Listen Up Ladies (Best Advice For Female Entrepreneurs)

Last week WomenCentric.net posed a question via Twitter---"Women in business, what is your best advice?" 

Initially I wanted to reply right away with an answer like "work-life balance" or "setting a consistent weekly schedule to ensure structure and organization." And while those answers are credible, the more I thought about it, the more my tip for women business owners became crystal clear. Support, support, support one another and celebrate every success, no matter how big or small.

Support, BOTH ourselves and fellow shero entrepreneurs.

Out of all the available advice, why chose this as my answer? The justification is simple. There is no need to compete with one another nor crucify ourselves when the fruits of our business labor may take longer to grow than we had hoped. When we see those around us experiencing grand success, we need to stop running on the hamster wheel and take a moment to recognize their accomplishments and our own success as well.

It's a great time for women in business! Many of us are launching companies alongside our friends or mentors. Some women experience magnetic client or media attraction and profitability right out of the gate while others really earn their sweat equity and ROP (return on patience). Not everyone has the same resources or target market, klout or connections. So the next time you read about a rockstar female entrepreneur, don't start the "I'm never going to get there, maybe I should just give up" or "Good for Jane but I see how long that's going to last. There's going to be a bottleneck in her ability to scale." Instead, send some support, good vibes and thoughts of appreciation with regard to all that you can learn from a trailblazer. Then, pat yourself on the back for your hard work and increase your deposits of patience.

Personally, I received the best reinforcement of this ideology this past summer while I participated in a tele-seminar led by Tory Johnson. As Tory recapped some words of "womenpreneur wisdom", she shared that one woman had approached her recently and stated "My overnight success took me ten years." I nearly cried after hearing about this particular woman's willingness to commit to success while patiently waiting ten years for it to pay off.

So I leave you with this. As women in business, we don't know how long or where our journeys may lead yet one thing is certain. There will be a lot of naysayers or people who just don't get our commitments to self employment success along the way. So the best thing you can do is really, truly, meaningfully support one another. Publicly praise those paving the way for your shining moment, practice patience with yourself and your results. Most importantly, enjoy the evolution of your character along the way.

That's my best business advice. What's yours?

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A Photographer's Passion Takes Him From One Coast to Another: The "Almost Branded" Interview With Rodney Williams Itier

You've probably heard the term "birds of a feather flock together."

Or perhaps you know the quote from the great Albert Einstein, "In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself."

 

Photography by Rodney Williams Itier

The sentiment behind these flocking statements are proving to be true in 2011 (at least for me). I'm a bird and a sheep and you may be too. Allow me to explain.

I have started to travel more frequently to expand my network while utilizing social media to grow my personal brand. This intense sense of  domestic "wadnerlust" (defined as a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travelexplore the world--or in my case, the United States), has now allowed me to connect with people who share similar views on expanding one's horizons. These "people" and I often ask, "why should we stay in one place and be comfortable while we are still young and life is so short? What will we miss out on if we stand still and never move out of our comfort zones?"

These were the questions I examined with photographer Rodney Williams Itier when we first met in New York City at the Wix Lounge earlier this year.

I'm not sure if it was the fact that Rodney and I share an affinity for sunglasses (not to mention that we are total "arm chair creatives") but I knew there was a reason why Rodney and I became fast friends in New York--we are both Angeleno's in NYC and bloggers. As I discovered more similarities between Rodney and myself (an interest in running long distance races, performing stand up comedy as well as hoodie sweatshirts), I knew I had to interview him and uncover the inspiration for his move from LA to NYC.

Name, Occupation, Location: Rodney Williams Itier, New York City. Photographer, Writer, Whiskey Drinker.  

So, how did your love for photography come about? I was living in Venice Beach, CA with a good friend, Leo Rodriguez, who was an environmental arts student at Otis College. He was always doing interesting projects and I wanted to get involved. At the time, I was making a living as a commercial actor but I wasn't fulfilled creatively so I took some money out of the bank and bought a used Pentax 35mm camera and decided I was going to pursue photography as a legitimate hobby. I went out and shot every classic car that I saw parked on the streets of Venice. I was really into it and tried to shoot from all of these bizarre angles and low and behold, after I had them developed, it turned out that I didn't totally suck. It was then that I realized acting wasn't my passion. Well, I kind of always knew that seeing as I preferred to write more than perform but I really knew it after I saw my work.

"Air Deck" Photography by Rodney Williams Itier

East Coast vs West Coast?
Do I have to choose? If the answer is "yes" then New York is definitely home base. My goal is to earn a loft in Tribeca where I can build a photo studio, work from home, teach myself to cook, host a monthly Karaoke party for my friends and family and settle down with my girlfriend.....but I need to be in Los Angeles from December to April because the winter in New York is just plain foul.

Where can people check out your work?
I get this question a lot and I always tell people the same thing, my professional "non-creative" work can be seen on WireImage or at Getty Images. As for my collection of personal photography, I am reserving the right to withhold until my new website is completed. I do have a blog, http://www.almostbranded.com/ and I have posted a few shots there but my intent for Almost Branded has never been to showcase my work. I am preparing to do my first gallery show in November, I am hoping to attract some influential art collectors who will be merciless so that I can either forge ahead or lick my wounds, shift gears and grow. I am also working on a book project with a talented Art Director so fingers crossed there as well.

