Pics from YBR Networking EVENT!

Thanks to all of the fabulous ladies (and gents) that turned out to support the FIRST EVER YBR networking event! We had an awesome evening of drinks and conversation and of course, NETWORKING!

Special thanks goes to Ally Marie of allymarie.com for a dynamic keynote address! Check out the pics!






If you missed this event.. don't worry, details for the next event should be circulating soon!




-Alecia D

Top Six Mindless MONEY WASTERS!!

For 2010, you can just call me Ms. Tight Wad. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not usually one to hold on to money too closely. Although I am an avid saver, I have still been known in the past to splurge here and there and spend a bit excessively. One of my goals this year is to nip my bad spending habits in the bud once and for all!

Check out these GREAT tips from Yahoo Finance. Which of these money wasters is your biggest challenge?

1. Convenience Stores

2. Cell Phone Plans

3. Soft Drinks

4. Unnecessary Bank Fees

5. Magazines

6. Annual Credit Card Fees

Be Proactive

Spend a couple hours and go over the above categories along with any other regular habits you may have accumulated over the years. The time will be well spent as it could mean hundreds of dollars of recurring annual savings.

Read the full article here! Very eye opening..

Silhouettes Teams Up With Dress for Success!

Exciting news to share!

Silhouettes and Dress for Success have recently partnered to create Silhouettes for Success, a program where six women from Dress For Success' Professional Women's Groups were selected to blog about their career challenges, struggles and share their inspiring stories.

In today's world, it can be extra challenging at times to be a women in the working world, what a wonderful opportunity to be inspired by the the stories of these brave and impactful women!

Shaquan, one of the woman selected to blog for Silhouettes for Success said, “If I dress like the person I am on the inside and show who I am on the outside, others will also see the Queen inside of me.”

Check out the site here!

Kudos to Dress for Success and Silhouettes for this uplifting business venture!

-Alecia D.

A Look Forward: 2010 and Beyond-Top 5 tips on how to excel in 2010

The new year is finally here. Gone are the worries and woes that accompanied 2009 and here is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start your life over in any way you would like. What will you do? How will you make 2010 count more than last year did? What can be done differently over the next 365 days that will make your goals actually come true?

While many people find themselves going around in the same annual cycle of resolutions à contentment à failure, there are proven ways to ensure that this upcoming year will be different and finally bring you the positive outcomes you deserve. Although any time throughout the year is just right for charting new courses, the beginning of a new year always seem like the perfect opportunity to realize new dreams and expand new horizons.

Check out these five tips that are sure to help you become well on your way to excellence in 2010.

5. Become a person of your word. This is a very essential aspect of succeeding over the course of the new year. If you say you are going to do something, then it is your obligation to do it. Whether this means sticking to your plans of joining the local gym so you can drop those 20 lbs you’ve put on or it means following through on your promise to spend time with your aging grandmother once a week. It is important to work on your integrity so that people begin to view you as reliable and upstanding.

4. Be punctual. This tip goes hand in hand with keeping your word. Over the course of this year, make a conscious effort to respect the time of yourself and others by arriving early/on time. You will find that you will become more productive at work, gain the trust and respect of others you are meeting with, and even see a decrease in the amount of stress you experience due to constant rushing.

3. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Whether you have aspirations of getting promoted to the next level of your current company or becoming the CEO of your own business endeavor, take time to think about your image. Often times, opportunities are given to those who already look and act the part. It is not until people can visualize you in a certain role that they will begin to take you seriously and throw opportunities your way. Always remember that perception is reality.

2. Take a few moments for self reflection, daily. Amidst the chaos of life, you may often get bogged down with the drama that goes along with it. Whether you are trying to excel in your personal or professional life, it is very important to take a few moments to center yourself in order to remain on task. Something as simple as 15 minutes as soon as you wake up to think about what was done yesterday, what you will do today, and what your plans are for the future will go along way in helping you remain grounded.

1. Leave the past behind you. The most important tip to excelling in 2010 would definitely have to be forgetting about 2009. Don’t beat yourself up about your shortcomings from last year. Forgive others and most importantly, forgive yourself. As stated previously, today is a new day and the beginning of a new year. Take the opportunity to see the blessing you have been given by embracing what lies ahead and forgetting what has come before. Every successful person you know has had to start from somewhere, your starting point is today.

Three Ways to Boost Your Confidence Instantly

At the center of most of the issues that young, black women face is lack of self-confidence. You know the issues- staying in a dead end relationship, settling for a job that's going nowhere, etc. Some times it may seem that it's easier to go with the flow than it is to make the necessary changes we need to start a better life. Here are a few ways to boost your self-confidence instantly. Once you begin to feel confident about yourself, others will start to see you that way also. Before long it will become easier for you to make those challenging decisions that will help you improve your situation!

