#WorkandPlay Blog Collab.

(photo credit Kristine Davidson)

I am so excited to announce that next month Tia (of I am Tia) and I, will be doing a summer series blog collab! Because Tia's blog features all things internships/personal branding, she'll be taking over All She Wrote on Tuesdays and will give tips on how to end your summer internship with a bang. On Thursdays, I'll discuss all the fun things you should get into this summer!
 
We would love for you guys to follow the series by using the hashtag #workandplay! Tweet Tia at @tiatamjam and me at @breajallen and tell us what your plans are this summer!

Check out Tia's blog and get ready for a month of great summer related content :)   

 

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Mini Feature Friday: Danielle and Carly of theSkimm.

Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin are the masterminds behind one of the greatest newsletters I've ever received in my inbox, theSkimm. The daily e-mail newsletter includes current event news, but with an exciting millennial twist.  

In just two years the ladies have grown their subscriptions from a few hundred to more than 100k! I had the opportunity to ask the founders a couple of questions about theSkimm. Check them out below!

• Brea: How did you decide on the name, theSkimm, for your company? 

Danielle & Carly : theSkimm is meant for busy people, on the go. They need information to start their morning, while going about their own routines. Our company's name is meant to reflect that lifestyle.  

• Brea: As an entrepreneur, what has been the biggest lesson you've learned thus far?

Danielle & Carly: The biggest lesson we've learned so far is to trust your instinct. It's very helpful to talk to people and get a feel for their experiences and challenges, but at the end of the day you'll be making the decisions for your business -- and you need to follow what you think is best. 

I'm sure you don't want to be left out of convos around the water cooler, so subscribe to theSkimm today!

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Feature Friday: Anna Taylor of Pink & Black Magazine.

Anna Taylor is not your typical 23-year-old. The college grad is the editor-in-chief and founder of online magazine Pink & Black. Focused on inspiring 20-something women to grow and become better versions of themselves in all aspects of life, P&B is sure to become your new favorite site (if it isn't already). 

In this interview, Anna discusses her proudest moment involving P&B, the inspiration behind choosing the name, and when you can expect new content on their site!

• Brea: You started Pink & Black while in college, what was that process like?

Anna: I really think that was the best time I could have ever started it because college is such a motivating time. Everyone is very career driven and energized and creative--and I was too! There was a specific type of career experience I was searching for when I started college and Pink & Black ultimately gave me that sense of fulfillment. When I started Pink & Black, I really didn’t have any expectations for it to become what it is today but I put a lot of hours between and after classes, after work at my campus newspaper and between anything else I had going on into it. I’ll even admit that there were many days when I used Pink & Black to procrastinate instead of studying or finishing homework, especially near the end of college because I kept developing new features and grew a bigger presence on social media. I’m proud of all the work I did on it but I really should have gotten out more.

• B: What inspired you to choose the name of your magazine?

A: There really isn’t much of a story behind the name, sadly. I had an untitled project that I really wanted to start and while working on it one day, I had my iTunes library on shuffle. A song called “Pink and Black” started playing and for some reason, it stood out to me. Since then, the brand has sort-of been built around the name. I wouldn’t advise anyone to name a project or business like that though because it doesn’t always work. P&B is still coming around but let’s be honest, pink is the best color to design anything with because it’s so feminine and fun.

• B: There are plenty of 20-something online magazines these days, how does P&B Mag stand out from the rest?

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Social Media Engagement Tips for New Entrepreneurs.

Social media can be hard to navigate when you’re a new entrepreneur. There are a lot of platforms, and they all function differently. How do you know which one to pick, how often to interact, and which platforms to stay off of? 

As a copywriter, I’m really diligent and purposeful about what I choose to put on social media. My Twitter feed is basically a huge billboard for my business, so I keep that in mind when posting. It’s important to share personality, but also to remain professional on social media.

Here are my top three tips for social media engagement for new entrepreneurs:

1. Pick three media platforms and stick with them. My top three are Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Commit to doing three, instead of 30, and you’ll get better results. You’re more able to focus efforts on fewer sources, which will keep you from getting burned out. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be on all the media platforms, all the time. 

 2. Curate, Automate, Review. Rinse and Repeat. Curate your content, and then use an

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#MusicMonday- Sam Smith.

Due to keeping up with current events for my internship, I've been a frequent visitor to a ton of blogs lately. (I'd visit these blogs anyway, but I digress.) I noticed an artist, Sam Smith, being promoted on the sidebar of many of them. It wasn't until Saturday that I finally decided to give him a listen, and I'm so happy that I did.

