Date:  March 7, 2013
Name:  Nanette Buchanan
Title:  A Business or a Hustle

 

A dream becomes reality when dedication and commitment couples with the craft of an entrepreneur. It can also become a lucrative business when presented publicly. Unlimited time is spent developing a business plan, marketing strategies, and promotions. There are guidelines and rules to adhere to when acquiring a license, securing a building to work from and securing finance. These are the main goals. Product development, identifying customer’s needs, and managing supply and demand is also necessary.

In today’s society there are many reasons for those with an idea, a talent, a craft or a yearning to run their own business to seek Incorporation, a LLC or Sole Proprietorship. The lack of job opportunities, advancement within companies, and longevity is no comparison to owning your own business, while providing a financial balance. However, it’s more than a business mentality needed, you have to know how to hustle.

The definition of a hustler is one who sells or promotes energetically and aggressively. The negative connotation of a hustler is what comes to mind: one who is deceptive, forceful, and propelled by greed. It is understandable that there is a competitive element in business. It may be the same product or service sold by many, under a different name or with additional benefits or rewards. Discounts, promotional advantages, and the personal touch will put the entrepreneur at an advantage. The hustler takes it a bit further.

One would think the term “the early bird catches the worm” applies to the hustler. The business minded individual who works from sunrise well beyond sunset to get that deal. There are many that follow this assumption, but the growth of fraud (scams), misleading advertisements, and empty promises leave one to believe that entrepreneurs are looking to get rich quick. Customers hold no value to the hustler who focuses on the interior of their wallets.

A true businessman/woman must have the hustler’s mentality without solely focusing on financial gain. Branding their business and themselves, they have to be energetic and aggressive. Having a forceful approach may be necessary but knowing when to enforce it is priceless.  The foundation of the business must be intact, a process that entrepreneurs often take for granted. There are those that make their own rules, draw up fraudulent contracts, and seek the unexpected to buy into their ideas. Small stores often mix products to generate business and cash. When these businesses fail, it leaves the community at a disadvantage. The hustler will take the business to the street, the internet, or door to door. The hunger mounts because the need of the hustler is to survive.

The competition changes the need of the business. If it is to survive, there has to be a hustler or one with the hustler’s mentality. Every opportunity must bring business. Promotional ads, a website, the social media, press releases, newsletters, and any other written or oral communication should be utilized. Discounts, gifts, and promises of future benefits will increase the contact list and lure in the curious buyer. Offers made must be kept because it is what makes the difference in the hustle. Greed need should not be the goal. Advancing, branding, and upward mobility is the lifeline to a successful business. An entrepreneur is comprised of both, being a business conscious person as well as being a hustler. The success of many Fortune 500 companies was built by the hustling business minded CEO.

Supporting small businesses is a focal point for government and community leaders. The support of the consumer is diminishing. Regaining the support is an ongoing fight for small businesses that have barely survived and for new businesses another obstacle, another challenge. The hustler is everyone who is in business and everyone who seeks success.

Date: 10/8/12
Writer’s Name: Allison Martin
Title: Five Characteristics of an Effective Leader



Great Leaders Are:

Passionate. Within any organization, whether it is a large corporation or sole-proprietorship, the “tone-at-the-top” always reigns supreme.  Inputs always determine outputs so a great leader must exemplify a spirit of passion when engaging in the day-to-day tasks.  The leader of an organization is chosen to steer his ship (if you will) in the right direction and avoid negativity and destruction by any means necessary.  In order to do this, the leader must believe in the company and its mission and strive for excellence to ensure long-term survival.  Typically, if this is the case, employees will follow suit and have a greater sense of pride.  In addition, they will feel as if they belong and willingly strive to strengthen the organization.  On the other hand, leaders who lack passion can quickly corrupt and destroy any organization.

Open-Minded. Change is inevitable in almost all facets of life, especially in the business world.  In order to continue to thrive and keep up with the pace of the various industry markets, companies must be willing to adapt.  Since change typically occurs at the top of the organization and has a trickle-down effect, the leader must be willing to rapidly adjust to the market conditions to ensure the long-term success of the company.  In addition, it is essential that leaders be open to suggestions from their professional colleagues and employees that provide tactics or ways to increase various elements of the business, whether it is quality control or standard operating procedures.

