you instant access to your data. While a USB device is a good choice for on-the-go data backup, choose an external drive for a full backup. CNET.com reviews external drives and offers unbiased opinions on the best products. Though price can be a big factor, buying the biggest capacity drive today will serve you well through the years.
Thwart Theft
According to the latest FBI statistics, dated in 2011, there were more than 2.2 million burglaries across the United States, an increase of almost 10 percent over 2010 figures. While many thieves are likely targeting your big screen television and heirloom jewelry, your electronic devices are also a target. With the advances in the industry today, you can truly devise your own unique DIY home security alarm. Set up sensors designed to alert you when one aspect of your security system is compromised. Get alerts of breaking crime reports in your neighborhood on your mobile device. You can even watch your home from your laptop or mobile device with the 24/7 access available today.
Bump up the Insurance
Though you likely already have homeowner, or renter, insurance, you might need a rider on your existing plan to cover any business related items that are damaged or destroyed in the event of a fire or theft. Although insurance might cover the cost, premiums go up, and your productivity goes down. Your best bet is to protect your assets by securing them at all times.
Being proactive with your assets, including your business computer, can help your new business get off to a great start. But regardless of whether you’ve just registered your LLC or you’ve had your own thriving business for years, safeguarding your company’s assets should be at the top of your to-do list.
Hope you enjoyed this post!
#TEWmovement
Poetry Corner with Trinisa Pitts
JUST BE YOU
No matter how hard you try to be someone else. The best person that you can be is You.
Don't try to change yourself for anybody else. Just be You!
Even when you are feeling Blue, and you don’t know what to
do?
You may cry alone
inside your room but don’t forget to Just be You!
You can smile on the
outside, but your inside are hurt still don't be ashamed to be You!
When someone looks
into your eyes. Let them see beyond the
disguise. Just be YOU!
Love who you were Then!
Love who you are Now.
Be proud you stumbled but did not waver. You did yourself a
favor.
You may have lost yourself many times, but you never fully
gave in and there is a reason why
You stood up for what you believed in and that was in YOU! Nobody
can be you but You!
The most important message I came to give to YOU!
Love who God wants
you to be. Love who God created you to
be!
JUST BE YOU!
POSITIVELY SPEAKING & THINKING with Trinisa Pitts
Have you ever wondered if the things that come out of your
mouth determine the level of your success?
We need to be more careful of the things that we say. Negativity is not a good source of energy
when we are trying to build and empire.
Have you ever thought about before you can be a leader you
must learn how to follow? I know what
you are saying. “I am not a follower!”
That is the mistake that a lot of people make when they decided to own
their own business. Nobody wants to be
told what to do. That is why everyone
that decides to start their own business do it because someone told them what
to do our how to do it and they did not like it. Nobody would listen to them. I will also tell you positively speaking that
that is the reason why most independently own companies fall in their first few
years of business. They will not
listen.
You must be open
minded and be flexible to change. You
must make the necessary adjustment to cater to the consumers’ needs as the
industry changes. Money is not the only
thing that makes a business stay on top.
The little people are truly the bread winners. You must be more open to
suggestions from the people that work under you. Those are the people that see the issues and
problems before they come. They work in
it every day.
Do you want your business to stay afloat? Listen to your people, see where they need
help! Don’t be afraid to have an open
minded positively thinking and speaking meeting so you will know what is going
on. That way if there is a detour ahead
you know how to adjust your business needs accordingly. You may have the plan but your workers, and
consumers may have the answers you need to broaden your business horizons. Positive speaking and thinking can change
your whole outcome in the direction your business may need to go.
The Conversation Continues: Stay-at-Home Moms Ready to Bust a Move (Part 2 of 2) By Delmar Johnson
The Conversation Continues:
Stay-at-Home Moms Ready to Bust a Move (Part 2 of 2)
By Delmar Johnson
In my last article I began to speak to stay-at-moms who were
ready to bust a move -- get out of the routine of home, soccer fields, PTA
meetings, school recitals, baseball teams, and other kid-centered
activities. While I've always found it
interesting that kids drive mom’s (and dad’s) schedules rather than the other
way around.. that's for another article perhaps.
