Guest Post: Andrea Wilson, CEO of DopeAzzHeels

If you didn't know, creativity, entrepreneurship, and rebelliousness runs in my family.  My sister, hence the same last name, designs footwear (samples of her work featured above).  She can take the simplest pair of heels or sneakers and add her magic to them.  Amazingly, she has built contacts and relationships with reality television stars from Bad Girls Club featured on the Oxygen network and various artists.  I asked her to inform my readers how she did it.  Enjoy!  Sis, take it away.

Before I started my own business I attended school full-time and I worked full-time. I remember sitting in class not being happy with where my life was headed and seeing that I have always had a love for fashion and art, I decided to start my own business. Traditionally, as a child you are taught after high school you go to college. Although I did not want to disappoint my parents, I knew I would be happy waking up the rest of my life with a fashion based career. Faith played a huge part in this decision. Society stresses to everyone you must have a college degree. I took the nontraditional route, instead of listening to society I took a leap of faith and God caught me. To everyone following their passions, I just stress to pray and never give up. At that moment you feel yourself giving up could be the moment you hit the big break you have always wanted. When chasing your dreams, you have to give it your all, 100 % dedication and surround yourself with positive people that will push you to the next level and eliminate those that don’t! 

How can people reach you for shoe orders?

My email where people can send custom shoe requests is Dopeazzheels@gmail.com.

Then I have a big cartel site that's under construction at

http//www.StilettoMonroe.bigcartel.com

Guest post: Building a Legacy, One CAMEO at a Time

To further encourage readers and supporters of this blog, I wanted to expose you to creative income generators and micro-business owners doing work they love.  Know that if you follow the creative job search process or the micro-business model, you too can be doing work you love.  With that said, I would like to introduce you to a friend of mines, and a former client of my writing consultancy business, Tymille Baker.  Tymille is an overall awesome person, beautiful mother of twins, a former teacher, and an entrepreneur.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  She runs an upscale event coordinating and marketing firm, Cameo Ventures, LLC.  She is super talented and dedicated to help others in their event planning and marketing needs.  Follow her on Twitter at @Cameoventures.

I was teaching high school math at my alma mater, Pebblebrook High School, when I decided to step out on Faith and pursue my dream of using my marketing degree and creative blood to build a legacy from my own event planning business.  I was halfway through my 4th year teaching there when a church family member (and the only black member of my school district's school board) lectured me about NOT using my "obvious God-given talent" and going after what I really want despite conventional wisdom.


As a spiritual person--and believer in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, once I realized it was nothing but fear that was keeping me in this "secure" position, I began to pray over it, cry over it, talk over it (with the right people), and listen for His guidance.  It was after a painful and obvious (metaphorical) slap in the face that I realized God had been trying to tell me I had stayed in my post past my season--that I really should not have returned that school year, but I did so despite several reservations.  So as torn as I was to leave my students mid-school year, I resigned with plenty of notice...then called my replacement and team teachers to check in on my students, created a Facebook page to keep in touch with them, and went back to visit just before their finals.  I missed them, they begged me to return; but I couldn't--I have a calling and purpose to walk boldly in, and that is what drives me each day to continue building my legacy to the glory and honor of God--who placed this path before MY feet.

I have several years of event planning experience, both voluntarily and corporately.  Prior to founding CAMEO Ventures, my biggest position/event--and the one that sparked my desire to keep doing events--was Player Coordinating the American Century Championship of 2005... NBC Sports' annual celebrity golf tournament.  Working with the likes of Mike Milthorpe, Dick Ebersol, Kevin Monaghan, Don Cheadle, Jerry Rice, and all those involved was a great joy and experience.  I learned a lot that I could couple with my marketing degree and natural creativity to mark the beginnings of a dream that is now CAMEO Ventures.  But soon after my position there, I became pregnant with twins--a high risk pregnancy that placed me on strict bed-rest and unemployment!  


