Side Hustle Pro

On this episode, I'm sharing the art of reaching out to potential collaborators, customers and clients via the cold email. While many of many of my guests are people I know or have met, 50% of the women I interview on my podcast were complete strangers before I reached out to them via email. In this episode I’m sharing the art of writing enticing cold emails that get responses. Here are some of my key tips:   Preparation Do your research - Google, social media Consider what’s in it for them Eliminate words like, “pick your brain” from your vocabulary Keep a Google doc with your email templates and tweak for each individual outreach Revise as you learn what works Start a Template Document Make sure every person you reach out to knows why you appreciate their work and the value  the collab would bring Be prepared to GIVE before you get Make it EASY for them to collaborate. Propose dates and times (hello, Calendly!) and offer to work around their schedule. The outreach   If you want my exact email templates that I’ve used to reach out to the likes of Luvvie and Courtney Sanders of Think and Grow Chick, sign up for my email list at sidehustlepro.co/sidehustlecorner.   Links mentioned in this episode: Side Hustle Pro Newsletter Her Movement Calendly Doodle   Show notes from this week's episode: http://sidehustlepro.co/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the age of 5, Denise Sarkor escaped the Liberian Civil War with family and lived as a refugee in Ivory Coast. Raised in a rough part of NJ by a determined mother, she would go on to graduate from The Wharton School on a full scholarship and obtain her Masters in International Finance and Economic Policy from Columbia University. Although entrepreneurship tugged at her heart, she took a safer path, working as an international banker and development consultant at Goldman Sachs and the World Bank. But after a devastating divorce rocked her to the core, she became fearless. Realizing that Corporate America had led her to yet another glass ceiling, she finally made the leap. On this episode, you’ll learn how she hit the ground running after quitting unexpectedly and how she’s navigating the twists and turns of starting her own business. Topics discussed: How she honed in on what services she should offer in her business and how she’s managing cash flow The surprising move she’s willing to make to sustain her business Self-publishing her first book and successfully fundraising on Kickstarter Why Poet and Activist Nikki Giovanni wrote her a personal note of congratulations Links Mentioned: Wave Accounting Clean Closet The Year I Got In Formation - The New Roots Story Rich Dads, Before You Quit Your Job New Roots Development, LLC Ingram Spark 10 Things I Learned Fundraising Via Kickstarter 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth Four Hour Work Week Nikki Giovanni’s Hand-Written Note The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book, Edition 5 International Coaching Federation   Important Announcements:If you’re not subscribed to the Side Hustle Pro newsletter, you’re missing ALL the #goalgetter tea, OK?? Subscribe here: SideHustlePro.co/SideHustleCorner Side Hustle Pro has a buzzing Facebook group! Get the support you need to create and grow your side hustle in the welcoming Side Hustle Pro Community on Facebook. I’m continually impressed by the level of support and candid conversation happening in our community. Join us here: SideHustlePro.co/Mastermind More from Denise: DeniseSarkor.com New Roots Development, LLC More from Nicaila: SideHustlePro.co Side Hustle Pro Community Connect with us on Instagram: Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro Denise Sarkor – @denisesarkor #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did a former wedding planner turn her side hustle into a million dollar business? Today’s guest has the answer. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “bias for action” she is the epitome of that. When she thinks of an idea, she doesn’t just sit on it, she acts on it. She’s founded two successful businesses in her lifetime with no business degree and only education from the school of hard knocks. I’m talking about Vivian Kaye, the Founder and CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki, a successful natural hair extensions brand. Known by fans as The Queen of Kank, Vivian founded KinkyCurlyYaki in 2012 to provide natural hair solutions for women who wanted the ease and flexibility of kinky curly hair extensions. On this episode, you’ll learn how she got the idea and started her business from her living room and is now at the head of a soon to be million dollar brand. Topics discussed: How her Ghanaian upbringing influenced her entrepreneurial fire Why she never felt the pressure to complete school to start a business How getting laid off gave her the final push to dive into