Posts tagged with "entrepreneur"

Advice Every Fashion Student Should Read

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Are you about to enter the challenging but very exciting world of fashion school? Are you prepared for what’s ahead as you embark on your design studies? Do you know what to expect during the first year? Don’t worry if not, as we’re about to share some important advice that every fashion student should know.

Fashion School Is Expensive

The cost of going to college is not cheap. You need to pay fees and you need to have enough money to live comfortably. You don’t want to be scraping by – you want to enjoy your college years and make lifelong memories with the new people in your life. Looking into ways that will give you a bit more breathing room financially is always a good move.

Is it possible to take on a part time job at the weekends so you have extra cash? Can you refinance your existing student loan with a private lender so you’re left with one monthly repayment? By doing so, you can choose your payment and term and enjoy more flexibility with your monthly cash flow. Have you talked to your parents about how they could help you out? There are lots of options available to make the burden of paying for fashion school a lot more bearable.

Always Think About Your Portfolio

It’s a good idea to treat every project you complete like it will be part of your final portfolio. Not only will you do your absolute best to produce the best work you can but you’ll also be extra focused and motivated when it comes to meeting deadlines. Follow this simple advice and you’ll leave college with top grades and a huge selection of work samples.

Stay Up to Date with Trends

Fashion school and keeping on top of new trends go hand in hand. If you really want to excel, don’t be the fashion designer who waits for new trends to arrive before jumping on the bandwagon. Why not be the person who stays ahead of trends – the person who knows what’s coming before everyone else does? The secret to staying ahead is keeping informed. Watch – or attend – fashion week if possible. Follow big stylists on social media. Check your local high-end boutiques for new collections. Spend your spare time studying celebrity stylists. These are all ways to keep your finger on the pulse of new and upcoming trends.

Learn How to Sew

Do you know how to sew? If not, it’s time to learn. Great fashion designers learn how to sew early on in their careers so they can understand the different fabrics and get used to working with a wide range of threads and materials. To be successful, it’s important to understand the construction of clothing and what’s involved in making a beautiful garment.

Be Tech-Savvy

Fashion school has not escaped the advancements of technology. It’s now essential for students to understand the different fashion design software platforms that are changing the way designers work. What do you need to focus on in terms of technology? You need to get familiar with 3D printing so you can create 3D models of your designs before production starts. You also need to gain expertise in body scanning, smart tailoring and the world of augmented reality.

What social media tools can do for your business?

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Are you sick of being stuck with no growth on social media? Are you new to social media and looking to grow your business using it?

Traditional marketing is long dead and far gone–TV advertising, newspaper ads, and road-side billboards are all outdated. Social media has now replaced all of that by making online marketing the norm when it comes to brand promotion. Currently, there are three different platforms that are dominating the social media space–Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok–and they all have their own unique qualities to offer each individual or business.

If you are thinking about using social media to get your business up off the ground, here are a few tools that you might need to become even more successful.

Why should you use social media?

Social media, while having been around for a long time in its various different forms, has become the most popular it has even been in the past 10 years or so. This is due the fact that so many more people now have access to mobile devices and Wi-Fi connection. This means that by marketing your brand on social media, your business has the potential to reach millions upon millions of people, if marketed in a desirable manner. Not only will you be able to reach a larger audience, but this audience can be international as well.

Traditional marketing can tend to be quite pricy. However, social media marketing–unless you’re putting in a bit of extra cash to help you–can literally be completely free. Most social media sites require no sign-up or membership fee, and are completely free platforms.

On social media it is easy to create brand awareness by following trends and seeing what other people are looking for, which will eventually contribute to the organic growth of your accounts and brand. One of the best benefits of social media marketing is that it can increase traffic to your website, which will ultimately put more money in your pocket.

Which one is right for you?

There is a relatively large variety of social media platforms, although it is recommended to stick to the most popular ones. Having so many options doesn’t need to overwhelm you though, it’s all about knowing your target demographic and style. All social media platforms are unique and can have different, individual focuses dependent on your particular brand.

This mean that between platforms, the target demographic and and style of communication are completely different. For instance, Instagram is a place where the millennials hang out. Everyone has their own aesthetically pleasing feed to look at and every post is designed down to the very last detail, whereas TikTok is far more laid back and dominated by Gen Z kids. These short form videos can literally be anything you think of. Most of TikTok is not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as Instagram, but it is more authentic and fun.

