Inksecure: A Legal Podcast Focused on Creating Wealth From the Fine Print

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching, if you're a maker, you're thinking of ways to get the most eyes on your product.  Listing your products on Amazon is definitely the way to do that - but that also exposes you to the risk of theft and piracy.   To help you protect your hard work and your coins, I've put together a brief episode to help you understand the various problems you could face, how to work with Amazon to solve any issues, and how to do the ONE thing that permits Amazon to give you the highest level of protection.   Listen to the full episode to learn how! *****SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. If you need help better understanding how you can monetize your creative work while maintaining control, we can help with that.  CLICK HERE to set up a time to speak with us.      

Congrats!  You have a registered trademark - the federal government has given you a monopoly and the use of your brand name, logo, or product.   But - this is only the beginning.  Having a federal trademark doesn't automatically increase your revenue or prevent someone from infringing on your trademark, it only makes it easier for you to seek damages.  But you have to catch the copycat first.  And that - takes strategy and diligence. In this episode, I discuss four things you should do to protect and leverage your trademark.   Listen to the full episode to learn exactly how to protect your trademark investment. *****SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. If you need help better understanding how you can monetize your creative work while maintaining control, we can help with that.  CLICK HERE to set up a time to speak with us.        

You've built an amazing business that someone wants to buy.  Congratulations - that's an amazing accomplishment! You're probably thinking, I'd never sell my baby - but slow down.   In this episode, I talk about some of the reasons why you may want to consider selling your company and five things you should consider when someone approaches you about buying your business.   Some of those things include getting a lawyer, determining what role you want to play, figuring out what you want, and more. Listen to the full episode to make sure you know exactly what to do when that day comes.   *****SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. If you need help better understanding how you can monetize your creative work while maintaining control, we can help with that.  CLICK HERE to set up a time to speak with us.      

Licensing agreements are one of the most important legal documents for creatives and the improper use of a license could amount infringement and can be pretty costly.  They work both ways; to help creatives maintain control over their work, and to help consumers understand the permitted use of your creative work. In this episode, I talk about what creatives need to consider when creating a licensing agreement for their work and what consumers need to pay attention too when purchasing work that is licensed. As a consumer of licensed products, you want to consider the following: locate and READ the license determine if it's for commercial or personal use How many times are you permitted to use the licensed work? Can you use in a product that you’re giving away?  Or selling? As a creator of licensed products, you want to consider the following: You license agreement MUST BE CLEAR! What kind of license do you want to give? What parameters do you want to put on the use? How will you monitor and enforce those parameters Will you create extended v.  limited use license?  What will be the difference in cost? Check out the full episode to learn more about how to use and understand licensing agreements. *****SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. If you need help better understanding how you can monetize your creative work while maintaining control, we can help with that.  CLICK HERE to set up a time to speak with us.      

When it comes to sharing and monetizing your creativity, there are a few things you should know.  First off, there are a few ways to monetize where you still retain control over your original work.  And second, you can leave yourself some wiggle room to regain control of your work down the line.   In this episode, I discuss four different ways in which you can do that:   work for hire; licensing; assignment; and selling your work.   Listen to the full episode to find out how to adequately negotiate a fair price for your creative work based on what you're giving up.   *******SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. If you need help better understanding how you can monetize your creative work while maintaining control, we can help with that.  CLICK HERE to set up a time to speak with us.    

Forming your legal entity is a first great step to limit your liability.  But too many single-member LLCs (SM LLCs) don't have an operating agreement - what's the point, it's just you, you know how to operate your business. In this episode, I explain why it's important for every LLC, including SM LLCs to have an operating agreement.   *******SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. We want you to be ahead of the curve, by creating a name that you can actually own and leverage as an asset in your business.  You can sign up for that course by going to creativegeniuslaw.com/trademarkclass    

Side hustling is great for a few reasons; it gives you a taste of what it’s like to start and grow a business, it helps you figure out if your idea is marketable, and is a great outlet to fuel your passion. But, is it legal?  It depends.  In this episode, I discuss some things to consider when starting and carrying on your side hustle while still employed.  Some things to consider: Can your employer fire you for having a side hustle? Can your employer claim ownership to your side hustle? Is your side hustle related to or competitive with your current job? Should you tell your boss about your side hustle? and  What obligations do you have under a contract or non-compete? Listen to the full episode to get tips to make sure you protect your side hustle from a claim from your employer. *******SPONSOR****** The Inksecure podcast is sponsored by Creative Genius Law.  At CGL we provide creatives and entrepreneurs with the highest quality representation at all stages of their business.    If you’re in the process of starting a new business or launching a new product, we encourage you to sign up for our FREE masterclass, Select and Protect: How to Select a Brand Name That You Can Legally Own as a Trademark. We want you to be ahead of the curve, by creating a name that you can actually own and leverage as an asset in your business.  You can sign up for that course by going to creativegeniuslaw.com/trademarkclass

Hey hey! I've been gone for a minute and it was totally unplanned.   In this episode, I talk about the reason for my absence, why it took me so long to come back and how taking that break helped me realized that kind of business I'm in and the legacy I want to build.   I'm brutally honest about my shortcomings, being hard on myself, unnecessary stress and MAJOR changes coming to the podcast. I'd love to hear your feedback and it's great to be back!

When Kunbi was planning her wedding – she didn’t find too many blogs with brides that looked like her. So she created Aisle Perfect as a personal journal to manage her overwhelm of planning her wedding. Today, Aisle Perfect is a wedding blog dedicated to providing romantic inspiration to the discerning bride.  As a go-to wedding planning source for brides covers everything from wedding tips, bridal fashion and much more.   As a matter of fact, Kunbi has also launched Aisle Perfect Living - a more personal account of her life after the wedding. In addition to running Aisle Perfect, Kunbi is a business immigration attorney with a passion for start-ups.  In this episode, Kunbi and I talk about why she started her blog, how it quickly caught on when she decided to monetize her content, and some of the challenges and day to do of managing an inspiration blog.  Lastly, Kunbi and I discuss Kunbi’s and her husband’s struggle with infertility – a subject that has affected so many families.  She talks about how difficult it was to talk about it with her African family, how she discovered so many women suffer in silence and how sharing her story can encourage other women. **Thanks to special guest Rana Campbell,  host of the Dreams in Drive podcast for filling in for me after losing my voice.  Make sure to check out her inspirational podcast.  