entrepreneurship full time How she started two successful businesses from scratch Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood Important Announcements: Side Hustle Pro has a buzzing Facebook group! Get the support you need to create and grow your side hustle in the welcoming Side Hustle Pro Community on Facebook.SideHustlePro.co/Mastermind So much great convo and connection is already happening in there. More from Vivian Kaye: KinkyCurlyYaki More from Nicaila: SideHustlePro.co Side Hustle Pro Community Connect with us on Instagram: Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro KinkyCurlyYaki – @KinkyCurlyYaki Vivian Kaye – @queenofkank #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s it like to be a 13-year seasoned blogger in the age of Instagram and Snapchat Influencers? On this episode I sit down for a conversation with Luvvie Ajayi to talk Branding 101. Luvvie is is a writer, digital strategist and creator of entertainment and humor blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com. As a fellow writer and avid blogger, I’ve always been inspired by Luvvie’s journey to full-time entrepreneur. She started her blog after peer pressure from friends who recognized her talent. After starting as a casual blogger, she slowly increased to blogging more than once a week. Three years in, she was working a 9 to 5 then blogging from 7 to 9 like a true side hustler. Though she was getting paid zero dollars, her first blogging award in 2009 made her realize maybe she was on to something. The rest, as they say, is history. Now Luvvie is getting ready to debut her first book, called I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do Better Manual, which is available on September 16 (or earlier if you pre-order). FYI, I talked to Luvvie a few months ago for a Q&A before I launched my podcast. There we covered more of her background and how she got started. Check out part one here: then tune in to the episode. On this episode we discuss: Why you shouldn’t be so consumed with the idea of you being a brand Why you need to be so good they can’t ignore you How to make sure you’re prioritizing solid content over marketing How to negotiate with brands once you get to that level The real deal with how she approaches brand partnerships and her certified deal breakers MORE FROM LUVVIE: I’m Judging You AwesomelyLuvvie Awesomely Techie MORE FROM NICAILA: SideHustlePro.co Side Hustle Pro Community CONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM: Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro Luvvie – @luvvie #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we are welcoming back Meiko Drew, the Side Hustle Pro Entrepreneur-in-Residence. We’re following Meiko for an entire year to chronicle her journey from Corporate America retiree to the Founder of Food and Lifestyle brand MeikoAndTheDish. For those of you who don’t know, Meiko walked away from a six-figure salary at Target to focus on Meiko And The Dish full time. Though it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, her brand is steadily rising and so it’s time to check in with her again to see how it’s all going. On this episode we talk about: The financial sacrifices she’s had to make to pursue her dream The marketing steps she’s taking to grow the Meiko And The Dish brand on social media How she’s building relationships and partnerships in her niche The upcoming launch of the Black Food Network Find out how Meiko is making it work despite the twists and turns life throws at her. Podcast Details Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re starting your own business, the company you keep is more important than ever before. On this episode, I'm answering a listener’s question about how to ignore the haters and find a true entrepreneurship support group. I talk about how I found my own tribe and created a mastermind group, and what you can do to find your own entrepreneurship support system. I also get into updates on my own side hustle journey, including: what I’m doing to monetize and my new Side Hustle Pro Shop. Tune in to hear my latest updates in this Side Hustle Pro journey! Links mentioned in this episode: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SideHustleProCommunity/ Side Hustle Pro Shop: SideHustlePro.co/Shop Social Media Toolkit: SideHustlePro.co/Episode7 Email Me: Hi@SideHustlePro.co Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2009, Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche lost her job as a preschool teacher. Unable to afford her mortgage, she moved back home with her parents at age 29. At her lowest moment, she was 31 years old, with no job, no money, and no home of her own. After hitting rock bottom, she determined it was time to put the financial wisdom she had learned growing up to good use. In this week’s episode, she shares how she bounced back from financial despair to take charge