Creating a Strategy to Win in 2017

As we wake up in this New Year, I wake up with purpose.  What I mean by this is that I know that we are all here for a reason. I personally know that as the CEO of Selsi Enterprises that I am called to help female entrepreneurs grow their businesses exponentially this year.  My business goals all center around this mission. I also know that I need to lend my voice to the platform of education in two ways. ONE, we need to rectify this school to prison pipeline immediately and TWO we need to revamp the outdated system that we have in the US starting TODAY. These are all big initiatives, but that does not mean that I need to ignore my calling.

Several of my clients have been thinking about what they want to accomplish in 2017.  We have been talking a lot about the power of DOING and not staying stuck in trying to reach PERFECTION. I am guilty of this myself. I will go in to a place where nothing gets done because I am waiting on it to be perfect. Fortunately, we are living through a time where DOING trumps PERFECTION.

So, in 2017 I challenge you to DO SOMETHING! Even if you do not know what your calling is, DO SOMETHING that you think may be your calling and you will be surprised at how PURPOSE shows itself. You are doing yourself an injustice if you do not live out your full potential.

We are on DAY ONE of a NEW YEAR. Here is our advice for success in 2017:

  1. Let go of 2016 and the things that may not have gone right. Focus on what it is you need to change going forward.
  2. Surround yourself with people that can lift you up. These people should be able to help you with the areas of your business that you are not strong in at the moment. Not that you will be looking for them to do it, but that you may need someone to ask for advice.
  3. Study success! Do not take advice from people that think that they know what to do about a situation. Take the advice from someone who has been through it or someone who may have been close to a similar situation. It is also good to recognize that successful people have a lot of the same habits.  Determine how you can apply those habits to your business.
  4. It sounds cliché, but follow your passion! Your passion will drive you and allow you to keep moving forward when the journey gets difficult.
  5. Hire a great publicist! (We just had to add it in.)

The BET Award Show was LIT!

From the moment the 2016 BET Awards show opened with Beyonce to the after party where DJ Khaled released his new video, this awards show will be remembered as one of the best productions that BET has produced in many years. Even with all of the fun that was being had during the entire awards show experience, the bottom line is that this show was about business and each of the artists and actors that were on the show used the global platform to promote the projects that they had coming next.

We will explore The BET Award show from the business aspect.

The PreShow

Typically, you see newer acts perform during the preshow.  Acts that perform here are trying to break from being considered a newbie. So, although you have an act signed by Puff Daddy, they still have to work their way on to the main show. Diddy understands promotion and marketing on a level that many have been educated in marketing still do not get to this day. His act performed, he made an appearance in the audience, and he shared it out in social media.

The lesson for entrepreneurs here is not to be afraid to use a testing ground before you hit a ‘MAIN’ stage.  This will allow you to do some preliminary research before you release to the masses. But, when you do testing like this, its best to bring your A Game.  Testing out your B Game is a complete waste of time.

The Opening

 

Beyonce has not graced a BET Awards Show stage in many years, but this year she used her presence to the fullest. Sisters Chole and Halle Bailey, one of the first signees to Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment, were able to have a prime time for performing during the show.

The lesson here for your business is to always think about how you can negotiate to the benefit of your business. BET is going to benefit heavily for at least the rest of the year from Beyonce’s performance. So, in return, she has the right to also gain a little extra for her time to prepare and perform on the show. The searches that their website will get, the buzz that is created because of her performance, the boost to the BET brand is all things that Beyonce can bring to the table and deliver on.

What you have to do is to understand what you are bringing to the table to use as leverage as you negotiate for your business?

The After Show

DJ Khaled, who has a highly engaged Snapchat following, was allowed to perform at the PreShow and also promote the fact that he was releasing his new video that features JayZ and Future. What you have to remember is that DJ Khaled is a DJ, not a rapper, but he has a HUGE rap album with a mega collaboration being released.

There is a lot of business behind this act from numerous directions. The first element is that DJ Khaled can now be considered an influencer on Snapchat. The idea that he will be promoting the BET Awards show and the release of his new album on his Snapchat channel is a WIN for BET.

