Have We Had Lunch Yet? Pt. II

A toast to a great year

As promised back in September, I have reflected over some of the meetings and great lunch dates I have had in 2010. While some were last minute or never entered into my planner at all, here is the best round up I can give. I have personally reached out to and had business meetings with about 80 people this year – roughly six a month. In addition to these 80 meetings, I sat down with roughly 35 other people either over lunch or dinner.


Except for five professionals, I have collaborated, created a partnership or continue to actively network with the rest of the 110. I say this and end 2010 with this column to prove the power of networking and reaching out. I only knew two of you prior to this year. I cold contacted the majority of my lunch dates. Now I have 113 other professionals I can add to my network. It’s not a one way street. These people can now add me to theirs. Building connections is a continuous cycle. Don’t be out for the take. Be truly interested in how you can help one another. It always comes back to you tenfold.

There are hundreds of people who meet with triple the number of people I have met with. Remember, it is not about numbers. It’s about building quality relationships. Some of you have become friends, some of you are currently in the midst of working on projects with me, some of you I have dragged into volunteering and others are probably sick of receiving emails from me. I love working with all of you. I love that we are all making Greater Springfield a wonderful place to live. Here’s a toast to what we will all accomplish in 2011!

See you in the New Year!

Suit up and get in the game

With regards to business, the age-old philosophy of “living in the moment” doesn’t completely ring true. I find that those who are very successful thrive in the present, but always keep one foot in the future. To get where you are going, you have to start your navigation from your current location. Like Michael Jackson in the Billy Jean video, if you do it well, your wise decisions will illuminate your path with each step.

Be Proactive.

Get noticed for the right reasons. Employees who get involved are recognized for their commitment and team-player mentality. Don’t wait for assignments to be delegated to you, sign up for them. In fact, create new strategies and ideas and present them to your supervisor or boss. Don’t be afraid to share ideas with co-workers. Invite them to brainstorm on an idea you have been pondering. Stay that extra half hour to finish up the proposal your group needs by next week.

I am not telling you to be a slave. I am saying be efficient, consistent and energized when you are in the workplace. When you are the ables (reliable and capable) you become a necessity to the company. The worst thing to do is to maintain your position in a manner that results in your superior not caring who is sitting in your seat. Make them want you, and only you, in that role. Then you will have leverage when you ask for that raise, rally for that promotion or argue your case for that new espresso machine in the cafeteria. By the time you are ready to move on to the next phase of your career - whether you are leaving or ascending within the organization - you will have established a track record.

Let The Players In The Game Get To Know You.
Many people will tell you the opposite. Try to get past his secretary, approach him at a meet and greet. Don’t believe them. I don’t care how much you want to get five minutes with Mr. Wilson, the president of Hold It Paper Clips. The quickest and easiest way to get a sit-down with Mr. Wilson is to be great at what you do. A funny thing will happen. Mr. Wilson will come looking for you.

I hate to think about it as much as you, but people are talking behind your back. Trust me, some are saying not so nice things, and some are saying some wonderful things. No matter what any of them say, the proof is in the pudding. No amount of idle gossip can take away your accomplishments and the opportunities you have created for yourself and others. So spend your time doing positive work and getting solid results. Before you know it, people will be trying to get past your secretary.

Let Them See It All Over Your Face.
Remember that song, (I’m singing at the top of my lungs here), “It’s written all over your face. You don’t have to say a word.” Well, guess what? It’s true. When you are feeling annoyed, angry and mentally exhausted at work, people can see it and they want no parts of it. In Jeremy Myers’ article titled, “The art of the poker face,” he teaches players that “the ability to keep a positive attitude, and not let losses and setbacks drag you down, is an essential part of being a successful poker player. If you do happen to take a beating - which, inevitably, you will - do your best to brush it off. Dwelling on it will only take much-needed focus away from the next hand.”

The key to staying positive is recognizing a situation for what it is and then pushing through it until the moment has passed. When I am having a bad day, I say out loud, “Today is a bad day. Tomorrow will be a wonderful day.” And you know what, tomorrow usually is. Sulking in negativity, moping about the workplace and answering colleagues in a sinister tone is contagious. You offshoot that vibration to another, they in turn get annoyed and exhibit a reflection of your misery and so the virus spreads … We all know people who work in hostile work environments. They often bring that baggage home at the end of the day, and the cycle continues.

When I used to begin to feel overwhelmed on lay out day at the newspaper and deadlines were looming over my head, I used to say to my co-workers Courtney Llewellyn and Katelyn Gendron, “The work will get done because it has to.” It would act as a moment for me to shovel off any feeling of burden, recycle it into something positive, and allow me to do what needed to be done one step at a time. On stressful days, take a moment to harness your chi and bring yourself back to that positive space. Let that piece of peace ooze out into the work environment. You’ll be known as being able to work well under pressure.

Step Up The Corporate Ladder, Not The Backs Of Others.
No one will ever convince me that you have to be ruthless to others to get ahead. The only thing you should be ruthless about is your work ethic. Don’t connive, manipulate or mislead. Having character and integrity doesn’t make you weak. It makes you level-headed. Always be tactful, honest and sure of what you say and do before you do it. Workplace speech and behavior is like childbirth, once it’s out, there is absolutely no going back.

Earn the respect and trust of your colleagues. When you are helpful and supportive, they will be the same in return. Don’t fall victim to cynicism. Not everyone is out to get you. I’m not advising you to play dumb. I am encouraging you to play smart. Know which battles to fight and which wars to wage. When it comes to office politics, those who have attracted more bees with honey, tend to have more soldiers on the front lines for them.

10 things every entrepreneur should know or do

1) They are not born, they are made. I was an average student in school. I wasn’t on the honor roll. I didn’t play sports. I wasn’t the most popular. However, I managed to figure out at an early age what I was good at and stuck with it.


2) There is not a pile of grants for small businesses waiting to be claimed. This is an ever-present myth. Yes, there are grants out there for specific programs that file under specific categories. There is not a lump some of money, readily available for someone with a brilliant idea, sitting in a locked vault allocated from the federal government to your state. If so, everyone wouldn’t be looking for investors and bank loans. There are small business grants that state and federal agencies offer and financial programs that assist entrepreneurs.

3) You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in this world took something that already existed and made it better.

4) Don’t look for the end of the rainbow for at least three to five years for a brand-new start up. The average start up takes about that long to see real profit. During that time most of the cash goes back into the company. You might want to keep that side job.

5) Smart ones include advertising dollars in their budget. Today you can do a lot for free and word-of-mouth never goes out of style. Still, the right ad, at the right place, at the right time, can do wonders.

6) Intern, intern, intern or get a mentor. If you haven’t done it. Do it. Some places will take an intern no matter the grade or if they need college credit. I once did an internship after college where my fellow interns were double my age. If you can’t intern, do a fellowship. These are basically some of the only situations where people will show you how they run their company; share their protocols and everything they know for FREE.

7) Volunteer to join local boards and committees. You will learn how to run and structure an organization. The financial literacy you gain is second to none and you’re doing something for the community.

8) Some days you will wonder why you aren’t working for someone else collecting a regular salary without the headache.

9) You will experience a brilliant moment when you remember exactly why you went into business for yourself.

