"Surround yourself with people who have strengths where you have weaknesses" with P Lanette Pinkard

P Lanette Pinkard

P Lanette Pinkard, BBS, DD, NIC Master -Nationally Certified Interpreter is a child of deaf adults (CODA) who has been a professional American Sign-language (ASL) interpreter for 40+ years. She is a highly sought-after interpreter, interpreter coordinator, cruise interpreting instructor and Lead interpreter for interpreting teams facilitating communication for Deaf groups/individuals traveling all over the U.S. and internationally.

As a 21st century leader, Lanette, founder of My Hands Your Heart, LLC (MHYH) has provided training, professional development, employment, and empowerment through her organization. Some of her accomplishments include starting a community sign-language school and a Hands-on Internship Program (HOIP) for interpreting training program (ITP) students who are graduating or recently graduated. These platforms were created for interpreters to develop their skills in environments mirroring real-life assignments.

Lanette has been recruited and pursued to lead multiple teams of interpreters to serve on cruises and international travel with large Deaf groups and has completed over 80 cruises in less than 10 years. When Lanette sees a problem that affects the recipients of ASL, she believes that you either assist and bring a resolution or you are part of the problem. Her teams are loyal to her because she serves along with them, shows appreciation and celebrates them in everything they do.

Among many of her empowering projects, she developed an exclusive “Cruise Interpreting Academy” (CIA) hands-on training that takes place aboard cruise ships for ASL Interpreters. In her training, interpreters learn how to serve all the stakeholders involved when interpreting is needed for their guests. They learn all policies and procedures from embarkation to disembarkation and customize training for different organizations. Her interpreters are highly skilled, trained, professional and qualified; they are open-minded, adaptable to change and purposed to serve beyond the call of duty to represent organizations nationally and internationally.

Lanette’s mission is to help ASL interpreters be professional yet personal, prepared yet passionate, and precise with purpose while providing excellent interpreting services. This has led to repeated requests by organizations, agencies, corporations and the Deaf Community everywhere. She is passionate about unifying the Deaf Community, Interpreters and organizations through education of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills while emphasizing respect and appreciation for each other’s differences. Finally, the sign-language interpreters are required to learn all policy and procedures to follow for each organization for premium customer service and ASL interpreting delivery.

Her mottos for the interpreting profession are:

“Serving alone we fail, serving together, we can overcome anything!”

“Whatever it takes, we make it work!”

“Greatness comes when you invest in making others great!”

●      Can you tell our readers about your background?

I am what you call a “child of deaf adults” (CODA). I was raised in a predominately deaf environment. My grandparents were the president and vice president of the only black deaf club in Michigan called the “Detroit Silent Club.” My home always had either deaf friends or family most of the time. They would come to our house at two, three, and four am in the morning with husband and wife problems, and my grandparents would get up and let them in to counsel them late into the morning. She never turned them away.

My grandparents would have to wait until I got home from school to make calls for “adult things” because they had no access to do it. For example, I would try calling the doctor’s office to make an appointment for them, and they would say, “child, stop playing on the phone,” then hang up on me. During my pre-teen and teenage years, I interpreted my grandfather's job in the human resource department. He worked for the City of Detroit for at least 15 years and was an excellent worker. He was qualified to work in a higher employment classification. To get promoted, he needed to pass a test written in English. However, he needed the test translated in American Sign Language (ASL), but they would not provide an interpreter. Sadly, he retired at 30 years in the same position he started as. Events like this feed the passion that drives me in my first organization, My Hands Your Heart.

●      What inspired you to start your business?

What caused me to start My Hands Your Heart and Cruise Interpreter Academy was creating resolutions to issues that should not exist. My Hands Your Heart (MHYH) which was initially incorporated and later changed to an LLC, was started because interpreting agencies will hire a sign-language interpreter and keep them at the same pay rate for 5, 10, 15 years, or more. Yet, we have to pay money for continuing education units (CEU’s), or we go and earn bachelor's and master's degrees along with rising inflation while still getting paid the same rate. The next thing was agencies operated with nepotism, showing favoritism towards interpreters they liked better with higher-paying interpreting assignments or paying a higher rate for an interpreter they favored rather than treating us and paying us equally for the same work. That would happen even if the “favored” interpreter were less qualified.

Another problem is agencies filling an assignment that requires an interpreter with a higher certification qualification, and because the agency wanted the money, they would send a less qualified interpreter. Issues such as this burned me up inside and motivated me to start MHYH initially as an interpreter agency and create a matrix that I made public. This way, every sign language interpreter that worked for me would know what they started with, why they started with that amount, and how they earned increases.

I started the Cruise Interpreter Academy under the umbrella of MHYH, which will soon be a separate entity. I had been a cruise interpreter for about six years; I had no formal training and most sign-language interpreters go to our assignments with a community interpreting mindset. However, cruise interpreting is different. We still must follow our professional code of ethics. Still, the entire atmosphere is different and requires additional knowledge to function as a professional offering elite customer service to Deaf travelers. After a few years of cruise interpreting, I was offered my first lead interpreter on a group cruise with 22 deaf guests and 10 ASL interpreters. I had no clue what I was doing, but by grace, once I did my first group cruise as a lead interpreter to Alaska, the travel agent owner, who was deaf, requested me for the next several years to be the lead interpreter for his group cruises.

Additionally, on the regular cruise assignments that only required a two-person team, those clients began to request me until I had so many requests that I couldn’t take them all. As this was happening, I received complaints about the deaf guest’s experiences with other interpreters and how unprofessional they were. A complaint I often received from Deaf guests was that interpreters would behave as if they were on their vacation instead of the deaf guests who paid for it. Learning things like this motivated me to create the Cruise Interpreter Academy.

●      Where is your business based?

My physical office is in Arizona, but we can serve anyone, anywhere in the U.S.

●      How did you start your business?

Whenever I start anything, the name comes to me way before I know its purpose. When “My Hands Your Heart” came to me, I didn’t see the totality of where it was going. It has evolved over the years. I learned how to file the company online after researching what was required. I also started a Community sign-language school which grew so fast that I turned it over to the person who was my dean of students at the time. She renamed the school and took it to a new level, and it is now in its tenth year. I also started a Hands-on Internship Program (HOIP) which two other states wanted me to start in their state, but I didn’t have the staffing or capacity. I created these companies under MHYH at one time or another.

●      What were the first steps you took?

The first steps I took were to assemble a team, tell them what I aspired to do, file the paperwork and an EIN, I opened a bank account, and begin to operate. I wasn’t very knowledgeable about managing a company; I just saw the vision, started the company and went to work.

●      What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Until the last couple of years, no one knew much about MHYH. As social media has grown in popularity, that has helped tremendously. Recently, we added a social media manager to keep posts updated on many social media platforms. We also have become clients of a PR company.

●      What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Finances have been the biggest challenge as I never have taken a business loan and have never received a grant. I worked many long hours and paid my company’s expenses out of my personal earnings until I received the payments assignments I worked. I usually charged too low a rate for contracts I acquired and paid my interpreters a higher rate. I was more interested in helping other interpreters see they did not have to accept being low-balled when they are the actual value of the interpreting agency.

●      How did you overcome the financial challenges?

I didn’t; I failed miserably at times. I even lost a friend over my financial mistakes. I worked my heart out! I worked 60 or more hours OUTSIDE of my home while still spending hours developing and operating the company to make sure my sub-contract interpreters received their payment. 

●      How do you stay focused?

