For seven days at

BOSS MOVE, DAY Four: Put your 60-second elevator pitch into action.

Have you ever tried to tell someone what you do for a living or about your business, but when you did they looked at you like you were crazy? The truth is, you have about 60 seconds to gain someone’s attention and with all of the information we are inundated with on a daily basis, our attention span is decreasing. Here is a way to talk about what you do in a commanding, yet simple way.

ACTION: Start by saying, “You know how some people have a problem with _________?” (Fill in the blank with the problem or challenge that you solve.) Then continue with, “Well, I offer _________.” (Fill in the blank with how the problem is solved.) It’s not a good idea to describe your business or the process of what your product or service does. You can elaborate on that later.

You want to get their attention in as few words as possible, keeping your dialogue simple, concise and to the point. Use those industry buzz words that make what you do or offer engaging, interesting and in demand.

BOSS MOVE, DAY ONE: Develop a Networking Database

BOSS MOVE, DAY TWO: Cultivate Your Current Relationships

BOSS MOVE, DAY THREE: Maximize Your Social Networks

Cameka Smith is a speaker, educator, social entrepreneur and founder of The BOSS Network, a community of career and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and via event-based networking. In addition, Smith provides resources for women entrepreneurs and professionals through workshops and speaking engagements. She is also a mentor and program facilitator for Project BOSS, which matches professionals with youth.

So Excessive Boutique owner Keena Williams

February is known as a month of love, and 32-year-old Keena Williams has been in a 15-year affair — but not with a man. Her beau’s name is So Excessive Boutique (along with its online retail store) and the success of their relationship lies in all that sparkles and shines, from dazzling bracelets to bright-hued broaches to sparkling hoops and studs.

“My inspiration stems from my obsession with accessories; They are the icing on the cake,” Williams says. “It was Rachel Zoe who said, ‘A dress is just a dress until you add the jewels,’ and that is my philosophy as well.”

From her days as a high school student selling accessories to trendy peers to opening her own boutique in Newark, N.J, Williams prides herself in filling a void in an area quite close to one of the world’s fashion capitals, but not often known as the hot spot for chic. She believes in investing in her hometown, providing consumer access and community-building revenue.

With Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week just around the corner, BlackEnterprise.com talked with Williams on how she got started, how she plans to carve a niche in the accessories market and why it’s a good idea to invest in local communities when starting a business.

The accessories market is a saturated one, especially with so many celebrities starting jewelry lines and accessories boutiques. How does So Excessive remain competitive?

We stay on the pulse of accessory trends and we educate our customers. With each purchase, we share how to care for their accessories, tips on wearing them and introduce them to products such as Lobe Wonder, which is a great one for women who wear heavy earrings. Our goal is to be a resource for our customers as well as a place to shop. We’ve also hosted events where customers can network, have cocktails and shop.

Why did you choose Newark, N.J. for your location?

I chose Newark because it’s my hometown, and I saw a void in the marketplace for an accessories boutique. Newark is going through a metamorphosis right now and there are some really great things going on within the city. I definitely wanted So Excessive to be a part of that.

What did it take to start the online store?

The online store was just as much work as opening a brick-and-mortar location. Picking a Website designer who understood my vision was very important, and researching sites I love to shop from was also part of the process. I also used friends as my focus group to make sure the online experience had the same feel as the boutique. In terms of overhead, I had to invest in Website design costs and monthly maintenance fees.

What five tips would you have for young women who want to go into the accessories retail business?

Great customer service is key. This is at the top of the list. No one wants to shop where the staff isn’t friendly.

Do your research. Just because you love it doesn’t mean there is a market for it.

Stay on top of the trends. You don’t have to subscribe to every trend, but you should always know what people are talking about and wearing.

Take and listen to feedback. Listening skills are key. It’s a good idea to ask customers for feedback and listen to their wants and needs so you can improve their experience.

Make sure you have a great support system. Starting a business can be an emotional roller coaster, and there will be plenty of times where you will need support or a shoulder to lean on.