Secondly, DJ Khaled is touring with Beyonce on the Formation World Tour. JayZ looked at this as an AWESOME way to THANK DJ Khaled for stopping what he was doing to tour with his wife.  But, it really was a WIN-WIN-WIN for all involved.

Think about ways that you can collaborate with other business owners that can make for a mutually beneficial situation where everyone wins.  These collaborations have benefits that go beyond that of the actual act.

 

Perspectives: Women, Confidence, & Success

You might look at these 3 words and say where is she going with this article OR … you may look at these words and say that you know exactly how intertwined these words can be for women.

Question: Do you know how to exude confidence?

Over the past week, I have attended a number of women’s conferences and leadership events. And as you may expect, there are several common themes that I can pull out as jewels for women business owners.

First and foremost, as women we must learn how to boost our own confidence. In order to have a higher level of success, it is critical to take risk, raise your hand to be heard, and take on leadership roles. One thing that many of the keynote speakers noted was that you typically do not see men afraid to voice their opinions. It’s almost equivalent to Michael Jordan being scared to take shots. If MJ was scared to fail at taking some of the shots he did, he possibly would not have won all of the championship rings.

Growing up, many of us were taught that our looks do not matter…that what matters is on the inside. Unfortunately, we are in a society that makes its impression based off of how you look. I am not talking about perceived beauty, I am referencing the idea that you should do the best you can with what you have to present yourself appropriately for the role you seek. If you are seeking to work in the ‘corner office,’ than you need to ensure that you present yourself in a manner that those making that decision can visualize you in that role. Being well groomed can be done at any price point with a little effort. When you look good, you feel good!

Define what success means for you! When you take a look at women that have obtained an extraordinary level of success, you see a confidence that they have developed over their journey that can not be shaken. They walk with confidence, they dress with confidence, and the speak with confidence. They have also mapped out what success looks like to them. They have an end goal in mind and a plan to get to it. The major key here is that these women do not allow anyone to shake them away from their end goal.

Self doubt can be crippling! It can actually keep you from releasing your gift to the world. As women, we benefit from hearing the journey of other women. Be mindful of your circle friends. Ensure that these friends are the ones that will lift you up and constructively criticize you when necessary. Also, take the time to invest in yourself. Have you ever taken note of how you feel when you leave a conference and a dynamic woman speaker has just left the stage. There are times in your journey when you need to be around this additional knowledge so that you can grow to your next level. 

In all actuality, that same feeling that you get from attending an awesome conference is one that you can give to other women by sharing your story and living in your purpose. You simply have to have the confidence to do it!

Spot The Story

As an advocate of your brand (be it corporate, entrepreneurial, or personal) you have to be able to spot stories that are around you. This skill may not come naturally, but you can train yourself to do it.

First understand that something in your average day may not be so average to someone else. Your shopping mall may look interesting to someone else in a different part of the world, your meal preparation techniques may be different then someone in your own neighborhood, someone may have no idea how you do what you do in your business. Each of these activities are stories that go behind the curtain (so to speak).

Spotting even the most basic story may lead to a viral push for your brand or message. Consumers are now more drawn to the story of people than a logo. Once the authentic nature of your brands story is told, then you will begin to attract an audience to you that remains loyal to your brand.
Everyone has a story….

So often we hear the complaint that I don’t have anything to share. My answer to that complaint is simply, “YES, everyone has a story and many of us tend to pass by all of the stories that are right at your fingertips.” Start with sharing your journey. How did you get to the point that you are at today. Better yet, WHY are you at the point that you are at today? When you share your WHY, you will be surprised how the right people gravitate towards you.

The obstacles that you faced and the lessons that you learned from those obstacles are all great sources for content. This is content that may find someone stuck in their journey and really help them through a tough spot.

Also, consider sharing the real benefit from what your product or service will offer along with what problem it actually solves. This will require true authenticity on why someone would need to purchase your product or service if you can clearly state what “problem” you are solving.

Additional ideas on creating content around your brand….

1. Look at sharing your milestones (i.e., your business anniversary, your birthday, a move to a new building)

2. Check the trending list on Facebook and Twitter. These list can give you an idea of what the “majority” of people are interested in. Figure out ways that you can tie in your story to stories that already have a bit of virality.

