Providing women with the tools and resources they need to be successful entrepreneurs...

Women In Gear: School of Makeup Artistry
We are here to see you succeed!


Thursday, July 17, 2014

5 Traits of a Successful Entrepeneur

By: Toni Thomas

Many of you know I started my life as a business entrepreneur at the very young age of 29 when I opened my first store front business.  Although I was likely an entrepreneur long before I opened my first business, I just had a way of sharing my passions with others and getting people to share my enthusiasm.  To me the word entrepreneur has always been closely related to sharing our passions with others successfully.


I have now been an entrepreneur for the past 20 years and although not always on the upside of money I was always on the up side of life and everything I learned about the world of business I learned on my own. I spent many years watching others in business and trying to understand why some are successful and why others seem to struggle. Here is what I have observed about those we find to be successful entrepreneurs.
1.       No Shame
Successful entrepreneurs have no shame. No shame in who they are and no shame in what they do. They move forward with complete confidence that everyone they meet wants to know who they are and what they do. They know that what they do and what they have to offer is the best and that everyone should have the opportunity to share in their products or services. They tell everyone they know and everyone they meet exactly what they do and how they do it. They never let a single opportunity pass by without sharing their ideas with others.
2.       Complete Confidence
Every successful entrepreneur I know has an aura about them that is so hard to describe. Although I’m going to call it confidence I’m not sure that word does them justice. They have confidence but so much more. They have a complete understanding of who they are, what they want and where they are going. To be next to a successful entrepreneur is like getting struck by lightning and enjoying it. The electricity is so powerful you are unable to pull away and yet you know you don’t want to be anywhere else. These folks have a hard time leaving a room, no one wants the energy to be gone, and the letdown is just too great.
3.       Assertiveness
Have you ever wanted to say something so bad but you hold back and let the moment pass. Well a successful entrepreneur never lets the moment pass. They speak in truths all the time. They say exactly what’s on their mind and never do it in a way that makes us feel uncomfortable. They point out issues the moment they see them and have no fear of repercussion because for them there are none. They know they owe their successes only to their abilities and they have no patience for wasteful conversation and unacceptable behavior. They never mince words and always put it all on the line.
4.       Focus
All successful entrepreneurs live in their passions and their ability to see the future. Successful entrepreneurs never waiver from where they are going and always focus on completing the task, their ability to create the future is how they define their successes. There is no compromise for them. The outcome is well defined and their focus is always on the mark.
5.       Plan
No successful entrepreneur goes into any project without a well thought out plan that has been put to paper. They strategize followed quickly by implementation. They never let ideas sit on the sidelines. Even a bad idea has to be explored just in case it leads to a better idea. They always follow through and never fail to follow up. Every successful entrepreneur I know would say the fortune is in the follow up.
Successful entrepreneurs have proven that their best traits have allowed them to be dynamic in a world which is ever changing. I for one want to be on the other side of success and know that each of you have the ability to be there as well.
Cheers
Toni


