Side Hustle Pro: Women Entrepreneurs | Black Women Business Owners | Solopreneurs

Hi Guys, I’m back with a check-in. Hear how my first quarter of entrepreneurship went. I share how I’m learning to master my self, master my time (now that there is so much more of it!), master my energy and so much more. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links mentioned on this episode The Gifts of Imperfection Born A Crime More Active Lifestyle Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Side Hustle Pro is now over 5950 members strong. If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Social Media Info Connect on Instagram Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the guest chair we have former Wall Street analyst turned Founder and CEO Melissa Butler. Melissa is a visionary who challenges the standard of beauty through the products, pricing, and ingredients in her brand, The Lip Bar. You may have come across The Lip Bar since it’s become a celebrity fave shared by the likes of Taraji P. Henson on Instagram and it is now sold in select Target stores. But before there was Target, there was just Melissa and her business partner, squeezed into a tiny bedroom in Brooklyn. Melissa launched The Lip Bar from her kitchen. She describes her move from stocks and bonds to beauty as a natural one, not because she loved makeup, but because she was frustrated with the beauty industry and ready to create a solution. Not only that, but she was tired of the harsh chemicals in ordinary cosmetics, so she created a vegan and cruelty-free product line. On today’s show, Melissa shares why she was passionate about disrupting the narrative on beauty and creating a line of cosmetics t

Today in the guest chair we have the oh so fly and oh so dope Angel Anderson. Angel is the Founder and Owner of the The SpiceSuite, an interactive spice bar in the Takoma Park neighborhood in NW Washington DC. Angel opened this space in 2015 after only 3.5 weeks of planning and dreaming. Now, The SpiceSuite is not only a store that sells fragrant spices, but also serves as an incubator for fellow dreamers.   Angel provides the space to showcase other local female business owners, free of charge. So on any given day, you can indulge in tantalizing spices, infused oils, sample shea butter, try on clothes, and treat yourself to culinary delights in this hip, quaint and comfortable, atmosphere. The aesthetics and energy of The SpiceSuite mirror Angel's home- welcoming, engaging and just overall fun!  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links mentioned on this episode The SpiceSuite Leverage Leadership Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn

Today in the guest chair we have the dynamic Dayna Bolden. Dayna is a Lifestyle blogger and CEO of Bolden Creative Media. You may recognize Dayna’s face from her campaigns with some of our favorite beauty brands. On today’s show, Dayna will share how, by combining her passion for both beauty and fashion, she has built a strong following of engaged millennial women and an amazing social media presence, which led to major brand partnerships. As a seasoned creative director and content creator, Dayna has also captured the attention of major online and print publications, including ESSENCE and FORBES. One thing to note about Dayna, is that she has taken the blogging world by storm in a relatively short period of time. You’ll learn on the show that although she had started growing her presence before stepping out on her own, it’s when she truly invested in her personal brand that brands started calling her to partner. She juggled a coveted career at Under Armour for as long as she could while side hustling as a li

Today in the guest chair we have the one and only Beth Diana Smith, an interior design KING that side hustled for years before venturing out on her own. Beth possessed a natural ability for creating functionality, efficiency, and organization from a very young age, so she pursued degrees in business and accounting to satiate her love of processes and business strategy. After completing her M.B.A., she spent more than a decade in corporate finance in companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Viacom honing her skills in understanding clients, analytics, budgeting, and a keen attention to detail.During her years in corporate finance Beth was also a homeowner.  It was during that time that she discovered an appreciation of color, pattern, and texture; a love for beautiful things and problem solving; and a passion for interior design. Beth decided to pursue her passion, launch her interior design company and began attending the New York School of Interior Design. Today, Beth, her work, and her design advice h

Today in the guest chair we have Linda Spradley Dunn, a woman who is the epitome of knowing the value she brings to the table and who is not afraid to go out and get hers. She spent fourteen years at IBM, where she received numerous awards and moved quickly through the ranks but always knew that she would one day be her own boss. Armed with world-class training from IBM, Linda finally stepped out on her own.  Twenty years later, Linda commands the ear and marketing dollars of Fortune 500 companies that seek her advice on multicultural marketing strategies and want to connect with the powerful community of multicultural, affluent, and influential women in her Odyssey Media network.Odyssey Media is a unique organization that provides an unparalleled blend of programs and resources, including conferences, business retreats, boot-camps, philanthropic and community initiatives, digital forums, networking, and more.The Odyssey network of women includes senior corporate executives, seasoned entrepreneurs, attorneys,

Today on the show, I am introducing you to my best kept secret: the woman who has taught me to turn my knowledge into a valuable, premium course. Her name is Danielle Leslie and she founded Culture Add™ Labs to help companies and individuals uncover their Culture Add™ and launch profitable products online. She is also the creator of #CourseFromScratch, an 8-week online intensive that helps people create & launch their profitable & poppin’ online courses. She has been an online marketer in Silicon Valley for almost 10 years and helped personal brands & influencers, including Guy Kawasaki, earn collectively millions of dollars by launching their online courses. One of the reasons I wanted to have Danielle on the show is because her framework for course launches addresses our common human tendency to get stuck on the preparation part and delay your launch. She teaches people like myself to not fall into the trap of creating your course content all before you’re ready to launch and instead, focus on