10) The only thing more depressing than having your venture fail is looking back at your life and wondering why you never exhausted every avenue or put every blood, sweat and tear into it. This is your dream. Go big or go home.

Meat and potatoes never hurt anybody

Is it just me or are we constantly worried about time? What time is the meeting? How long is the event? Where will we be inserting the keynote speaker on the timeline in the program?

If time was a meal, we’d consistently be serving hors d'oeuvres. I always go for the entrée. Whenever I meet with a client, I always ask that they schedule me for a time that is convenient for them. Not when they have 15 minutes to spare, but a bulk of time for genuine conversation. I think it is a waning feature nowadays.

I’m not trying to squeeze anything out of you. Neither am I interested in giving you a spiel. I am meeting with you to learn more about your organization, its needs and you as a person and member of the community. Sure, I am going to tell you about what we offer at The Lioness Group and our mission. However, I am going to tell you about it and a host of other things and if you decide you would like our services, fantastic – I’m ecstatic. And if you don’t, that is OK, too.

Trying to blurt out what I do in 10 minutes is not only a disservice to the professional services I provide, but a waste of our time. If my services are worth having, than offering it is enough. Talking a million words a minute and pressuring you into a deal should make the ears perk up on anyone. It should also tell you that they are interested in your cash and not the value of your company.

I like to work with people who care about the success of their organization, their employees/clients/consumers and community outreach. All are interlinked to the success of the other. All of these I hope to touch on in conversation. The fleeting 10-second sound bite is not my cup of tea. Maybe some like the little appetizer sprinkled with insincere rhetoric. But I prefer the meat and potatoes.

To plan or not to plan



Do you have the future in your sights?

 I am one of those entrepreneurs who fell into my company – if there ever is such a one. I never thought about owning a business. I did not search for business opportunities and yet, here I am. My first client referred me to another, then someone else called me about a thing, then that thing was noticed by another and so on.


I did not have any start up capital. I did not have a business plan. Though I was certified in business planning nearly a decade ago, everything I am learning I am learning on the job. I have my successes and my slips and I have the plaques and bruises to prove it. However, talking to others about how they got their business ventures going got me thinking about planning. How effective is it? How do you weigh short-term and long-term goals?

Planning is crucial to executing a great idea. That is a no-brainer. Yes, I am one of THOSE people. I admit it. I have a vision board – two to be exact. I have a short term one (present to one year) and a long-term one (ten to fifteen years from now). I set long-term goals, but I complete them in stages. I see where I want to be in three months, nine months and two years from now. I then decide what I need to do every day in order to be where I need to be in three months. I look at my week in units. The last day of the week, Saturday, I briefly reflect on whether or not I completed any tasks that make my three-month goal a reality. Trust me, there are off weeks. Working in short-term bursts keeps me from looking too far ahead and wondering how long I still have to go.

Everyone is different. I honestly think if I had started off by writing a business plan, I would have quit this business owner gig a long time ago. Taking my time and learning and growing at my own pace has allowed me to shape The Lioness Group into its unique niche. If I had sat down and typed out what I thought a writing and media services firm should look like, it would not have been what I currently have. Being different means doing what others have not done and stepping out is frightening. I wouldn’t have been able to write down what I wanted to do, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I started to do it. (Whew! Did you catch that?) Slow, steady growth has enabled me to find my strengths and what makes my brand what it is. Take the time to work in the field you are attempting to become a leader in. Know what it feels like to be in the shoes of the worker bee, the queen bee’s assistant and, ultimately, the queen herself. Be a consumer of the same services you hope to provide. Being on the other side of the glass can do remarkable things when it comes to determining how you want to treat your clients.

I am not encouraging anyone to not have a business plan. It is a necessity. I am in the throws of working with Williams Business Consulting to finally complete my business plan. I must say, it’s a lot easier to write after being in business for more than a year. I don’t have to use estimates. I can use facts. The bonus of having a plan is when you are having those off days; the ones where you are wondering why you started this in the first place. You can open up that plan, refocus on your mission and get right back on track. But don’t be afraid to wander out of the guidelines every now and then. Leave room for the unexpected. Fore it is the only thing that has catapulted me on my path. The irony is what we think is unexpected is often a result of choices we have made, both good and bad.

The Power is in Your Hands

The first time I worked in a mentor capacity, I was Assistant Managing Editor at Reminder Publications. Through Minnechaug Regional High School’s School to Career program, overseen by the amazing and talented Paula Talmadge, each year a high school student would intern in our news department.

These students would come in willing and ready to absorb all they could learn each day. Errors led to discoveries, nerves strengthened to confidence and each story led them to become a part of the news team family. One of the greatest rewards in participating in the program, on my end, was that each student reignited my passion for news.

Each time they figured out a way to track down a source or finally nail their lead, you felt a piece of their victory when their story went to print. You remember how good it feels, because you can recall being in their shoes.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking to students at New Leadership Charter School on entrepreneurism. It was wonderful to hear about their dreams and hopes for the future. Two students hoped to start a wedding planning company. It gave me great satisfaction to tell them they were on the right track. In order to gain experience, they have been planning whatever they can, including school activities and events. After we did a brief exercise that is designed to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses and to access your needs, the two young ladies discovered that what one lacked, the other excelled in, which makes an excellent partnership. It would allow the two be able to focus on different, yet equally important, functions of their future company.

After we went through my Power Point presentation, munched on snacks and muddled over some of the press and marketing materials I brought them, I also shared with them that often people have a certain idea of what an entrepreneur is. I explained to them that an entrepreneur is YOU. It is a person who sees where there is nothing and creates something. It is a person who looks at a product or service and says, “How can I make that better?”

I explained to them that I wasn’t the best student in high school and I had a son at the end of my senior year. But, what saved my future is there was one thing I knew that I loved doing – writing. I had no idea how I was going to make a living at it, but I knew I would. I had veered off my path, but was determined to get "write" back on. So I went to college, worked, interned, and interned some more, and the most important thing I ever did was LISTEN. I have always admired and respected people older than I. And until this very day, when they talk, I listen. I take their advice, learn how they do things, what works, what doesn't and then I do it my way.

I can name numerous people who have made a difference and impacted my life in a substantial way. People who don’t even have a clue they did. Here are just a few: Laurie, a mother of four children who worked with me at The Avenue when I was 23 years old. She told me I could start my own business one day. She was right. Thanks to her, I attended the Center for Women & Enterprise in Rhode Island.

There is a gentleman I never met face-to-face in the early 2000s. We spoke on the phone for about 10 minutes. I don’t even remember his name. He told me to call The Republican and say he sent me. After a series of phone calls and an interview, I got my first paying freelance job writing for the Plus section. Gosh, my articles were horrible. However, Cynthia Simison was kind enough to let me gain some experience.

Later, when I worked at The Reminder, G. Michael Dobbs would listen to our story ideas and give us permission to write them – no matter how out there they were for a weekly newspaper: i.e. “Mike, can we go to the Mojave Desert to track local Marines as they prepare for war in Iraq?” Yes. “Mike, can we drive down to Connecticut in the wee hours of the morning and cover the Michael Ross execution?” Yes. “Can I ride a bus with hundreds of citizens who are going to rally at the New England Congressional Delegation?” Yes. “Mike, can I go to Thailand for a month to write a piece on Group Study Exchange?” Yes. “Can I cover Bill Cosby?” Yes. “How about Grant Hill?” Yes. “Dick Gregory?” Yes. Sorry Jim Carey, but Dobbs is the true “Yes Man.”

