Harris-Oguzor Magazine Spring Issue 2

THE HARRIS - OGUZOR MAGAZINE Spring 2021 Issue 2

Celebrate Black Beauty Products

Venture into virtual education with Delane Williams

Presenting Author

Jason Moore

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 20 Navigating Online Entrepreneurship 26 Infertility & Growing The Family Options 59 Savoring Success 97 Exploring Education A New Way

HarrisOguzorMagazine.com

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Letter From The Editor

This is our second 2021 issue and I am just as excited now as I was in March to share this with you. Our goal is still to provide women of color options in urban areas that will grow the community, boost our overall wealth and advance our children.

In our Winter issue we spoke to entrepreneurs in the fashion industry, online entertainment industry, insurance industry and many more. We also touched on how to create a business. In this Spring issue we are still sharing stories of entrepreneurs but we have decided to focus on a topic that impacts many women who choose to delay starting a family. We have written a special article surrounded by infertility and the options of growing a family.

-Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

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Did You Know?

Mae Jemison was the first Black women in space after she joined NASA's Astronaut corp in 1987 and was selected to serve for the STS-47 mission, during which she orbited the Earth for nearly eight days on September 12–20, 1992.

(Source: Womanscape.com)

(Source: University of Colorado)

Did you know that Mae Jemison is not recognized at the NASA Kennedy Space Center? She has not even been inducted into the hall of fame for making history, however, you can change this by tagging the NASA Kennedy Space Center on social media and telling them that Jemison is worthy of recognition. You can also send out letters to inform them of their wrong.

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Beauty & Fashion Spotlight

THO Magazine

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Kimberly Smith of Brown Girl Co-op

Melaninated Beauty By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

It can be difficult finding your perfect shade especially if you are a woman of color. Sometimes you just want a store that matches you.

Philadelphia native Kimberly Smith came up with the idea of creating a beauty boutique not only to match brown skin but celebrate Black beauty and support other Black-owned businesses.

Smith saw a space that needed to be filled and jammed the field with Black beauty businesses. Thus the Co-op was created.

The Brown Beauty Girls Co-Op was created by accident.

Prior to creating her skin care line, Marjine, Kimberly was a full time practicing Attorney. She initially just observed that women of color did not have their own products made by and for them to enhance their beauty.

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She longed to see a beauty supply store like Ulta specifically for Black women. She came up with an idea to create a physical store, a brick and mortar, that sold beauty products for women of color in the summer of 2016 and launched it in January of 2017.

Smith created a website without a huge passion for her new business but wanted to run her business in excellence. She told herself, “If i'm going to do it, I really need to do it.”

Smith began to connect with women of color who were creating beauty brands and she met Amaya Smith whom she collaborated with.

Amaya had a hair product line that complemented Smith’s skincare line. Together Amaya Smith and Kimberly Smith had formed a business partnership like none other before them.

They would meet beauty business owners and incorporate them into their own business forming a co-operative group of women on a mission to make Black beauty products more known.

I wanted to know about the foundation of the co-op so I asked about Smith’s initial plan for the business. She told me that when she launched her business she had an incomplete business plan.

It took about 6-8 months of working the business before she completed it. Smith mentioned having worked with entrepreneurs while practicing law and was familiar with how things worked so she was confident in the foundation of the 10 business.

Her business confidence also came from observing her mother and grandmother who were also entrepreneurs. She mentioned how they were independent due to having their own businesses and that stuck in her memory.

She also confessed to witnessing their stress as well as freedoms and having to overcome a few obstacles in Philadelphia. Smith still saw the benefit of having something her own. She recalls praying to find her passion and to find what business she should open. Sheput pressure on herself to find what she really wanted to do outside of legal work.

I wondered about Smith’s fears being that she wanted to leave the legal field to find something that she felt more passionate about. I tried to imagine what it would be like to leave a stable income to do something that may or may not succeed.

I asked her if she was scared to venture into entrepreneurship and Smith answered speedily, “Yes, it was scary leaping into a new industry.”

She did not sugar coat her response adding, “Sometimes you do think about working for someone and shutting off. With a business you cannot...I’m on all the time...starting from scratch is very scary...people assume via instagram and social media that,” businesses are successful overnight but, “ It takes a long time to build something truly stainable... It takes a long time to build a legacy business.

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I have these days where its up and down. It’s a healthy amount of fear. My biggest fear is not doing it. If I need to cry I cry...then I gotta come back.”

