Personal brand maven – Erica Nicole of Young, Fabulous, and Self Employed

March 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Erica Nicole is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of YFS Magazine. Young, Fabulous and Self Employed is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and would be innovators achieve their dreams.

Nicole, an advertising and marketing guru, is the Managing Principal and CEO of Dallas-based Socialista Media + Marketing Group. She spoke to Z&A about how she built her personal brand.

marketing and global media

Z&A: If you had to make an “elevator pitch” for your personal brand, what would you say?

The fundamental guiding principles behind my ‘personal brand’ are simple: God, Life & Entrepreneurship: Live Life Fearlessly by Design. A definitive global business development Launchpad for startups, emerging brands, and small to mid-sized companies. Helping you work smart from the ground up, improve workflow, and develop sustainable and profitable businesses.

Z&A: You’ve had extensive experience in global advertising and marketing, crafting communications for some notable companies. How did your experience helping brands build their message influence; how you go about building your personal message?

My experience crafting media and communications strategies for some of the world’s most prestigious and innovative brands has given me keen insight into how to transfer proven techniques to launch startups and revive mid-sized companies. Building a brand starts with precision, well-crafted goals, innovation, meticulous optimization and a true understanding of your core audience. The way a company identifies itself is often very different from external audience perceptions. Holistic approaches to business growth, operations, integrated marketing and media will set the stage for category leadership and influence.

I build my personal message by maximizing each communication. Whether people realize it or not, everyone builds his/her personal message through life’s details: personal goals, social interactions, web presence, professional endeavors and internal philosophies. These things govern who you are. It’s important to make a quality decision each day to be the best person you can be – chiefly be accountable to yourself and others. “Be a first rate version of yourself – not a second rate version of someone else.” [Judy Garland]

Z&A: What resources [people, books, publications, etc.] have you used in building your personal and professional brand?

Building your personal and professional brand starts with a dedicated and precise focus to improve who you are – it’s an inside job. Often, people try to build castles [great endeavors] before assessing the foundation [themselves]. Acquire as much knowledge as possible – read more. Some of my favorite books are featured in YFS Magazine, on how to Change your Stinkin’ Thinkin.’ Develop an unassailable positive mental attitude and become highly cognizant of your value [personally and professionally]. I am a huge fan of authors such as Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill and John Maxwell.

Z&A: A lot of young women don’t really understand the whole concept of personal branding or, alternatively, understand it but don’t see the use. How do you view personal branding?

Great question. You are absolutely right – most people do not understand the inherent value of personal branding. Personal branding shouldn’t be complicated – there is no right or wrong answer. It is simply the unique essence of who you are which is communicated and represented in everything that you do. And whether you are purposefully developing one or simply living life – you have one. A personal brand affects every area of your life – your achievements, relationships, and professional growth. Why is it useful? Simply put, if you take an inventory of your life and don’t like the output [circumstances, environment and associations] – change the input [knowledge, information, thought patterns]. That is personal branding in its most basic form.

Z&A: Why did you launch YFS magazine?

I launched YFS Magazine to do one thing: serve and connect like-minded entrepreneurs. I noticed that while many well-known resources existed on entrepreneurship many were not relatable to me at the onset, and fundamental years, of launching my companies. This is the go-to resource I wish I had when I started my first business.

More often than not, I read about individuals that experienced some level of success but left out the fundamental question of, ‘How did they really do it?’ There was a lack of collective insight on what it holistically takes to be successful in entrepreneurship – the inside job. Ultimately, I wanted to share content that was actionable – alongside key takeaways that people could learn from a Savvy Startup or Success Profile. These areas represent the core editorial mission behind YFS Magazine. We endeavor to be relevant, motivational, actionable, informational and results-oriented. YFS Magazine was built to be a collective force of one accord – a launch pad for bold and fearless entrepreneurs.

Z&A: Your site provides a lot of information on starting businesses. Why do you think it’s important for young women to be entrepreneurs? Who/What inspired you on your path to entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool. Not only does it break socio-economic barriers but it develops core traits and skill sets that will create a competitive edge in life and in business. I was inspired at a young age by the example set by my parents – the word ‘can’t’ was never a part of my vocabulary [thanks mom]. I am also truly inspired by the numerous emails of positive feedback I receive from clients, YFS Magazine readers and attendees from my speaking engagements.

Z&A: What do you wish you would have known about starting a business 10 years ago?