of her own life and help others do the same. Along the way, she has built a hugely profitable brand and even more, an insanely loyal community of Dream Catchers devoted to her Live Richer principles. Author of two #1 Amazon bestsellers, The One Week Budget and Live Richer Challenge, Tiffany The Budgetnista and her financial advice have also been featured in The New York Times, Reuters, US News and World Report, the TODAY show, PBS, Fox Business, MSNBC, CBS MoneyWatch, TIME, ESSENCE Magazine, and FORBES. In this episode, Tiffany breaks down: The inspiration for The Budgetnista and when she realized she could package and sell her financial wisdom. How she transitioned from major debt and losing it all to starting her own business. How she developed and grew the Live Richer Challenge to be a profitable and sustainable business. How she has grown her private Facebook community to over 100K members. Links mentioned in this episode The One Week Budget Live Richer Challenge   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2009, Courtney Sanders found herself drowning in debt, bad grades, and almost having to leave college. Three years later, she had paid off all her debt, earned a scholarship, started a business and graduated from college magna cum laude. How did she turn her life around? Find out on this week’s episode. Courtney is an entrepreneur, speaker, and goal ­achievement specialist. Through her training and development company, Think & Grow Chick, LLC, Courtney provides online & in-­person education, mentorship, and community for women, students, and minorities looking to accomplish BIG goals. Courtney reaches nearly 50,000 young professionals every month through her blog and social media platforms. In 2015 she authored the book, Get What You Want: The Ultimate Guide to Figuring Out + Getting What You Want in Life which has since served as a catalyst for several related trainings and programs, including her 2015 live workshop, Launch Your Life. In this this episode, Courtney breaks down: The inspiration for Think And Grow Chick and when she realized she could help other women How she grew her company into a profitable business How she juggles her side hustle with her full time job The financial wisdom she has learned along the way When she knew it was time to take her side hustle to the next level Find out about all Courtney’s experience as a woman who has scaled her side hustle to extraordinary levels and is getting ready to make the leap into full time entrepreneurship. Links mentioned in this episode: Think And Grow Chick website Think And Grow Chick Instagram   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, I'm providing an update on how my own side hustle is going. How am I balancing my 9to5 at NPR with my podcast and burgeoning Side Hustle Pro brand and business? I talk about the challenges I’m facing with time management and why I believe time management is a myth. I’m also sharing the best tools I’ve found to help me manage my calendar and organize the Side Hustle Pro process (Shout-out to Amanda Miller Littlejohn for the productivity tips!). I also get into a strategy that I’m using to build my brand and network: attending strategic conferences. I talk about the hustle bombs I learned from Myleik Teele, CEO of curlBOX: “A real hustler invests in themselves.” “If you are not popping or balling, you do not need to be sleeping in.” “Followers are not dollars.” Tune in to hear my latest updates in this Side Hustle Pro journey! Links mentioned in this episode: Doodle Calendly Asana Show notes from this week's episode: http://sidehustlepro.co/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did the product of a once homeless single mother become the Founder and CEO of a rising startup? This week’s guest, Stephanie Lampkin, shares how an influential aunt led her to coding at a young age, setting the stage for her to graduate from Stanford and MIT Sloan. Later, a surprise rejection from Google would lead her to found Blendoor, a mobile job matching app that hides candidate name and photo to circumvent unconscious bias and facilitate diversity recruiting in tech companies. Blendoor’s goal is to highlight the information that's most relevant to a candidate being a "good fit" independent of race, gender, military history or sexual orientation. In this this episode, Stephanie breaks down: How she determined what kind of business structure to set up The art of the “pitch” How she approaches pitching on stage vs pitching for investors How to build a team as an early stage company How she keeps the company lean and financially sustains herself as an entrepreneur Find out about Stephanie’s experience founding not one, but two startups and her journey to Silicon Valley in this episode. Links mentioned in this episode Blendoor This is your day YouTube video Podcast Details Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.