At first glimpse, Shanna Green appears to be just another gorgeous young lady who eschews perms and relaxers. A more pointed gaze reveals more. This emerging scholar turned conscious entrepreneur is teeming with conviction and purpose. She recently launched the ILY hair and skin care line to “enhance who women of color are naturally.”
“I want other women to see how easy it is to be beautiful and protect your body at the same time,” she declared. “Whether you have curly, coarse, straight or fine hair, black, white, or brown skin, or anywhere in between, you are beautiful.”

Her story did start there. For as long as she could remember, she thoroughly relished donning her natural locks. But, during her last year at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, she finally relented to a pressure endured by millions of women around the globe.
“I always felt pressure to wear my hair a certain way, even if it wasn’t what was naturally growing out of my head,” she said. “I kept hearing, ‘why is your hair like that’ — so I ended up getting a relaxer. After a while, I felt it was not needed. I realized I was forcing myself to fit into a mold that wasn’t natural for me. I wanted to appreciate myself, just as I was.”
Green finished high school and earned an undergraduate degree at Howard University. She later discovered her mission while pursuing a master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University.

“I was working as an intern investigating the environmental effects on reproductive health. I saw that the average adult is exposed to 126 chemicals each day,” Green recalled. “The fact that we unknowingly choose to use these substances shocked me. I knew there had to be a better way.” This discovery inspired her to take action.

“Once I learned what was in the products I used to maintain that (unnatural) look, I realized that I couldn’t do that to my body anymore,” asserted Green, who now sports glistening natural curls.

Upon graduation, Shana delayed her acceptance to University of Central Florida’s Ph.D. program. She chose instead to take the issue head-on and founded ILY Beauty Company, LLC, a Miami-based hair and skin care product line using all-natural ingredients.
Green says ILY, an acronym for “I Love You,” promotes “self-love shown through what you put both on and inside your body.” Customers can find products at www.ILYBeautyCo.com. Her enterprise is fueled by belief, perseverance and empowerment.

Believe
“Believe in yourself and everyone else will fall into place,” she said. “At first, people were skeptical of my business. They thought it was a hobby.”
Her faith and hard work attracted many believers and sparked interest from several media outlets and local retail stores.

Persevere
After finally committing to the idea of starting her business, Shana won a contest that promised to promote her products and give her products retail space. The sponsoring company eventually went out of business before promoting her items.
“The company was not communicating with me. I found out they were going out of business on Twitter,” she said. “It has been a long 2-year process. But, you have to keep going despite setbacks.”

Empower
Green donates a portion of my proceeds to CARE and Girls, Inc., two nonprofits dedicated to female empowerment.

The FortyOrSo website connects women from around the world to a community of fabulous sisters in the 35-to-45 age bracket. Co-founded by Shavon Jones, the site aims to support women and dispel negative images portrayed in media. Like many of her female cohorts, Jones, a Legacy Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree, is educated, accomplished, childless and has never been married. But, don’t get it twisted. She is more than satisfied.
“I would happily embrace and enjoy a great relationship,” Jones said. “But, I am fine with it either way. I am enjoying my life and I refuse to waste it waiting for someone.”
Shavon’s personal FortyOrSo journey began while conversing with Nicole Turner, her writing partner, over dessert at a chic Miami Beach eatery. The conversation was thrilling and thought provoking, but, left them longing for more.
“We were sitting there saying, ‘okay, what do we do now? We are going to go home and do what? There is nothing good on TV, you know, reality shows aren’t there. The people are crazy. They don’t resemble anybody we know,’” she recalled.
That statement inspired the two go-getters to fill the void.
“We started thinking; there is probably an audience for normal professional women who aren’t crazy. We have our issues, of course, but, it’s nothing over the top and most people are probably like us,” they thought.
Two years later, FortyOrSo.com was launched. The site provides women with information, commentary, camaraderie and discussion on topics such as beauty, aging, careers, health, relationships and other subjects. Jones gave Legacy the scoop on this empowering community.

