You Tube

By: Kwan Stafford, Guest Contributor

No matter what you’re told, the overall point of any business is to make money. With that truth in mind, I believe it is safe to say that any business owner should be constantly looking for creative ways to diversify their business’ market share and revenue streams.

The time is ripe for any business person to increase their market share beyond their locale. This being said, most businessmen and women look to use Facebook as their social marketing tool of choice, while disregarding the social media resource that is Youtube. In 2011, YouTube had more than 1 trillion views or around 140 views for every person on Earth.

Well, here are a few stats that might make you rethink using Youtube as a marketing outlet or possible alternative revenue stream.

• Over 800 million unique users visit YouTube each month
• Over 4 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube
• 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute
• 70% of YouTube traffic comes from outside the US
• YouTube is localized in 53 countries and across 61 languages
• 25% of global YouTube views come from mobile devices
• People watch one billion views a day on YouTube mobile
• You Tube is available on 400 million devices
• Traffic from mobile devices tripled in 2011

Millions of subscriptions happen each day. Subscriptions allow you to connect with someone you’re interested in — whether it’s a friend, or the NBA — and keep up with their activity on the site.

Given these stats, I ask the question;  ”Are you leaving money on the table by ignoring You Tube as a social media marketing outlet?”

Kwan Stafford is a guest contributor and co-founder of  Crystal Rose Love Channel on You Tube. Crystal Rose Love Channel has over 8,000 subscribers and over 1.1 millions views.

Share this:

How to Write Great Blog Posts that Engage Readers (Better Blog Booklets)

Steve Scott (Author) (52) Download: $0.99

Treats by Angelique

By: Angeline Lawrence, Founder, EntrepreneurExchangeGroup.com

Munching on a chocolate chip cookie baked by Angelique Robinson, owner of Treats by Angelique (TbA) is a guilty pleasure to say the least. Once that chocolate hits your pallet along with your teeth sinking into the moist yet crisp cookie you are in heaven.  The professional and personable demeanor of Ms. Robinson is also a plus. Her philosophy, “If you have a passion about anything you should just do it. Don’t think about the limits and do it.”

TbA Baby Shower Treats

Her products are sold at the Bottom Line Café on 3^rd Street and Forest in Detroit. TbA has been featured in local “pop-up” shops within Detroit. She states, “A pop-up is a temporary set-up of local artisans where people can come and purchase things.”

Angelique also caters special events and fills orders and delivers in the Detroit area only as of now. Her products range in price per item from $1 to $10. Her best seller is the Midtown Chocolate Chipper, a chocolate chip cookie with dark and milk chocolate.

Although Ms. Robinson is a Limited Licensed Psychologist in the State of Michigan, she used baking to earn extra money for her son’s education. Sending your child to college is a dream for many parents. Angelique Robinson was on cloud nine when she sent Jordan to college.

However, once she opened the first tuition bill, Ms. Robinson was overshadowed by a storm cloud. She stated, “Once I got the tuition bill I knew that my salary would not be enough.”  The cost of a college education continues to increase year after year.

So, to get her feet wet in the retail baking business Angelique did a beta test for her products. She took a page from the playbook of successful entrepreneur Wally Amos, Jr., founder of Famous Amos®Bite size cookies, by giving out free samples of her products.

She stated, “Our agency has 300 employees, so I would leave comment cards in the coffee area with my products.” Angelique began her test in the summer, but by the time the holiday season was in full swing she had dozens of orders. She stated, “I needed extra income and what started as me trying to earn an extra couple of hundred dollars turned into requests for my treats.”

Ms. Robinson expanded her market and began to pound the pavement during her lunch break with a basket full of baked goods. She started her product line with cheesecakes and soon added cookies, brownies and cupcakes. She states, “I am now venturing into specialty cakes.”

TbA - Chocolate Cake

Angelique has been baking for over 20 years; however, she was new to operating a business.  Currently, Detroit is a hot-bed for entrepreneurship with programs and incubators, both formal and informal, throughout the metropolitan area. Angelique engrossed herself in business programs geared to train people how create a business out their passion or ideas. She stated, “Business is not my background. I am trying to learn as much as I can about being a business owner. So, I am a part of the Detroit Food Lab,Tech Town, D: Build and the Propel Project.”

She also surrounded herself with other positive people working to open their own businesses. She stated, “From Propel [Project], I hope to form lasting relationships with other female entrepreneurs and those who support our endeavors.”  Last year she entered HATCH Detroit, a local crowd funding contest, and a women’s business pitch competition, CountMeIn.org – Detroit Urban Rebound Program.  Ironically, she did not win any of the contests; but she gained valuable experience and exposure for her business. In 2012, Angelique doubled her sales from 2011 with approximately $10,000 in revenue.

Ms. Robinson stated, “I have not quit my day job yet. I continue to provide psychological assessments at the Children’s Center in Detroit.” However, Angelique is diligently working to expand her business. She stated, “I am creating a solid business plan while establishing strong relationships with people who want to invest in my company. I want to have a good location and solid customer base to set myself up for success.”

Her ultimate goal is to open a brick and mortar sweet shop in Midtown. She stated, “The  idea of opening up a business in Detroit is appealing to me. It would be the best of both of worlds to open a business and do something I am passionate about. I am passionate about baking.”