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

15 Awesome Jobs that Actually Exist by Jessica Solomon www.chegg.com

15 Awesome Jobs that Actually Exist

Forget settling, forget traditional. Turn the office into your playground with out-of-the-box careers.
The only question you’ll ask is where to start.
1. Beer Tester
Sample a variety of brews to pinpoint defining characteristics and tastes. Malt or hops? Thin or thick? Let’s hope your pallet has developed enough to determine the differences – and to know if they were intentional. One last thing, you better love the taste of beer or else this job could be miserable.
2. Ski Patroller
Shred the ski mountain while ensuring both tourists and locals stay on the safe side. You’ll never miss fresh tracks on a powder day or be limited by the ski area boundaries. Don’t get me wrong, the 9-hour ski days can be tough on the legs. Bonuses include (but are not limited to): jumping to the front of the lift line, getting awesome free ski gear, and rocking a goggle tan year round.
3. Mobile Application Developer
Rewind five years: neither Instagram, SnapChat, nor Angry Birds even existed. Fast-forward to today and anything we can think of doing is now at our disposal in the palm of our hands. Popularity and importance of cell phones has reached an outstanding level, and the consumer demand to keep up with the latest trends is endless. As an app developer, you would be responsible for creating, writing, and implementing innovative applications to be used on mobile devices, ultimately revolutionizing the future of communication and instant access.
4. Fortune Cookie Writer
Ever felt you have some sixth sense you’re just itching to share? Or started a book to realize you only had the first sentence? In two sentences you possess the power to change the course of someone’s day, if not their life. Share your imaginative side in the luxury of your own home, but don’t be fooled: you’ll need to come up with endless fortunes to keep up with the 6+ million cookies consumed daily.
5. Toy Tester
Here, work and play are synonymous. Channel your inner kid by testing products that have yet to hit the consumer market. In addition to ensuring these toys are fun and visually appealing, you will gauge their profitability and safety.
6. Special Effects Crew
As a Special Effects Crew member you work in what is called the Prop Shop where you build and rig the equipment needed to pull off stunts and gags. This may include mechanized props, scale models, pyrotechnics, make-up prosthetics, or simulated weather conditions like fog, rain, and wind. If you spent your childhood building things just to knock them down, the Prop Shop will seem like the ultimate adult playground.
7. Ice Cream Taster
Yes, this is as great as it sounds: ice cream for breakfast and lunch. Your days may consist of tasting 30 samples before noon (sorry mom), or imagining new flavor combinations that could be the next mint chocolate chip.
8. Mattress Jumper
For all those times your parents told you to quit jumping on the bed, you can now argue it was practice – for work! High-end mattress companies actually require a human to jump on their products multiple times, compressing the cotton interior and creating the perfect density. This is real physical labor; you must eliminate all lumps and pay attention to details because just a few too many jumps can throw off the comfort level. I know this seems like a job fit for a restless child, but it really takes work!
9. Academic Interventionist
You’re like a safety net for kids who are unable to keep up in class. Each state has a set of learning standards used to determine who moves on to the next grade. But kids can fall below state standards for a number of reasons: speech impediments, emotional problems, physical disabilities, or serious illnesses that keep them out of school. So the work of an Academic Interventionist begins with identifying the kids who are in danger of falling below these standards, and then help them catch up.
10. Body Part Model
Top agencies are looking for people who have exceptional features to showcase certain products. Your flawless wrists don’t have to go unnoticed, your shiny hair can be appreciated, and your great fingernail beds will finally get some credit. Unlike regular models, body part models are anonymous, come in all shapes and sizes, and can showcase many different types of products.
11. Feng Shui Consultant
Help others improve productivity, opportunity, and peace of mind by taking interior design one step further. Feng Shui relies on ancient Chinese art and science to create a positive atmosphere, which will then impact ones life. You will be tasked with arranging the energy flow of an area to ensure health, good fortune, and success.
12. Linguist
How did words get their meaning? Theoretical linguists explore this through grammar, syntax, semantics, etymology, and phonetics (the sound of language), while practical linguists focus on the use and application of language. Because you understand language, you understand communication, which means you’ve got many employment options, including software development, teaching, or analytics.
13. Cruise Ship Entertainer
This job rocks for a number of reasons. For one, you will have the opportunity to travel around the world to some of the most memorable and geographically beautiful countries. Two, cruises are awesome. You’ll get to interact with happy vacationers, and your sole purpose will be to make their trip even better. Explore the open waters, visit ancient sites, and visit unheard of islands, all while giving others an unforgettable (and amusing) performance – it doesn’t get much better than this.
14. Private Island Caretaker
Notorious as “the best job in the world,” life in an island paradise seems too good to be true. Take advantage of a near permanent and rent-free vacation by simply keeping someone else’s property in top condition. Spend endless sunny days enjoying an array of watersports and an independent lifestyle. You will need to possess the skills and knowledge to tackle island life, but this minimalistic and carefree career could one day be yours.
15. Zoologist
If you ask white-collar workers what it’s like in corporate America, many will tell you, “It’s a jungle out there.” Incidentally, Zoologists will say the same thing about their workplace. You’re a scientist who watches, researches, and cares for wildlife. Often employed by universities — and sometimes by zoos, aquariums, museums, and wildlife reserves — you’re a permanent guest of the animal kingdom.



How cool is this?

Happy Job Hunting!

Cheers,

Toni