Today in the guest chair we have Ade Hassan. Ade is the founder and director of lingerie brand Nubian Skin. Frustrated by the lack of skin-tone choices to go with her ever-expanding wardrobe, Ade decided it was time for a different kind of nude. She knew that there were lots of women out there like her who needed the same thing. Nubian Skin has redefined what "nude" means, offering essentials in different colors with current pieces include bras, underwear, hosiery, and shoes. When Ade set out to create skin-tone choices that actually matched her skin tone, she had no idea the level of interest she would generate. Today, celebrity-favorite Nubian Skin is stocked in leading stores such as Asos, Nordstroms and she even styled the Queen Bey herself, Beyoncé and dancers for the Formation World Tour as well as the cast of the blockbuster film Hidden Figures. On today’s episode, Ade shares how she transitioned from a career in finance to creating an impactful and highly sought after brand. Listen on Apple Podcasts,

Today in the guest chair, we have Mandela SH Dixon. She is one of the only black women who has navigated the tech space as a VC-backed tech startup founder, global startup ecosystem builder, and VC portfolio services director. Mandela began her career in Silicon Valley in 2011 as a startup founder backed by Kapor Capital, 500 Startups, and Imagine K12 (acquired by Y Combinator). Thereafter, she led a global entrepreneurial program called Startup Weekend Education (acquired by Techstars) that spanned six continents and empowered thousands of entrepreneurs to launch edtech startups. Most recently, Mandela worked at venture capital firm Kapor Capital, where she supported the success of over 120 tech startups and launched the Founders' Commitment, a first-of-its kind initiative teaching founders how to bake diversity and inclusion into the DNA of their early stage startups. To-date, Mandela has shared her frameworks for success on over 65 stages, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, and Face

Today in the guest chair, we have Shellye Archambeau. Not everyone with entrepreneurial instincts comes up with that million dollar idea. Sometimes, people are better on the execution front. You need that person who can take a vision, turn it into an actual viable business, and grow your company year over year. That’s Shellye’s story. Shellye is best known for being the Chief Executive Officer of MetricStream, Inc. up  until January 2018. She is somewhat of a legend in Silicon Valley, having grown MetricStream to what it is today. She has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career. In 2014 she was named one of the 46 Most Important African-Americans In Technology by Business Insider. In September 2015, Shellye was recognized as the 97th most influential business leader in America. When she’s not busy building software companies or sitting on Fortune 500 boards, Shellye is simply a family oriented, energetic, goal driven foodie. We can all stand to learn a lot from Shellye about living a f

Hi Guys, I’m back with a check-in. Hear how my very first month of entrepreneurship went. I’ll share some behind the scenes of launching my first premium product, dealing with anxiety, facing #adulting head on and making some small changes in how I’m thinking about my business. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links mentioned on this episode Podcast Accelerator Work With Me Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is offering an unrestricted 30 day free trial for all my listeners. No credit card required. Visit FreshBooks.com​/​​SIDEHUSTLEPRO​ and enter SIDE​ ​HUSTLE​ ​PRO​ in the how did you hear about us section. Side Hustle Pro is now over 5500 members strong. If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Social Media Info Connect

Today in the guest chair we have Tonya Rapley. Tonya is a nationally recognized millennial money expert and founder of the award-winning site, My Fab Finance. She has graced the cover of Black Enterprise magazine and was deemed the "New Face of Wealth Building". She was also selected as a Modern History Maker by TV One and has been recognized as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Women in Personal Finance on Twitter”. Her mission is to help millennial women break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck and own their power. Because of her relatable personality and fabulous flair, Tonya is a highly sought after media personality. Her work has been featured in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, EBONY, and on CentricTV. Tonya’s expertise has also been recognized by popular media outlets such as Forbes, the NY Daily News, Yahoo! Finance, and Marketwatch. As a writer, Tonya has also contributed to Credit.com, Buzzfeed, and TheRoot.com, making a powerful influence on the financial lives of millennials. On this episode, you’ll

What happens when you pair a love for writing, travel, design, experience activations and more? You get today’s guest. Her name is Tracey Coleman, and she is a creator, writer, designer and visionary. She’s also a multi passionate entrepreneur with a myriad of hustles.Her main hustle is Show & Tell Creative, a boutique activation agency specializing in social media, event activation and multicultural marketing.Her various side hustles include being Event Director and Partner in Curly Girl Collective, the founders and producers of  the epic CURLFEST. She’s also the Brooklyn Travel Addict, a Witty storyteller and content creator through her legendary travel blog.   Finally, she’s is the Founder of Purpose Driven Passports - a nonprofit organization that identifies and creates opportunities for travelers to give back abroad. In 2017, less than 6 months after launching, Tracey won the WeWork Creator Award. In keeping with the theme of women who are redefining entrepreneurship, I’m happy to share Tracey’s jour