Today's guest, Kendra Barnes, is an economist by day and a real estate investor on the side.  Once Kendra started on that path, it became addicting and she's now acquired over 4 real investment properties.   Real estate is still one of the most stable types of investment and a smart way to accumulate wealth and pass it down to the next generation.   In a world where entrepreneurship is sexy - we're encouraged to pour everything into building a business - by way of business coaches, graphic designers, copyrighters, 5-figure masterminds and some even encourage to forsake real estate at the expense of building a business. In this episode, Kendra and I discuss how she got into real estate, some of the mistakes she's made, some of the common misconception about how easy it is to acquire real estate investment property, and what Kendra is doing to spread the word.   Kendra has been featured in Black Enterprise and Forbes.   To find out more about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep59-kendrabarnes

Brown Girls Love Power!  Such a powerful (and true) statement.  That's the headline of today's guest, Christina Brown, Power Day event.   Christina Brown is a style blogger and digital media expert and the founder of fast-growing style; beauty destination LoveBrownSugar.com, mommy destination BabyBrownSugar.com and digital empowerment community BrownGirlsLove.  In this episode, Christina and I talk about how she started her blog and moved from being a blogger to being an influencer, landing huge campaigns like Dove (and we talk about her reaction to their scandal), why she celebrates Brown women, and how she manages being a single mom of two small children. Christina has been heralded as a “30 Under 30 Style Maven” by HelloBeautiful.com, a “Black Blogger To Watch” by TheRoot.com, a “Top 40 Style Blogger” by Essence Magazine, a Black Enterprise Magazine “Blogger Month” Honoree, a Wharton Magazine “Social Media Watch List” Honoree and she most recently became the first black influencer to become an international ambassador for Dove, featured in a worldwide TV ad and print advertisements. To find out more information about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep58-christinabrown.

Simona Noce is an accomplished Public Relations manager who has worked with some heavyweights, but her greatest achievement and her most important role is being a mom. Simona is skilled and dedicated public relations professional with an intense passion for media, entertainment, and the execution of creative ideas and special events. She has pierced the world of both Hollywood glamour and the non-profits sectors in the D.C area. She is currently a full-time entrepreneur running The NoceModel, a  PR & marketing strategic firm, focused on creative, entertainment, lifestyle, and tech brands.  She is also the co-creator of District Motherhued, Washington's premier organization for millennial moms of color.   She recently launched The Momference which is a conference all about mothering and entrepreneurship as a mother of color.  Tickets sold out within a couple of weeks! In this episode, Simona and I talk about why celebrating motherhood is so important, why having a space specifically for moms of color is necessary, how to navigate entrepreneurship when you have young children and some PR tips for getting your business noticed. Make sure to follow District Motherhued on Instagram for some great laughs and support.   For more information about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep57-simonanoce.      

Tiffany's story never gets old - because you can't believe how much she's overcome.  But then, she has the receipts - to the tune of almost 500,000 mostly Black women, who have followed her footsteps and are on their way to financial freedom. Tiffany is quickly becoming America's favorite, personal financial educator. The Budgetnista is the founder of the LIVE RICHER Challenge and the Dream Catchers, a community of over 500,000 women worldwide that work together to improve their lives through financial education.  Tiffany is the bestselling author of the books, The One Week Budget and Live Richer Challenge, and she and her financial advice have been featured on: Good Morning America, the TODAY show, PBS, TIME, The New York Times, Reuters, ESSENCE Magazine, Forbes, Fox Business, MSNBC, CBS MoneyWatch and has appeared on The Real a few times. She also blogs about personal finance for The Huffington Post. In this episode, Tiffany and I talk about a bad investment she made at a young age, how she finally overcame the shame of her mistake, how she started the Budgetnista and why she is unapologetic about her growing business. You can find out more about this episode at www.artsteele.co/ep56-tiffanyaliche    

Hey hey!! Happy World Intellectual Property Day!  As proud IP attorneys, Patrice and I give you a rundown of how we are doing our part to help creatives, especially creatives of color! In this episode, we talk about our passion for helping creatives protect their intellectual property and how we can start using our IP to create legacies and build generational wealth.  We also discuss the newly added services to Creative Genius Law - including helping creatives renegotiate their copyright licenses and assisting creatives in properly enforcing their licensing agreements.   Finally, we touch on some popular topics like the Lina Viktor suit against Marvel for the unauthorized use of her work in the "All the Stars" music video and why Lauryn Hill can't sing her songs! Check out the full episode.  Link in bio.   For more information about this episode, visit artsteele.co/ep55-worldipday

In order to move forward, you have to take a step back and assess how you're moving through the process.  Since it's the end of the first quarter, I thought I'd give you a quick recap of Q1 2018.  I started the year out pretty strong, got hit by March and April - always really tough months for me, and learned a few lessons along the way.  In this episode, I discuss three lessons I've learned this quarter: Plan ahead! If you're planning for January in January, you're too late. I procrastinated on planning my first quarter content and ended up not doing it until mid-late December.  I'm paying for that by working double-time to get ahead. Is it a good decision for YOUR business? I had a few incidents and collaborations fall through that made me realize everybody out here is making a business decision so I need to start doing the same.  That also means that when someone says No, it's not that they don't like you personally, it just may not be a good time investment or direction for their business. Somebody's always watching. I know sometimes it can seem like we're talking and no one's listening.  As a result, we want to take shortcuts because we're like "no one is even going to see this."  Don't do that!  In this episode, I talk about how a prominent entrepreneur who declined my request to be on the show referred my podcast to her customers. The moral of the story is, plan ahead, mind YOUR business and be so dope that people want to bless you.   To find out more information about this episode, go to www.artsteeleco/ep54-Q1review Catch up with me on Instagram and Twitter.  