Today I encourage you to pay it forward. Even if you did not have someone in your life that helped you get where you are, be the first to turn around and lift up a young person behind you, and then nudge them forward in your own, unique way. Maybe you may know a good resource for them; maybe you can offer advice on a particular subject – it may be as simple as showing them a little love and respect. It all makes a difference.

Don't Be Afraid, Go Out On A Limb

Fear can be crippling. In order to see our businesses flourish, we have to take calculated risks. However, it is often easier said than done. Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Annual Next Level Development Conference for Women of Color hosted at The Sheraton in Springfield, Mass.


The brainchild and vision of Kimberly Robinson Williams, the conference exists to promote the career and personal development of women and people of color across professions, industries and levels of experience. Audra Bohannon, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for Global Novations, presented one of the workshops titled, “Efficacy: Success Strategies for Career Success.” It was brilliantly put together and I was quite pleased to learn that I have been on the right track when it comes to my career.

Then we came to the portion of the program that asked us to write down things we have always wanted to accomplish but still have not. That was easy, too. But then she asked, “What can get in the way?” And that is where I got the first chink in my armour. The things I have accomplished and are known to be great at, well, they come naturally to me. Currently, there are only a few things that make me weak in the knees (Not actually true. If I were to list all of the animals, creepy crawlers and reptiles that turn my blood to ice you’d be reading a book not a column). Since I believe in the practice what you preach motto, I am going to so that I can be held accountable by you. Give me a microphone and place me in front of an audience and my throat will lock. I begin to sound like I inhaled a can of helium. It’s not that I am not prepared to speak or that I am not knowledgeable on the subject. I just begin to wonder what the thoughts are behind all of those roving eyeballs.

Oddly enough, I have spoken to classes, organizations and civic meetings – some have went better than others. However, my worst experience with public speaking took place when I was in Thailand participating in Group Study Exchange, a program sponsored by Rotary International. For six weeks I travelled the country with my other team mates, practically (in my mind) making a fool of myself at every club meeting. I’d be fine leading up to it. I’d even feel quite calm, but one second before I opened my mouth my palms would start sweating and a death grip would seize my vocal cords. My favourite joke on the subject comes from Jerry Seinfeld. He said, "The number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Number two. That means most people would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy."

The Next Level Conference encouraged me to think about fear. Sometimes we’re willing to take a backseat to it rather than follow our hearts. While I believe most people will admit they have a fear of failure, I think it actually comes back to worrying how others view your failure. For example, I fail at things all the time. I’ve slipped on winter ice in my drive way before or put on my shirt backwards. Heck, one morning during my high school days I made it half a block before I realized I hadn’t combed my hair that morning. Did I care about many of these mishaps? No. Why? No one was around to witness them.

Going out on a limb in clear view is scary. We’re vulnerable and visible. The funny thing is that when we fear doing what we want to because of how we may be perceived, we not only miss out on a fantastic opportunity to grow, but we wind up with that feeling that I refuse become friends with, regret.

When I left the conference that afternoon, I left with one mission in mind: Over the next three months I am going accept all of the speaking engagements I had previously turned down. I am going to tiptoe to the edge of my comfort zone, open my arms and take a leap of faith – and I don’t care who is watching. Someone once told me that whatever people think of me is none of my business anyway.

One Click and it Spreads Like a Virus

As an entrepreneur, are you a business owner or a brand? Either way, you represent something. Last week I was invited to an amazing professional development opportunity for women. Hosted by Mary Fallon, of Garvey Communications, there was a great topic on social media and where the line of business and personal is drawn.

For many years I put off utilizing social media. Heck, I didn’t even get a steady cell phone until 2009 (Long story, but sometimes I actually LIKE being unreachable). When I began to use Facebook,I never associated with business contacts on it because at that time I was still a reporter and wanted to keep socializing with city and/or town officials to a minimum. When I started The Lioness Group I thought creating two accounts would be beneficial. I had my business profile and then I had a personal profile. It was easy at first - checking to inboxes, building both networks. However, the more connections I began to make, the longer it took me online.

A few weeks ago I had enough – I contacted all of my friends and associates on my business profile and said that I was merging everyone into one account. Why? It not only was too time consuming, but what did I truly not want my business associates to see on the other personal Facebook account I kept? Nothing.

The Lioness Group and my name are not two separate things. They are one. I am The Lioness Group. I am the brand. I represent my company wherever I go at all times. If people looked at themselves as unified with their business and/or employer, it might cut back on all of the trouble some employees find themselves in when they post far too personal information on social media networks.

Writer Ron Callari wrote an amazing article on the situation for inventorspot.com. In the piece Callari writes, “Be careful what you tweet, Flikr, YouTube and update - less you want to reduce your chances of getting hired or landing your next client. Social media is now officially the extension of one's resume. It adds another layer for discovery by prospective employers and companies. After all, who knows you better than your social networks?

“Austin Carr in a Fast Company analysis reported that "employers are on longer just searching Google for information on applicants - they're commissioning companies to do professional social media background checks." To that point, a Proofpoint study indicated that 8 percent of companies have already fired "social media miscreants."

The study also uncovered the following infractions:

• 17 percent disciplined an employee for violating blog or message board policies

• 15 percent have disciplined an employee for violating multimedia sharing / posting policies

• 13 percent of US companies investigated an exposure event involving mobile or Web-based short message services”

Still don’t believe? Take Scott Dutcher, head of the Colorado Animal Protection Bureau, for example. Under the Twitter account name Skinnyhorse, abcNews10 reported that, “He called himself an ‘unapologetic American’ who was ‘anti-animal rights.’ In one tweet he urged his followers to ‘take our country back’ and in another he sarcastically called on people to "eat more polar bears.’ He also went after people he deemed to be too much in favor of animal rights.

‘Success over animal rights is the best revenge!’ he wrote. ‘Meat is in higher demand, more entries, spectators in rodeo, etc...’

Those kinds of tweets brought forward the wrath of many people in favor of animal rights. An online petition is currently encouraging people to sign their names in order to try to get him fired. There's even a Facebook page devoted to getting him out of the job. The local head of the Humane Society of the United States called his behavior ‘appalling.’”

Be aware of what you post online. You have to be aware of what you’re doing. As I shared with the professional development group that morning, my motto is I never post anything online that I wouldn’t want my mother to see.

Have We Had Lunch Yet?

I have a weird rule – every week I have lunch, coffee or dinner with someone I do not know. I have met entrepreneurs, financial advisors, pastors, teachers, investors, writers, restaurateurs, designers – the list goes on and on.
While I have not tallied it up thus far, I can safely say that I have met over 70 new acquaintances – some have become friends – in the last several months. At the end of 2010, for the first time, I will attempt to tally them up for the year. You see, it has never been about the number. I am going to tally it up to prove a point. These are genuinely people that I thought to myself, “I would like to get to know her” or “Jeez, what he does sounds so interesting. I am going to reach out to him to learn more.”

Believe it or not, people welcome meeting YOU, yes, YOU! I have yet to meet one person who has refused a meeting. And do you know why that is? People want to build new relationships just as much as you. I’m not talking about the superficial exchanging of business cards to build a rolodex. I mean learning about why they do what they do and caring to know about their families, interests and contributions.

