What is your #HustleWhy?

Everybody has a reason that they work as hard as they do, hustle. You may hustle for your family, your friends, your name, security, stability, growth, or to live the fullest life possible. Whatever your hustle why is, let it be ever changing. Your hustle why needs to be something that takes on roots in your life and evolves as you evolve. Your hustle why is a goal that you seek to achieve, and once it's done, set a new goal. Never become stagnant. Never become complacent. Never allow yourself to be haughty or unappreciative of the people that helped you reach that hustle why.

We as business owners have a responsibility to be innovative, successful, strong, and determined to achieve our vision. Without the innovation and stick-to-itness of entrepreneurs, there would be nothing. We'd still be living in caves, and walking around naked! Now that second part sounds great since I hate doing laundry, but I do enjoy the modern comforts of central heat and air and cooking on the stove top.

So, tell me, what is your most recent #hustlewhy? Let's start a conversation and you can tell me what makes you hustle the way you do. One of mine is my son, and he is definitely growing, changing, and putting down roots in my life every day!

Tidbits by Tay: The "Patti Pie"

This post was originally posted on my personal Facebook page, but I felt that it was necessary to share here as well!

Congratulations Ms. Pattie! Your pies are sold out of nearly every Wal-Mart in America, and you were able to pull in $2.5 million in sales revenue from your venture in one weekend (roughly $104,667 an hour)! People went out in droves to support you and buy a pie they can make themselves or eat for free in a few weeks. The majority of people buying these pies were African Americans, and I commend each of you for supporting her pie venture.

Now I have three challenges for you all: 1) While the cost of a sweet potato pie is not the same as the cost of a handcrafted Blessed Body Brand bar of soap (shameless plug here), find a local minority artisan to support with your dollars. (If you can't find one, I can help with that.) 2) Again, while the cost of life insurance is higher than the cost of a sweet potato pie, why not buy some coverage even if it's just enough to bury you with dignity so your family isn't selling fish plates? I'm sure most of you that bought pies bought (& ate) more than one. Let's see if you qualify for at least $25,000 before you "catch the suga" and can't get anything at all! (I offer this service too.) 3) Take note of this event, and realize that while you may not agree with the "hoteps" or the "sheep" on anything else, we can all agree that the "black dollar" has power in America & we fail to leverage it by our own divisive actions!

While this post is mainly discussing small businesses run by African Americans, we should also support small businesses run by and/or founded by other minorities in America as well. We each stand to gain so much by supporting each other. Buy at least one item for each room in your house from a small business rugs, wall art, bath products, hair care products, food, dishes, etc. Minorities are represented and under-supported in every industry in America! You as a consumer just have to take the time to support them. There are multiple minority supported Facebook groups, such as the Buy Black Friday - Online Market. You will find minority owned businesses representing quality products and services in a multitude of industries! Just head over and request entry! You'll be glad you did.

***UPDATE***

Oh my goodness, I didn't realize that I'd allowed 3 months to pass by with out posting to my blog! What on Earth was I doing? Well, I'll let you know exactly what I was doing: building my knowledge of Finance! In the past three months, I've spent countless hours going back over what I learned in college and putting it with what I am experiencing in the field, and I have to say that I've learned so much since I became a licensed life, health, & annuities agent than I ever did in a classroom!

When I go out and talk to people, I get the opportunity to see real world scenarios (not the simplified examples that we get in textbooks!). I have the opportunity to see in real time what the stock market has done, is doing, and will do to the retirement plan for the working class (401(k)), and I see the inequality in financial services that the middle class and lower income Americans receive EVERY DAY!

The systems in place are being re-written by a select few companies, and I am thankful that I partnered with one of them! I'll be talking a lot more about finance and many of the different ways to make your financial goals a reality! STAY TUNED!

~Shanta

Entrepreneurship: The Commission Decison

When talking to people about entrepreneurship in the network marketing industry and as an independent startup, the number one question is always about how and how much cash flow can be relied on. These questions are very valid! I am aware that bills don't pay themselves and creditors do not accept excuses or allow extensions while you're trying to figure things out.

I am an entrepreneur in the network marketing arena and in the start-up arena as well. There are three basic and very important skills that an individual needs to be aware of before making the journey to entrepreneurship and making the commission decision. Most Americans have an employee/guaranteed paycheck mindset, and due to the "commission" nature of entrepreneurship, you'll need to develop these skills to survive!

Coachability: You must be coachable. If you are a start-up entrepreneur, you will NEED a mentor. Read books, hire a coach, and focus on personal development. The more willing you are to learn and deflect to wise counsel, the better off you are in the long run. You will be able to learn without the critical mistakes that most entrepreneurs have made.

System: Follow a proven system! If you are a network marketing entrepreneur, FOLLOW THE SYSTEM THAT YOUR UPLINE TEACHES YOU! This will ensure that you can maximize your chances of having the same results that top earners in the company have achieved. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Just implement the skills that you are learning from your mentor.

Effort: Do you put in the same effort when you're alone that you do when you're around others? I have to be honest here. I truly believe that the issue with the commission decision is hat most people don't work their hardest when no-one is looking! I believe that we have come to a place where individuals are goofing off and doing just the minimum for a guaranteed paycheck! As an entrepreneur, you will need to work harder than you've ever worked.You will need to be accountable to yourself and your family as well as your upline (if you're a network marketing entrepreneur).