I would have acquired more knowledge, become more fearless about conquering new challenges, and blocked out the noise a lot earlier. A person’s external success is a reflection of his/her internal growth. Knowledge is power – ideas are the currency of change. People are not lacking ideas – they are often bankrupt of vision. You can only go as far as you can see. When I talk about blocking out the noise – I refer to those that don’t have your best interest in mind. It is imperative to realize that those who don’t help you climb want you to crawl. Those that do not stretch your vision will choke your dreams. Your life in the next five years will undoubtedly be a reflection of the people you associate with and the books you read.

Z&A: You call yourself a “travel zealot.” What lessons have you learned from your travels? Why is it important for young women to travel?

I have learned through my travels to always be one step ahead, prepare in advance and travel light. These same principles apply to business as well. A well-formed strategy and commitment to innovation will set the stage for growth and keep you ahead of the game. Also, many opportunities are missed due to a lack of preparation.

And ultimately ‘travel light’ – get rid of excess baggage: people, things, excuses and limiting ideas that are keeping you from achieving your destiny. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Travel is important for young women. It will expand your reference point and often change how you perceive the world around you. Travel broadens your life experience and cultivates the expansion of your vision. The limitations of your mind define the boundaries of your reality. People can only go as far as they can see. Every opportunity in life will not exist within a 10 mile radius. Remember: There’s no comfort in the growth zone and there’s no growth in the comfort zone.

Connect with Erica Nicole via Twitter or Facebook [www.facebook.com/YFSMagazine]

This post was originally published in November 2010 on Zora-Alice (see original).

Filed Under: Career + Internships, Current Issue, Issue 0, Magazine, Zora-Alice Tagged With: , ,

Just Play.

April 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m about to let you in on a secret. I’m a huge fan of clichés. I don’t generally walk around spewing tired platitudes like “there’s beauty all around us” but there is! I may have a bit of an angry face but in my head, I’m saying stuff like this all the time.

Lately, I haven’t explored this love like usual. In the last year, I’ve transformed from a thinker -the reflective, contemplative type to more of a doer. I rarely keep still. I’ve found the transition to be necessary and appropriate, effortless in fact. The new me is a lot less aloof and indecisive – less annoying even! Last year, deciding if I was gonna order pizza or buffalo wings required the brainpower of preliminary research. Now I just choose the cheapest or whichever is closest. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve simply become broke and lazy.

Anyways, I digress. I am currently completing a yearlong fellowship. Thus the job search begins again. All of the employees at my job have been hounding me with one question, “so have you figured out what you’re doing next year.” They’re freaking out for me. They can’t imagine being in my position with my whole life turned around in a day (which would be the day I get my last paycheck and have to exit the apartment provided). Yeah, that day may suck, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had worse days.

I’m just not about to let that phase me. Reading the article: Don’t Work. Be Hated. Love Someone. only solidified the fact that my judgment is usually that of a sage.

At this juncture in life what I find most beautiful is precisely that: this juncture in life. I’m in my early 20s, I live in one of the greatest cities in the world, and I have no kids. As far as I’m concerned, life is grand.

I need to play. You should too.

Easier said than done, right?

I know. I’m not so strong. I get weak. I know it that securing a job with a salary is the responsible decision. It would be wise to put a dent in my student loans. Sometimes I wonder how much could be reduced for an insignificant body part or two – like my pinky fingernail or my second toe that doesn’t bend anyway. Those together have to be at least 5Gs. Come on!

However, taking a job that does not excite me would be me buying into some facade of responsibility impressed upon me by societal norms in a culture that probably works too hard and has a crappy economic system to show for it anyway. I would do so out of compulsion rather than desire. What I need to work for is finding something that love rather than something that simply pays the bills.

PLAY.

Cheers to finding courage and discovering your purpose!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured, Other Side Tagged With: , , , , ,

Location: In La La land…. but I’m not dreaming

April 23, 2012 by 3 Comments

If you would have asked me 5 months ago, where I would be in April 2012,  I would have probably  been annoyed. Then I’d say, “I don’t bleeping know” in a more tactful manner. This time in December, I was nearing the end of my term on Capitol Hill and once again found myself at a dead end. I felt I had exhausted my resources as far as coffee and informational meetings and emails could take you and working at Starbucks had started to seem like the most viable option. My plan after the holidays in Minnesota was to return to Washington D.C., find a peanut job so I could eat and at least pay my angel of an auntie a little something for letting me squat in her apartment, and co-produce a webisode series I wrote with the little money I had. Meanwhile, I would wait for my 5-figure job to fall from the sky.