One word comes to mind when I think of Maya Elious: message clarity.   Maya Elious is a personal branding strategist that teaches experts how to create curriculum-based content to grow & monetize their online brand. She’s helped hundreds of students and clients launch digital content platforms like blogs, challenges, masterclasses, webinars, and courses so they could establish and monetize their expertise in the online world. In this episode, Maya and I discuss why it’s important to really have one clear message and be absolutely clear about who you are speaking to.  We also talk about the real struggle that so many smart and very capable entrepreneurs with their inability to explain their value to their potential audience (that’s a real struggle for me).   And finally, we talk about Maya’s Impact 1K mission – where she set out to impact the lives of thousands of women, by encouraging women to use their voice, and share their message in the form of online content in order to reach even more women. For more information about this episode, visit: artsteele.co/ep53-mayaelious  

It's National Siblings Day!  And there's no better way to kick it off than with these gentlemen who took the step of not only loving their sibs to death (don't we all?) but actually starting a business with them. When Collin (11), Ryan (9), and Austin (7) asked their mom for more money (they were already getting an allowance) to buy toys, their mother (an entrepreneur herself), gave them two options:  get a job or start a business.  So, they started a candle company:  Frères Branchiaux Candle Co. Joining me on the podcast are Collin and Ryan and their dad Patrick.  In this episode, we discuss why they picked candles, how they divide the duties, and their dad Patrick discusses how the business has changed the boys and how they’ve become a role model for their peers. Freres Branchiaux took the 2017 holiday market by storm and have grown so quickly that their parents almost can’t keep up with them. They’ve appeared in more than 10 markets, they’ve been featured on Good Morning Washington, West Elm and have sold almost 700 products and made $10k in sales!  They also happily give a portion of their proceeds to the homeless. Enjoy! You can find out more information about this episode at www.artsteele.co/ep52-freresbranchiaux. 

Today's guests are my favorite business couple:  Kim and Tim Lewis of Curlmix.   They launched Curlmix in 2015 to a whopping two orders.  After contemplating quitting her second business, Tim convinced Kim to give it one more shot and this time around, she took no prisoners.  She contacted media outlets, bloggers, including Hey Fran Hey and Natural Chica, she got coverage in Refinery 29 an Essence and when they relaunched, they sold 100 boxes on their first day! Since then, Curlmix has done more than 350K in business, have launched the Curlmix DIY party, city tours and have been featured in BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Allure, Essence, Ebony, ABC News Chicago, Naturally Curly and more.   They launched their first pre-mix line in March 2017 and that planted the seed for the much-needed pivot they just made in their business. In this episode, Kim and Tim get very honest about some of the mistakes they made in their business, what some of their biggest challenges are and their light bulb moment that turned their business around.   To learn more about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/curlmix. Let's keep in touch.  Find me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!  

Tax season is upon us and I'm giving you a few tips to help you get on the right foot.   There are plenty of myths and misconceptions about when to report your income and what type of return to file.  I've broken it down for you.   In this episode, I discuss: When to start reporting your income and losses; How to keep track of your business deductions How to pay yourself from your business income; What tax return to file for your entity; and  Estimated tax payments. Since it's my 50th episode, I reflect on my milestone and how I plan to slow down, enjoy the moment and look at what I've accomplished.   Remember with all Legal Briefs, there's a pre-recorded webinar and cheatsheet for you.  This week's cheat sheet is a checklist for organizing and keeping track of your business deductions (this is how most small businesses lose money). For more information about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep50-businesstaxes   Legal Disclaimer:  This podcast episode is for your informational and educational purposes only. By listening to this podcast or download any of the cheat sheets, workbooks, or checklists, you are not establishing an attorney-client relationship with me, which can only happen once you hire me and we enter into an engagement agreement. For specific questions, please consult an accountant, tax advisor or attorney authorized to practice law in your jurisdiction.

Emmelie De La Cruz is an entrepreneur who turned her layoff into her legacy. Her books, blog, and consultancy teach entrepreneurs and side hustlers how to scale their businesses using automated strategies. Her special skills include showing everyday people how to create new income streams online and teaching entrepreneurs how to monetize their influence. Her unapologetic approach to life and business have earned her a highly engaged following on social media, features across top publications, and the opportunity to work with brands like Staples, Dropbox, Capital One, Pantene, and Coca-Cola. In this episode, Emmelie and I discuss Why she really enjoyed her time in corporate America and how she uses that experience to help her clients; Why she’s so honest about her entrepreneur journey; Why followers don’t equal dollars.  To find out more about this episode, visit artsteele.co/ep49-emmeliedelacruz

Gabi Gregg is a style blogger and designer whose mission is to not just encourage women of all sizes to feel beautiful but to create change within the fashion industry.   And that’s exactly what she did with her plus size "bikini shoot" that ignited a viral craze in 2012.   The photos of Gabi in her "fatkini" landed her a 5-year design partnership with Swimsuitsforall and put her on the map as a blogger with mega influence.  When she announced her first collection - it sold out within months!  In this episode, Gabi and I discuss: Why her blog gained a huge following very quickly; How signing on with a blogging agency helped her see her value and learn the to use her influence to create a sustainable business; And some of the struggles she faced trying to get her clothing line, Premme, off the ground. Gabi has written for InStyle Magazine, Vogue Italia, Refinery29 and Rookie Mag. She has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and MTV, and has partnered as an ambassador and consultant to many top global brands, including Target, Lane Bryant, and Dove. Most recently, she co-founded and launched Premme, a fashion-forward brand for young women sizes 12-30.  To find out more information about this episode, go to www.artsteele.co/ep48-gabifresh Let's keep in touch.  Find me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!  

Libryia Jones is living a two-fold dream:  building a business that allows her to travel around the world.  The Wanderist Life is a community of location independent (entrepreneurs or employees) mostly black professionals who travel the world for up to a whole year.  Libryia had always wanted to travel and live abroad but she just didn’t know how.  While in grad school, her professor recommended her for the perfect opportunity, but she was disqualified because she had a child.  Years later, another opportunity presented itself and Libryia was yet again disqualified because she had a child.  That’s when Libryia sprang into action and created a travel community that could accommodate people just like her.  In this episode, Librya and I talk about how the Wanderist Life travel program works, who it’s a perfect fit for, how they prepare their travelers for their trip, and in case you’re thinking well I’m not location independent, then Libryia has tips and resources to help you become location independent. Listen to the full episode to learn Libryia’s tips for overcoming challenges of building a travel business.  To find out more about this episode, go to www.artsteele.co/ep47-LibryiaJones

Today I’m chatting with Kendra James, CEO and creator of The Finance Femme, a premier finance consulting firm for women entrepreneurs.  Kendra integrates her corporate experience, extensive entrepreneurial knowledge to help women run their business with the confidence of having a full-time CFO.  Upon graduating with a degree in Finance and accounting, Kendra spent 10+ years working for companies like GE managing over 2 billion in sales and 200 million in expenses.  She spent thousands of hours inside or preparing for, Executive Boardroom meetings.   But, a random conversation with the business owner of a boutique garnered Kendra her first client.  The boutique owner was on the verge of losing her business because of her finances and Kendra was able to help her get things under control.  It was through that experience that Kendra discovered a passion for helping small business owners with their finances. Kendra and I discuss her own entrepreneurship journey, how she went from not defining her target audience to niching down to women with retail and e-commerce businesses, and why making money in your business doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing well. The Finance Femme reaches many entrepreneurs via Social Media with over 18,000 active social media followers.  Through her social media page, Kendra educates entrepreneurs about everything from funding their start-up to managing their cash flow. Listen to the full episode to find out the common finance mistakes new entrepreneurs make and Kendra’s advice to fix them.    To find out more about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep46-kendrajames.  

