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5 Oddball Jobs to Escape the Traditional Corporate Grind by @lieshapetrovich

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by Liesha Petrovich5 Oddball Jobs to Escape the Traditional Corporate Grind

There is nothing wrong with having a traditional corporate jobs. They are predictable, mostly dependable, and help create workforce stability. Traditional jobs are the backbone of our economy and completely essential.

They’re just not for me.

In Secret To Working Part-time – Create A Lifestyle Business!, I shared how you can create a business to fit your particular lifestyle. I’m a firm believer that you can live your life the way you want, including the job you choose. As a 20 year self-employed veteran, I can say it’s not always easy but it was the right choice for me.

If you’re bored of your job and ready to try something a little different, here’re are 5 cool job ideas that may be the key to your new professional future:

1. Teaching Mad Skills

These days, teaching goes way beyond public school classrooms. My main business is a karate school and about 10 years ago I started teaching after-school programs. I obviously had some experience, but I simply called and offered my services. It’s a main staple of my business these days.

If you have a skill you want to share, see what organizations may want your services. After-school programs are perfect for me, but you can try summer camps, day-cares, civic/church groups, and elderly care facilities. These organizations want to provide fun activities for members, like music, yoga, dance, singing, drama or even hula-hooping.

2. Flipping Cheap Houses

If you love watching guys flip houses on home improvement channels, why not try it yourself? According to Sean Terry, from Flip2Freedom, 5% of the population are distressed sellers. This means they need to get rid of a property for some reason and are motivated to sell at a lower price. And that’s your opportunity.

This isn’t the kind of new job you can jump into, but it can be a lucrative side hustle if you have the money to invest and don’t mind a little risk.

3. Pet Sitting

Americans will spend almost $60 billion on their pets this year! Sure, people love their kids and family, but they go bananas over their pets. And many of these people don’t want to leave their fur-babies at cold, unfriendly kennels. They want their pets to be pampered and loved while they are away at work or on vacation.

If you’re an animal lover, consider becoming a pet sitter. Some operate large doggie day-cares, while others specialize in home care. It’s the perfect job for anyone who would rather take a dog for a walk than sit through another boring meeting.

4. Legal Cannabis Grower

Although many still consider the cannabis industry weird, unorthodox or even unethical, it’s actually becoming mainstream. And it’s also incredibly profitable as it’s projected to be worth $44 billion by 2020!

I recently attended a cannabis industry convention and was amazed at how normal it was. I expected the attendees to be hippies and burnouts. Instead, they were grandmothers and professionals. The industry isn’t easy, as laws continue to change and evolve, but it’s certainly an interesting industry with lots of business opportunities.

5. Lunch Truck/Food Cart

Many good cooks dream of opening a restaurant someday. Yet opening a restaurant is one of the riskiest and most expensive startups in the world. The overhead alone is staggering. However, starting a lunch truck business is much less expensive and it’s a growing industry. The mobile cuisine industry was worth about $850 million in 2015 and is expected to grow another $130 million by 2019!

There are still local regulations, permits and inspections to deal with, but the possibilities are endless. BBQ, ethnic cuisine, cupcakes, waffles and fusion are just a few crazy lunch trucks themes. It’s not easy, but why not try this first if you’re dream is to own your own restaurant?

Your Business, Your Way

One of the best parts of the self-employed journey is that there are no rules – you can create or invent any kind of business you want. You can take what you love and figure out how to get paid for it. You could try one of these businesses or come up with something entirely new.

Just remember, your business is only limited by your imagination and creativity.

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Liesha PetrovichLiesha Petrovich is the creator of Microbusiness Essentials, a blog dedicated to helping the smallest businesses succeed. In her free time, she’s working on a Doctorate in Entrepreneurship. Grab a free copy of her new book Killing Rapunzel: Learning how to save yourself through determination, grit, and self-employment.

Diary of a Side Hustler: What Not To Do At Your Day Job by @inspiredbysgp

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Diary of a Side Hustler: What Not To Do At Your Day Job

Diary of a Side Hustler: What Not To Do On Your Day Job

by Tanea Smith | Featured Contributor

Oh, dear Winner. You’ve done it. You’ve identified your passion and you’re executing. You’ve got an Etsy shop. Not only are your knitted booties super cute, they’re selling!  Those muffins that you bake using your Aunt Phyllis’ recipe from the 60’s? Well, you tweaked the recipe just a touch, because well, gluten and they’re absolutely delish.