Sure we all hope to do business with someone, but it goes beyond that. Before I even think about working with someone, I try to get to know them. Maybe we might not make a great business partnership, but you may be a heck of a bowling partner. Maybe we initially met for you to learn about my services and it turns out you don’t quite need them yet. However, through conversation, it could be revealed that you are just the person to fill a vacancy on a committee I’m familiar with.

Not everyone fits in one box. You’ll never know the true potential of a relationship if you don’t approach it with an open mind. So get rid of those old, washed up notions of networking. People are as interesting and unique as the stars in the sky.

Stay tuned for my 2010 tally in December … and if you haven’t thought about it, you should: Have we had lunch yet?

Cast Your Vote Campaign Kicks-off

New Western Mass. black professional organization to launch


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Springfield, Mass. August 26, 2010 - This fall Western Massachusetts will be the home of a new black professional organization. However, they can’t do it without you! Starting Wednesday, Sept. 1 until Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, residents will have the opportunity to vote to name the new group!

The Cast Your Vote campaign allows residents in Western Mass. to vote for one of five potential names for the organization. Votes will be tallied after Oct. 31 and the winning name will be announced along with the organization’s launch event this November. The five names to choose from are: Alliance of Black Professionals, Western Massachusetts Professional Black Network, The Onyx Guild, The Mahogany Society or Association of Black Professionals.

Voters can send an e-mail with their name, contact information and their favorite selection to votespringfield@gmail.com. Only one vote is allowed per e-mail address. Voting will end on Oct. 31 at midnight.

Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the new group was created to represent the region's black professional population and positively contribute to its advancement by unifying black professionals to impact civic and economic development. Members are encouraged to participate in initiatives that enhance the quality of life within their communities.

The mission of the organization is to be a resource to black professionals in Western Massachusetts by providing professional development, networking and community service. Developed by a seven-member steering committee, there will be a variety of monthly networking events and professional development workshops that build interpersonal and leadership skills. These gatherings will also be a platform for business exchange and fellowship.

Home is Where the Work is?

I cannot speak for other entrepreneurs that work from home, but for me, drawing the line between work and home is difficult. It is not an issue that is new to me. In fact, the problem originally began to rear its head a few years ago when I was still Assistant Managing Editor at Reminder Publications.


At first, you are finishing up a story at home. I would knock out the other duties – editing, downloading, etc. during the day – and finish up my piece later at home. Easy enough, right? Yeah, until that turns into writing more than one at home, still double checking resources and research after hours and, before you know it, you’re up at midnight clicking away at your computer. In those days, I fought to squeeze in family time. I hate to admit it, but quality time was a battle I often lost. Even when you manage to pry yourself away from work, your thoughts zip back to work – did I get that in, I forgot to send this email, and my fave, am I supposed to be somewhere right now?

The difference between the issue then and now is there is no work to “take home” in that sense. My office is my home and for me, it opens up a whole new can of worms. I am finding myself having the opposite problem. Home is a refuge of relaxation. I’ll catch myself lounging on the sofa, flipping through the TV channels and suddenly questioning whether I should be doing this. Isn’t there work to be done? Aren’t there phone calls to make? The problem is you never quite “leave the office.” As I sit chuckling at the antics of Will Smith in a ridiculous episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” I can feel my laptop and paperwork pile burning hole in the back of my head.

The other interesting thing I am finding is that lately I DON’T want people to know I work from home. I feel like each time I hand over a business card with my home address printed on it, I am losing a piece of my privacy. Over the weekend I was discussing this with my administrator, Laurie, and we decided that on our new marketing materials, we would not use my address. We also discussed the benefits of establishing a P.O. Box.

As a society, work/life balance is sort of non-existent. We have pretty much accepted that it is one and the same and so checking emails while on vacation, listening to your voicemail in bed and running your business from a palm pilot has become the norm. The ironic thing is that for most of my adult life I shied away from having a cell phone in order to avoid this very same thing. However, I LOVE that I am always only a click or call away from running The Lioness Group from anywhere. But I must admit: my curse is also my blessing.

How do you handle working from home? Share. Discuss.

Build Relationships, Build Your Business

Building relationships is a major part of success and longevity when it comes to business. This weekend I had a business lunch with someone I was introduced to last year. Our initial meeting was brief and pleasant. We had a mutual acquaintance and over a Happy Hour cocktail, we simply shook hands and other than light conversation and a note of what we each did for a living, there was no other business discussed.


Flash forward to July 2010. Another mutual acquaintance in passing conversation mentions The Lioness Group and what we do and low and behold it is services they need. She also remembered meeting me on that cold winter night. I was glad to receive the referral (as most of my business is) and a quick game of phone tag later, we were finally face to face munching and chitchatting about their public relations needs.

This is why building relationships is so important. We never know where potential business will come from. Always be on your A game. Be courteous, pleasant and maintain a clean track record. People should be proud to be associated with you. It’s not just about getting referred; it’s about being REFERRABLE.

Thank you

I cannot stress enough how grateful I am to be a member of BusinessWest's 2010 40 Under 40 class. I was very proud and excited to officially receive the honor on June 24 at The Log Cabin.

There are remarkable young professionals in the Western Massachusetts area and they are doing some inspiring work. In addition to their thriving careers, these professionals make it a priority to give back to their community. A service that is so underrated.

The event was beautiful, the flower-trimmed property perfect. I could not have wished for a better evening.

Thank you to Springfield School Volunteers for nominating me. Many blessings to all!

2010 Success Driven Woman

I am very excited to be featured on theceomamma.com. As entrepreneurs and mothers we walk a fine line trying to balance the load on our shoulders. This web site is a fantastic community for mothers to come together to discuss all of the challenges we face on a daily basis.

This week I am proud to be the featured 2010 Success Driven Woman in Business.  Here is the interview below:

Full Name: Natasha Clark

Company: The Lioness Group

Position: Founder

Website: http://www.thelionessgroup.com/
Year Founded: 2009
Tell us about yourself and your business: Natasha Clark founded The Lioness Group in 2009 for the entrepreneur, small business owner and large companies that understand the value of keeping a “small business” mentality. Local business owners expressed a need for quality, low-cost writing and public relations services to help their consumer base expand. As a result, a high percentage of their business is from repeat customers and referrals.

The mission of The Lioness Group is to help small business owners and entrepreneurs get their message and passion to their target audience. They teach their clients the importance of branding, consistency and the benefits of learning to create a first-class press release.

What inspired you to start a business? I’ve always been asked if I do freelance work on the side. I never had the courage to actually step out and establish myself as a separate entity. But like so many other twenty-somethings facing this economic crisis, I realized that my future and talents are best left to be managed by me. The Lioness Group will allow me to do that on my own terms.

Share one business goal: My goal is to eventually hire an entire “pride” of smart, modern, ambitious women to work at The Lioness Group.

What would you say contributes to your success? I’m a people person. I love to meet new people and listen to their stories. Listening will get you a long way.

What advice would you give an aspiring entrepreneur? Even when you are wondering why you were crazy enough to become an entrepreneur, remember why you started it, and you’ll get through the day.

Anything else you want to mention about your business? Never, ever give up on your dreams. Believe you already received it, and the blessings will be yours.