High Morals and Values. In many instances, particularly small-businesses with few employees, the leader is the face of the first organization and the first individual who those engaged in company relations think of.  A vast majority of business relationships are developed because the consumer trusts the salesperson they are dealing with.  In addition, he or she is comfortable with the company because of their strong morals and values, which exemplify that the company has the best interest(s) of their customer(s) at heart.  Any reasonable individual does not want to conduct affairs with a shady organization that can possibly “screw them over.”  High morals and values are also important within any company because the lack of creates a cut-throat and less than pleasant environment where employees are out to get each other and will do just about anything to get ahead.

Great communicator. All great leaders must be able to communicate effectively with employees, professionals from other organizations within their industry, and customers.  It is safe to say that once the business operations reach a certain level, most leaders aren’t involved in the day-to-day operational activities.  With that being said, they must be able to communicate effectively with employees to stay abreast of what is taking place, potential concerns that need to be addressed, and suggestions for improvement.  In some industries, opportunities for partnerships with other entities may arise so positive and open lines of communication are also necessary in these situations.  Lastly, in the event that a customer is unhappy or wants to give their favorite worker a compliment, they almost always head for the top of the food chain, management.

Effective Delegation Skills. What good are employees if a leader has control issues and always wants to “run the show” (literally)?  Since leaders are brought on board to oversee and strategically steer the company in the right direction, they should focus on the big picture and delegate the day-to-day tasks to others.  It’s easy for a leader to be afraid to delegate tasks due to the fear of potential inaccuracies or slip shod.  However, this can be combated by paying particular attention to the types of individuals that are being brought into the company.

Date: October 1, 2012
Writer’s Name: Lorraine Elzia
Title: Leadership Gumbo – A Recipe for Success

There are those that rule the world and those that exist in it. Society, as a whole, is composed of leaders and followers. The leaders are the ones who have a passion to make a distinct impact on their community, their craft, and ultimately the world in general.  Every good organization, from the family unit to large corporations, functions best with an effective leader at the helm.

But what makes a great leader?  How do we cultivate, marinate and mold those with the potential and desire to be young entrepreneurs into the leaders that we need? Some say that leaders are naturally born; that from conception, they have the skills necessary to lead others and produce results. The truth is that leadership is a combination of skills; whether innate or learned. The essence of good leadership lies in substance. At the base of its core are vision, spirit and action.  Individual style may vary, but the key to effective leadership is substance. The traits of a good leader come from a gumbo of qualities and abilities.

Have a Vision

Good entrepreneurs have a dream.  They have a vision that involves the need for change and they possess the ability to formulate a mental picture to create that change. But it's not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it to completion and beyond. To be a successful leader, one must use creativity in thinking outside of the box that constrains solutions. He or she must have a zest for change, the foresight to see things that others have not seen, and the ability to lead followers in new directions.  

Specialized Knowledge

There is an old saying, “You should not have your mouth in gear while your mind is in neutral.” A leader must have extensive knowledge of not only his or her craft or field, but also the path to take towards reaching the goals. An effective leader is organized, prepared, and knows what it takes to be at the top of their field and the steps necessary to follow in order to catapult their career. Education is the key to sustain momentum and propel a leader and an organization to the top. Good leaders are continually educating themselves in their particular field.  They have a hunger for new and innovative ways to stay on top of the industry and life itself.  

Network Wisely

Great leaders also possess social intelligence, inner charisma and the ability to articulate their vision clearly in words to others. They recognize that having a vision is not enough; it’s merely the beginning. Bringing that vision to life takes marketing; and successful marketing takes people skills. It’s often said that no matter what business you’re in, you’re in the people business. Whether dealing with customers, vendors, colleagues, investors, the press, or employees, well-developed people skills can be the difference between success and failure. Not to mention that the ability to learn from others in the field or to get connections and referrals is a necessity for any business to grow. Good leaders know the power behind continuous networking and building clientele.  Businesses prosper when there is both a supply and demand and a good leader knows how to not only tap into both, but to also seek out others to help him do so.