My mind is always going. Some nights I don’t sleep, I create. I never stop thinking about the things I want to change, solutions to solve problems I know can be solved, improvements that I can make, and the love, respect, and understanding the Deaf Community deserves. I am blessed with a creative mind that constantly comes up with solutions. If it’s not an immediate resolution, then it’s a professional development workshop that will educate, impact and change the trajectory of professional sign-language interpreters and inspire them to achieve more. Or I create training that will empower organizations to become more inclusive of the Deaf Community and create jobs that the Deaf Community can fill.

●      How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

My Hands Your Heart doesn’t resemble any interpreting agencies anywhere. MHYH has created exclusive services that will change an organization’s popularity and increase revenue when they become inclusive of the Deaf and Hard of hearing Communities—according to the U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy reported by deaffriendlyconsulting.com, issued July 2, 2020.

 They make up the third-largest market segment in the United States, with discretionary income in the billions.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Until recently, I would say the  “Deaf Grapevine.” I know from growing up in the Deaf Community for years; that they share information faster than fire spreads. We have a social media manager, and soon, we will add a marketing specialist to the team. These and the PR company have been assistive in our most effective marketing strategy.

●      What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

 1) Never Quit! It can look bad and feel worse, but when you know in your gut that you have something, DO NOT QUIT!

2) Surround yourself with people who have strengths where you have weaknesses.

3) The people who come to serve you on your team because they believe in your dreams; they come to support you and have your back, treat them royally. Treat them with the highest respect, love them, encourage,  support, AND celebrate them. Should you begin to achieve any type of notoriety, NEVER forget them. I cannot impress this enough, serve your team well. Be good to them.

●      What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app is Fiverr and the Digital Business card. I love Fiverr because I can get nearly anything I need to develop or design inexpensively and with excellence! From my logos to my book covers, editing an online course, and creating just about anything my mind can think of.

The digital business card is one of my favorites because I don’t have to remember to carry physical business cards. It gives so much more detailed information without taking up space.

My favorite blog is our new Cruise Interpreter Academy blog AND vlogs written AND interpreted by actual cruise interpreters or our cruise interpreter academy alumni.

My favorite book is always going to be the Bible. I receive wisdom, guidance, and help through things that people simply can not understand.

My next favorite book is “A Myriad of Miracles” because those miracles are authentic and help me to remember the Lord I serve is real, He is Love, and I can do all things through Him that strengthen me.

●      What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

One of my favorite business tools is Audible. I don’t have much time to read, yet I still have a lot to learn. Audible allows me to listen to inspirational, motivational, directional books that help me continue developing in my leadership, team, and service to my clients.

●      Who is your business role model? Why?

Ashley Massengill is one of my business role models because she is open, honest, and forthright with her audience, clients, and herself.

She is honest about the bad and the good. She constantly inspires those who follow her to look up, get up, move up, and don’t give up!

●      How do you balance work and life?

I honestly don’t know if I have a balance. Everything about me tends to focus from a perspective of love. I love people, and I love serving. I don’t feel like I go to “work” per se. I feel like I am living my purpose and loving what I do. So in my “downtime,” I am thinking about the people I have the privilege and opportunity to serve through My Hands Your Heart, which includes my excellent core team. My husband and children are my most significant cheerleader, and I love what I do. In one way or another, I am always doing something towards serving, creating, teaching, leading, coaching, or motivating. Once in a while, I travel just for myself. I recently traveled to Aruba for four nights, and I slept two of those days away. I am sure that was evidence that it was a much-needed break.

●      What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Decompress from what? 😊

●      What do you have planned for the next six months?

I have some new business alliances planned; I have several new professional development workshops that are launching, and I will be doing more motivational speaking. I coach and provide a platform for my Cruise Interpreter Alumni group to teach their webinar/workshops. We have a new membership program that is starting soon.  I have several projects to assist organizations in becoming more inclusive of the Deaf Community and expanding my team to have Deaf leaders train and lead. And I will be hosting my next cruise interpreter academy from August 7-14, 2022.

●      How can our readers connect with you?

Our organization’s phone number is 855-730-6494. You can connect with us through our websites: www.myhandsyourheart.com and www.cruiseinterpreteracademy.com.

We are on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You can email us at: ciaacademy@myhandsyourheartllc.com; profdev@myhandsyourheartllc.com.

"Don't give up" with Janel Muhammad

Photo Credit: @withlovetammyb

Janel Muhammad is a licensed realtor in the state of Pennsylvania. While traveling, she fell in love with the idea of searching for and purchasing real estate in vacation destinations. She turned her love into a business when she founded Destination Own an international real estate and travel company. She now spends her time helping people realize their dreams of international living, collaborates with real estate professionals from around the world in real estate endeavors, as well as contracts with major cruise lines to host real estate excursions. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Funny thing, my background actually has nothing to do with my current business. I grew up as a very quiet little girl with artistic tendencies, very creative. I always wanted to go to fashion school and become a famous clothing designer. I actually did end up going to Parsons school of Design, but like many little quiet girls I was not groomed to follow my dreams so instead I ended up getting married young and had children.

So as an adult I found myself divorced with two children and basically in survival mode. Then one day after several failed attempts with little businesses, things that were like cutting edge at the time, no one was really into at the time, like affiliate marketing, drop shipping, bitcoin (that one hurts) you name it I did it. It wasn't until I had remarried and found some stability that I was able to really sit back and think about what I wanted to do with my life. Real Estate had been something that I had tried in the past and I decided to give it another go, but this time I was gonna do it on my own terms and in my own way.

What inspired you to start your business?

I had always been an entrepreneur at heart starting a few businesses here and there but what inspired me to stick with it the most, was actually my husband. Seeing him start his business made it real for me. Like, this actually happens, you can actually do this as a regular person.

At this time, I was working in the film industry and making great money so on one of our vacations we took a cruise to Bermuda and I noticed so many for sale signs. We explore the island on our own, and real estate being my first love I wanted to look at every property I could. That's where the idea and concept of Destination Own was born. My first thought was I want to sell real estate internationally, and I was gonna figure out how that could happen. My second thought was, I truly believe that other cruise passengers would have the same feelings that I did that day, and that I was going to create an excursion for real estate so that people could view real estate while on vacation.

Where is your business based?

My business is actually an international business. I am licensed in Pennsylvania and soon to be New York, but my business is completely remote. I work with other real estate professionals around the world which keeps me going pretty far and sometimes pretty fast. When working with individual clients, my business stretches wherever they are looking to invest.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The first thing that I needed to do when I decided to start my business was to get my real estate license, so I started in the state of Pennsylvania and from there I had to figure out how I could sell international real estate without living in those different destinations. I researched for several months before taking my real estate exam and one day I came across this Certified International Property Specialist Designation (CIPS), in which agents in the US we could collaborate with agents from different countries and when I saw that it all clicked. I got my CIPS designation over the next year, then I began reaching out to agents within that network and just building relationships from there in order to make my dream of being an international agent come true as well as make the dreams of my future clients as property owners in different countries come true.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Honestly, I would say most of my recognition has come from me travelling and just speaking to people, doing small speaking events, and joining expat groups in the locations where I frequent. I would find a lot of clients that way, they are trying to figure out how to actually make it happen, go from the dream phase to the action phase and that's where I would step in.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

My biggest obstacle or challenge with the international real estate was of course COVID. Even though my company was new, I was gaining momentum through a few real estate tours that I had done, and just that feeling of this is working! I was on a high and when I reached out to different cruise lines through the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) it was like a spark had been lit. I was on my way. I had three cruise lines actually interested in having discussions about real estate excursions on their cruise lines, and around the same time the world started to secretly close down around us, and by March my business was pretty much a unfulfilled figment in my dreams.

How do you stay focused?