Angelique Robinson, Owner

Treats by Angelique

Email: treatsbyangelique@yahoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/treatsby.angelique

Twitter: https://twitter.com/angeliquetreats

Telephone:(313)377-9511

Angeline Lawrence is a writer, speaker and networker  that seeks to connect people to the resources they need to succed in faith, life and business. You may contact her on Twitter https://twitter.com/entrepreneurexg.

Share this:

The One Minute Manager

Kenneth H. Blanchard (Author), Spencer Johnson (Author) (305) Buy new: $22.99 $15.78 283 used & new from $3.67

Understanding the Business of You Tube Workshop

PRESENTED BY:

Entrepreneur Exchange Group.com and Crystal Rose Love Channel

Monday, March 25th, 2013
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Tech Town
Conference Room A
440 Burroughs, Detroit, MI

You Tube is the number 2 search engine on the web, behind Google. Over 2 billion videos are viewed per day on You Tube. Learn how to make You Tube work for your business.

Guest Speaker:
Kwan Stafford, Co-Founder
Crystal Rose Love You Tube Channel and Café Belle.com

Crystal Rose Love Channel has over 1.1 million views with over 6,000 subscribers. Join us and learn how to thrive in the You Tube Community.

You must register to attend.

Go to http://understandingyoutube.eventbrite.com
Seating is limited.
Registration ends March 15, 2013
Contact Angeline Lawrence at entrepreneurexg@gmail.com for more information.

Share this:

Go Pro - 7 Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional

Eric Worre (Author) (330) Publication Date: May 1, 2013 Buy new: $12.00 $8.86 9 used & new from $7.89

Kalyn Risker, Executive Director and Founder

By: Angeline Lawrence, Founder, www.entrepreneurexchangegroup.com

Women’s History month is a time to celebrate the past and current accomplishments of women. Recently, women in the sports, entertainment and medical fields continue to make history and strive towards excellence. However, despite all of our accomplishments, women are still the victims of heinous and violent crimes.

Case in point, the tragic death of Reeva Steenkamp, a law graduate and model, shot by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, the South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete on Valentine’s Day.  On the local front, it has been reported in the local and Ann Arbor News that a University of Michigan student and two other women were sexually assaulted by taxi cab drivers.

Within the U.S. 1 out of 4 women will experience domestic violence at some point in their life according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Kalyn Risker, Executive Director of Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment (SAFE) is well acquainted with the pain and struggle that victims and survivors of domestic violence endure.

According to her website, www.newsafestart.org, “In 1998, she was beaten until her eye socket required reconstructive surgery. Kalyn Risker immediately left the situation with her four-year-old daughter, having only a part-time job and needing additional income and health benefits.”

Ms. Risker continued her education while working full-time and recovering from her injuries. Today, Kalyn holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Human Resource Management from Davenport University and a Masters of Science in Human Resource Administration from Central Michigan University.

Economic empowerment is vital for women that are victims and survivors of domestic violence. Many women feel trapped because they can not support themselves and believe they must stay in the violent situation.

While working full time as a human resource professional, Kalyn was able to spot victims of abuse that either applied for a job or worked for the company. The women would have long periods of time missing from their work history. In other cases, they were consistently absent from work; and they had to explain poor job performance or low productivity. Others simply reached out for help and resources to alleviate the stress from their tumultuous home environment.

The impact of domestic violence is staggering when you look at the numbers. More interesting, domestic violence impact us all in one way or another.  Kalyn states, “Employers lose $13-15 billion dollars a year in lost productivity and high absenteeism. They also pay higher security costs for all employees. Employers have higher insurance deductibles and health care costs because of domestic violence. It’s not just the problem of the survivor.”

Ms. Risker founded SAFE to supply survivors of domestic violence with the proper financial tools and resources necessary to leave and recover from abuse. Some of the basic services provided free of charge include resume writing, job seeking and interviewing skills.

As quoted on www.newsafestart.org, Kalyn states, “My experience as a survivor of domestic violence and as a Human Resource Executive led to the idea for SAFE. Although I show no readily visible signs of scarring, I use my personal victory over circumstances to help inspire others into action.”

Since established in 2006, SAFE has helped 730 survivors of domestic violence. As a supplement to its core services, SAFE hosts the Health & Wealth Expo and the O.P.E.N. for Business Micro-entrepreneurship Conference for Survivors of Domestic Violence that are both free of charge. The two events combined hosted a total of 850 people in 2012.  Since its inception in 2010, the Micro-entrepreneurship conference has resulted in the creation of 20 businesses.

The 2013 empowerment weekend for SAFE’s Health & Wealth Expo and the O.P.E.N. for Business Micro-entrepreneurship Conference for Survivors of Domestic Violence will be held October 11^th and 12^th. Visit www.newsafestart.org for additional information.

In addition, SAFE will host its 7^th Annual Appreciation and Fundraising Event at the Detroit Historical Museum, on June 21st, 2013 from5:30 pm –9:00 pm.  The event is held to honor clients, community volunteers and supporters of the organization.SAFE will present awards to clients that have gone above and beyond their goals.

Ms. Risker states, “This year a new award will be given in the memory of a major supporter of SAFE, Mrs. Christian Lazzana-Webster, who was murdered earlier this year. Her husband has been charged with the murder. The award will be given to the entrepreneur that embodies the goals of our entrepreneurship program.”