Most businesses have a few unforeseen bumps in the road once the business is launched. I asked if Smith had any setbacks or delays in her business and she replied that she did not have too difficult of a time finding businesses to work with.

She didn't have, “that much skin in the game initially.” It was less pressure initially. Smith clarified that the time from idea to launch of the website was difficult when she realized she had to invest in herself as far as having a retirement plan and whatever else.

That was a hurdle. She asked herself, “If I get started...am I ready to invest in me this way...that initial shock of investing in something that will not give me returns for a while. I had to prepare myself for the risk.”

Most people find it easier to run a business if they have a little help so I asked Smith about hers. She told me that she reached out to people immediately.

Another friend of hers worked in cosmetics so Smith inquired about purchasing retail products from her. She says that she was thankful for her friends and that her family also helped her by allowing her to use space in their house for product storage.

She said, “Your team is anyone willing to dedicate time, money, and intellect. I did that right away. I looked within my network to see who I could lean on.” A friend of hers was in a Senior position of Director of Marketing who helped her out. 12

Kimberly Smith & Amaya Smith

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Smith mentioned, “I was never one to do things by myself...

Now I know how to smartly outsource.” She She created a team with those she knew and they helped her to fulfil her goals.

She says that one woman in particular she could not have done the business without and that woman is her very own mother. Smith said that her mother often helped her out when her schedule was chaotic and that her mother was behind the scenes strategizing to make her business run well.

She concludes her thought by saying, “Being new in the beauty industry, having a team that has skills and resources are helpful.”

Our discussion moved to funding and how easy or difficult it was to obtain funding. Smith shared that if it wasn't for her self funding she would not have the business because Black owned and Black women owned businesses are underfunded. She did not take out any loans to fund her business.

Smith claims, “I had to utilize what I” acquired “in the corporate world.” In regards to her business she says that, “ It's definitely a bootstrap business.” Smith advises new business owners to look into having business partnerships.

Smith and Amaya tapped into each other to combine resources to collaborate.

Smith mentions being proud to have started a business from day one for people who look like her. She shares that recently a person walking by her store questioned her for being exclusive and she was unapologetic.

14 She kindly educated them and explained, “The fact that it says brown and that offends you, she’s proud that it represents,”

The topic shifted and we began to talk about lessons that she learned from being an entrepreneur. She expressed that she learn a lot about finances. Smith explained that she was used to taking care of personal finance and that business finances are different.

She has to check inventory levels and figure out what they need to sell and where to make discounts. She had to learn to truly be a business owner.

She realized that she was more creative. She noticed her creative side while designing the store. She also learned psychology and how to use it to boost business, she uses it in everything from the music to the very design of the store.

As we concluded our interview I asked about the future of the co-op and where Smith saw it going. She mentioned expanding into other locations and being around to expand.

She finished the interview by giving advise to new business owners saying, “A lot of aspiring entrepreneurs get stuck in the pre launch phase, there is no perfect moment to do it. Always obstacles. Anyone stuck should just get started. Make the first step.”

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Date 󿵉ht In BY: SONYA N. HARRIS-OGUZOR

After a long week you want to finally be able to enjoy some alone time with your significant other. Start by washing your day off of yourself. Draw a bath for yourself or make it for two just be sure to wash your day away and breathe in relaxation. Once finish with your bath put on that new lace night gown that you have been saving for this moment and pull out your favoirte oil and turn on the music. It's time to reconnect over a massage and wine. The rest of the night is up to you just make sure no Television is involved, you want to end your week in peace.

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TRY OUR INTERVAL CHALLENGE.

Qualifications: Participants must do Robert Brace's 4 Minute Interval Workout twice daily from YouTube Add fruits and vegetables to each meal and track their daily meals Cut out carbonated drinks Take a minimum of 3 pictures of your progress Submit your pictures and we will judge who has progressed the most in losing weight and toning Winner's Receive: A container of Goli Nutrition Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies One free day of virtual personal fitness with the Visual Que Fitness Training and Coaching company Have a photoshoot & be interviewed on the process of losing weight Will be featured in our next magazine issue. Qualifications: (Day 1 the beginning, Day 15 the middle, Day 30 the last day 17 The Challenge ends June 2021

How TO Win Be consistent, workout twice daily Track your meals, weight & measure yourself Take pictures of your progress Submit your meal changes, weight changes, measurements and pictures to HarrisOguzorMagazine@g mail.com with the subject, "My Interval Challenge 2021" Wait for the results

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Learn More about Visual Que Fitness Training and Coaching Winners receive one free personal training session with Qiana Abrams.