LM: You branded FortyOrSo as the “community for women in their prime.” Talk about the importance of getting your voice out there and being heard?
SJ: That’s really the point, to get our voices heard. We wanted to communicate that there is something other than crazy out there. For instance, as women who are around 40, we had issues maybe with infertility or not having children yet. Where can we talk about that kind of stuff and find out how other people who are dealing with it? If you have kids and you are having issues with them being teenagers, maybe there is some forum where you can talk about that kind of thing in an environment with people who have similar life experiences. It’s really for professional women or women with families who share experiences.

LM: What are some of the most popular topics on FortyOrSo.com?
SJ: Dating after 35, what’s different about it now? What’s available at this stage? We recently had our first male guest blogger talk about what it is like to date after divorce. We talk about careers and how important are they are to you now.  Travel is pretty popular on here. Most professional women around this age have the resources to travel and they are experiencing all sorts of things around the world. When we performed our Google analytics to see how people are finding us, they found us while searching for travel and fun ideas for group trips.

LM: What is your advice to people who are at their crossroads or at their major career crisis so to speak?
SJ: Most of the women who follow this blog have progressed pretty far in their careers. They are trying to figure out if they want to stay in them or not. They feel like they got more responsibility than they bargained for. Many of them feel drained from their jobs. I hear that all the time. Even the people who like their careers still think that their careers take up a disproportionate amount of their time. They also feel that work is preventing them from fully enjoying of life. My advice is don’t be anything you don’t want to be. Follow your own true north.  You shouldn’t feel any pressure to be something or somebody that you are not. Life is short.  Follow your own path. Others women are dealing with unemployment and feeling that they might be being discriminated against because of their age.

LM: What type of legacy do you hope to leave with the 40 or so website?
SJ: What I want to see happen with this site is women finding answers to whatever questions they might have. I want women to feel that they have a community of sisters they could talk to about their issues. This site will help the next generation of people in this age group find solutions to their issues and answers to their questions. I want it to be ongoing community even after I am out of this age bracket.

Find out more about FortyOrSo online at www.FortyOrSo.com , facebook.com/FortyOrSo or twitter.com/FortyOrSo

Johnson Urges Race-Recognition Remedies to Address Wealth Gap during remarks at the Congressional Forum on the “Economic Empowerment in the Black Community”

In an address to the Conservative Black Forum hosted by Congressman Allen West (R-FL-22) focusing on the economic empowerment in the African American community, Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, called for a renewed national discussion on the growing wealth gap which he referred to as a “wealth gap Tsunami threatening African Americans”.

Johnson cited a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, which concluded “The wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation; the racial wealth gap increased by $75,000, from $20,000 to $95,000; the median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households; and at least 35% of African Americans have no assets”.

In response to this compelling national crisis, Johnson stated that, “We must admit the harsh reality of a history of institutionalized racism and economic discrimination against African Americans is the primary cause of wealth disparity between Black and white Americans” and “we must be willing to talk about race recognition remedies at the highest levels of government as well as between Black and white Americans.”

In his remarks to the Forum, Johnson listed several race recognition policy initiatives that could be discussed. For example, encourage majority-owned businesses to invest in black-owned companies by deferring the taxes on the economic gain similar to the FCC “tax certificate program” which motivated major media companies to sell to minorities and create a Treasury-backed fund to securitize short-term borrowing or emergency loans made by minority banks or other lending institutions to Black families provided these loans are marketed and made in a regulated and transparent manner. The securitized loans would encourage banks and lenders to make short-term or emergency borrowing available at reasonable rates and end “payday” lending as we know it today and break the cycle of borrowing at outrageous interest rates.

“Something has to be done to recalibrate our economic system to address these problems. We need the political courage to propose race-based remedies based on the disparity caused by past and present race discrimination. In the next 25 to 30 years, the majority of Americans will be black and Hispanic. There is a compelling national interest in addressing racial disparity and if we are to be a successful nation and compete globally, we must ensure that all Americans are given an opportunity to fully participate in the U.S. economic system,” he concluded.