After recovering and becoming a single mother of two, I bounced back by entering the education field.  I got my first teaching position with no experience and no certification (yet)--something that thing called conventional wisdom would not have advised possible.  But it was nothing but God's favor that lead me in that path as it does now with my purpose of planning events that all will love and none will forget.  So, I stand on God's promise and my dreams.  My faith, my children, my dreams, and our future are what motivate me each day to keep going...even when it gets very tough, and it does!

My advice to anyone wanting to go against the grain and build their own business is to do your research before during and after you originate your company.  Know why you are doing it, don't stray from that purpose despite nay-sayers or genuine difficulties--a movement without purpose will reach a point of permanent stand-still.  Surround yourself with those of not only "like mind", but those who are where you are trying to go!  Be careful who you speak of your dreams to: not everyone is built to handle and support an idea they can't fathom or are too scared to believe in.

Faith, consistency, & hard work

Besides the vulgarity, SpokenReasons is a very talented comedian and poet.  He injects a breath of societal commentary into each of his entertaining videos.  Within this video, he encourages his viewers to succeed through faith, consistency, and hard work.

• Faith
• As I stated in the article How I Know God Exists, you have to have faith if you expect to do anything significant or extraordinary in life.  Without the belief and confidence in something greater than we can visibly see, where does the resilience necessary to overcome continuous obstacles and life challenges come from?  It has to come from a belief in a higher power regardless of particular religion or culture.  By having faith in something bigger than yourself, you are teaching your mind, body, and soul to keep going no matter what this universe throws at us.  Some of the most successful people in the world are advocates of faith.  
• As evil and cold as this world can be sometimes, it amazes me that people are so cocky and self-assured that they think and assume they are solely responsible for their success.  In order for this world to even exist, there were sacrifices.  For any accomplishment you gain in life, someone besides yourself had to sacrifice.  Whether it was a teacher giving you valuable information to learn a concept or skill or the federal government providing your with finances to attend college, someone made a sacrifice.  People do not make sacrifices without the existence of a God.  
• Consistency
• By never giving up, working hard, and staying steadfast towards your goals, you will accomplish your established goals and the doors of opportunity will open for you.  A big part of consistency is to embrace your fears.  Whether it's poverty, fear of failure, fear of lacking the right degree or skills, you have to run towards your weaknesses and fears with the confidence that God is with you always (faith) and that you can make it through anything (resilience). To never be complacent is essential to holistic success.  

How much does it take to get you to stop doing work you HATE?

Recently I was watching Arthur with my family on HBO.  The synopsis of the story is about a very wealthy man who never fully matured into a competent working adult or business guru.  His family's business is worth billions and he has an inheritance of $950 million.  I commented to my wife that I would not need that much $ to permanently change our lives or our family's wealth for generations.  My magic number...  $9.5 million, exactly ten percent of Arthur's inheritance.  

"I would still work. I would not spend most of it.  We could live off the interest. What would you do?"  I asked Princess.

"I would do work that I love."  she calmly replied.

Boom.  That is it.  Is the only thing that is keeping you away from doing work you love $9.5 million dollars?  Is it more $?  Is it less?  What's your magic number?  What will it take for you to step away from that dreadful job of yours that pays you barely enough to live on every two weeks?  

Why you are better suited as an employee

The majority of content contained on this website is about entrepreneurship, self-employment, multiple streams of income, and related material.  However, not everyone is suited or comfortable with doing things on their own.  That's okay.  There is no right or wrong answer.  You have the option to follow your dreams and passions through the creative job search process if you take it seriously.  This particular article will focus on reasons why you should work for someone instead of venturing out on your own.

The art of a micro-business (your way to prosperity)

To dispel any preconceived notions, a micro-business is a legitimate business.  As stated in The $100 Startup (a great book I suggest everyone read), “Instead of hiring employees, you begin a project by yourself, based on your specific personal combination of passion and skill.”  A micro-business allows you to follow your passion to success.  By building a business focused on your skills, your passions, and your values, you can create your own niche in business by providing a valued service or product to consumers for purchase.  

Wait!  What’s wrong with traditional work?

• It’s easy to get fired.  This is 100 percent of your income.  Thus, putting you and your family in a very uncomfortable predicament.  