Our mission at ME University is solely to help motivated dreamers—mostly women—build a purposeful and profitable brand platform. In this marketplace, strategic branding is about positioning yourself as an influencer.  So many people right now are hungry for more….more stability, more financial freedom and more fulfillment in being able to truly live out their life calling.

What most fail to realize is that branding is the most important skill needed in the marketplace today.  In a 2.0 world, it is critical that professionals and experts start branding in a way that attracts the opportunities, clients, partnerships, and income they desire.  Most people unwittingly take the traditional marketing “announcement” approach, which is so wrong and outdated now!  There is a much better way.

ME University specifically equips women ready to launch their dreams, build companies successfully, generate media publicity, land corporate contracts and sponsorships, become authors, speakers, and bonafide experts in their space.  We do this while also incorporating mind renewal and spiritual balance.  There is not another forum quite like it!

Our partnership with Black Enterprise has been central to our ability to connect with our ideal target audience. And we are honored that some of the largest corporations on the planet have joined our movement—companies like HP, Office Depot, Home Depot, Ernst & Young and Delta Air Lines.

Ultimately, ME University is a place where lives transform and dreams shift into a profitable reality. For more information about our signature branding bootcamp and our transformational and profitable branding programs, folks can visit us at http://meuniversitylive.com.

Location: Harlem, NY

Product: Tonsorial and Spa Services

Launch: 2006

Closed: November 2009

Reopened: January 2011

2007 Revenues: $192,000

2008 Revenues: $253,600

2009 Revenues: $239,700

2011 projections: $200,000

Now: Barbering, hairstyling, and spa services for men. BBRAXTON Grooming Academy is training the next generation of barbers.

Next: An annual membership and customer loyalty program to reward current patrons. A shop in Atlanta is in the works.

It all seemed so simple to Brenda Braxton. After  flipping through a men’s magazine, she and her then husband, Anthony Van Putten, were inspired to open an upscale salon and day spa targeting men of color. In 2006, the couple opened BBRAXTON Exceptional Grooming For Exceptional Men. Located in a “green” development in Harlem, the salon offered barbering services, hot towel shaves, manicures, pedicures, facials, an Ike Behar custom shirt service, VIP transportation, and a well-stocked bar.

At the time, Braxton was starring on Broadway in a revival of the musical Chicago. But the actress’s dream soon turned into dismal reality when she was forced to close the salon in November of 2009 because of mismanagement. Improperly logged hours and rising costs plagued the business.

Though Braxton and Van Putten shared the same vision, she says they both lacked business management skills. “Neither of us was prepared for the day-to-day pressures of running our own business,” says Braxton, who spent most of her time performing in Chicago. “My husband and I went into it with a ‘you and me against the world’ attitude, thinking we would learn as we went along.”

When Braxton first opened the salon, she tapped into the equity in her Harlem brownstone for startup capital. Initially the gamble seemed to pay off. BBRAXTON was featured in the August 2007 issue of black enterprise as the Best Male Spa in our “Guide to the Best of Everything.” The salon generated $253,600 in revenues in 2008 and for most of 2009 averaged 2,000 clients.

But because of overspending, Braxton was soon scrambling to pay her mortgage, landlord, and creditors as well as make payroll, forcing the business to close at the end of 2009. She also lost her brownstone. But Braxton remained determined. In January, less than two years after closing shop, BBRAXTON was reopened, its owner now armed with intrepid optimism, myriad lessons learned, and a fresh strategy.

Through close friends and personal connections, Braxton found a private investor who infused more than $100,000 in the business to help her rebuild. Moreover, by keeping in contact with her landlord, she was able to reopen at the same location and to work out a payment plan. “We made sure to keep our landlord in the loop when we realized we were having cash flow problems,” says Braxton. “He appreciated our honesty and was willing to work with us.”

