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Professional Development

The Necklace of Life

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BY KEISHA JOHNSON

Sometimes when we are in the midst of uncertainty it is difficult to know which decision to trust. Especially when the choices we face are time sensitive, competing or challenge our ideals.

We can either throw caution to the wind and risk the unknown or vacillate between indecision and procrastination.

One thing is clear, experiences are like beads strung on the necklace of life. Their real beauty and value may not be fully evident until they are strung together. More importantly, what those beads look like are determined by the choices we make.

This truth came home forcefully to me recently and reinforced some invaluable lessons too good to keep hidden.

Descramble the Fear of Loss: I’ve been itching to move forward with a long held vision. Out of the blue an opportunity came to fulfill it. It seemed good. Checked most of my ideals. But something was missing. It wasn’t evident what that was, but I had a limited window to make a decision whether to take the opportunity or not. The anxiety of ‘what ifs’ loomed and a quandary of questions engulfed me.

Do I run with the opportunity or do I risk everything and give it up? If I do, what other options are available to make this dream a reality? In what timeframe and what will it take? If I proceed, what am I compromising? Is that compromise redeemable? How? When? What impact would it have on the vision? What is the absolute worst that could happen?

Have you ever been there? The fear of loss was about to entangle me in chaos. These were all worthwhile questions. But as I thought about them I recognized that they were all fear based. A great realization but still no decision was forthcoming and everyone invested began to lose patience with me. To get clarity demanded a different approach. My Mom challenged me to ditch my comfort zone and launch out into deeper waters. In my gut I knew she was right and in my gut I knew that was scary as hell!

Get to Visioning: Unwilling to let the unknowns usurp wisdom and peace of mind, I pulled back and quieted my mind. I heard Napolean Hill quietly echoing, “Whatever the heart of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” In stillness and solitude I envisioned the best possible outcomes; the most extravagant fulfillment of my vision. I pushed my brain beyond the present opportunity, financial constraints, insufficient knowledge, professional inexperience and every other limitation to a new limitless ideal.

Embrace Clarity: In that moment I began to see the forest and not just the trees. The decision became clear. This opportunity was not the vehicle to fulfill the vision, instead it was a catalyst to envision a bigger vision with greater possibilities. It ignited in me a fervor to pursue this dream beyond the small beginning I originally had in mind and expand to greater terrain. I could see it, touch it, and feel it!

With that bit of clarity, the fear of a missed opportunity yielded to the reality of attaining something beyond my capacity. I began to share the revised bigger vision and immediately it started to attract the required resources to fulfill it.

Recalibrate and proceed with great expectations: What appeared to be my big break became a stepping stone and a precedent for when uncertainty and the fear of loss looms, to be bold and courageous and proceed knowing that: where I am at and whatever I am facing may just be a starting point on which to build, that there is nothing to fear but fear itself and that visioning doesn’t cost anything. Therefore I can give myself permission to dream big and embrace a reality of limitless possibilities. Then watch it come together.

This experience has fulfilled its purpose. We can now string it on the necklace of life to be a reference when next it becomes difficult to see the forest for the trees.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Charmaine Gentles

    December 2, 2015 at 9:02 am

    The Necklace of Life was a really good article Keisha. We can all identify with those internal struggles of fear and doubts. Really good article and timely. Thanks Keisha

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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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