Johnson’s complete remarks can be found at www.rljcompanies.com

BHI Continues to Support Greater Miami’s Black Hospitality Industry Students and Future Leaders

The Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami (BHI) will host its first “Honoring Our Past and Celebrating Our Future” reception on Thursday, June 28th, 2012 at Kovens Conference Center Rooftop, Florida International University (FIU) Campus at 3000 NE 151 Street, Miami, FL 33181 from 5:30pm -7:30pm. Entertainment for the event will be provided by Caribbean Music Farm – Steel Drum Entertainment.

Honorees include: Merrett R. Stierheim, Former Superintendent Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Former President of the Greater Miami Convention & Bureau (Tourism Pioneer Award); Attorney H.T. Smith (Tourism Pioneer Award);Steven Sonnabend, Former Senior Vice President, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Tourism Pioneer Award);Marilyn J. Holifield, Partner, Holland& Knight (Tourism Pioneer Award);R. Donahue Peebles, Chairman and CEO, The Peebles Corporation (Outstanding Contribution to Tourism); North Bay Village Commissioner Stuart Blumberg, Former President of the Greater Miami and The Beaches Hotel Association and Former BHI Chairman (Distinguished Service Award); Dr. Larry Rice, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, Johnson & Wales University and Former BHI Chairman (Distinguished Service Award);Mark O’Ferrall, McDonalds, owner (Distinguished Service Award);Jonathan Tish, Chairman and CEO Lowes Hotel ( Community Service Tourism Award); Florida International University, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Biscayne Bay Campus ( Outstanding Partnership Award); Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (Outstanding Partnership Award).

To register to attend the reception and learn more about the Black Hospitality Initiative please visit www.blackhospitalitymiami.com

– Two ambitious African-American entrepreneurs hope to enter Silicon Valley with new startup, CorQuests –

After the airing of CNN’s “Black in America: The New Promised Land – Silicon Valley,” a new dream was realized for many hopeful black entrepreneurs. Each year there are many new successful Silicon Valley startups, but black-owned tech companies are still not reaching the same potential. Silicon Valley continues to be dominated by mostly young, white male entrepreneurs.

Two ambitious African-American entrepreneurs hope to change this with their business, CorQuests. Nolan Ford and Adenike Sonaike, like many young entrepreneurs, have courageously focused on building their startup from the ground up and are hoping that their company’s services will provide a mechanism to help other entrepreneurs and business-minded people to reach their goals.

“We are passionate in seeing other businesses and entrepreneurs succeed with their corporate goals,” Nolan stated. “We hope that our business services can help them manage and conduct business activities simply and effectively.”

CorQuests stands for “CORporate QUESTS” and describes the vision of the company. The Cofounders believe that all business professionals are on a journey to complete certain goals pertaining to their careers or their businesses. They call this person’s journey a “corporate quest.” CorQuests plans to offer their users services such as cloud storage and sharing, online meeting and collaboration, financial and budgeting software, corporate task management software and other useful services along with a social network that allows users to connect with other professionals, while managing business activities. The advantage of CorQuests is that it combines all of these services at one affordable and competitive price. CQ offers all these services for the cost of one, allowing users to save hundreds of dollars.

The Cofounders launched their crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo (www.indiegogo.com/CorQuests) in hopes to raise the required capital needed to complete the site development and to interact with future CQ users. The campaign goal? $150,000, which will be used to cover development cost such as domain hosting and transfer, server space, web and mobile graphic designers, web and mobile software architects, and other website and software programmers.

“We were nervous about starting this campaign but we are hoping to receive as much help and support as possible form the black community to complete our site development,” Adenike explained. Nolan went on to add that, “…we only need at least 1000 people to pledge to give $150 and our goal will be met.” The two hope with the support of the black and female entrepreneurial communities, as well as their hometown communities, their goal will be met.

