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Mining Your Business

1/15/2016

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Creating a business concept is one thing. Operating the day-to-day of an active business is another and takes endurance, know-how and good connections among other things. The latter if chosen well, leads to great mentoring and support as you gain stability and growth. Failure to understand what it takes to run a business successfully can mean heartache and chasing the wind.

It can also be an unnecessarily expensive tutor. Learn the difference between helping and enabling your value and how to really help clients and potentials. More importantly establish and focus on your own welfare and mental fitness. If you do not take care of you, you might as well quit now.

Ideas Verses Ideals

It takes more than a notion for an idea to take flight. Many confuse having a good idea with fantasies of instant success, figuring on a grandiose profit margin right out the gate. You must count the cost instead of being reactive to every incident ultimately finding yourself out of business before the paint dries. The painful reality is many have manufactured goods against poor planning, leading to storerooms of inventory unsellable and unmarketable for pennies on the dollar. Serious analysis not internet surfing is critical because a lot of data gathered may have been fused from several sources and outdated. Look for qualified, trusted professionals with proven results.

Have a real conversation with seasoned business owners and franchisees. Prepare yourself for the work ahead and take the stars out of your eyes. Satisfy demand by offering value. Ideals are in play when you have the paradigms set. Hard work is a must. Prematurely setting up shop creates false starts and will quickly manipulate your credibility. Be careful. Fluctuating business hours, lacking consistency on products and services, or disorganization will sink you.

Use Your Head


Know your value. Stop using your business as a punching bag. Watch out for clients always wanting a discount. These individuals devalue what you do and display it often. They have zero issue paying for name brand product but want to nickel and dime the solopreneur-because they fail to see the value, you allowed this thereby accepting their terms of doing business. Don’t do it. I emphasize the point because I still see a high volume of entrepreneurs who settle, wanting to make the quick buck. This is disruptive to your bottom line. What next? Printing their own made to order coupons for services?

Don’t Brave It Out
Asking for help is one of the strongest things you can do. Others who have walked the path can yield tremendous advice. Every circumstance is different. Next to wasting money, time is the second silent killer of the small business. Sign up for community or networking groups sharing your same interests making the time worthwhile. Take notes, make real contacts and follow up. As the need changes adjust the contacts.

Take The Blinders Off

Do not expect potential or current clients to ignore your social media status. Working for your self does not cloak you from scrutiny. I have cut more than a few people for questionable content bleeding onto my threads. Disgruntled or abusive verbiage on Facebook for example could lead outsiders to assume you agree with what appears on your thread and as in most cases these are not all your real friends- tread with caution.

Also noteworthy: Not everyone will be on your side when contemplating self-employment which means you should have a thick skin and watch your back. This is no time for eloquence or misplaced loyalty. Use social venues responsibly to enhance your efforts.
Seriously ponder the business you want to build and firmly establish on bedrock not sand.

Until next time~


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Natalie Cole - Woman Of A Lifetime

1/1/2016

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No one can mistake the smooth voice of Natalie Cole. She was versatile with a unique sound all her own. Having a famous father did not diminish her hard work ethics but on her own steam created a legacy unmatched as a splendid songstress, positive influencer to millions with her kind spirit and class, and a genuinely nice person.  Like her late father, Nat King Cole, she was beloved worldwide, known and respected as an R&B and Jazz vocalist and had a fondness for rock, being influenced by the sounds of Aretha Franklin to the likes of Janis Joplin.

She mirrored her father’s love of Latin culture by not only debuting a Spanish-English album, “Natalie Cole En Espanol” in June 25, 2013, through Verve Records under the Universal Music LLC label but won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding World Music Album.  Produced by legendary Cuban-American composer Rudy Perez, a Billboard’s Latin Music Producer Of The Decade is now a bittersweet remembrance as this would turn out to be Ms. Cole’s final studio album.

One of my favorite selections in which she accompanies, through 21st century technology, a song her father had on his own album 55 years previous,” ACÉRCATE ḾAS”,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ZaqKVmDAA. A close second in my book, “Voy A Apagar La Luz”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zd6JFuIwnA. Some great, great music allowing her talent to shine even brighter and extending her reach to the world of music lovers anticipating some of the best she had to offer. You knew from the first note Natalie’s heart was in it, much to the emotional enthusiasm of the Latin community and the rest of us who adore the sights, sounds and flavors of such a rich culture.

Alongside her father for seventeen years of marriage before his own death in 1965 was Ms. Cole's mother Maria Cole, born Marie Francis Hawkins in Boston Massachusetts. From humble beginnings Maria's father, Mingo Hawkins a postal worker and mother, Caro Saunders embarked on parenthood but was short-lived when she died in childbirth causing both Maria, age 2 at the time and her sister Charlotte to be sent to live with their aunt and Charlotte’s namesake, Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown.
Brown, who founded a highly decorated black preparatory school, Palmer Memorial Institute, located in Sedalia, N.C. back in 1902. Many may know this prestigious school by its current name the Alice Freeman Palmer Memorial Institute, Alice Freeman, a benefactor of Dr. Brown’s.

Natalie’s mother Maria was driven as second wife to Nat King Cole and wanted to see him achieve his dreams and some of her own as she had become an accomplished jazz singer performing with both Duke Ellington and Count Basie before even meeting the famous Mr. Cole. Hers was not a glamorous start as he had previously been married and gave special attention to, became decidedly smitten, and divorced his first wife to marry Maria. However, over the span of their marriage redemption came as they seemed to have formed an unbreakable bond and raised children who would continue adding sparkle to the family moniker.