AlmostBranded.com, What was the concept behind that?
My blog, Almost Branded, was something that I felt needed to be created as a result of what I was beginning to see as an oversight in the fashion industry--all these trendy brands popping up that pretty much built a name for themselves because they were in "the know" around cities such as Los Angeles and New York and not necessarily popular due to the quality or merit of their designs. Many other designers who were doing great work were overlooked by buyers and I felt strongly that I could create a brand source with the intent to showcase brands in the hopes that exposure through Almost Branded would bridge the sales divide while cultivating the brands I believe in. I soon realized that this blog and idea could encompass film, art, illustration and photography in addition to fashion. I am now at a point where I am working everyday as a photographer but would like to draft a business proposal for my blog because to "do it right" I am going to need editors, web developers, a vertical integration strategist and money to support the effort needed to publish a comprehensive brand source destination aimed at buyers, consumers, students and potential advertisers. That said, if you are reading this and have a desire to be an entrepreneur investor in AlmostBranded.com, let's talk.

So, how can we keep up with you?
Anyone looking to see what I like to shoot for fun can request me on Facebook. Potential clients can email me at r.itier@gmail.com for my quasi portfolio. Follow me on Twitter @razrshrprodney (please disregard my smart ass and obnoxious comments). I use these channels to let people know when my show is dropping and to contribute something of value. This is a pivotal time in cultural arts and social dynamics. That said, if you have the means I implore you to collect, collect and then collect more. Trust me, you'll thank me in ten years. Plus, I would love your support. In fact, support all the artists.

 "Snow Park" Photography by Rodney Williams Itier

Rodney definitely has the support of the Jaclyn Of All Trades and his interview proves he is more than a man on a moving mission--he's made several other changes in his life with regard to his profession such as creating the blog Almost Branded. Rodney is surefire proof that change can be a very rewarding thing.

And so I ask you, are you a bird and a sheep? Are you surrounding yourself around a flock of people that share your same drive....desire to be creative...are you in the company of people that set out to explore new horizons and evolve?

Remember, One person with passion is better than 40 who are merely interested --Tom Connellan

Find friends that ignite your creativity, be open to converse with people who have yet to become your friends. You may find out that you have much more in common than meets the eye......and you may even embark on a friendship that could change your path forever. Follow the right flock and live your best life yet!

Signing off this last Tuesday of March 2011,

The Jaclyn of All Trades  


Have you recently made a move of life changing decision? Share with the Jaclyn of All Trades flock by sharing your story in the comments section below. 

Lessons Learned-A Reflection On Entreprenuership and Life in General

Today is just one of those days. Yes, I am aware that it's 1/11/11 but I have a huge to-do list and I am making headway through it quickly yet it just does not feel fast enough.

I have not had coffee, I have 1,000 ideas running through my mind that I should probably write down but don't have time to right now.

But you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way because I control my day, I control my time....I'm an aspiring entrepreneur and I am happy!

Me and some of my happy entrepreneurial/dream chasing friends. 11/10

Sure, attempting to work for oneself has it's pros and cons. Take starting this blog for example. Here I spent the last year working for an Internet company and thought I had learned enough to launch a blog that would have a great number of pageviews and blast off into successful cyberspace. Here I'd thought to myself "I really get Twitter and have a solid following there for my blog will appeal to people." Wrong! This blog is taking hard work however the effort is worth it to me.

Everyday I continue to learn something new. I have to create a new system, I have to hold myself accountable for my success or failure. I realize the value of my time, of planning, of not taking on too many things at once. More importantly, of continuing to promote myself while working on my dreams and goals so they don't fall by the wayside.

My past experiences and the manner in which I am approaching this blog reflect my growth. I have to get organized, real organized, more organized than I have ever been in my life which means "using my iCal and synching it to my phone" kind of organized so I can account for every minute.

After all this time, I now know my worth. As I explore the possibility of entrepreneurship and try to make a business plan, I know I provide value to the "right" company and the "right" client that sees it. I am not Walmart, I am not Neimans. I am me (and I never thought I'd compare myself to retail stores but a girls gotta do to what a girls gotta do to prove her point, haha).

The Jaclyn Of All Trades Design Collection. Just Kidding.
Designing these (my drawings are on the right) was a fun creative outlet.

I am also a creative person. If I don't have a creative outlet and utilize it, I am not happy (hence why I love Tumblr). Sure, I can sit behind my Mac book all day and crank out a bunch of great tasks for really talented people. But that would not help me fulfill my personal passions. So I need to write, dance, take an Improv comedy class, you get the gist of it.

This is my life. What are you doing with yours? Are you an entrepreneur or just wanting to follow your dream? Are unsure of the next step you need to take to get there?
What makes you want to get out of bed everyday and live? Do you have an attitude of gratitude or is something missing?

Ask yourself these questions then take a step, whatever it may be. Start a blog, take a class, travel somewhere new. You control your outcome, you control your day, you control your life so enjoy it and best of all, be free!!!