The Sunday before my departure from Minnesota, I received a call from one of my best friends from high school that I can now confidently say changed the course of my life forever. She asked me if I had a job yet and if I’d be willing to move to L.A. to work for a show we will refer to as, Mr. Bigtime. A production assistant had just quit and she was going to give my resume to the producer. After wiping up my drool I was able to say, heck yes. In a matter of two hours I was on the phone with a producer for Mr. Bigtime. She was extremely bubbly and excited to talk to little old me for some reason. This woman tells me (and my mom, who was sitting on pins and needles listening along), “Now, I could hire someone locally, but because of your resume and what I’ve heard about you if you can get here by next Monday the job is yours. Call me on Tuesday with your answer.” It took a nanosecond for me to decide that I would go. I really could not believe it! Me, the quirkster, suburban, African girl was finally going to the big time! Who knew, maybe I would have a chance to be the first production assistant ever to take over a major network primetime show. At this point anything was possible!  I floated. Of course my parents were elated as well.  So much so they told quite literally our whole extended family. Immediately, I devised a plan that I would go to D.C., pack up my things, and fly to L.A. that Saturday. I bought my ticket from Reagan to LAX, planned to ship my car, and made arrangements to stay with my friend until I could find my own place.

When I called the woman back her tone was substantially less bubbly and she told me to call her back on Thursday. Strange I thought, this hussy better not try to pull a fast one on me. In the days leading up to Thursday I could not eat or sleep. It was definitely the worst anticipation anxiety I’ve ever had. My gut told me that something was wrong. I called again on Thursday and she handed the phone to her Associate producer who goes through my job description, what my days will be like, tells me to watch the last 2 episodes of the show, and tells me she will email me a sample of the packets I will put together each week. AH, I could breath again It hought until I heard her whisper “Should I tell her now?” The associate producer then informs me that  she would “ call me back in 5 min”.

I wanted to say, “No, you trickster. Tell me whatever you have to say NOW!” I mean, come on woman, this was no small decision, it’s Thursday and my ticket was for Saturday. But I conceded and again waited for her call. FOUR HOURS LATER my phone rings. The sweethearted associate producer is on the line. It went something like this:

“Hi hun, we actually decided to hire someone local just because we didn’t want you to move here just for this job, you know? And we’d feel responsible if it didn’t work out.”…And a bunch of other stuff that sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown. At the end, I simply said, “Okay, thank you for your consideration.”

So here we have it, a one way a non-refundable ticket to Los Angeles International Airport, cancelled casting calls for my webisode series, and a big fat question mark lingering over my head. The bon voyage dinner my best friend Camille and I cooked had turned in to something quite different.  It wasn’t until Camille’s older brother said, “Well, you’re still going right” that I considered still going. Who knows what could happen, I thought. But this was just too gutsy; my parents would think I was crazy. And obviously I was because that Saturday I got on the plane and not one of those doubts have come to fruition.

I just recently made the deposit on a studio in, yes you guessed right, L.A. May will not only mark my 1st year as a graduate, but also my 5th month living in the City of Angels. Within a week of arriving in this foreign land, I had a freelance job on a film. This led me to the permanent job I have now. My dream of pursuing acting seemed so far fetched only weeks before; I now have an agent. And most unbelievably to me, I auditioned, passed, and enrolled in the first course at the Groundlings School. Something I truly dreamed of, but thought could only be reality years from whenever I was dreaming. I really cannot believe my life right now and I owe it all to that tricky producer at Mr. Bigtime.

You see, I didn’t ramble on with every detail of that story to hype myself. That’s actually one of my least favorite things to do. I want you to understand my thought process because I know you’ve worn those apprehensive shoes too. We’ve all found ourselves at a dead end where our options seemed limited. We doubt, we stress, and we complain about things that are out of our control as opposed to the easier  option of taking control.  There is something beautiful about risk. No, not tightrope walking across a high-rise building over a pool of sharks. I’m talking about jumping in to an insecure situation and trusting yourself to turn it into something solid. When you take risks, you take control. Think about the times where you doubted yourself and went for it anyway. You took a risk! Regardless if the situation ended in your favor or not, I know you lived because you’re reading this article. And if it don’t kill ya, (in unison, please) it makes ya stronger. My friends, when it comes to your dreams, especially those that seem farfetched, the only thing that will come from sitting and waiting is a sore toosh. Make the choice to take control and turn your dreams in to your reality. You’ll surprise yourself.

And always, be thankful!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured, Other Side Tagged With: , , , , ,

Learning from Oprah’s OWN struggles

April 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m no Oprah junkie. The Oprah Show never much appealed to me – too much consumerism, too much “self help.”
Still I’ve always respected Oprah for what she’s accomplished, especially given the extremely difficult life she had. Many people struggle to build anything of value but Oprah really struggled.