3. Share info about the people in your organization. This is a win all the way around. People love recognition and the people outside of your organization will love to learn who makes your organization tick.

Entrepreneurs Think Tank Launches on Periscope

Entrepreneurs Think Tank BannerPeriscope has presented many benefits to those that take advantage of the power of live streaming. From humanitarian work to increasing profits, we now have the ability to take our efforts globally. Recently, the team at Selsi Enterprises was discussing how great it would be to bring entrepreneurs together on a regular basis to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of entrepreneurship.

We presented the idea to Parachute TV on Periscope and a few months later, we got the green light to bring the show to life.  Our first show went great and the numbers were great for our first time on their channel. We had a quiet audience in the background, but hope to bring our audiences in to the discussion. The mission of the show is for entrepreneurs to help other entrepreneurs reach their full potential.

We did a lot to prepare for the show from checking the lighting to prepping the guest. We also did a little prepromotion for the show. Prepromotion is one of this most important task to do when launching an effort like this one.  Your followers may not realize what you have planned and may miss being there for the live broadcast.

I am not going to spoil the content that you are going to see in the video, but feel free to comment about additional information that you would have asked our guest. These seasoned entrepreneurs are open to sharing all that they have learned along the way.

Thank you to our friends at Sis and Moon’s for letting us come in to their space.  Follow Sis an Moon’s on all social media platforms from their website www.sisandmoons.com.

Are you in?

Yes, that is the question of the day! Are you in?

We have issued a challenge to all of you that are brave enough to take it! We want you to Scope EVERYDAY! Yes, EVERYDAY.

The reason for this challenge is because the number one question that we are receiving at our agency is….’How can I grow the following for my brand?’ The answer. There is not magic bullet to grow your following, but Scoping can help speed the process. Well, if you put out GREAT content, consistently.

Here are the rules of the challenge:

1. Use the #SED16 in your title
2. Sign up for a Katch account at www.katch.me
3. Sign up for our eNewsletter by clicking here.
4. Scope EVERYDAY. There is not time limit on your scopes. The idea is simply to hi the Start Broadcast button.

Winners will be chosen randomly by the team at Selsi Enterprises as prizes are available.

Have fun!

Are you Live Streaming in Atlanta?

Live streaming platforms are all the rage at the moment. In Atlanta, we know that there are a lot of you that are live steaming some great content. It is our hope that we can pull our live streaming community together. By coming together, we can help each other grow in our streaming capabilities and support each others streams. You never know, you may find someone that may make a great business partner on an upcoming project.

If you are streaming in Atlanta, be sure to sign up for our eNewsletter, PR World. Also, jump over to Facebook and join our group titled Atlanta Live Streamers. Here, you will be able to keep up with the latest information on upcoming meetups and live streaming news.

Spread the word!

The Success of World Anti Troll Day

Anti Troll Day RecapWorld Anti Troll Day came together from an idea that Zsuzsanna Szkiba (Susie) had and brought to life with the help of her community, The BoPoTribe.  From the moment she mentioned it, the BoPoTribe Ambassadors were ready to help out. This team effort came to life in a matter of weeks via Periscope, Google Hangouts, Face Time, a lot of text messages, Dropbox, and Google Drive.  This was truly a virtual team working together at its finest.

If you are not familiar with World Anti Troll Day, here is a brief synopsis for the reason for the day.  

Since Periscope’s beginnings, people have come on to others Scopes and made comments like ‘Open Boobs’ and ‘Sex’ just to name a few. These ideas are not only inappropriate, but they keep people from wanting to share their message on social media. These individuals that come on to someone’s Scopes and say terrible comments are called Trolls.  Trolls like to stay hidden in the shadows and try to discourage others from their greatness. But, on World Anti Troll Day, we have decided to silence the Trolls.

Read more about all that went on throughout World Anti Troll Day by clicking here.

#WATD was an Amazing Day

There were so many positive messages shared around body positivity and anti bullying. People shared their stories for 24 hours on Periscope, Blab, and several other platforms. I loved the fact that you could log in and see several scopes going at a time with the #WATD in the title. The community stepped up and I truly feel that a small dent was made to raise awareness about body shaming and cyber bullying.  I also feel that the best is yet to come.  Many stated in their scopes that this was only the beginning.  I think what the BoPoTribe has successfuly done is to awaken people around a topic that needed this new found attention.  The organization is sure to change the world!

