People thought her idea was outlandish. They thought she couldn't pull it off. They laughed at her audacity. She didn't care.
What do you get when you combine hustle, graciousness, & patience? On this episode author & professor of entrepreneurship at FIT , Emily Blumenthal, a.k.a, “Handbag Fairy Godmother” talks how she wasn't going to take NO for an answer on her quest to do what no one else had done before - build the Independent Handbag Designer Awards. Emily shares how she stumbled upon this passion and the many successes and challenges she faced building the awards show from scratch. She also talks how she was able to nurture and sustain relationships & partnerships that include brands such as InStyle Magazine, Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale's, Guess, Timberland, Singer Sewing Company, Swarovski, vitaminwater, Patron and more.
ON THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:
- Why you can’t always pay attention to the roadmap laid out for you
- How Emily launched herself the world of handbag designing
- The power of Linkedin & how to make the winning connection
- How Emily launched The Handbag Awards
- Being Audaciously Confident
- The key to pitching sponsorships successfully
- Balancing work and family & more!
Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and make sure to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
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SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/emily-blumenthal
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Have you ever questioned WHY you've been dealt the cards you have? How do you cope with life-changing news? Will you make lemonade out of lemons or allow yourself to fall into a downward spiral? What does that process of self-discovery look like? Meet Ariel Lawrence. Ariel has lived with Type 1 diabetes for 12 years. She's the creator of Just a Little Suga’, a personal blog with an expansive focus, seeking to shed light on the experiences of individuals of color and marginalized communities affected by diabetes. By sharing her story, and highlighting other folks of color coping with and tackling diabetes, she's building community focused on living well. Ultimately, her goal is to motivate herself and others to be resilient in the face of diabetes AND enlighten the friends/families of diabetes so they can better support them.
Whether you know someone who is affected by diabetes or not - Ariel's transparency and vulnerability about her story and why she is so committed to embracing her calling and building community is inspiring. As dream drivers - learning about the ways our dreams can empower those who need it the most can be transformational.
ON THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:
- Paying attention to the signs our body gives us
- Getting diagnosed with diabetes at age 15
- The difference between Type 1 & Type II Diabetes
- Early challenges
- Ariel's grandmother and HER diabetes story
- Why Ariel decided to start her own diabetes community for people of color
- The power of consistency
- Therapy's impact on Ariel's life
- Advocating For & Putting Yourself First
- Vulnerability
- Dealing with competitors...and more
Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and make sure to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/ariel-lawrence
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Need help figuring out the road to sustainability? Benoni Tagoe of Issa Rae Productions and The Bizz Plan shares the secrets to building a brand that lasts.
Benoni launched his career as assistant to the Jonas Brothers, and quickly became a part of the band’s day-to-day management team, developing a keen sense of entrepreneurship. Since then, Tagoe has produced content for both TV and New Media on platforms that have collectively garnered over 20 million views. Currently, Tagoeis the head of business development for Issa Rae Productions (The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girland HBO’s ‘Insecure’). Additionally, Tagoe founded management & consulting company, The Bizz Plan, which works with various media brands, including Uninterrupted (LeBron James’ sports platform), beauty entrepreneur Peakmill, and financial expert Tonya Rapley.
ON THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:
- What inspired Benoni as a child
- Benoni's fascination with "not being forgotten"
- Why Benoni dropped out of college
- The connection between struggle & drama
- Personal strengths realized
- How Benoni built a relationship with Issa Rae
- The secrets to growing an audience
- Monetizing your content & platform
- How to stay focused
- Creating sustainability
- Sending emails that get read
- How to find the right clients
- How to build traction
Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and make sure to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
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SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/benoni-tagoe
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Have you ever been curious about your family history? Where are you from? What's the story of your people? How does this all affect who you are today? In 2003, Dr. Gina Paige co-founded African Ancestry, Inc. and in doing so, pioneered a new way of tracing African lineages using genetics, and a new marketplace for people of African descent looking to more accurately and reliably trace their roots. Gina talks about the origins of the company and why this work is so important. We dive into the challenges her and co-founder Dr. Rick Kittles faced when first launching (they self-funded with only $1200!), dealing with criticism, and lessons she has for other entrepreneurs seeking success.
Now, Gina travels the world helping people demystify where they’re from and informing on identities so that they may better understand who they are. Dr. Paige holds a degree in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from the University Of Michigan Ross School Of Business.
YOU WILL LEARN:
- What inspired Gina as a child
- What Gina learned working in the corporate world
- How an introduction led to the formation of African Ancestry
- The initial challenges of launching
- Dealing with criticism from the media and the scientific community
- How to position yourself for success
- The importance of knowing who you are
- Rana's African Ancestry results!
- Business lessons learned
- Why you need to develop a strong network...and more!
Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and make sure to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
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SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/african-ancestry-gina-paige
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Earlier in June - Host Rana Campbell had the chance to sit down with the cast of POWER (Lela Loren, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Sikora, Nature Naughton, & Rotimi) and talk life lessons that we can take away from Season 5 of the show as Dream Drivers. She also shares some personal life updates and reflections and why LEVELING UP is the theme for the rest of the year. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and remember to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive.
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