Make eye contact. A long overlooked tidbit for many is the importance of eye contact. This small step does wonders in boosting your confidence as it makes you seem self-assured. Many of the movers and shakers that we look up to have long mastered the art of this. Practice looking directly into the eyes of everyone you speak to for the next few days- from the CEO of the company you work for to the individual who restocks the napkins in the pantry. A confident woman knows her worth as well as the worth of others and is never intimidated during conversations. Make it a common practice to have engaging and genuine eye contact and watch others react to you differently.

Become a fast walker. Sounds ridiculous at first, right? But give this some thought. If you were the President of a multi-million dollar company and had a busy day packed with meetings, conference calls, and check-signing, your time would be very valuable to you, correct? You would definitely be in a hurry and would not want to waste time sluggishly walking from place to place. Deliberately walk 25% faster than you currently do and people will begin to subconciously think "she's going places".

Dress for Success. No, this does not mean that you need to charge up $800 worth of clothes at Bloomingdales. This simply means that you should strive to always present the most put together look you can at all times. Ever heard of the saying "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have"? Well this saying certainly does apply to confidence building. It's easier for others to see you as a strong, confident woman if you look the part. You can still be comfortable and true to your own personal style, but always remember that confident people almost always look put together from the inside out.

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

How To Be the Best Worker Bee You Can Be... (or something like that)

I recently received an email from a YBR subscriber who commented that although she enjoys the information that YBR provides, she feels as though it is mostly geared toward entrenpreneurs and not for your average "worker bee" employee.

I must admit that while my hope and personal goal is that I, as well as all YBR women eventually become full time entrepreneurs, I do understand that this is not the goal for everyone.

Check out some tips on how to be the best employee you can be!

Tip 1: Get clear on your goals and objectives with your boss. Communication is key in any relationship and this includes your relationship with your boss. Many times, employees view their bosses as and all-knowing, all-powerful being that doesn't care anything about our opinions or desires. Although, this may be true some of the time, this is not the case of all bosses and the truth is you will never know until you open the lines of communication. Make sure that your boss knows exactly what your plans are for your career. Don't assume that he/she knows that you want that next raise or promotion. It may seem like common sense to you, but I've seen many people get looked over for many years simply because they did not make their intentions known to their supervisor.

Tip 2: Become an expert at time managment and productivity. One of the biggest complaints that employees have is that they feel overwhelmed with all of the tasks they are assigned on a daily basis. I know how stressful it can be when you are assigned ad hoc projects and reports to complete in addition to your daily functions. Noone likes being stuck at work until midnight trying to finish these tasks. It is important that you limit distractions (like checking personal email and surfing the internet) during your work day. Instead, focus on blocking out time where you can go through your tasks and responsibilities. Focus on one task at a time and don't wait for the last minute to tackle a big project.

The most important point to note is that although you may not be the CEO or President of the company you work for, you are still an important asset to the success of that business. Take pride in the work you are assigned and always put your best foot forward. It won't be long until you are recognized for your talents.

To Your Success,

Alecia D.

Attract Success by Saying YES!

Attract Success by Saying YES!

by Becky Kimes

Everything in the Universe is made of energy from the tiniest grain of sand to an elephant living in Africa. This includes words. Every word in our vocabulary carries a specific vibration that is unique to each person and situation.

What are some of your favorite words or expressions? How do you feel when you say them? Do you have sayings or expressions that cause you to feel negatively and thus create negative situations?

There are three words in the English language that you say at least 2,000 times each day. And these words are the biggest roadblocks between you and your desires.

Want to know what they are?

They are: don’t, not and no.

Keep in mind to concept of the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction is a universal law that reminds us that like energy attracts like energy. The Law of Attraction brings you more of what you put your attention, energy and focus towards. So whenever you say no to something you are actually saying yes to it.

Confused?

Let me explain a little more.

Consider the statement, “I am not going to fail at this.” Where is your attention? It was on failure, right?

As you think about failure and feel what it’s like to be a failure the Law of Attraction matches your vibration with more opportunities to fail.

How else could you say “I am not going to fail at this?” Try, “I am successful!” That will give the Law of Attraction something wonderful to work with.

How about the thought “I don’t like negative people.” Or “I don’t want to go broke”. Are you beginning to understand how our language habits directly affect success in all areas of our life?

Let’s examine the word no. Say the word NO out loud. How does it make you feel? Does the word no allow for any possibilities? Do you feel any positive energy when you say or think no? Can you put a genuine smile on your face and say the word no?

