The Spot Mag July/August 2021

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

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mag

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JULY/AUGUST 2021 F E ATUR E : M O R GAN STINSON F E ATUR E : SPAR K DOCUMENTA RIAN J UL I E W OME N T O WATCH

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IN THIS

Issue

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CON TR I B UTOR S

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LET TER F R OM THE EDITOR

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CRYS TA L ’S R EA L ES TAT E T IP S

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CRYS TA L ’S C HA MPIONS

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COMMUN IT Y EV EN TS

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WOMEN TO WATC H

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N ATI ON A L F EATUR E

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WOMEN TO WATC H

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N ETWOR K IN G TI PS

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PR TI PS WI TH A N IK A

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E M OTION A L F OR EC A ST

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B OOKS TO R EA D

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WOMEN TO WATC H

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J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 21

Contributors

Crystal Swearingen

Adrianna Swearingen

Brittany Swearingen

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Tony Gonzalez

Angie Campbell

Anika Jackson

Madison Friolet

Amanda Gregory

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Crystal Clear I’m excited to present to you an issue filled with amazing women! For our National Feature, we have Morgan Stinson discussing her start in the financial world and the launch of her show “The Future Game.”

Columnist Anika Jackson gives us PR tips on crafting and creating your story.

I share my experience traveling to Tulsa for the 100th anniversary of the destruction of Black Wall Street for our Crystal’s Champions.

And Madison Frilot reviews and shares some crucial segments from Joyce Johnson’s book, No Back Doors For Me. I hope you enjoy this issue and have a wonderful summer!

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Crystal Swearingen, Co-Founder | Editorial Director

The Spot Mag

@the.spot.mag

crystalsavesthedeal@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE TIPS

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CRYSTAL’S CHAMPIONS

100 Year Anniversary of the Destruction of

Black Wall Street

One hundred years ago, on May 31 and June 1, 1921, the area of Greenwood Tulsa was the site of a large-scale massacre. It stemmed from an accusation that a young Black man allegedly assaulted a white female elevator operator. This accusation would be the tipping point that led to the deaths of over 300 hundred citizens in Greenwood. The violence from the massacre resulted in $1.5 million in real estate assets destroyed and close to $1 million in personal property. This loss would be equivalent to $150 million in real estate and personal property over $200 million in current terms. In addition, generations of Black families lost their wealth as over 10,000 families had to flee the destruction and find a new home due to those 48 hours.

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Residents of Greenwood A Brief History of the Start of Black Wall The 15-year establishment “Black Wall Street” was Street After the Native American removal act in 1830, many

Black individuals who were slaves to the Native American tribes moved to Oklahoma alongside their tribes.

Others traveled in the hope of gaining land in the not yet established land between 1889-1891, leading up to 1907 when Oklahoma became a state. According to Black Wall Street Tulsa’s Successful History article, “Oklahoma represented the hope of change and provided a chance for African Americans to not only leave the lands of slavery but oppose the harsh racism of their previous homes.” Published in 2006.

Black Wall Street grew prosperous using a model established by Booker T. Washington and lead

by C.W. Greene.

Greene was the first Agriculture teacher at the Tuskegee Institute, and Washington was a famous author, orator, and advisor to U.S presidents.

He encouraged the community that white Tulsans referred to as “Little Africa” to continue building and cooperating within their community. They were essentially creating their financial ecosystem and securing their ownership and independence from outside communities. Greene used his words as inspiration and officially named this area Greenwood in 1906. In 1921, when the devastation occurred, it was home to 10,000 black residents.

home to several attorneys, real estate agents, entrepreneurs, and doctors who offered their services to the community. One such entrepreneur was J.B. Stratford, who believed Black people had a better chance of economic advancement if they pooled their resources and supported each other’s businesses. So Stafford bought land and sold them to members of the community to be used as residential housing or businesses. By 1921, Stratford was considered one of the wealthiest Black individuals in the country. O.W. Gurley, another entrepreneur, left his job at the post office in Arkansas and traveled alongside his wife Emma at 25 to seek freedom and land in the Great Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893.

When he moved to Tulsa in 1905, he bought land north of the Frisco train track. He envisioned this land would be the haven for emancipated Blacks migrating west. You can learn more about Gurley in “The Baron of Black Wall Street,” written by Antoine Gara for Forbes magazine.