Mrs. Christian Lazzana-Webster was a mother of two and co-owner of Big Top Popcorn®
Gourmet Snacks, a family owned and operated business located in the City of Eastpointe, on Gratiot Avenue and Nine mile road.

In 2011, actress Robin Givens received SAFE’s Champion Award at the 5^th Annual Appreciation event for her work to bring awareness of domestic violence.

Kalyn Risker, Executive Director and Robin Givens, Actress Photo by Avima Design

Kalyn states, “Violence against women is a pervasive problem and there needs to be more awareness and more prevention.”

Ms. Risker works tirelessly to bring awareness and resources to the plight of women facing domestic violence. In 2009,SAFE was named as a community partner in the Allstate Insurance Company’s Social Responsibility Report.

Kalyn is also a certified trainer for the Allstate Foundation’s Economic Empowerment for Domestic Violence Survivors program, which helps survivors become financially independent.  Last year, Kalyn was invited to be a member of Avon Cosmetics Company’s National Domestic Violence Advisory Board. As a presenter on a national panel of experts at the 2^nd Annual World Conference of Women’s Shelters, she provided her expertise on “U.S. Advocacy and Community Engagement for Survivors” in WashingtonD.C. last year.

Ms. Risker can not afford to rest on her laurels. Advocates for survivors of domestic violence still have a lot of work to do. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that was introduced by then Senator Joe Binden- and Detroit Congressman John Conyers in 1994 is up for reauthorization. The law provides provisions for programs and services for domestic violence survivors and focuses on intervention and protection. The law protects women that are victims of gang violence, sexual assault and stalking.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence website, (NNEDV.org) reported that the reauthorization of the VAWA was delayed for 2 years. It was approved by the Senate on February 11th and is currently in the House of Representatives.

Kalyn states, “Reduction in funding from the federal level would have been devastating for shelters and other services providers to help survivors of domestic abuse. It is important for people to raise their voice about legislation to help domestic violence survivors.”

The Domestic Violence Counts 2011-A 24-Hour Census of Domestic Violence Shelters and Services report issued by NNEDV reported that approximately 2,550 victims were served in one day in the State of Michigan. In addition, 856 adults and children received non-residential assistance and services.  However, there were 271 unmet requests for services by victims.

Ms. Risker states, “In Detroit there is 1 shelter with 68 beds for women and their children. We don’t have any programs for counseling.” SAFE faces the same challenges that service provides across the nation face everyday. Funding, of course is key and without it the ability to help survivors of domestic violence continues to be a struggle.  Kalyn states, “We don’t have a counselling program and we need additional staff to be trainers and answer the hot-line.

She is inspired to continue her work by her mentor Umi Sheila (pronounced She-lee-ah) Hankin. Umi is Swahili for Grandmother. Umi is the Co-Director of the Institute of Domestic Violence in the African American Community (IDVAAC), a national non-profit organization formed in 1993 and based at the University of Minnesota.

Kalyn learned how to barter and make things happen from her watching her mentor. She states, “I see how UMI has done things on a national level and watched how she provided training and information to survivors through collaborating with other organizations.”

The lack of funding to provide the needed resources to help survivors is one of the major challenges Ms. Risker faces withSAFE. She states, “I learned how to piggyback on conferences and events that happen inDetroitto exposeSAFEto a national audience.”

Kalyn Risker has been a proven advocate for survivors of domestic violence. She will continue to increase the awareness and prevention of domestic violence despite funding restraints.

SAFEhas a hotline for survivors to call to receive information about their work, training and economic empowerment resources. The SAFEhotline number is 1-800-757-4919.

Contact information:

Kalyn Risker, Executive Director
Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment
269 Walker Street #721
Detroit, Michigan 48207
800-757-4919 ext.15
www.newsafestart.org

Share this:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

by Stephen R. Covey (Author, Narrator) (1566) Buy new: $34.97 $26.95

BreastfeedingMothersUnite.com

Join Breastfeeding Mothers Unite and Focus:  Hope for the Healthy Families Awareness Day and Community Talent Show, Saturday, March 2, 2012 from 12 pm to 3 pm.  Event will take place at Focus: Hope Center for Children, located at 1550 Oakman Boulevard, Detroit, MI.

Growing Healthy Children, Building Stronger Families with the help of the Community.

Come out and learn how to cook healthy on a budget.
Learn why community supporting families, make a stronger families

Highlights of the Healthy Families Awareness Day will include topics like, eating healthy on a budget, benefits of breastfeeding and why doulas are important. Also, learn about Focus: Hope’s newest breastfeeding peer counselor and community based doula programs. Additional features include raffles, special guest and informational literature.

The Talent Show is a FREE EVENT that is Open to the community. Registration required.

We will have a great panel of Judges and this event is being MC’d by Kerry Lacy

Mr. Kerry Lacy is a professional bass player and vocalist that performed and recorded with acts including Sheila Landis, Geq, Montreaux International jazz festival in Switzerland, North Sea International Festival in Holland, Detroit Jazz Festival, 5 tours with Festival at Sea, and has shared the stage with Chaka Khan, the Whispers, and Chip Dixson

Performances are limited to singing, family friendly hip-hop, dancing and family friendly poetry.

