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Professional Development

Take a Chance – Step Out!

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BY KEISHA JOHNSON

Have you heard it said, the water will never part until you put your feet in it? This metaphor references the biblical stories of the parting of the Red Sea and the River Jordan, places we can either view as a death trap or our greatest opportunity when we seem stuck.

The story is told of Moses leading millions of Israelis in the great exodus from slavery in Egypt to start a new life in a ‘promised land’. As they fled the familiar they found themselves out of places to run and were trapped on the edge of a chasm between the past and the future.

Whatever choice they made, whether to go back or to go forward, was a huge risk. In the midst of the chaos, Moses inquired of the Lord who instructed him to do the seemingly ridiculous, move towards the Red Sea and lead the people into the deep.

This story is not too far-fetched from some of our experiences today. Sometimes life throws us curve balls: we lose our job or the breadwinner or the person who anchored us in life. It feels like the rug is pulled from under us and there’s no way forward. Doors of opportunity close and we lose hope as to whether they’ll ever come our way again.

In those moments, uncertainty swirls, chaos looms and we can become paralyzed with fear or be infused with fierceness to chance the unknown.  The choice is ours and how we respond determines whether we live or die.

When Moses stretched out his hand over the Red Sea, the waters parted creating a wall on either side and a clear passage to walk through. The entire company of people with him, we are told, escaped the ensuing army on dry land. They risked the unknown and lived!

The story goes on to record that as the army pursued them into this miraculous new path, the same waters that were divided for Moses and his company to go through, came barrelling down and engulfed the entire enemy army.

I once heard another story of a dog curled up in agony sitting on a nail. Passersby asked those standing around why don’t he just get up? One man responded, I guess it doesn’t hurt bad enough.

What circumstances are you facing that seem hopeless? What ideas and solutions have you been sitting on? How much longer will you remain reluctant to chance the unknown and make a move towards your greatness?

Unless you ‘put your feet in the water’, the water will not divide.

In 2013 I was inspired to create a platform to showcase the great work of trailblazers and game changers in our community. The objective was simply to inspire others with hope, knowledge and experiences to thrive in their own journey as well as to draw attention to the multiplicity of our communities’ contributions to Canadian society.

I was new to Toronto and had met lots of amazing people who have accomplished many firsts among the Caribbean diaspora or general Black community in Canada. Yet many of their contributions, impact and stories were unknown in various pockets of the society.

In fact, I remember one specific occasion at a dinner table surrounded by professionals, lawyer, doctor, judge, politician, CEO and myself, all of Caribbean heritage and two Caucasian Canadian neighbours. In the conversation, the question was asked how come we don’t see or hear about more like you in mainstream media?

Our neighbours were not being facetious. They were concerned that the image portrayed in mainstream favoured the negative and poorly reflected the fullness of our people. We all agreed that day that the onus is on us to tell our own stories. I left that dinner party wondering how and what can I do in that endeavour.

I took a chance to move forward with the platform as a TV show. As I shared it with others, the support was overwhelming. I didn’t have the resources to make a TV show, but then I was offered two radio spots on two different radio stations. Someone I had done some pro bono work for came on board as a producer. Another company offered to undertake the marketing. The support and resources have been snowballing since I took a chance and stepped out. The show, Living the Dream in Canada will debut on Carib101radio on July 13, 2016.

This is what I mean when I encourage you to ‘step into the water’ and then it will divide. Do not be paralyzed by your circumstances whatever they may be. Be fierce not fearful! Make a move and give your dream permission to live.

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2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Millicent

    August 2, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Wow? I feel so inspired by this article…it’s amazing what a dose of faith can do.

    • Keisha

      September 1, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      Very true Millicent! Let me know how you are stepping out.

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Professional Development

As a community we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street?

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Photo Credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com

BY DAVID ANDERSON

Do you know what the problem is? We can never stand up as one and unite for change. I am getting really sick and tired of this crab in a bucket mentality. As a community, we have not done enough. We have not built enough. Instead of correcting history, we have chosen the path of repeating it. I mean it is true we cannot hide from who we are but grow and learn from who we were. We cannot be afraid to let our brothers and sisters continue to separate.

As a community, we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street? How come it has never been remade since the tragic Tulsa race massacre that took place May 31st and June 1st 1921? City officials, to attack Black business owners, and residents gave the people weapons. They destroyed homes in Tulsa Oklahoma. What was once a flourishing community in Tulsa Oklahoma was reduced to nothing but campfire stories. This left a negative impact on the Black community.

Have you ever heard the phrase crabs in a bucket? This is a metaphor for people who either live in the same environment or are after specific goals. What we all get confused about is that there is enough for everyone.

I used to hate the saying “Let’s get this bag,” because it puts one trophy at the top of the pedestal. Humans are so competitive that they would rather sabotage their future as long as they beat you or finish first. This is how you burn bridges that you will have to cross again in life.

Working towards one goal usually is beneficial to each individual or as a collective (team). Every sports team makes it clear what their goals are in the pre-season. This allows coaches and players to develop a relationship that is based on trust and personal development. Each time they step out on the field or court they have their teammates’ best interest at hand. This will create chemistry, which only strengthens relationships and performance. We have to be able to depend on and trust one another. We need to learn from our mistakes and be proactive in correcting them.