Another notable name in the history of Black Wall Street is John Hope Franklin who was a historian from Oklahoma who spent a large portion of his life defending survivors of 1921. Franklin became an expert on oil law as he represented Black and Native American people against white oil barons who disputed oil ownership.

Franklin was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor in 2009 by President Bill Clinton.

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Modern-day Tulsa Greenwood District: My Experience 8

Walking along these streets filled with a history over Memorial weekend was a moment in time I won’t soon forget. I was blessed to witness individuals from all over the country come together to commemorate Greenwood’s legacy while collectively mourning the lives and futures that were lost that day. We started our journey touring John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park commemorating the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. There they had a fantastic sculpture that you see pictured here, this 25 - foot tall memorial tower depicts the history of the African American struggle from Africa to America. An additional triad statue with three sides depicted actual images from the Tulsa Race Riot inscribed with Hostility, Humiliation, and Hope. “Hostility” shows a white man with a gun, “Humiliation” is a black man surrendering, and “Hope” is the Red Cross director, a white man, holding a black baby. This park was not like a traditional park but had a history lesson of the era and allowed us to be centered on what we were about to explore. A quote from B.C Franklin, the father of John Hope and one of the original residents of Greenwood, greets you at the entrance “Lifting as we climb, the eternal verities shall prevail.”

From the streets of John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park to the blocks encompassing Greenwood District, there is a stark reflection of the greatness that the Black community created at the start of the century.

At the centennial, my friends and I watched live music, spoken word poetry, and displays of activism in the street. We met community leaders from Tulsa and the greater United States, like Representative Maxine Water, Roland Martin, and Ben Crump. We listened to Alfre Woodard on the stage while a young man tasked us all to “Learn, Lament and Lift” as we take part in this journey. It was truly awe-inspiring. Seeing plaques on the ground marking the spot where a business or house had once stood I could picture what the streets would have looked like 100 years ago. Stopping by the infamous Vernon AME church is the only black-owned structure still standing, and seeing the work they put into making sure it forever stood as a memory of days past. Walking along these streets with my new and old friends, I felt love, acceptance, and community surrounding me. This feeling only fueled my desire to continue doing everything I can to be the change I want to see in the world.

If you have the time and ability to travel to Tulsa, please do! There is so much history to discover about the historic Greenwood area. I encourage you to please take the time to educate yourself and focus your energies or as the speaker who resonated with me so clearly, “Learn, Lament and Lift.”

Pictured here: Angie Franklin, Steffie Sissoko, Lynette Woodard, Crystal Swearingen and Vonie Adams in Tulsa at the John Hope Franklin Park Monument

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Crystal’s Champions is dedicated to strong and inspirational women and organizations that are making a difference in the community. To nominate a Champion, email Crystal at Crystalsavesthedeal@gmail.com

Crystal Clear Realty

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Crystal Swearingen, founder of The Spot Mag, hosted a block party kicking off summer at Crystal Clear Realty.

Notable guests included Basketball Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard and Oscar winner Kevin Willmott.

Block Party

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WOMEN TO WATCH

Julie Manriquez

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Julie is a freelance marketing and creative writer, screenwriter, and producer. Julie currently works as associate producer for nonprofit, Amateur Films, LLC. As content contributor and writer for the company’s current documentary project — Spark: A Systemic Racism Story — Julie also oversees post-production marketing and outreach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion leaders within corporations, organizations, and academia. Julie specializes in original content for diversity, health and wellness publications; technology and lifestyle brands; and she counsels high school seniors through the college application process.

How did you get involved with SPARK? I became involved with SPARK very organically early on in the pandemic. I’ve always been an activist and social justice seeker, so I attended

a handful of Black Lives Matter marches in June after the murder of George Floyd. Most of these were in urban areas, but there was one located in my neighborhood in La Jolla — a conservative, predominantly white suburb of San Diego — June 2020. Although our little slice of suburbia is more liberal than it was 20 years ago, I didn’t have high expectations.

Our community turnout was surprising! The event was very well organized by students and activists outside of La Jolla and I think some of the speakers may have even changed some antiquated views in our older, white demographic. It was there that I ran into neighbors Tom and Mary Gegax. They invited me to a (socially distant :) gathering at their house to view photos from the march with some other activists and creatives from our community.

Tom threw out the idea of pulling together a team to tackle creating a documentary film as a quarantine project. I was instantly on board.