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One of her most important lessons: You’re not hiring employees, you’re building a team. She now manages the day-to-day operations and has put a team in place that can help grow the business. “We’ve secured a team of financial, marketing, and management specialists,” she says. She’s also established an organizational structure that ensures accountability in budgeting, and hired a financial officer to audit monthly spending and create a spending plan to curb unnecessary expenses.

While Braxton is more hopeful about success this go-round, she is also more strategic—something that’s key for any business to grow. “It’s like starting all over,” she says. In 2007, BBRAXTON averaged $16,000 per month in revenues with barbers, nail techs, and therapists. Today, the salon has five full-service independent contractors. “With a reduced number of contractors, our gross revenues have already outpaced 2007 numbers.” Braxton estimates that 2011 revenues will reach $200,000.

The reopened salon still offers barbering, spa services (manicures, pedicures, facials, massages), and cocktails, but added to the menu are natural hair services, including locking, twisting, braids, and cornrows. What’s new: the BBRAXTON Grooming Academy, a nonprofit that provides complimentary grooming services to senior citizens through its 26-week barber apprentice program.

However, she didn’t have the money for what she really wanted—to open a retail location at a shopping mall. So Hall, now 28, rented out the front office of an interior design studio in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in April 2010. While the 400-square-foot space may have been affordable, it was a warehouse/office space within an industrial complex that attracted little foot traffic. Customers had no way of finding the store because Hall had virtually no money available for marketing. “It was a good start because even though that wasn’t the ideal space for us because no one knew where we were, we were able to make a lot of connections just by having the idea in place,” says Hall.

Among those connections was the WNBA. “They had a Media Day photo shoot and we were invited to provide all the shoes for the shoot, so that gave us a foot in the door, no pun intended,” says Hall. “We were able to get in and show off our shoes with these athletic women who are part of our target market.” That exposure caught the attention of the landlord for Lakeforest Mall, which is about 10 minutes away from the office/warehouse complex. Turns out, the landlord’s wife wears a size 10.

That landlord put her in touch with a leasing agent, who in turn recommended that she partner with another tenant to offset some of the rent. She approached one tenant that seemed to be a good fit—a bra store for women who are generously endowed. “He had a huge space in the mall and he wasn’t using it all. In exchange for me using his store, I wouldn’t have to pay him [rent] but I would just have to act as a bra fitter when I was there at the store.” Things were starting to hum. Until the bra store went out of business, leaving Size 12 without a home.

Hall was frustrated. “I didn’t know what to do. I was just going to give up,” but instead she reached out to Natalie Prather, her best friend since both attended Magruder High School in Rockville. Hall hoped two heads could solve the problem. They contacted the leasing agent again and worked out a deal: Size 12 would operate out of an 800-square-foot unit under a temporary lease for a modest $1,000 per month.

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Perhaps the turning point for the fledgling venture occurred in April 2011 when Prather and Hall decided to compete in the 100 Urban Entrepreneurs’ 60-Second Business Pitch at Howard University. The duo entered the competition only a week before the event. “Toni and I were up at 4 o’clock in the morning practicing our pitch,” recalls Prather. The two presented more of a skit than a pitch, in which they painted a picture of reactions they hear from women who visit the store.

That skit won over the audience and judges, and the duo won the competition—and the $10,000 and business coaching that come along with it. “We really don’t like it when people pitch in pairs, but these two people were so in sync that you could tell that they really had a partnership that worked,” recalls Magnus Greaves, CEO of TheCASHFLOW, who was a judge for the contest. “Also, they embodied their product. They’re tall women that needed these larger shoes, and they were just great ambassadors for their business and their brand.”

Perhaps just as important, winning the competition landed them valuable exposure: The duo has been featured on CNN, Black America Web, MSNBC, Fox, and NBC. Within a few months, the store generated $27,000 and is expected to finish the year at around $100,000. “We ran out of shoes because the demand got so high,” says the 27-year-old Prather. “So, right now, Toni and I are finding creative ways to keep people knowing about the store and to keep inventory in here.”