1st Place:
Certificate and Ribbon – Winning Performance uploaded to BFMU’s YouTube page and Shared to BFMU’s Network – On Scene Photo shoot (10 Poses) – $200 Gift Card
2nd Place:
Certificate and Ribbon – On Scene Photo shoot (5 Poses) – $100 Gift Card
3rd Place:
Certificate and Ribbon – On Scene Photo shoot (1 Pose)

Saturday, March 2, 2013
12:00 pm until 3pm

Focus: HOPE Center for Children
1550 Oakman Blvd,
Detroit, Michigan 48238-3518

Talent Show Rules

1. Must live in the city of Detroit
2. Must be at least 10 years of age
3. Consent forms must be signed before performance (parent signature required for minors)
4. Performances are limited to singing, dancing and family friendly poetry.
5. Only edited or radio version of songs allowed
6. Use of Explicit language will result in disqualification
7. Registration required

Request a community resource table and to register to perform
Contact BFMU for more information: 313-757-2378
http://www.breastfeedingmothersunite.com/bfmu-events

Share this:

The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America's #1 Wine Brand

Bonnie Harvey (Author), Michael Houlihan (Author) (5) Publication Date: May 21, 2013 Buy new: $15.95 $11.79 15 used & new from $7.24

Kelley Gupton, Owner Posey Planning Services, L.L.C.

By: Angeline Lawrence, Founder, www.entrepreneurexchangegroup.com

Breast Cancer is a disease that has robbed us of loved ones, both old and young. The 2009 National Cancer Society study predicated over 190,000 women would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Of that number, approximately 18,600 of these women would be under the age of 45 years old.

The nightmare of those statistics was realized for the sister of Kelley Gupton, owner and lead event planner of Posey Planning Services, LLC. Upon receiving the news that her sister, Krissy Posey, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 28, Kelley was devastated. She states, “My sister lived in Chicago at the time and I was pregnant with my first child. I was inspired by her attitude that she just wanted to beat the cancer and move on.”

Although encouraged by her sister’s “can-do” attitude to beat the disease, Kelley could not just sit idly by without helping her sister find resources. She states, “My sister is not the type to reach out to other people and ask for help, so I began searching on Google for resources and organizations.” Kelley soon realized that the number of organizations targeted to women under the age of 30 were almost non-existent. She states, “There were organizations for women under 40, but not under 30. My sister was only 28.”

Thankfully, Kelley discovered Young Survival Coalition, a global organization dedicated to helping young women under the age of 35 diagnosed with breast cancer. This year is the 15th anniversary of the organization established in 1998. The founders are three (3) women from New York that were all diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 35.

Mrs. Gupton states, “I talked with someone from Young Survival Coalition (YSC) out of New York. They have resources for younger women diagnosed with cancer and their families. The effects of cancer are different with young women. They face infertility issues and worry about whether they will be able to have kids.”

YSC helps young women find comfort and hope during this life changing event. Younger women face a different set of challenges from women that are past the age of menopause. For instance, women under 35 experience a more aggressive cancer, have higher mortality rates and face the likelihood of experiencing menopause early. Today, the organization has close to 30 affiliate chapters across the United States and is headquartered in New York.

Dealing with her sister’s illness was a reprieve from the transformation that was occurring in Kelley’s own life. While expecting her first child with her husband, Kelley was growing dissatisfied with her current 9 to 5 job. Planning events has been a passion for her since she was a teenager. “If anyone in my family was having an event, I would always ask them to let me plan it for them.” In high school and throughout college Kelley continued to plan events part-time.

Initially, Kelley was going into education and wanted to be teacher. She states, “I am an advocate of education and love kids. I thought that would be the path for me since my mother was a teacher.” However, her classroom experience in teaching prompted her to change directions. She changed her major during her junior year of college to Communications and English.

Upon graduating, Mrs. Gupton was a substitute teacher and eventually worked as a Career Development Counselor for Ross Medical Education Center in Ann Arbor, MI. Kelley’s “ah-ha” moment occurred after she had her first child and didn’t want to return to work.

Special Event Planning

She states, “I was no longer motivated on my job. The only thing that gave me satisfaction was planning events.” She began planning more events to get a feel for the business side. At times, she would plan events free of charge to hone her skills and work on her portfolio. Finally her husband said to her, “Just put your heart and soul into the business you created. You should go after your dream and go for it full force.”

With the reassurance of her husband and the favor of God, Kelley’s business spread like wildfire. She states, “It took off by word of mouth. I have not had to pay for any promotional materials.” Today, Kelley plans roughly 15 events a year. She has one employee and two interns. Although weddings, anniversary and birthday parties are a sweet spot, Kelley is also launching a successful fundraising event arm to the business.

Posey Planning Services, L.L.C.

She states, “We can work with almost any budget for any event. If a client is unable to pay for our planning services I offer them the referral program free of charge. I connect them to quality and professional vendors that will make their event a success.” Posey Planning Services offers a number of event planning packages, and the fee can vary because all events are different. Kelley walks her clients through the event step by step and provides as much assistance to her clients as needed.

Mrs. Gupton is a visual person and must be able to envision the event for a client based on their requirements. She states, “Once a client gives me the foundation for their event I can create a vision with all aspects of the event on a visual board.”

Her first Entrepreneurs’ Expo was in 2009 in Southfield, MI. The Entrepreneurs’ PPS Business Expo was held to benefit YSC, the organization that helped her sister through her fight with breast cancer.

Today, Kelley is happy to report that her sister is cancer free and taking medications to help her through her recovery. Kelley states, “She has returned to work and her hair is growing back. She has even started dating again which shows she has confidently moved on with her life.”