Winning this challenge could truly be your Qi to fitness!

Qiana Abrams is a International Sports Sciences Association graduate, known as the neighborhood body surgeon because of the clear results her clients experience once they begin working with her. Abrams prides herself on not having a mommy body post having two children of her own and believes other women can also achieve such feats.

When new clients sign up for Visual Que Fitness Training they get their moneys worth.

Training comes with a meal plan, ideal grocery list, nutritional information pamphlet, a custom apple playlist to motivate clients during their workouts , stretches for when they are not training with her and simple guides for meditation if needed. You can find out more about Visual Que Fitness on Facebook and Instagram. Or contact Qiana by email at info@visualquefitness.com

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One Book Away

From Your Success By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

Jason A. Moore is an Ohio native, who began his love for writing as a boy. He recalls “having a knack,” for writing and wanting to do it more overtime.

Everyday entertainment on TV, like cartoons, would become his muse. He would recreate his own version of what he saw and grow his affections for his craft. As he became older, writing became a hobby that inspired a dream. Like Martin Luther King Jr, Moore could not keep his dream to himself.

He expressed his passion in a book entitled, Tech World Explorer.

His passion overflowed into two additional sequels of that book.

Moore walked in confidence as far back as he could remember and knew that if he dedicated himself to writing that he could do great things with his craft. He said, “I knew deep inside that if I just got started and kept at it, I could get better at it at a higher level.” He attended and graduated from the Historically Black University, Howard University School of Business, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Computerbased Information Systems (COBIS). He would go on to write the book, Internet Entrepreneurship 101 for African Americans, which was written to educate an underserved community. 21

His goal was to share and teach others in his community what he had experienced. He thought that perhaps someone may be inspired to create their own businesses once being equipped with the right information.

I questioned why Moore chose to write an online business book instead of just a regular business book. Moore foresaw the future trends of the internet and calculated the cost of a brick-andmortar, which led him to focusing on online business ventures.

He knew that an online business would be much more friendly to an entrepreneur’s finances than one that required a building. He also thought deeper into online business.

He remembered Black Wall Street and the 1921 race massacre that occurred in Tulsa Oklahoma, White residents armed themselves, set out to murder Black residents and burn down their businesses due to jealousy of their financial success while being Black.

He said that businesses built online would be less likely to be “sabotaged,” as easily as Black Wall Street had been. He rhetorically questioned, “How are they going to burn down an internet business?”

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I was also curious to know why he chose to write specifically to African Americans, why not write a business book to every aspiring business owner? He answered that growing up he was surrounded by only a few people that he could look up to.

With negative portrayals of African Americans in music, the media and poor and possibly outdated resources available he wanted to make an impact that was not made available for his younger self.

He envisioned his book being an instrument used to uplift African Americans and cut the umbilical cord, in a sense, allowing them to be financially self-sustaining. He wanted his knowledge to be a spark that ignited something bigger in his community.

His dream was to inspire someone in his community. He knew that he was not the only one who hungered for something more.

Something positive. Something that could change the community if applied well.

Moore believes that his book can and should be used from the beginning of an entrepreneur's pursuit of business ownership. He shares that internet businesses can be run completely online and it is more accessible to those who need it.

It is more cost effective and is more adaptable to changes than if offline. With the pandemic in mind, he stresses that online business ownership is even more important now than when he wrote the book. He continues to say that, “It can position us to be in a better place financially rather than relying mostly on brick-and-mortar based jobs.”

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One of the setbacks when writing his book, Internet Entrepreneurship 101 for African Americans, was the cover. Initially, he did not think it was as professional as it could have been and changed it sometime after publishing.

He mentions that to say that things are not always perfect in producing books as well as creating businesses. Planning is something he invested in.

Before writing the book he created an outline of the various chapters that he would later write.

He suggests aspiring writers to create a team to assist in book production.

These team members should include proofreaders, editors, perhaps graphic designers and someone or company to publish the book.

He mentions it may be easier to self publish.

Moore credits his family with motivating him through his writing projects. He says, “They provide encouragement...to keep writing more releases to provide follow-up material to the public.”

For readers who are authors or aspire to be authors and have questions regarding funding, Moore advises you to set aside a budget and figure out all of the cost needed to fund your project.