Today I’m chatting with Kriss Rowry of KrissDitIt.com.  Kriss specializes in this art – her websites are masterpieces!  Krystle Rowry (or Kriss) is not only a web designer and brand strategist, she specializes in creating beautiful online homes that generate ongoing revenue while conveying each entrepreneur’s unique style and message. Kriss Rowry gives amazing insight into how she grew a business that keeps her booked six months out, how B-school changed everything for her, and the do’s and dont’s to creating a beautiful and profitable website.  Kriss started out as a beauty blogger and an intern and quickly became known for designing websites.  Kriss made two major decisions that turned her business around: (1) she joined Marie Forleo’s B-School and she niched down to cater to an elite clientele.  As a result, Kriss has designed some of the most popular and beautiful websites on the internet. She is a member of the Marie Forleo web design team and is an official mentor of B-School.  Kriss is such a fan of B-school she’s an affiliate with her own amazing mentor program The Come Up Collective.     Here are four things Kriss learned from B-School:  The step-by-step process of marketing yourself to your ideal audience The mindset shift needed to be really successful How to run a business (including the finances) Confidence to sell herself as a designer (despite no formal training in design)  Want a website that stops your visitors in their track?  Listen to the podcast to hear her list of steps to take to make your website standout, and what exactly you should be looking for in your next designer. To find out more information about this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep54-krissrowry

According to a recent study, by 2053, the median income of Blacks will be $0 (ZERO) - the Black middle class will disappear.   A Brandeis University study last year determined that the real reason whites are richer than blacks is because they pass wealth down from one generation to the next.  Some of the notable statistics the study found were:   Whites have enjoyed a long history of public policies that have favored them – GI bill; housing banking, education, etc.;  White adults who attended college have 7.2 times more wealth than the median Black adult who attended college; White SINGLE parent homes have 2.2 times more wealth than the median Black TWO-parent household; White households that include a full-time worker has 7.6 times more wealth than the median Black household with a full-time worker. Blacks earn more money today than any other time in history; Blacks own more wealth today than any other time in history.  But we don't pass it down and each generation has to start from scratch.   In this episode, I discuss the importance of estate planning and how we can use that in our community to bridge the gap.  I discuss: the landscape of estate planning (the compounded effects of whites passing wealth down from generation to generation); The nitty gritty of estate planning (what's a will, what's a revocable trust?); and action steps you can take today to make sure you're well on your way to building a legacy (and not just hustling). You can find out more information about this episode at artsteele.co/ep44-estateplanning Did you enjoy this episode?  Let's continue the conversation on Instagram and Twitter - @artsteele_esq.  

Today I’m chatting with Lamar Tyler, owner of Traffic Sales & Profit, whose life’s motto is Passion, Purpose, and Profit. He and his wife Ronnie, are the creators of the internationally renowned blog Black and Married with Kids.  They own Tyler New Media which has four independently produced films and a social media presence that includes over 500,000 Facebook fans.  Lamar’s businesses focus on promoting positive images of black families and building generational wealth in the black community. Today Lamar and I discuss why they decided to focus on promoting positive images of black families, why it’s important for us to build wealth that we can pass on, and our greatest challenges as entrepreneurs.    According to Lamar, the key to success in the black community is:       Building a network and sharing information       Making sacrifices to create and accumulate wealth       Creating multiple streams of income; and       Investing in education and coaching Lamar has been recognized by Ebony, Essence, and Parent Magazine, The Washington Post, NPR and many other media outlets. Listen to the full episode to find out what Lamar believes is the #1 thing blacks need to be successful entrepreneurs. To find out more about this episode, visit artsteele.co/ep43-lamartyler.  Enjoy!

January is almost over and I'm sure you're working on all of those power resolutions you made for your business this year.  Those power moves should include making the legal aspects of your business a priority.     In today’s episode, I’m talking about the 4 legal moves you need to make in 2018 to take your business to the next level.    Legal move #1 - Legalize your business.  There is no reason you should be out in these streets without legalizing your business.  Here are three reasons why you should do it: Make your business official Build trust with your audience and attract higher caliber clients Protect yourself and limit your liability Legal move #2 - Get a lawyer on your team Establish a relationship with an attorney (pay for a consultation!) You don’t have to hire an attorney full-time, but having one you’ve worked with and who is familiar with your business makes it easier for you to ask that “quick question” down the line Legal move #3 - Put it in writing! No transaction without a contract, no matter how small or how impressive the brand Sign contracts with clients and even with your peers, especially with your peers Legal move #4 - Build a willable business What in your business can you pass down? Copyrights, Trademarks?  Turn your intellectual property into something tangible Terms and conditions and contracts protect your digital content To find out more about how to legalize your business, what entity to choose, how to form your entity,  check out the pre-recorded webinar artsteele.co/legalizeyourbiz To find out more about this episode, visit artsteele.co/ep42-legalizeyourbiz Enjoy! **Legal disclaimer:  The information provided on this podcast are resources for educational and informational purposes only and should not take the place of hiring an attorney.  Listening to this episode or downloading any workbooks or worksheets creates an attorney-client relationship with Art Steele.  