I think that this simple two letter word is the single largest barrier between you and the successful manifestation of your desires. Take note of how many times you say no throughout the day. You will be shocked. Listen to other people. How much of their energy do they focus on saying “no” and “I don’t like that”?

Here are a couple of tools that can completely change your life around.

Tool 1: Whenever you catch your self saying “I don’t want ___” STOP! Then ask your self, well, what do I want? This is deceptively simple but can have life changing results.

Tool 2: Just say Yes!! Say the word yes out loud. It has a wonderfully positive feeling, doesn’t it? Whenever you say no to something, realize that you have the opportunity to say yes to its alternative. Say yes instead!!

Instead of saying, “No, I don’t want to go to the movies”, say “I would rather go out to dinner.” What are you saying “no” to right now in your life? Take the time to say yes to its alternative and successfully bring that into your life.

Saying yes is an incredible manifestation tool!! Use it regularly and create amazing results.

YBR Debut Radio Show- 11/30 @ 1:30 pm

Dear YBR family,

Don't miss out on the debut episode of YBR Radio! Sunday, November 30 @ 1:30 pm, we will be speaking about Financial Fitness with A Woman'$ Worth founder and Clutch Magazine's own, Arlice Nichole. With today's downward economy, we could all use some fun and fabulous tips on how to get and keep our fortunes no matter what is going on with Wall Street.

We will be discussing the following topics:
Budgeting
Ways to Increase Income
Credit RepairBuilding an emergency fund

Get your pen and paper out and get ready to take lots of notes! Listen live on BlogTalk Radio (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/youngblackrich). Feel free to call us up, we are so delighted to speak with you- the number is (646) 595-3206 or email questions to aleciadee@youngblackrich.net with RADIO SHOW in the subject line or you can even Instant Message me during the show on Google Talk (screen name aleciadee)!We look forward to hearing from you. You definitely don't want to miss it!

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

The Single Most Important Tip to Build Your Successful Life NOW

What's the single most important tip that separates successful people from unsuccessful ones? It's not money, not luck, and no- it's not even education. The number one factor that allows some people to thrive and flourish in everything they put their hands on is something known as speed of implementation.

This may be a new concept for some of you, so I will explain.

We all have listened to or read some sort of motivational presentation at one point or another in our lives. Whether we went to a church service and heard it from a preacher, or had to sit through one at a family member's graduation ceremony, or maybe even in a one on one session with one of our closest friends about a new age book we just read. No matter the setting, there has been a time when someone has provided us with advice on how we can improve our current situation. What exactly did you do with that advice?

There are two types of people in this world. Those who think and those who do. Succesful people are doers. Yes, they think things through, but the majority of their time is spent doing. When they hear something that sparks a fire within them, they do. When they come up with a new business idea, they do. The list goes on and on. They don't wait until two years or even two months down the road before they get started. They have discovered that there is something to be said about using speed of implementation to their benefit.

So what type of person will you be? There's an idea in your head that you've been sitting on for a while now. Or is it that you're ready to take that next step and enroll in school to continue your education. Whatever it is, what are you waiting for? Will you sit there and continue to think about it? Or will you do it? I challenge you to start doing what you have to do right NOW. Don't sit on your idea for another moment.

What steps will you take to make your dream a reality today? Share it with the YBR family in the comments section.

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

Finding Your True Calling: Part IV (Final)

Follow Your Heart - Passion emerges from the heart, not the mind.
When you don't know which direction to head, just start walking and pay attention to what your heart tells you.
Follow your heart's direction and the path to fulfillment in life will naturally unfold before your eyes.



The Importance of Listening to Your Feelings.

In this final installment of Finding Your True Calling, I hope you have already identified exactly what it is that truly makes you happy and will leave you fulfilled. If you have not, that's ok too. Just be still and begin to focus on where you are now and where it is that you would like to be heading. Remember that your future is not something that you go out in search of, rather, it is something that you create yourself, whether by action or in-action.

My hope for you is that you will not stop searching within yourself until you figure out what steps you need to take to create the kind of future for yourself where you are doing something that truly makes you happy. Something that allows you to express who you are and what you stand for.

When you follow your heart, success will not be far behind.

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

Finding Your True Calling: Part III

Persistence - Many begin the journey, but those who finish it are the ones who achieve success and fulfillment in life.
When you're living a life that is truly aligned with your passions, persistence gets a whole lot easier. You'll find that you don't want to stop, or that you can't stop, even if you think you want to. Your deepest passions will drive you onward.



The Importance of Staying on Course.