All the different platforms require different kinds of interaction from both the brand owner and the followers, from commenting and liking, to following, and even direct messaging. With Instagram having over 900 million users, Twitter, with an average of 152 million, and TikTok reaching an insane number of just over 1 billion users, these platforms are the best social media option for business and brands to promote themselves as they are all relevant and very popular.

Twesocial

One of the most important things when it comes to twitter marketing, is expanding the amount of people your marketing reaches. This can be difficult because the number of brands making use of Twitter tools to promote their businesses is rising dramatically, and those who began earlier probably have an advantage. Twesocial is an organic Twitter marketing service that was launched in 2016 to help users grow their account with real Twitter followers, without too much effort and time wasted.

Twesocial will manage practically every aspect of your account from posting and posting times, hashtags, user interaction, and growing your follower base. Using a service like Twesocial can be very helpful when it comes to trying to get your brand account off the ground because initially it can be hard to be noticed in a sea of other content creators. Twesocial takes away all the hard work, only leaving you with the task of creating your own content.

Task Ant

Instagram hashtags are such a prominent tool that should be used when social media marketing however, most people don’t really know how to use them correctly or which ones to use. Task Ant, launched in 2019, is a hashtag app that allows you to find the best hashtag for your content, as well as provide solutions to previous hashtag mistakes.

Making use of an app like this can enable growth for your business by increasing your content’s engagement and reach. There are two different price options: the solo package for those looking to get started, and the growth package to maximize hashtag use. There is something for everybody.

TokUpgrade

TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms around, which also means that it might be a bit more difficult to get your content noticed. Much like Twesocial, TokUpgrade, launched in 2020, claims to increase profile views and visits through organic engagement. They can increase your engagement and target your audience to get real TikTok followers through a series of specific questions, as well as engage with your followers to keep them interested.

Tok upgrade also comes with two different packages, the regular and the pro, which can either be paid weekly or monthly. It is important to note that this service is a little more costly than the others, but is definitely worth it in the long run as the potential for your brand’s growth is endless.

Tips to Keep Finances High as a Startup Owner

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One of the primary challenges of running a brand new business is trying to keep finances as high as possible, while also taking risks to ensure that the business remains relevant in a competitive industry. To a startup, just about every decision made is a potential risk, as there are plenty of ways for things to go wrong. Thankfully, the potential reward is often high enough that the risks tend to even out as time goes on.

That said, a startup needs a steady stream of finances to keep going — though not every inexperienced startup owner is prepared to keep a stern eye on their finances. In such cases, preparation is the name of the game. Here are some top tips to help keep finances as high as possible as a startup owner.

On the topic of covering your bases

They often say that to make money, the first order of business would be to understand how to spend money. There are few things that encapsulate such a saying more than the use of insurance options for the company. No matter the chosen industry, it is crucial that you have a firm understanding of the insurance you need for your business.

For example, as a realtor, it is all about matching clients up with the perfect home. But, it can be extremely challenging to accomplish that without the necessary real estate agent insurance, found at Next. Small businesses have to take note, as there are specific types of small business policies that can help startups keep a solid level of coverage, without losing too much money.

The benefits of hiring an experienced accountant

Those looking to manage their finances as tightly as possible would do well to hire a professional such as an accountant, as startup management can often mean a mountain of paperwork for the unprepared. That being said, the idea of hiring an experienced accountant is not just to keep the paperwork and finances in order — it is also about understanding which moves to make next as a company.

Not only do experienced accountants have years of practice under their belts, but they can also provide valuable advice based on their wealth of business knowledge. It always pays to utilize experienced professionals to fill the gaps.

Maintain consistency with social media

To obtain a steady stream of revenue as a startup, one of the best ways to get the job done would be to show prospective clients and supporters that the company is worth supporting. For example, maintaining an active account on social media shows online users that the company is always willing to interact with their audience. Even if the services might not be quite there yet, a company that remains consistent in its desire to make improvements based on feedback is often what wins the day.

While keeping finances out of the red while simultaneously taking risks as a startup can be a challenging tightrope to balance on, it doesn’t have to be a miserable process. Making use of the best practice methods above is enough to guarantee a solid foundation.