Imagine being stranded in a desert for four days and the only way to get water is to crawl on your hands and knees for 4 days, just to get water.   That’s how Rohan felt about getting out of corporate servitude and that’s what drove him to laser focus on building his own business.  Rohan’s no-fluff-no-nonsense approach to entrepreneurship is refreshing and productive.  In an age where too many of us focus on the things that don’t matter, Rohan knows how to cut to the chase and get paid. In this episode, Rohan and I discuss his childhood growing up in Barbados, how getting overlooked for promotions at his accounting job forced him to turn to entrepreneurship, and how he mastered providing local services with a tech twist. Rohan shared three things every entrepreneur needs to be successful: Discipline – success requires waking up every day and doing the same thing and not seeing a return for a long time; Self-awareness – some ideas where no amount of passion will make it viable; and Creativity - the ability to be creative and maneuver when something isn’t working one way. Rohan also owns a lawn service company, a wet shave subscription box, a website development company, a copywriting service, service booking app, and more!    Despite his phenomenal success, Rohan is remarkably transparent; as soon as he makes a new discovery including a new market or new twist on an existing market, he immediately shares it on Facebook with the goal of helping other entrepreneurs to efficiently and successfully launch and grow small serial businesses. To find out more about this episode, visit artsteele.co/ep41-rohangilkes Enjoy!

Today I’m chatting with Bola Sokunbi, Certified Financial Education Instructor and founder of Clever Girl Finance, a platform that empowers and educates women to make the best financial decision for their current and future selves and to pursue their dreams of financial independence in order to live life on their own terms.  To date, Clever Girl Finance has reached over 100,000 women.   It’s easy to budget when you have a steady paycheck, but what happens when you get paid every other month or make 10K from a major launch and crickets for another three months?    Bola and I discuss her early teachings of finances from her mother while growing up in Nigeria, why she started Clever Girl Finance, how she went full-time in Clever Girl Finance within a year, and the common mistakes entrepreneurs when starting a business. Bola shared three tips for entrepreneurs wanting to transition from their 9-5 to full-time entrepreneur: Management expectations and expect inconsistent income. Create a business plan, one which forces you to plan how you will generate revenue. Make sure you can sell something to become profitable. Bola also shared five common mistakes new entrepreneurs make Not having a business strategy before starting. Co-mingling personal and business finances. Overconsumption of information and no implementation. Not consulting with a lawyer prior to starting a business. Not having the right expectations for growth and success.   For more information about this podcast, visit www.artsteele.co/ep40-bolasokunbi Enjoy!

In August 2016, losing a close friend left me devastated and I was ready to quit my solo practice and go back to working for BigLaw.   In June 2016, my business had finally started to turn around so I decided to start a podcast to share my journey.  And by August 2016, I had recorded a couple of episodes, told a few friends, lined up guests and dropped $2k on a website and brand strategies.  When tragedy struck in 2016, I wanted to pack the whole thing up and move on, but I had already invested time and hard-earned money into this podcast, I figured, I'd just release the episodes - which I did in December 2016.   I had no intention of recording additional episodes and didn't think anyone would listen.  However, I wanted to finish what I started, so I released the episodes.     After releasing the podcast, I received so much support and feeback from friends and family (and random people!), it kept me going.   In this episode, I talk about how my podcast helped me find my voice, increase revenue in my business, allowed me to fulfill my mission of providing accessible legal services, and discover a community of black female entrepreneurs who have inspired me to keep going.   I was encouraged to release this episode because of my experience this past weekend at Brown Girls Love Power Day and Oprah's acceptance speech at the 2018 Golden Globes Award.   Find out how my encounter with Oprah convinced me to leave my job and how finding my voice has reignited my passion. For more information about this podcast, visit www.artsteele.co/ep39-findyourvoice Enjoy! 

Persistence - nothing can take the place of persistence.  Persistence and determination are all powerful.   I mentioned in episode 37 that I lack discipline and it has held me back from realizing my potential.  I dug deep and discovered that my lack of discipline was due to my inability to follow up - in other words, I'm not persistent.     In this episode, I explain the rationale behind why I chose persistence as my word for 2018 (shout out to Dreena Whitfield and WhitPR and the movie The Founders).   In this episode, I discuss:   Persistence works because it's a numbers game. Being persistence requires a level of crazy - be proud of your crazy. In order to be persistence, you have to be very clear about your message and you have to know the business you're in.   Why I'm going for RESULTS and not goals How working toward my result gives me more purpose than just focusing on goals (tip form Ep. 33 guest, Courtney Sanders).   I'd love to hear all about your word of the year.  DM, tag me or holla at me on Instagram at @artsteele_esq To find out more information about this episode, go to www.artsteele.co/ep38-persistence. Enjoy!  

December 3, 2017 marked my 1 year podcast anniversary.   I've learned so much about myself, my profession, online marketing, and entrepreneurship, etc., the list goes on.   In this episode, I narrow it down to the five (5) most important things I've learned.  Here's my list: You have something to say and people want to listen.  someone is waiting for YOUR story to get started Just start! Done is better than perfect You cannot do it alone. building a community of other solopreneurs has been the highlight of my year.  Create systems that support your goals and collect data. data tells you who your audience is and what they want. Know your true competition.  everyone who does what you do is not your competition.  Knowing your true competition will take your business to the next level.  Two things I've learned about myself: I'm a risk taker and I like it #goodtrouble I'm afraid I'm not disciplined enough to be an entrepreneur :-/   Listen for more details.  To get more information about this episode, check out www.artsteele.co/ep37-podcastanniversary.   

Is your content irresistible? Content creation is a major component of building an online business;   it's what helps to get your name out there - as an expert, it’s what helps you build your list and it’s what makes you those sales.  But monetization is not always easy.   Today's guest, Danielle Leslie is the founder of Courses From Scratch and is a course selling bad ass.  She's has developed a few techniques and strategies that help content creator monetize their content.   Danielle's career has taken a few twists and turns.  She's worked for a couple of start-ups and Udemy, where she honed her course creating and course launching skills.   When she started her consulting business 2 years ago, she made 10K in consulting revenue within 30 days and booked over $35,000 in consulting contracts.  Danielle now teaches other business owners how to monetize their content.   In this episode, we discuss: How she went from 0 to 1530 email subscribers and made $20k from my online course (when she had no following, no blog, & no course content;  How she grew her Instagram to 18,000 followers in 1 year and earned $25k in 4 weeks from my Instagram followers alone; How to create an irresistible offer that involves using T.A.S.T.Y. Content to attract their MVPs (Most Valuable PAYERS); and How to avoid the customer thirst trap. You can find out more information about Danielle and this episode at artsteele.co/ep36-danielleleslie Enjoy!        