Mom, Lets Review
Mentioned in the last article were five things to get you and
your new career jumpstarted. I hope these five tips got your juices flowing and
your mind ticking, helping you zone in on creating your new career plans.
1. Get clear about who you are
2. Take stock of what it is you have and own it
3. Identify what your career interests are now
4. Let your circle of influence know you are ready to get
back into the market
5. Network, network, network
6. The bonus: Lean into the fear
But maybe getting clear about who you are and taking stock of
what you have will take more than pulling out your iPad, lab top, or the trusty
pen and paper. You may even be asking yourself, “Where in the world do I
start?”.
Well, there’s simply no better place to start then at
the beginning. What makes you jump out the bed in the morning? What has you
excited for the day? Maybe it's knowing you have all kinds of great ideas for a
blog that you can't wait to get out there. Maybe it’s training for the marathon
you've always wanted to run but didn’t think you had time for. Maybe you're
finally starting back on that book you’d put on the back burner after the first
20,000 words.
As we get older, our priorities change. As women we, more
often than not, shrink who we are in order to let others shine--especially our family. Then, at the end
of the day, we have nothing left to give ourselves
and we begin to settle for what's left over. But let’s face it, that's no way
to live! The beauty of it all is that you absolutely have the power to change
what may have been your previous outlook. You have the power to create a new
path.
What are your interests now?
As the age-old saying goes, a woman has a prerogative to
change her mind! What interested you before becoming a stay-at-home mom may be
drastically different now, or, heck, it may very well be the same! The question
is what is it? What do you need to do
to make it happen? Lets explore...
Maybe you wanted to be a project manager.
How about a teacher?
An Executive Assistant?
Be a graphic designer!
A social media maven?
The possibilities are endless.
Take a Closer Look.
Previously I just skimmed the surface of the skill sets moms
develop during the course of raising their children and running productive
households. No mom underestimates the challenge of raising positive
contributors to society! But let’s go a little deeper by offering you some
scenarios based on the suggestions above that will paint a better picture of
what it is you potentially have developed and evolved into, of which you might not yet be aware...
SAHM Skills vs. "New
Opportunity" Skills.
Stay-at-Home Mom -vs-
Project Manager
Planning, organizing, negotiating, budgeting, scheduling,
regrouping, meeting deadlines, follow-up
Stay-at-Home Mom -vs-
Executive Assistant
Personal relations, attention to detail, sense of urgency,
scheduling, planning, organizing, negotiating, meeting deadlines
Stay-at-Home Mom -vs- A
Social Media Maven
Tech savvy, personable, enjoys writing and sharing
information, content creator, community oriented
On any given day a stay-at-home mom can pull out multiple
skills that mirror those you find in a corporate setting. Do any of those
skills sounds familiar to you moms? Some even repeat and overlap with each
other! Just because it wasn't in a corporate setting doesn't mean they
have no relevance. If anything, they're even more relevant because it dealt with real-life situations. I bet
some of you reading this even experienced a few “a-ha!” moments, or at least I
hope so!
Never let someone else diminish the relevance of your
talents, skills, or know-how because they weren't necessarily sharpened in a
traditional work setting. Keep in mind, the world of work today doesn't look
like it did yesterday and it takes flexibility and a non-traditional outlook to
compete and succeed.
Cheers to your success!
For more innovative
HR and Career solutions, contact Delmar Johnson at info@delmarjohnson.com.
Call her at 901.318.3006.
Her Business…. By LaTasha West
By LaTasha West
Chatting with the CEO in Pajamas series seeks to provide information and real world advice. Over the next few weeks I will share interviews that I have done with ladies who are running their own businesses and doing so successfully. These women are wives, mothers and business owners willing to share a small piece of their journey with you.
I hope this series encourages, motivates and inspires you to believe.
This week I chat with Summer Alexander, CEO of Summer Alexander Research
Here is what Summer has to say:
LaTasha: Summer, how long have you been in business now?
Summer: 2 years!!
LaTasha: What, if anything would you change about your journey in business?
Summer: Honestly there isn’t anything I would change – even the months with no clients, the days I felt like giving up and the many, many tears I shed. I’ve come to understand that every little thing I’ve experienced has been a necessary step on the path to get me to exactly where I am today.