Bigger than that?  Folks are fawning over them on Instagram like young girls to Beiber before he stopped signing autographs. And your coaching packages? Well, it’s not only your cousin Alicia who’s getting real results from your awesome tutelage, but strangers too. Your Facebook group is  growing by leaps and bounds.

I love it! This is exactly what I want for you. You’ve gotten clear on your vision, you’re putting in the work and it’s going mahvelous dahling. The thing is, you’re not yet ready to transition from your day job. You’ve still got a few trees to plant before your garden has bloomed enough for you to make your side hustle your full time gig. You’re still fertilizing it, I get it. Believe me, I get it.

While you’re wielding your oh so stylish shears in a wide brimmed hat straight out of a Baptist church in Birmingham, you’ve got to pump your breaks and think. You must. Here’s why. When you’re running full speed ahead you tend to blur the lines. And if you remember, that’s where Robin thick went wrong. While working a full time gig and also building your hustle on the side, here’s what not to do:

  1. No slacking: This is difficult, I will grant you that. The fete of serving 2 masters is incredibly hard to pull off. At your day job you’re expected to stay engaged, deliver good work and be a team player. Here’s the other side of that coin. You’ve been working on your side hustle for a while. There have been a few valleys, some days where you thought you should give up. But alas, the sun is starting to come out. You’re beginning to build a following, you’re making some sales and even your critics who never saw the potential are starting to see the value. You’re super excited! Oh but wait, you’re not making enough money to quit your day gig just yet. What do you do? You put on your game face and show up. Denzel Washington once said “I do what I have to do so that I can do what I want to do”. Let that be your mantra from now on.
  2. No advertising: Once upon a time the side hustle was known as “moonlighting”. If you were working a job or had a business on the side it could be kept under the radar. With the invention of Social Media, it’s next to impossible for anything to be kept a secret. You definitely need to be visible on the social networks for purposes of connecting with potential customers & gaining exposure for your business. Just know that your employer is also keeping a watchful eye on what you’re doing during work hours & after hours. This is precisely the reason that you should keep the two as separate as possible. There’s a scrutiny that will inevitably come with integrating your passion and your day job that you really don’t need. I strongly recommend that you keep your business out of their There are a million people with sweet cravings that will devour your red velvet cheese cake. For now, let the Vice President from your day job get her fix at Sprinkles. Once you resign, send her a dozen of your treats and commence business. Bam!
  3. Be ambitious: I know. That’s totally contrary to the norm because typically most people are trying to climb the ladder at their jobs but you’ve got to do the opposite. You can spot a climber from a mile away. She’s the type A personality with the perfect manicure, make up fit for the runway and the expertly coiffed hairdo. She’s in before the place opens and willing to pull the gates down at days end. Because, why not! She volunteers for everything including the blood drive, her workspace is neater than The Frick and she thrives on getting gold stars. You? Not that much. Check please! Why? Because you’re not her. You don’t want to be. You can’t be, it’s just not where you are on your journey. You’re getting into the office on time, you’re performing your duties and you’re going home. If your intention is to turn your side hustle into your full time job and I assume that it is, you cannot up level on your day job. There aren’t enough hours in the day to be Ms.Clairol by day, manage your home & family life and build a profitable side hustle. Being a B player at your day job will allow you to stay on your A game as you hustle.

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Tanea SmithTanea Smith is the Owner & Creative Director of She’s Got Papers, a lifestyle greeting card & gift company with designs that are as powerful as they are witty and life affirming. But that’s only half the story.

As New York City’s Side Hustle Expert & an Inspirational Business Speaker she teaches women how to launch their own businesses while working full time. The “juggle” as she calls it is not for the faint of heart but Tanea believes that with passion, the right mindset and the proper tools it is possible for every woman to build the business of her dreams. Easy? No. Worth it? Absolutely.

Her mantra: There is life beyond your current gig!