LinkedIn is one of the most underutilized social media platforms and today's guest Becky Mollenkamp discusses how creative solopreneurs can use LinkedIn to attract steady paying corporate clients. Becky is a business mentor for creative entrepreneurs and started her career working for one of the largest publishing companies.  At one point she left and started her own freelancing business and uses linked in to attract corporate clients.  There's a lot of talk about who your ideal client is but unfortunately, that doesn't usually include corporate clients.  Corporate clients are great because they are usually working with a sizeable budget, pay on time, and give you more leeway in creating work.   In today's episode Becky details the process of getting in the eyeballs or the inboxes of corporate businesses and landing those corporate clients;  How to use linked in to up your connections and your chances and how to create content and post content on Linkedin that will attract those corporate execs. To get more information about Becky or this episode, go to artsteele.co/ep35-beckymollenkemp Enjoy!  

Multiple revenue streams are a key component to building a sustainable business.  And one way to create an additional stream of income is through affiliate sales.   Addi Ganley started her online journey in 2011 on a whim because she wanted an outlet to share how her family was saving money. What began as a hobby quickly turned into a business and now 6 years later it generates a six-figure income. Addi realized that as her blog was becoming a daily resource for her readers, they began asking her for tools (read - links) to help them.  Addi then created a system to monetize the traffic she was getting from various outlets to her affiliate links.   I’ve applied some of her methods and teachings to my business, and it has helped me generate affiliate income – so it does work.   In this episode, Addi and I talk about how she stumbled into affiliate marketing, how she connected the dots between what her audience was asking for and affiliate links and how she created a system that drove traffic to those links, and how teaches others to do the same.  If you want to learn how to monetize your blog without having a product, you want to tune in. Enjoy! You can find out more about this episode and Addi Ganley at artsteele.co/ep34-addiganley.  

If you want to learn how to build a successful business, Courtney Sanders is the person to talk to.  Not only has she built her own side hustle to multiple 6-figures in about 2 years, she's helped thousands of other women do the same. I chose Courtney to open up this series because building profitable business starts with self-discipline and focus.  Courtney specializes in just that.  Courtney is an authority on women’s empowerment, she offers training and personal development online & in-person education.  In this episode, Courtney details her progression as the Think and Grow Chick from having her first event where she lost $300, to self-publishing her first book, to developing a sales funnel and a mastermind that has earned her multiple six figures in her business.  And she breaks down exactly how she did it!  Courtney explains why when she was steadily grossing almost 6K per month, she waited almost a year before quitting her job.   Since launching Think and Grow Chick, Courtney has had the opportunity to speak to and develop training programs for a number of organizations, including The White House My Brother’s Keeper and was recently featured in Forbes Magazine! Finally, Courtney leaves you with three tips to help you start of 2018 on the right foot. You can find out more about Courtney and this episode at www.artsteele.co/ep33-courtneysanders Enjoy!

 If you haven’t heard about Arsha Jones then you’re missing out on an amazing resource and a source of inspiration. She is one of the smartest online business and e-commerce entrepreneurs I've come across.  She has a keen sense for marketing, sales, technology, social media and pop culture. She has built multiple e-commerce businesses, including Capital City and Tees in the Trap, with revenues approaching nearly half a million dollars in less than two years. Arsha’s brands have been featured on media outlets such as Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, Black Enterprise, Fox CBS, and TV One.  Arsha also runs a wildly popular Facebook group called Build, Brand and Launch where she teaches others how to turn their passions into profit with physical products and how to optimize their e-commerce business. Arsha and I talk about: How her SEO skills got her noticed by The Washington Post; Her recent recognition from Black Enterprise, winning the Best Family-Run Business award; How Tees In the Trap come about and why she took immediate steps to legally protect it; How to brand, build, and launch a product and e-commerce site; and some of the important lessons she's learned on her journey. You can catch up with Arsha on Twitter (@arshajones) and Instagram (@teesinthetrap and @captialcityco) and her Facebook group, Brand, Build and Launch with Arsha Jones.   You can find out more about Arsha and this episode at www.artsteele.co/ep32-arshajones   Enjoy!    

Tiffini Gatlin was tired of spending 5-6 hours a day prepping synthetic hair for just one client, so she came up with a technique to pre-curl the hair - this idea turned into Tiffini's million-dollar hair company, Latched and Hooked. But that's not the whole story.  Tiffini's story involves leaving her corporate job as an assistant VP and starting a few companies, including a celebrity concierge service and a digital magazine.  Eventually, she settled on braiding hair and she eventually developed a business idea that turned into her current business.   In this episode, Tiffini and I talk about how she got started with banking, how she used those skills when she started her business, some of the legal issues she's faced while building her business and how she distinguishes herself in a competitive, saturated market. Tiffini's big takeaways from this conversation is (1) lawyers are important - if you can't afford an attorney, then you shouldn't take your product to market (2) she doesn't balance everything, practice prioritizing your the moving parts of your life over trying to balance everything, and (3) be aware of your competition, but don't become consumed in what you're competitors are doing.   You can catch up with Tiffini on Instagram at @latchedandhooked or on her website, www.latchedandhooked.com.  Make sure to sign up for Tiffini's Sunday newsletter; she shares tips about life, being a mom, time with her family, and running her business.   You can find out more information about Tiffini and this episode at www.artsteele.co/ep31-tiffinigatlin. Enjoy!      

Janet LeBlanc, the founder Paper + Spark, offers easy online bookkeeping solutions to makers and creative entrepreneurs.  Janet, a certified public accountant, also makes jewelry and stationary products that she sells on Etsy.  Once her follow Etsy store owners found out she was an accountant, they started reaching out for bookkeeping and accounting tips.   Seeing a void, Janet created her first iteration of the Etsy Seller Spreadsheet, 2015.  Her goal was to help creative entrepreneurs become more confident and less confused about the financial side of running a business.  Janet's spreadsheets and bookkeeping solutions are made specifically for entrepreneurs who don't have the budget to hire a bookkeeper but still need a comprehensive accounting and bookkeeping solution. In this episode, we talk about the four common mistakes new entrepreneurs make when it comes to the tax and accounting of their business and we walk through how Janet's spreadsheets help to fix all of those mistakes.  Janet's spreadsheets include: options for Shopify, Etsy, Square or Paypal; pre-written formulas that capture essential numbers for monitoring your business; Sales tax calculation based on your state; a video tutorial that walks you through how to copy and paste your reports from your sales platform; and  a makers' inventory and pricing spreadsheet that helps you incorporate all of the expenses into making your product. So, whether your sale's platform is Shopify, Etsy, Square or Paypal, Janet's got you covered.   So head over to Paper + Spark and get your life!   You can find Janet on Instagram at @paperandspark.    