Meet the Man Behind Bronx Night Market

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By Hannah DiPilato

360 Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with Marco Shalma, founder of Round Seven Media and MASC Hospitality Group. He is responsible for beginning a food and culture festival in New York called The Bronx Night Market. In this interview, he talks about everything from advice for young entrepreneurs to his favorite food spots in New York.

How did you begin Round Seven Media and why did you decide to start this?

I started in 2013, which was after my education at NYU for undergrad and pursuing a master’s degree in film and tv. Marketing was my passion, and I wanted to run a campaign in a different way. I wanted to use the concept of getting people into the mix of the story and I wanted to get that into a narrative for clients in marketing. In 2013, I sold my shares in restaurant groups and I wanted to begin marketing for myself. I went around and started looking for clients in restaurant and hospitality for about 20 years, which I had experience in. With the explosion of Instagram and technology, it was the perfect time to explore marketing opportunities.

When the company started, the first thing was to go find professional people with a school of thought from film and writing. Our business is known for being a launch campaign for ideas, projects, etc. and we will build an online presence for our clients by finding the key demographic. We are focused on the launch period so our work doesn’t really go further than the six month period.

You also founded MASC Hospitality Group, what made you start another business as well?

MASC Hospitality is one of those situations that happened backward, meaning we first took on the Bronx Night Market project in 2017, which then branched out to many other events that were affiliated with the Bronx Night Market. At one point, we needed to incorporate all of these events, so we decided to create MASC Hospitality Group. If you think about it, MASC Hospitality is a company that basically creates different events while Round Seven Media is the one promoting these events. Sometime around 2018, I started taking fewer clients for Round Seven Media and started adding more of my own companies to Round Seven Media.

What is your favorite event that MASC Hospitality Group is responsible for?

My favorite event hands down is Bronx Night Market. The Bronx Night Market is my baby, it’s a proud moment for me because it came from a vision of bringing something to the Bronx community, my community, that is a prideful event and a reason to be proud of the borrow, without needing to commute to Manhattan or Queens to experience a festival that celebrates culture, cuisine and commerce.

We always say culture, cuisine and commerce because culture encompasses the diversity of the city with so many different flavors, cuisine because this is the grand unifier, everyone can enjoy a meal together no matter what skin tone or nationality and commerce is the idea of creating space for young entrepreneurs and small local businesses to present what they do to a large number of people and promote their business to help them move into the next stage of their success. This encompasses everything we are about, supporting small businesses, young entrepreneurship and of course, good, good food.

Have you encountered any problems while being a business owner for these two organizations?

When you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you always encounter problems. It’s always a matter of hiring the right people, navigating through resources, financing and funding, but mostly it’s identifying and understanding the demographic. I think for me, as a serial entrepreneur, a good idea is a good idea, but you need to identify your key demographic. You need to identify what you do and who it’s for. Then, you work for months or years fine-tuning to make everything connect and basically build a community around your brand.

For example, Round Seven Media is a brand that understands the power of our way of doing business. We are known as one of the top agencies in New York to run launch campaigns for brands because we are dedicated to doing that. With something like The Bronx Night Market, it’s about identifying Bronx-based foodies and people that want to explore offerings and now they have the opportunity to do that in a place where they feel safe, secure and happy. The event is really designed for the community instead of something that could be done anywhere else.

What do you look for in employees that you hire for your company?

We hire on a regular basis, we continuously hire for different projects on behalf of companies. When we finish a launch campaign at Round Seven Media, we like to hire people to replace us, younger people, hungry people that can do social media for those brands. When we look at hiring, the most important thing for us at the moment is consistency and the ability to have a follow-up and a follow-through. I think those are the three very, very important elements because in today’s field of business, having consistency and bringing your A-game every time is something that is critical to the success of any business. I’ve unfortunately had to work with people that can bring 120% one day and 30% the next day. This also has a lot to do with company culture and the idea that you need to create an environment that allows people to be consistent.

Another big part is the ability to follow up and follow through. I can’t even tell you how many times you will be doing things where you need to follow up with clients and partners and sometimes it even takes up to 20 emails. Each and every opportunity for you to accomplish something or to create something if you don’t follow through, you have failed. We are also looking for employees that are super savvy with communications and social media because this is becoming a crucial part of any brand. The ability to understand how media works and how to maximize these services is important to our brand.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs like you once were?