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University as well as a host of churches & women’s groups.  She has a PhD. in thriving despite the odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

See her stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Take the journey with her & get inspired to begin yours at www.taneasmith.com

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The #1 reason you’re not making strides in your side hustle by @inspiredbysgp

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The #1 reason you’re not making strides in your side hustle

Photo Credit: wocintechchat.com via Compfight cc

Diary of a Side Hustler: The #1 reason you’re not making strides in your side hustle.

by Tanea Smith

8 years ago when I started my stationery company She’s Got Papers I had just given birth to my daughter Jada, I had a 13 year old son Brandon and I was working a full time job as well. To say that I was overwhelmed would not be giving each and every crease in my Superwoman cape it’s proper due. However, I had a few great things working for me. There was James, my super supportive other half, a pretty clear vision (or so I thought), a steady paycheck and a few key players on my team who remain with me today. Seemingly I had it all in the bag. . . except I didn’t.

So what was my problem? Why couldn’t I seem to move an inch on the needle no matter how much I planned, made copius notes in a planner that became thicker than the King James version of the Bible and gave what I felt were really clear directives to my team? I mean, something was definitely missing. I cannot tell you how many pints of Prailines n’ Cream ice cream I devoured while wearing comfy pajamas and a silk head scarf tied way too tight pondering this very question. Enter my big sister Chermia, known in our immediate circle as “The Brain”.

Putting aside her MBA & my PhD in Anything is Possible, the major difference between us is that my Sister thinks of everything in black & white where I tend to gravitate more toward pantone colors. And in light of that fact, she has always been my voice of reason. Gently guiding me, pointing out my mistakes, helping me to see the bigger picture. And right there at her kitchen table while passively sipping on her latte she hit me with it between the eyes:

“Tanea, you’re scattered. Narrow your focus”. Boom.

There it was. The truth of the matter. I lacked Focus. Not, a little bit, but a whole lot. You see, anything can be changed but first you gotta face it. And once she put it on the table it forced me to face the music.

Look at it this way. The act of having a dream, the guts to go after it and being able to call yourself an entrepreneur has a sexiness to it. There’s a thrill that one gets from being able to declare that you own something. True? However, there comes a time where you will have a “come to Goddess moment” because the truth is always in the math. Some say details, but I like figures myself!

The scariest part of all? In the early days I was able to convince myself that I was making progress because checking items off a list is the most effective way to feed ones’ own delusions. In case you were looking for one, there you have it.

It wasn’t until my sister put a word in my ear and I listened that I was able to collect myself & recalibrate. The truth is your side hustle will never become your main business if you lack focus. And what exactly does that look like?

  • Prioritize – Break down your goals in terms of importance, then again and then once more for the road. 3 times is usually the charm. We’re looking for the nitty gritty here, the absolutes. You have the best muffins in town and they’re selling like hotcakes. You can barely keep up with the demand, but somehow you’ve convinced yourself that building your Instagram following is of the utmost importance? Like, right now! Umm, shut down that app and into your kitchen! Less sexy, more substance. Okay? Okay.
  • Get checked – Get an accountability partner. Your Aunt Geraldine doesn’t qualify for this gig. This person needs to be another business owner who can act as a mentor – no emotion, just facts. The key here is to trust that their advice is solid and really follow it. They’ll be instrumental in keeping the car from going off the road when you’re so busy driving that you blow straight through the stop light.
  • Unplug – You have to do it. Don’t try, do. You must. Why? Because many side hustles never get on the highway to becoming full time businesses because folks get burned out. To do one thing well can be supremely exhausting but to add a side hustle to your already busy life and to try to perform at maximum capacity all of the time simply doesn’t work. You don’t stand a chance without balance. Walk away from the computer, turn off your Iphone and just breathe for a while. It helps, I promise.

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Tanea SmithTanea is the Owner & Creative Director of She’s Got Papers, a lifestyle greeting card company which feature designs that are as powerful as they are witty and life affirming. As New York City’s Side Hustle Expert & Inspirational Business Speaker she teaches women how to launch their own businesses while working full time and maintaining their sanity.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Thriving Despite The Odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Get free side hustle tips at www.taneasmith.com

4 Easy Steps to Stay Home and Get Paid to Write by @ecainwrites

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easy-steps-get-paid-write-feature

by Elna Cain | Featured Contributor 

Is your maternity leave ending soon?

Scrambling to find a daycare provider for your child before you head back to your old job?