Decisiveness

Self-confidence is a key entrepreneurial skill for success. You can never let them see you sweat. A good leader is bold and does not let fear cause him to slow down or stop.  Natural leaders smell success and are not afraid to go after it at all costs. Their pursuit of success can be fierce, but it’s necessary in order to reach the primary goal. Using the knowledge they have and an innate desire to press forward towards their goals, they are bold and decisive, recognizing that in-action can be a lot more detrimental than any simple action. They make decisions using assertiveness yet they are not aggressive.  They act, as if on second nature, quickly to make necessary decisions to get desired results. There can be no second guessing of oneself in the mind of someone that wants to lead others. Decisions have to be made and a good leader is not afraid to step up to the plate and make the hard choices. They lead by example, always working harder to ensure the necessary tasks are done. They take the saying, “Don’t just ‘talk’ about it… ‘be’ about it” to heart. Their decision making skills are sound and determined.

Good leaders know that part of the entrepreneurial journey is learning from mistakes, rather than fearing making them. In order to be successful a leader needs to be ready to take strategic risks. American naturalist John Burroughs said, “Leap and a net will appear.” Risks are the foundation of leadership and innovation. Lots of people have big dreams but they are afraid to pursue them. A good leader knows that being unwilling to take a plunge can be the catalyst for failure. Waiting for a point of absolute certainty may never come. There comes a point for every good leader where they must act on instinct, believing that the resources they need will show up when they need them.  

Perseverance

Perseverance is commitment, hard work, patience and endurance. In order to lead others, an entrepreneur needs to understand the importance of each of those traits if they want to succeed in their career. Rising to the top is not easy. If it were, there would be more leaders than followers in this world.  Success takes hard work and a willingness to hang in for the long haul.  Good leaders know how to keep their eye on the goal even when things are not going in a favorable light. They do not sway from pushing forward just because things are stacked up against them. They do not need reassurance of their actions; they have faith in the vision and will not stop pursuing their goals no matter what. It takes a strong person to refuse to allow speed bumps in life to stop them.  Any goal in life will bring with it a certain bit of challenges, but a good leader sees those challenges and just steps over them.

It would be much easier if the road to being a successful leader were a road map of steps; a guarantee that if a person completed a certain procedure of tasks, then the title would easily be given to them at the end.  But that is not the case. There are no hard, fast rules of actions to take to ensure success as a leader. The role is a bit more complex than that.  Good leaders are the result of several productive, calculated and purposeful actions and abilities performed to excellence by an individual. Just like a good bowl of gumbo, the secret to success is in the individual ingredients that a person brings to any given situation.

Date: September 28, 2012
Writers Name:  Rosey Denise White
Title: Leadership is Who We Are

There are many myths about entrepreneurship, what it takes to become an effective leader, and build a successful business.  Many assume creating a business is only about profit; the more money a business earns the more viable it is perceived.  However, many small business owners and home based companies are often undervalued or considered untenable.  These entrepreneurs are legitimate, hardworking and thriving!   Truly, passion is what drives the entrepreneurial spirit.  Every business owner should consider the attributes of what makes a successful business and an effective leader.

Motive, honor, consistency, professionalism and literacy are all key qualities every leader must acquire.   The worldly image of success is almost always related to finances, which is why many off-the-ground companies quickly fade.  Leading a business takes an abundance of dedication and hard work that extends beyond monetary gain.    As an entrepreneur, I have learned that each day will present challenges.  Certainly money can ease the transition but when profit is empty, there must be other motives that vehicle your success.   Motive is the fundamental purpose for starting a business.  This should extend beyond material and ensue contributions of a service or products that help the community.

Sadly, honor is a characteristic missing from many, including in effective leadership.  To become an honorable leader, one must be truthful even when the truth is potentially damaging to their brand.  There are many risks in exposing truth, especially when honesty affects those you service or lead.  Customers may flee when we fall short on expectations.  Employees may become disgruntled when we fail to make good on our promises. Nevertheless, honor is an essential attribute for every leader.   Truth is an invaluable characteristic which ultimately leads to a respectable image.

Consistency is also a priceless attribute of leadership.  It is always easy to “talk the talk” but are you willing to “walk the walk”?  Action cannot be missing from the conversation.  An effective leader will be sincere and unmovable in their efforts, driven by the motive of their vision.  It is not an easy task to get others to invest in a vision, if the visionary is not dependably willing to go the distance.