Archel Bernard has taken her love for design and sewing African fashion to unprecedented heights.  She is the owner of The Bombchel Factory and Mango Rags boutique in Monrovia, Liberia.  When Archel moved back to Liberia after graduating college, she wanted to get into journalism and thought a great way to stand out on YouTube but blend into the community would be to wear West African fashion. What started as a need to represent her Liberian heritage has now turned into training disadvantaged women to sew her designs and empowering the women to become self-sufficient. Archel's mission took a significant turn amid the deadly Ebola outbreak in Liberia. She saw the devastation in a country she loved; a country still struggling to overcome civil war. Archel decided to open a factory to help the people of her ancestral homeland to rebuild.  She named it The Bombchel Factory. We talk about selling her first pieces out of her mom’s garage, her business surviving the Ebola virus, being mentioned in the New York Times, a successful Kickstarter campaign and eventually getting Kelly Rowland to wear one of her dresses to Beyonce’s push party! You can reach Archel on Instagram (@itsarchel and @shopbomchel) Bombchel Factory website:  www.bombchelfactory.com To find out more about Archel and this episode, check out artsteele.co/ep29-archelbernard Enjoy!

Eryn Sheilds began sewing during her pregnancy with the intention of making a few maxi dresses to get through her pregnancy.   But, she fell in love with sewing and took it up as her hobby.   After having her baby, Eryn felt her clothing options were limited, so she kept sewing and essentially created a unique wardrobe perfect for her lifestyle and her figure.   Eryn decided to turn her passion to profit when she stumbled across a video of a woman wearing a fabulous dress that she wanted to make.  She clicked on the link to the video only to get a better view of the dress. But, the woman turned out to be a business coach, and she opened up Eryn's eyes to the world of email marketing.  And the rest is history. Eryn and I talk about the inspiration that led her to turn her hobby into a business, why she had to pivot from what she first started, how investing in her business through business coaches and courses has helped her make more money, and how a legal mishap set her back.  In addition to Style Sew Me, Eryn runs her personal blog Erynshields.com where she offers one on one coaching.  Enjoy!

Dr. Jerisa Berry, an ER doctor, didn't pay much attention to her biological clock until it was time to start a family.  By that time, her chances of conceiving naturally were slim.   Dr. Jerisa's experience with infertility helped her realize the lack of awareness around this growing issue.  Her experience led her to create an app that would help bring more awareness to women understanding their fertility status. Dr. Jerisa and I talk about her medical and business background, how she discovered her infertility issues, how she approached seeking medical treatment and how the idea of developing the app and making the AMH test more widely available.     And of course, we talk about some of the legal hurdles she faced in starting this new aspect of her business.   Enjoy!

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford was so inspired by Black Girls Rock that she decided to create a similar connection between black women in the mental health space.  As a result, she created the wildly popular podcast, Therapy for Black Girls.   But this week, we're talking about the stress of entrepreneurship and Dr. Joy is dropping some tips on setting boundaries, coping mechanisms for anxiety, dealing with FOMO and competition, and dealing with shiny object syndrome. We also talk about Dr. Joy's  own journey of becoming a psychologist and building a practice specifically for black women.  Her podcast has started a movement and helped to remove the stigma of therapy as a taboo subject among black women.  Dr. Joy Harden Bradford graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana with a B.S. in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Arkansas State University, and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from The University of Georgia.  Her work has been featured in Essence, Ebony, The Washington Post, Bustle, Women’s Health, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Get more information about this episode and Dr. Joy, visit artsteele.co/ep26-drjoy Disclaimer:  The information on this podcast is intended to be educational but is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health professional.   

Malcolm "MJ" Harris is CEO of one of the Black-owned financial services firm.  MJ’s rise began when he started an insurance agency - at his dining room table as a side business - while working as a Management Consultant for a “Big 4” firm. National Care Financial Group is a premier brokerage platform for over 600 insurance agencies nationwide seeking to reach the African-American and Hispanic markets with “top tier” financial products. MJ has been featured by Oprah Winfrey, USA Today, Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, and Ebony Magazine. Malcolm and I talk about being an entrepreneur and building wealth in the Black community through financial and estate planning.  We also talk about how and why he chose to focus his business in the black community, how he built a business in a crowded field.  We get into the nitty gritty whole and term life insurance and how you can use it to protect your family and your business.  My hope after you listen to this interview is that you will see yourself as an entity and a vehicle through which to build wealth and to seek out tools that will help you do so.  To find out more information about Malcolm or this episode, check out artsteele.co/ep25-mjharris.  

Patrice Perkins turns creative dreams into reality.  While in law school, Patrice saw a need to make intellectual property law accessible and approachable for creative entrepreneurs.  So in 2010, she founded Creative Genius Law to partner with creative professionals with vision who need legal guidance to protect and leverage their intellectual property.   Some of Patrice’s most notable clients are Luvvie Ajayi of Awesomely Luvvie, Tees in the Trap, by Arsha Jones, Kim and Tim Lewis of CurlMix, Lauren Ash of Black Girl In Om, Jetta Bates-Vasilatos of Bravo’s Tour Group and Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby Cakes – these are just to name a few! Want to be in the know?  Follow her Instagram page at @creative_esq to witness her tremendous expertise in action.  She has become the go-to lawyer for entrepreneurs who want a breakdown of the latest trademark and copyright disputes and court decisions. Patrice and I talk about how she carved out her niche, the ins and outs of trademark law; like naming your business, applying for a trademark and why DIYing your trademark application or using LegalZoom is a bad idea.  We also discuss more complex strategies on how to structure your trademarks, licensing agreements, using the likeness of celebrities on your products, copyright issues with tee-shirts, and some popular celebrity trademark issues.  Legal disclaimer:  All information on this podcast and on the website artsteele.co or creativegeniuslaw.com – including downloads or any email courses are for informational and educational purposes only.  Your listening to this podcast, or downloading the worksheets does not create an attorney-client relationship with me, Patrice Perkins, my law firm or creative genius law.  If you have any specific questions, please consult with an attorney authorized to practice law in your jurisdiction. To find out more about Patrice or this episode, visit www.artsteele.co/ep24-patriceperkins

In 2009, Mae Murphy created NaturalChica.com and her corresponding YouTube Channel Nikkimae2003 to document her natural hair journey.  Little did she know, she was documenting the story of hundreds of thousands of other Black women. Mae quickly became the go-to YouTuber for natural hair product reviews, natural hair styles and natural hair care.   She has amassed over 600K followers on social media, she has over 171,000 subscribers on YouTube and her channel has hit over 15 million views!   She’s been featured in the New York Times, Essence, on NPR’s Here and Now, Hallmark and USA Today.  And her signature twist-out has even been photoshopped onto former First Lady, Michelle Obama.   Mae and I talk about her how she started her journey, what she learned about herself and how her mission steered her in the right direction. Mae mostly stays out of the spotlight these days.  She now lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico with her husband and her son.    