This past weekend Mr. Smith stopped by SiriusXM Hits1 in New York and covered Whitney Houston's classic song, 'How Will I Know'. The 21-year old singer told Rolling Stone that it's
"A Whitney Houston song that makes me happy-- it's a feel-good song".

What I loved most is that Sam did an ACTUAL cover of the song and not just a "Sam Smith version" and called it a cover (like people do on Youtube *side eye*). Anyway, Sam slowed down the upbeat song and somehow also managed to get my friend in her feelings!  Like many English artists, he has such an incredibly soulful voice! Check out Sam's cover below.

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Feature Friday: Nadine Marcelin of RICHES, Inc.

Nadine Marcelin, an Atlanta based twenty-something, realized that many young people weren’t aware of the basic fundamentals of credit and decided that she should change that. Enter non-profit RICHES, Inc. Through RICHES, which stands for Responsibilities In Credit Harnesses Economic Success, Marcelin hopes to create a credit conscious community by financially empowering young black adults through the education and promotion of credit management, frugal living, and generosity.

In this interview she discusses how she got her first credit card, how she balances work life while preparing for her non-profit and shares her thoughts on failing.

• Brea: When did you notice there should be an organization like RICHES available?

Nadine: After college, I was fortunate enough to work for a financial company where I encountered people with credit issues. I met a lot of black young adults who lacked knowledge on building and maintaining credit. It opened my eyes to the amount of black families who do not understand how to attain good credit and who even sometimes fear it. (Yes, there are people who fear credit!) During my experience and research, I realized how credit issues, identity fraud, and the apprehension of owning bank accounts are major issues in the black community and plays a part in the racial wealth gap. 

Our lack of knowledge on not only credit management, but also financially literacy, puts the black community at a disadvantage. And because we are living in a time where it is harder to obtain credit than it has been since its creation, I grew a desire to break a cycle by educating black young adults on building and managing credit through the nonprofit I founded called RICHES.

• B: Why do you think young adults aren't aware of the basic fundamentals of building and maintaining credit? 

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6 Ways to Work Smarter.

It has been 5 months since I chucked the deuces and it has been an enriching experience. The first three months, I was running around the city, working really hard until I’d eventually burn out for about two days. I was working harder for sure, but not smarter. And this happens to many entrepreneurs starting out. I recently sat back and really made some adjustments to work smarter. Here are some ways you can too:

Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. When I only focused on styling, I realized I was ignoring all of the other talents & experience I gained not only on set but also at my full time job. You too may be ignoring your expertise and more importantly various streams of income! Instead of banking on one thing to bring in the bacon, develop several streams of income that you can manage. 

Set work hours. There’s the popular phrase “You don’t grind, you don’t shine.” But if you don’t

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#MusicMonday- Jazmine Sullivan.

It has been 3 long years, but songtress Jazmine Sullivan is back!! 

I can still remember feeling crushed by her tweets in 2011. (In case you missed them, I added the tweets below. Read from the bottom up):



I'm super glad that's over now and that one of my fav's is back just in time for the summer! 

The Queen of the Relationship Anthems has returned with a new song called "Dumb" that features a verse from rapper Meek Mill. On the track she sings about a triflin man boy* who's been playing games with her and cheating. As Sweet Brown so eloquently put it, "Ain't nobody got time for that"!  

In an interview with Billboard the 27-year-old confirmed that she's finished with her third album, Reality Show, and I hope it drops later this year!

If you're wondering why the internets aren't going nuts about Sullivan's return, it's probably because the week the track was released, Solange went HAM on Jay-Z and the media made it seem like there was no other news to report. (WOMP!)  

Check out her first single from Reality Show below!

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To My Dad on Father's Day.

I usually don't post about my family or other personal things,besides this post grad life I'm living, but I just thought I'd leave this here.

The text below was written on June 19, 2011 (Father's Day) on my Tumblr page...

The past couple of years have NOT been easy. I sit and think about how much of a brat I was to you. You gave me tough love and TLC even when I didn’t want it from you. I hurt your feelings many times, tried shutting you away from me for no reason, and yet you continued to be there for me anyway.

Sure you whooped me even when I was in high school, took my door off the hinges, threw a paper towel roll at me and wished you had something harder to throw (lol) but every day you would remind me how much you loved me and would miss me when I went off to college. You even asked if we could do daddy/daughter stuff before I left, but of course, I was so wrapped up in wanting to leave the house that I didn’t want to do anything with you or mommy. 

The month before my 18th birthday we didn’t speak (for who knows what reason), and you still picked me up from school even though I could’ve walked; and gave me lunch money when I could’ve packed a lunch or ate nothing…

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Feature Friday: Ginelle Lago of GMN Artistic.