I stay focused by reaching out to real estate professionals around the world hearing their excitement of wanting to work with me and just thinking about all the possibilities that are ahead of me. I've got a lot of plans. We plan on doing real estate open house festivals in different countries, educational initiatives for local people in the destinations that we visit, an international renovation show, and of course doing the real estate tours and excursions that we've been focused on since the beginning.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

The way that I have modeled my business is actually the biggest differentiator, where the other Certified International Property Specialists focus on referring clientele to real estate professionals around the world, I actually take on the client as an International Buyers Agent. Now this is not an official role, however, I feel that when taking such a big step the client usually needs more handholding then just shove out the door. With that in mind, I created a system where we interact with the client, set up their travel and accommodations, refer them out to a real estate professional, as well as providing support throughout the transaction. That support could look a few different ways, it could be engaging in phone conversations, looking over paperwork, or even traveling with them to the destination country. In fact, that's how we got our start, doing real estate tours.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Wow, so that is a tricky question for me because I feel like we are still at our baby stage. Partly because of the world shut down during the pandemic, there was not a lot of growth in our company. we kind of had an incubation period. We had gone back to shore up some of our policies and procedures and reworked a few things that we wanted to make sure were sound once the world started to open back up.  

I can say, going forward, we will be utilizing the media a lot more. Spreading the word and the joys of international real estate opportunities. With the suffering of many economies around the world it is prime time to get into the real estate market and see what's out there not just in your backyard but anywhere you can imagine.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

The best advice I could give to an aspiring entrepreneur is, don't give up. I know that might sound cliche or whatever, but it is true. If you were blessed enough and trusted enough with this idea, this concept from the great creator then you have to believe that there was a reason. The timing may not work out the way you think, it may not be as easy as you first thought it would be, but if you stick with it, it will happen.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Actually, my favorite app, I'm not even sure if it's an app but there's a website, and I'm old school and I don't know if that means there is an app with it. The website is called From Rome to Rio. It is so accurate and informative. They can tell you how to get from anywhere to anywhere and they also give you pretty accurate price guides, which is a lot of help. I've actually used it frequently over the years since I've found out about it. I've used it in Brooklyn, and all the way in the Philippines it works anywhere. Now that’s range.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I would have to say my favorite business resource is actually a role and not a tool. I think a capable financial planner is a great asset to my company. The right financial planner can really position you to be able to make the most out of your investments. International real estate is no different, working together we can create a solid portfolio of international assets that you can benefit from for years to come.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I would have to say my business role model is Barbara Cochran, just knowing that she was able to grow a billion-dollar real estate business from a $100 loan is amazing. I'd like to think I can recreate and even surpass that success within my lifetime.

How do you balance work and life?

So this one is actually a new one for me. I never had a work and life balance. When it was just me and my boys it was strictly the life part, the hard things. I let my dedication to my children and my unknowing dedication to my struggle, the fear, the unworthiness, all of those things that were kind of bred into me, they had full run. There was no work balance, I would quit jobs if I couldn't find a babysitter, I would not really start anything that was a beneficial for me because I thought it would interfere with what I needed to do for my children. It was completely one sided and irresponsible. At the time I thought I was doing the right thing for my children but overtime it just created and unbalanced depressed example of a parent. Which did not do them any good either.

After that time in passed, when I remarried and had more of a path in my life things changed. The work life took over. I had a new husband who basically took us on as a family, because he didn't have any children of his own, in my mind it's like “oh gosh he's taking on these three extra people. I cannot be a burden on him, and I cannot allow my children to be a burden on him,” so then I worked. Worked, worked, worked, and worked some more. At this time I was in the film industry, where I was doing 16 hours a day.

Easy. I was always signing up for work, so much so that it became a problem within the family. Now, I am a bit more balanced, I make sure that I take time out for myself and really nurture my being. I’m not just the worker bee, not just the wife, not just the mother, but I’m an actual being. I take time to honor that. Even if it's a few moments of the day because I'm busy with the project. I have to take that time out for myself and make my being a priority.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favorite way to decompress is watching TV. It could be a movie, TV show, or bingeing a series, but I really love seeing the stories picking them apart and because I've dabbled in the film industry over the years I feel like I have some insight on how things were done and that almost makes it like a sport. LOL. It's like my football. I actually think I will get back into the industry in the future but this time as a writer or producer. I believe I have that in me as my third or fourth act.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We have been talking with major cruise lines and within the next six months we are planning on starting our real estate excursions in at least three destinations. We will be starting with Panama, Portugal, and Thailand. We are also going to continue to grow our base with and start offering land tours again. And lastly, this year we will be kicking off our first international real estate open house festival we are in discussion now and have been prior to the pandemic with Ghana and Panama. So, look out for that.

How can our readers connect with you?

I was lucky enough to get my business name on all social media platforms so you can find me and my team on all social media platforms @destinationown. For inquiries or tour requests you can email info@destinationown.com an of course you can check us out on our website www.DestinationOwn.com. We will also be making our rounds within the upcoming real estate and travel industry festivals, seminars, and conferences. So, if you see us out in the streets pull up!

"Think of the goals that you want to achieve in the next 90 days" with Lucia Marín

Photo credit: Laura Nuñez

Lucia Marín is a very driven entrepreneur that started her first business at the age of 22. Since then and after working at a VC she created HeySpanish and now they help hundreds of families from over the world so that their children can stay in touch with the language and culture in a fun way while they make lots of friends. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I went to university in Spain where I studied Law and Economics. While I was studying, I worked for a company that organised subsidised English lessons for businesses and I helped them take the business from zero to one. After 3 years working there, they decided to change their business model completely and they offered me to buy the clients that they had and start a business, so that’s what I did as I thought it was a great opportunity at the time. I ran the business for 2 years while studying and when I was almost done with my degree I thought I needed a change and I really wanted to work in something related to my studies so I accepted an internship at a VC in London. Very soon I realised that I wasn’t feeling happy and fulfilled and I thought I felt this way because I was literally working 24/7 so I started applying for jobs and I got a position in Strategy and Operations at a startup.

Even though the working hours were fine and the company culture was great I still wasn’t feeling passionate about it and I missed having a project of my own so I started experimenting with a few business ideas like selling on Amazon or dropshipping and they didn’t go very well. While I was doing this I volunteered teaching Spanish to a group of little children and I found that so much fun. I realised that there was quite a lot of demand for Spanish lessons for children in London so I founded HeySpanish. 

What inspired you to start your business?

Having a project of my own made me feel fulfilled. I had so much determination about this so I didn’t stop testing different ideas until I found the one. While I was working at the VC I joined many events for entrepreneurs that were fundraising and I had a huge urge to be one of them.

Where is your business based?

We are based in London but we have students from all over the world. Now, we have students from more than 30 different countries. At the moment I’m working from Madeira. We have a fully remote culture and everyone can travel around while working.  

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

First of all I started with a competitor analysis to find a way to differentiate ourselves from the competition. While I was defining the business I started looking for teachers. This is how I met Laura, she’s my business partner. She fell in love with the idea and the concept from the first time she heard about it and we had an immediate rapport, it was love at first sight. Then I started looking for clients in her area, we were mainly doing telemarketing at the time. In the meantime I also created the website and Laura started developing our methodology and teaching materials. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Finding out about our audience's needs by talking to them and then creating valuable content, events and seminars in order to raise awareness.

On the other hand, we learned how to target our audience on social media and this has been very effective in order to run ad campaigns.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

THE PANDEMIC. Everything was going very well. We started the business in July 2019 and we already had a few clients on board numbers were getting better every month until the 16th of March when we received emails and calls from all of our clients to cancel our services. 