LaTasha: What was the biggest misconception that you had about working for yourself?
Summer: That I would have more time! While I do have flexibility with my time, I am always in CEO mode. When I worked a job, at the end of the work day once I walked out the door I didn’t think about it again. With my business there always seems to be more to do, another idea to implement, one more email to send, etc…
LaTasha: Were you born an entrepreneur or did you become one? Explain.
Summer: I was definitely born to be an entrepreneur but didn’t always know it. I had a “good job” working with people I loved and making “good money” but I found myself unhappy – restless even. I didn’t know why. After 7 years I was downsized and found myself unemployed for the first time since I started working at 16 years old. Initially I loved the freedom of not punching a clock but there was always this inner nudge pushing me to do more. Turns out that nudge was trying to tell me I had so much more work to do in the world but not for someone else.
LaTasha: If you taught a class on entrepreneurship what would you name the class and why?
Summer: I teach a few however, my newest class is my favorite: “Master Your Mindset, Money & Marketing to Create a Successful Business” I’ve learned from personal experience how mindset (lack of confidence, comparison to others), mismanagement of money (failure to track revenues and expenses, not setting financial goals) and failure to consistently market your business are all roadblocks which if not addressed prevent success in business.
If you want to learn more about Summer or her business Summer Alexander Research visit:
Website www.summeralexanderresearch.com
https://www.facebook.com/SummerAlexanderResearch
Twitter handle https:// twitter.com/SummersResearch
From The Home Front to the Line of Fire: Entering the Workforce After Years as a Stay-at-Home Mom (Part 1 of 2) By Delmar Johnson
From The Home Front to the Line of Fire: Entering the Workforce After Years as a Stay-at-Home Mom (Part 1 of 2)
By Delmar Johnson
Ready to move from Stay-at-Home Mom to Co-Worker?
Maybe you've been a stay-at-home mom for the last 5, 10, even 20 years. You may miss the co-workers, managers, and vendors that you interacted with to get things done on the job. You may miss, let’s face it, adult conversations. Your time has been consumed with caring for your family, making sure everybody was doing well, growing and developing. But now you're at a point where you're asking yourself,
“What now? What's next?”
While you’re dreaming about getting back to doing the work you've enjoyed before, you might be having doubts about yourself. Frankly, society tells you that being a stay-at-home mom has diminished your skills, talents and abilities.
Before you go any further with that thought pattern... STOP! That couldn't be further from the truth.
When you know how to communicate and show the next new potential employer exactly the value you bring to their business culture and environment, you place yourself in the running of being seen by the right decision maker.
After 20 years of human resources and career-training experience, I see so many individuals in transitions in their lives run and dust off their resume, add a few things that may capture the attention of a recruiter, and just begin submitting one application after another via online submissions. I can unequivocally declare that is not the way to strategically land the next best opportunity that fits who you are now, versus who you were, who you have been.
Here are some first steps to take before getting to that point.
Five things to get you started toward a new career.
1. Get clear about who you are. Starting over or transitioning is the perfect time to reassess who are you are, what drives you, what fulfills you, what energizes you and what you do that provides the most satisfaction. This first step should be taken fully consciously and not rushed. When you give yourself the time and space to do it, you will probably be amazed by what comes to surface.
2. Take stock of what it is you have and own it. Grab your laptop, iPad, or simply a pen and paper and begin to identify what your talents, skills and abilities are. Take the time to actually write these down. Do you know what you have and can do? What better time than now to pinpoint what they are! When you aren’t quite sure about what you can offer, how will you ever be able to convey to a potential employer that you have what it takes? For example, stay-at-home moms have several skills and abilities that can easily translate into the market place - organizational skills, negotiation skills, disciplinary skills, budgeting and planning skills, and that's just to name a few. Think about your previous career skills and the skills that were required in raising a family, and put those down on paper.
3. Identify what your career interests are now. The career interests you had 5, 10 or 20 years ago are not likely to be the same now. Technology alone has transformed the employment market, and it's important that you research the changes. Define how you must align yourself to be competitive and identify the steps you need to take to be ready and noticed.