As a writer, I was thrilled to have a meaningful project to work on during a very dark time. The idea of offering a resource that could possibly be used to educate others on becoming allies during a time of racial reckoning was energizing.

What do you want the viewers to get out of this film?

I want viewers to recognize it’s not enough to simply say you’re not a racist.

Check yourself. Do more. Live an antiracist life as a committed ally. There is a huge difference between using the words “I am not a racist” and “I am an antiracist.” It involves unpacking unconscious bias, addressing our inner selves and our inner workings.

We have to scrutinize how and why we’ve been taught the “history” that we have learned. From there we can begin the unlearning process.

What has it meant to you personally?

I learned so much more than I thought I would.

I had a lot of work to do, and I still have a lot of work to do. I’m grateful for the opportunity to delve deeper.

How and when do you feel fulfillment?

In terms of SPARK, I feel fulfilled when I receive messages from viewers, whom I may have con-

sidered to be closed-minded, that are sparked to self-examine their biases and commit to doing the work.

What is something that surprised you as a result of working on SPARK?

When your eyes are open, possibilities are endless. As a result of this project, I’ve met so many wonderful people. The National Conflict Resolution Center’s A Path Forward Task Force reached out to me to join their team. Through SPARK, I’ve met local activists while volunteering and we’ve helped cross-promote our non-profit projects including San Diego’s Breakfast Block Mutual Aid (@breakfastblock_mutualaid) and Ride For Breonna (@rideforbreonna) to raise awareness of systemic racism’s role in societal failures and policing.

It’s clear to me that people have an appetite for this kind of content and thus, the gifts that come from that interest in action steps toward change are endless.

What advice would you give someone like you that’s just starting and wants to make an impact?

Be open and be curious. Opportunities arise when you trust yourself to be present, mindful and accepting of every moment.

Where can the readers follow you?

Instagram - @julie_goes_ham Spark website - https://spark-doc.com/

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STACIE HULSHOF 785-424-4549 STACIEHOMESALES@GMAIL.COM

STACIEHOMESALES.COM

LOOKING FOR AN AGENT? I'll help you sell or get into the home of your dreams in Lawrence, Topeka, Kansas City and surrounding areas.

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NATIONAL FEATURE

Making Moves with Morgan How did you go from turning a Masters in Accounting from Georgia State to now being the go-to, successful, financial/accounting professional for MGO - and working with athletes and entertainers in Los Angeles?

What has that journey looked like?

My journey is a unique one, to say the least; my start and love for the sports and finance industries predate my Master’s in Accounting. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Michigan State University, and at the time, I also worked as an assistant to Head Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Izzo and the assistant coaching staff for three years. I started playing sports as a child, which grew my love for sports; however, my professional start was in college. Fast forward to after completing my Master’s degree, I started working professionally in public accounting at one of the big four firms as an auditor.

I’ve always kept and managed my relationships and network in sports and continued to be a professional resource for my friends in the Sports and Entertainment Industries for questions or general financial education.

In the middle of my audit career, I took a break from corporate America to do freelance consulting work for a couple of athletes, music producers, and a startup company, helping them organize and set up their businesses, accounting, foundations, marketing, etc. It was at that time that I got a real inside look into the industries, and some of the challenges

athletes face on the financial/accounting side.

I landed at MGO three years ago and work alongside our CEO, Kevin O’Connell, to add value, standards, quality, and ethical service, plus real financial education to the Sports and Entertainment Industries and other emerging markets. My network, education, and personal life experiences have been drivers of my passion and success in the industries.

MGO has allowed me to help bridge the gap between financial education and accounting and add value to my relationships and community in sports, entertainment, media, and cannabis.

What inspired your career in finance?

I am a first-generation college student and graduate.

I watched both of my parents be successful business owners and entrepreneurs; however, there was a lack of financial education, opportunity, resources, and management of finances. When I first entered college, I enrolled as a business and entertainment law student, however my major was cut in the middle of my sophomore year, and I had no idea what I wanted to switch to, but I knew immediately it was not political science at MSU! So I decided to transfer to finance because I had previously tested out most of my math requirements before entering college. Still, I had never known anyone or had little understanding of what an actual career in finance or accounting even looked like.