If you're like me, you want things fast. Not now, but RIGHT now. There's no time to waste--and since we're not getting any younger, we need to get what we can and move on to the next thing, right? WRONG. While instant gratification may be appropriate for some areas of your life, you definitely shouldn't be using this approach when trying to find your passion. Those of us who are lucky enough to be doing work that is in line with our life's purpose and at the same time fulfilling our financial needs know that this process consists of many ups and downs and that most times we will not see the fruits of our labor very quickly. Even though this may be true, however, we should not give up. If success was easy to obtain, then everyone would be successful. In order to live the life you want to live, you must be willing to remain committed even when you feel like jumping ship.

Oprah is a familiar example of someone who has obtained higher heights of success than most. If you have a conversation with her about the journey, I'm sure she will tell you that it did not happen overnight. Oprah's story begins over 30 years ago. She has gone through many setbacks during her career just as many of us do in our own lives. What has allowed Oprah to break through though, is her ability to push through no matter how uncomfortable the situation may be.

It is normal for you to get discouraged and for your motivation to waiver. But it is important that you do not dwell on the negative situations and instead focus on all of the possibility and promise that lie ahead. If you've already figured out what your purpose is, you should begin to visualize what it will be like once you get there. Whenever you feel down and want to give up, just remember the vision you've created for yourself. If you haven't identified your vision yet, don't fret- keep meditating and thinking until you figure it out. The beauty of this process is that no matter how long it takes for you to realize your passion, the feeling of finally finding it will put you at ease and provide motivation when you feel like you want to throw in the towel.

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

Finding Your True Calling: Part II

Integrity - Be as true to yourself as you are to others, and as true to others as you are to yourself.
The biggest challenge most of us face is to meet our responsibilities to others while pursuing our passions at the same time.
When you make commitments to others, make sure those commitments are aligned with YOUR passions. Then you can fulfill both your passions and commitments to others in one stroke.
And when you make a commitment to yourself, treat it with the same respect as a commitment to anyone else.

The Importance of Keeping Your Word.

As human beings, there are really only a few things we can say we truly have 100% control over, our word is one of them. In today's society, intergrity is often under estimated, however, it is probably one of the most important attributes one can have. As a Young, Black, Rich woman you should always aim to be a woman of integrity. If others feel they can trust you, they will begin to ask more of you and more and more opportunities will begin to be attracted into your life. This not only means that we should strive to be reliable to others, but we should also be able to rely on ourselves. If you make a promise to yourself you should fight to remain committed to that promise. Believing in yourself is the only way that others will begin to believe in you.

Think of the most successful person you know. Would they be half as successful if they were perceived to be unreliable or untrustworthy? Probably not. Once we can begin to be honest with ourselves and with others, we will find ourselves more in line with our natural flow. Once in this state, it will only be a matter of time before we will begin to find ways to develop our purpose and work with our passions to create our own successes.

To Your Success,

Alecia D.

Finding Your True Calling: Part I

After taking the last month and a half off to regroup and rethink the direction of YBR and my goals in general, I've found myself spending a lot of time contemplating new ideas, revamping old ones, and recharging my overall motivation. The next four posts come from an article I read on http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/ . I've highlighted a specific point and then reflected on it below as it relates to pursuing one's goals and purpose. What are your thoughts?



The importance of Keeping an Open Mind.

Stay Open - Your greatest good may not be what you think it is.
When you are open to whatever is appearing now, even if it's different than the way you think it should be, you release your individual will and open to God's will for you.
This is the path to living your highest purpose, and also the secret to overcoming any obstacle which may arise in your life.

As someone who gets caught up in lists, life plans, organizational charts, and time lines, I am finding it very challenging to relate to the idea of going with the flow. What exactly does this mean? Do you simply wait for life to throw situations at you? Do you go wherever the wind blows? It can be hard for some to wrap their minds around the concept, but it can actually do wonders for helping in the process of finding your purpose.

The success stories of many often start with the realization that the status quo simply was not working for them and it wasn't until they decided to be still and allow their hearts to lead that they were directed to their life's purpose. I recently had a conversation with a very successful wall street banker turned bed & breakfast owner, who came up with the idea for the latter while reading an ad in a magazine on a plane. Fast forward 17 years and she is living a fulfilling, peaceful, and successful life. I'm sure many scoffed when she announced she was leaving an executive position on Wall Street to move to the country to spend weekends drinking wine and entertaining visitors from all over the country, but her decision proved to be for the best and
my guess is she couldn't be happier.

The first step to finding your life's work is to listen to your heart. Don't think about money, resources, or eduction. Just focus on what career would ultimately make you happy and fulfilled. If you love what you do and are passionate while doing it, success will follow.