If I had to give one piece of advice to young entrepreneurs, it would be to not bite off more than you can chew: focus, focus, focus. I keep seeing a lot of young entrepreneurs that I work with trying to do too much. They try to put on six or seven different hats and be the CEO of the universe at the same time. I always say, focus on the one thing, take your time, become the best in your field and then explore from there. From what I’ve seen, the ability to focus and distill your message and brand into the simplest form and show it to other people such as the investors and partners, showing your dedication to a single idea is the most valuable.

When I used to work on movies, right after grad school, one of the exercises I had that influenced me completely was an exercise of writing a logline for a feature film. You have a script of like 90 pages that you need to turn in to a 25-word logline that will explain exactly what that movie is. It’s almost an impossible mission, but once you start on this, you understand how important the focus is. I now tell people you need to understand your business so well that nothing will get in the way. That’s how you get investors and money.

I know you’re passionate about food, what are some restaurants you would recommend to our readers?

It’s hard to talk about restaurants right now when the restaurant industry is suffering so much. Every day we see another one of my favorite restaurants closing down and the industry is struggling especially when it seems like the industry won’t open soon. I’ll tell you about food in general, as a foodie the most important thing for me is not chasing trends, but a restaurant that has a focused menu, where they know what they’re doing and they’re focused on creating the best experience with a sense of consistency. I know I probably sound like everything is driven like that, but honestly, it’s so important.

Before covid I used to go to a restaurant once a month in West Harlem that used to make the most amazing eggplant pasta, there was also a place I used to go with the most amazing salmon dish and I used to go to another place with the most amazing pad thai. That’s the best thing about living in New York, you get exposed to so much food and you’ll try a lot of trends, but at the end of the day, when you hit something that you know is going to be just as good every time you get it, it becomes the place you go for that dish.

The older I get I realize that’s the most important thing because I want to go back to the restaurant five years later and get the same food and experience. I’m hoping we’ll come out of this soon and be able to go and enjoy restaurants again. Even if you don’t like restaurants and you’re a great cook, you miss sitting down with your friends in a restaurant, eating some food, enjoying a bottle of wine and sharing a good laugh. It’s not about the food, it’s about the experience.

Where do you see yourself going next in your career?

At the moment we are trying to get back to normal life especially with Bronx Night Market and other events that we have. I’m working very hard to define what we can do in public spaces to help restaurants and other brick and mortar restaurants come back to life.

At the moment, I’m really dedicating a lot of my time to working with city and state agencies to create programming that will allow brick and mortar businesses to have more visibility as well as helping small businesses that began at home during the pandemic. I like to call these businesses “homentrepreneurs” and they will need a place for their businesses outside to get more traction in the community once the pandemic is over.

I am taking my experience within marketing and media, my ability to push forth different agendas and my ability to plan different activities to bring these skills to neighborhoods around New York and support these businesses and give a place for new entrepreneurs to grow outside of their homes. This is something I have been very excited about for a few months.

After Covid is over, are there any events you would hope for the MASC Hospitality Group to execute?

Help New Yorkers get back to normal as soon as possible. Possibly that will be creating open-air markets and events relating to many different niches, and just to let New Yorkers come to celebrate returning to normalcy. After covid, trying to figure out with different partners how to help businesses survive the next few months and thrive as soon as we get out of this crisis. This has been a focus for us to do. We have seen way too many friends of ours close shop and disappear.

Be sure to keep up with Marco Shalma and the Bronx Night Market on Instagram.

5 New Year’s Resolutions To Make Your Business Culture A Winner

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New Year’s resolutions are not only for individuals but businesses too. Company goals leaders set for the year ahead are usually measured in data tied to categories like revenue production and expense reduction.

After a difficult 2020 due to COVID-19, many enterprises’ bottom-line numbers will take on extra importance in 2021. And business culture will be just as crucial. Any resolutions that company leaders make are an effective way to measure their work environment and help their teams meet performance metrics, says Mark McClain, CEO and co-founder of SailPoint and the ForbesBooks author of Joy and Success at Work: Building Organizations that Don’t Suck (the Life Out of People).

