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.

Article originally appeared on theyec.org. Reprinted with permission.

Bert Gervais, a.k.a. “The Mentor Guy” is one of America’s most in-demand professional speakers. He is a national best selling author, speaker, and award-winning entrepreneur. He has appeared in USA Today, Fox News, Inc.com, and Young Money Magazine. The book “Millennial Leaders” by Bea Fields profiles Bert as one of the top Gen Y leaders in the country. He has accomplished all of this all before his 25th birthday.

YEC Urban is an initiative of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of a business’s development and growth. YEC Urban’s members are successful minority business owners, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

She Got Next: Arielle Patrice Scott is a young digital strategist who is co-founder and chief executive officer of GenJuice (Image: File)

Want to know about the issues and people important to 35 and under crowd? Then BE NEXT! Visit BLACK ENTERPRISE’s new web site, BlackEnteprise.com/BENext, to get the inside scoop. We highlight the most important topics you need to know in business, money, career, technology and entertainment, and tell you who the young business leaders are to keep on your radar.

Get inspired by young business leaders who are making their marks across various industries, and get expert advice on how to leave your own imprint as a leader of the new school.

And for you college students or those continuing your education, we have our BE ON Campus section, with advice on managing your student loans, planning for your career, staying up on the latest technology and more! Plus, our college student contributors keep you in-the-know with what’s going on on campuses across the country.

Visit BlackEnteprise.com/BENext daily to see what’s next!

Artists Meek Mill and Rick Ross tout perks of being a boss with radio hit, "I'm a Boss." (Image: File)

I love me some Rick Ross … (Wait, before you close this window. It gets better. Trust me.)

Seriously. He’s one of my favorite hip-hop artists, with his cocky bravado, Santa Claus-like, tattooed belly, and larger-than-life persona.

Much of Rick Ross’ music centers around being a leader who makes his own lane, creates his own rules and practically answers to no one. There’s a level of confidence and power in his music that can’t be denied, one that often transfers to me when listen to it—questionable content aside. (Not to mention he’s a real-life boss as founder and CEO of Maybach Music Group.)

He, along with many popular music stars, have made what I call a “boss mentality” one coveted and adopted by young people all over the world. And as with any pop culture concept that takes on a life of its own, today’s “boss mentality,” especially among young people, has become the new overexposed green monster.

From 20-something divas boasting about cars, money and men, to young hustlers and businessmen trading stories of their latest conquests, the “boss mentality” has become one based on greed and pride, and built on unrealistic perceptions of what it takes to be a real boss. Even kids are buying into it, barely knowing their ABCs, but singing every word to Meek Mill’s latest hit (with Rick Ross), “I’m a Boss.”

GetaClue.org (as one of my favorite bossy divas, Tamar Braxton, would put it). A true boss practices due diligence to ensure their lives — in every aspect — will be as prosperous and purposeful as possible, all talk aside. They know that the material fruits of their labors are only a small part of the full picture.

Just look at the lives and works of today’s top, real-world bosses, from Tina Wells (Buzz Marketing Group) to Oprah to Magic Johnson to Dr. Farrah Gray (Gray Publishing) — all leaders who took the boss mentality and made their dreams reality with hard work and lucrative action. Even the bosses who aren’t so shy about their wealth — Sean “Diddy” Combs — have earned the bragging rights and can show and prove.

If you don’t have (or aren’t pursuing) the foundations for wealth building: estate plan, savings accounts, an investment portfolio, fair or good credit, and multiple streams of income, you’re not quite a boss.

If you have a closet full of luxury brands, but still cashing checks at the local check cashing spot because you don’t have a bank account, you’re not quite a boss.

Popping $300 bottles in clubs but haven’t paid Dr. Rent, Mr. Child Support or Ms. Student Loan …

Purchasing inexpensive things on credit that should be bought with cash …

Dodging bill collectors‘ calls or cleverly avoiding debts …

Living in the today without planning for a future that could sustain you and your family …

Lacking the means to invest tangible or intangible capital in your family or community …

NOT. A. BOSS.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of one’s labor, but I’ve witnessed too many people claiming to be bosses who have not one qualification to show for it.

I’m not a full boss yet, but I’d like to think I’m in training. I aspire to one day become self-sufficient in all aspects of my life, and pave the way for others to capture their own “bosshood.” I like to take pages from the books of my favorite leaders and mentors, while using my own boss mentality, skills and intelligence to pursue success and fulfill my purpose.

