Side Hustle Pro: Women Entrepreneurs | Black Women Business Owners | Solopreneurs

Continuing with ‘How to Make a Living Doing What You Love’ month, today in the guest chair we have Jocelyn Delk Adams of ‘Grandbaby Cakes.’ You may know Jocelyn for her awesome recipes, including the mouthwatering Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. She is better known as a founder, author, national television personality and brand ambassador behind the award winning cookbook Grandbaby Cakes and the food website Grandbaby-Cakes.com, which gives her family’s, particularly her grandmother’s, cherished generational recipes her modern spin while preserving the most important ingredient- tradition. Jocelyn is also TODAY Show Tastemaker and a cast member one of the Cooking Channel’s longest running most popular shows, “Unique Sweets”. Nowadays, being a food blogger is no easy feat. Jocelyn and I get into how you really have to be scrappy and identify what’s going to set you apart. On this episode, Jocelyn dishes on: What made her start a blog in the first place How she knew when it was time to make the le

Today on the show, we have Makeup Artist extraordinaire Tiyana Robinson. Tiyana is a Washington DC-based Makeup Artist, Brand Ambassador, and International Beauty Educator. I first came across Tiyana on...you know it, Instagram. I was looking for someone to do my makeup for my Side Hustle Pro photoshoot and after viewing her Instagram portfolio, I immediately reached out and booked an appointment. On the day of my shoot, I went to her studio to get my makeup done and of course we got to chatting about entrepreneurship and side hustle, and I was just so captivated by her story I knew I had to have her in the guest chair. On this episode, Tiyana breaks down: How she transitioned from working for a hair care line to being a full time makeup artist Why making an investment in a Coach and Mentor transformed her business How she sets herself apart and stands out in an oversaturated market The different revenue streams in her business (she’s not just a makeup artists) Her top tips for side hustlers who are just get

To kick off How to make a living doing what you love month,  I want to address something that I've been asked a few times, both in the side hustle pro community on Facebook and in one-on-one emails and text messages. And that question is: how do I side hustle without getting fired? I think it’s so important that I pause to address this concern, because it may be the thing that’s preventing your from taking your side hustle to that next level. On this episode I break it down into three main points: Don’t Assume Your Employer Will Tell You No Create A Schedule that Doesn’t Conflict With Work What’s in it for them: Know the Benefits of A Side Hustle For Your Employer   This episode is brought to you by Freshbooks. To get your free, unrestricted 30 day trial of Freshbooks, just go to FreshBooks.com/Side Hustle Pro ​and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO ​in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustl

I’m back with some updates and progress on my own side hustle and to report out on how my 12-Week Sprint went. Today I will get into: Why I decided to do a 12-Week Sprint How I Structured My 12-Week Sprint A Report out on my goals and accomplishments And finally What I learned from my first 12-Week Sprint If you want to try out your own 12-week sprint with me, I’ve created a handy worksheet for you to structure your goals over 12-weeks. Visit SideHustlePro.co/42 to grab the freebie for this episode, which is a complete 12-Week Goal Getter Worksheet. Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Important Announcements: Side Hustle Pro is now over 1600 members strong and the group is growing by hundreds each week. If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: sidehustlepro.co/FACEBOOK Social Media Info C

Today, we are going to get into one of the most common side hustles out there: creating your own online course. Nowadays, it seems like everyone and their mother has an online course. From how to grow your social media pages to how to build your first app, you name it, online courses are extremely prevalent these days. Even Shonda Rhimes has an online course! It’s nothing new, online courses have existed for a while now, what’s new is the abundance of technology and plug and play platforms out there, so the barriers to entry have really decreased and so anyone, literally anyone can create a course. You can use easy to replace templates and have your own school up online in no time. Now, you might be wondering, well…why is everyone creating courses, should I? Is this a viable side hustle? Well, the reason it’s such a popular revenue stream, is because with an online course, you can package your knowledge and create a funnel, so that you’re constantly getting students and have a passive stream of income in your