When she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in January 2011, I didn’t expect to be a viewer. But like many people,  I assumed a lot of her fans would flock to her to the network. From building a hugely successful magazine to launching the careers of folks like Rachel Ray to propelling small businesses and books to success, Oprah seemed to have the midas touch.

Until she didn’t…

OWN has struggled since its launch. Just four months into the launch, its first CEO Christina Norman was ousted. Even with new leadership and piles of money, the network just couldn’t seem to pull it together. Veteran TV host Rosie O’Donnell was brought in to host a show to save OWN. That too ended disastrously. A couple of weeks ago, the network announced layoffs and restructuring. America loves nothing more than to put famous people on a pedestal and then watch them fall and plenty of people have enjoyed kicking Oprah while she’s down. So I was really encouraged this week by an interview Oprah gave to “CBS This Morning.”

She said:

“The idea of creating a network was something that I wanted to do. Had I known that it was this difficult, I might have done something else. I didn’t think it was going to be easy, but…if I knew then what I know now, I might have made different choices. If I were writing a book about it, I could call the book ’101 Mistakes.’”

I was really impressed by Oprah’s candid comments in the interview. Yes, she is most one of the most influential womem in the world and one of the wealthiest self-made women in America, but she too can get in over her head. I spent a good bit of time thinking about Oprah’s comments and distilling lessons for those of us just starting out our careers:

  • Mistakes are inevitable: even with her experience with TV, movies, and magazines, Oprah can still make wrong calls in the media business. If someone with decades of experience stil make mistakes in a business with which she is intimately familiar, then we too will make mistakes. We don’t have decades of wisdom (yet) but even after we do, we won’t always make the right call.

  • Admitting failure doesn’t make you weak: In trying to be taken seriously as a professional, I’ve found myself not wanting to admit failure to others. I’ve wanted to keep my errors guarded so that I could appear strong and in control. This is the wrong approach. Growth will come by admitting missteps and thinking critically about what went wrong and why.

  • Everyone has to pay their dues:Oprah admits to launching OWN before she was ready and making other mistakes. Given the decade-long halo of success around here, there was probably a bit of hubris and an assumption that she could easily do it. But she’s learned that everyone has to learn at least partly from experience.

  • Always keep growing and pushing: Oprah admitted that having a network was “something that I wanted to do.” So even after the successes she’s created, she did not rest. No one would have blamed Oprah if she decided to continue riding the wave of her show; she could probably have kept dominating ratings for another 5-10 years. She could have continued being an executive producer of other talk shows and movies, and producing her magazine – all areas where she’s proven success. Yet she chose to try something new. If someone with Oprah’s track record of success can take a risk then so can you and me! We have way less to lose in the court of public opinion.

While a lot of Oprah’s diehard fans can be a bit “crazy” in their devotion, a lot of her diehard critics are also extreme. The haters are probably gonna keep hating. I probably won’t tune in to OWN no matter what happens (the little TV I consume happens strictly online), but I do wish Oprah the best and feel grateful for the lessons on humility.

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Culture, Featured Tagged With: , , ,

Beauty Maven: Interview with House of Mikko founder Kimberly Dillon

February 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Kimberly Dillon is on a mission to help women celebrate their beauty and discover great new products. She is the founder and CEO of House of Mikko, a beauty recommendation engine for women. The company just launched I Love Your Hair, a mobile app to help women share product tips, get inspired, and discover styles.

Dillon spoke with Zora about diving into entrepreneurship, staying true to herself, and learning to focus on her strengths as a leader.

Why entrepreneurship? What prompted you to start House of Mikko?

I’ve had a lot of jobs after school and I got to a point where I knew what I wanted to do and what my strenghts were. It’s more challenging when you don’t really know what you want to do or haven’t found what you’re good at because you don’t see opportunities in the same way. Starting House of Mikko really came out of the fact that I was working at a beauty company and I knew it was really hard to market to women of color and women in general. It was a problem of my industry and I knew I had the skill set to address it.

When did you really decide you were going to go out on your own?

I started the beginning of the company while I was still in business school in 2010 but I didnt leave my full time job till September of last year.

Once you decided you were going to start House of Mikko, what were your next steps? What planning process did you go through?

I will say I had two distint processes. I wrote the business plan when I was in school so there was a lot of structure. Two months after graduation, I joined a startup accelerator at women 2.0. Incubators, accelerators and programs are a great way to help you identify and shape the foundations of your business. I’ve never really felt like I didn’t know what to do because I’ve had two programs that guided me through the process.

How did you think through the process of finding partners? When you were in business school, did you have partners that you knew you wanted to work with or did that came later?