4. Let your circle of influence know you're ready to get back into the market. It's important to let your trusted circle know you are preparing yourself to get back out into the market for a new career. Let them know what you're looking for and the type of industry you desire. Ask if they are open to making personal introductions to people they know who are connected with the types of employers and career environments you want to be in.
5. Network, Network, Network. Most of the the best jobs in the market won't be found on the internet--they’re found in a networking environment. However, networking should be done strategically. There are meetups everyday and everywhere, but not every one of them is conducive to what you want and need. Be deliberate in choosing networking environments that could potentially have decision-makers in the room. For example, try greater chamber of commerce meetups, targeted business organizations like NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) or industry-specific meetups like SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management). These are just a few examples to get you thinking--find the one that works for you.
BONUS:
6. Lean into the fear, don't run from it. What do I mean by that? Going through change, it is inevitable that FEAR will show up every single time. The key is not to get so overwhelmed by it that you start listening to the voice of doubt, reasoning, and procrastination. Grab hold of the FEAR and, well, do it anyway! There are a few things you can do to operate effectively in the presence of fear:
(1) assess the fear and break down the risks,
(2) take small steps- you don't have to do everything in a day or overnight, and
(3) live in the present - give yourself permission to be in the present and not let your mind run off in to the future.
These are the first five steps that will get you jump-started and moving in the right direction. In making all of these moves, never forget to embrace the change you are moving through! When we choose to embrace the change, rather than fighting against it, the potential to be overwhelmed is diminished far more than jumping in with no direction and no sincere thoughts toward it. I hope you will join me in my next blog as I expand a little more on this topic, to get you Stay-at-Home Moms moving again with confidence.
For more innovative HR and Career solutions, contact Delmar Johnson at info@delmarjohnson.com. Call her at 901.318.3006.
POETRY CORNER with Trinisa M. Pitts
I’M A DREAMER
There is no limit to what I can do,
all I have to do is close my eyes and make it come true.
To pursue my dream that just may
become a reality I guess we will have to wait and see.
I believe in me! I believe that I
can do most anything.
I am a Dreamer, all I have to do is
dream the impossible dream.
Take a risk, and hope
that I don't miss.
I aim and shoot for the stars, the
sky and the moon.
You will see me succeed someday
soon.
I am a DREAMER!
Trinisa M.Pitts, Author -Writer - Poet - Motivational
Speaker, She is an Independent Columnist and a native of Syracuse, NY. Most
importantly she is A Woman of GOD. She started her childhood dream of
becoming a writer in 2011, with her first contribution in Chronicles of a Walk
with Christ. Her words of encouragement to her readers: Never give up on your
dreams. Always reach for your goals. Push forward and past your adversaries. In
everything you do, do it to the best of your ability and don't let anyone tell
you that you are not worthy. Contact her at www.trinisampitts.com or
ptrinisamichelle@aol.com.
Stop Playing the Blame Game with Yvette Wilson Bentley
Motivational Moments Article / Stop Playing the Blame Game with Yvette
Wilson Bentley
One of the first things that I learned when I
truly entered into a relationship with God is that I had to stop playing the
blame game. I had to stop pointing the
blame and accepting responsibility for the things that had happened in my life
and all that I didn’t do in my life up until my early 30s and even beyond for
the rest of my life.
One of the most comfortable things I had
found in blaming others is that it relatively easy and comfortable to point
away from the self and assign the blame to another human being, a group of
human beings, churches, schools, jobs – whatever represented anything or anyone
other than Yvette. But to turn the blame
on self, rather accept the fact that the blame lies with the self and belongs
to the self is a horse of a different color, let me tell you!
To say the least, having to look at self is
not pretty. Looking at self does not
afford one the luxury of having variety in the scenery or different focal
points – you are it, baby! Like the late
Michael Jackson sang, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him
to change his ways.” When you are
staring at self in the mirror, it is the reflection of self that dominates the
perimeter of the mirror. You may catch a
glimpse of background objects, but you are the featured attraction.
“Nowhere to Run” was one of my favorite songs
by Martha & the Vandellas when I was growing up, but it wasn’t until I was
in my mid-thirties when I realized the words of the song, “Nowhere to run;
nowhere to hide,” aligned with a statement that a friend had shared with
me: Wherever you go, there you are!