Latesha Williams is the Co-Founder of Cards For All People, AKA the makers of Black Card Revoked, a card game many of us know and love. Cards for All People is a cultural casual gaming company that humorously celebrates the diverse subcultures of America. An accomplished sports & entertainment executive, Latesha is well networked and respected from her years of experience honed with companies such as Admiral’s Center, IMG, LeBron James / LRMR Marketing, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Rocawear.On this episode Latesha shares: Why working for Lebron James at LRMR Marketing was like working for a start-up What she did to figure out how to make her own card game How learning to get her legal ducks in a row made the launch of Black Card Revoked that much smoother How she zeroed in on her target market and got Black Card Revoked in front of the right influencers and publications How she’s been able to get orders fulfilled in a seamless manner Who you really need to target if you want your product in the hands of a celeb

Former Side Hustle Pro guest Maya Elious shared that the number one thing she would tell any entrepreneur is to niche down. After her episode, a few people in the Side Hustle Pro community talked about how illuminating and critical this advice was. But a few people commented that it was hard for them to niche down, because they were worried about putting themselves into a box. Or to be labeled as one thing. That got me thinking about how too many times, we are scared to niche down and narrow our audience, because we are actually trying to focus on too many side hustles at once. On this episode, I get real about: Why trying to be a Janelle of All Trades leads you to be a master of none Why you need to choose a lane The fact that it’s hard to do more than one thing really well, especially if you are still working on being excellent at one. And definitely if you’re still side hustling. Real life examples of people who are known for many things...and the secret to their success How focusing on one side hustle at

Today’s guest, Kathryn Finney, is the Founder and Managing Director of digitalundivided (DID for short), an organization that invests in the success of Black and Latina women tech founders by providing them with the network, coaching, and funding to build, scale, and exit their high growth companies. Kathryn was also one of the first social media “stars” and in 2014 sold her site, The Budget Fashionista, to a midwest media company and later was the editor at large at BlogHer, a platform representing 40MM+ women influencers. Named by Inc Magazine as one of the most influential women in tech, Kathryn has made her mark as a tech entrepreneur, social media visionary, an advocate, investor, writer, and television correspondent.   Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links mentioned on this episode: Digital Undivided Headspace One Hundred Years of Solitude The Budget Fashionista Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Important

Today in the guest chair we have Maya Elious. Maya is a personal branding strategist that teaches content creators and experts how to strategize, organize, and monetize their online business. She creates online courses and coaching programs with a focus on teaching entrepreneurs how to get clear with their messaging so they can create premium content and products that will get them noticed and paid online. She’s helped hundreds of students and clients launch & monetize blogs, online challenges, masterclasses, webinars, online courses and other successful content platforms so they can make an impact in their industry. On this episode, Maya shares: Her journey from designing MySpace pages to leaving college to become an entrepreneur How she earns money today as a content strategist and coach Her most simple sales funnel that anyone can replicate The common misconceptions about being a coach or course instructor Her number one pro tip for building an audience that craves your content Hosted on Acast. See a

Side Hustle Pro Nicaila is back with a second check-in for 2017. Time is flying by. It seems like just the other day I was kicking off with the first episode of the year, and telling you guys about my mindset hacks for 2017. Now I'm here with some updates and progress reports.  I break this episode up into three main topics: Number One: The Lessons I’ve learned since we last spoke Number Two: How my 12-week sprint is going. Number Three: What I’ve learned from launching my first online course, Master The Gram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the guest chair we have Jihan Thompson. Jihan Thompson is a magazine editor turned entrepreneur, out to disrupt the haircare industry. She co-founded the company, Swivel Beauty, Inc., which wants to make it easier for women of color to build a beauty team that meets all their needs while also helping talented stylists behind the chair find new clients. Swivel's goal is to create a curated, referral-based experience so women can avoid useless trial and error in the beauty department. Prior to launching Swivel, Jihan was the Health Editor for O, The Oprah Magazine. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania.   On this episode, Jihan shares: The first steps she and her business partner Jennifer Lambert took to take Swivel Beauty from idea to business How she juggled creating the Swivel Beauty, Inc. while working as a busy Health Editor at for O, The Oprah Magazine The catalyst that made her finally say: “Yes, I can do this.” Swivel Beauty’s approach to building strategi