I’ve had team the whole time but they’ve been different teams. Usually the best teams have worked with each other before so if you’re still in school, maintain those relationships. In early jobs, stay in touch with people. Even if they haven’t worked with me, it’s my network that has referred me to other people. Your network is incredibly important both in forming your team and in forming your advisers.

One thing that can be a stumbling block for women who want to be entrepreneurs, and for some men as well, is the lack of a technical background. What did you study and how did you go about filling any technical gaps?

It’s an ongoing struggle. In lieu of technical resources you have a higher burn rate because you have to pay someone. That becomes tricky becuase it’s not just paying someone, you have to pay the right people and that in itself is a bigger problem that the money For us, we did a lot of things to make that process as smooth as possible. One, we had technical advisors who double checked all of our work. Secondly, we wireframed and had a really strong vision. The idea itself is worth very little, it’s really how you are going to execute this and the look and feel of your product. And look and feel is something that most people who are not technical can approach. You really need to have a point of view in lieu of a technical co-founder and a ton of documentation because your engineer is a hired gun, he’s not really paid to see your vision.

That’s a great tip. Has your vision changed since you wrote that initial business plan? changed? Have there been any major changes as you’ve built the product and talked to users?

Several, like a thousand. We started as a beauty supply store then we became a recommendation engine which is how most people think of House of Mikko now, as a personalized beauty service. We’ve actually pivoted and are launchiing our first really commericial ready product which is called I Love Your Hair. It’s a mobile app that allows women to take picutres of their hair and tag what products they used or where they got it done and really connect with other women. It’s like Foodspotting for hair or twitter for hair.

Where did the original name come from for House of Mikko?

Mikko is the name of e a friend of mine which roughly means pretty girl in Japanese so we modified it. We went in that direction because beauty sites often tell you what you’re doing wrong and who’s prettier than you. For example, a lot of beauty magazines give advice to look like Beyonce who is gorgerous in her own right but many of us aren’t going to look like her. We wanted to take the approach that you’re already pretty and beautiful and you should feel that way. Our brand is about improving ourselves inside and out.

Your blog posts share the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. What would you say has been the biggest challenge of the past year?

I think the biggest challenge has been staying true to myself. I went through a period where I was doing things in a particular way. I thought, I need a tecnical co-founder before I can more forward, I need this money before I can do X, Y, and Z, I need this adviser before this can happen, I need to go to a networking event every night because that’s how this person did it.

I was copying what other people did and wasn’t really focusing on my own strengths and my own personality. I’m not one to go to a networking even every night. I didn’t go to Stanford, I do not have an engineering degree, I am not a white guy. I was focusing on all the things I was not instead of things that I am.

And I think the turnaround was that I decide that I’m just going to do this my way and be comfortable with that. It’s really playing to your strenghts versus focusing on your weaknesses because there’s going to be a lot of weaknesses but I have one or two really awesome strengths.

What are those strengths?

I really understand women but more broadly I understand people. I love marketing. I fundamentally love marketing and I think technology needs to move that way. There’s 10,000 developers that can make the next Angry Birds but that’s not particularly interesting for the future of the internet. Internet products in the future really have to understand consumer behavior to really win.

In addition to Founder Labs, which other ways have you found support?

I’ve found informal support and I also have a contrarian view to what we just discussed. Informally, I’m friends with a lot of people in the Black Founders group. We have a regular informal happy hour and it’s good to see people and get their updates. My contrarian viewpoint is that some of the most helpful people have not been women or people of color. It’s about judging people for who they are. Some of our biggest cheerleaders probably have very little idea of beauty but have a pretty strong investment in us as people. On some level there is a need to connect and promote women and people of color. On another level, there are a lot of people who are just interested in you as individual so you can’t just segregate yourself entirely because you’ll be surprised by a lot of unlikely candidates that will help you along the way.

You moved to San Francisco to launch your business. What are your feelings about being in the nexus of entrepreneurship?

I’m here for a specific reason. Most of my friends here also have startups so there’s the solidarity. There are people out there who do not care about every new product or the next photo-geo-local-social app. And sometimes its ridiculous to be in the valley where people are building social apps for dogs, but it’s also good to be around people who are as passionate as you are about specific industry.

You’re building a product but you’re also building a company. What have you larned about yourself as a leader in this process?

You have to trust yourself as a leader. One of the things I’ve found is that I’m often very apologietic for correcting people. But I’ve realized that a lot of people do want direction and that it’s your job to be the vision holder. No one is going to fight for it more than you are so it’s ok to seem a little pushy and seem a little aggressive. At [my old job] P&G, we used something called “having the D” which means having the decision so before you went into any meeting, you knew who had the D and there was no confusion. There’s something about having the D that’s powerful because you do need to make decisions and it’s ok to make the wrong decision. Sometimes it’s about just making a decision and not wallowing in wait and see mode because that puts you in a reacitonary place instead of a proactive place.

