Coffee and a Notepad

Dene is a story teller, but not of the fantasy or rom com variety. She prefers real life, which honestly can be the best stories ever told! Her most recent documentary " Have You Seen Teri?" follow her families journey to locate a family member and dives into the world of mental health and homelessness. On this episode we discuss the impact of sharing such a personal story with the world, returning to filmmaking after a long break, and possible future real life stories she looking to bring to the big screen! "Have You Seen Teri" is being shown in special screenings. To see next upcoming viewing or learn about Dene's other projects, visit her website or connect via LinkedIn.

Caribe & Co is a true example of finding the gap in a crowded market! As a coffee lover, who loves a good hazelnut or (mint chocolate in the winter) it was refreshing and exciting to find new flavors that spice up the morning joe but also celebrates family, culture, and representation. In this episode Savannah shares how she turned her love for cooking to a passion for coffee and the flavors of the Caribbean. Catch up with Savannah and Caribe & Co on Instagram or TikTok .

Starting, growing and maintaining a business takes a lot of work, support, and resources. Organizations, like the Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce are available to new and established businesses to provide them the support they need to survive. So how do you maximize this resource. I had the honor to speak to a few of my local chamber members about membership, why someone should join, what benefits are available to members, and how business owners can be around for the long haul. Here are some of their answers. Special thanks to the Prince George's County Chamber for this opportunity! If you would like more information about upcoming events or how to join, visit their website: https://pgcoc.org/.

Portia calls LinkedIn the most powerful social media platform- a claim that sounds hard to believe with the proliferation of TikTok and Instagram. But perhaps you are just a few small changes away on your LinkedIn profile from landing your dream job or finding your dream client, and in this episode Portia tells us exactly what those changes are and how to maximize the LinkedIn platform for your career success! If yo would like help in leveling up your LinkedIn, connect with Portia on LinkedIn.

Working out is not my favorite activity. But Dawn and her energy has kept me as a regular in her studio for over 5 years now. I wanted to know what was her secret sauce, and how she makes sure that women stay Fit, Fierce, and Fabulous! If you want to connect with Dawn and see what classes she has on her schedule, check out her Instagram!

Some people turn lemons into lemonade. Shajira chose candles. In the midst of a pandemic Shajira and her family experienced a devastating loss- a loss that led her to finding her purpose and a community. Listen in to Shajira's story of finding peace, purpose, and her people though the candle making. To grab you some amazing scents catch up with Shajira on Instagram

The thing that stresses me out the most is money! Thinking about it, managing it, talking about it- all gets my nerves in a bundle. But I love that I have a friend like Ainka who is patient and knowledgeable when it comes to financial planning with nervous nancies lie me! Listen in to our conversation about what exactly is financial planning, how to take the stress out of growing your nest egg and how to think of your business as part of financial success. If you are looking for a financial planner, you can connect with Ainka at ainkamunroe.com.

Kanoa is opening up the world of adventure to the plus size community and I am here for it! As someone who loves to hang up side down, run crashing into waves and exploring the outdoors when on vacation, it's was a treat to chat it up with Kanoa about how she left corporate America and decided to shake up the outdoor and fitness industry one adventure at a time. Check out Kanoa and Nakoa Adventure on Instagram!

Not everyone is wants to become a business owner. Traditional 9 to 5 careers work for them. But what do you do when the career you chose no longer suits you. How do you know when it's time to make a pivot. And what do you need to do to make the transition as smooth as possible. Listen in for Madelyn's lessons learned from making several bold career pivots and what tips she gives to her clients looking to make a change. If you would like to connect with Madelyn, you can catch her over on LinkedIn.

For Women's History Month, I wanted to focus on women making history today! Those that are opening doors for future generations to walk boldly through when their time comes. I am so excited by this episode with Sheena who is the epitome of beauty, style, and grace. Despite a late entry into model AND being plus sized, she is stealing the runway! Check out the episode to learn what life is like for a plus size model and see her in action on her instagram @mspostell.