Today in the guest chair, we have Nicole Walters. By age 28, Nicole was a highly-paid executive at a Fortune 500 company, managing multibillion dollar accounts. But something just wasn’t right. She felt like her job was paying the bills and feeding her family, but not her soul. So, live on Periscope, Nicole quit her corporate job to focus on opening her own private business and product development consulting firm, The Monetized Life. Through her programs and consulting, she shares her secrets to earning “passive income” with other entrepreneurs, including in her popular online course, 1K1Day. Nicole has been on my radar for some time and I thought what better way to kick off 2018, than with a woman who is pushing the boundaries of entrepreneurship and redefining what it means to package your skills into services and make money on your own terms. As Nicole says, she teaches people how to add commas to their bank accounts and learn that they don’t have to trade time for money. On today’s episode, Nicole gets in

2017  was an amazing year for me (I got married, took my business to new heights, spent time with my family, was embraced into a new family and culture). I am so grateful for the lessons learned and blessings received. Something I may have shared less of is that it was also an emotional year and sometimes a downright stressful year. I pushed myself harder than I ever have, took on more responsibility at work, was challenged in unexpected ways, grew a lot and took a major leap and quit my job. Now, I enter 2018 with a new perspective and determination to do my best work and live my best life. On today’s episode, I share: How we can all adopt a fearless mindset What it really means to invest in yourself Why I’m committed to nurturing human connections   Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is offering an unrestricted 30 day free trial for all my listeners. No credit card required. Visit FreshBooks.com​/​​SIDEHUSTLEPRO​ and ent

A year ago, I made the decision that I need to work for myself. Today on the show, I share how I spent the last year gearing up for my quit day. I got laser-focused on monetizing my content. I explored multiple revenue streams. I got busy learning to be a sales team of one. I studied, I worked, I tried, I failed, I stayed determined. And then, on November 29, 2017 - I QUIT. On today’s episode, I share: Why I’m betting on myself! What went into taking my leap of faith My plan to move forward   Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links mentioned on this episode Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Side Hustle Pro is now over 5000 members strong. If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Social Media Info Connect on Instagram: Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Aca

Today’s guest is Jewel Burks. As co-founder and CEO of Partpic, an Atlanta based startup designed to streamline the purchase of maintenance and repair parts using computer vision technology, Jewel and her team built groundbreaking technology poised to change the way people everywhere locate products. Partpic raised over $2 million in seed funding to integrate its proprietary technology into mobile apps and websites of parts distributors and retailers. And then, something incredible happened, Partpic was acquired by Amazon. Currently Jewel serves as Team Lead for Visual Search at A9.com, an Amazon Company. In addition to this role, Jewel is a proud board member at Amplify 4 Good, and spends much of her free time working with startups. On today’s show, Jewel shares: How she came up with the idea for Partpic How she recruited a smart and talented team and Co-Founder What it was like to juggle working for Google while building Partpic And what it’s like to have your company be acquired. Listen on Apple Podcasts

Today on the show, we have a real boss. Her name is Dawn Dickson and she is a serial entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in marketing and business development. She has launched four successful cash flow positive companies since 2002. Her most recent ventures are Flat Out of Heels (which provides rollable flats for women) and Solutions Vending International, recently renamed Pop Com, which provides a software solution to make vending machines more intelligent. Dawn has received numerous awards and accolades for her Business savvy and pitching skills, including being awarded First place in the PowerMoves NOLA Big Break pitch Competition and second place in the 2016 SBA InnovateHer Challenge.   Additionally, Dawn was selected to participate in some of the nation’s top accelerator programs for entrepreneurs including the NewME(San Francisco),Canopy Boulder (Boulder,Colorado) and Techstars(Los Angeles). On today’s episode, Dawn gets into:   How she went from living her best life with her first business

Today on the show, is the one and only Claire Sulmers, the founder of FashionBombDaily.com, and the industry’s leading fashion blogger chronicling fashionistas of color. Her pioneering work ushered in a new wave of digital journalism that fed and fueled an underserved community of African-American and Latino style lovers. Claire’s body of work and online following- has allowed her to partner with major corporate brands who want to reach her audience including Toyota, Verizon and others. In 11 years, Claire has accumulated over 1.2 million followers, written a book “The Bomb Life”, and is now hosting on Revolt. I first learned about Claire when I started reading the Fashion Bomb blog 11 years ago. Like other readers, I have followed Claire’s evolution from blogger to brand ambassador to business woman.   One of the reasons I am always so intrigued by Claire, is that at first glance, just looking at her instagram feed, you would have no idea of her story. But she has made some humbling moves  and missteps on he

I’m answering your questions on all things side hustle. On this episode I get into: What tips and tricks do you have for managing your spare time after the day job is over and hubby is fed? How and when did you decide to convert your personal social media pages into public brand/company profiles? Do you have a finsta for your friends and family? I’d love to know how you deal with family and friends who want your service for free! What tips do you have for those who feel they have plateaued in growing their IG with engaged shoppers? What are your tips for finding networking events? What’s your favorite piece of advice you’ve ever gotten about being a black female entrepreneur? How much money did you invest into your side hustle before it was profitable? What do you look for when searching for people to interview? I swear you have the most interesting people on! What is your long term goal as it relates to turning the wonderful work you’ve done with the podcast? What will that look like for you? What do you wa