The company is even offering interesting perks to get future users involved in their campaign. For a donation of $50 or more you will have the opportunity to join the development team! “We wanted our users to have power over what they see on our site, so we want them to vote on site layout, homepage, logo design, page templates and other visual aspects of the site,” Nolan said.

Other perks offered include an additional year of free services and involvement in the website software acceptance testing. Users who donate $150 or more will also be invited to be the first to test the official website in the CorQuests private beta testing round. The company has also given the maximum of 100 people the opportunity to receive a lifetime of services, where they never have to pay again, after their contribution of $1500 or more, to use all current and any future services, calling these people, “CQ Most Valued Members.” The cofounders say that this will be the best deal for businesses and business owners, which will save them thousands of dollars.

The cofounders hope the future users will contribute to the site and will get involved in the development process. “We are doing this for our users and we hope they find their involvement valuable. We appreciate all contributions, even if it’s only $1″ said Nolan. Even if you cannot donate, the founders said sharing their campaign will be very helpful to their business and they are willing to do interviews and answer any questions.

“This has been a very enjoyable process so far and we look forward to working with our users and anyone else who wants to help make CorQuests an international success.”

Visit www.indiegogo.com/CorQuests for more information

– How to find the best and the safest available low income housing options –

Courtesy of BlackNews.com — When the U.S. economy first entered a recession, millions of families were forced to take advantage of low income housing programs. And, according to federal statistics, those numbers continue to increase every month.

Low income housing properties are defined as apartments or houses that are a part of some kind of affordable housing initiative, usually sponsored by the federal government, the state, the city, or a non-profit organization. Such properties offer either an income-based rental rate or a flat rental rate designed to be affordable for needy individuals and families.

While there are many helpful programs available, finding the best and safest options can be a task. In addition, it can be difficult to find the best options available to families who qualify to remain in the home that they are already occupying.

Here are the top five resources to use:

1) HUD Office of Affordable Housing (OAP)
This government agency brings federal resources directly to the state and local level for use in the development of affordable housing units, or to assist income-eligible households in purchasing, rehabilitating, or renting safe and decent housing. Learn more at www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/

2) Making Home Affordable ® Program (MHA)
This program, sponsored by the Obama Administration, is a comprehensive plan to stabilize the U.S. housing market by helping homeowners get mortgage relief and avoid foreclosure. Learn more at www.makinghomeaffordable.gov

3) PublicHousing.com
This web site provides a listing of public housing properties across the country, and other types of housing deals. The vast majority of their listings are affordable housing bargains. Learn more at www.publichousing.com

4) Affordable Housing Institute
This non-profit organization provides housing finance expertise and thought leadership to other organizations working to make housing accessible to low-income people. Learn more at www.affordablehousinginstitute.org

5) Low Income Housing Authority
This organization produces a free online national resource that is dedicated to helping individuals and families find low income housing, apartments, shelters, and more. The web site also provides answers to frequently asked questions. Learn more at www.lowincomehousing.org

BRING OUT YOUR BEST HAT and your SOUTHERN BELLE

…Join the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Council

Mind, Body & Soul Hat & Tea Luncheon gain business strategies and GET IN SYNC

Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 10am-3pm at Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132

Members: $35 Non-Member $49….Tables: Members $350 Non-Members$500

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VENDOR?????

Take advantage of the EARLY BIRD SPECIAL…THEY ARE GOING FAST!!! Spaces are limited!!!!

Members:$75 Non-Members:$125…

(6ft table and two chairs for company representatives…w/admittance into event)

Purchase BEFORE Friday, June 8th

YOU ARE DEFINITELY IN FOR A TREAT…ENJOY A FASHION SHOW, Hat Contest, Give-a-Ways, Fun & So MUCH MORE!!!!!