I would challenge anyone else to do the same. Leave the false perception of easy, materialistic bosshood for entertainment and actively take steps to capture the reality of your own greatness.

SHARE YOUR STORY: Comment below about your latest boss move and how it’s getting you that much closer to ultimate success.

Ephraim Benton and his daughter, Amber, combined her love for storytelling and his business acumen to start Daddy Daughter Publishing. (Image: Benton)

This Father’s Day is a special one for actor and entrepreneur Ephraim Benton. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native, who has appeared in TV shows and films ,including Emmy award-winning Law & Order and Oscar-winning blockbuster Precious, recently took a step into new territory with his latest venture, Daddy Daughter Publishing.

And his 7-year-old daughter, Amber, is his partner and co-founder.

The enterprising father of two, (his eldest daughter, Ziona, 11, is also a silent partner), took talent and turned it into family bonding and wealth building. “My inspiration began with Amber,” he says. “She came to me with stories she’d written in her composition notebook that were very unique and abstract. I asked her would she like people from all around the world to read her stories. She agreed, and we started the company.”

Amber, who counts Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat among her favorite reads, penned two books for the company’s launch, Nail & Hammer, a story of best friends, and Bill and His Adopted Sibling’s Cup, Blender & Blanket, an anti-bullying tale advocating self-confidence.

BlackEnterprise.com talked with Benton about the family’s self-starter spirit, the perks of being a young boss, and the importance of advocating for urban literacy across the nation.

Why was it important to start a venture with your daughters?

Amber is just like me: We’re both out-of-the box thinkers. I’m my own self-motivator and like to do my own thing, and at early age, she’s also like that. I thought, ‘If someone would’ve noticed it in me from the beginning, where would I have been?’  I thought this would be the best way to promote entrepreneurship, encourage her talents and inspire other families in urban areas to invest in their child.

A lot of parents like to let children be raised by technology, but that one-on-one bond is vital to a child’s growth. And as black fathers, we often get a bad rap, though there are so many more positive examples than those often negatively portrayed in the media, so reinforcing positive images of fathers in urban communities was important as well.

Ultimately, I’m doing this for my daughters. They will run this company one day. To have kids — even at the young age of 7 — who can say, ‘I have my own businesss’ — that’s powerful.

What is the day-to-day process of working with Amber?

We work as partners. The process is really her writing freely, and I help her edit. Sometimes I’ll change a few things around, to make sure the grammar and other things are correct and that the stories make sense and have a great message. We do it together, so, whenever I make edits, I’ll get her final approval. She writes the story lines, I go over and edit them, and sometimes I’ll write some stories, and get her approval on those also.

Amber Fenton, 7, writes her favorite stories for the world to read via her and her father's company, Daddy Daughter Publishing. (Image: Benton)

You’re also the CEO of a music management company as well as co-founder of two film festivals. What’re the biggest lessons you’ve learned, being an entrepreneur, that you hope to pass down?

I come from a middle class family of entrepreneurs. My grandmother ran two soul food restaurants, and my grandfather ran his own pool hall and owned buildings. I think that’s where my entrepreneurial spirit comes from.

I learned on my own that you just have to go out and do it. Don’t be afraid. You might fail, but in order to become successful, you have to fail. You have to be self-motivated and keep moving forward. There are a lot of procrastinators in the world who talk a good one, but don’t do. You must be brave and have courage to just do it.

Also, understand you’re a brand and everything you do or say or how your represent yourself is looked at under a microscope.

With any business, there’s profits and money management involved. What have you taught your daughters about handling their earnings and saving?

My daughters have their own personal bank accounts that they can’t touch until they’re 18. I always tell them that it’s important to save money in the bank toward college. I also let them know that whether it’s a penny or a quarter, everything has value, and you have to be responsible with money.

Where do you see Daddy Daughter publishing 10 years from now?

In 10 years, I see it as a major independent medium-size publisher. That’s my goal, because Amber will be 17 and she’ll be heading into college. I also want to have an established animation cartoon in the future with some of Amber and Ziona’s stories, or even a film with some of her characters.

I see it as something major–a multimedia company that fills a void. You don’t see young entrepreneurs– father and daughters– doing this everyday. And what we’re doing, we’re trying to inspire and build a whole new generation of young entrepreneurs, families, writers and people who just love to read.

What advice would you have for parents who are in business with their family/children?