I thought this would be solved and that we would go back to these places after a month or two but just in case we started thinking of alternative ways to keep the business going. We decided to try moving all of our lessons online and at first, we were a bit hesitant about how the children would react as we only had 3-6-year-olds at the time and we thought it would be difficult for them to engage in online lessons but it was a huge success.

We started doing daily lessons, with lots of children joining every day and we started getting clients from many different countries. This made us realise that there was a need for Spanish-speaking parents living abroad to access lessons that were 100% in Spanish so that their children could stay in touch with the language and culture. So we used this opportunity to really target this niche and to open our lessons for other age ranges. Now we do lessons for 3-12-year-olds. This was an amazing discovery and now this service is 80% of our business.  

How do you stay focused?

I am a productivity freak. I use the Pomodoro method when I work, this helps me a lot with focusing on one task at a time. Also, I plan the week ahead on Sunday evening so I start the week with a lot of energy and knowing what the goals and main objectives are. When I don’t do this I find myself staring at my laptop, checking my inbox, and not knowing where to begin. Lastly, I use a productivity planner from Intelligent Change that also helps me a lot to stay productive daily. Lastly, reviewing the objectives for the next 90 days weekly really helps me and the whole team to be on the same page with regard to priorities. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We make sure the lessons are fun and that the children enjoy them. In our classes, they learn through music, storytelling, games, and drama. 

We make our own music, which is available on the HeySpanis youtube channel. Also, we’re focusing now on a very specific niche which is children from Spanish-speaking ex-pat families.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

The most effective thing for us has been using Facebook ads that target exactly the niche that we’re focusing on. 

We’ve published two books that are available on Amazon Worldwide, the first one is “Learn Spanish with Pepe” and the second one is “Pepe Magic’s World”, this helped more people know about us and we got many clients that booked our lessons after buying our book or ebook. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I would tell them to start by creating a plan, think of the goals that they want to achieve in the next 90 days, divide this into monthly actions that help them achieve them, and use a spreadsheet to help them keep track of this and get to work!! When you want to take a business from zero to one is really more about taking actions rather than overthinking the strategy. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favourite app is Instagram because I follow a few amazing founders and seeing their content gives me a lot of inspiration and joy and also because it’s a very powerful tool to communicate with our audience. 

I’m not very into blogs so I don’t have a favourite one. 

My favourite book is “The hard thing about hard things” because I found it very useful for my business. 

 What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I love ClickUp, we use it for project management and we’re finding it extremely useful. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Mimi Ikonn as she always shows the importance of being present in what you do and having balance. Also, we co-created Intelligent Change and I love all their tools to stay productive. 

How do you balance work and life?

I really like to unplug during the weekends and also something that really made a difference was when I got a phone for personal use and another one for business use and I never take the business one when I’m outside or during the weekends. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love going on hikes with friends and enjoying nature. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We will be fundraising and scaling the business. 

How can our readers connect with you?

They can connect with me on Linkedn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucia-marin/

You can also find out more about HeySpanish on our social media channels: Facebook and Instagram.

"Profit doesn’t have to come at the cost of your purpose" with Laura Cretney

Laura Cretney is the Founder and CEO of Pink Jinn, a socially conscious lifestyle brand inspired by the Middle East and North Africa. The Pink Jinn Souq sells beautiful cultural and craft products sourced from small businesses, artisans and social enterprises in the MENA region, with a focus on supporting vulnerable women and communities affected by conflict. Laura is a Middle East specialist and fluent Arabic speaker who has worked in international development for a number of years. She was inspired to start Pink Jinn by the lack of awareness of the diversity and nuances of the Middle East and North Africa in the West.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I’m from the Isle of Man, a tiny island in the middle of the Irish Sea with a population of 80,000. Somehow, I ended up learning Arabic and living and working in the Middle East throughout my twenties – not the usual path for an island girl! I have spent my twenties working in international development across the region – particularly in Oman and Iraq – as well as consulting for western companies working in the region. Alongside my business, I’m also a part-time PhD student researching the conflict in Yemen.  

What inspired you to start your business?

Over the years I absolutely fell in love with the Middle East and became so inspired by the incredible people, cultures and businesses I came across on my travels. I started Pink Jinn to share that with people where I came from – where the only exposure many have to the Middle East is through negative and stereotype-laden media coverage that ignores so many of the beautiful aspects of the region. I wanted to help people understand the region on a deeper level and experience the beautiful cultures I had the privilege to live alongside. 

Where is your business based?

My business is technically based on the Isle of Man, but I run it online from wherever I am in the world!

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

Pink Jinn started as a blog sharing stories and conversations with people in the region. I later started bringing beautiful products back from the region and selling them on Etsy – things like frankincense, Arabic coffee cups and traditional handicrafts. Next, I set up a platform on social media to support people self-studying Arabic.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Despite living in the internet age, word of mouth has consistently brought us new customers and community members. People fall in love not only with our products, but with the meaning and mission behind them – the cultural significance, and the social impact their purchases make. I think in a time of big global businesses and consumerism gone wild, people appreciate personal stories more than ever – who made the product, where it came from, where it fits into the local culture… They feel like they’re a part of something bigger, and they want to share that with their friends! 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

I have built the brand very organically and have never paid for advertising, which has required a lot of patience. More recently, the biggest challenges have been logistical – changes in the political environment in the UK, Europe and US (where most of our customers are based) have led to increased prices and shipping times for our physical products, and we’re still working our way through this as we grow and scale. 

How do you stay focused? 

Travel! Every time I return to the Middle East it relights the fire that fuels my purpose. I spend a lot of time meeting people and getting to know creatives, artisans, businesses and community projects, which keeps me connected to the reason Pink Jinn exists – to share their incredible work with those who might not otherwise experience it, and to counter some of the negative perceptions of the region where I come from.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our business model is very purposefully built around our community, which is based on shared values and a particular worldview. This connection with our community gives us the freedom to shift direction where necessary when it comes to our products and services – as long our message and mission continues to resonate with our community, we could do or sell anything that serves that higher purpose!

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?  

Since the beginning I have focused on building personal relationships with the people in our community through social media and email marketing. We use Instagram more than anything else, because a lot of our content is very visual and evocative, and Instagram lends itself well to that. I spend a lot of time in our DMs talking to people directly, which has been hugely valuable for building relationships and understanding what’s important to our customers.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?  

Profit and purpose are not in competition with one another. Build your brand around a mission or message, not around a product or service. Make that mission part everything you do – from your branding to your supply chains to the product / service itself. When you do that, your customers will stay with you for life and buy anything from you! Other people can compete on things like price, but if your mission and message are strong and resonate emotionally with your customers, it’s very difficult to compete with that.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why? 

My favourite app is Spotify because I’m obsessed with podcasts, and they also have amazing international music playlists so I can stay connected to the Middle East while I’m away. I can pop on a Fairuz playlist (the iconic Lebanese crooner) and pretend I’m sipping Arabic coffee in Beirut or Baghdad. Favourite book is an impossible question - there are so many! A very inspiring recent read was ‘The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World’.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I love Asana – it helps me organise my many projects and ideas into achievable tasks and is great for working collaboratively with a virtual team.

 Who is your business role model? Why?

Leila Janah was a social entrepreneur and author who believed vehemently in the power of meaningful, dignified work as a means of lifting people out of poverty. She was the founder of two social enterprises and wrote the incredible book, ‘Give Work’ – an essential read for entrepreneurs interested in social impact! Leila very sadly died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 37, but her legacy lives on through her companies and her book.

How do you balance work and life?