As a child, I used to visit one of my best
friend’s regularly and one of our favorite games was hide-and-seek. my favorite place to was to hide was in the
closet in her mother’s room. My friend’s
mother had a walk-in closet in her bedroom with one long rack on the back wall
that she hung her coats. Well, that was
my spot. Every time we played that
game, that was the first place I would go hide.
And every time I would go hide there, that’s where my friends would find
me. I remember I used to say, “Why you
always gotta find me?” “Because you
always hiding in the same place.”
As a ten year old child, the experience of
playing hide-and-seek bared little significance for me, other than playing with
my peers, but to view it from and adult perspective, my experiences of playing
hide-and-seek is a clear illustration of one of my familiar and favored
definitions of insanity: trying the same thing expecting different
results.
The same behavior I exhibited in playing hide-and-seek was the exact same
behavior when I was ‘hiding out in my own mind” – trying to find somewhere to
hide and people kept finding me in the same hiding place. Would things have been different if I had
discovered what others already knew - that my so-called “hiding place” was
actually a public forum? I would like to think things would have been
different, but if it were not for my life’s experiences – both good and bad – I
would not be the person that I am today.
I challenge you to stop playing the blame
game!
A native of Louisville , KY
In 2012, Yvette
self-published three inspirational/motivational books: Enhancing the
Journey, Enhancing the Journey: The Journey Journal and Pebbles in the
Sand. In addition, Yvette launched Words 2 Life LLC, which provides
manuscript editing and formatting services for clients seeking to self-publish
their works.Yvette is also an inspirational/motivational speaker who delivers
messages that motivates, and encourages people in an arousing yet compassionate
manner.
Bentley is
currently writing her fourth book, a memoir about various accounts of her life,
which is scheduled to be released in the winter of 2013. For more
information visit www.ywilsonbentley.com
A RADICAL INVESTMENT with Trinisa M. Pitts
A
RADICAL INVESTMENT
I know
you are saying to yourself what does she mean by Radical? I mean something out of the
ordinary. Something
that seems so farfetched, that it may seem impossible to achieve. Going beyond
the ordinary.
The
dictionary definition of radical is departing from usual; Pervasive,
far-reaching, searching or thoroughgoing.
So with
that I say are you ready for a radical investment to turn your business around,
to give your business just a little bit of flavor? Now the next question is going to be how do I
do this radical investment? Where do I start? It starts with you. You have to think about that one opportunity of a
lifetime. Put
that thought into play. What
must you do to get where you need to be?
First
you must have FAITH not money! Before you invest you must have faith in your
investment. You must say I know that this investment is going to turn things
around for me. Then
you move forward. Don’t
let anything stand in the way of investing in yourself and your business.
The
return on your investment is going to worth every penny you put into it but you
must move forward with caution. Know that every decision you make is detrimental to your
success. Your
attitude, your determination, your outward appearance, and most importantly
your branding. How do
you look to the world? What
image are you going to portray and stand by? Things that you didn’t think would make a
difference is going to be more of a priority now. You say why? I say because you have stepped outside of the
ordinary into the extraordinary to succeed. That means you have decided to be in a class
all by yourself. Different!
For an example you walk into a room where everyone is wearing Red you have
decided to wear Yellow! Stand out in the crowd. You have decided that you don’t mind being
talked about. People
are now curious to see what you have to offer. Catch my drift?
SO being unique and showing your personality in your Business
makes you different. That
means all aspects of your life play a vital part in your business and
career. You
have decided to move to the next dimension, and go that extra mile to get where
you need to be. That is
a power move that will bring about a prosperous Radical Return. Don’t give up. Be Radical and come outside of YOUR box.
Trinisa M.Pitts, Author -Writer - Poet - Motivational Speaker,
She is an Independent Columnist and a native of Syracuse, NY. Most importantly
she is A Woman of GOD. She started her childhood dream of becoming a
writer in 2011, with her first contribution in Chronicles of a Walk with
Christ. Her words of encouragement to her readers: Never give up on your
dreams. Always reach for your goals. Push forward and past your adversaries. In
everything you do, do it to the best of your ability and don't let anyone tell
you that you are not worthy. Contact her at www.trinisampitts.com or
ptrinisamichelle@aol.com.