The ability to communicate properly is crucial for every business professional.    Professionalism and literacy are two traits that go together, and are necessary for effective leadership.  Literacy is an inexhaustible tool used to gather information about our business, customers and competitors.  Learning extensively about your product creates the ability to market effectively. When others realize you are not interested in only making a sale, but are also knowledgeable about your brand, it solidifies your image professionally.  Establishing a level of understanding enables wise communication for the intended customer base.  Through observation we are able to develop a strong foundation and effectively lead those who already support us.   

Motive, honor, consistency, professionalism and literacy are all key characteristics of an effective leader for business and daily living.  The eyes of others rest upon us even when we are not aware.  This is why it is important to always maintain a noteworthy reputation and strive to be an example for others. Leadership is not only about the things we do, it is an unveiling of who we truly are!  

Date: 8/20/2012

Writer’s Name: Dominique Wilkins

Title: The Next Big Thing

When people talk about leaders, they think only of the large ones in our history, such as the headliners for the movements. They think of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X or even Abraham Lincoln or Barack Obama. The headlines do not create leaders. Anyone can be a leader. It is best that we all stand up as leaders, to show our children how easy it is.

   

In today’s society, we need leaders. We need individuality instead of an entourage. In the current times that we are living in, I see more people looking to jump on the band wagon of what the next person is doing or saying. They want to be in the “in crowd” versus just wanting to be happy.  It is very possible to be a leader in your own right, but still follow another person. For example, if a young adult shows determination, motivation, respect, pride and trust in God, then they are very capable of being successful. If you are successful, it will prompt people to follow you to share in your success, which officially makes you a leader.

   

Johnita Thompson wanted to be an author. Not just one who wrote books, but a good author who wrote books that encouraged and inspired. She had been standing on her soap box for so long, voicing her opinions against the machine and defending the wronged. She decided to take it a step further and put it on paper and reach as many people as possible through her writing style and messages. She had gone through some things of her own and was able to come away from them with her lessons and now she wanted to reach back in that dark world to help others. The first thing she needed was motivation. She found it when she decided that she did not want to suffer again from her own experience.

   

Motivation wasn’t enough to be successful. Yet, when she decided that not allowing herself to go back was not enough, she developed determination to save another soul. She wanted to tell her story and reach out to others and speak from that dark place that others are either in or left, to comfort them with promises of a better tomorrow. She felt that lifestyle; ignorance was not the answer. She would educate others in their language and lead by example. So, she did her research and wrote with a vengeance. She published a book that made her so very proud and that would reach women in various situations from all walks of life. The situations went from extreme to everyday disrespect.

   

With the love of God, who brought her out of her own dark place, she was fierce. She knew that all things were possible through her lord and savior. Johnita thanked him every chance that she had. With God on her side, she was unstoppable and she glowed. It looked good on her and people from far and wide were prepared to follow someone.

   

So far, Jonita is sizing up to be a very good leader. She is motivated, determined and God fearing already. She knows that she must be respectful of her readers at any rate, because without humility and respect, no one would be interested in reading your book and sharing it with anyone else to get the word out. Then if they did buy the book, but chose not to recommend it or appreciate it, it would just be another book filling up the shelf and collecting dust. People love to be respected. It makes them feel valuable and it allows them to earn respect for you in return. Now, they are appreciating your determination and they are seeing your drive and believe in you. They trust you now and will follow you. You are capable of leading them. One more thing, before you do…

   

You must be proud of yourself and your work. If you do not take pride in what you do or the product that represents you, your following will not last as long. Pride starts from within. If you are not proud of what you are and have done, why should anyone else?

These are certain qualities that will guarantee success every time - whether it is in writing a book, or singing a song or dancing a jig. In your own right, anyone can be a leader. It is perfectly acceptable to be a follower as well. You must learn from someone, though you cannot just follow ANYONE. You can follow other people in other industries and professions. You will never be able to perfect everything, so even leaders have to follow.

   

Whatever you do, leave your mark and set a good example!!

Date: 7/16/12
Writer’s Name: Sheri Henry-Harrigan
Title: Bosses versus Leaders


What is a leader? How does one become a successful leader? When one thinks of leaders they also think of the word boss. While a boss can be a leader, the two words are totally different. There are five characteristics that a leader must have to be successful. If they don’t have all five then they are not leaders. It is all or nothing.
   