Look who turned 1 years old!

I can hardly believe that today, June 4, marks the one year anniversary of The Lioness Group. On this very day, my colleague at the time, Courtney Llewellyn, gave me a ride to City Hall during lunch, and I got the paperwork filed, out of the way and was off and running.

Those first few months establishing an identity were surreal. I spent most of my days getting business cards, designing flyers, putting together a Web site and marketing materials. I could not ask for a better year. It has been quite the learning experience and I have a long way to go. I am proud of the clients we have served this far and look forward to the ones we will add to the Lioness Group family in the future!

I’ve had my goofs this year as well – distributing an announcement with no mention of its location or time and failing to send a client an invoice. No one is perfect. I use each opportunity to learn a lesson and develop a better system. Some of the strongest skills in my arsenal have been developed by trial and error. It has, however, made me a smarter and better business person.

So I lift my online flute to you in a toast – one blessed year down, one incredible one to come.

You are judged by your Jacket

Contrary to the “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” musings, appearance is everything. Before you extend your hand, say your name, even smile for the first time, your counterpart is already sizing you up. I am not talking Tom Ford suits and Prada shoes, we’re talking about good ole’ fashioned grooming and etiquette. Combed hair and neat, clean clothing is not expected, it’s required.

A smart and inspirational gentleman I know lost a wonderful business opportunity because he did not show up looking the part. Maybe he was running super late that morning, maybe a fight with his girlfriend forced him to sleep on the backseat in his car – I don’t know. But there was no excuse for him showing up with bed-head and wrinkled and askew clothing.

Needless to say, the face of the company was NOT impressed with his arrival, said NO WAY to the deal, and the “dressed a mess” gent was sent away with his tail between his legs. One’s affiliations speak volumes about their values, and it was clear this company did not want to be associated with him.

He had brilliant ideas, new and innovative collaboration projects, but they will never see the light of day because he thought his mouth would be the only thing at the meeting doing the talking. Get your appearance etiquette together. Follow these rules provided by the Key Club to put your best foot forward:

Stick with traditional clothing.

* Dark suits are most appropriate for men.

* Both skirts and pantsuits are suitable for women.

* For men, wear dark shoes and dark socks.

* For women, refrain from wearing flip-flops, non-dressy boots, sneakers, and casual sandals.

Wear simple and classic jewelry.

* Watches are appropriate for both men and women.

* Rings should be limited.

* Earrings should only be worn on the ears.

Keep good grooming habits.

* Hairstyles should be classic and simple.

* Men should be shaven or closely trimmed.

* Nails should be clean and well kept.

* Women should apply make-up before arriving at an event or in a restroom.

Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets. ~Baltasar Gracian

Celebrities flock to Springfield for first SURE Women Conference 2010

SPRINGFIELD, MASS (The Lioness Group) May 17, 2010 –- The City of Springfield will host one of the most inspirational weekends in the last few years. Drawing big names in entertainment, television and fashion, more than 2,000 women are expected to gather at the MassMutual Center for a spectacular two-day conference of inspiration, empowerment and fellowship. Experience a mega conference like no other.

The SURE Women Conference 2010 has garnered national attention and boasts an impressive list of participating celebrities: National Award Winning Gospel Artist Marvin Sapp; National Award Winning Gospel Artist Vicki Yohe, National Best-selling author Michelle McKinney Hammond, featured in the New York Times, Essence and Ebony Magazine; National Financial Expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, seen on Fox, CNN, CNBC and Oprah; and former Essence Magazine Beauty Editor Andrea Arterbery. SURE (Strong, Unified, Real and Empowered) Women Conference will set itself apart as the finest annual women’s conference in New England.

The June 11-12 affair also promises empowerment speakers Elysia Rodriguez, news anchor/reporter for WWLP-22/NBC; Rev. Dr. Regina Shearer, executive pastor of Zion Church Ministries, Inc; Dr. Sarah Perez-McAdoo, OB/GYN, Asst. Professor Tufts University School of Medicine; and Kathy Tobin, former anchor/reporter for ABC 40/FOX 6 and Director of Development at the Friends of the Homeless.

The conference will attract women from all over the region who will come together to experience a time of transformation, unity, fellowship and spiritual uplift. Created by Minister and SURE Women Ministries, Inc. Founder and CEO Dr. Annie B. Watson, the SURE Women Conference 2010 is a catalyst for gathering and uniting women toward the goal of enhancing their lives and the lives of those around them. The highly-anticipated extravaganza kicks off on Friday at 6 p.m. with a Community Unity Celebration and Gospel Artist Vicki Yohe and her hit song “Because of who you are.” There will also be entertainment by the SURE Women Praise Team/SURE Women Liturgical Dancers and SURE Women Unity Choir, with Watson as the keynote speaker of the evening.

Saturday will pick up with an 8 a.m. registration and 9 a.m. event, Unity Walk: 1000 Women “A Step for Unity.” Come out and witness women from all over the area walking in harmony to spark community engagement, inspiration and transformation. From 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m., Michelle McKinney Hammond, bestselling author, will dazzle attendees with her wit and insight on life, relationships and spiritual enlightenment. After a break for lunch, things will pick right back up with a 1:30 p.m. talk from Financial Expert Lynnette Khalfani Cox, better known as The Money Coach. At 2:30 p.m. there will be a “Stepping in Style” fashion show with guest commentator Andrea Arterbery formerly of Essence Magazine. There will be four break-out sessions on empowerment, finances, health and networking at 3:30 p.m. Session leaders include Kathy Tobin, Rev. Dr. Regina Shearer, Elysia Rodriguez and Dr. Sarah Perez McAdoo. The day of celebration will close with the SURE Women Praise Team/SURE Women Liturgical Dancers and a special performance by national gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp and his hit song, “Never Would Have Made it.”

There has not been anything on this scale brought to the city of Springfield. “I want women to be able to excel and reach their full potential. I want them to go to the next level, whether in their personal lives, finances or spiritual aspect. It’s about engaging them in every aspect, on every level,” Watson said.

Sponsors of the SURE Women Conference 2010 are Baystate Health, United Bank, Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry, Partners for Community, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Jamrog Group, An African-American Point of View and the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services.

For more information on the SURE Women Conference, visit www.surewomenconference.com or call (413) 313-3338. The conference registration fee for both days is $35 for SURE Women Network members, $40 for non-members and $45 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry at 1410 Carew St. in Springfield; Montenia’s Creative Comfort Cuisine, 137 State St.; Prosperity Unlimited III, 118 Parker Street, Suite 8; Solid Gold Beauty Palace, 40 Berkshire Ave. and The First Cathedral Bookstore, 1151 Blue Hills Ave. in Bloomfield, Conn.

Leading the Way

I am all about women in leadership roles. I think it is everyone’s duty, man or woman, to give back to society. Your income, age, education or gender should not hinder you from doing that. It’s called social responsibility. There are things I believe people are required to do as decent human beings in this falls right at the top of that list.


However, there are those of us that do not mind paving the way or being the initiator and I am slowly becoming one of those people. I am proud to say that I have recently been selected to participate in the Women’s Fund Leadership Institute for Political Impact. This is the pilot year for this program and my hope is that others will follow suit and apply for next year’s go round. Here is some more information about the program:

The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts wants local women to make an impact on social change by getting involved in civic affairs including running for political office. To help develop future leaders, the foundation has created the Leadership Institute for Political Impact to train Western Massachusetts women in their civic leadership potential.