3 Secrets to Creating New Habits

We all know the value of constantly trying to improve on our habits and routines in order to become the best person we can be. Keeping in line with last week's post on the importance of writing down our goals, we should talk about what we do after we've decided what we want. What's the point of writing goals down if we are never going to do them, right? What are the steps necessary in order to implement these new habits so that we can achieve our goals?

There are three secrets to implementing a new habit:
Commitment - Clarity - Attention

1. Commitment - "Until you are committed, nothing will happen for you."

I once heard Oprah say that until you make an internal decision to change your actions you won't. It really is that simple. You have to make the decision for yourself that now is the time you will start working toward your goal and remain committed to it. There must come a time when you decide that you are ready and willing to do what it takes to make your goal a priority in your life. Whether you need to sacrifice sleep, going out, or shopping- make sure you are ready to do whatever it takes to succeed. There will be times when you will find yourself feeling down or un-motivated, however, if you are constantly working with the idea that you are committing yourself to fulfilling your dreams, the process will become much easier.

2. Clarity - "When you're clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."

As you've probably already experienced at one time or another, it is very challenging to maintain motivation and discipline if you are unclear of why you are doing what you are doing in the first place. If someone asked you what exactly is it that your ultimate goal is or what the reason is behind your plans in the first place- would you be able to answer the question? So many of us think we know what we want or that we know why we are doing what we are doing, but do we really? Take a step back and be honest with yourself. What do YOU want to do? WHY do you want to do it? Is your action plan in line with these goals?

3. Attention - "What you put your attention on grows stronger in your life."

The basic premise of the Law of Attraction is that our thoughts become things. We are what we think about. We say that we want to be positive, successful, stress free individuals-- but is that what we are thinking? Pay attention to what you are focusing on daily. Be sure that your thoughts are positive and are in line with your goals. You will be presently surprised how quickly your situations will change after you change your thinking. The key is to become more aware of where your mind is wandering. Before you know it, you will begin to attract the right people, places, and things into your experience.

To Your Success,

Alecia D.

Write it down and Make it PLAIN: Paste Your Vision on Paper

How many times have you tried to start a new habit, break an old one, or pursue a new goal? You try your hardest to work at your goal and even tell others what you are trying to do. You may even seem to be succeeding at first, but after a few weeks (or days) you begin to fall back into your old patterns. It can be very frustrating, right?

What is it about those people that seem to succeed at every goal they set for themselves? What makes them different from YOU? Is it their discipline? No. Is it their motivation? Maybe. Or could it be something that although it is much simpler than these things, is something that is so often overlooked? More often than not, the difference between those who succeed and those who don't - is that one group of people write their goals down while the other group doesn't.

Writing down your goals on paper may seem very simple. But in fact, it has been proven time and time again to be the most important first step of achieving any goal. Why? Because when we write our goals on paper, the act forces our brain to VISUALIZE what we want. In essence, it gives our mind a concrete state to work toward.

Here are the four rules to writing down your goals that I got from The Goal Setting Guide:


1. Write your goal in the positive.
Work for what you want, not for what you want to leave behind. Part of the reason why we write down and examine our goals is to create a set of instructions for our subconscious mind to carry out. Your subconscious mind is a very efficient tool, it can not determine right from wrong and it does not judge. It's only function is to carry out its instructions. The more positive instructions you give it, the more positive results you will get.

Thinking positively in everyday life will also help in your growth as a human being. Don't limit it to goal setting.

2. Write your goals out in complete detail.
Instead of writing "A new home," write "A 4,000 square foot contemporary with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and a view of the mountain on 20 acres of land". Once again we are giving the subconscious mind a detailed set of instructions to work on. The more information you give it, the more clear the final outcome becomes. The more precise the outcome, the more efficient the subconscious mind can become.

Can you close your eyes and visualize the home I described above? Walk around the house. Stand on the porch off the master bedroom and see the fog lifting off the mountain. Look down at the garden full of tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers. And off to the right is the other garden full of a mums, carnations and roses. Can you see it? So can your subconscious mind.


3. Write in present tense.
Write your goals down in the present tense. This is because the unconscious mind chooses a path of least resistance. If you write, "I will be slim" the unconscious mind does nothing thinking that the will be may be postponed until later.
A friend had a business, which was losing money. He set his goal to break even the next month. Every month the next month would come and be this month so his goal would be true to break even the next month, which would never come. Eventually he changed his goal to, "I am breaking even this month." That very month he broke even for the first time.

Write them in present tense, first person, as if they are currently true.