I’m learning right now. I’m a self-motivated go-getter, and sometimes I’ll work, work, work, work, with no breaks. At a recent two-hour book signing, we sold about 50 books, and that’s a lot of autographing for a little kid. Sometimes she needed her breaks. Also, at the location, she could see kids having fun and she wants to do that, yet she’s taking care of business.

People forget that even though it’s a business, it’s still a child involved. As a parent, you have to be careful about overworking your children. It’s not good to force anything on children and overwhelm them. You have to find a balance and let children be children.

Image: Thinkstock

With the unemployment rate still over 8%, many college graduates are finding it difficult to find gainful employment, despite their academic achievements. But while entrepreneurship may look like a natural course to pursue, many college graduates are not truly ready for this route.

A 2011 graduate has racked up $22,900 in debt, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of student-aid website Fastweb.com. This makes it even more difficult to find start-up capital. And when combined with little or no track record of borrowing and repaying, and a lack of hard assets, banks are far less likely to extend a loan. Since colleges often teach business from a very theoretical standpoint, recent grads will likely lack the years of hands-on management experience and success that venture capitalists look for.

That said, business consultant and best-selling author Carol Roth (The Entrepreneur Equation, $15, BenBella Books) advises the following five steps for recent grads prior to taking the entrepreneurial plunge:

Seek out a job in the industry you’d ultimately like to start the business. This will allow you to earn enough to pay down whatever college debt you have, or build up that nest egg to launch the venture. You can also use the opportunity to forge relationships with those in the industry and leverage those contacts upon becoming a business owner. “So, if you spend a couple of years making the right connections, learning the industry… seeing, really, where are the pitfalls in this kind of business,” says Roth. “And you learn on someone else’s dime, so what is wrong with that?”

Assess your motivation. Starting a business simply because you can’t find a job is not is more likely to lead to a bad end for your venture. “If you can’t convince someone to hire you, how are you going to convince customers to buy your product or service?” asks Roth. However, if you’re focused on solving a customer problem, believe you can do better than anyone else, think you have a business model that’s repeatable (i.e., one that’s not dependent on you and your skills), and you’re dying to work long hours, wear many hats, and balance responsibilities, you have the right startup mindset. Roth recommends connecting with the Young Entrepreneur Council, which offers tools and resources for recent grads looking to create a startup.

Create a “jobbie.” This is a hobby disguised as a business also known as side venture (aka a side hustle). “Maybe you can start it on nights and weekends while you’re doing this kind of day job thing, and really building that foundation so that when you are in a position financially to be able to take the risk, that you’ve kind of taken some of those early stage risks out of the equation–hit some key milestones, got some customers, tested the viability, tweaked it,” Roth advises. “And then when you’re ready and raring to go, you can jump in with both feet and hit the ground running.”

Seek employment at a start-up. This will give you a real life feel for what it’s like to launch and operate an entrepreneurial venture. “A lot of startups are looking for fresh minds right out of college, and there are even placement organizations that will put the two of you together,” she says. Among them is Venture for America, which helps grads find employment at startups in order to give them a real-world taste of entrepreneurship.

• (Images: Thinkstock; Lonnie Major)

Today, young people are making moves sooner than previous generations. Not holding back in pursuing their dreams, goals and aspirations, they are redefining how business is done and the results are immediately seen in the impact they have on the business landscape today, as well as tomorrow. But just what does it take to be a young boss? While a number of factors are involved, there are a few must-have traits for success. Here’s a roundup of a few BE Nexters who embody the advantages of youth and why it can give one a leg up to the competition. 

• EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

• “I look back and I always say, ‘The hits I took as a kid, if I had to take those same hits today, I wouldn’t make it.’ When you’re young, you’re unafraid and unstoppable,” ~Tina Wells

• Tina Wells, 30, Owner/CEO, Buzz Marketing Group

• Wells’ journey into entrepreneurship began at 16. She wrote product reviews for a newspaper, eventually starting a business to help clue companies in on what teens want. Now in its 15th year, Buzz Marketing Group’s revenues are over $4 million. “I never said, ‘Oh, I’d like to own a marketing agency.’ I didn’t even know what that was at 16,” says Wells. “I knew I was a kid who was passionate about fashion, beauty, entertainment, and pop culture.”
• All grown up, Wells is now a savvy businesswoman continuing to redefine the way companies identify, interpret, and respond to young people. Her Voorhees, New Jersey-based market research firm, has positioned itself as a key player offering companies from PBS to Sesame Workshop to American Eagle effective marketing and research strategies—related to beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment—for 6 to 24-year-olds. Besides Buzz Marketing, Wells is now an accomplished author having released the tween book series, Mackenzie Blue, as well as the youth marketing handbook Chasing Youth Culture And Getting It Right, which will be released this spring.