It was not until my sophomore year when I attended

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a diversity finance and accounting conference and met my first career mentor Anthony Anderson, partner at EY, that I felt inspired and understood what a career in accounting and finance constituted. At that time, I realized that a career in finance and accounting was key to understanding the language of all business. Honestly, I saw it as the solution to many of the problems my family and community experienced during my upbringing. I was also great at math and loved numbers-based answers.

What is the one thing you found to be a common misconception regarding people’s ideas on finance/ wealth?

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I commonly see people misunderstand the journey that is required to build and achieve wealth. I think that being wealthy is very different than being rich. There’s a common phrase used in hip hop of ‘Rags to Riches’ it took me a while to really dive into the deeper meaning behind the saying because too often than not, I see people going from Rags to Riches and back to rags. So when I break down the concept of being rich vs being wealthy, I like to explain that wealth is built, and maintained/ managed to last beyond the generation that establishes it. While being rich is sudden and usually short-lived. Now I am not saying you cannot come into sudden amounts of money and be considered wealthy, but the term wealth is applied to how you take the sudden money and use it in a way to build on top of it and continue to scale for generations.

2020 I partnered with the MGO marketing team and my colleague Alex Thomas to pitch a webinar to address the financial concerns of athletes during the Pandemic.

During the Pandemic, everyone had no choice but to pay attention to their financial futures. My phone was blowing up with questions, group chats, and guys just talking about all new fun topics such as crypto, taxes, business opportunities, media, and all kinds of exciting and very new territories for them. But for once in their lives, they do not have to train or be in meetings or be on a game schedule. MGO supported and believed in the vision and the pitch of The Future Game so much to we further developed the idea into a video series. Prior to me joining MGO my CEO shared the same passion to bring a greater understanding of finances and quality financial consulting/management to the sports industry, and that paired my vision and passion created The Future Game.

Who are some of the guests on The Future Game, and what are some key ah-ha moments?

“I commonly see people misunderstand the journey that is required to build and achieve wealth. I think that being wealthy is very different than being rich”

How did you come up with the idea to create your series “The Future Game”?

For years I have been educating my friends, clients, and network on finances, accounting, marketing, etc. And I have also always been searching for a way to bridge the gap between Athletes, Entertainers, the community and the knowledge and resources I have gained access to throughout college and my professional career. I have seen the dreams and the nightmares of athletes come true. I have also witnessed firsthand too many athletes and their families suffer because they were uneducated and/or uninvolved in their finances/businesses. In

Our guest list for season one includes Draymond Green, Matt Barnes, Eben Britton, and Geoff Walker. I have a bunch of ah ha moments, especially when our guests bring up personal life experiences I experienced and how they thought through them or attacked them. But to point to a couple: Draymond highlights how he was totally confused when he received his first check and waiting on the rest of his money! He had never received a paycheck and didn’t realize the impact taxes had on the bottom line. His knowledge on taxes was limited to tax refunds, and he recalls how his family lived well for a couple of weeks off the refund every year. He then had to reeducate himself about what taxes actually meant in certain tax brackets.

Geoff Walker dropped so many gems, but one I love that he highlighted is that Athletes build weak ecosystems around them that are not providing the proper guidance to help them thrive and survive through rainy days or strategize past their first contract.

In this world of people wanting social approval and likes on social media, do you

feel people are creating harmful debt patterns when buying expensive things they can’t afford for the “gram”?’

I’m going to highlight both the positives and negatives here. In short, Yes and No. There is increased gravitation to “Keep up with the Joneses” via social media and image portrayal. But with that, there is also a lot of control and branding power that if targeted in the right way, Influencers can capture revenue that they never used to capture instead of building debt. Prime example, some of my clients that consider themselves influencers are not only leveraging their social media market to obtain products for free or at a reduced price, they are also participating in revenue sharing agreements based on the amount of sales they drive for the business simply through leveraging their image and likeness.

So, I believe there is a lot of pressure to maintain a certain image; however, I also see the ability to generate income, revenue, and brand partnerships through the new lens of influencer marketing if leveraged appropriately. I think the generations of social media are changing, and the people using or influencing social media are becoming more sophisticated in how to monetize from free marketing and, to your point, boost their social media image.

How do you advise your clients when looking to grow a brand and turn that brand into a business?

Clients looking to grow their brands are my favorite clients because it shows that they are forward-thinking, and it allows me to grow with my clients. Developing a brand is important but understanding your audience is even more critical. I always say to consider your brand as a business with you as the CEO and walking billboard. Whatever you are passionate about should be embedded in your business strategy. You must be consistent, and you must have a plan to build a business but understanding that the best person to market you is YOU. You must hold yourself to the same standards as your brand and the standards your audience appreciates. More than anything, you have to educate yourself and leverage your network of professionals to make sure you are.