For the many moms gearing up to go back to work, many are torn between wanting to stay home to take care of their children, and being forced to go back to work to pay the bills.

Before I had my twins, I was a teacher. But once they were born, my life changed. All I wanted was to be with them at all times. Call it being overprotective, but this was my first time being a mom and I knew nothing different.

So, I made the decision to stay home and be with them. I’ve always had this vision before I had children, but I never knew how I was going to go through with it.

How do I still contribute to the finances? Can I really work when I have twins and a house to take care of?

These questions and more were running through my mind leading up to my decision to start a freelance writing business.

If you are thinking about wanting to stay home, why not take a look at freelance writing?

Getting paid to write for online businesses, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and start-ups is very lucrative, and doesn’t take much time out of your day.

I freelance write part-time and make a full-time living from it. And if this Millennial mom to twins can do it, I know you can too.

Here are four easy steps to go from staying home with your children to working from home and having a successful writing business.

1. Find a Writing Niche

What’s your background? What are your hobbies?

When you start freelance writing, it’s a good idea to find a niche or two that you feel comfortable writing about.

You can draw from your past work experiences or from your interests and hobbies.

For me, when I first started I chose parenting and psychology. I couldn’t land any high paying writing jobs in the parenting niche and I couldn’t find many psychology-based writing jobs either.

It wasn’t until I learned about digital marketing that I saw a need for content. From there I learned about digital marketing, wrote about it and landed clients in that niche.

So while you can use your work experience or interests to start off, you may end up finding your ideal niche once you start freelance writing.

2. Start Building Your Portfolio

Prospective clients often view your writing work before making a decision to hire you.

So, when you first start, you’ll need to provide some samples of your writing when you start applying for freelance writing jobs.

There are many ways to create samples:

Use Your Blog

Do you have a personal blog? If you blog about topics in your niche, you can definitely use those pieces in your portfolio.

When I first started, I put up a blog and wrote a few posts to serve as samples. They don’t have to be long but they do have to show excellent writing that’s tailored for an online audience.

Share a Google Doc

If you don’t have a blog, you can easily draft up a sample in Google Docs and create a shareable link for your portfolio.

It’s easy to do and quick to write up. This is something I did before I put up my blog or website, although I didn’t use Google Docs; instead I made a PDF.

Having a live link versus a PDF is much better to show as a portfolio piece.

Use a Publishing Platform

Another quick way is to create a sample using LinkedIn’s Pulse. Their publishing platform is only open to LinkedIn members.

This is by far better than using your blog or a Google Doc since publishing here means it will be viewed and shared by many people.

pulse

Another option is to use Medium, a blogging platform. This also generates a live link for your portfolio and to be used when you write your pitch.

Guest Posting

The best proof that you are a legit writer is to have your writing on someone else’s site. And, guest posting allows you to do this easily.

If you visit a few blogs, you can contact the owner and ask if they accept guest posts. Other times, you might notice a “write for us” page in the menu of certain blogs.

write-for-us

If it’s in your niche, then contact them and ask if you can submit a guest post.

What’s great about guest posting is that you receive an author bio tagged at the end of your post.

This is where you can market your services and let prospects know who you are, what you write about, and how you can help them.

Here’s what one of my author bios looks like in a guest post:

author-bio

3. Have a Home Base

If you really want to succeed as someone who gets paid to write, then the best thing you can do is have a website for your freelance writing business.

This will be your writer website. You definitely can use your personal website to host your portfolio and advertise your services, but plan on setting up a professional looking website in the near future.

This is the place where you can tailor your writing for your ideal client. They could be bloggers, small businesses, startups, medical professionals, or entertainment gurus for example.

4. Start Pitching

Don’t expect clients to approach you once you have your Hire Me page up. You’re going to have to go out and find the clients at first.

But, where do you find good paying freelance writing jobs? The best place I found when I first started was on job boards.

I had success on these boards:

Another way you can source a job is by looking locally. Tell your friends and family that you want to start freelancing and see if they need help with editing their résumé or writing copy for a friend’s business flyer.

This not only gives you experience but you can add these projects to your portfolio.

If you want even more ways, you can check out my post on 20 different ways to find a freelance writing job.