Last year Kelley had 200 participants and over 40 vendors attend the Posey Planning Services (PPS) Business Expo to support young women with breast cancer. Her keynote speaker was Pam Perry, a public relations and media specialists with clients all over the nation. Other guest speakers included Ken Harris, President of the Black Chamber of Commerce, and Jody Bernhardt, a multi-business owner.

This year Kelley has another star-studded line up of industry leaders and entrepreneurs to talk about business development, networking and how to sell, sell, and sell. The speakers include: Director Jim Cundiff, of Mary Kay Cosmetics known as the “King of Sales;” Pam Turkins, founder of Just Baked Cupcakes, a national franchise; and Tammy Turner a networking expert and author. They will all empower attendees to achieve in business.

The event is free to the public and will be held at the Embassy Suites in Livonia, MI, May 11, 2013 from 12 pm to 4 pm. Kelley is expecting an even greater turn out and has the support of the Mayor of Livonia as well as the City Council. She states, “We had to turn down a few vendors for this year’s event because we reached our capacity in their category.”

Kelley’s words of wisdom, “Hard work and determination are secrets to success and the favor of God. I have to give God credit for all that I do.”

Special Event Planning Services

Kelley J. Gupton, Owner and Senior Event Planner
Posey Planning Services, LLC
Website: www.poseyplanningservices.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/poseyplanningservices
Twitter: @poseyplanning
Email: events@poseyplanningservices.com
Telephone: 313.995.4233

Share this:

Retire Your Husband: A Millionaire Mom's Guide To Replacing Your Spouse's Income Through Network Marketing

Kami Dempsey (Author), Denise Walsh (Author), Bailey Walsh (Editor) (11) Download: $9.99

By: Angeline Lawrence, Founder, www.Entrepreneurexchangegroup.com

Kris Bailey did not become a major YouTube publisher overnight. While a student at Fordham Law School she needed a creative study break.  Several years ago, The Tyra Banks Show produced a segment about the epidemic of skin bleaching by women of color.  She decided to respond to the segment by producing a video. Her goal was to empower all women and let them know that they look great in their skin. Upon uploading the video to YouTube, Kris received over 122,000 views.

Bitten by the You Tube bug, Kris, along with her fiancé Kwan Stafford, produced dozens of videos that would uplift and empower women in beauty, lifestyle and relationships.   Kwan, a Detroit native, is an avid martial artist, a writer, and has a background in accounting.  He is the other half of the team that records and produces the videos and writes for TheCafeBelle.com. They started making videos on the Crystal Rose Love channel in 2009. Today their channel has received over 1,150,000 views with over 6,600 subscribersand growing.

Currently, subscribers to the Crystal Rose Love Channel have an opportunity to win a Babyliss flat iron valued at $130.00. This flat iron is one of the tools in Kris’ healthy hair toolbox and secret to her beautiful hair.

In addition to the YouTube Channel, Kris & Kwan founded the Café Belle an online e-magazine that is the print version of the YouTube Channel.

www.thecafebelle.com

According to www.thecafebelle.com, “Café Belle is an up-and-coming lifestyle e-magazine based in Michigan’s Metro Detroit area. It is a pin-friendly online blogazine that stirs up empowering, educational and inspirational brews on beauty, fashion, mind & body, and relationships.

The tagline states, “Live Your Most Beautiful Life.”  The e-magazine also covers the entrepreneur scene in Detroit with posts on events and projects occurring in the City.

Although Kris Bailey is a graduate of Harvard University and Fordham Law School, she has always had a passion for encouraging and building up other women so they can achieve their life goals.

Of course we all want to know the secret strategy to their success.  Everyone will not be a viral video sensation like Gnam Style, which surpassed Justin Bieber’s “Baby” video to have 1 billion views. It only took 5 months for Gnam Style to go from 0 to 1 billion on YouTube.

Kris believes that you should be consistent and provide your audience with good content. She added, “If you make one or two videos sporadically, it is harder to grow your audience.” She started gaining more subscribers when she decided to be more consistent with making videos on her channel. Consistency is a major factor growing an audience on You Tube.

Some of Kris’s tips on growing an audience include:

1. Engage with your YouTube audience and respond to their comments and messages as often as possible
2. Utilize the best video and lighting equipment within your budget in order to create better quality videos.
3. Have fun and be genuine.

As a practicing lawyer inConnecticut, many of her clients would ask advice about the internet and web-based marketing. Kris stated, “As I would advise them about business contracts and agreements they would also ask about the internet. I had to learn more about business practices for the internet.”

In addition, to consistency, content is still king on the web. Kris and Kwan have produced videos on product demonstrations, healthy hair care, styling techniques and relationships.  Before moving to Michigan, Kris and Kwan maintained a long distance relationship. The couple produced a video about creative and low cost ways they used to stay in touch. Check out one of the videos for yourself. You can find her channel here: http://www.youtube.com/crystalroselove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLeR7H8B12Q

Kris Bailey, Co-Founder The Crystal Rose Love Channel and The Cafe Belle

Kris Bailey, Co-Founder

The Café Belle

Crystal Rose Love Channel

Email: thecafebelle@gmail.com

Website: www.thecafebelle.com

You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/crystalroselove

Share this:

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

by Eric Ries (Author, Narrator) (334) Buy new: $28.00 $23.95

JEM Tech Group

By: Angeline Lawrence, Founder Entrepreneur Exchange Group

Information Technology (IT) is king in the new economy. If a company does not have a handle on its data and information then they are trouble. Regardless of a company’s core offerings, information technology and data systems are a top priority.  The question becomes, “How do we reach our customers and provide services faster and more efficiently?”