“Meeting individual, team, and company goals begin with employees and managers working well together in a vibrant environment,” McClain says. “And given the changes and challenges of these times, culture and how leaders pay attention to it have never been more important.

“The bottom line falls into place when everyone is on the same page. But even if leaders have established a strong culture, it bears constant vigilance to ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction, especially now when a volatile world can threaten to throw even the most solid companies off course.”

McClain offers these business culture resolutions for the New Year that leaders could consider:

Focus on shared values. McClain thinks it’s misleading to frequently state that a “family atmosphere” exists in a company. “The bigger a company gets or the more it grows in capability and value, the less it’s going to feel like a family,” he says. “Creative friction and disagreement on processes and concepts are inevitable. Smart companies leverage broader, shared values as common ground on which workers can connect. I’ve found one of the best places for doing that is through service to the community beyond company walls. If your culture encourages people to work together for some greater good, they’ll continue to appreciate each other as humans and fellow workers.”
Avoid prima donnas. ”Talented people are essential for a successful business,” McClain says, “but don’t fall in love with a gifted person if they are constantly letting you know how special they are. Watching them work can be breathtaking, but not when they’re the ones sucking the air out of the room.”
Double down on integrity. “Large legacy companies are often loaded with people who are just taking up space and collecting a paycheck,” McClain says. “It’s a significant issue, and it goes hand-in-hand with integrity. Effective workers know the difference between busywork and producing value. Everybody in the organization must be clear on what success looks like. The role of management is to be clear on objectives and then let people run.”
Don’t stop innovating. McClain says many companies stagnate in this area and should learn how to expand their innovations while encouraging the cultivation of new ideas. “Innovation is an amalgam of product marketing and product management skills, of listening to the market, and of engineering people who can take a problem and figure out how to solve it,” he says. “But innovation should apply in every direction – in how a company contracts, how they sell, how they market.”
Be the first to own mistakes. “Anyone who has been involved in conflict directly knows there’s always the sense that both parties have some responsibility,” McClain says. “The sooner you own yours, the more likely the other person will own theirs – and the project can move forward.”

“New Year’s resolutions are often easily discarded because of a person’s lack of commitment,” McClain says. “For business leaders and their workforce, they reflect company core values and can create or improve a culture that everyone will appreciate and aspire to uphold and deepen.”

About Mark McClain

Mark McClain, ForbesBooks author of Joy and Success at Work: Building Organizations that Don’t Suck (the Life Out of People), is CEO of SailPoint, a leader in the enterprise identity management market. McClain has led the company from its beginnings in 2005, when it started as a three-person team, to today, where SailPoint has grown to more than 1,200 employees who serve customers in 35 countries.

Tyga Starts OnlyFans Management & Lifestyle Company Too Raww

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Today, GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum modern hip-hop icon Tyga announces his OnlyFans management and lifestyle company Too Raww. Check out the latest Instagram fun on @TooRaww.

“I had a vision of turning Too Raww into an empire that is not only about management, but can be a full-service lifestyle creative company. Everything Too Raww is my own personal taste and aesthetic, I will be hands on creatively and with the management aspect.” Says Tyga, “The concept of OnlyFans has allowed people to connect with their fans on a more personal level, and it’s allowing for more content driven engagement. I’m having a lot of fun with this so far.”

Tyga joined groundbreaking platform OnlyFans, where for a monthly subscription price of $20.00 his fans can have an uncensored look into his life.

Too Raww contact information can be found on their website www.tooraww.com. Merchandise seen on the Too Raww Instagram @TooRaww will soon be available for sale to the public.

After another banner music year with Ayy Macarena going Gold, 1.8 billion Spotify streams, and features such as “Like It Is” with Kygo, “Still Be Friends” with G-Eazy and Tory Lanez, and “Desce Pro Play” with Anitta topping the charts, Tyga’s focus remains on building a 360-degree empire, not just in music, but in multiple lanes of business, such as Tyga Bites and OnlyFans.