For more information, SPONSORSHIPS, or to register visit www.m-dcc.org or contact the M-DCC at 305.751.8648

NOW

In a historic vote, the Honorable Sharon Wilson was unanimously elected to a non-consecutive second term as president of the Senate of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Wilson is a 1971 graduate of Florida Memorial University. The longtime Bahamian attorney served a previous term as senate president from 2002-2007. Her first election marked the first time a woman was elected to lead the senate. Wilson is also a member of the Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees.

About Florida Memorial University:
Located in the city of Miami Gardens, Florida Memorial University is a private, historically black institution offering 42 undergraduate and four graduate degree programs to a culturally diverse student body. Since its inception in 1879, the university has upheld a commitment to providing a solid foundation for thousands of young people and opening doors to educational opportunities that may have otherwise been closed to them. As South Florida’s only Historically Black College or University (HBCU), it is widely recognized for being the birthplace of the Negro national anthem, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” and the home of student Barrington Irving, Jr., the first pilot of African descent and youngest pilot ever to fly solo around the world. Dr. Henry Lewis, III, Pharm.D., is the university’s 12th president. For more information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624. You can support FMU by visiting www.fmuniv.edu.

Black Americans generally earn less income than their white counterparts doing the same job. According to a US Census Bureau report, whites average 29-percent more income than blacks. For example, if a white co-worker earns $40,000, the black co-worker earns about $28,400. Many times,women fare worst conditions.

Nothing is more demoralizing than finding out a co-worker makes more money than you for doing the same job. “How do you find out what a fair salary is?” Great question, read on.

Professional decorum makes securing a fair salary a challenging exercise. You can’t just ask co-workers, “How much do they pay you?” And, human resource managers are not likely to volunteer that information. So, what do you do when you’re up for a raise or deciding whether to accept a job offer? Use this information to research your industry, gauge your value and operate from a position of strength.

Not-For-Profits/Government Jobs- Financial information for public sector institutions is public information. If you work in government, perform a Google search on State Employee Salaries for your state. Then research what your counterparts are making in your agency and compare it to other agencies or employees with similar positions. Not-for-profit jobs must provide access to their annual reports. GuideStar is a great place to get reports. You can also request copies from the Public Information Department.

Private Sector Jobs- You have to do more research to find out competitive income rates for these positions. You can start by searching the classifieds for similar jobs and duties. Then, find out what competitors are paying your counterparts. Also, reach out to the local chapter of National Association for “Your Profession”, for information about local salaries for in your field.

Use the average salary for people in your position with similar backgrounds as a benchmark in your negotiations. Everybody does not produce the same value for a company. So, everybody does not deserve the same salary. You have to also consider the variables including educational background, experience, and your time with the company, etc. Use this information as a starting point in your quest for a fair salary.

Picture found at http://www.foresightwm.co.uk

Nearly 7 million African-Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by 2030. It’s sad to watch a loved one become a shadow of the person we remember.

Imagine calling your parents and learning their phone is disconnected. After frantically rushing to their home, you notice there is no electricity. Then, you find out their bills are unpaid because they forgot to deposit their checks. Save yourself the heartache by helping your elders manage their finances.

You may run into stubbornness or self-esteem issues. It won’t be easy to help, but try anyway. These tips may help ease the task at hand.

Be Sincere- Handle your elders with care. Choose your words carefully because they have feelings. Start with something like, “Mom let’s talk about me and you teaming up to make things easier for you.”

Bring Company- Sometimes your parents forget that you are grown. They may not be willing to accept your help. Try including a family member or trusted friend to help you talk to dad about finances. Having a trusted person adds credibility to your delicate discussion. One or two people are enough. You don’t want dad to think you’re ganging up on him.

Put Their Finances on Auto-Pilot- Enjoy the convenience of direct deposit. Most pension plans, investments and even social security offer it. Also, consider putting necessary bills on auto-pay i.e. light, gas, phone, and insurance bills. This way you can sleep well knowing your loved ones have their utilities, medicine and insurance taken care of.