What’s one thing you would tell our readers to do as they are scaling their business and maybe for the first time experiencing some financial success?

Identify credible resources and people to help and educate you on scaling your business. Ask questions, and do not be afraid to fact-check or vet the information people provide to you. It is okay not to know everything but the biggest mistake I see people make is passing off their information or business to someone trusting them and not being involved in the financial decisions or direction.

What is your vision for “The Future Game” over the next year or two?

Over the next one to two years, I would like to see The Future Game focus on the stories of athletes and the challenges and successes they face while focusing on breaking down simplistically solutions or values ads from an expert perspective. The age of the CEO is younger and younger, especially with the evolution of technology.

I want to be proactive instead of reactive in engaging and addressing topics around financial education and building a business/ ecosystem around this demographic. I think storytelling is essential to understanding the lack or gap in knowledge around finances for young athletes and their families. I also would like to include people from the culture of music and film because generational wealth, legacy, and financial stability are not specific to athletes but to many industries minorities now dominate.

Morgan and Matt Barnes

WOMEN TO WATCH

Get to Know MELISSA Tell me about yourself? Family, spouse, occupation, kids, etc.?

I am a family woman. I have one child, but I also had an integral part in raising my niece.

I have been with my other half for the last 25 years. As for my occupation, I am a serial entrepreneur with special interests in real estate investing and development and proptech. I am all about advancing real estate through generational wealth and building up our communities.

How did you get started in your industry?

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I got started by just doing real estate investing. I got good at that, and it just turned into investing and development. This industry, at its center, is a pathway to create generational wealth through real estate.

What are some things you’ve learned along the way that have enhanced your business?

You have to have thick skin, as it is definitely a male-dominated field. You have to build really great relationships, and you have to be a go-getter. I am all about the grit and grind, and that is what real estate is all about. On top of that, just being extremely organized and understanding the end goal has gotten me a long way.

When deciding what opportunities to pursue, how do you know you’re making the right choice and when to say yes or no?

Sometimes you don’t know if you are making the right choice, which is the beauty of en-

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trepreneurship. You can test the waters and get a feeling. Sometimes it’s having conversations, and you can do as much research as you want, but sometimes you just have to test the waters. For me, it’s about trying to operate with caution but not letting that hold me back from being productive in the way that I know that I can be.

When times get difficult, what helps you get through those moments?

Reflecting on my son and my family and just knowing that I am doing this for them.

When growing your business, how did you determine it was the right time to grow or add staff?

I realized there were specific tasks that I never touch, meaning some of the admin stuff and simple nuances. When I was working on higher-level projects, I knew I had to get somebody in there because those tasks would never get done, and I would continue to bang my head against the wall trying to figure out how to incorporate it, and it just wasn’t worth it. So I had to bring in an assistant to help, and it has been the best decision that I have ever made. You have to be okay with letting go and allowing somebody else to come in and help.

What tip would you give another woman who wanted to get into real estate investing?

Just get started. It will be tough, and you can’t automatically turn those no’s into yes’, but just get started!

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Creative Networking in 2021

By Amanda Gregory

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It has been over 450 days since Lawrence Lady Boss Project had an in person networking event. Less than a month after our one year celebration hosted at Dash Salon and Day Spa in February of 2020, the world shut down.

The universal question became how does one network without the ability to meet face to face? Virtual events became the pseudo replacement. A very different, very challenging, less than ideal replacement. But we powered through the next year and did our best to connect people via screens and Zoom calls.

Over 450 long days later... the calendar is marked with our next in person Networking Night Out, a networking event hosted in the evening featuring local businesses. The date is set. The venue picked out. The plans made to safely come back together to network within the same space.

It is like a bright light was just shined at the end of the relatively dark tunnel.

Scheduling this event was not a decision I took lightly. As the founder of Lawrence Lady Boss Project, my belief throughout this entire process was that I wanted to err on the side of caution when it came to returning to in person events.

My ultimate goal was for people to feel comfortable coming to the event the night of.

So what made me decide now is the time to return to face to face networking?