The duo hopes to grow the business to the point of having a physical presence in every major city, and are seeking out partnerships with the WNBA, celebrities looking to start a shoe line, as well as designers. Despite past setbacks, Prather is optimistic. “Well, you know, we’re entrepreneurs and we have that go-getter mindset in general, so we were able to adjust and make it happen and just kind of go with it.”

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Her days designing the Baby Phat clothing line may be behind her, but Kimora Lee Simmons is attempting to bring her brand of “fabulosity” with her into her new role as president and creative director of the Manhattan Beach-based online accessories retailer Just Fabulous.

The members-only website, offers participants an accessory each month for $39.95. Items are filtered by the results of an online personality quiz and are curated for each customer by a team of style experts led by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster. Members can opt to skip months or order additional items.

The main attraction? The shoes, which range from classic, pointy knee-high boots to more outrageous platform stilettos. There are also handbags that seem to take design cues from current trends and a newly added jewelry line, debuting Oct. 1, which Simmons designed.

This move to an online retail space doesn’t seem to limit Simmons, who is quite savvy about social media. She is an investor in the website, and her Twitter following is hovering around the 800,000 mark. She looks at justfab.com as another way to reach the fan base she’s built during the Baby Phat years and from her reality show, “Life in the Fab Lane,” on the Style Network (where she is also style editor).

Read more at the Los Angeles Times …

CEO Sirena Moore (Image: Courtesy of Subject)

“As a teenage mother with no higher education and very few resources to start a business, I had every reason to quit. Instead, I chose to lead a life of faith and leave a legacy that screams, ‘No excuses!” ~Sirena Moore

Today, Sirena Moore’s Bristol, Pennsylvania-based industrial and commercial construction site cleaning firm continues to generate revenue that’s a far cry from the $200 Moore, her father and younger brother pooled together back in 2002 to launch the business. But what Moore lacked in capital she made up for it in determination.

Click here to read how that determination lead Sirena Moore to build a successful business before the age of 30.

(Image: Thinkstock)

Say the name “Suze Orman” and you immediately know what you’re in for: tough, honest, plain talk about how to get your finances back in order—whether you’re reading one of her bestselling books, watching her on TV or listening to her on your drive-time radio hour. You also know what you’re NOT getting: you won’t get a fashion line, you won’t get her latest single, you won’t hear about how she’s taking acting lessons or going into rehab.

You’ll also get something that’s hard to come by these days: authenticity.

Says Orman’s literary agent, Amanda Urban, about her decision to hire an unknown how-to author when she didn’t represent how-to authors, let alone unknown authors, at the time,:“She had such an authentic voice, and that’s because she completely cares about what she is doing…”

Orman, whose story of going from struggling as a waitress on $400 a month to becoming the author of nearly a dozen bestselling books on personal finance is the stuff of legends, has helped millions of personal investors—most of them women—through her various television, radio and live events all over the country. The little girl who, because of a serious speech impediment, never thought she’d amount to anything, the former waitress who, after getting customers at her restaurant to invest thousands of dollars in her idea for opening her own eatery lost it all to an unethical financial broker, has succeeded in becoming what Investor’s Business Daily calls “one of the most popular self-help financial advisers in America.”

She is also one of the most popular personal brands on the market today. And she is not alone—many modern, successful women today are also very modern, successful personal brands. From Oprah Winfrey to Martha Stewart, from Condoleezza Rice to Nancy Pelosi, from Madonna to Beyonce, women as brands is nothing new.

There are, however, three critical lessons we take from Suze Orman’s playbook for branding success in the marketplace.

Brand Strategy #1: Compassion. I have always believed that people do not care what you know until they know that you care.  Make sure that people understand why you do what you do.  If your colleagues and clients can relate to you, they are more likely to trust you and want to stick with you.

Brand Strategy #2: Credibility. Never underestimate the power that increased education can have in reinventing your brand, especially if you are making a career change.  Education can come in many different formats, but it is important nonetheless.  Suze clearly worked diligently to develop her skill set and expertise.  Passion, while important, is not enough.  You must invest the proper resources in order to become an expert in your space.  If you want to earn more, learn more.