Natalie by some estimates may have seemed to live a charmed life, yet tragedy and heartbreak she could not escape. Some came from highs and lows in her career when she thought she had a shot at stardom. For those who remember her very early run with her band Black Magic. Night clubs initially excited at the prospects of having "Nat King Cole’s daughter" come through quickly changed to a few acid-laced reviews as the expectation was cool stylings not rock and R&B.

Marvin Yancy, who Natalie later married, and Chuck Jackson saw her at a Chicago hot spot and knew they had a winner on their hands. Yet, after working with her on several records shopped the recording around to mostly closed doors accept Capitol Records which happened to be her father’s label. Yancy would die of a heart attack in 1985 at age 34.

After some rigorous adjustments the album was ready and the release of Inseperable, released May 11, 1975 brought on more than a few cheers, ovations and sighs of relief. Garnishing top spots on Billboard charts, the celebrated album went gold selling over a million copies and delivering two Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. With all of the media hype and marketing to catapult her career, her idol Aretha Franklin who had reportedly turned down some of the same songs recorded and hitting stellar high notes by Cole seemingly became rumored contention between the icons. 
For eight years straight before Natalie Cole’s success, Ms. Franklin had been the front runner and winner for her 1968 hit “Respect” and continued her reign until Ms. Cole’s winning of the coveted award of Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1976 for her song “This Will Be”. Overall Ms. Franklin had 11 wins. If Ms. Cole’s success ignited any type of real riff between these two superb artists may death be the end of it.

Ms. Cole also battled kidney disease and went public on Larry King Live searching for a donor. She found one in an overwhelmingly loving gesture by a nurse named Esther who had been on duty and cared for Ms. Cole at some point during her illness. She had discussed with her niece how she wished she could help and what unfolded is nothing short of true giving from the human spirit. Esther had wanted to help with a kidney but was unable to. Her niece who had been eight months pregnant suddenly died of a stroke, making the life-extending offer of a kidney an available match and opportunity for life. Ms. Cole had also battled drug addiction and overcame it and two more marriages, the last ending in divorce.

No matter what life threw her way she braved it out not with bravado but a sense of reassurance even in dark times. She nailed this thing called life. She did it.
On February 6, 1950, Natalie Maria Cole was born at Cedars Of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles and the woman we knew as a beloved artist and dynamic force lost her battle on December 31st at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.  

She is survived by a son, Robert Adam “Robbie Yancy, a musician himself, and is also predeceased by two adopted siblings Nat Kelly Cole who passed away in 1995 and Carole Cole who was an American Actress and music producer and CEO of King Cole Productions, who passed away in 2009 and was the natural daughter of Mr. Cole’s wife, Carol Hawkins. Her remaining siblings, twins,  Timolin and Casey Cole along with Ms. Cole's son Robbie and a host of family and friends are for now left with a deep void and deeper sense of responsibility in keeping the music legacy alive in whatever way they can. Not because we say so but because its in the blood.

Ms. Cole’s twin sisters in a statement released to PalmBeachPost.com:
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved sister,” they wrote. “Her talent, elegance and commitment to music put her in a class by herself. Our hearts go out to her son, Robbie, and her many friends. We spent this past Christmas with Natalie, and she expressed her gratitude for her rewarding life and family, friends and fans as she bravely faced her declining health. She spent her last days surrounded by those who she loved. We are committed to carrying on our family’s commitment to music education.”

The posting goes on to say: A private service will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale CA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to:

Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Inc.
555 South Federal Highway, Suite 430
Boca Raton, Florida 33432
natkingcolegenhope.org
561-213-8209

One final note. One of my favorite songs was This Will Be. I know where I was when I first heard it and I am going to dance to this song the same way - stomping my feet, hands in the air, snapping my fingers with an enhanced knowledge of what the words mean as a grown adult.

Dance like you mean it!

Until next time~




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    The Floral Greens Publishing Concept


    First off-let me thank you personally for visiting us here at Floral Greens Publishing LLC. Our Target Focus: World Class Customer Care and dedication in offering fun, professional results without breaking your wallet, adding positive value to your business.

    The concept is simple. Deliver honest, stellar work. The rewards: balanced wellness for home and business. We love exceeding our clients' expectations! So bring on your deadlines and count on well researched, accurate work every time.

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    Speaking-where we create customized discussions and project enhancements that target and strengthen business and home life. Whether you work as a team, solopreneur or just want to better organize your daily thought-life, the skills you achieve with us will prove to be the gift that keeps on giving.

    Getting our start as Independent Publishers also known as Indies, we have gained momentum and continued respect as a powerful force in social media and publishing arenas.

    As true advocates of spoken and written word we support our public libraries and appreciate their positive effects on our communities in building literacy across the country and the world. Through our ongoing efforts we diligently strive to shed renewed life on Deaf Culture with stories, poems and novels featuring American Sign Language.
     
    Why stop there? As a self-professed "Frugal Guru" Dawn loves writing about bargain shopping and sharing her many successful tips, recipes, consignment finds and other interests for the everyday lifestyle.

    Writing has been a life-long dream now realized and here at Floral Greens Publishing LLC we have hit the ground running!

    ~Remember, everyone has a voice, it is up to you how you want to be heard~Dawn

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    Contact Dawn at Floral Greens Publishing LLC for a free no obligation quote on freelance or contract needs at: dawnaharden@gmail.com or call 860-995-8772









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