Keep Them Involved- Remember this is a partnership, so keep them involved. Mix financial talks with events. For example, every time you take them grocery shopping or go to the doctor, talk to them about what came in and what went out. This makes them feel included. Also, loved ones may resent asking for their own hard-earned money. So, give them a little something for their pocket.

Check out http://www.alz.org/ to find about Alzheimer’s disease.

The picture was found at http://www.todaysseniorsnetwork.com/. The people in picture are not suffering with Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia.

M-DCC 22nd Annual Golf Tournament

There are many online services that allow you to publish professional quality books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. These services are cost effective because they produce-on-demand (POD). That means they don’t require you to buy in bulk or pay a penny before you sell the product. They earn money as you sell your product, thus minimizing your expenses. Another bonus is none of these services force you to be exclusive. So you maintain ownership of your product. Plus, if it generates a buzz, you can reproduce the same product with another distributor.

Magazine Titans- MagCloud.com offers aspiring publishers a cost-effective way to publish periodicals. This service allows you to design letter-sized programs. You upload a PDF of your publication and order a proof. MagCloud then prints, binds, and mails the proof to you. You then review the proof and make changes as needed. If approved, you name your price. MagCloud charges 20 cents per page; the publisher chooses their price beyond that. When the issue is published, people can buy it on the MagCloud website. Click here to find out more.

Future Authors & Multimedia Moguls- CreateSpace.com is a one-stop shop that allows you to produce CDs, DVDs and books. You upload you product and CreateSpace takes it from there. This service is also non-exclusive, meaning you retain ownership of your intellectual property. They print on demand and you earn royalties without any upfront expenses.

Keep In Mind-Before you publish work through these services make sure you retain the proper copyrights and trademarks. Also, authors, secure your own ISBN# from Bowker.com. That way you make sure you own the rights to your work, and not the service provider.

Photo found at http://www.Oprah.com Ms. Winfrey is in no way affiliated or has endorsed Legacy-Mag.com or MIA Media and Communications Group, Inc.

BRING OUT YOUR BEST HAT and your SOUTHERN BELLE

…Join the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Council

Mind, Body & Soul Hat & Tea Luncheon gain business strategies and GET IN SYNC

Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 10am-3pm at Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132

Members: $35 Non-Member $49….Tables: Members $350 Non-Members$500

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VENDOR?????

Take advantage of the EARLY BIRD SPECIAL…THEY ARE GOING FAST!!! Spaces are limited!!!!

Members:$75 Non-Members:$125…

(6ft table and two chairs for company representatives…w/admittance into event)

Purchase BEFORE Friday, June 8th

YOU ARE DEFINITELY IN FOR A TREAT…ENJOY A FASHION SHOW, Hat Contest, Give-a-Ways, Fun & So MUCH MORE!!!!!

For more information, SPONSORSHIPS, or to register visit www.m-dcc.org or contact the M-DCC at 305.751.8648

NATIONAL CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2012
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Individuals and families from Caribbean countries have journeyed to America’s shores for centuries. Some were brought here against their will in the bonds of slavery. Some immigrated to America as children, clutching a parent’s hand. Others came as adults, leaving behind everything they knew in pursuit of a better life in a new world. Generations of Caribbean Americans have sought to ensure their children and grandchildren would have the freedom to make of their lives what they will, and during National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate their rich narratives and recognize their immeasurable contributions to our country.

Caribbean Americans have shaped every aspect of our society — enhancing our arts and humanities as titans of music and literature, spurring our economy as intrepid entrepreneurs, making new discoveries as scientists and engineers, serving as staunch advocates for social and political change, and defending our ideals at home and abroad as leaders in our military. Their achievements exemplify the tenacity and perseverance embedded in our national character, and their stories embody the fundamental American idea that when access to opportunity is equal, anyone can make it if they try.

Click here to find out more.