The Women’s Fund Leadership Institute for Political Impact is a non-partisan initiative designed to address the civic interests and the skills requested by women of our region. The 12-month institute incorporates intensive workshops, technology, the development of county cohorts and the expertise of mentors. The institute will provide women with education and increased confidence in their political leadership potential through emphasis on four primary focus areas that will build a cumulative portfolio of knowledge and skills. The focus areas include personal leadership, community organizing, legislative process and policy, and running for political office.

A year of educational workshops is scheduled to take place on full-day Saturdays that will cover the topic areas listed above. Participants will work in the large group as well as smaller, county-specific cohorts. One or two mentors will be assigned to each county to support them throughout the year and during the months that they are required to work on topics in their own counties. A completion ceremony will occur in May, 2011.

What initiatives are you getting involved with? Tell me about ways you are positively impacting your community. Share. Discuss.

What Inspires you out of a Work Slump?

Today I am working on a project for a new client. You get all of those “new client” jitters. You want to prove yourself, please them. But in order to do my best work, I have to hush those voices. I am at my best when I am relaxed and inspired.

How do you get inspired? I never begin writing anything, no matter how petty, until after I say a prayer. This is a ritual I never shared until now. I pray for God to use me and bless my work. Then I plug in my iPod, listen to tunes in line with the vibe I am trying to create and just float … I let the words and images come to me. And before I know it my fingertips are moving over my keyboard.

No matter what we do, it’s important for us all to be inspired from time to time. Whether it’s a beautiful tree outside your window, the laughter of your spouse or just the feel of a hot shower after a long day – we need that moment. A second of rejuvenation to gather our thoughts can work wonders. How do you get in the mood for work? Share, discuss and enlighten.

And a special shout out to Troy Reed and Lee Green of the Black Business Builders "Speak Up" Blog Radio Show. It was great to hear about all of the entrepreneurial endeavors around our country. And it was my pleasure to be featured on the show!

Be Kind when it comes to In-Kind

We all come to a point when a buddy, friend or associate would like a service for FREE. It is good business practice, in my opinion, to offer services for free once in a while that can really help a non-profit or when it involves helping the general public. Face it; there are also those instances when it is beneficial to YOU to be associated with a project.


However, learning when, and how, to say no can be a difficult thing. As an entrepreneur, our days are pretty packed with getting things done as it is. Sometimes putting off a project that will provide dividends to work on one that doesn’t isn’t a smart idea. I am a big fan of community service. I think every person in the world should have at least one service organization, project or non-profit that they support. But in order to keep your business afloat, you have to make money, plan and simple. You ARE your company. Showing that you believe in helping your fellow man gives your business a glint of integrity, humanity and belief in your local community.

Determine a number of in-kind projects you want to work on a year. Whether it’s once a month, twice a quarter or six times a year, setting a certain number of projects may also give you the opportunity to be more selective – to really get behind a project that has special meaning or importance to you. You may even be able to alert organizations in your area that you have a certain number of in-kind projects available and they can submit proposals, etc.

Of course we want to help as many people as we can, but let’s do it in a way that is beneficial to all. Instead of telling the person who wants a free service no, maybe not NOW would be a better term. And you should have the right to determine when that NOW will be.

Stress Before, Relief After

This weekend was incredibly hectic for me. I was preparing a Power Point Presentation to be played at an event for Gov. Deval Patrick at Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce and finishing an article for Western Mass Women’s Magazine. In order to get all of this done for an event that was TWO DAYS away, I buried my head into my laptop and typed until my fingertips were sore.

I wanted to make sure the presentation was excellent because this was the first event The Lioness Group had done on a larger scale. I was up, literally, past 5 a.m. on Saturday, the day before the event. I got about two hours sleep before I was up and back to the grind of finishing up the presentation, making corrections and working on the article. By mid-afternoon I was a crabby, irritable, ball of tension, which is VERY, VERY rare for my sunny self.

Nevertheless, I got it done and went into Sunday praying that everything would go OK. I was worried that the turnout would be small. What if the governor didn’t show after all? However, the event turned out to be better than I planned. Over 250 people in attendance, food, video and even WWLP and CBS 3 showed up. The Governor showed and talked to the people, answering their questions and promising to follow-up on certain issues.

I stood in the rear of the room flooded with relief - tension easing from my shoulders with each new face and dignitary that entered the room. Faith and hard work go such a long, long way. On those days when you don’t want to do ANOTHER thing, do it anyway. You’ll be grateful that you did.

Check out a news clip of the event here: http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/91436184.html.

What to do With Your "To-Do" List

Over the last few days I have been making an attempt to knock items off my “To-Do” list one-by-one. When I think of all the things I have to do as a whole, I am overwhelmed. A meeting here, a lunch there, press releases, phone calls, emails, articles – my head could explode from all the thoughts. And, naturally, with each minute I am also realizing there are things I FORGOT to add to that running list.

However, when I breathe in and breathe out, and take a moment to de-stress, I realize I can get more done if I attack it in pieces. For instance, yesterday I vowed, after I plopped down in front of my computer, “I will not move on to the next thing until I complete one draft of this flyer.” Sitting there and focusing on that one single task made me accountable for getting it done. I’m not making phone calls, I am not checking email, and my one goal is to bang out a first draft.

When that first draft was completed, I moved on to my next task. I would only overlook the errors on the flyer if I tried to edit it now. I knew I could come back with a fresh set of eyes to the flyer later. Before I began my next task, checking emails, I am made sure to time myself. It is easy to get lost answering a bunch of emails. You begin to remember other things you wanted to respond to; you realize the info you need is in an email you received two weeks ago, and you spend minutes hunting down the previous emails and flow of responses.

To avoid getting lost in this shuffle, I give myself an hour to respond to emails – including inquiries I am sending to new clients, check ins I am making with existing clients, or business and ordering matters I need to clear.

I work in this manner dividing tasks and times until I reach the period I have marked as the end of my work day. This gives me time to refocus my energy on my son – pick him up from school, talk about his day, have dinner and unwind. When he’s sleeping, I can revisit an article that needed proofing or take a stab at the press release. However, yesterday, I chose to plop down on the couch, pour myself a glass of rum on ice and read Essence magazine until it was lights out.

Priorities people … we must set them. I’d rather drift off into a calm sleep, than stay up to two o’clock in the morning worrying about projects. This way, I am relaxed in the morning and can approach day two of my busy schedule with a clear head.

How do you get through your busy agenda? Please share your stories and tried and true resolutions.

The Importance of Credibility and Respect

Today I received this great email from Young and Successful Media, LLC. They provide great tips and learning opportunities for young professionals. These were so great, I had to post and share them. Feel free to leave a comment with your feedback.

How do you build the credibility and respect you’re looking for?


1. Start with where you are. We all start somewhere, and you can begin

this excursion from anywhere, at any point in your life. The earlier the

better of course. There are a myriad of ways to start changing the way

people perceive you, your experience, expertise and your potential for

the better. Commit yourself to making an effort to build a more solid

foundation and credibility and respect are sure to follow.