• BOUNCING BACK FROM ADVERSITY

• “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

• Sirena Moore, 29, Founder/CEO, Elohim Cleaning Contractors Inc.

• The 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.

• During the first three years of business, they added full-time employees to the payroll one at a time. “I worked during the day to make ends meet and my brother also kept a job,” recalls the 29-year-old. “I added myself last.” Among the top priorities of the company was to operate debt-free, which it managed to do successfully since inception until November 2009 when they secured their first line of credit. This feat worked in their favor during the economic recession. This past year the firm received its 8(a) certification which gives minority- and women-owned businesses competitive positioning in applying for federal contracts. Elohim Cleaning Contractors generated $2.7 million in 2009, and surpassed $3 million in 2010. The company looks to reach $10 million in revenue for 2011.

• MAKING SCIENTIFIC SMARTS COUNT

• “While I would never claim to change the world, I hope to inspire generations of leaders with the quantitative creativity critical for true innovation and progress.” ~ Sheldon Gilbert

• Sheldon Gilbert, 35, Founder/CEO, Proclivity Systems

• Being considered a “nerd” might not be such a bad a thing anymore. Science and technology are standout growth industries for the U.S., with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 22% increase in the number of such jobs from 2004 to 2014, or more than 2.5 million job openings. And the global marketplace is constantly on the prowl for new innovations to change the way we do any—and everything. This is what lured Sheldon Gilbert into entrepreneurship. The creator of Proclivity, a behavior predicting software, he knows the ins and outs of data mining. “Every time you click a link, it’s a request for information you’re making to a server,” explains Gilbert, who tutored students in chemistry on the side while he spent a year writing the software. “We can then mine the data stored on the servers to create a profile of a person’s likes and dislikes—or proclivities.”
• With this software, the 25-person firm Proclivity Systems has increased online sales by as much as 30% for clients such as Barney’s New York, by predicting which offers to present to which customers, says Gilbert. Launched in April 2006 with $750,000 from angel investors, the startup recently raised an additional $5.5 million in venture capital in order to expand Proclivity’s platform and services into new vertical arenas and channels, as well as bring on senior management, says Gilbert.

• TAKING RISKS, THINKING BOUNDLESSLY

• “There’s a huge disconnect between the mindset of young people and the companies trying to create products that young people buy,” ~Jason Smikle

• Jason Smikle, 25, Co-Founder, Managing Director, TUV Online/TUV Media Networks

• A creative entrepreneur and risk taker, Smikle teamed up with friends, Ebele Mora and Fabricio Sousa during his sophomore year of college to launch Truly Unique Vision (TUV). The team has since reaped the rewards from this venture, evolving into a Chicago-based new media company that helps brands connect directly with young people (18-24). The company has successfully led efforts in creating video campaigns with companies such as Foot Locker, Toyota and McDonald’s. Marrying a grassroots style of youth engagement and digital media at colleges nationwide, TUV has also helped BET refine its content through an innovative approach to reaching its audience. “There’s a huge disconnect between the mindset of young people and the companies trying to create products that young people buy,” says Smikle. “Clients will have a one-stop-shop into the college market.” With a growing client list the company expects 100% growth in year-over-year revenue.

• THROWING CAUTION TO THE WIND

• “Above all be fearless. Because the world is a scary place and stepping out on your own is risky,” ~The Broussards

• Lorielle and Brandon Broussard, 30 and 34, Barackawear Inc.

• Everything doesn’t always go as planned. In August 2007, the sibling duo quit their day jobs to go full force with their clothing line, Barackawear Inc. The Los Angeles-based company aggressively touted T-shirts and other apparel with the ’90s-inspired slogan: Barack the Vote, in support of the then-Illinois senator and presidential candidate who became the nation’s first Black president. Their risk-taking teamwork paid off and the popular T-shirt line generated $600,000 in revenue in 2008. But betting on President Barack Obama was just the beginning.