Lesson’s learned from #WATD

  1. One person can have an idea that will change the world.
  2. You never know how many more people are out there that will help you bring your dreams to reality.
  3. Your words are powerful, select them wisely.
  4. All bodies are good bodies!

Next steps

If you are not connected to the BoPoTribe, look for our group on all social platforms.  You will be able to stay in the loop on what we are working on next to fight against body shaming and cyber bullying.

My scope

http://katch.me/embed/v/fad8f4d2-d7fa-3c9e-8c28-0ffd65ff30ac?sync=1

Periscope Summit Recap

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New York Scope Week (AKA Periscope Summit) was one of the best “conferences” that I have attended in a long time. For a first time event, this by far exceeded my expectations. Here are my top take-a-ways from the event:

  1. Community – The supportive nature of the Periscope community is almost hard to believe. Everyone was exchanging contact information and business tips every day of the event. The authentic networking at this event is probably the top reason to attend in person. This is more than just exchanging a business card.
  2. Location – MIST Harlem turned out to be an AWESOME location. The stadium style seating was great and made it easy for everyone to see the presenters. New York City, although an expensive city to travel to, is full of a variety of activities to do outside of the conference. That was great for those of us that had family with us on the trip. Having a conference in a city with great public transportation is also a WIN.
  3. Presenters and Panelist – Everyone that spoke provided gems of information that we could all take back and apply to our business immediately.  Take the time to go to each of the speakers Katch.me sites to see if they saved their presentations. For the speakers that did, it will be well worth the time to watch the presentations in their entirety.
  4. Attending the next Periscope Summit is a must – If you were like me at the Summit, it was difficult to get to speak with all of the people you may have wanted to speak with that were in attendance. The beauty of attending in person is that you could pick up with conversations right off the bat that you may have started on Periscope.  Many people made connections that they will be able to call on if they visit that persons city.  The presenters were also very approachable and stayed around for the entire conference. I can’t imagine how AWESOME the next conference will be as more people are taking about attending.

If you attended the conference, please put your thoughts in the comments below. Many people have asked me why you should attend in person if you can see everything on Scope.  The answer is simple…..the in real life connections are invaluable.  They are worth way more then the price of the ticket. This is a conference that you want to attend in person!

5 Mompreneur Tips as You Prepare for School to Start Back

Mother With Baby Working In Office At Home

Mompreneur taking care of business and baby!

It’s that time of year for many of us in the US. The time of year to get the kiddos prepare for back to school. As Mompreneurs, it changes our routine completely. We are going from the lazy days of summer to the hustle and bustle of after school activities, making lunches, and last minute projects.

Here are a few tips to get ahead of the curve:

1. Load your calendar now – Many schools have already sent out their calendar for the year that includes days off, holidays, and other special days to remember.  If you have kids at multiple schools like I do, this task may take a little while.  But trust me, you will be glad that you took the time now as oppose to waiting until later on when school starts.

2. Load your contacts now – If you have contacts related to your kids school(s), load them in to your contact list now. From the main school number to the nurse line, it will be helpful to have all of this up-to-date in your address book. Also, I like to keep the email addresses of the principals and counselors in my address book too.

3. Stock up on school supplies now –  This time of year is the cheapest that school supplies will be. Stock up and figure out a way to keep them organized. Target has a really cool plastic shelving system that I am thinking about getting this year. I hate buying the supplies and not being able to find them in a few months.

4. Include your kids in your business if you can – This is not always easy to do (depending on the age of your kids), but they will love it.  My kids enjoy video editing and social media. These are areas that I can teach them how to help out. This is also a way that they can earn a little extra money.

5. PrePlan your meals – Get in the habit of planning your meals ahead of time. This is something that I do not do yet, but I plan on doing it. I find that I spend a lot of extra time thinking about new meals that I can prepare that are healthy and that I have all of the ingredients for in my pantry. So, if I plan well on Sunday, it is something that I will not have to worry about the rest of the week.

I am sure that there are several more tips that can be added to this list. Share your thoughts in the comments below.