He encourages that you may find that the cost in your imagination is not the same as the reality. The true cost of your project may be less expensive than you believe it to be. He stresses that aspiring authors should get mentors to assist them. He does not believe loans are the best options for publishing books but to check all the options available.

Moore feels blessed to have had support while writing and publishing his books. He’s also glad that his book is still relevant today.

Since becoming an author he has gained even more knowledge of the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and he hopes to pass the torch with the spreading of his knowledge.

Moore concludes the interview by saying that he has also written shorter business books along with Internet Entrepreneurship 101 for African Americans. His other books discuss marketing strategies, Uber driving tactics and more. All of his books can be found on Amazon.com and look out for new books to be 24 published soon.

Reproductive Health & Fitness

THO Magazine 25

DID YOU MISS YOUR TIME TO GROW YOUR FAMILY? BY: SONYA N. HARRIS-OGUZOR For many female entrepreneurs and working professionals, growing a family is sometimes placed towards the bottom of a list of tasks to do once they finally reach their success goals.

The issue is that, for some women, their success takes more time than their biological window to reproduce allows. Infertility, or not having the ability to conceive, causes many to suffer but there are options for those who want to grow a family by any means possible.

I was granted the chance to speak with Reproductive Endocrinologist, Carole Lynn Kowalczyk, MD about the tricky topic of fertility and the possible treatments that may cause conception to occur.

Kowalczyk is a Wayne State University School of Medicine graduate and currently owns the Michigan Center For Fertility And Women’s Health. We began the interview by defining fertility, how it's measured and when does the term infertility apply.

She expressed that fertility happens once puberty starts but is highest in a person’s 20’s.

She called the optimal time period for fertility 26 the reproductive years.

Fertility is measured in three parts: Age, Time, Hormone. The person’s age is important to determine fertility because many find out that they are infertile at an older age versus a younger person.

Along with age is the time spent trying to conceive a child. Lastly, the hormones are tested to see if they are released accurately to produce a properly structured egg or sperm.

Doctors find out these things through blood tests and ultrasounds. In men, semen is analyzed and the structure of the uterus and tubes are examined.

Kowalczyk recommends not being afraid if someone is having issues reproducing because 15% of the population is having the same issue. She went on to discuss that older people trying to have biological children have environmental factors against them as well as possible trauma. She shares that less than 10% of fertility patients seek help, once help is requested a test will be done to see the likelihood of conception. I asked if there were any ways people could increase their fertility and she replied that maintaining an ideal body weight could help with fertility because high body mass indexes can make a woman's eggs seem older. She continued to explain that overweight people have higher pregnancy conflicts as well as those who are underweight.

Kowalczyk lastly added that overweight men can impact sperm quality because the testicules need to be at a particular temperature. Hormone balances and body 27 habitus can affect the quality of sperm.

She suggested those attempting to get pregnant stick to a Mediterranean diet and to limit their smoking and drug use. It makes eggs age prematurely in women and causes men to decrease in sperm quality by as much as 20%.

Our conversation shifted towards infertility more and what classifies it. Kowalczyk defined infertility as being the inability to get pregnant after a year if you're under age 35 and if over the age of 35 is six months. Someone should be concerned about ovulation if they miss or have irregular periods. She says that a history of an ectopic pregnancy, scar tissue, pelvic infection from a sexually transmitted disease or infection (std), fibroid surgery, or bleeding can be a reason to be concerned about infertility.

I questioned Kowalczyk about what men would look for or be concerned of and she replied that if there is any testicular injury or swelling, undescended testicle or pelvic surgery, exposure to high heat or tight uniforms that person should be concerned.

I asked for more causes of infertility and she spoke of one that was briefly discussed, sexually transmitted diseases.

She explained that she warns teenagers to use protection when they are young to reduce risk of sexually transmitted diseases. She continued to express that tubal infections can occur from acquiring gonorrhea and chlamydia.

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Tubal patency is tested by doing a hysterosalpingogram otherwise known as HSG where an x-ray is done to look at the uterus and fallopian tubes. Contrary to popular belief, Kowalczyk says that, “Abortions do not cause infertility necessarily”.

I questioned her about medications that say that they may cause spontaneous abortions or are not made for pregnant women and how they impacted fertility. She explained that there are categories of medication: A and B category drugs have little to no known risk to hinder pregnancies. C and D categories are risky for pregnancy.

She recommends that a person trying to conceive consults a doctor while and before taking medication. She lastly mentions that Psychiatric drugs do not usually cause infertility.