ABOUT TYGA:

As a rapper, entrepreneur, and influential force, Tyga maintains his place at the forefront of hip-hop and the culture. Since emerging in 2008, his influence consistently grew year after year to affect nearly every facet of the mainstream. Throughout his career, he earned dozens of multiplatinum certifications around the world, including the quadruple-platinum “Rack City,” triple-platinum “Faded,” and double-platinum “Ayo” with Chris Brown, to name a few. In 2018, he turned up with his most successful single to date “Taste” [feat. Offset]. Not only did it go six-times platinum and clinch #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it generated over 1 billion cumulative streams. It also paved the way for his 2019 opus, Legendary, released via his own Last Kings Records / Empire Distribution. Legendary crashed the Top 20 on the Top 200 chart, scored a gold certification release week, and accumulated 5 billion streams in under a year. Tyga perennially holds a place in the Top 30 of the “Most Streamed Artists on Spotify.” His influence continues to grow with each subsequent album.

QxA With Larry Namer

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An entertainment industry veteran with close to 50 years of professional experience in cable television, live events and new media, Larry Namer is a founding partner of Metan Global Entertainment Group (MGEG), a venture created to develop and distribute entertainment content and media specifically for Chinese speaking audiences in China and abroad. In 2018, the company launched the MGEG Film Fund I and serves as a managing partner. He is also the executive producer of the recently announced feature film “EMPRESS,” a new travel series for the China audience titled “Explore The World,” and an executive producer of the new crime series “Nova Vita.” He is a co-founder of the recently launched lifestyle platform BeautyKween. Most recently, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of FanVestor.

Mr. Namer is the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, a company now valued at over four billion USD, and the creator of several successful companies in the United States and overseas. Among those companies are Comspan Communications that pioneered Western forms of entertainment in the former Soviet Union and Steeplechase Media that served as the primary consultant to Microsoft’s MiTV for developing interactive TV applications.

Early on, he was named the youngest general manager of a major cable system at Valley Cable TV (VCTV) in Los Angeles. His vision and direction garnered VCTV several Emmy and Cable ACE award nominations, as well as recognition by Forbes magazine as the national model for local cable television programming. In 1989, he was awarded the prestigious President’s Award from the National Cable Television Association. He was honored with the “Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Award” at the 19th Asian Television Awards in Singapore and received the International Media Legacy Award at the 2017 Elite Awards Foundation Gala. He was the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2018 Hollywood Tribute Awards and the 2019 Hollywood China Night, presented by the American-Chinese CEO Society, both in celebration of the Academy Awards®. In July 2019, he was awarded The Tribeca Disruptor Award at the Novus Summit, held at the United Nations, and in September 2020, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the French Riviera Film Festival.

We sat down with Mr. Namer to ask him a few questions about the recent collaboration between the companies FanVestor and Cre8or Global. The companies are working together to connect celebrities with their fans. The companies want to deliver future investment opportunities, exclusive perks and experiences, as well as fan-focused sweepstakes, eCommerce exclusives and charity offerings to fans.

What made FanVestor interested in partnering with Cre8or Global?

We felt that Cre8or had a unique business model as well as all the resources to execute that plan. They already had some major celebrities and sports figures working with them on beauty, make-up, and wellness products which would fit perfectly into the FanVestor systems. We already had certain celebrities who were looking for strong partners who could take them into those spheres and develop and distribute the products. So, it was a clear and good match for both companies.

What are some things the public can look forward to as a result of this collaboration?

Very quickly you will see a few major celebrities launch their new product lines directly to their fans via FanVestor. These will be special editions that come with some nice perks which can be collectibles or even unique dream experiences. After first exposing these to hardcore fans, then the products will be made available to the general public. Then a little further down the road, you will see that fans will have the opportunity not only to acquire products, but they will be able to invest in those very same companies

What lead you to become the chief operating officer for FanVestor?

Well, I was on the advisory board at first because I was intrigued with the concept, but as time went on I learned a lot more and felt that with what FanVestor had accomplished so far coupled with my skills and connections, there was a great opportunity to make FanVestor a market leader and game-changer.

Are there any celebrities that FanVestor and Cre8or Global want to work with that you haven’t yet?

Yes, I would say there are hundreds of celebs that this makes sense for. FanVestor’s targets are sports, esports, fashion, art, film, TV and music stars, and influencers. Just take a dozen from each group and you are over 100. Then there are so many areas that are of interest to us and to celebrities, beyond unique products. There are securities, bonds, experiences and perks, charity fundraising, auctions, sweepstakes, and so on. Over the career of a celebrity, he or she might want to engage in projects within several of those activities.