Her Business by LaTasha West
By LaTasha West
Beyonce said it, and I am inclined to agree, Girls run the world!
Chatting with the CEO in Pajamas series seeks to provide information and real world advice. Over the next few weeks I will share interviews that I have done with ladies who are running their own businesses and doing so successfully. These women are wives, mothers and business owners willing to share a small piece of their journey with you.
I hope this series encourages, motivates and inspires you to believe.
This week I chat with Adrienne Adams, Business Coach & President of It’s Not Enough to Dream.
Let’s jump in:
LaTasha: How old were you when you started your first business? Tell me about it.
Adrienne: I actually was not a child entrepreneur. Selling lemonade and candy didn’t interest me at all. Becoming a business owner didn’t have much appeal until I graduated from college in my early twenties. I had decided to be a stay-at-home mom, but I still wanted to have some income earning potential. I briefly ran a home day care. It didn’t work out. But that was the first time that I wrapped my mind around being able to do something where I could serve other people, make money and still be able to place the needs of my family first. It took a while to find the right fit.
LaTasha: Have you made any costly business mistakes? If so please share.
Adrienne: Well, I try to stay away from terms like “failures” and “mistakes.” If a toddler falls while learning to walk, they didn’t make a mistake. They didn’t fail. It’s just a part of learning and perfecting the process.
With that said, yes, I’ve had several times where I’ve had things not work out as planned while I was learning and perfecting different business processes.
I remember spending a nice amount of money on a business system that didn’t quite work out the way that we envisioned. We spent weeks and weeks waiting for our contractor to develop it and took time to pay for it and we don’t even use it today. When everything was said and done, it wasn’t the tool that we were looking for. Some things you can only learn from trial and error. And sometimes it takes experiencing things that you don’t want to get clearer on what you do want.
LaTasha: Do you believe social media has helped your business grow? Please explain.
Adrienne: Absolutely. Right now, we have chapters in four different cities. We were able to connect with women for our group and launch new chapters using social media exclusively.
LaTasha: What has been your proudest moment in business to date?
Adrienne: The day when our payroll company sent a direct deposit to my bank account. And then I got the check stub at the office. I felt so legit.
All of us entrepreneurs have essentially the same dream. To earn a living helping people in the way that makes us feel warm and fuzzy.
And for so long, we’re doing the work. But the earn a living part is missing. We want real businesses, not the kind where we break even or just make a couple of dollars. We want paydays and check stubs.
So the moment when it all came together was most definitely a proud, dream-come-true kind of moment for me.
LaTasha: What advice would you give to someone considering making the jump in to entrepreneurship?
Adrienne: People have to understand that entrepreneurship is hard work. Everyone wants to skip to the end where they are sitting on an island sipping a cold drink and the money is in the bank. That doesn’t come right away. It takes time to learn and build and get into the flow of how things operate.
I’ve seen business owners get frustrated and quit because they have to work through the middle. Companies aren’t built overnight. Entrepreneurs should set daily goals and celebrate all of their progress.
It’s also very important to be true to yourself and do something that you really want to do and that you do well. That’s how your business ends up being a blessing to your customer.
Adrienne’s Business
It’s Not Enough to Dream Women’s Circle encourages women to reach their next level in faith and
entrepreneurship. Through fellowship, networking and tips to succeed from founder and President
Adrienne Adams, women learn how to stop dreaming and start putting action in place to achieve their
goals. Adrienne’s favorite motto is “If you can do all things through Christ, act like it!” and she encourages women to move beyond fear and live their purpose.
If you want to learn more about Adrienne or her business “It’s Not Enough to Dream”, visit:
Website www.itsnotenoughtodream.com
www.facebook.com/pages/ItsNotEnoughtoDreamMagazine
www.facebook.com/adrienneadamsdreamcoach
Twitter handle https://twitter.com/mrsdreamcoach
LaTasha West is an entrepreneur, speaker and certified small business development coach. To learn more visit www.latashawest.com.