• Business-savvy and ready to expand, the two went on to launch YOTOWN, a line of nonpolitical shirts featuring personalized maps of any U.S. city. And after realizing that their passion for YOTOWN had waned, the Broussards stopped production on the clothing line in October 2009. Today, Lorielle and Brandon are putting their energy and enthusiasm into Purple Stuff TV, a sketch comedy Web-based series which they are currently shopping around to television networks. Based on their previous success, their prospects remain promising. “We got an investor for Purple Stuff TV based on our success with Barackawear,” says Lorielle.

• Brassel took her college admissions success—having been accepted at more than 10 universities, including Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania—and her experience as a Wall Street lawyer to start her New York-based academic and career counseling firm. Similarly, Cyriaque’s love for film and experience in music video production led him and his partner, Tristan G. Cyriaque, to start their multimedia company in 2008.

• BlackEnterprise.com spoke with Brassel and Cyriaque about their challenges, their triumphs and tips for how you can get started on the path to bossdom. 

• On the importance of education and how it helps in everyday business:
  

• Brassel: My legal career has taught me to be diligent, thorough, and to show great attention to detail. These skills are especially important when trying to build business and attract new clients. Turning Cum Laude Counseling from a hobby into a business, while maintaining my law practice at a corporate law firm, has also made great use of my organizational skills and ability to delegate tasks to others. Practicing law and operating a small business are both very demanding, but list-making and planning ahead are qualities that help me to be successful at both.

• On Black ownership and carrying on entrepreneurial legacy:

• Cyriaque: My grandparents in Haiti owned their own business, so I have a very entrepreneurial spirit that was instilled in me from a very young age. My paternal grandmother owned her own convenience store and my maternal grandmother used to raise and sell livestock. Then, when I had my son it lit a fire inside of me. Having kids changes your perspective on things. I want to be able to pass something on to him and be an example to him of what hard work brings. I think it’s really important for minorities to have ownership and be able to leave something for their kids to inherit. I don’t want my son to have to struggle the way I did to get to where I’m at. I want him to understand the value of hard work, but I also want him to be taken care of.

• On how a tight presentation and business practices can build respect:

• Brassel: I am diligent about giving a polished, professional presentation to everyone I meet [so that there's not much opportunity for one not to take me seriously]. As a follow-up to initial meetings, I always send a handwritten thank you note to demonstrate professional etiquette and attention to detail. Most importantly, I am conscious to not waste people’s time and to always deliver a prompt and impeccable work product.

• On landing big deals for your company:

• Cyriaque: I recently got a 12-year distribution deal with Lightyear/E1 Entertainment, and their distribution platform is iTunes. Landing that deal was really a watershed moment for my company. It’ll allow me to pump out short and feature-length films and gives me a global platform with respect to promotion and distribution. In short, I now have the opportunity to bring my product to the masses. More product equals more visibility which equals more revenue. I’m actually raising the money for a feature release through Kickstarter, which gives me the unique opportunity to connect with my fans and other film enthusiasts who would like to support the Hidden Films movement.

• On how volunteerism can lead to business opportunities:

• Brassel: I began to volunteer with several educational organizations in New York, including the ERDA School Speaker Series in Queens and the PEARL Mentoring Program in Brooklyn. At both programs, I spoke to school-aged students on the importance of education, career planning, and etiquette. In preparing for these engagements, I created a curriculum that has now grown into Cum Laude Counseling. I recognized a need for smart, driven students to have a more polished presentation on applications, in interviews, and while working in professional settings.

• BONUS: Brassel’s tips for success:

• Monetize your passion. Nothing brings greater joy than getting paid to do what you love.
• Plan ahead for financial obstacles. Stressing about making ends meet takes the joy out of doing what you love. Make sure you have enough financing to support your dreams until your business is afloat.
• Create multiple streams of income. Think of more than one strategy for your business to make money. This approach will protect your business from changes in the marketplace. For example, CLC offers teleconferences, private counseling, as well as group training sessions.

• BONUS: Cyriaque’s tips for success:

• If you’re going to go into business, do it properly. Little investments make a big difference. Incorporate your company, set up a company e-mail, and know your craft inside in out.
• Be visible and active on the Web. This the age of social media, so you should have a Website and be leveraging social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The ability to increase your visibility online through those avenues is astounding.
• Know where you are so you’ll know where you’re going. Finally, just research the business you’re entering, gauge what the industry standards are, and then find a competitive advantage and try to exceed those standards.