The biggest thing is definitely the vaccine. Specifically availability of the vaccine. The county our community falls under is approaching 50% vaccinated. All residents 16 and older are currently able to receive their first vaccine through the county, as they have entered the final phase in their vaccine rollout plan.

Perhaps the biggest factor that helped lead to this decision was our local Chamber of Commerce announcing their return to in person networking events. Following their lead helped take some of the pressure off of being the first networking group to host large attendance, in person events.

That being said - booking the event was only the first hurdle in successfully planning a return to non-virtual events. The next hurdle was tackling how to make attendees feel comfortable showing up to network face to face.

The obvious part of this being a requirement for masks outside of drinking a beverage.

While our county has low positivity numbers and high vaccination numbers, we are still under a county wide mask mandate which makes that decision an easy one.

Our event was held outside in late spring. One of our amazing local businesses is a winery with acres of green space for people to spread out and distance themselves based on their comfort level. Perfect for our triumphant return to networking in its truest form.

In the past our events featured local eateries, coffee shops and cafes by providing their food and drinks in a grab and go style throughout the event. For our first event back post Covid, we offered pre-wrapped treats as a parting gift at the end of the night instead of sampling throughout the event.

As with everything relating to this pandemic, things change from day to day. Being able to be flexible in our plans is the greatest requirement for executing a successful networking event. That was true before the pandemic, during the pandemic and will certainly be true after the pandemic is well and truly over. My only hope is to provide an environment people feel comfortable in. Where they can come out and put faces with names and make the connections small business owners need to thrive in their community. Thankfully, I truly feel like now is the time for that.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING TIPS

Crafting and Creating Your Story

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Photo by Social.Cut

In the last issue, I talked about storytelling being at the heart of public relations. Here are some things to consider when crafting your story for marketing materials or a public relations pitch.

Hint - these are also really useful for social media posts and blogs!

scene is dragging, you introduce a gun. That immediately raises the stakes because someone could get killed,” says Nick Morgan in the Public Words blog. “How can you make your story about life and death?” A compelling story must be emotionally involved.

Understand what a story is.

Tell your own story.

Stories are not product pitches or lists. Stories are narratives about something that happened to someone, stresses business storytelling expert Paul Smith, author of “Sell with a Story,” in Fast Company. Stories have a time, a place, a main character, and tell something interesting that happened.

Telling a story about someone else’s experience lowers the value of the story. Telling someone else’s story isn’t as powerful as telling your own, says Jay D. Krasnow, a public affairs professional, in his post “10 Essential Elements of a Successful Story” posted on govloop.

Make the stakes high enough.

“There’s an old Hollywood nostrum that, if a

Speak the truth.

The truth is more effective than fiction. If people

later learn that something isn’t true, you’ll lose credibility and authority.

Teach a lesson.

What is your point? If you tell a story and your listeners wonder, “What was the point?” then you’ve lost a lot of credibility. You’ve also lost the opportunity to drive home your message.

Incorporate the five C’s.

Include circumstance, curiosity, characters, conversations, and conflict, urges John Bates, CEO of Executive Speaking Success. Circumstance provides context by setting the scene and revealing vital information. Curiosity prompts the reader or viewer to continue.

Characters in conversation keep the audience interested. Conflict is the most important element of a story.

Employ proven formulas.

Rather than creating a storyline from scratch, consider archetypal plots that storytellers have used for millennia, such as a quest, rags to riches, or rebirth. Whatever the story, the chances are that its plot fits into one of these

categories. Basic storylines have been used many times throughout the years in fiction, journalism, and promotional pieces. PR, corporate communications, and marketing writers only need to pick the basic plot that best meets their needs, tweak it, and adapt it to tell their specific story.

Include data.

Data-driven storytelling adds credibility, improves chances for media placements, and reveals insights. It’s essential to use the right combination of data and storytelling. Data can overwhelm an audience (especially in video), and the data itself seldom is the story.

Some data-based writers recommend focusing on one or two key statistics and one key chart or graph. Source: Glean.info It’s always a good idea to come up with a few different stories and angles. Above all else, try implementing at least one of the elements above in your stories, and make sure that you’re sharing something that feels authentic to you, your brand, and, most importantly, your audience.

Anika Jackson is a mother, community volunteer, philanthropist, and brand strategist. There has never been a time when she didn’t enjoy connecting, collaborating and creating meaningful relationships between businesses and communities, and strategically helping brands apply those concepts to meet their goals. A woman gifted with the ability to draw excitement to an event, brand or concept, creating winning solutions and developing strategic press and marketing initiatives that lift up key partnerships and collaborations is the fuel that excites her.