What’s the difference between an Accountant and a CPA?- By Aradia Knight
When
asked if an individual is a CPA, you might hear this response, “No, I’m an
Accountant.” So, this begs the question: What’s the difference between an
Accountant and a CPA? The answer—legally there is no difference. The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that every
accountant or auditor who files a report with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) must, by law, be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Just as
a person who earns a medical degree must hold a medical license to legally
practice medicine, an individual must be a CPA to legally call himself or
herself an Accountant or Auditor. An accounting degree simply isn’t enough.
What
is an Accountant?
The
BLS uses the terms Accountants and Auditors interchangeably, but an individual
may use either term to describe their respective title. The basic duties of an
Accountant or Auditor include:
- Preparing and
examining financial records for accuracy and compliance with laws and
regulations
- Computing and
preparing tax returns
- Assessing a
business’ financial records to make sure the organization runs efficiently
and uses legal accounting procedures
- Maintaining and
organizing financial records
- Suggesting ways
to reduce costs, increase revenues and boost profits
- Explaining
findings to clients or employers using prepared reports
Other
professionals provide similar services, but only a licensed CPA can legally say
he or she is an Accountant or Auditor.
Types
of Accountants
While
Accountants and Auditors work with the financial records of individuals and
businesses, they generally fall under four main specializations:
- Public
Accountants:
CPAs perform a broad range of services, including accounting, consulting,
auditing and tax assistance. A true accountant is licensed as a CPA, as
this individual works with the financial documents that their clients are
required to disclose by law. Such documents can include balance statement sheets
or tax forms.
- Management
Accountants:
Requiring licensure as a CPA, a management accountant is also known as a
private, industrial, corporate, managerial, or cost accountant.
Individuals in this specialization generally work for organizations and prepare
information for budgets, performance reports and financial forecasts.
- Government
Accountants:
With duties that resemble those of a management accountant, a government
accountant has a CPA license and works with federal, state or local
governments to make sure that money is handled in a way that complies with
laws and regulations. Some government accountants audit the financial
records of businesses or private citizens to ensure compliance with tax
laws or government regulations.
- Internal
auditors:
These licensed accountants work for organizations and specialize in
looking for the mismanagement of funds. As auditors, they look for ways
that companies can use funds more efficiently and report fraudulent
activities.
Becoming
an Accountant
Having
a degree as an accountant does not legally make an individual an accountant.
Furthermore, most U.S. states prohibit using the terms “auditor,” “accountant”
and “accounting” to describe the financial services that one may perform if he
or she is not a licensed CPA. If, for example, an individual works in the
accounting department of a company without a CPA license and later starts a
private bookkeeping business, he or she cannot legally say that they held a
position as an accountant or provided accounting services. The
problem with using these terms is that it implies that the individual held the
appropriate license and was legally able to perform the services of a CPA.
To
become a licensed accountant, an individual must graduate with at least a
bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. The graduate must then
obtain relevant job experience before sitting for and passing a four-part CPA
licensing exam from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants,
which is administered by each state’s Board of Accountancy. Then, to keep the
license, a CPA must participate in continuing education classes. Accounting and
Auditing certifications from professional associations are available, but they
aren’t a substitute for a state-issued CPA license. True accountants use such
certifications as a means to specialize in an accounting or auditing field
of interest.
Being
an Informed Consumer
There
is no such thing as an individual who is an accountant, but not a CPA. There
are, however, unlicensed individuals who illegally say they are accountants or
provide “CPA-quality” services to look better to clients and prospects.
On the other hand, there are those who abstain from using such terms, but are
mistakenly labeled as accountants in phonebooks and directories. If you’re in
need of a licensed accountant, you can verify if an individual holds a current
CPA license by
state, nationwide. On the other hand, if you’re simply looking for a service to
help you with your personal or business finances, plan and prepare your taxes,
or launch a new startup… a bookkeeper can indeed provide these
services.
Aradia Knight founded
Aidara Inc. in 2011, bringing with her a solid background in accounting and
business development. Aidara, Inc. an online bookkeeping service
serving businesses all over the U.S. The Aidara team provides support for tax
planning, monthly business bookkeeping, and consulting.