Ms. Jami Moore, President of JEM Tech Group, has provided that answer to her clients for 13 years.  She states, “It is major for all companies whether they are large or small.  We can help customers access any of their infrastructure and IT assets in their data centers and remote sites. We are the eyes and ears of technology. If a [company’s] server died we can put a system on it so they can access it right from their desk or where ever they are.”

Initially, JEM Computers was established by her father, James Edward Miller (JEM) in 1986. The company sold tape media to its clients to back up data systems and printer ribbons. Ms. Moore states, “The Data Center was the specialty area, companies backed up their data on tape media. Today tape media is almost obsolete; we would not be in business if we relied on it.”

Since Jami took over the company from her father in 2002, a major overhaul of the company’s services was made including the name change from JEM Computers to JEM Tech Group. Under her leadership, revenue has quadrupled with 13 employees and new office and warehouse facility located inMacombCounty in Michigan.

However, her rise to the top was not an easy one. Jami holds a dual degree in Marketing and German fromMichiganStateUniversity.  She worked in pharmaceutical sales prior to rejoining the family business in 2000. She learned as much as she could about the company operations and its clients. Jami did some additional homework prior to approaching her father about leading the company as president.

She took a business planning course offered through Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED) in Ann Arbor.  The mission of CEED is to empower women and minorities economically through business development training, supplier certification, business-to-business networking and accessible capital assistance programs.

They provide effective business tools and remove barriers that hinder development of successful and sustainable businesses.  The course helped her to understand the industry and the work that needed to be done to attract clients.

In the fast paced and constantly changing industry of IT how does JEM Tech Group stay on top of its game? According to Jami, staying abreast of new technology and constantly doing things to improve the company’s customer service are important.

“You have to learn new things. I had a client that wanted an online catalog for its products. I did not say, ‘No, we can’t do it.’ We learned the new technology. Now we are 8 years into our contract with the client.”

Figuring out who you are and what you offer different from your competitors is pivotal to being successful. Ms. Moore states, “We have to figure out how to differentiate ourselves from larger companies. We prove ourselves over and over and over. As a woman, I know I have to work harder to prove myself. I know it is a male dominated industry. I don’t fear and it does not phase me anymore.”

The major players of the industry have figured that question out and are out running their competitors. However, you can’t count out small women-owned enterprises that are out working and dominating competitors in the IT industry.

According to the American Express Open State of Women-Owned Businesses 2012 report, women-owned firms in the professional/science/technical services industry have grown from 1.2 million to 1.8 million for a 13% increase from 2002 to 2012.

Likewise the number of Women-owned firms in the same industry sector with annual revenue over $500,000 has increased by 31% from 25,000 to over 35,000 for the same time period. The report further states that Michiganis ranked 9^th in the nation for the number of women-owned businesses with a total of $30 million in revenue.

Today, JEM Tech Group specializes in Data Center Infrastructure and provides its clients energy saving solutions to make their data center systems energy efficient. Ms. Moore states, “We show them how they can save on their long-term energy bill. If clients want to get a rebate for their investment we have a partner that will contact the local utility company and work on getting the energy rebate.”

Clients range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in services, manufacturers, a major university, a national restaurant franchise and a professional sports team. As a part of the overhaul, JEM Tech Group launched a new website at www.jemtechgroup.com. Ms. Moore states, “A new website was a part of my vision and what I always wanted to do. It will have a virtual data center and be interactive.”

New JEM Tech Group Website

Laser precision marketing is one of the day to day tasks completed to stay on top of the male dominated IT industry. Jami states, “We are tightening our belt on how we are going to market our message.”

Parts of that marketing include providing lunch and learn workshops for potential clients. The workshops have been a big success. Existing clients, some Fortune 500 companies, present and give testimonials on behalf of the JEM Tech Group.  Last year approximately 54 people attended one workshop. Ms. Moore states, “It warmed my heart that in this economy companies are investing in their IT systems.”

The JEM Tech Group has been a certified WBE (women-owned enterprise) since 2004 and is a member of the Women’s Business Counsel and the MCWT (Michigan Council of Women in Technology). Jami continues to volunteer with CEED and encourages women entrepreneurs to achieve in business.

A few of her many accolades include: Crain’s Detroit Business “40 under 40”, named to the Top 100 Women Owned and Diversity Owned Businesses inMichiganfrom 2005 through 2011 by Diversity Business.com magazine and won the 2012 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Michigan Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year Award.

Ms. Moore is very active in the community and volunteers with major foundations and community organizations in the region such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Barbara S. Karmanos Foundation. She states, “I am a proponent of having balance in my life.  At one time I was stressed out and had a herniated disk. You must be able to trust others and have balance. Yes, I will take work home, but I take time to do things for myself and have balance.”

Excellent customer service, client referrals and staying on the cutting edge of her industry have helped Jami Moore stay on top of her game. She states, “As entrepreneurs we can fail or succeed, we have to figure out why. If a customer says no, then I tell my employees that we have to figure out why they said no.”

