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