Today in the guest chair we have a woman I consider the queen of apps. Her name is Sheena Allen and she is a tech entrepreneur. She started her first company in 2011 as a senior at the University of South Mississippi. At the time, she had no tech background and was a psychology and film major and on a whim decided to launch a mobile application company. Giving herself a year to see if she would see any success with her company, Sheena Allen Applications, she eventually found that success with app #3, Dubblen. In fact, three months after launching the app for Android, Dubblen received over 500,000 downloads. That year, 2013, Sheena made the decision to leave Mississippi and move to a tech-hub to find mentor and increase her knowledge in the tech space. Since then, she has gone on to experience frustration with raising money and the predatory lending practices in Silicon Valley, Sheena decided to fight back through the launch of a second startup, CapWay. CapWay is financial company that focuses on the unbanked

On this episode, style blogger and digital media expert Christina S. Brown joins us in the guest chair. Christina is the founder of the fast-growing style & beauty destination LoveBrownSugar.com, mommy destination BabyBrownSugar.com and digital empowerment community BrownGirlsLove. As a Wharton grad with no formal editorial experience, Christina started her blog started out as a hobby and portfolio piece to get hired by magazines. She didn’t go into it with the intention of building a business or making money from it. Fast forward eight years and she’s been recognized everywhere from the New York Times to People StyleWatch as a top lifestyle expert, and is known for curating platforms for multicultural women with an emphasis on self-empowerment. Christina has been heralded as a “30 Under 30 Style Maven​” by HelloBeautiful.com, a “Top 40 Style Blogger​” by Essence Magazine, a Black Enterprise Magazine “Blogger Month​” Honoree, and a Wharton Magazine “Social Media Watch List​” Honoree. On this episode, Chri

Today in the guest chair we have Lola Bakare, a Social Media Strategist, savvy Content Marketer and the founder of LOLA Consulting. LOLA Consulting specializes in digital marketing including user acquisition, brand messaging, partnership development, and social media strategy. Fun fact, Lola and I went to undergrad together and I admire her greatly. Why? Because she followed the path well traveled for many years, before finally leaping into entrepreneurship. On this episode, Lola shares: Her pathway from majoring in English at Penn to landing in Brand Management by chance Why she ultimately got her MBA and how it influenced her current path as an entrepreneur How she succumbed to pressure when MBA recruiters came knocking How she finally worked up the nerve to found her own company Why she focuses on the WORK first and the fluff later Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Important Announcements: I

In the first episode of 2017, I’m breaking down the mindset hacks I’m adopting to make 2017 the year of execution. On this episode, I share: How I’m kicking procrastination to the curb Why I’m breaking my year into 12-week sprints How I’ve revamped my mindset about selling   BONUS: Special Guest Muoyo Okome of Daily Spark podcast and Daily Spark TV joins us to share his own powerful mindset hacks for 2017   Links mentioned in this episode: Blogging While Brown, Rise Empowerment and Signature CEO conferences Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead by James Clear The One Thing by Gary Keller If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no Derek Sivers Do Things That Don’t Scale by Paul Graham Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Important Announcements: If you’re interested in growing your business and brand using the powers of Instagram, register for the MASTER THE GRAM mini course. Master The Gr