Hey y'all!   This weekend was jammed packed!  I had two amazing experiences that I share with you.     First, I tell you about my experience as a vendor at the Rise Empowerment Conference that took place in D.C. July 29.  The line up was amazing and I made so many connections.  Most importantly, I was able to meet entrepreneurs in my target audience and hear from them first-hand the legal struggle they face in their business.  Then Sunday, I was an expert in the Budgetnista's Live Rich Academy!  I spoke about Estate Planning and some of the DIY Estate Planning tips you can take to make sure your money doesn't get tied up in the courts.   Lastly, I talk about why I've decided to take a month-long hiatus from releasing podcast episodes.     Enjoy!

This week's episode is VERY special.  Today's guest is Ruby Melton, founder of Ruby Ella Photography, Brown Girl With A Camera, Brown Guys With A Camera and the creator of the Mint Conference.   I also have some very exciting news - I booked my first gig as a speaker!  Two months ago, someone tagged on one of my posts the Instagram page of Ruby Ella Photo.  I looked her up and her she is a photographer who has gorgeous photos.  So of course, I started following her.  One day she posted about the Mint Conference coming up in D.C. so I checked it out and saw that the conference was still in its planning stages and accepting speaker applications.   Even though legal wasn’t mentioned as one of the categories they were seeking, I figured, if it's a conference about how to start a photography business, then I'm sure they would like to know about the legal aspects of starting a business.   I submitted my application and last week I received an invitation!  The conference is in Washington, D.C. and will be held on September 15-16, 2017.  Ruby and I discuss how she built Brown Girl and Brown Guys with A Camera from meet-ups around the country to now hosting portfolio building experiences around the world, managing three business AND working a full-time job (which she only recently quit three weeks ago).  And finally, we talk about the upcoming Mint Conference which includes amazing speakers, 12 different portfolio building experiences and a panel that will be discussing the important of diversity in the media.   If you’re either just starting out or have been in business for a while – this conference if for you.    Check out artsteele.co/podcast for more details and links.   Enjoy!

Hey Guys! I'm finally getting around to sharing my mid-year assessment with you.   So at the beginning of 2016, I came up with a plan to bring in more business to my law firm.  I developed and implemented a plan to make connections with accountants and financial advisors - my top referral sources.  If my plan was successful, I'd bring in 10-15K per month into my business.   The plan worked . . . but it didn't really work because I forgot to think about the actual work that would come in if I was successful.   So when I was setting my goals in 2017, I decided that I wouldn't only plan and implement, but I would also take time to absorb the impact of my goals, try it on so to speak and then adjust to them - either adjust what I was doing or adjust my goals.  And it's made all the difference this year.   Lastly, I talk about the one thing I DREAD in my business and how I've decided to fix it.   Enjoy!

Today’s guest is Rana Campbell of Dreams In Drive podcast and she’s sharing 10 Ways to Market Your Podcast.  Rana is an expert when it comes to marketing a podcast.  All you have to do is take a look at the press page on the Dreams In Drive website to see her press coverage. When I started this podcast, I had no idea what I was doing.  I knew nothing about downloads, Instagram followers, hashtags, or any social media marketing.  And when I set my goals for the year, my goal was to reach 3,000 downloads by the end of the year.  As of today, there have been 3,500 downloads.  So clearly, I didn’t set my goals high enough. And now that I see how my podcast is helping others and that there is a real need for my voice in this space, I want to reach as many people as I can, and properly market is the way to do that.  That is why I’m so excited about this episode. Rayna is a marketing strategist, host of the Dreams In Drive Podcast – a podcast she launched in January 2016 that teaches individuals how to take their entrepreneurial dreams out of PARK and into DRIVE. With over 80 episodes in her arsenal, she has interviewed top leaders in lifestyle and business and was featured as an empowering podcast by Essence Magazine and a top Business podcast for Black Voices on Apple Podcasts. Rana’s work has been featured on MadameNoire, Blavity, Huffington Post, Fox 5 Good Day New York, XOJane, and more. If you’re thinking of starting a new podcast or have one that needs a boost, make sure to take notes.   Here is Rana’s list: Understand who your audience is & LIVE in your niche; Build a podcast HOME - a website for your listeners to experience; Make sure your visual branding is POPPIN' and recognizable (logo, branding, photos, merchandise, etc.); Guest posts on other related blogs; Cross-promote and be a featured guest on other podcasts; Partner with podcast distribution networks (i.e., Apple Podcasts, PodcastInColor); Leverage your guest's audience by interacting with their followers; Use social strategically to interact with your followers after each episode; Create and online community to speak to your fans directly; and Gather testimonials of your podcast experience (from both listeners and guests) and promote your ratings. Enjoy!

Hey Guys!   First podcast episode as the "Legal-EASE for Entrepreneurs podcast!  I have a new name and new website!   It all started at the Black Girl Vision Pitch Competition in April.  I decided to pitch my company for some seed money and did an awesome job! - you'll have to listen to find where I placed.   Having to come up with a 3-minute pitch really forced to think about my vision for my company and my brand.  I started this podcast just to vent about my own entrepreneur journey and to create a safe space for others who felt alone.  But it has turned into something much bigger and I had to rethink it all. I also talk about my recent trip to New York for the Great Girlfriends What Women Want Conference - which was amazing.  I got a chance to meet my [in-my-head]BFFs Christina Brown of LoveBrownSugar, Patrice Washington (the Money Maven) of PatriceWashington.com and Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche and got a chance to catch up with Tieko Nejon!   I also talk about how hard it is to be consistent - especially when you have a full-time job and other responsibilities.  I get so hard on myself when I miss a week.     Let me know what you think of the new website and the new name.     Cheers!