Does FanVestor have any ideas for the future for other companies you would like to partner with?

I think the concept of fans wanting to engage with their heroes and celebrities wanting to have a closer, more intimate relationship with their fans is universal. I can see us doing localized versions of FanVestor in other countries and other languages (other than English). I’m a strong believer in finding good, experienced, local partners whenever I engage in business outside the United States.

What advice would you give fans that want to invest in celebrities through FanVestor?

While return on investment is certainly something to consider, think beyond just the monetary measures and of the intangibles that come with it. For example, the Green Bay Packers are owned by fans and they have special shareholder days and even a merchandise catalog of things only available to shareholders. Besides the monetary reward, they relish in having that stock certificate framed and hanging on the wall for all their friends to see. There is a pleasure to be had in supporting your team that way. So, it’s not just money that is part of the ROI. Choose the things you feel passionate about, whether it be a sports team or a celebrity doing great charity work.

How can the public get involved in this partnership between FanVestor and Cre8or Global?

Starting next month, you will begin to see the Website and mobile apps populated with the first of a wave of fan opportunities. You can go on right now and register to be kept apprised of all the news

Since you are using the celebrities’ own fanbases, do you see any major problems occurring with promoting the product line?

Not at all. There will be some very clear communication between the celeb and the fans, so everyone knows what is being offered. When it comes to securities, everything is regulated on a federal level, so there is consistency in what and how opportunities are offered to fans.

Where do you see this partnership going in the future? Will the companies continue to work together to connect celebrities and their fans?

Yes, FanVestor and Cre8or are perfectly aligned. Crea8or knows how to develop and market new products with celebrity tie-ins. FanVestor knows how to monetize fandom. Today with the world-changing the way it has, celebrities and their managers, are looking for new ways, to connect to their fanbases and monetize those connections. FanVestor and Cre8or provide a one-stop shop for them.

Lecrae inspires DJJ youth

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Grammy Award-winning artist Lecrae shared his road to restoration with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) youth during a visit to the Rockdale Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC). There, he inspired youth to reach for their dreams. Lecrae is not only a platinum-selling recording artist but also New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader, and philanthropist.

Youth from DJJ’s Chat and Chew Book Club at the Rockdale RYDC and female youth from the Macon Youth Development Campus (YDC) discussed life topics with Lecrae, including how he handles his success, money management, maintaining integrity in difficult situations, and the importance of self-worth.

“I am grateful Lecrae was able to spend this vital time with our youth,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “It is important for youth to hear positive messages from someone they admire and respect. Lecrae’s story is truly inspirational and we will continue to provide opportunities like these to youth to show them that their past experiences do not determine their future.”

Lecrae donated copies of his book, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith, to youth ahead of his visit to the Rockdale facility. He performed several of his hit records, including the single “Set Me Free” off his latest album, Restoration. Approximately ten female youth from the Macon YDC were able to join the Chat and Chew virtually.

“Today was incredible,” said Lecrae about his visit with DJJ youth. “They had great questions and it was very authentic. My hope for youth in these circumstances is that they understand that this is not the end of their story.”

He shared the critical role his faith plays in his everyday life, his struggles with growing up in a rough neighborhood, his experiences with incarcerated loved ones, what motivates him to be better, and how writing helped him process his emotions.

Lecrae first began visiting incarcerated youth before his first album after one of his closest friends asked him to volunteer. “Hopefully, it is a seed planted,” said Lecrae. “The work is never done and I’m just a little blip on the radar, but I feel like the staff here is continuing to do the work. I’m glad that I could support everything that they are already doing.”

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ABOUT DJJ

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state’s youthful offenders up to 21 years of age. The Department’s mission is to transform young lives by providing evidence-based rehabilitative treatment services and supervision, strengthening youth and families’ well-being, and fostering safe communities.

Purdue alumna × Stovetop stuffing

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If Stove Top stuffing makes an appearance at your Thanksgiving dinner, you can thank a Purdue University alumna.