As we head into 2017, Award winning Financial Planner and Personal Finance Coach Dominique Broadway blesses the guest chair to teach money management tips for entrepreneurs. Dominique is the Founder of Finances De•mys•ti•fied & The Social Money Tour. Shortly after launching Finances De•mys•ti•fied, she was named one of the top Financial Advisors in the United States for Millennials at the age of 28. What I love about Dominique is that she has transformed the reputation of personal finances into a social experience by making it engaging, easy to understand and even trendy. Her demystified financial advice, has been highlighted on Yahoo!, Black Enterprise, Marketwatch.com, Ebony, USA Today and much more. On this episode, Dominique shares: How she went from managing million dollar investments for other people to branching out on her own as a Personal Finance Coach and Entrepreneur How she learned to start treating her business like a business and not like a passion project The biggest money mistakes entrepr

On this episode, we are welcoming back Meiko Drew, the Side Hustle Pro Entrepreneur-in-Residence. We’re following Meiko for an entire year to chronicle her journey from Corporate America retiree to the Founder of Food and Lifestyle brand MeikoAndTheDish. For those of you who don’t know, Meiko walked away from a six-figure salary at Target to focus on MeikoAndTheDish full time. Though it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, her brand is steadily rising and so it’s time to check in with her again to see how it’s all going. On this episode Meiko shares:   How she’s partnering with brands and getting paid for it How she’s monetizing her blog through different income streams Her radical move from one city to the next and how it’s helped her hit her stride Her vision and goals for 2017   Find out how Meiko is making it work despite the twists and turns life throws at her. Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Links and people mentioned in this episode:   Meiko And The Dish BlogHer Food Co

I’m checking in with an update on all things social media marketing: Specifically, Instagram. I have heard many of you ask: How can I organically grow my audience on Instagram? I see this question come up in most of the groups I am in and with most entrepreneurs. Now in Episode 7, I broke down How to Grow Explode Your Social Media Audience with Five Steps and Zero Dollars. There, I went step by step through my methodology and the steps I used to grow my Instagram over 1000% in a year. Today, I am here with updates, updates. As you know, you miss a day you miss A LOT when it comes to social media. Case in point: The last time we spoke, there was no Instagram stories and certainly no Instagram LIVE. On this episode, we will get into: What’s working and what’s not on Instagram How to find your target audience on Instagram - *NEW INSIGHTS* Why you CAN start a business on Instagram What you can accomplish with even 30 minutes a day on Instagram The number one reason why your following is NOT growing BONUS: I've

Today’s guest, is Kalisa Martin, The Co-Founder of The Runaway Experience, a global travel pop-up designed to foster cultural discovery through unforgettable dining experiences, personal connections with local communities and meticulously curated adventures. Kalisa and her better half Jeff, a New York couple of Caribbean heritage, left the 9-5 city grind to pursue their passion for food, culture and travel. They stated with the creation of a community-oriented luxury bed & breakfast. After becoming the first and only successfully funded Bed & Breakfast on Kickstarter, they have quickly become the go-to destination for adventurous travelers seeking an authentic immersion into island life. Now, building on the experience they’ve begun in Jamaica, Kalisa and Jeff are expanding to new destinations around the world. On this episode, Kalisa shares: How she and partner Jeff initially launched The Runaway Jamaica, a community-oriented luxury bed & breakfast How she got the courage to quit her 9-5 and pur

Today’s guest is Arsha Jones, a serial entrepreneur and an emerging leader in the ecommerce industry. She has built multiple, highly profitable brands, with revenues approaching nearly a half million dollars in less than two years .As we speak, she is currently operating and managing Capital City Co, keeping you fly through the Tees in the Trap brand, building iOS apps for Apps By The Pound, all while running the design blog (and Facebook Group!), Brand Build Sell. Her first venture, co-founded with her husband is Capital City Co, produces a Washington, DC area wing sauce called mambo sauce - a local staple. Her second company is Tees in the Trap, which is a lifestyle brand inspired by pop culture and infused with black girl magic.   On today’s episode, Arsha shares: How she started the Capital City Co Mambo sauce in her kitchen and ended up on the front page of the Washington Post How she launched her first t-shirt shop with no shirts and no supplies How haters reporting and shutting down her Etsy shop gave