Leaders listen to their followers. They take feedback and criticism into consideration. At the end of the day the leader has to make the final decision. But all critiques will be carefully analyzed and put into making a decision. Invite your team to help you make some simple administrative decisions. This will help to keep your team focused and excited to work. They will know that you value their opinions and be better workers.
   

 Leader’s works with their team not make their team do all the work. How can a person expect anyone to follow them if they can’t or won’t do the work themselves? You have to know how to do the same jobs and duties as your team. This makes you an efficient leader that can train your team to be the best that they can be.
   

Leaders talk to their followers, not at them. If you want people to do something for you, talk to them as a business person should. There is no need for attitude or anger. Effective leaders know this. President Obama doesn’t talk at us. He speaks to the people and includes himself in his speeches. This is effective because it lets us know he cares and is going to do the job he was put in place to do.
   

Leaders don’t blame their team; they take the blame. This is hard for some people to do but as a leader this is part of the job. If someone screws up, it is ultimately the leaders fault. Why, because you are the one that the person is following. To avoid awkward situations make sure your team is composed of people that you can trust. People that you know can and will do their jobs all the time.
   

Last but not least leaders must have patience. Working with so many people can be frustrating at times. But don’t lose focus on your goals. If you lose focus then the team will lose focus. Who’s leading when this happens? Yes at times leaders want to pull their hair out; I know I do as the head of my household. But I can’t fall apart cause then they will follow in my footsteps.
   

There are a lot more qualities that leaders must have but these five are the basic ones that need to be utilized in order to be a successful leader. A boss leads but is not a dictator in any way. Some people say they hate their bosses. Why because some bosses don’t communicate effectively. Some bosses just give orders and don’t want to see or hear from the employees. Leaders are the opposite. Stay focused, be patient, and include your team and your business will flourish!

Date: 7/5/2012
Name: Donnell Hicks
Title: Be a Leader, Not a Follower



Growing up in American society, while attending elementary and middle school, we’ve all heard of the sayings from adults telling us to “follow the leader” or “be a leader, and not a follower.” Every last one of us wants to create our own business and we all have dreams of becoming CEO of our business that we create, but some of us don’t know what it takes to be a great leader within that business. It takes courage, pride, a vision, and most of all supporting the employees who work in the company and respecting their opinions.

   

To be an effective leader, a person would have to gain insurmountable courage, resilience, patience, and determination. A leader must stand with his or her people during turbulent times to show a way out of a certain situations. A leader doesn’t run away from his or her duties, because its followers are looking up at them as leader to lead them to the promise land in a professional timely manner. Moreover, leadership is the ability to guide and influence the behavior of others whether it is wrong or right.

   

In order for a person to be an effective leader, if he or she is willing to build and operate a multi-million dollar corporation, he or she should possess these five basic qualities to gain achievement in the business world:

1.      Direction. Within an organization, employees want a leader to lead with a purpose. The leader should have a clear idea of what is to be done. Followers want passion along with conviction from a strong leader amid a strong point-of-view.

2.      Trust. A leader must embody integrity, maturity, and candor which are the three most functional qualities for a leader to build on.

3.      Hope. Often, leaders will hold on to hope in the belief that it will kindle the fire and optimism in the followers.

4.      Goals. A leader will develop the ability to accomplish tremendous difficult tasks. A leader will breed success based upon the results of the goals that he/she has set out for the followers and everybody within the company.

5.      Servant Leadership. The last quality a leader needs to have is called the “servant-leadership” quality. A leader will sometimes challenge the process by searching for opportunities, experimenting, and taking risks.

   

As a leader develops these five special qualities to be an effective leader, he or she will stand as a significant pillar in the workplace for the workers to follow.

Date: O6/23/2012
Writer’s Name: Ornitha Danielle
Title: Are Leaders Born or Made



What does it take to become a great leader? It takes a deal of honesty, respect, tactic, dedication and the fortitude of wanting to become a great leader. There are many characteristics that display a great leader, such as being a good listener and being able to allow individuals to the opportunity to grow under your leadership.




A leader has to be able to follow before he or she can lead anyone. Understand what it means to be a leader, not a drill sergeant. A great leader will have favor with the people that they lead. A person in leadership will not display negative behavior; they will be kind and willing to help. Leaders will not act as though they own those that are under their authority, whether it’s on a job, in the community, government or at church.