• It’s boring.  Many jobs today are based on their business needs and not your needs, passions, or goals.  A majority of supervisors and managers do not know their associates on an individual basis.  They could not tell you your undergraduate major, if you have a master’s degree, the name of your child, or if you are even married.  Meanwhile, typical office jobs only allow you to communicate through customer service interaction, nothing creative.  By not doing work you enjoy doing, you are simply wasting time.

• The hours are too long.  It does not take 40-hours per week to do a majority of tasks.  Over the past six months, I have encountered at least four jobs that wanted me to work at least 55 hours per week.  Excuse me Jesus Christ, but hell no.  Long hours leads to a boring, predictable, mundane life.  We want fun, flexibility, family time, quality time with the significant other, time to go to the movies, time to exercise, time to relax, time to shop, time to pray, and more.  We need time to live not time to work.

We can all be Limitless like Edward Morra

"I wasn't high. I wasn't wired. Just clear. I knew what I needed to do and how to do it."

Limitless featuring Bradley Cooper of The Hangover fame is one of my favorite movies. Why? It inspires me. I can relate to it even though I do not have a magical tablet, NZT, to allow me to learn a new language in 48 hours, turn $12,000 to $2.5 million dollars at a day brokerage firm or write a complex sci-fiction novel.  

We all start out as losers

Well not exactly, but you can relate to how Edward Morra, a down-on-his-luck writer with a serious case of writer's block, divorced, and without his long-time girlfriend.  The guy lives in a small, messy apartment, needs a haircut immediately, and lacks drive. Lesson learned: We all go through difficult periods in life.  But, regardless of your current job or income, recognize that what's happening now in your life is temporary. Greatness is around the corner. Just as we are ready to give up, that is when our moment of success is coming; you have to be patient.  

We all find our calling someday

With the usage of NZT, Morra begins working out, gets a makeover, and starts networking with movers and shakers in the city. His newfound confidence is based on his self-efficacy. He knows he is very intelligent and not afraid to step out of his comfort zone. While hanging out with friends overseas, he races a friend's Maserati alongside a beautiful bombshell. Then, he jumps over a cliff into water. As he arises from his dive, he finds himself in the zone where God speaks to him. He realizes that his purpose on Earth is bigger than being a writer. He decides that he has the mental capability and learning ability to make profit in a down market. Thus, while everyone is struggling in the economy, he distinguishes himself with his profitability. That makes him remarkable. Lesson learned: Regardless of your job, income, or social network, live a lot, be uncomfortable, travel, and do something different. Exercise. Try a new resume.  Visit a new city. Read a book for a different genre. Talk to strangers. During those times of leisure, you may find that calling from God or that billion dollar idea. Creativity sparks during times of fun, family, and laughter. Look for opportunities to separate yourself from the everyone else. Make yourself remarkable and be able to promote your uniqueness.  

The creative job search does work

In a half-drunken state of somber (no I do not drink*), I awoke from a previous night's hard work and mild headache to this delightful gem in my GMail account.  If you have been following my blog, you know I preach the good word(s) and wisdom of Christian-based author, speaker, and career/business coach Dan Miller of Brentwood, Tennessee.  Using his two currently published novels 48 Days to Work You Love and No More Mondays, Dan advocates for a creative job search in the current job and economic market.  


Regardless of the state of the economy, this process is an authentic process of knowing yourself and finding or creating work that you will love.  Thus, I argue that this process should be used by anyone from now until the day you actually perish from this Earth.  Most importantly, research reveals that only 12-13 % of all open jobs and career opportunities are advertised.  Thus, job seekers using the popular job search engines online and traditional print advertisements for opportunities are seriously behind finding or creating work he or she may love.  This mean that roughly 88% of jobs available are secured within the hidden job market. This email (pictured above) from the Director of Customer Relations for Varsity Spirit Fashion located in Memphis, Tennessee is the result of a creative job search.  I will explain to you exactly what I did, but first I will briefly list the steps of the creative job search process.