4. Re-write your goals.
When the words are written and then repeatedly re-written they have maximum impact. So don't be content with a first draft. Write down your goal. Then rephrase it, compact it, add motivating adjectives, make it pithy. A week later you may want to adjust it again. Keep on fine-tuning.

Writing your goals down is the first step to make the goals more real. Somehow having things in writing really makes them seem more important to most people. It will also make it easier to make the plans needed to reach your goals if you have something in writing.

What are some of your goals?

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

Recession Proofing Your Finances: Top 3 tips to beat the economic meltdown

Now is the time to have a plan for dealing with a recession- even though we are already currently in one. The economy is a cyclical process and even though this notion means that it will come up again, it also suggests that there will, unfortunately, be another down turn in the distant future. These tips will prepare your finances for both good times and the not so good times.

If I've learned anything over the past several months in America's rocky economy, I've learned the importance of setting up finances to withstand the uncertain times of recession and economic turmoil.

Whether it is the fact that the "bottom" finally fell out of the Real Estate boom or the reality that bankruptcy can even hit the most revered and seemingly financially sound banks in America, we've all witnessed first hand how important financial preparation is to maintaining success even in a downward spiralling economy.

While it is important to note that a lot of situations are beyond our control during these times ie- the price of gas, employer layoffs, interest rates, and the cost of a loaf of bread -- there are still many things that we can do within our own finances to lessen the blow of these hard times.

Tip 1:
Cut unnecessary spending. Now is the time to begin to train yourself to live without the unnecessary which not only drain our time, but can also drain our finances. Think about downgrading or eliminating your cable TV/Internet package or maybe even decreasing the number of times you dine out weekly from three to one. Whatever it is you choose to eliminate, now is the time to go over your monthly expenses in order to determine where you are spending unnecessary money.

Tip 2:
Recognize the importance of credit. The recent "credit crunch" has really opened up a new wave of oversight from credit companies. A few months ago, a credit score of 650 or above was considered good. However, in today's market, individuals and businesses with a score below 720 are finding it very difficult to secure a loan or obtain new credit. In addition to paying bills on time and keeping your debt to income ratio low, there are many tips available (check out this link for YBR's tips) today with ideas on how to raise your credit score. It is wise to take advantage of these suggestions, especially in today's economic climate.

Tip 3:
Plan for the long haul. Even though the norm in American society is to get things as fast as you can and instant gratification is oftentimes our goal, this current recession has proven how important it is to engage in long term planning. Strive to begin saving at least 10% of your monthly income for a financial cushion. Many individuals who have unfortunately lost their jobs recently are finding themselves grasping at straws as they try to make ends meet. It is wise to have at least 6 months worth of expenses in a fairly liquid account in case of emergency. As cliche as it sounds, a penny saved is truly a penny earned.

Check out these and more finance tips in my new e-book, 30 Days to Success, here!
Do you have any other tips or advice on how you are coping with today's economic times??

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

Be your own Best Publicist with The Publicity Formula Toolkit

A Message from Yoshi Simms- Expert Publicity Coach.

Hello. For all those who don’t know me, I’m Yoshi Simms, publicity coach and owner of The Publicity Formula in Atlanta, Georgia (google me).
As a publicity coach and publicist, I have crafted many publicity plans for our clients in the past, but what I’ve noticed is that so many dynamic potential clients, never became actual clients. Why?
Because they could not afford the fees.
Some business owners I’ve even helped for free because they had such an exciting business model, exciting personality, whatever (and I can be a real softee for an exciting business model and exciting personality).
But unfortunately, my business can not thrive off just sheer excitement. So we had to create something that was effective and affordable.
Oh did you hear the exciting news? One of our clients is doing a national tour for Hoodia. Congratulations Kent! Kent is co-founder of Celeb Fitness Trainers based out of Atlanta. He’s going to be traveling the US and doing appearances at the GNC stores nationwide, as well as radio and tv.
Hoodia is the #1 selling product in GNC. It’s great to see how our hard work paid off.
Check out www.celebfitnesstrainers.com.
Actually this is old news…Kent has recently inked a deal with Disney and is the works with a new kid fitness segment.
Besides just congratulating Kent, I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to The Publicity Formula Toolkit.
This toolkit will show you exactly how to do your own publicity for your own business.When I started my first online business back in the spring of 2002, I was shocked by the $1,500-$3,000 a month fees that publicists were charging.
Now it is even more than that and the work is still the same. I knew that there had to be an alternative. I thought about all my experiences I had accumulated from some of the largest advertising and publicity companies in the world.
Why not put it to use?
So I decided to do my own publicity. I did so well, my company received a whopping 605, 000 hits in the first month!
This was due to my own formula for publicity success. I realized that traditional publicity would not give me optimum results.
I knew that my company and company goals were different from any other business, therefore my publicity plan must be different from any other business.
Actually, my publicity plan was tailor-made just for my business. My business concept and goals were in perfect alignment with my publicity strategy. And now I can show you how to do the same thing that I have done with so many of my clients.
The Publicity Formula Toolkit can work for any business and you actually become your own best publicist! Let’s face it, who knows more about your business than you do.
So whereas our publicity clients pay up to 3500.00 a month for pr services or $450.00 for publicity coaching, now you can get your own publicity toolkit for just a one-time fee of $52.00 (a $300.00 value…believe me, a lot of creative thought and work has gone into this toolkit).
Keep in mind, press releases alone cost $125.00, so this is a real deal.
This is a well-designed step-by-step strategy and tactic publicity plan for your business. Once executed properly, your business will do one thing…GROW.
Think about it, at The Publicity Formula we’re creating plans for various businesses and we’ve done great work. Now you on the other hand get to focus in on one business…YOURS!