Once you find potential writing gigs, the next thing to do is create and email your pitch. Your pitch is how you will convince the prospect you are the one for the job. Some tips:

  • Clearly explain what you provide, why you’re qualified, and how you can help.
  • Provide relative samples.
  • Don’t mention you’re new! If you’ve been blogging personally for years, turn that around and say you’ve been a professional blogger for over three years and that you know your way around the backend of WordPress.

Wrapping it Up

Freelance writing is perfect for stay-at-home moms. I’m able to write for my clients when my children are sleeping, and enjoy the day doing arts and crafts with them.

I’m Elna and I’m a freelance writer and coach. I help people become profitable freelance writers. Check out my free email course on Get Paid to Write Online and learn the steps you need to be a freelance writer.

 
Write Your Way to 1k

How To Run Your Side Business Like A Fortune 500 Company by @inspiredbysgp

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From the diary of a Side Hustler: How to run your side business like a fortune 500 company

by Tanea Smith

From the diary of a Side Hustler: How to run your side business like a fortune 500 company

Monday through Friday you can catch me in a comfortable pair of footwear, one hand with a death grip on my handbag and a cellphone to my other ear doing bobbing and weaving through a swollen NYC crowd doing my very best to get.it.done. There are illustrations to approve, articles to write, prices to negotiate, partnerships to nurture, mentors to consult and oh yes, paper to sell! My 8 year old stationery company She’s Got Papers is like a sibling to my 21 year old son Brandon and my 8 year old daughter Jada. Like the 2 of them it’s had it’s share of growing pains but it also makes me happier than a felon on a furlough. And on any given day weather the sky be blue or gray one thing remains constant. I approach the operation of She’s Got Papers as if it’s listed on the Inc 500 list. And believe me, one day it will be.

Over the course of my 20 year existence in Corporate America I’ve been fortunate enough to work along some of the smartest and astute business people in New York City. I’ve studied the best and taken their cues. Here are a few for you:

Presentation is Everything. Not some of it, but all of it. Every piece associated with your brand from your website & packaging to your Social Media must be done professionally. If your budget is slim and you have to do things piecemeal so be it, but you must observe the golden rule. Thou shall never skimp on quality. Do not launch anything to the world that is not top notch. Cross all of your T’s and dot every single I with one of your good pens. If you don’t have one, borrow one.

  • Manage your time: At my day job I take my lunch break at 2pm. Come hell, high water or cockroaches, at 2pm I’m out. Why? I’m I’ve scheduled calls, meetings, skype interviews, you name it. Every single second of your day matters. Often the “side hustle” is treated like a “hobby”. Don’t do it. Time costs, literally. Not only must you plan your time, you have to execute on those plans. Before your day job begins, get an hour in. Utilize your time after work. If you have the best cookies in your city but you can’t get them to market because you’re watching “The Real Housewives of Las Nevermind” forgive me but, that ain’t baking!
  • Over-deliver. Every single time. I go above and beyond in order to exceed the expectations of my clients. A Fortune 500 has gotten to that level because they’ve mastered the art of keeping a client. Getting one is the most difficult things you’ll ever do and you need to do everything under the sun as permissible by law to keep them. Once upon a time one of my clients ordered 25 sets of our notecards to give to friends on a girls trip to Vegas. She needed them delivered the next day. I didn’t blink or swallow, it was just Because I went above and beyond she took a set along with her on a trip to the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport and declared that “everyone should know about She’s Got Papers”. Take care of your clients and they will take great care of you.

The key to moving your side hustle to your main business is treating it as such. Remember, your actions dictate the perception. Period

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Tanea SmithTanea is the Owner & Creative Director of She’s Got Papers, a lifestyle greeting card company which feature designs that are as powerful as they are witty and life affirming. As New York City’s Side Hustle Expert & Inspirational Business Speaker she teaches women how to launch their own businesses while working full time and maintaining their sanity.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Thriving Despite The Odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Get free side hustle tips at www.taneasmith.com

Diary Of A Side Hustler: Got A Year-End Bonus From Your Day Job? Here’s How You Make It Work For You!

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by Tanea Smith
Diary Of A Side Hustler: Got A Year-End Bonus From Your Day Job? Here’s How You Make It Work For You!