As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to build strong relationships and communities. This might not be easy, but it is beneficial for you, family, business and community. As a leader you must have the ability to rally people in your community towards a cause. You have the ability to start a community organization. You possess the skills to make a change in your life, for your family and community. Don’t let opportunities pass you by. We need to learn more about our history, or it will repeat itself. We need to learn from other great cities, villages, and kingdoms.

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Professional Development

How to Boost Your Marketing Agency’s Growth in 2022

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Want to boost your marketing agency’s growth over the course of the next calendar year? If so, you’ve found the right article. Below, you will find insightful information regarding the current scalability of the advertising sector, as well as comprehensive advice on what you can do to play an active role in this ongoing development.

Here are three things you can do to boost your marketing agency’s growth in 2022:

Home in your niche market
You aren’t going to grow your marketing agency until you showcase your skill, credibility, and reliability. In order to cultivate this type of reputation for yourself, you need to offer a specific service incredibly well. Distracting yourself with unnecessary service ranges will detract from your ability to build this authority, which is why you are advised to home in on a niche market segment. This will entail you providing a narrow yet effecting promotional service until you are capable of taking your agency to the next level.

There are plenty of niche marketing markets for you to tap into, eight of which include:

  1. Digital marketing
  2. Outbound or inbound marketing
  3. Content marketing
  4. Social media marketing
  5. Voice marketing
  6. Email marketing
  7. Influencer marketing
  8. Word-of-mouth marketing

Embrace white label SEO
If you choose to go down the digital marketing route in your expansion endeavor, you should seriously consider embracing white label SEO. This will allow you to expand your web-based advertising initiative without draining your time, effort, money, or resources.

To ensure that you receive a substantial ROI from white label SEO, it’s recommended that you partner up with a reputable reseller such as Click Intelligence Canada. This industry authority will help you to generate a new source of revenue, they will offer SEO solutions tailored around your specific expertise, and they will provide a cost-effective platform for your agency’s growth. Ultimately, this level of assistance will allow you to focus on what truly matters — your company’s ongoing scalability.

Simplify your project management
The way in which you manage your projects will have a profound effect on your marketing agency’s success going forward. In this instance, it’s important that you avoid overcomplicating things at all costs. This will only make life ten times harder for yourself, s it will eat away at both your time and effort. Ultimately, this will decrease the likelihood of you meeting your crucial advertising campaign deadlines.

When attempting to simplify your project management process, your first port of call should be to prioritize your daily tasks by level of importance. This will help you to screen out unimportant tasks and subsequently aid you in your attempt to focus on critical marketing matters.

Are you determined to take your marketing agency to the next level in 2022? If so, be sure to heed the growth and development advice laid out above. Home in on a niche market, embrace white label SEO, and simplify your project management — do all of that, and you’ll be scaling the lofty heights of your niche industry sooner rather than later.

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Professional Development

Ergonomic Home Office- Choosing The Best Furniture Pieces

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BY ELLA BRAUN

The COVID crisis has brought a sudden transition for the world, particularly in the form of the work from the home switch. The biggest challenge, however, is that most of us are not equipped with a proper working area at home. Like everyone else, you would also want to have a dedicated office space that makes you feel productive. When it comes to creating such a home office, comfort is important. After all, you cannot expect to do your best in the workspace if you are not comfortable enough. If you are planning to create an ergonomic home office, choosing the right furniture pieces matters the most. Here are some tips to pick the best ones.

Assess the available space
Even before you start preparing a wishlist of furniture pieces, assess the available area. Not everyone has a spare room for creating a dedicated office, so space struggles are more real than you think. Measure the area and consider the essential pieces you would want to fit in. You may have to differentiate between needs and wants and skip some things if there isn’t enough room.

Consider the work hours
From the ergonomic perspective, it is important to consider the number of hours you would be working every day. For example, you can give precedence to style if you plan to use the home office for only a few hours in a day. However, comfort is absolutely essential if you have long working hours. You may even consider having a standing work desk apart from the sitting arrangement to prevent the ill-effects of prolonged sitting.

Have a budget to start with
Right now, you may be pressed for cash but a proper workspace is something that you can’t do without. Having a budget before you start shopping is a good idea. You may even look for deals like an IKEA flyer or coupon online to fit the best-branded furniture in your budget. Quality is vital when it comes to ergonomics because good brands go the extra mile to create designs that are easy on the body.

Choose pieces that fit you
If comfort is your top priority while picking furniture for your work area, you need to go the extra mile to find pieces that actually fit your body. Consider proportioned height for your chair and table if you are too tall or too short. Exploring and trying before buying is a great idea. Of course, your office furniture should look great but ease is something that you cannot ignore.

Don’t forget your personal style
Even as you look for pieces that are comfortable, don’t forget your personal style. Also, make sure that it blends with your home decor, particularly when you are creating a workspace in your living room or bedroom. Consider the aesthetic elements such as colour and design. At the same time, invest in durability and quality as well.

Although creating a home office can be easy, you need to be extra sure about ergonomics. After all, an easy space makes you feel more productive and keeps you healthy as well.

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