This is what you’ll get:
How to write a press release for your business
How to write the perfect pitch for your business to the media
How to pitch your business to the media
Become a local hometown celebrity in your town 7 ways to increase your email list
Effective ways for your specific business to get noticed by the media
How to become known as an expert in your field
Creating an effective e-zine/e-newsletter for your business
Creating an effective website that attracts visitors to your website
Press release – We will give you subject line examples, title and some aspects you should include in your press release to make it effective. We will also tell you things to avoid getting your press release trashed.
Pitch – We will give you different things to say for the various media industries. Example: What you should say if you speak to the individual vs. getting their voicemail vs. getting their assistant. What to say to a tv producer vs. magazine editor vs. radio show producer…It makes a difference!
Hometown celebrity – We will tell you exactly who to call and what to write and what to say to get this hometown status.
Increase your email list – We will give you 7 surefire tested ways to increase your email list.
Noticed by the media – We will give you specific ways to get the media to notice your company. We’ll tell you the things they look for outside of just receiving your press release.
Become an expert – We will give you specifics on how everyone will know you as an expert in your field.
E-zine/E-newsletter – We will first show you exactly how and why to do one.
Then we will give you ideas on themes that can help you build your brand and make money.
Website – Make your website make sense. Right colors. Right information. When people visit your website, what will make them interested in reading, buying, etc. What are some other things you can do on your site that you might not have considered?
We’re not here to convince you of anything that is not solid facts. We’ve done publicity for startups as well as companies that have been in business for more than 20 years.
It’s all the same to us.

Once the formula is created, you will start to see your company grow. The toolkit gives you various ways to bring the right attention to your business, which turns into more money.

We’re very excited on this end to get you started so here’s what you do:
Step 1 – Send an email that says Order Publicity Toolkit along with your name, website and email address
Step 2 – I will send you a Paypal invoice in which you pay the $52.00.
Step 3 – Once you email that back to us, you will receive your Publicity Toolkit by email.
Step 4 – That’s it. You’re on your way to being your own publicist!

We look forward to serving you!
Yoshi Simms (google me)
Publicist and Publicity Coach
The Publicity Formula
Atlanta, GA
770-875-2572
www.thepublicityformula.com
info@thepublicityformula.com
www.publicitycoach.mentorsclub.com

Have You Done Your Part? Learn what you can you do to help inspire others

If you're reading today's blog (www.YoungBlackRich.blogspot.com) you have, no doubt heard the buzz about YBR Enterprise Inc created by author and successful lifesyle expert, Alecia D-- but have you shared YBR with a successful woman today? YBR Enterprise Inc provides a haven for today's Diva Entrepreneur to express herself and find a home for her creative talents. If you haven't gotten involved and also spread the word yet, you are TRULY missing out.

The goal of YBR © is to uplift, inspire, and transform the lives of women by providing information on a number of topics related to living a successful lifestyle including health, relationships, finances, and education. The website (www.YoungBlackRich.net) includes- among other things- helpful tips, articles, and success stories on a variety of topics such as motivation, goal setting, entrepreneurship, money management, and success.

In addition to this wonderful website, there is also an interactive Social Network (www.YoungBlackRich.ning.com) that you just have to sign up for. The "Myspace" for the Grown Business Woman, this network allows you to network and socialize with other successful black women around the world!

Check out www.YoungBlackRich.net ,sign up for our newsletter, and join our social network today and find out what you've been missing!

To Your Success,
Alecia D.