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EMOTIONAL FORECAST

JULY 2021 Happy Summer and happy is exactly what I mean! Enough daydreaming about what you want your day to day to look like. This month make some effort. Jot down a plan of action. Get those thoughts organized. You’ve got some amazing ideas and the planets are aligning to back up that energy.

June had carried to heavy emotions so you’ll love how light and carefree July feels. We’re collectively getting better. Old wounds were absolutely dealt with and those suppressed thoughts were completely head on and uncovered. We had to go through those moments to get here. Obviously at the time we thought , why am I going through this again, I thought I was healed. But the universe wanted to make it very clear, this next chapter of your life, requires a completely new and fully healed version of yourself. Not only will you help others by making your mess your message, you journey forward with peace, confidence and an uncluttered mindset. Have a happy July and may the next few weeks bring you joy and abundance.

Blessed Be, The Southern Psychic 28

AUGUST 2021 I cannot begin to tell you how proud the collective and myself are of each one of you who did your work last month! Clearly someone is ready to receive and wow, will you be receiving! August’s energy has so much receiving power you’re gonna really be amazed. When I was reading for this month I kept getting abundance and prosperity as well as manifestation. Such huge happenings for so many of us.

I love that we finally reveal to ourselves just how good it can get. Take this month to really be grateful for all that’s coming in while blessing those that prosperity may seem to be delayed for. Everyone and I mean everyone is receiving this month so those slightly skeptical may need some positive reenforcement to keep the vibe high and the Abundant August tree growing big fruit. Take moments of each day to really snapshot the present feelings. They’re definitely gonna want to be remembered because this tapped in energy is what’s been available all along, you’re just now feeling like you finally get it. I have some wonderful visions of people cutting ribbons, cheering new beginnings and laughing their way to the bank. I’m excited to know so many will be apart of this beautifully Abundant August, get together and celebrate it!

Blessed Be, The Southern Psychic

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BOOKS TO READ

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The red lipstick is a signature of mine, but you might be surprised to know that it is not a color I prefer.

If you knew me from years back, you would have seen me in paler, more neutral colors. I wanted to be noticed for my intelligence, not my luscious lips. It was Lucille Ball who inspired me, when she was reported as painting her lips a bright red color to be less threatening to men even though she was in a position superior to theirs. There it was!

Another way to be less threatening.

I went right out and bought several shades of red.

Who would have thought there would be such influence in a pair of red lips—something that I had always considered inappropriate for a work setting. It almost seems simple-minded that people can be swayed by the color of a person’s lips. But then again, is it not equally incredible that I am compelled to make these considerations to boost my gender and racial acceptability in the business world? These adjustments are only part of the little-big things that added to my back door experiences.

So, my question is, “How can anyone feel so threatened by me?” I am a mere 5’ 7”. Yet I am told that my personal presence and conversational articulation have caused others to fear me; yet I am often complimented for displaying an executive presence. The perception lies in the insecurities of the beholder. I can only conclude that there are antiquated preconceptions still in existence whereby an African American woman speaking with any type of self-confidence, knowledge, and authority can somehow be mistaken as having defensive and passive-aggressive behavior by my white peers and leaders. However, their constant micro-aggressions, insults, and sarcastic tones were acceptable when I was asked to train on emotional intelligence. Yes, I am laughing out loud!

If there is a takeaway in this chapter for African American women, I want you to know that the onus is most definitely not on you. It is not your hair, your tone, your weight, height, or what lipstick color you wear. It is not a problem you should bear. The problem is in the eye of the beholder.

Just yesterday, I helped a young woman of color put together a plan to navigate her next career move.

After we were done, I said to her (and I would iterate the same to you), once you check off all these boxes, and they tell you that it is enough, and you still don’t get the promotion, then make a decision to find a place where you will be celebrated versus tolerated! You owe it to yourself and to everyone around you to celebrate who you are, to be confident in your abilities, and to receive the rewards of your hard work. I know that there are companies out there that will offer you this, and if not, create your own, because you are just that damn good!