Is there anything you’ve learned about women and beauty and this industry that has surprised you?

One of the things I find interesting is that women identify themselves in two spectrums when in reality most of us are in the middle. When we pitch to women of all varieties, women instantly process themselves as either ‘I love makeup’ or more commonly’ I’m not wearing any makeup right now and I’m really not into that.’ It’s interesting that a lot of people say they’re not into beauty but I would argue that they are. Beauty is shampoo, deodorant, mascara, lip gloss. There are very few women who wash their face and go, or don’t put something on their hair with intention. People don’t want to perceived as using a lot of products but in reality grooming is part of our normal day-to-day process.

What are your favorite products? What do you love to use?

I also put myself in that category of not using a lot of beauty products but I own a lot so I’m not going to even lie about that. I am really into services. I like to get my eyebrows threaded and nails done. I recently just got into fake eyelashes . I don’t really wear a lot of beauty products but I will say it would be hard to find me without eyeliner or mascara on a pretty daily basis. I’m also very dark complexioned so I love weraing lipstick that a lot of people that aren’t my complexion cannot. I can wear a red lip pretty much on every occasion.

What other startups or products excite you right now?

I am starting to find what my new social network is to be honest and I’m exploring whether I like to use Instagram in that way or if I like using Path. My facebook has become slightly overwhelming in the sense that it’s so many people and I censor myself a lot more on now. I’m exploring Path where it’s literally my closest friends. I’m really interested in those types of more intimate social network that allow me to connect my true friends. There a lot in the space and I keep playing with them but one hasn’t really emerged yet.

What advice would you have for other young women, in particular black women or women of color, who want to be entrepreneurs?

For black entrepreneurs, I will say think really big. Especially if you’re thinking entrepreneurship in a way that you want to get investor morney. You need to be in a really big market to get someone else’s money so that means a billion dollar market. Thinking small will not get you money. Especially as a woman of color when you may already have things against you, you don’t want to do a version of something that’s really common. Find a unique space in a big market that’s interesting.

Download the I Love Your Hair App and follow House of Mikko on twitter.

Filed Under: Career + Internships, Current Issue, Featured, Interviews, Issue 0, Lifestyle, Magazine Tagged With: , , , , ,

Interview Hotseat Part 1: Tell Me About Yourself

January 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

With the new year in full swing, Zora readers are doubling down on 2012 goals and searching for new opportunities. Whether you’re graduating this year, looking for an internship, or readying yourself to move on to your next job, interviewing will likely be a part of the experience.

Interviewing provokes major nerves in most of us.  This is an odd phenomenon because most interviewers aren’t that creative and typically ask the same questions. This means that the interview experience can be conquered. With sufficient preparation, you may even find yourself enjoying interviews. That’s where this blog series comes in. Over the next few weeks, Interview Hotseat will provide relevant advice and tips to tackle the most commonly asked interview questions.

I’ve spend many hours interviewing candidates for various positions, both on the phone and in person. They’ve ranged from internship and college hires to full-time professionals. It is always evident, usually from the first few minutes, whether a candidate has sufficiently prepared. A good resume or recommendation is not enough, and many great-on-paper candidates have blown opportunities by failing to prepare for common questions.

We begin the series with what is not only a very popular question, but likely to be one of the first encountered:

“Tell Me About Yourself”

Before explaining how to answer this question, let’s first look at how not to answer.  Typical but bad approaches to this question include:

  • Rambling: Hopefully this won’t apply to you after reading this post, but one of the worse things people do when answering this question is to talk too long. Five minutes into it, the interviewer has completely forgotten who you are and most of what you’ve said. She’s probably thinking about what she’s having for lunch. Less is more!
  • Talking only about yourself: No one likes a egomaniac and though this question ostensibly asks about you, interviewers are really looking for more. The point of the interview is to see if you’ll be a good fit for the company. Let that fact guide your answers. If all you do is talk about how great you are without any connection to the position for which you’re applying, you’re missing out on a big opportunity

Instead of the above, you should:

  • Tell A Story: When the interviewer asks this question, she is definitely not looking for encyclopedic, biographical details. Instead, she wants information to contextualize you. Think about what happens after the interview: the company will have likely interviewed a few candidates and a committee may meet to discuss them. At this point, your interviewers will need to be able to clearly describe you. They’ll be pitting your 30 second “elevator pitch” against that of other candidates. What information do you want the interviewer to remember and recall about you if she only has 30 seconds? This is what you need cover in this question.
  • Be concise:  Because this question is so broad, it gives you the opportunity to craft your story and introduce its main points (see above) but you should not use it to go into detail. So while it may be fine to say “I’ve spent the past few years building my personal brand in the nonprofit sector,” you should not go into detail about your blog, all the things you’ve written about, responses to it, etc. There’ll be time later for that. The key here is to present a short, compelling story that leaves the interviewer wanting to know more.
  • Be natural: While you should prepare ahead of time, do not memorize a paragraph about yourself. Do this and you risk coming off as uncreative, scripted, and annoying. There is an easy way to avoid this: DO NOT MEMORIZE A PARAGRAPH. Seriously, you will practice  your interview questions until you’re comfortable answering them. In the process you may find yourself using the same key phrases, but you should avoid the urge to memorize

Prepare the specifics of your story:

The story that you tell in your answer to this question is key to the rest of your interview. You should spend some time crafting it. Everyone’s story will be different but at minimum, yours should:

  • Provide an overview of your academic and/or professional background (e.g.,” I graduated from NYU and have spent the past few years as a producer at WNYC’s news desk. I’ve covered a range of local news stories from politics to education and social policy”)
  • Explain why you are interviewing (“I’ve enjoyed working in radio and over time I’ve found that I have a passion for reporting on education issues which is why this position is so interesting to me”)
  • Provide humanizing tidbits that reveal your interests and personality (“Writing is my first love so I’d love to return to a career that involves writing. Plus I probably spend more time than I should keeping up with edchats and educator meetups)

After crafting your story, the next and final step is to practice. Answer this question out loud to yourself while looking in the mirror. Better yet, have someone listen to and critique your answer. You’ll be an interview ace in no time!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured Tagged With: , , , ,

Dressing for Success – 5 Essentials for Every Young Woman’s Wardrobe

January 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Dress for the life you want to live, not the life you’re currently living. We’ve all heard that phrase several times but what does it truly mean? It can be a quite confusing statement and come with many misconceptions. For example, a college student might think: ”Why can I not wear Hollister every day? There is no need for me to be in a suit when I am sitting in my Econ 201 class on a Thursday evening.” Or the corporate warrior woman who has no desire to climb the ladder may loathe the business professional attire required of a 9 to 5, Monday through Friday position. Here is where the problem lies in both situations: dressing for where you are in your life leaves you tugging at the world in which you’re trying to live instead of focusing on where you want to be.

I am a 26 year old “fashionprenuer” and I should dress as such. It can be really hard for people to transition their wardrobe from college bohemian chic to classic & polished professional with a flip of the switch. That’s where having 5 key wardrobes staples helps. You never know who you’ll bump into when grocery shopping or studying at Starbucks. I met the Director of Public Relations for Neiman Marcus while at Starbucks crunching store numbers. She complimented me on my Prada wedges and I raved about her Givenchy Tote. Cards were exchanged and a friendship was forged. Now let’s build you a Dress For Success Wardrobe that can be used at any age and any time frame in your life.

1. Classic Trench
A Classic well cut trench coat can last for seasons and be used during anytime of the year. Invest in one that is tailored to your body. For cost-conscious consumer Michael Kors makes a great single breast trench. Higher-end well crafted Burberry is an excellent investment.

2. Classic Black Pump
A classic crafted 4” black pump can take you from day to night with no issues. Invest in a great pump that can last more than a couple wears. Also take it to a shoe repair and get the soles redone for longer wear. Nine West makes a great pump for an astounding price. If you’re willing to splurge, Serio Rossi is will be a great return on your investment.

3. Little Black Dress
The little black dress became a staple in the American women’s closet the day Audery Haprner made it so with Breakfast At Tiffany’s. A LBD can take you from interviews, weddings, funerals, lunch dates to many more occasions. As with the trench, find one that fits you and your body style. Victoria Beckham makes great dresses that embraces all body styles.

4. Tote
Your purse can speak for you without your even knowing. It can say she makes power moves or she throws everything in there and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. A tote that shows no logos and has little flashy hardward is a win. You can look professional without stating how much money you have. Marc by Marc Jacobs makes several cute purses with a wide variety of price points.

5. Blazer
Your wardrobe is not complete without a great blazer. I suggest purchasing a black or Grey blazer. They can be paired with several things in your closet. This helps you get multiple wears out of different outfits and styles. Ralph Lauren makes a fabulous blazer.

If you already own any of these pieces you can switch it up for other items to build your wardrobe. Shopping your closet is essential for staying within monthly budgets along with keeping track of what you already own. Furthermore, remember you don’t have to shop steep department stores. Browses your local TJ Maxx’s or consignment shops to spend a fraction of the cost.