Dear Winner,

You did it! You survived another year at your day gig. You showed up, you didn’t show out and you put in the work. Yes, even on those days back in the summer & fall when you were an inch from coming unhinged you somehow steeled your nerves, steadied your gaze on the finish line and ran straight through that yellow tape! For all the projects you worked on, meetings you sat in, the annoying co-workers you successfully tuned out, conference calls you took part in, and graphs, charts or presentations you loaned your expertise to, you’ve been rewarded with a bonus. Oh. Joy.

Hmm. What does one do now?

#1. Keep your mouth shut. Yes, you. Get as quiet as a church mouse. Why? Well for obvious reasons. As soon as you get off the phone blabbing to your cousin on your father’s side someone will have car trouble and be eternally grateful if you could help replace the transmission. Or maybe, you know, just a small loan for necessities. And how could you possibly shun your good girlfriend who’s struggling to get her 5 minute old business idea off the ground and reallly needs an investor? I don’t doubt that her business has Forbes list potential but why get your hard earned cash caught up in that fray? Selfish? Maybe. Smart? Oh, Absolutely.

#2. Do a pocket probe: Are you carrying debt? The lint can stay, but the debt must go. Yup, right now. If you have a high interest credit card, apply for one with a 0% rate and use half of the money from your bonus to pay it off. If half is not enough to pay it off completely it will at least help you make a dent. That dent means you’re inching towards the right direction. Debt weighs you down. Free yourself.

#3. Splurge: After you’ve done the righteous thing and paid off or paid down some debt take the remaining 50% and break that in half. And with this 25% go to town! That means buying that thing you’ve had your eye on for months or leaving town, literally. Maybe it’s a weekend ski trip with the family or a solo trip to rejuvenate. Or perhaps you’ll invest in a coaching package with someone that can help you take your side hustle to the next level. The choice is yours but whatever you do make it really good. Why? Because you’ve earned it.
As for the final 25%, that goes into your savings account. I call mine the GOD fund. You know. My “Get. Out. of Dodge.” stash. If your intention is to one day leave your day job and make your side hustle your full time business having savings is not optional, it’s mandatory. If you’re not saving, you’ll never get out. Imagine that!

Congratulations & Happy Hustling!

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Tanea SmithAs a teenager mother living on welfare back in 1994 Tanea Smith made a conscious decision that she would defy the odds and would not become a statistic. She began what has culminated into an 19 year career as an Executive Assistant on Wall Street in New York City. With the acknowledgment that gratitude & ambition can dwell in the same apartment she knew that despite having a “steady” job the click she felt in her spirit to do & be more was too strong to ignore. After the birth of her 2nd child in 2007 she used her creativity & life’s experiences and created a witty & empowering stationery collection, She’s Got Papers.

While the “papers’ are keeping America connected one handwritten note at a time, in 2013 she expanded her platform. As an Inspirational Business Speaker & Side Hustle Expert Tanea motivates, educates and frees other women in Corporate America who desire to start their own businesses on the side.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & Chase Small Business.

Tanea preaches the “Side Hustle” gospel all over New York City. She has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, & New York University. She has a PhD. in Anything Is Possible. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

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See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com
Download her free E-book at www.taneasmith.com

3 Ways to Stay Motivated at Your 9 to 5 While Working Your Side Hustle by @inspiredbysgp

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3 Ways to Stay Motivated at Your 9 to 5 while working your side hustle

by Tanea Smith

Secrets of a Side Hustler: 3 Ways to Stay Motivated at Your 9 to 5 while working your side hustle

After months or in some cases years of juggling a full time job and working on your side hustle there will be days when you feel as though you can’t take it one more second. You just don’t have it in you to read one more email, go to one more staff meeting nor schmooze with yet another client. You’re just, well, done. Finished. Through.

Listen I get it. After almost 20 years in Corporate America I’ve experienced every single emotion from “Amen for this job” to “Jesus get me out of here”. I mean at his convenience, of course!

Please keep in mind, Mama said there’d be days like this and she never lied. If you’re truly not ready to throw in the towel at the day gig, here’s what you should do:

Pump Up Your Jam

Again and again and one more time if you need to. When the temperature begins to rise and you feel the sweat well up on your brow cue your motivation music! Either in your head or on your ipod crank up the volume. My one hit wonder is “Think” by Aretha Franklin. There’s something about the Queen yelling “Ohh Freedom, yeahhhh Freedom” that helps me glide right through to 6pm. Don’t argue, just press play.