I can remember being in school when we had to take turns to be the line leader. Remember how powerful it felt when it was your turn to lead? What a wonderful feeling huh? Yes! You made sure that the line was straight and you held the door for everyone. With that job you had to be on your best behavior at all time, because if you didn’t you would lose your turn. There’s really no difference here; leaders are made. And remember the game, follow the leader where everyone wanted to be the leader?

Not everyone is made to become a leader. There is an old saying ‘Leaders are Made, Not Born.’ In my opinion I see it both ways. Some people are natural born leaders and others can be groomed to become great leaders.




A great leader will own up to their shortcomings, apologize when a mistake has been made, and is willing to go the extra mile for those that they have charge over. If we look at the Bible, there were some great leaders. We had the perfect leader of all times and his name was Jesus. This man was perfect in every way; he led a multitude of individuals. He even allowed them the opportunity to grow. He led by example. Jesus had all the characteristics of a great leader. He came to serve and gave up his life for us. A King! Never did he question what His role was when He came to the world. Then there was David - a man after God’s own heart. Now to have the seal of approval from God, that is a high recommendation.




Leaders should stand by their words and not waiver under subjection. To become a great leader one shouldn’t throw his or her title around to make someone else feel unimportant. There’s a saying ‘I respect your title, but I don’t have any respect for you as a person.’ As Obama is the leader of this country he has to follow the laws of the land and govern himself accordingly. Even though Obama runs the country, he still has to get an approval on things that he wants changed. Often times we are so hung up on titles and positions that we forget about what’s on the agenda.




Let’s take a look at individuals that own and run their companies. Most of the time they change policies to benefit them and their company and not the people that are under them. What happens is, they develop a bad reputation in the community and others don’t want to be under their leadership. To be a great leader one needs to follow through with their mission statement. We need to teach our future leaders of tomorrow how it should be done.

Photo Courtesy: Lee Taylor

Date: June 18, 2012
Writer’s Name: Andrea “Dreas Stokley
Title: Five Traits of an Effective Leader

    

“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."  -Max Lucado


This is by far not only one of my favorite quotes, but also one that I have strived to emulate in my own journey of becoming an effective leader.   And so by studying a few effective leaders who have paved certain roads, I have gathered that setting yourself away from the crowd is only one skill set of many effective frontrunners.  Self- discipline, confidence, patience, and faith are four others.  
    

Self-discipline goes hand and hand with obedience.  It is a skill worth executing in our daily regimes, and definitely one worth mentioning as a trait in an effective leadership role.   Self-discipline involves a person taking the necessary sequence of action regardless of his or her emotional state.  We sometimes hear this manifested as, “Do what we have to do now so that we can do what we want to do later.”  I’m sure this sounds cliché, but by sticking with this course, a leader limits the traps which are sometimes set by the pressures of their peers.

Confidence is another important trait to have.  A leader undeniably needs to be confident in order to stay determined that he has everything needed to proceed on his track.  Confidence is vitally important.  In fact, I would even venture a step further and say that if he doesn’t believe in his own gift, skill set, or craft then why should anyone else?  Not only should confidence be seen in a leader, it must be felt in his presence and also in the way he communicates his message.  I have often heard that confidence can sometimes come across as being a little cocky, but this is nothing a humbling spirit shouldn’t be able to balance out.   

Patience and faith are the last two qualities a leader should possess; and in my opinion should go hand and hand because a faithful person patiently trusts that as long as he puts forth the efforts and stays true to his gifts, the rewards will come.  

Patience involves drowning out the noise levels and the ego that sometimes seeks out to deliver the message of, “YOU SHOULD BE HERE BY NOW!”  This message is anything but true.  The rewards will come in due time.  However, when waiting for rewards an effective leader must also remain truthful to him-self.  And if need be he must take a step back to properly access the changes that may need to be made in order to continue on with the path which lies ahead.  Many individuals want to be leaders, but not so many are willing to exert the traits outlined in these paragraphs or to stay diligent while encountering certain challenges.  It is my belief that the traits outlined above should be interchangeably used as a person sees fit.  Just as there are several routes which may lead to a certain destination, there is no one trait which will lead you to becoming an effective leader.  Take time out to develop your crafts and hone your skill and then proceed accordingly.