If for any reason you can not master or practice these skills, you are set for a truly bumpy experience! Challenge yourself more so that when you step out into the market, you are ready for the chllenges that are sure to come!

~Shanta

The Reaper Effect

What happens when a person dies? Their families lose everything they've ever worked for and move to an apartment a few blocks away from the projects, the children leave their home, their school, and their friends, and the remaining parent or caregiver struggles to make ends meet while the child struggles to cope with the loss of a parent and making new friends!

Wouldn't it be terrible if that was the grim reaper effect? Total loss? For far too long people have lived this reality and families have gone without proper protection from the reaper, and this has to stop! With the growing rate of single parent homes, we need to be educated on how to properly plan for our futures so that our children can grieve us properly! Death is inevitable, but it doesn't have to effect our children's lives any more than our loss already does.

Over the next few weeks, we will be talking about life insurance: dispelling the rumors, educating the masses, and how to get people the coverage they need on their budget! Let's change the reaper effect from total loss to plain grief. You can rebound from both, but loss lasts much longer!

As a single mother, this information truly changed my perspective on some things! Now I can truly say that my son will be financially established if I pass away.  Let's start the talk about insurance! Let's not stop until everyone has the coverage that they need!

~Shanta

My Take: The Natural Hair Debate

I am personally natural and have been for over 10 years, but when I made the decision it was frowned upon! People that I love told me that I looked "thrown away" with my curly tresses or that I "needed to do my hair." Now that it has become popular and is often a trending hash tag (#teamnatural #curlyhairdontcare etc) people are more accepting of it; however, it is still not accepted as a lifestyle change, and many people do it for what I consider the "wrong reasons."

My reasons for going natural...

1. To make sure that my hair was healthy.
2. As I traveled on this journey, it was also a step to embracing myself in my rawest form.

Other people's reason for going natural...

1. "I wanted hair like Joan Clayton from Girlfirends (Tracee Ellis Ross)."
2. "I wanted hair like Freddie on A Different World (Cree Summers)"
3. "I had 'good hair' when I was a little girl before they permed it!"

When people go natural for any other reasons than healthy hair and lifestyle changes, it usually ends badly. Natural hair is AMAZING, but it does require work! If you don't moisturize, wear protective styles, comb from the ends (if you comb at all), and keep it moisturized (LOL), it's very difficult to manage! Then this happens...

1. "I can't walk around with no nappy hair on my head like that!"
2. "I tried that natural thing, and it was not for me! Those naps were too hard to deal with!"
3. "Girl, you DO NOT want to do that! That nappy hair is not where it's at!"
4. "If you do that, you can't get a good job!"
5. "If you wear your hair like that, you'll look too ethnic!"
6. "Mh mh, what is that? A bird's nest? Oh, a twist out... Mh, ok..."

Natural hair comes in many different styles!! The curly waves, ringlets, tight coils, loose coils, and the KINKY! Whatever kind of natural hair you have growing out of your scalp, be proud of it and who you are! If you get braids, wigs, extensions, relaxers, etc, be confident in your decision and don't put down another woman for choosing not to. If you choose to wear your hair in its natural state (curls, locs, shaved, etc), don't down other women who choose not to. Let's remember to support and uplift one another as sisters, NOT COMPETITION! After all, we are not defined by our hair but by the spirit in which we interact with our fellow sisters!

3rd big chop

~Shanta

How to start in business: LLC or Network Marketing

Let's talk business. There are many firms in the marketplace and in every industry that claim to be "just right" for you and everyone else, but if you are a business man or woman, you are very specific about what you are looking for in business and what you want to do. When it comes to starting a business from scratch, consider the following:

1. You are on your own. No one is there to help you figure things out. You are likely pioneering this business.
2. You accept all risk of failure or success. There is likely no system in place and every thing rests on your own actions. You are only accountable to yourself.

Of course it's not that simple, but these are two truths that I have found to be very relevant over the last six months. In a network marketing company, there are many other benefits Let's take a look at two I found in PHP.

1. I have a team. My marketing director and business partners all have my best interest at heart. They keep me focused on the system so that I can be successful.
2. I am accountable to others. My team keeps me honest! I can't waffle no matter what legitimate excuses come up in my personal life.

 Another thing to consider is that most network marketing firms are proven in their industry unlike an individual start up firm. In my recent Marketing course, we discussed branding. This YouTube video regarding social media marketing was one of the resources used for our last assignment. It may surprise you to know that 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations while only 14% trust advertisements! This is why network marketing, along with social media, are the wave of the future. As we become more "social" and interdependent, person to person recommendations are key to convincing the public that anything is worth their dollars!

Think about your life. I am passionate about healthy finances and healthy skin. Since I was not able to gain experience in the financial arena on my own, I decided to make my own experience. PHP is the vehicle that I am using to make that a reality. It's not for everybody, but there are many network marketing firms in the marketplace that can fit into anyone's passions and feed the need for entrepreneurship! Franchising is still entrepreneurship, and the skills that you learn will help you avoid costly mistakes when you step out on your own. Here are a few lists to get you started doing your research for the Network Marketing firm that fits your passions! I'll be talking more about PHP and why I am passionate about this firm in the coming weeks!

Top 100 Global Direct Selling Companies 2015

Network Marketing Central 

~Shanta