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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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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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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Feature Friday: Alisha Nicole.

• Brea: Tell me about yourself

Alisha: I’m Alisha, 25 year old lifestyle blogger and small business owner currently living in North Carolina. When I’m not working you can find me getting my reality TV fix, stalking social media or playing with my pups.

• B: What do you like most about PR?

A: What I love most about PR is being able to see the growth of brands and knowing that I had some part in making that happen! As a small business owner I know how great it feels to see your product show up on one of your favorite sites. I also love that PR because it requires me to use my other passions as well like writing and using social media.

• B: As a fellow PR grad, what advice do you have for those who are graduating this spring?

A: I would definitely tell you to keep networking your butt off and building relationships even after you graduate. Also don’t get down if you haven’t landed your dream position yet, try things like doing some freelance work and/or blogging to stay in the PR loop.

• B: If you could go back to undergrad, what would you do differently?

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