Brand Strategy #3: Consistency.  Understand exactly what it is of value that you bring to the marketplace.  The “it” that you bring forms the foundation of your brand equity.  From there, make sure you evaluate what you do, say, and offer through the filter of your brand objectives.  Suze Orman is very consistent with the nature of her brand message.  When you become more consistent in what you deliver and how you deliver it, you actually teach others what to think about you and the value of your personal brand.

To learn more strategies about how you can develop a compelling and profitable brand in the marketplace, please check out ME University: The Ultimate Business and Branding Bootcamp, sponsored by Black Enterprise.

In the interim, what other brand lessons can you glean from Suze Orman’s career and personal story?  I look forward to hearing from you.

Marshawn Evans is president of ME Unlimited L.L.C. and a weekly career advice columnist for BlackEnteprise.com. Connect with her online at Black Enterprise’s BE INSIDER, at www.marshawnevans.com, on Twitter at @marshawnevans and on Facebook at ME Unlimited by Marshawn Evans

(Image: Thinkstock)

Big companies don’t rely on guesses or generalities when it comes to sales and marketing.  The more precisely they can pinpoint buying behavior, the happier they are and the more they are willing to invest in the tools that will allow them to perfect their strategy.

That’s why more advertising dollars are flowing to the Internet; and banks are doing everything possible to get you to buy with a debit card. Every interaction you have online and every purchase you make with digital currency is completely traceable, so overtime when all that data is merged, who you are and your specific tastes and preferences become very clear.

With this information, marketers can create the right messages to sell their products and services—and they can develop their next offerings based on emerging trends, not whims.  (I’ll share more about this with specific examples in my next column.)

It’s not just big, savvy, profit-seeking companies using marketing analysis to deliver the right message in the right place to their target customer. Even President Obama’s campaign is planning to use data mining and analysis to win another victory in 2012.

Big brother factor aside, the nugget that entrepreneurs and small businesses can take from this behavior is: Build predictability into your business by paying attention to customer patterns. Then use those insights to drive your marketing, sales and customer service strategy.

We often operate from our gut; and I understand that.  Yes, our subconscious and spirit are smart, well-informed tools, too.  But the world is a crowded, noisy and distracting place — and as emotional beings we are fickle, so every day in your business when people buy or don’t buy and respond or don’t respond to a marketing message, you should be keeping track of what’s happening and why. Over time, patterns will emerge. Those repeat questions or requests, standard comments or complaints that irk you? You should actually rejoice about them.  The huge responses or lack of response from your customers is directional signage that points you toward a predictable paycheck for your business because your customers are telling you exactly what they want to buy.

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(Image: Thinkstock)

Though walking into a store and buying or being moved by a political commercial may all appear seamless, perfect and natural, the truth is big companies—and as it turns out, big politicians—don’t generate great profits and great wins without knowing exactly what you and I respond to. They analyze what we like and what we don’t like and just how much we’re willing to pay for it and they serve up our heart’s desire on a silver platter at the precise moment that we’re ready to buy.

I see evidence of this in my very own business all the time.  For example, to market a recent event that we produced we spent $99 to advertise via an e-mail campaign and we spent a few thousand dollars to advertise on a popular Atlanta radio station.  Emotionally, it seems like radio would bring the best response, right?  Wrong.  In terms of total number of responses, the radio spots came out on top; but in terms of the number of people the message reached versus the number that actually responded the e-mail was the clear and absolute winner.

This matters because when we as entrepreneurs are making decisions about where to market and how much to spend, the better we know our customers, and the better we know how well a particular marketing vehicle converts an audience to respondents, and respondents to buyers, then the better we can invest our money in growing our businesses.

In this economy, where competition is stiff and consumer behavior is flighty, you can’t afford to wing it. You might start out that way in the beginning, but to create a “predictable paycheck” for your business you’ve got to learn exactly who your target customer is, how much they’re willing to spend and when they’re willing to spend it. A clear and measurable sales and marketing strategy is how your business is going to survive and thrive.