2. Assess your objectives. Think about what credibility and respect mean

to you. After all, it’s hard to expect others to treat you with respect if

you don’t first have respect for yourself and who you are. It should go

without saying, but be someone you can be proud of first and foremost.

Then define how you’d like to experience it in your life and career. What

would it look like, feel like, sound like? How would it manifest? Start to

build a plan around what you might need to do to achieve it.

3. Consider your audience. Who are the people you’re most concerned

with impressing or gaining the confidence and trust of? What constitutes

credibility and respect in their eyes? Expectations of us come from many

directions. Knowing what’s expected of you by different people and in

different situations helps us live up to the standards we accept as

worthwhile to pursue. Parents are the first people we try to impress.

They want us to be happy, responsible, accomplished, a source of pride.

Teachers want us to be smart, respectful, disciplined, accomplished.

Friends judge us by a whole different set of criteria, typically a lot more

related to our social standing and interactions, how trustworthy we are,

our advice, support and the way they feel around us. Employers and

clients demand reliability, loyalty, performance, results, and far more

depending on the nature of the relationships. The more specific your

objectives in gaining credibility and respect from others, the more

focused you can be on isolating what matters most to your primary

audience. In a lot of cases you can even just ask about other’s

expectations, hopes or dreams for you, and you’ll get many of your

answers from those simple conversations alone. You might even earn

more respect from the very act of showing you care enough to ask in the

first place.

4. Study the “experts”. Consider those who you admire and aspire to

emulate. Analyze how they achieved their own credibility. Do give some

consideration to what constitutes an expert in the first place. In fact,

everyone seems to be calling themselves an expert these days! Be very

careful in making these assessments since it’s getting harder and harder

to evaluate who really has the substance and integrity to deserve our

reverence and attention - especially when we’re paying or relying on

guidance to make important decisions. Experts are most often people

who:

• Own companies

• Start or run non-profits

• Align themselves with reputable organizations

• Hold high level positions and interesting job titles

• Are recognized by others

• Are the recipients of awards and accolades

• Sit on boards

• Write books, articles and blogs

• Maintain a following

• Establish ties to notable schools

• Stay very connected

• Conduct research, predict trends

• Do unusual things

• Get paid for that they know or can offer

• And make an impact on many others.

Research the people who inspire you, lead your company or industry, and

have achieved things you have only dreamed of. Get to know them up

close and personally whenever you can. Follow their careers and learn all

that you can about their path so that you might discover useful tips you

can leverage along yours.

5. Build your platform. Once you are clear on your objectives, build your

own identity by emulating the experts. Put significant energy behind

establishing your own expertise (through several of the activities bulleted

above) to build your own substance and credibility. Methodically craft

your own plan to start hitting bigger and bigger milestones of your own,

all driving towards the direction you’d most like to head or the ultimate

goals you’d most like to reach. Create a name for yourself. Be the best

at something. Learn what others only hope to know or understand.

Dedicate yourself to accomplishing something big and bold, then work

towards making it happen. Get involved in your community or industry

and achieve great things on their behalf. Find out where the action is and

get yourself into the middle of it. Make waves. Make a statement. Add

value. As others learn of you and your work, your reputation will grow

and take on a life of its own. Eventually you may even become a peer of

those who you’ve admired most.

6. Brand yourself. Branding is something we all need to be concerned

about today, especially with how fast the world of technology,

communications and even the media is changing. Stay on top of the

trends in these areas and leverage the latest and most dominant

platforms to communicate to the world who you are. Whether you’re an

entrepreneur, artist, teacher, doctor, politician, electrician or athlete, take

a look around you, at your competition and see how you measure up.

People - clients, prospects, executives, even neighbors - all need to know

about you to want to interact and do business with you. Regardless of

how good you may be, how well you package and promote yourself

matters, and it can make a world of difference to your success.
7. Refine your pitches. We’re all in sales, whether we realize it or not.

Everyday we sell ourselves and our credibility in one form or another.

When we introduce ourselves, talk about what we do, ask for help, solicit

support, socialize, network, engage with groups, work on teams, perform

for a boss or client or prospect, we’re pitching ourselves. As you look for

opportunities for work and to build your career, tools like your quick

verbal pitch (who you are and your story), your resume, bio, and even

online profiles all act as your front line in communicating who you are

and why people should care. Assess the collection of tools you have at

your fingertips and consider their messaging and positioning of you. Are

they as strong and focused as they can be? Are they compelling? Ask

trusted friends or colleagues for feedback. Get to work on refining them

all, and make keeping them all current a priority. Remember, these

communicate who you are…even when you’re not there.

8. Expose yourself. As you start to gain momentum in your career,

amassing experience, expertise and substance, and as you get more

sophisticated with your branding, positioning, and pitching, it’s time to

take your show on the road. Get out more. Meet new people. Engage in

new organizations, events, conferences and clubs. Your best publicist

should be you. Start talking about what you do everywhere you go…

tactfully. Just be careful not to cross the fuzzy line between confidence

and arrogance. Don’t be obnoxious or obtrusive, however desperately

you want to be accepted and regardless of how accomplished you may

become. Build relationships that are win-win, where everyone feels

valued and respected. Strive to earn credibility and respect by your

actions rather than straight out trying to convince others why you’re a big

deal. That can backfire fast and furiously. Instead, talk about what’s

important to you, your work, and the future of your business. Use your

spotlight to include and help others when you can.

9. Attract the right mentors and advisors. Collect role models, both

people you know and those you only can dream of meeting. When you

meet spectacular people learn all you can from them. Ask them for

advice. Build relationships based on mutual value. Often times older,

more successful people will spend time with you, or more formally

mentor you for the mere opportunity to be exposed to the exciting things

you’re doing, the people you surround yourself with, the feats you

accomplish, or the pace your life moves at. Some may even joke about

living vicariously through you so they can once again experience the rush

of ambition and action, without having to expend the energy or time

themselves. And most people simply like to add value and have their

own opinions and experience valued by others. Repay your mentors and

advisors with your respect and recognition. When they introduce you to

important people in their lives, be referable – worthy of their referral.

Make them proud to share their relationships and resources with you.

10.Sculpt a more perfect environment. In some cases and with some

people, nothing you do will be good enough. Learn to identify these

negative influences and start to weed them out of your life, or at very

least, minimize your exposure. Take an active role in managing the

environment you chose to live and work, even socialize in. Respect and

credibility should be earned, but not at the expense of your own self

respect or worse, compromising your personal values or what’s most

important to you. Be true to yourself. Surround yourself with people who

appreciate, support you, and encourage you in your pursuit of greater

and greater successes. As we like to say at YSN.com, “ambition is the

price of admission”, just make certain you’re putting your energy behind

the right efforts, at the right time, and for the right people.

What’s the best way to sell ourselves and our potential? Build the credibility and

earn the respect you’ve always wanted, starting today.