As we reflect on the myriad ways Caribbean Americans have shaped our country, we join in commemorating the 50th anniversaries of independence in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and we reaffirm the bonds of friendship we share with our Caribbean neighbors. This month, let us celebrate the essence of the Nation we all love — an America where so many of our ancestors have come from somewhere else; a society that has been enriched by cultures from around the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2012 as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to celebrate the history and culture of Caribbean Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Little things can make a BIG difference!

K.I.S.S. – Simplicity is currency. Make sure your name is easy to understand and spell. If people can’t spell it, they can’t visit your site. Besides, you can’t afford to spend resources on making sure people know how to spell your name. Same thing goes for your websites. Too many Flash bells and whistles are a distraction and they eventually bore visitors.

Capitalize Your Names- Capitalize separate names whenever you publish or promote your brand. It’s more memorable and it looks better. For example, Legacy-Mag.com versus legacy-mag.com

Brand Your Space- Brand your blog or social network with a domain name. Telling someone to visit http://www.legacymag.wordpress.com/ or myspace.com/yourbrand is more confusing and distracting than telling them to visit Legacy-Mag.com. Invest in yourself and pay the $10 for a domain name. The same applies to your e-mail address. You look unprofessional when your e-mail is not branded. It’s almost like saying you don’t believe in your brand. Also, having a branded e-mail address reinforces your brand. For instance, You@YourBrand.com looks more professional versus YourBrand2012me@yahoo.com.

Using these three techniques will make your brand more accessible and marketable.

Picture found at http://www.newmediachatter.com/

WHAT: Raise the Bar 2012 8th Annual Networking & Cocktails Reception to Benefit Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade
WHEN: Thursday, June 7, 2012
WHERE: Lobby at the Miami Center
201 South Biscayne Blvd.
Sponsorships are still available

Annual event at which young professionals from the legal, accounting and business community gather for cocktail reception with raffle and silent auction. Benefits the group’s grantmaking, advocacy and community-building efforts that address the needs of women in the county.

Find out more at http://www.womensfundmiami.org/

You can’t achieve anything without help from others. You will either ask for help professionally or unprofessionally. Think about it, who does business with rude people? Avoid being perceived as rude by following these steps.

Schedule- Never assume someone is available for conversation. Your first contact with someone should be at a time that pleases them. So, schedule a phone or in-person appointment with them through their assistant or e-mail. Follow through at the scheduled time.

Thank Them/Introduce Yourself /Connect- First, thank them for their time. Introduce yourself, if you are contacting someone you don’t know. Then, identify your connection. Example, “we graduated from the same school,” “we are members of the same fraternity/sorority,” or “I was connected to you by Mr. Johnson of AT&T.”

Small Talk- Engage your contact with small talk based on their interest. Example, oh Susan I see your Eagles won this weekend. Or, “Congratulations to your husband on his Community Service Award. You know beside every good man there is a good woman.” (Your research is very important! Find out their interests.) Also, send a e-mail snapshot of what you intend to converse about before hand. This comes off as considerate and impressive.

Quick Transition- Get to the matter at hand. You can use something like, “Well, Mrs. Thompson I’m reaching out to you is because I would like your guidance with this project. Can you help?”

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You- First, you say, “Thanks for you your time, I really appreciate your insight on my project.” Second, send an immediate e-mail thanking them and telling them how you plan to use their guidance. Third, send a hand written thank you card with a small token of appreciation (i.e. gift card to their favorite online music site or for their favorite latte.) If you make people feel appreciated they will be willing to do more favors. It’s the law of reciprocity.

Follow-Up- Keep your contact in the loop about the results of their contribution. For example, shoot her an email that says, “You were right about Tom, he helped me secure funding and publicity.”

Reciprocate- Be open and willing to do favors for your contact and others in a prompt and cheerful fashion.

The Godfather movie is copyrighted intellectual property in no way affiliated with www.Legacy-Mag.com or MIA Media & Communications Group, Inc. All rights are reserved by Paramount Pictures and Viacom.