Archive of ‘Business’ category

Coca-Cola’s STEP program gives female entrepreneurs a leg up in business

Coca-Cola's 5by20 program is a global initiative focused on bringing economic empowerment to 5 million women by 2020. The program focuses on business skills training, loans and financial services, and building peer networks and mentoring. (Image: Special)

Coca-Cola’s 5by20 program is a global initiative focused on bringing economic empowerment to 5 million women by 2020. The program focuses on business skills training, loans and financial services, and building peer networks and mentoring. (Image: Special)

 

By Chanda Temple

I’ve always loved Coca-Cola. It’s refreshing, bubbly and goes great with a good burger.

But after learning that the company offers a global program focused on helping new female entrepreneurs address barriers in business, my love for the red and white soda brand just deepened.

Cue the crush music.

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Stop waiting for everything to be so dang perfect

 

Hard word takes dedication.

Hard word takes dedication.

 

 

By Chanda Temple

As women, we feel the need to have everything perfect. And if it’s not perfect, we won’t proceed. That even comes down to our blogs. If our websites are not perfect, if our photos are not perfect, if our products are not perfect, yada, yada, yada, we won’t launch it. We’ll keep it close to the vest and wait until it’s perfect before we share it with others.

Well, stop trying to make everything so dang perfect. “Sometimes, good is good enough,” a woman said on a blogging webinar I tuned in to tonight. ‘’The most important thing is to act.”

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Are you ready to jump?

Fear is the best motivator. Do it scared.

Fear is the best motivator. Do it scared. Your gift will make room for you.

 

By Chanda Temple 

A few days ago, a friend was at a crossroads as he debated what to do next in his career.

He wanted to play it safe by staying in his current position instead of branching out and starting his own business. Unsure of what to do, another friend suggested he watch a popular video by talk show host and Family Feud game show host Steve Harvey. In it, Harvey challenges his Family Feud audience to jump off the cliff of life into their destiny when they are contemplating a major move.

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Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook is the perfect wedding gift

While out running errands in August, I saw the Birmingham's Best Bites cookbook on a table set up for a wedding reception. I thought, "Hmmm. That's interesting." Turns out the couple had planned to use it as their guest book. If you get folks to sign a keeper of a book like this, you will have one of the best wedding gifts, ever!. Love this idea. If you haven't gotten your copy of the cookbook, which has 80 recipes from 60 restaurants in and around Birmingham, what's stopping you? It's a pretty tasty guide to the city's food scene.

While out running errands in August, I saw the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook on a table set up for a wedding reception. I thought, “Hmmm. That’s interesting.” Turns out the couple had planned to use it as their guest book. If you get folks to sign a keeper of a book like this, you will have one of the best wedding gifts, ever!. Love this idea. If you haven’t gotten your copy of the cookbook, which has 80 recipes from 60 restaurants in and around Birmingham, what’s stopping you? It’s a pretty tasty guide to the city’s food scene.

National Lipstick day is made for makeup mavens like Jestina Howard

Aware Cosmetics founder Jestina Howard believes in beautiful faces and healthy bodies. She started her Birmingham, Ala.-based company in 2003. A portion of her sales go to help the American Lung Association. (Photo by Liesa Cole.)

Aware Cosmetics founder Jestina Howard believes in beautiful faces and healthy bodies. She started her Birmingham, Ala.-based company in 2003. Check out her line on July 29, National Lipstick Day and every day. Her products are free of paraben, talc and gluten. (Photo by Liesa Cole.)

 

By Chanda Temple 

For years, I wore Desire, a plum lip color from MAC. It was my signature shade.

Little did I know I was only supposed to wear it in the colder months. (It took my aunt to break the news to me when she saw me on TV one morning. She said it was too dark and not the best look for spring.)

I lightened up on the lip color the next day.

But I want to also credit Birmingham, Ala. makeup maven Jestina Howard for challenging me to step outside my makeup comfort zone. In 2013, I contacted her to buy my favorite plum color from her line, Aware Cosmetics. (Hey, let’s just say I’m addicted to plum.) Anyway, Jestina said that color no longer existed in her line. Then, she encouraged me to try a bright red.

Ummm, excuse me. Bright red?!! Oh no, I thought. That’s not me. (more…)

Motivation Monday: Just Start

Stuck on start? Get your engines going and just begin. Know this: It will be a beautiful journey because you are in the driver's seat.

Stuck on start? Get your engines going and just begin. Know this: It will be a beautiful journey because you are in the driver’s seat.

 

By Chanda Temple 

I ran into a friend at a coffee shop this morning and she said something that got me to thinking.

She talked about life and then expressed how she really wanted to write. She said she liked to write poetry and maybe write even a book. I had no idea she loved to write, so her words intrigued me.

When I asked her why she had not started, she said, “It’s not that I’m scared. I’m just worried no one will like it.”

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How to go from lady blogger to boss lady? Get focused

Have you identified your target reader for your blog? They will become your biggest cheerleader.

Have you identified your target reader for your blog? They will become your biggest cheerleader. So get focused and start nailing identifying your ideal reader today.

By Chanda Temple

Today is Day 3 on how to make money with your blog. We’ve already looked at how important it is to get serious and get creative with your blog. Now it’s time to get focused.

Javacia Harris Bowser, founder of See Jane Write in Birmingham, Ala., recently held a workshop on this very topic. One way to get focused is to know your reader, she says.

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