What do you think? What are the “must haves” in your professional wear closet?

 

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured, Lifestyle, Style & Beauty Tagged With: , , , ,

Summer Internship Resources for Black Collegiates and Recent Grads

January 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

2012 is just getting started and, if you’re in college, classes any not even be back in session yet. But, if your plans for summer include an internship at a top company, now is not too early to start planning. With the tough economy and competition for jobs, maximizing your summer experience will be critical for post-grad success. Most competitive internships programs require applications long before summer.  While you may be enjoying a slow start to the year, you definitely don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to test-drive a potential career, secure a gig for summer, and earn some cash.

Below are some great internship opportunities specifically for women of color.  There are tons of great programs out there but we’re highlighting the ones below because, in addition to paid internships, they provide additional mentorship/networking opportunities. Plus, they are nonprofits designed specifically to help minorities break into different fields:

Emma Bowen Foundation

Deadlines: January 31st
Fields: Media
Year:  rising high school senior, graduating high school senior or college freshman

The Emma Bowen Foundation internship prepares minorities for careers in the media industry. The multi-year program places interns with partner companies as early as the summer after high school. During this time, interns earn an hourly salary as well as mathcing funds for college expenses.  If you’re interested in different aspects of media (e.g.,  marketing, sales, finance, public relations, web design, etc.), this is a great program as its multi-year nature allows interns to rotate through different functional areas. Internships take place in various cities across the US

Visit their website HERE

INROADS

Deadlines: March 31
Fields: business, accounting, actuarial science, engineering, computer and information sciences, sales, marketing, communications ,allied health, healthcare management, supply chain, finance,or retail store management.
Year: Sophomores

INROADS provides underrepresented minorities opportunities for internships in business and corporate world.  The program offers students a multi-year (typically 2 summer) internship that often leads to full time offers at sponsoring companies. A variety of companies in different industries participate in the INROADS program, from consulting firms to law firms to technology and media companies. In addition to the internship, INROADS provides interns with ongoing coaching, support, mentorship, and access to a large network of peers and alumni. You must have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA to apply.

Louis Carr Internship Foundation

Deadlines: March 15th
Fields: Communications and Media
Year: sophomore, junior

The Louis Carr internship provides paid summer internships with multiple companies in advertising, marketing, Public Relations and related media fields.  Internships take place in Chicago, Detroit, New York City or Washington D.C. Interns are provided a $4,000 stipend for the 8-10 week program. Additionally, interns receive mentorship from seasoned industry professionals as well as other training opportunities.

Minority Access

Deadlines: February 1, 2012
Fields: all
Year: all full-time undergraduates and graduate students

Minority Access is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to improving the higher education and professional attainment of minorities. Its National Internship Program places university students in various government agencies and a few corporations, primarily in the Washington D.C. area. In addition to a weekly stipend, interns receive guidance from industry professionals, along with professional development seminars and workshops.

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO)

Deadlines: February 1, February 15 (Corporate Law), March 12 (SEO-U only)
Fields: Finance, Law, Philantrophy
Year: Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Recent Grad (varies by program)

SEO is a well-regarded nonprofit that provides educational programs for underrepresented minorities. Its career program focuses on getting minority college students into well-paying internships in finance, law, and philantrophy. On average, interns in SEO programs earn about $1300 a week. In addition to internship placement, the SEO career program provides in-depth training, mentorship throughout the summer, and a strong alumni network. The majority of rising senior interns are offered full-time work with the firms at which they intern. SEO is mostly known for its finance internships which places students in some of the most prestigious firms on Wall Street including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and etc. But the firm also provides law internships for recent grads headed to law school, and opportunites for those seeking careers in philantrophy. For freshman and sophomores, SEO-U is a mostly virtual preparation program that will help freshman and sophomore gain skills to make them eligible for an SEO internship.

 

Keep in mind that all the programs above work with multiple companies to place interns. If there is a specific company for which you’d like to work, I’d highly recommend browsing their website for information on their summer program. Even if the company doesn’t have an advertised internship program, go ahead and hustle for one anyway: contact  Human Resources or a manager in the department you’re interested in and let them know why you love their company and why you’re the perfect fit for the firm  (hey it got this black guy into Foursquare).

So polish off those resumes and get started writing your best cover letters. We’ll be bring you tips in future weeks on prepping to land your dream summer or full-time gig.

What did we miss? What other solid internship opps are out there that college black women or recent grads should consider? Drop your suggestions in the comments!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured, Internships Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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