As women entrepreneurs working hard and connecting with your clients are crucial. However, Jami adds these parting words of wisdom, “You want to lead by example everyday. You must be consistent, persistent and honest.”

Jami Moore, President JEM Tech Group

JEM Tech Group

23537 Lakepointe Drive

Clinton Township, MI 48036

Phone: 586-783-3400

Website: www.jemtechgroup.com

Email: support@jemtechgroup.com

Share this:

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

Michael E. Gerber (Author) (665) Buy new: $20.99 $15.01 565 used & new from $2.50

Sheila McBride, Founder/CEO

By: Angeline Lawrence, Editor-In-Chief

Entrepreneurs are risk takers driven by a passion to make a difference. Shelia McBride, CEOand Founder of GradeCheck.net, embodies entrepreneurship with a drive to help kids beat the odds and go to college on athletic scholarships.

According to the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), roughly 3.3% of male student athletes move from high school to play basketball at an NCAA member institution. It is slightly higher for female student athletes with 3.7% going on to college to compete in women’s basketball at the collegiate level.

Since 1997, GradeCheck.net has helped over 900 student-athletes beat the odds to receive athletic scholarships to Division I and II colleges.  Initially, Ms. McBride created GradeCheck.net to help her son achieve an athletic scholarship to college.  Her manual system monitored her son’s academic progress against the NCAA eligibility requirements to qualify for an athletic scholarship. She states, “I had this need as a parent but along the way I was able to see that this is a need for thousands of families. That is what keeps me going.”

Today, GradeCheck.net is a web-based student information management system that tracks student-athletes’ academic performance against the NCAA eligibility standards and graduation requirements for any high school in the country.

The system has over 900 active users and provides services to student-athletes in 9 Detroit Public High Schools, John Glenn High School of Wayne-Westland School District, Detroit Community School, Detroit Country Day, Combat Panthers Girls’ Softball Traveling Team of Southern California, and Slidell High School in Slidell, Louisiana to name a few.

Coach Bob Surane of the Combat Panthers, in Southern CA states, “GradeCheck.net is a competitive advantage for student-athletes to use because it verifies their grade-point-average and test scores and shows their standings against NCAA eligibility requirements. It is a tool to use when talking to college coaches, because the first thing they ask about is the student’s grades.”

As a parent, Zane Ziegler was unaware of the NCAA eligibility requirements and the need for his son Bryon, a 6’ 7” student-athlete playing in the forward position on the basketball team at DetroitCommunityHigh School, to comply with the requirements to receive a scholarship. “My son knew he had to have the grades in order to play basketball. He had the grade-point-average and passed the ACT, but his classes were not current with the NCAA.”

All high schools must have a 48H Form, which is the official document that the NCAA uses to review a student’s transcripts to determine eligibility.  Most schools are not aware that if the title of a class is changed or new classes are offered, then they must update it on their 48H form and submit it to the NCAA.

Zane Zielger and son Byron with Shelia McBride of GradeCheck.net

Mr. Ziegler states, “My son’s 48H form was not correct, GradeCheck.net was able to help the school update the 48H form and his classes. GradeCheck.net was able to help my son in one day and now he will be able to accept a scholarship from South Florida University in Tampa, Florida.”

The outcome for some students has not been that positive.  According to Alvin Ward, Athletic Department Director for Detroit Public Schools, “A lot of students must turn down athletic scholarships because the courses they have taken are ineligible according to the NCAA Clearing House. GradeCheck.net helps to track a student’s courses and make sure they are compliant with the NCAA.”

GradeCheck.net will provide services to student-athletes in 9 of the Detroit Public Schools.  The company will make sure that the students will comply with NCAA requirements as well as the high school requirements for graduation inMichigan. GradeCheck.net has the capability to track students’ high school graduation requirements for all 50 states.

Mr. Ward is ecstatic about working with GradeCheck.net and Ms. McBride to help his students. He states, “Shelia is abreast of all the updates regarding NCAA eligibility. They have great technology and you get instant results. Administrators, parents and student-athletes can use the system to ensure that students are on track every step of the way.”

The NCAA recently announced new eligibility standards for incoming high school freshmen that would seek eligibility and want to compete in sports at a Division I institution beginning August, 2016. The new eligibility requirements can be found at http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Important_New_Rules/New_IE_Rules.pdf.

According to the NCAA website, “The requirements to compete in the first year will change. Prospects must: Earn at least a 2.3 grade-point average in core courses. Meet an increased sliding-scale standard (for example, an SAT score of 1,000 requires a 2.5 high school core course grade-point-average). Successfully complete 10 of the 16 total required core courses before the start of their senior year in high school.”

Mr. Glenn Terry, Assistant Director of Customer Service for the NCAA Eligibility Center, states, “We will use the best SAT combined math and English score and best ACT score combined math, science, English and reading. I recommend that they take the test multiple times. The student could have a lower Grade-point-average if they have a higher test score.” 

Many have wondered, “Why did the NCAA raise the standards for eligibility for freshmen entering Division I colleges and institutions beginning in 2016?”

We have heard dozens of stories about high school athletes landing the 4-year scholarship to college, but in the middle of their freshmen year are deemed academically ineligible.

Mr. Terry states, “The Division I Presidents [of universities] wanted to ensure that students were prepared for the academic rigors of a college campus. They wanted to ensure that the academic standards were rigorous enough to ensure that students were prepared.”