You can purchase this book and learn more at iamjoycejohnson.com/shop/

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WOMEN TO WATCH

Natasha Valley

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Natasha Valley is the Head of Brand Strategy at Kiddie Kredit, an innovative app that helps children learn financial literacy through chores. She is a trend-setting brand strategist who has led creative marketing, digital media, social media, and public relations strategy for world-class athletes, entertainers, influencers, and brands. Growing up in England with American parents gave her a global view of sports, entertainment, and business, which lit her flame for branding. After receiving her Bachelor’s & Master’s from Florida A&M University in 2009, she began increasing the profitability of brands through strategy and storytelling.

In the past few years, she has joined the founding team of three incredible tech startups. At Kiddie Kredit, she is the Head of Brand Strategy. She is also the Chief Marketing Officer at Solace, a virtual therapy app for Black people with Black providers. And, she served as the Chief Marketing Officer at THE MOST (a startup disrupting the hair

care space with tech-enabled tools for women with textured hair), for a year.

In December 2020, she founded a social media marketing company called Atus, which provides and implements strategies for startups, professional athletes, and other unique brands.

Valley also serves on the Board of Directors for Empower Fives, a foundation dedicated to changing the college basketball landscape.

What are some challenges, if any, have you found in your career, specifically related to being a woman?

My entire career has been in male-dominated spaces. Unfortunately, men often talk over me or repurpose an idea I mentioned minutes earlier.

Thankfully, that’s not Kiddie Kredit’s culture. But, I’ve experienced it too many times in other spaces.

On the flip side, I had to learn not to apologize for

things men don’t apologize for. As women, we are generally quick to say sorry more than we need to in business.

What are five things you wish someone told you when you first started your career path?

Negotiate! Your salary, hourly rate, retainer rate, all of that. I randomly found out the company I worked for after grad school paid me $30k less than a co-worker with comparable qualifications. Although I negotiated on that backend, it wouldn’t have been such a gut-punch if I pushed harder before signing the offer letter.

Don’t be afraid to pivot. I used to question if I was doing something wrong by not sticking in one career field until retirement.

It’s wild that I even have to say this but, curly hair is professional. Natural hair is professional. Braids are professional. Being anti-Black is what’s unprofessional.

Imposter syndrome is something that most of us experience.

Set your own boundaries.

What tips would you recommend to women in your industry to help them thrive?

1.Get your rest! Busyness and sleeplessness have been glamourized. We are much more productive and creative when we’re well-rested.

2. Have the audacity! Men apply to jobs they aren’t qualified for, get hired, turn around and get paid more all of the time. Have the audacity to take a chance. Have the audacity to stick up for yourself.

Have the audacity to believe in yourself.

3. Never forget that you are just as valuable to the company you work for as they are to you. The “I’m just happy to be here” mentality can cause people to forget how incomparable you are.

4. Create your financial plan as early as possible.

Brands like Ellevest make that even more manageable now.

What long-term goals do you have for your career?

I’m excited to learn and grow as Kiddie Kredit expands, as well as Solace and Atus. I also look forward to one day being a VC, so that I can provide women founders with resources, opportunities, and of course, the capital.

We love the concept of Solace, a virtual therapy app for black people. Can you tell us a little bit more about the company?

Thank you! Absolutely! Allyson Valley, my younger cousin, is the founder. As a therapist, she recognized that although therapy is on the rise in the Black community, there is still a barrier with providers who don’t understand how it feels to be Black in this world. It was essential to make seeing a Black therapist regularly as accessible as possible. The app is gearing to launch beta in select cities this summer!

Can you tell us a little more about Kiddie Kredit? What social impact do you see Kiddie Kredit having on our future leaders around the world?

Yes! Kiddie Kredit is a chore-tracking app that simulates the FICO scoring system, assigning “credit scores” for approved chores. A missed chore is like a missed payment, which lowers the kid’s score. Kids can use their score to redeem rewards set by parents or after school organizations. But, if they cash out on more than 30% of their Bamboo Bucks at one time, their score is affected, just like FICO’s credit utilization formula. I believe our impact will create a more financially free generation who can in turn have more say in their career choices, living environments, and overall well-being.

You are a part of a lot of great companies.

So what keeps you motivated to wear so many hats?

The mission is vital to me. When I have to press through long days, the mission to make the world a better place in each company’s unique way is what keeps me focused.

How can our readers follow you or any of your companies online?

Thanks for asking! My handle is @nnvalley across platforms—also, @kiddiekredit, @soulace, and @ atusonsocial.

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