The late Ruth Siems, a 1953 home economics graduate, is credited with the invention of Stove Top stuffing. The product hit shelves in 1971 as a dish appropriate for Thanksgiving but also for everyday meals. The secret behind the dish is the dimensions of the bread crumbs, which General Foods patented in 1975. Siems is listed first among the inventors, followed by Anthony Capossela Jr., John Halligan and C. Robert Wyss.

Siems’ invention came at a time when there was a high demand in the U.S. for convenience foods. She worked on developing Stove Top stuffing while working at General Foods, and the invention quickly became a Thanksgiving staple.

Siems grew up in Evansville, Indiana, and died in 2005 in Newburgh, Indiana, according to her obituary in The New York Times. She worked at General Foods almost 35 years. Kraft Foods now owns Stove Top stuffing, which sells about 60 million boxes a year. The dish comes in a variety of flavors.

Purdue Archives and Special Collections has information about Siems’ work on food inventions as part of the Gertrude Sunderlin Papers. Sunderlin was an early foods and nutrition professor at Purdue.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.

What happens to the home and economy when women leave the workforce?

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The pandemic-induced recession forced many women to drop out of the workforce, with research showing they were much more likely than men to give up jobs so they could take care of children when schools went online.

The consequences of these decisions may go beyond each individual, though.

“They could have large repercussions for the economy, the home, and society as a whole, says Andi Simon (www.andisimon.com), a corporate anthropologist, founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants, and author of the upcoming book Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business.

Some ramifications of this 2020 exodus from the workforce for women could include:

A drop in consumer spending. When one spouse loses a job, whatever the reason might be, it means an immediate and sudden drop in income for that household. “The impact on household earnings will lead to reduced spending,” Simon says. “That will have ripple effects throughout the economy.”
An impact on women’s careers and advancement. Eventually, many of these women will no doubt go back to work, but how well they will be able to just pick up their careers where they left off could be another matter, Simon says. “Will they have lost ground in the line for promotions to men who didn’t take any time away from work?” she asks. “Also, depending on how slow the recovery is, rejoining the workforce might not be that quick and easy.”
A reduction in demand for family-related industries. When both spouses work outside the home, couples often need to make use of services that developed or grew because one adult – usually the woman – wasn’t around to take care of certain household duties. For households where a mother is now back in the home, that has changed. “They no longer need to pay someone for childcare services,” Simon says. “In addition, the need for house-cleaning services is likely to drop.”
Changes to retail markets. A woman who stays home with the kids has different needs than a woman who commutes to an office each day, and those differences could be reflected in the world of retail, Simon says. Just as an example, there could be a drop in demand for makeup. Sales of business attire for women may plummet – or at least take a hit as more casual, comfortable clothes become more important wardrobe necessities. Restaurants could continue to struggle as people eat out less and cook at home more.
Entrepreneurial urges could shift to home businesses. Some women could still keep their career mindsets and try to establish their own businesses run from their homes, Simons says. But she cautions that there are questions about just what those businesses might be since some potential areas – such as marketing, consulting, and business coaching – have seen a downshift in demand for their services. “That leaves you to wonder just how viable setting up a home business might be,” Simon says.

Despite all those concerns, some good can come out of this period as well for women who want a better life both personally and professionally, Simon says.

“If you’ve not been satisfied with your career and your life, this could be an opportunity to rethink and rewrite your personal story,” she says. “You need to imagine what you want to become, focus on how to make that possible, and then begin to take steps to make it happen.”

About Andi Simon

Andi Simon, Ph.D. (www.andisimon.com), author of the upcoming book Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, is a corporate anthropologist and founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants (www.simonassociates.net). A trained practitioner in Blue Ocean Strategy®, Simon has conducted several hundred workshops and speeches on the topic as well as consulted with a wide range of clients across the globe. She also is the author of the award-winning book On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights. Simon has a successful podcast, On the Brink with Andi Simon, that has more than 125,000 monthly listeners, and is ranked among the top 20 Futurist podcasts and top 200 business podcasts. In addition, Global Advisory Experts named Simons’ firm the Corporate Anthropology Consultancy Firm of the Year in New York – 2020. She has been on Good Morning, America and Bloomberg, and is widely published in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Business Week, Becker’s, and American Banker, among others. She has been a guest blogger for Forbes.com, Huffington Post, and Fierce Health.