Many of us are hoping for that "Keith Lee" effect moment- but you might want to be careful of what you wish for... Kalea breaks down how to really be successful with social media and how to prepare yourself for that true breakthrough moment. She also schools me on a few things along the way and makes me feel a little better about my love/hate relationship with social media. Tap in for this amazing conversation if you are a business owner wanting to learn how to use social media successfully. If you need help with your social media strategy, connect with Kalea and her team on Instagram at @kswsocialmedia.

When these two young ladies walked into my office as young high schoolers, ready to start college, I knew they were destined for greatness. But it has still been amazing to see how they grew their hobby of cupcake making into a mini empire, all while being sisters and best friends. Listen in as they share how they support one another and continue to grow their business despite often being the youngest ones in the room. Catch up with Erin, Lena and the Sistahs' Sweets truck via their instagram @sistahsweets

I am not one for the spotlight but if there's one thing I'm learning is that for your business to thrive, people need to see you. So, I called in Melanie to talk me through this personal branding thing. What does it mean to platform yourself? Does that mean I have to share every bit of me on social media? How to I (and you) begin to stand up and stand out? 2024, prepare to be sick of me! You can connect with Melanie on Linkedin⁠.

Happy New Year!! Just a quick moment of reflection before we see what 2024 has in store!

Everyone's journey in their career looks different. Howevever, for many of us, the first step is towards education- a degree (or two), a certification, an online course. But what if life interrupts that step, and points into another direction? Annette Banks, a successful commercial estate manager, shares with me her journey to working with some of the largest retailers in the world and how she got there.... without formal education.

It's great to have many passions in life, but what happens when you want all those passions in your business? Join me as I chat it up with Toni about how her passion birthed a business, how they helped her pivot, and some of the tough decisions she's had to make when her passion began to collide with her business goals. You can connect with Toni on Instagram and visit her website.

Weddings are stressful enough without the added pressure of social media for both the couple and the planner! Ebony joins me to share her thoughts on how social media has changed the wedding industry and why I can't convert her to a TikTok lover (yet!) Connect with Ebony Instagram: @mystylisheventmd Website: https://www.mystylishevent.com/

Many things from the pandemic have come and gone, but the one thing that seems to be here for the long haul is remote work! There is no shortage of think pieces on whether or not working from home should still be a thing but in this episode Jomo shares a perspective we don't often here about: how does remote work impact the small business owner? Connect with Jomo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jomohylton/

Trying something new can be exciting. But trying and FAILING... well that's another story. While failure can be barrier that keeps many new entrepreneurs from starting in the first place, Amani shares with me why she encourages her clients to embrace failing and what lessons can be learned from the experience. Connect with Amani on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanirose/

We've all been there: You walk into a room ready to network. Someone eventually walks up to you, extends their hand and says "Pleasure to meet you. What is it you do?" What do you say next? Well, my guest Rayna Phillips, instructor and life coach, joins me this week to give some practical steps to pitching your business and hopefully landing your next client.

The option to work remotely is becoming more normalized and for some, like myself, its now a full fledge career choice. But should it be? My guest Toya and I talk through the Virtual Assistant business and how to successfully create a career in virtual work. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toyaglenn_gogigax/https://www.instagram.com/toyaglenn_gogigax/

Less than 30 days in, Nicole is both celebrating the launch of her business and reviewing her lessons learned. Listen in on our conversation covering what went right, what went wrong, and what advice she has for those thinking for launching their own business.

It's my birthday and I can party if I want to!

We often hear about imposter syndrome but not from the perspective of men. Which left me to wonder, do men ever experience imposter syndrome? Enjoy this conversation with Tully and I as he shares his experience with imposter syndrome and his tip for overcoming it.

Ah the soft life! Visions of luxury, beach filled trips, and stress free days fill my mind when someone mentions the soft life. But can that dream be a reality for entrepreneurs and small business owners? My guest, Nicole and I discuss whether the soft life can exist for those who work for themselves and if so, how. Instagram: @opulentskinsuite

They say that friends and money don't mix, but is that always true? What should consider before going into business with friends? Or is it better to keep the two separate? Shalita and I talk through how to navigate business, friendships and setting boundaries to balance the two. Instagram: @thenonprofitista

It's the first official episode of Coffee and a Notepad! Welcome!