For me, the work-life balance paradigm is a little problematic. My work with Pink Jinn has enriched my personal life so much – particularly the relationships that I’ve been able to build and the travel that has come with – so I don’t necessarily believe that the two are separate or competing with one another. However, because Pink Jinn often doesn’t feel like work, I’m sometimes guilty of keeping going until I drop without realising it until the burnout sets in! I don’t think work-life balance is something you can ‘find’ or ‘succeed’ at, but a constant process that we must continuously redefine – it will look different at particular points in your life, so the important thing is to check in with yourself regularly and be honest about what you need.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

If I’m spending a lot of time on my own at my laptop, outdoor walks, family time and Grey’s Anatomy – depending on how extroverted I’m feeling – all help me switch my brain off. When possible, I find travel and meeting new people in new places hugely energising and helps me to switch off, reset and realign with my goals more than anything else.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Over the next six months I will be relocating from the UK to Africa, which is hugely exciting! I’ll also be adding a few new suppliers to the Pink Jinn Souq, along with developing Pink Jinn’s digital product offering with the aim of diversifying our revenue streams. 

How can our readers connect with you?

You can find us at www.pinkjinn.com and on Instagram at @pink_jinn / @pinkjinnsouq / @pinkjinnarabic

You can also subscribe to our newsletter for free resources, 10% off the Souq, and an insight into the inner workings of the business: https://mailchi.mp/c55ee203e83b/hump_day

"You Are Never Too Old to Reinvent Yourself" with Michelle Platt

Photo Credit Savita Whittier

Six years ago, at the age of 47, Michelle Platt changed direction in her life from being a mom and educator to starting a new career.   When she learned that her father had Parknison’s, she left her teaching position in a private school and moved from Oregon back to Texas to help him with his remodeling business. But in her spare time, she has reinvented herself as a self-taught artist and her business continues to grow.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My background was actually in education, but with my kids grown and gone, and my father’s health condition, it was time for a change. After decades of teaching, I retired and reinvented myself as a

remodeler and as an artist.

What inspired you to start your business?

One day, after a religious retreat, I was stuck inside on a rainy day. I picked up a pen, found a piece of paper and just started drawing an interesting image of a farmer I found on the internet.  To my own surprise, it was good!  Like, really good. You could see the story in the old man’s eyes and feel the texture of his weather-worn skin.  I was inspired to do more. I continued to produce a number of pen and ink pieces over the next few years, selling both prints and originals here and there. Then one day I took a watercolor class.  In my mind watercolors were those little plastic trays with dry, hard circles of color that you used in elementary school.  That wasn’t real art!  But once I learned the right products to use and the basics of how to control it, I was captivated.  Painting everything from nature scenes to jazz musicians and abstract art, I refuse to limit myself to one style and challenge myself to constantly grow and create. Currently, I am obsessed with a new medium, alcohol inks, and am excited for the new direction it is taking me.

Where is your business based?

It is based out of my home in Austin, TX. My studio is a corner of our dining room that has amazing light.

How did you start your business? What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Initially I sold to just family and friends.  But soon friends of friends started to inquire about my work and ask for commissions, and then total strangers.  Posting pictures of my work on Facebook and Instagram has kept a steady flow of sales and commissions.  Then six months ago I inquired into a local gallery and was accepted.  From there my career as a creative entrepreneur really started to take off.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge is the fear of leaving a steady, well-paying job to take this leap of faith in myself.  For now I am balancing my “day job” with the need to make time for my art and build the business end, as well as keep a happy, healthy home life, and that has its own challenges. 

How do you stay focused?

My passion for creating artworks that inspire people and give them a sense of pleasure and serenity in these frustrating and uncertain times, keeps me focused.  In fact at times it is all I can think about, and I have to force myself to do the mundane chores that are required day to day, rather than stay up all night painting or creating my new website.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I don’t see other artists as competition.  With billions of people out there, each with their own experiences and viewpoints, there can never be too much art. The things I create are going to resonate with a lot of people, but it’s not for everyone. That’s the beauty of art. Each viewer has their own interpretation of each piece, and they will be drawn to the ones that pull their heartstrings for their own reasons. I paint my own reality and my own desires and trust that it will intersect with others’ reality and interests.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I want other women to know that you don’t need a huge following or a perfect, fancy website to follow your dreams.  You just need a passion for what you do and a willingness to put yourself out there.You have to ignore that little voice that tells you you can’t; and just have confidence that you CAN!

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

In 2021 I participated in a one-week webinar by Jessica Serran geared toward helping artists create their most epic art career.  Jessica opened the door so I could see the possibilities and helped me shut down my fears. In fact, I only got the courage to approach the gallery after the webinar.

How do you balance work and life?

You can’t focus on just one or two dynamics of life, because it is the summation of all the factors that make you who you are.  So you have to make the time for work, for family, the house, for your dreams and your own spiritual well-being. When I am spending time with my husband I give myself to that 100%, but when I am in my studio, I give that 100% as well.  ‘Do what you are doing, while you are doing it,’ is my motto.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Creating new art pieces is very relaxing, but if I am not doing that, I love dancing, especially West Coast Swing, and watching movies with my husband.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

My focus for the next six months will be developing and releasing my new website for online sales, expanding my collection of semi-abstract alcohol ink, and participating in shows.  My next show will be in Galveston TX on March 18-19 and I am working on a solo exhibition for late spring or early summer.

How can our readers connect with you?

Currently I can be found at https://www.facebook.com/michelleplattart and https://www.instagram.com/michelleplattart/ As soon as my website is live I will announce it on these platforms. If you are in the Austin area, stop by to see my work at Mercer Street Art Gallery in Dripping Springs. Email me at michelleplattart@gmail.com to let me know when you are going and I would love to meet you there!

Therapy & Business Do Go Together with Pauline Yeghnazar Peck

photo cred: Graham Burwell

Pauline Yeghnazar Peck, MA, MMFT, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in CA and NY with a private practice in Santa Barbara, CA. Pauline works with adult individuals and couples who spend a tremendous amount of energy becoming “successful” only to find that their lives feel empty or unfulfilling. By helping them uncover, adjust, and be free from their childhood templates, she helps them create the adult lives they actually feel great about living and the type of solid relationships that help them feel the support, connection, and joy that love has to offer. Pauline is also an adjunct faculty member at local universities, a supervisor to three Master’s level Associates, and an organizational consultant and speaker.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born in Iran and immigrated to the United States as a young child. My parents were the pastors of a church and sponsored refugees seeking religious asylum. Sometimes families would stay with us during their transitions. We had a large church community and my dad had a non-profit organization that provided international relief to Armenia. From an early age, I saw my parents counsel, support, and serve people. I also remember knowing that the world was much, much bigger than what I saw in my daily life. It instilled in me a deep curiosity in the individual and collective experience, as well as a deep respect for the resilience of and transformation possible in the human spirit.

I studied Sociology in college and went on to get a Master’s in Sociology, Race and Ethnic Relations, and Education. After my mother died in the first year of graduate school, I had an awakening and realized I wanted to work with people rather than study them. I switched gears and got a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. I knew that this was my calling and continued on to get a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. I started my private practice three years ago to better serve the kind of clients with whom I work best as well as to be able to start a family. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I had done a lot of community agency and university counseling center work, especially during my training. In these settings, you are wearing multiple hats. I was doing individual therapy, designing group programs, running workshops, participating in outreach, handling crises, and sitting on various strategy and planning committees. I realized that each and every one of these was using a different skill set and yet, I was paid the same whether I did these at all or did them well. I wanted to be able to hone the skill sets I really cared about as well as to evaluate the efficacy of my work. Additionally, as things changed in my personal life, I craved flexibility, autonomy, and decision-making power/responsibility. Starting my own private practice seemed like a natural step.