One final note: Because, as you can see, my definitions of success have a lot to

do with holding yourself to higher standards and being an all around good

person, I have to close with this. Show respect to everyone you meet,

regardless of who they are or where they come from. Strive to become not only

a respected, but a respectful person yourself. As for credibility, along the road

to increasing yours, take every opportunity to help others achieve their own

successes. By all means, raise the standards you hold for yourself and others,

but remember that we all struggle and hurt because of how hard, and often

unfair, others can be to us. Constructive feedback offered with a healthy dose

of respect can be life changing. Harsh criticism and attacks (even well founded)

on others and their credibility, can be cruel and destructive, particularly to

ambitious souls who, if nurtured, could be magnificent. Chose to be one of the

special ones in this world. You’re sure to get so much more than you give.
© 2010 Young & Successful Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Come, on. Be Picky

When a new business owner is in the strife chasing down profit, he/she wants to jump at every opportunity and gig that comes there way. However, it is better to exercise some judgment. Is this a project or client that you would be proud to have your name attached to?


At some point quality versus quantity has to come into play. The people you work with are like walking billboards for your company/organization. Make sure that “spokesperson” is a close reflection of the future clients you want to attract.

What is the Number one Thing you Dread?

All right all of you entrepreneurs, I want to know what you dread about working for yourself, and what you do to overcome it. So often, I think, we try to beat back the things we hate about being an entrepreneur. Of course it is good to stay positive. But focusing on the unpleasant stuff, IN STAGES, allows us to get better in the areas we don't shine as bright in.

For me, public speaking is still an up hill battle. However, I am forcing myself to deal with it by signing myself up for small speaking engagements - even when every fiber of my being is telling me to haul a** and get away from the committment. But the only way I will get better about speaking in front of a large audience is by staring at the problem head-on. I've thought about passing the buck to someone else, but, in the end, I would only be treading water on the issue. So, I want to hear from you entreprenuers. What is the number one thing you dread, and what are you doing to work on it?

Keeping Your Eyes Focused on the Prize

Yesterday I attended three workshops at WNEC that reminded me to keep my focus on the future. Sometimes we can become distracted from our long-term picture when we think of immediate goals. Having that jolt of reinforcement that we are indeed on the right path is very beneficial.
Here are some highlights of the end of the day, “Marketing on a Tight Budget” workshop: The Internet can be a HUGE advantage to your company/organization. Find FREE, savvy ways to utilize your time on it. Your primary web site is important. However, other avenues such as social networking can be big hits if used in the appropriate way.

The entrepreneur needs to decide the mission of their organization/company waaay before they choose an outlet. Not every outlet is a good fit. For instance, having a Wordpress blog may not be a good outlet for a local gas store owner. However, maybe he may want to have a Twitter account to update his consumers on gas deals and price dips.

Before opening an account, do your research. See what is out there. Brainstorm. And make sure whatever you decide is in line with your long-term goals.

Finding a Work/Life Balance

Finding a work/life balance is not an easy feat. Technology has virtually made working from a cave in Istanbul possible. While this is a blessing, it is also a curse. The line that was once drawn in the sand - working 9-5 and clocking out and coming home – is now blurred by home offices and laptops.


Trust me; I am as guilty as the next person. Especially once I started The Lioness Group. As an entrepreneur starting out, there are not enough hours in the day to do what I REALLY want to get done. However, when my son started middle school this year I realized there are some moments in life I cannot miss. I won’t have the opportunity to re-do basketball games and baseball practices … but my work will STILL be there tomorrow. Today put off doing something for one hour so you can do something of quality with someone you care about. You’ll be thankful you did.

How The Lioness Group Began

People would always ask me when I was doing stories if I did freelance work on the side. I always said, 'No, I don't.' But eventually my brother asked why not. I realized there was nothing wrong with taking extra gigs on, and I could use the cash. A local artist said he could use a publicist, and so I began helping out with his press releases. The Lioness Group was born ... http://www.thelionessgroup.com/

Carving Out a New Path

I came back from this experience energized and reinvigorated. I felt as if my future was wide-open and it was then that I began to re-evaluate just what I wanted out of life. And soon it became apparent that news was no longer it.

"At the end, you think about the beginning

By Natasha Clark
Former Assistant Managing Editor

Six years ago, I walked into the Chicopee Herald office owned by Reminder Publications looking for an internship. Managing Editor G. Michael Dobbs went through my college newspaper clips, asked me about my aspirations and gave me an unpaid position writing articles. I was green. So green I could have doubled as the Incredible Hulk's stunt double.

On my first interview with Womanshelter/Companeras, of which one of their missions is to help women and their families escape abusive environments, I had the audacity to ask for their address to include in my article. You can imagine the silence on the other end of the line, before the woman reminded me that she would not provide that information because these were supposed to be safe havens. I felt like an idiot. It wouldn't be the last time. (There is a reason my siblings refer to me as "the special one.")

But Mike took a chance and later offered me a paid freelance gig reporting on the Longmeadow School Committee and the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District. Six years later, I am leaving my beloved position as assistant managing editor.

I grew up at The Reminder. When I came here I was 23 years old with enough water behind my ears to fill two separate buckets. My son was five, Hampden-Wilbraham Superintendent M. Martin O'Shea was assistant principal at Longmeadow High School and Michael Albano was mayor of Springfield. The words "thank you" don't even describe the appreciation I have for our readers. Each week you all called and gave me the privilege of reporting on your communities. I've reported on everything from property rates to budgets to youth in the community making a difference. I learned the importance of accuracy, of building relationships and, most importantly, being the voice of residents.

My leaving is bittersweet. Some of the people I have interviewed have gone on to new places, retired, graduated, even died. I will never forget Kara Gobron. A woman brave in the face of cancer, someone who let me into her battle, her home, and subsequently, what turned out to be the final weeks of her life. I will always remember the local Marines I met miles away in the Mojave Desert who were shipped off to fight in Operation: Iraqi Freedom. Nor will I forget my life-changing five weeks in Thailand. I've interviewed people I could only dream about Dick Gregory, Bill Cosby and Grant Hill. And yet, some of the most memorable interviews I have had have been with town residents doing impossible things because goodness is possible.

I've seen Reminder interns come in and really make a mark for themselves such as Jennifer Sawyer and Rick Sobey. I was there when Bluebird Estates burned to the ground and then was rebuilt from the ground up. I witnessed Merle Safford turn her vision of the Norcross Center into a reality.
I guess, as always, in the end, you think about the beginning. I think of coming into the East Longmeadow headquarters as a nervous young adult yearning to be a writer, and exiting as a woman on the eve of her 30th birthday with more than 300 bylines.

Publishers Chris and Dan Buendo have always given the news department the freedom to continually challenge what a weekly newspaper can do. Because of this freedom, Reminder Publications has carved out a unique niche for itself when it comes to community news.

It is so rare to work for a company where each and every employee not only gives their all, but comes in each day with a smile, a good word and laughter on their lips. I am proud to say I worked with Dr. Paul Gagliarducci, John Claffey, the late Rosalind Clark and E. Jahn Hart in what, I consider, their prime.
I want you all to know, in all sincerity, when I was discovering just who Natasha Clark really was, each conversation, each interview, each laugh and e-mail exchange was shaping me into the woman I am today. I am too afraid to calculate what all of my coffees, bagels and tuna sandwiches at Romito & Sons have actually cost me.
I am better for having met you all, for taking pieces of your lives and transcribing them into stories.
I am proud to say that when I came into my own, I did it at Reminder Publications.
So it is only fitting to end this column with the way my first column ended when I first came on as a staff writer in April 2004 ... 'Dance as if no one were watching, sing as if no one were listening, and live each day as if it were your last.'"