Felicia Joy is a nationally recognized entrepreneur who created $50 million in value for the various organizations in corporate America before launching her business enterprise.  She is the author of Hybrid Entrepreneurship: How the Middle Class Can Beat the Slow Economy, Earn Extra Income and Reclaim the American Dream and operates Ms. CEO Inc., a media, merchandise and events company that inspires women entrepreneurs to be savvy, profitable and bold in business.

Be a man (or woman) of your word (Thinkstock)

The single most important factor in achieving any measure of sustainable success is commitment. There is no substitute, and no short-cut around it. A contract without commitment is just words on a piece of paper. Without commitment, an athlete with all of the potential in the world never becomes a champion. There is no such thing as an uncommitted leader. There is no such thing as an uncommitted achievement. And there can be no such thing as long-lasting success in your career without commitment.

You see, mediocrity and commitment cannot co-exist. It is an all-or-nothing-take-it-or-leave-it deal. You are either committed or you are not. More importantly, commitment is not reflected in what you say, it is manifested in what you do. It is more than a promise, a pledge, or a vow of assurance. Commitment is simple. Commitment is consistent. Commitment is reliable. Commitment is action.

In fact, commitment is the catalyst for all action. If you pledge yourself to a certain goal or specific purpose, then you act in alignment with that pledge by fulfilling your promise – that is, if your commitment is sincere. Commitment distinguishes what we want versus what we intend. I have said before that wanting will never get you anywhere. We all want to be successful, including your competition. Wanting success is not enough.

To W.A.N.T. is to Wait And Nothing Transpires.

When I ran a sports branding firm, I received résumé after résumé from college students, graduates from business schools, and graduating law school students who wanted a job in professional sports. If someone sends me a résumé and never follows up, I assume that they are not all that committed. What else am I supposed to assume?  I could be wrong, but that person has not given me a reason to think otherwise. I, like most employers, will not hire a person who is not committed, so I won’t waste my time following up with that person – not when I have others who will consistently check-in, follow-up, and express their interest. Commitment is a great way to distinguish yourself in today’s flooded marketplace.

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Columnist Marshawn Evans makes commitment a business priority

In my firm, ME Unlimited LLC, commitment is vital to our agency’s success. We have worked hard for every client that we have. And I work extra hard as a woman business owner. I have to. So, I expect that same hunger, passion and enthusiasm from anyone looking to join our company. Commitment is the number one filter that I use in building my team and choosing business partners and strategic alliances.  The reason I value commitment so deeply is that it is one of those things that you cannot teach, but makes all of the difference in the world. Confidence can be developed. Communication can be worked on. But, a fundamental ethos, or as I like to say, a commitment to commitment, cannot be taught.

Through ME University®, I do a lot of seminars for executives in sales, financial services and competitive industries, along with those focused on small business owners. One focus is on how commitment serves as a value-enhancer in developing business, and how it can transform the culture of the work environment.  The reality of the marketplace is that you will hear the word “no” more times than you will hear the word “yes.” But, if you are committed and do the right things, then eventually you will get a “yes.”

At the end of the day, what counts is that people can count on you. As a professional, your ability to keep your commitments will either develop or dilute your brand.  It communicates whether others will be able to trust, rely upon and refer you.  In business, that is everything.  You need your boss, your clients, and your colleagues to think of you as a person committed to excellence.  The question is, do they?  Really take the time to assess what others (those who know you and have worked with you) would say about your performance and reputation.  Finally, what can you do starting today to make sure that your colleagues are apt to give you raving reviews?  I look forward to hearing from you.

Marshawn Evans is s president of ME Unlimited L.L.C. and a weekly career advice columnist for BlackEnteprise.com. Connect with her online at Black Enterprise’s BE INSIDER, at www.marshawnevans.com, on Twitter at @marshawnevans and on Facebook at ME Unlimited by Marshawn Evans