Where is your business based?

My physical office is in Santa Barbara, CA but I am also licensed in New York so I see clients all over California and New York. I was using telehealth (video sessions) before the pandemic so my practice was already equipped to handle the transition.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

My first step was to ask people who already had private practices. I got so much useful information about people I already worked with who had small, part-time private practices. They gave me invaluable information about the various steps involved in setting yourself as a healthcare provider. Other than that, I figured out a bunch of stuff on my own – from liability insurance to get a business license. I truly believe that once you make the internal decision, everything else is “figure-outable.”

I looked for local office spaces. This was critical because I didn’t want to rent out someone else’s office for 1-to 2 days and start small. I wanted to go ALL in. Looking for a space helped encourage me – I could do this!

Behind the scenes, I worked on a website and set up a Psychology Today profile. At the time I was taking insurance and so there was the paneling process for that as well.

Once I was paneled and open for business, I let lots of my colleagues know and that was that. Between local referrals and people finding me through insurance, things took off.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

ME! I am my business so representing myself well is first and foremost. As I was building a full caseload, I taught at the undergraduate and Master’s level. Teaching the next generation of therapists was useful. I still keep in touch with many of my students. Putting myself out there in the community was key. I am also involved in a number of local and national professional organizations. All of that keeps me connected to other professionals.

Beyond that, I have recently been using Google ads to really connect with my ideal clients.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Being alone in the process. This work is so intimate and can be so lonely. The relationships we build with clients are not reciprocal; they are one-way. I have struggled to find the connection and support I need to keep being my best. I have overcome this challenge but making sure I am plugged in to others. I have joined consultation groups so I am getting support from other clinicians. I get my own therapy to keep myself sharp and grounded. I work with a career coach who specializes in helping therapists grow their businesses and branch into new areas. I also have a few close friends who are psychologists. Talking to them isn’t just good for me personally but also, it’s essential for me as a professional to feel like there are others doing what I am doing. I also brought on three Associates this last year. They work under my license and receive supervision from me. With covid, the need was increasing and I was getting so much more interest than I could handle. Bringing on Associates helps me serve more people while also feeding the part of me that loves to mentor, teach, and share experiences (mistakes and all) with burgeoning therapists.

How do you stay focused?

Coffee! Ha! Honestly, I try and take good care of myself. When I don’t get enough sleep or pack my schedule too tight, I can tell by how I feel. My mind is more scattered, and my energy more restless. When I am balancing my work life with time with loved ones, being outdoors, and engaging in activities that are sensory in nature, creative pursuits, cooking, etc., I feel the difference. I don’t have to work on being focused. For me, focus comes as a natural byproduct of living in a balanced way. I don’t always achieve this but having the awareness of the link between balance and focus helps me adjust when things are out of alignment. 

I have a young child so it’s not perfect. Balancing is a verb. I am self-compassionate and realistic. If I can’t get in a full workout, a 5-minute walk is better than nothing. If my day is clinically packed, I make sure to move my body in the transitions between. If I am feeling distracted, quick mindfulness meditation or a grounding exercise helps me readjust.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

There are big picture and small detail things that separate me from other clinicians. Big picture, I am my business and I am like no one else! Even if someone has had the same training as I have had or practices from a similar perspective, I truly believe that no one will be exactly me. Thus, I try and put as much of myself out there in my marketing – my voice, my perspective.

Even if I am focused on what they are coming in for, my tone, my style of writing, and my delivery give clients the best information about whether I might be a good fit for them. In the clinical world, I think less of competition and more about fit. I truly feel that clients are looking for a clinician to jive with – whom they feel can understand and support them. I am not the right fit for some clients and that’s completely ok! The more I can give clients a sense of who I am, the better the chances that those who do resonate with me will want to work with me.

Detail-wise, I try and conduct business as “with it” as possible. This means being prompt being organized, having good follow-through, and remembering details about clients. So many clinicians are great with the person-to-person and not-so-great with the business side. I have heard horror stories about therapists not keeping up with billing, not calling clinical inquiries back, or just dropping the ball when it comes to attending to some logistical item. I think that all of it is part of our role – from the notes to the billing to remembering to email a client the resource you mentioned during our session. For me, I see all the things I do in my business as to how I am showing up for my clients. Additionally, I use systems that make it easy for clients to work with me – from paperwork to billing. Getting frustrated at your therapist’s archaic methods can impact the relationship and the work. I am definitely a modern therapist.

Additionally, I am incredibly curious. I am always reading, learning, picking up something new, and getting trained in additional methodologies. Some therapists are purists in their work and they apply a “one-size-fits-all” model. My continuous learning from a number of different areas and sometimes fields helps me see beyond the silos of each subject to a more holistic view of people and psychology. That way, I adjust and adapt how I work to suit the person in front of me. Therapy with me is bespoke to each client.

I have been psychodynamically trained but have a wealth of experience in third-wave behavioral approaches like DBT and ACT. I just finished advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a modality for treating traumas of all kinds. I am also in a yearlong course on Hypnosis through the Milton Erickson Institute. Plus, I am always reading – from parenting books (“No Bad Child” by Janet Lansbury) to books on meditation (“Real Love” by Sharon Salzberg). I bring my whole self into therapy.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Google ads have been amazing and have been doing great work. The ads will get people in the door but what will encourage them to stay (for the appropriate amount of time) and refer their close friend/neighbor/coworker is you doing great work.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do not do it alone. Find ways to get the support you need because You. Will. Need. It.

Another one is a tip I got from one of my earliest and most favorite supervisors: “You always have time to pee.” This is both practical and metaphorical. You shouldn’t compromise on the essential basics.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

I am loving Mealime right now – an app designed to help you with meal prep. Talk about finding systems that work! I have a young child and own my own business. Having the meals for the week planned and grocery lists generated for me makes me giddy!

Along that vein, I love the book Fairplay by Eve Rodsky. She talks about the invisible labor that women do in their relationships and brings business principles into the home to create equity. My husband and I bought her cards and reorganized our home set-up accordingly. It was encouraging to see how some things were working and to adjust what wasn’t. It’s been really amazing for our relationship. I also lead workshops to help couples use the cards to bring peace and fairness to their relationships when it comes to the division of labor.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My coach, Keriann Long, has been a godsend for me. I love the podcast “Flourishing Therapreneur” by my friend and fellow therapist, Claire Blakey as well as “The Practice of the Practice” podcast with Joe Sanok. I love hearing therapists talking about business, money, marketing, and more. Our field espouses a martyr mentality and what I think is a very unhealthy relationship with the business side of therapy. I love that many therapists are fighting these ideas and claiming their identity as business owners rather than hiding this part of themselves in the shadows – seemingly for clients’ benefits. I think it’s helpful for us to practice what we preach about owning our power, speaking our truth, and meeting our needs and wants. We will serve more people when we are not small and inadequate. I think there is a way to be a great therapist and business owner with integrity and I love that others are speaking about this.

I would also be lost with my EHR simple practice. It does it all from notes to billing to secure video sessions. Best investment!

Who is your business role model? Why?

Esther Perel!! She is someone I really respect and want to be like. She knows who she is and puts her voice out there. She also plays around with bringing therapy outside of the therapy room. From her podcasts (“Where Should We Begin” and “How’s Work”) to her books (“The State of Affairs,” “Mating in Captivity”) she makes therapy accessible to far more people than just those she is seeing. Pre-covid, I saw her speak in Santa Barbara at a local theater. Seeing her speak to a full theater of students, therapists, and community members gave me chills. The scalability of what she is putting out there is inspiring. She gives me something to work toward.

How do you balance work and life?