Look On The Bright Side

I know, I know. You’ve looked. But take one more glance and imagine these 2 words in each lens of your rose colored sunglasses, “Cash” & “Benefits”. Your day job is supplying the lifeline to both of these. Contrary to what some may say America has not quite recovered from the economic downturn. I don’t know about you but I rank my health & my coins pretty high on my “can’t do without list”. Before you hit send on that “good riddens & goodbye” email, adjust your optics.

Soak It All In

Yes even the ugly parts. Perspective I find is everything. Remember when you first applied for the job you now hate? The primary criteria for being hired was that you had to have experience. Everything from contacts & business etiquette to systems & training is knowledge that you can take with you on your long journey through entrepreneurship. Sean Combs once said, “Learn everything you can from everyone you can and one day you’ll be glad you did.” Please take heed. Every single experience is an education.

Remember, just because your body sits at a desk that doesn’t mean your mind can’t be free. Hustle on!

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Tanea SmithAs a teenager mother living on welfare back in 1994 Tanea Smith made a conscious decision that she would defy the odds and would not become a statistic. She began what has culminated into an 18 year career as an Executive Assistant on Wall Street in New York City. With the acknowledgment that gratitude & ambition can dwell in the same apartment she knew that despite having a “steady” job the click she felt in her spirit to do & be more was too strong to ignore. After the birth of her 2nd child in 2007 she used her creativity & life’s experiences and created a witty & empowering stationery collection, She’s Got Papers.

While the “papers’ are keeping America connected one handwritten note at a time, in 2013 she expanded her platform. As an Inspirational Business Speaker Tanea motivates, educates and frees other women in Corporate America who desire to start their own businesses on the side.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Thriving Despite The Odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

Connect with her on Twitter @inspiredbysgp

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShesGotPapers

See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Get free launch while working tips at www.taneasmith.com

Ready, Set, Hustle. by @inspiredbysgp

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Ready, Set, Hustle.

by Tanea Smith

Think you’re ready to do the side hustle? 3 things to check off your list before you press play.

If we were to look at life as one big party then we’d have to agree that nothing happens until the music starts. Whether your playlist includes Aretha Franklin, Beethoven or dare I say Beck you can’t get on the dance floor until someone pumps up the volume. The same can be said when you’re working full time and starting a business on the side. You’ve got to establish a rhythm and there needs to be a method to the madness if you will.

When I started my stationery company, She’s Got Papers, also known as my “side hustle” I was working full time, raising 2 children, operating on very little sleep PLUS nursing a long standing addiction to prailines & cream ice cream.

In order to really get in my groove I had to get crystal clear about 3 things when it came to my hustle: My strategy, my support system and my finances.

Break out your blueprint:
Do you know where you’re going to? Those oh so introspective words sung by Lady Diana Ross in 1976 are ever so paramount today. If you’re going to hit the ball out of the park with your side hustle and transport yourself from your employer’s office to that cute coffee shop with the very rich chocolate muffins & an even stronger wifi connection where you can toil away at your project full time you need a strategy. And a good one too. You’ve got to map out in your best penmanship how you’re going to make it happen. What is your goal and what steps do you need to take to get there. The best route to success? Work backwards.

Who’s in your crew?
It’s the $64,000 question that you can’t avoid. Teamwork truly does make the dream work and the dream can quickly become a nightmare if you don’t have the right people on board. Running a successful business is no walk in the park. Doing so as you’re working a full time & raising a family requires Gabby Douglas Olympic type precision. Everyone from your Virtual Assistant & your accountant to your Uncle who doubles as your PR person must be up to the task of doing their best work. Don’t let another day go by without taking stock of your team. Are they competent & reliable? Do they take direction well? Do they understand your vision and most importantly do they add value to your dream or do they subtract from it?

What’s In Your Wallet:
If like me, you’ve survived another year at your day job where you’ve performed well, staved off a panic attack or 2, took on added responsibilities with the grin of the joker, wore your team player T-shirt with pride, AND got a year end bonus, you are so ahead of the curve. Remember that your day job is the business loan that you don’t have to pay back. Get to your kitchen table, dust off your Casio calculator from high school and crunch those numbers. Does everything add up or do you need to add, subtract, multiply or divide a few things to make it all work?