Ginelle Lago is the entrepreneur behind GMN Artistic located in Florida. When she's not being a wife and a mother to adorable daughter, Riley, you can find her being the creative genius at her boutique agency. Last year, she opened up a photo studio (as a storefront) in a commercial plaza in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Ginelle says, "I took this great leap of faith after a lot of prayers and time spent talking with God about my life and its purpose". 

In this interview, Ginelle discusses what inspires her, her goals for 2014 and she also gives some advice to those thinking about entrepreneurship!

• Brea: You worked in the Sales and Marketing department at NBC 6 South Florida. What was the most important thing you learned in that position?

Ginelle: The most important thing I learned about working in the Sales and Marketing department at NBC 6 South Florida was to develop strong and positive relationships with your colleagues, clients, vendors and to sell creatively! I was surrounded by a diverse group of professionals and truly great business-minded talent.

• B: With an undergraduate degree in TV Management and Business Administration, when did you realize your passion was in photography and film?

(Magazine cover shot by Lago)

G: I've always had a passion for business AND the arts. I decided to start with the business side until I polished my creative arts.  In every position I've held, I've been able to utilize my business and creative skills. I think it's an asset to obtain both. My undergraduate degree from Florida International University was primarily on the business side while my Master of Fine Arts (Film) from Ai Miami International University of Art & Design was obviously creative training. Both of my degrees, along with hands-on work experience, have served me well as the owner and lead artist at GMN Artistic. I really enjoy developing and producing creative projects for my clients, but I would never get to that point without sales (business).

• B: What was the process like starting your own boutique creative agency, GMN Artistic, Inc.?

G: I started my boutique creative agency, GMN Artistic, in 2002 right before graduating with my undergraduate degree. My mother encouraged me to open my own business and she and my aunt helped me through the process of incorporating. My mother told me to pray about what I wanted the business to become and it would develop in His time. It took quite some time to get it going but, she was right.

•  B: What does a typical day look like for you?

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6 Emotions Every Entrepreneur Will Experience.

I often say that my life is like a roller coaster of emotions. And I think I have my journey as a small business owner to thank for that. Some days I'll wake up and feel so excited and ready to take over the world and then the next day I may be a total bucket of tears and not want to get out of bed. But it comes with the territory of being an entrepreneur and TRUST ME it is all worth it! Here are a few emotions you will probably experience through your entrepreneurial journey!

JOY!
You are doing what you love and profiting off of it! These little moments are what will remind you that even though this journey may be hard, it is all so worth it! Make sure you write these moments down to reflect on when times get rough.

Sadness.
These are the days where it will be hard to get out of bed because  something in your business isn't going as planned. Don't let those moments be the deciding factor on if you should keep going or not. I promise it won't last forever!

Fear.
Whenever you are doing something out of your comfort zone you will experience fear. Remember that fear is just an emotion and it can't hurt you. Let that fear fuel you to get up and press towards your dreams!

Confident.

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#MusicMonday- Mya.

Just last week I was talking to a few people about how great music was in the 90's/00's and wondering what one of my fav singers, Mya, has been up to. I swear it's like as soon I spoke about her, she graced us with her presence via Youtube!

Mya is celebrating 16 years in the game and, as part of a 'Sole Sessions' series on ThatGrapeJuice.net, she sang acoustic versions of some of her 90's jams ("Moving On" and "Best of Me") and even a new track, "Super Woman". The new song comes from her recent and appropriately titled EP, Sweet XVI.

The singer also sat down for an interview saying, "I feel like I'lm just starting. I have so much that I want to bring to this next phase of my life." I hope the "net phase" includes a new album *insert emoji eyes* and I also hope it includes more acoustic songs, because I love this sound!

I wasn't quite sure which video to include to this post so I added two. Check out the greatness that is Mya below!

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Be Your Own Boss.

 
This month, All She Wrote will focus on entrepreneurship! It seems, to me at least, that Millennials are all about creating a way when there isn't one (and that is something that I love about us)! 

So get ready for a month full of features and blog posts from some pretty awesome entrepreneurs!

(photo credit: Wordpress.com)

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#MusicMonday- Ariana Grande.

This past weekend Miss Ariana Grande released a visual for her new song, "Problem". The song features a verse from our favorite Australian bombshell, Iggy Iggs and interestingly enough, some added whispers from rapper Big Sean. According to E! Online, "Problem" (which was released back in April) was already sitting at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 this weekend, so why not drop the visual too?

In the video the Sam and Cat star gives us 1960's realness with her dance moves, white boots, and big hair via Iggy. Grande even spins on a  circular platform all while effortlessly telling her ex boo she's got one less problem without him. 

While I'm still trying to figure out why Big Sean is whispering on the track, you can check it out below.

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