I try but don’t always succeed here so I really practice self-compassion. Trying is doing and I really am doing the best I can do. I try and sleep well. I cook and eat healthy food. I move my body often. I get outside and enjoy the beauty of Santa Barbara. I spend time with loved ones. I also let go of work mentally speaking. If I catch myself thinking about a client or something work-wise “after hours,” I put it on a sticky note and then go back to whatever I was doing. I try and have clear mental boundaries about being “off.”

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Spending time with my son. He’s a year and a half. Playing with him is the biggest stress relief. His childlike curiosity, endless energy, and sweet nature give me so much life. It also helps ground me in the meaning of why I am doing what I am doing – to provide him with a stable, loving home, enrich his life with a variety of experiences, and model for him what it’s like to chase after your dreams.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I have had a complicated personal relationship with social media but I am venturing into this space in the near future. I am also working on some meditations for purchase as well as a group program for millennials and another workshop for couples. I am doing some local training on sex and emotional intelligence. have some exciting things coming up.

How can our readers connect with you?

My website. I have a blog where I share my musings. I will also be on Instagram soon!

"Face your fears and follow your heart" with Alicia Boateng

Alicia Boateng has always loved creative pursuits, but it wasn’t until she left her career as a wedding planner that she started to think about turning her own designs into a full time job. It was her morning cup of coffee that turned out to be the inspiration she needed and her line of handcrafted mugs started to come to life. Today she runs her business Alicia Boateng Designs alongside her husband, churning out festive mugs that come in a range of different styles; from her Afro-Glam collection, to her seasonal cups to her collection highlighting different cultures from around the world. The Coral Springs, Florida-based mompreneur counts celebrities like Tiffany Haddish and Octavia Spencer as fans of her designs and is determined to, “Get my cups into the hands of as many women as I can.”

What are the interview questions for entrepreneurs?

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born and raised in Miami, Florida from Cuban parents. I was raised by my grandmother and I credit all my creativity to her! My grandmother was the creative force that taught me how to make bows, use a glue gun, arrange flowers, cook and so on. I remember sitting next to her while she was knitting, faster than my eyes can keep up might I add, and me asking her, Titi how can you do that so fast? Her response, “years of practice, my little girl”. That showed me that practicing my talent will get me to where I want to be.

What inspired you to start your business?

After designing and working weddings for 20 years, it was time to move on to something else. I knew I wanted to work on something creative and I just didn’t know which direction I wanted to go. My husband gave me a Cricut machine for my birthday and that is how our business started. 

Where is your business based?

My business is based in Coral Springs, Florida.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

When I started the business I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I was just creating things (anything really) and hoping it would attract some sales.  I began making home decor signs, ornaments, and tote bags. I did a lot of research on various items I could create while giving it my own twist. In 2019, we had a pop-up shop in our local shopping mall during the Holiday season. I had created some cups with some left over stones I had in the workshop. I remember thinking, I’ll just make a few, display them, and see if they sell. By the second week at the shop, I have people lining up coming to see if I had any new cups and if I had replenished the ones that had sold. It was at that time I realized I had created something special and unique!

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Word of mouth and social media. I take pride in creating a beautiful timeline with pictures that reflect the craftmanship and passion I put into each and every cup.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

The fear of not being enough. I recite daily affirmations while I drink my coffee in the morning using one of my cups. This has taught me that every day is a fresh, new start.  Whatever was not accomplished yesterday, I have been given a second chance to accomplish it today.

How do you stay focused?

I believe in my product whole heartedly. Every design, every cup, every package that leaves our facility is done with love and I am grateful that my cups are being brought into loving homes. That keeps me motivated and focused.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I took an ordinary coffee cup and turned it into a magnificent, and dazzling blinged out cup. I put a lot of effort into the marketing aspect of the business while also adding some personal moments. I make sure to connect with my customers and let them know that we are a family owned, BIPOC small business,(yes we put all four children to “work), and we remind them that we are just like them. I love my weekends, I love my happy hours in our backyard (you can usually find a picture or two of our cocktails on our stories from the weekends) I love my family time and I share all of that with our customers.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

The most effective marketing strategy has been focusing on empowering women with my cups. When you drink out of my cup, I want you to feel beautiful, confident, and powerful. I feel that my designs interpret that feeling.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Face your fears and follow your heart.  If you don’t start now, time will pass, and you will regret not starting sooner. Rome was not built in a day. You need to have faith and patience and believe me, your time will come.  

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app is Instagram. This is where I connect with my audience the most. I am not too into blogs, however, I do listen to podcasts and it usually involves anything having to with marketing and women entrepreneurs. My favorite book is the 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.  

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I love using Canva and Photofy. Canva makes it easy to create amazing graphics and Photofy allows me to edit my pictures in an easy and fun way!  

Who is your business role model? Why?

My husband is my business role model. He is all about the numbers and he makes sure I stay focused on my goal and making sure “it makes sense”.

How do you balance work and life?

That is a constant challenging I am still learning how to cope with. I am a workaholic and my mind is running 24/7. I often force myself to not think about and work and focus on the present, my kids, my husband, my surroundings.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Drinking my coffee in the morning listening to French Café music. This allows me to start my morning off on the right foot. On Friday nights, my husband and I enjoy a cocktail while discussing our challenges and wins we had during the week.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I am working on new and exciting Easter cups, Mother’s Day and I am developing a Beard Oil for the Father’s day set.

How can our readers connect with you?

They can find me on Instagram @AliciaBoatengDesigns, Facebook /aliciaboatengdesigns and on my website www.AliciaBoateng.com

"Look any every interaction you have as a potential opportunity" with Jill L. Ferguson

Photo Credit: Rick Heckt

Jill L. Ferguson is an award-winning writer of 14 published books. She is also an artist and a serial entrepreneur. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Weekends, a higher education consulting business, and Creating the Freelance Career, a coaching practice for entrepreneurs and authors.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I started working at a young age, by choice. I was babysitting for neighbors at age 10 and selling greeting cards and gift items from a catalog to people who lived on our street before I was in my teens. At age 12, I published my first piece of writing in a magazine and that drove me to want to see my name in print often. When I was 18, I started my first company by buying into a franchise that made personalized products for kids (picture books that included them and their friends in the storyline, letters from Santa and the Easter Bunny, clocks, etc.).

As an undergrad, I majored in communications and business, and in grad school, I studied English with an emphasis on writing. That allowed me to become a professor and I taught and was a higher ed administrator for 12 years, but I was always doing a side hustle and running a business or two during all those years. And when I finally resigned from higher ed, I was asked by a university if they could hire me to consult on some projects so I started a higher ed consulting company that day in November 2012.

Since then, I have run my higher ed consulting company, a company called Creating the Freelance Career which provides coaching to entrepreneurs and authors, a company called Women’s Wellness Weekends (currently on hiatus since the pandemic started as virtual isn’t part of that business model), and I still write for newspapers, magazines, and companies, as well as do some ghostwriting.

 What inspired you to start your business?

I started Women’s Wellness Weekends in 2015 in honor of my late grandmothers, one who was an entrepreneur and one who didn’t meet a person she didn’t try to feed and turn into a friend. Most women I know care for so many people and things and then care for themselves last. I started Women’s Wellness Weekends as a place for women to learn, grow, nurture themselves, relax, and have fun with their sisters.

I started Creating the Freelance Career as a natural consulting extension of my 2019 Routledge/Taylor & Francis published book, titled Creating a Freelance Career. The book is a handbook for people who want to pursue life as contractors, freelancers, and solopreneurs, and features 25 disparate case studies of people who have done just that in a variety of fields. This book was a book I wished I had had when I started my freelance career back when I was 12. 