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Tanea SmithAs a teenager mother living on welfare back in 1994 Tanea Smith made a conscious decision that she would defy the odds and would not become a statistic. She began what has culminated into an 18 year career as an Executive Assistant on Wall Street in New York City. With the acknowledgment that gratitude & ambition can dwell in the same apartment she knew that despite having a “steady” job the click she felt in her spirit to do & be more was too strong to ignore. After the birth of her 2nd child in 2007 she used her creativity & life’s experiences and created a witty & empowering stationery collection, She’s Got Papers.

While the “papers’ are keeping America connected one handwritten note at a time, in 2013 she expanded her platform. As an Inspirational Business Speaker Tanea motivates, educates and frees other women in Corporate America who desire to start their own businesses on the side.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Thriving Despite The Odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

Connect with her on Twitter – Facebook
See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com
Get free launch while working tips at www.taneasmith.com

Secrets of a Side Hustler: 3 ways to stay sane & have your best year ever. by @inspiredbysgp

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Woman Pulling Out Hairby Tanea Smith

6 years ago when I started my stationery company, She’s Got Papers also known as my “side hustle” I was also working a full time corporate job, juggling 2 children and trying desperately not to lose all of my eyelashes. I survived that first year by the skin of my teeth but I knew I had to make some changes.

The juggling act of balancing your passion in addition to working a day job and having a family can be really overwhelming. Your time, your patience and even your faith can be tested on a regular basis. Like the day your little girl throws up on the way to school & you have to make a u-turn for home, which also happens to be the day that your supervisor is travelling and misses his connecting flight. To sweeten the grudge the universe is clearly holding against you your manufacturer phones to inform you that he won’t be able to deliver your goods on schedule thereby setting you back 5 days in debuting your fabulous new collection to the world. As you scramble to get your boss back to your city either by plane, train or Mega bus, you race home with your kid to find that you’re out of Pepto Bismol AND chicken soup?? Ever had one of these mornings? Well, here’s what you do:

  • If there were ever a day to hyperventilate, chip a nail & throw a duvet over your head today ranks high on the list. The better approach? Stop & take a deep breath. Panic & frenzy beget more stress. Stress paralyzes you and clouds your judgment.
  • Prioritize: Which issue demands your attention, like right now? Clearly, if you have a sick child she trumps all. If you’re out of chicken soup, then vegetable it is. No Pepto Bismol? Ginger Ale to the rescue! Tackle one problem at a time and do the best that you can. Your best is always enough & don’t allow anyone to convince you otherwise. Especially not your mother in law who would never, ever be out of chicken soup.
  • Say Thank you: Yup. Right in the middle of the chaos be grateful. Why? Because it could all be worse. One of my greatest lessons has been that what we often see as a calamity is just a glitch. Things can & will happen that are simply out of your control. Having an attitude of gratitude changes your perspective & therefore your approach to coping when things don’t go as planned. The fact is your little girl will likely overcome her virus in 24 hours, your boss will return safely to shore & your inventory will come in.

If you’re going to survive the juggle AND save your lashes please take a page out of my playbook. Breath, Prioritize & be grateful. Until the next challenge!

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Tanea SmithAs a teenager mother living on welfare back in 1994 Tanea Smith made a conscious decision that she would defy the odds and would not become a statistic. She began what has culminated into an 18 year career as an Executive Assistant on Wall Street in New York City. With the acknowledgment that gratitude & ambition can dwell in the same apartment she knew that despite having a “steady” job the click she felt in her spirit to do & be more was too strong to ignore. After the birth of her 2nd child in 2007 she used her creativity & life’s experiences and created a witty & empowering stationery collection, She’s Got Papers.

While the “papers’ are keeping America connected one handwritten note at a time, in 2013 she expanded her platform. As an Inspirational Business Speaker Tanea motivates, educates and frees other women in Corporate America who desire to start their own businesses on the side.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Anything Is Possible. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

Connect with her on Twitter @inspiredbysgp

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShesGotPapers

See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Get free launch while working tips at www.taneasmith.com