What Every Woman Should Have..Some Inspirational Words

We all know (hopefully) that Maya Angelou's words are always among the most well thought out and insightful of the black literati. With that said, I was very excited when I received this email in my box a few weeks ago that credited her as the author. After some research (it should be a habit for you to research anything before speaking on it), I realized that Angelou isn't actually the author, rather it is a woman named Pamela Redmond Satran. I hadn't heard of Satran before reading this poem, never the less this piece truly inspired me- so much so that now one of my resolutions for 2009 will definitely be to check off every item on this list (I have way too much going on in 2008 and I still have two resolutions left that I have to finish before December 31.)

Every Woman Should Have...
by Pamela Redmond Satran

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …enough money within her control to move outand rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward toretelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVEone friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .a feeling of control over her destiny.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…that she can’t change the length of her calves,the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…that her childhood may not have been perfect…but its over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..whom she can trust,whom she can’t,and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…where to go…be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…or a charming inn in the woods…when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…what she can and can’t accomplish in a day... a month... a year...

Take the Plunge: Start Your Own Business

Taken from The Black Business Coach
by Dante Lee

Everyone has an untapped reservoir of knowledge. Put yours to work for you as an independent consultant by teaching your skills to others. Just how big is consulting? In 1997 alone, U.S. businesses spent just over $12 billion on consulting.

A consultant's job is to consult. Nothing more, nothing less. It's that simple. There's no magic formula or secret that makes one consultant more successful than another one. But what separates a good consultant from a bad consultant is a passion and drive for excellence. And--oh yes--a good consultant should be knowledgeable about the subject he or she is consulting in. That does make a difference.

Here are the top 20 consulting businesses thriving today:

1. Accounting: Accounting is something that every business needs, no matter how large or small. Accounting consultants can help a business with all of its financial needs.

2. Advertising: This type of consultant is normally hired by a business to develop a good strategic advertising campaign.

3. Auditing: From consultants who audit utility bills for small businesses to consultants who handle major work for telecommunications firms, auditing consultants are enjoying the fruits of their labor.

4. Business: Know how to help a business turn a profit? If you have a good business sense, then you'll do well as a business consultant. After computer consulting, people in this field are the next most sought after.

5. Business writing: Everyone knows that most businesspeople have trouble when it comes to writing a report--or even a simple memo. Enter the business writing consultant, and everyone is happy!

6. Career counseling: With more and more people finding themselves victims of a corporate downsizing, career counselors will always be in demand. Career counselors guide their clients into a profession or job that will help them be both happy and productive as an employee.

7. Communications: Communications consultants specialize in helping employees in both large and small businesses better communicate with each other, which ultimately makes the business more efficient and operate smoothly.

8. Computer consulting: From software to hardware, and everything in between, if you know computers, your biggest problem will be not having enough hours in the day to meet your clients' demands!

9. Editorial services: From producing newsletters to corporate annual reports, consultants who are experts in the editorial field will always be appreciated.

10. Executive search/headhunter firms: While this is not for everyone, there are people who enjoy finding talent for employers.

11. Gardening: In the past decade the demand for gardening consultants has blossomed (pun intended) into a $1 million-a-year business. Not only are businesses hiring gardening consultants; so are people who are too busy to take care of their gardens at home.

12. Grantsmanship: Once you learn how to write a grant proposal, you can name your price.

13. Human resources: As long as businesses have people problems (and they always will), consultants in this field will enjoy a never-ending supply of corporate clients, both large and small. (People-problem prevention programs could include teaching employees to get along with others, respect and even violence prevention in the workplace.)

14. Insurance: Everyone needs insurance, and everyone needs an insurance consultant to help them find the best plan and pricing for them.

15. Marketing: Can you help a business write a marketing plan? Or do you have ideas that you feel will help promote a business? If so, why not try your hand as a marketing consultant?

16. Payroll management: Everyone needs to get paid. By using your knowledge and expertise in payroll management, you can provide this service to many businesses, both large and small.

17. Public relations: Getting good press coverage for any organization is a real art. When an organization finds a good PR consultant, they hang on to them for life!

18. Publishing: If you're interested in the publishing field, then learn everything you can and you, too, can be a publishing consultant. A publishing consultant usually helps new ventures when they are ready to launch a new newspaper, magazine, newsletter--and even websites and electronic newsletters.

19. Taxes: With the right marketing and business plan (and a sincere interest in taxes), your career as a tax consultant can be very lucrative. A tax consultant advises businesses on the legal methods to pay the least amount of tax possible.

20. Writing services: Anything related to the written word will always be in demand. Find your specialty in the writing field, and the sky will be the limit!

For the complete article, visit:www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/startupkits/article41384.html