Where is your business based?

I physically reside in Long Beach, California, but I do business with people all over the world. I run closed FB and FairyGodboss groups for freelancers, etc. and people in the group are from Asia, North America, Europe, and South America. The clients I work with are from all over, too.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

When I started my first business as a teenager, I researched inexpensive franchises and picked one that made the most sense for my skill set, interests, and circle of influence.

When I started my other companies, I first searched company names and URLs to see which were taken or were free. Once I settled on what I thought would be a decent URL, I bought it, and then fill out the government paperwork I needed to start the business (to obtain the EIN, business license, etc.) After I had those, I built basic websites so that I at least had the start of an online presence.

I announced the launch of each business on social media and on LinkedIn, and through an e-mail blast to all of my contacts.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? Networking has been most effective. I have joined groups of local businesswomen and business executives. I also offer a referral fee to anyone who sends me clients. Those two things plus word of mouth from past clients and people I’ve met along the way have helped bring my companies and me to the eyes and ears of the people who need us.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge was learning to trust my instincts and listen to my inner voice. Our early lives condition us and teach us lessons (consciously or subconsciously) about our worth, our abilities, our attitudes about money. Women, in particular, feel like impostors too often, like we don’t know enough or deserve things.

For example, when I was getting calls to speak at international conferences, my mother asked, “Why are they calling you?” It took me a while and a lot of inner discomforts to get to the point where I could answer, “Because I’m an expert in this topic and one of the first and few” and mean it and feel it inside. The statement is a fact but yet I felt weird admitting it like I was bragging or wasn’t good enough to use the word “expert”.

How do you stay focused?

I’m naturally detailed oriented and love what I do so the focus mostly comes easily. It’s part of how I can write books so quickly. (Routledge gave me six weeks when they asked me to write Creating a Freelance Career to research and write the book and turn in a polished product. I wrote Voice of Love, a pandemic sexy romance novel for fun in three weeks.)

When I feel stuck about anything though, I call my accountability partner. We’ve been friends for years and can talk through anything. We are both intuits so can usually feel why or where the other is hung up and what needs to be released to get into a focused flow again.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Excellent customer service. That may seem strange in a climate that stresses providing more value than you are being paid for but the fact is many people and businesses don’t actually do that. I offer free consultation minutes to potential clients (with no sales pitch). I offer a $2.99 e-book on the most common business mistakes I’ve seen over decades of working with clients. I never log time on the clients who hire me for higher ticket consulting packages. Yes, we have a certain number of scheduled meetings together but they are free to e-mail, text, or call me at any time for advice and direction.

And one other way I differentiate my businesses from others is that I am honest to the point where if I don’t think we are a good fit or I know someone better suited to what a client or potential client needs, I’ll say so and find the person to serve their needs better. For example, one of my clients is in the cannabis industry and he needed a finance writer who focused on that industry. Could I have hired a subcontractor to fulfill his needs? Sure. And I probably could have even done the research and fulfilled it myself (I’ve had years of accounting courses and bookkeeping practice). But that isn’t my joy. So instead I found a great cannabis finance writer and introduced them. I paid it forward by giving more work to another female and meeting my client’s needs and further strengthening our relationship.  

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business? Word of mouth has marketed my business more than anything else. I get many of my clients through referrals. But that said, I’ve also been on television, done radio and podcast interviews, and appeared in print and online publications. And I’ve gotten a number of clients for Creating the Freelance Career through what used to be called LinkedIn ProFinder.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

1)   Look any every interaction you have as a potential opportunity. You never know when or how you will meet your next client, collaborator, business partner, or business idea. (The Advocates, a book I wrote with Robyn E. Gulliver, came about because she asked in a group we both belong to if anyone had ever written with a co-author and how it worked out. She’s in Australia and I’m in the U.S. and we’ve only met over Zoom, yet we wrote a fabulous, well-received book together that highlights the accomplishments of women in the Australian environmental movement and got a contract to publish it through Melbourne University Press.)

2)   Do the things that feed your soul and that fuel your love. My Grandma Jean, the entrepreneur, said the focus on what you love and hire someone else who loves things you don’t to do those things. Too often when we are new entrepreneurs or when we are solopreneurs we try to do everything ourselves and that’s a recipe for burn-out and only surviving instead of thriving. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

I guess my favorite app would be my messaging app as that is the way I keep in touch with many clients and friends and family. E-mail sometimes fails (gets delayed or blocked or ends up in spam) but texting or messaging rarely fails.

Jean Chatzky’s HerMoney newsletter/blog is one of my favorites as it is chock-full of finance and life information for women.

I love the Salary Cinderella book series Laura C. Browne and I have written. We have written other books on how to increase your income and on business lessons for women but these books teach business and life lessons through the guise of fiction, which makes the fun books to write and fun to read. 

I’m currently reading The Art of Possibility, which is a 20-year-old classic and I love it for its wisdom. Another favorite book of mine right now is Braiding Sweetgrass. It is a combination of science and Indigenous wisdom that we need so much right now if we can correct all of the damage we’ve done to the planet and ourselves.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tools right now include Square, PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, cash, checks, and all of the ways that people can pay us. Think about it. Years ago, even back when I started my first business, people paid with mostly cash or check or an occasional credit card. I’ve had coaching and consulting clients ask if they can pay me through FB Messenger and Cash App and all of the aforementioned ways. The beauty of some of these is that it doesn’t cost the recipient of the money a thing. I love the flexibility of all of it and the convenience.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is my late Grandma Jean. She was an entrepreneur who owned a beauty salon, rental properties, part of a construction company, and other businesses. She thought she’d be a wife and professional woman since she was born with only half an ovary and was told she’d not have children. But life threw her a curveball: she had three sons 13 months apart each, though that didn’t derail her plans. She hired a housekeeper/nanny and kept right on working. When her husband died of cancer in his early 40s, they were heavily in debt because my grandfather owned and ran seven businesses that faltered while he was sick. Grandma Jean told the creditors she would pay back the hundreds of thousands of dollars to them (this was the 1960s so lots of money then), and she paid back every penny.  

How do you balance work and life?

Balancing work and life can be tricky, especially as you are launching or growing a business, or when you are established and in-demand the challenge becomes not saying yes to everything as that would require you to work 24/7.

Personally, I wake up early, usually between 4 and 5 a.m., and in bed with my coffee, I respond to any pressing e-mails from people on the East Coast or in Europe or other time zones. I also start my daily gratitude list around that time as I keep in my phone and have done a daily list of everything I’m grateful that day for almost twenty years.

I don’t keep set work hours really. I mean I am usually in my office around 9, but I will schedule life appointments—massage, facial, lunch with friends, or whatever—during the day and I won’t feel obligated to work extra into the evening to “make up for it”. That’s one of the benefits of working for myself. I can choose how and when I work and that helps balance my life and business.

But that said, if it is more convenient for me to do so something for a client on a Saturday or a Sunday, I will do it then. I stay flexible with my time. And because my husband and I are up so early and the dogs get walked for their first of the day between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. we go to bed early, too. Sleep is important. (I walk the dogs three times per day and we log usually three to seven miles every day—it’s part of my exercise, stress relief, and mental processing/creativity time.   

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Walk the dogs to the beach—I have a cattle dog and a cattle dog mix. Garden. Read. Travel. I also get a massage and facial every month.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

The third book in the Salary Cinderella Series that I write with Laura C. Browne will be out by summer’s end. Depending on how the coronavirus goes, Women’s Wellness Weekends may reopen with a fall event.

How can our readers connect with you?

jill@jillferguson.com is probably the best way.