The new standards will raise the level of academic expectation for student-athletes as well as prepare them to compete and excel at a higher level academically. Naturally, the next question would be, “How is the NCAA getting the word out about the new eligibility requirements?”

According to Mr. Terry, developing new strategies to reach out to the education community has been a major priority for the NCAA. Chris Radford, public relations representative for NCAAEligibilityCenteralso states, “It is a priority that we are meeting to think of ways to get the word out.”

The NCAA Eligibility Center, which has offered parent orientations on requirements for the past 5 years, used paid advertisements, newsletters and conducted orientations for coaches, counselors, school administrators and boards of education throughout the U.S.

In addition, there are a number of online resources such as the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, provided online at www.ncca.org. The direct link is http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA.pdf.  Also, the NCAA’s initial-eligibility requirements online course for coaches, counselors and parents is offered by the National Federation of High Schools at their website http://www.nfhslearn.com/electiveDetail.aspx?courseID=14000.

Mr. Terry further states, “Grade 9 counts. Ninth grade can not be sloshed off. Academic achievement creates opportunities.  Meeting the initial standards does not guarantee admission into college or university of your choice. Colleges and universities have their own admission standards.”

He also recommends that student-athletes register with the NCAAEligibilityCenterin their sophomore year of high school, even though their transcripts are not due until the end of their junior year. 

Ms. McBride continues to make all of her clients aware of the new eligibility requirements. She states, “Because of what we do, we have to stay on top the NCAA legislation. It is part of our job.”

Detroit Public Schools increased their academic standards for student-athletes participating in high school sports in response to the new standards. Mr. Ward states, “In order to engage in sports, students must have [at least] a 2.0 grade-point-average in the core courses of Math, English, Science and Social Studies instead of an overall 2.00 grade-point-average.” 

Although Ms. McBride is clear about her purpose to help kids, staying in business has not been an easy path.  Shelia has looked to others to help her grow her business.  As a student of the former Detroit Entrepreneur Institute, which was operated by Ms. Cathy McClelland, Shelia developed her idea for her company.

Today, GradeCheck.net is located inWayneStateUniversity’s TechTown. Shelia has been among a community of technology based companies for several years.  In addition, GradeCheck.net was awarded the first micro-loan issued by the newly formed Detroit Micro-Enterprise Loan Fund in 2007.

The company also attracted the attention of Mr. Don Snider, an entrepreneur and the Senior Vice President of Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Earlier this year, the Small Business Administration (SBA) named him the Michigan 2012 Minority Small Business Champion.

He states, “Shelia has a good product and I was very impressed that she was a single parent and working hard to build her company. An obstacle she faces is that larger companies have beaten her to the punch to provide a service to schools to track their students.”

According to Mr. Snider, a published author and successful entrepreneur for over 14 years, the biggest obstacle faced by entrepreneurs is not access to capital. He states, “Actually, it is getting access to certain customers that they would like to get to. I use my position to help entrepreneurs like Shelia McBride get in the door and present to companies like Compuware and the EAA (Education Achievement Authority). ” He also states, “I use my position to open doors and get them a meeting and an audience.”

Donald Snider works tirelessly to help small businesses like GradeCheck.net expand their customer base and gain access to capital. He is an economic advocate for businesses located in Detroit, Flint, Saginawand Pontiac.

Mr. Snider states, “Sports help her to get into schools, then she can show them other services she can offer that are more cost effective and for a better price than what they are paying.”   For instance, there are larger companies that offer student information management systems, however, they do not track the NCAA eligibility requirements of student-athletes in those schools. The NCAA tracking system is what sets GradeCheck.net apart from the competition.

Ms. McBride has weathered many personal and financial storms to keep her doors open and help kids with a desire to go to college.  Although she is not driven by profits, she knows that generating more profits will enable her to help more people. In 2011, the company grossed over $100,000 in revenue.

In addition, Corp! Magazine, in the September/October issue, announced Shelia McBride as one of the winners of the “2012 Entrepreneurs of Distinction Award” and named GradeCheck.net as one of the “Smart Start-ups” in Michigan.

Defying the odds once again, Shelia was recently named one of the winners in the Urban Rebound-Detroit, Count Me In Business Pitch Competition. The competition and conference were heldOctober 1, 2012inDetroitwith women making their 2-minute elevator pitch to be considered for a spot in the Count Me In Business Accelerator Program.

On November 6^th, 2012, Shelia was awarded one of the coveted spots in the 9-month Count Me In Business Accelerator Program.  GradeCheck.net was one of the top 10 women-owned businesses selected for the program. The program will help women-owned businesses grow their companies from a minimum of $50,000 to $250,000.

In the end, Shelia remains focused on her mission. Ms. McBride is committed to helping school administrators, coaches, parents and students understand the NCAA academic eligibility guidelines. She states, “We don’t care about how high they jump or how fast they run. We care about their grades and that they are on track for graduating from high school and meeting NCAA eligibility requirements if they expect to receive an athletic scholarship.”

Shelia McBride, CEO GradeCheck.net

Contact Information

Website:         https//GradeCheck.net

Office:             440 Burroughs Street, Suite 101 TechTown, Detroit, MI 48202

Email:             smcbride@gradecheck.net

Telephone:     313 879-5255

Share this:

How to Write Great Blog Posts that Engage Readers (Better Blog Booklets)

Steve Scott (Author) (52) Download: $0.99