Our discussion moved to treatments that are common.

Kowalczyk says that after an initial test doctors will ask about future family size to create a plan. They treat any problems first then add fertility pills if needed. The pills given may help ovulation and balance hormones. If sperm is a problem they offer supplements, advise lifestyle changes and insemination.

Some people require treatments like In Vitro Fertilization or IVF and usually a male fertility specialist urologist joins the team. For some people surgical procedures or structural help is offered.

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Surgical procedures can involve removing fibroids or issues surgically. Or may be simply removing a fallopian tube. If surgical procedures do not succeed, discussions about In vitro Fertilization, (the test tube babies) to grow as many eggs as possible safely. IVF is a procedure in which an embryo is placed into a tube and genetic testing of the embryo to test for defects can be done. This is called Preimplantation Genetic Testing or PGTA testing. There is a 15% chance to get pregnant when someone is between the ages of 20 and 29.

Dr.Carole Kowalczyk shown above. Source: Dr.Kowalczyk

IVF has a 50% success rate, however, every couple is an individual. Ethical beliefs, family size and insurance is considered when offering IVF. In rare cases fertilization may occur inside of the body using a diaphragm in vagina, this pleased some religious groups.

Kowalczyk explained that people without viable eggs can still have a family because embryos are adoptable!

Embryos can be obtained fresh or frozen from donors.

There is an age cut off to acquired embryos.

Surprisingly women in their early 50’s can hold a baby to term.

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There are other options to have a baby from an adopted embryo called Gestational carrier who are available to carry babies (surrogates are not legal in Michigan). There are Embryo agencies and egg agencies to facilitate adoptions.

Some couples go in with a certain gender in mind which can be seen in the embryo but there is a line drawn sometimes because designer babies, having the ability to select certain genes, are frowned upon. She mentioned that in Michigan many women are freezing their biological eggs for children at a later time.

There was a question on my mind that lingered during our interview that I had to ask: Why did some women have a miscarriage and go on to have multiple children while other just continue to have miscarriages and never have a full term child?

Kowalczyk answered that 40% of women will have a miscarriage and 60% of the time that it happens because of genetics. Some genes do not work. She continued to express that some women will have 6 or more miscarriages and go on to have healthy families. I was able to speak to some women about their experience with infertility.

Image of sperm cell meeting the egg on the right and the new lobby of the Michigan Center For Fertility And Women's Health.

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(Statistics Source: Mayoclinic)

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I inquired online about fertility specialists and Alicia Russell shared with me that she had gone through treatments. I asked if she would mind if I shared her story with my readers to inspire hope and she obliged.

Instead of rushing into her personal business I wanted to know a little about Alicia, sort of like winning and dining her before getting into a vulnerable, intimate space.

I keep things light as I asked about her ideas of having children when she was younger. Russell expressed that she never dreamed of having children when she was younger and that her mind did not change until she became a teenager.

She was 1 of six children and said to herself, “What do I look like being the only one with no kids.” She eventually had three beautiful children, two boys and a girl. It was not until later that infertility crept into her life.

In 2017, Alicia met her husband on an online dating website.

He was the prince charming she had been waiting for and they quickly got engaged. They wanted to marry right away but there was a problem, Alicia lived in the United States and her dream man lived in Jamaica.

They decided not to let love wait and after a few months Alicia hopped on the first plane to see her man. They were in love and inseparable to the point that they wanted to make it official and get married there in Jamaica. They got married 1 day after Christmas in 2017.

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Though they were married they still had their separate lives so Alicia went back to the United States and her new husband stayed in Jamaica waiting for the moment for them to be reunited. In the meantime, Alicia prepared for her husband's arrival.

Prior to Alicia meeting and marrying her husband he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. After the accident he was prescribed to use a catheter in order to urinate and he had to learn how to maneuver in a wheelchair for one year before meeting Alicia.

Their love was strong so his ability to walk on his own did not matter much. In October 2019, Alicia’s husband moved from Jamaica to the United States to be with Alicia and their kids. Almost immediately they began talking about having kids.

Since Alicia’s husband’s accident he did try to do many physically intimate activities so he did not know whether or not he could still do what he used to do.

He found out shortly after moving in with his wife that he had an erectile dysfunction which made it difficult to penetrate. Alicia and her husband went to their doctor to have tests done and he immediately began to go through treatments in hopes to correct his dysfunction.

When the pandemic hit, his treatments slowed down. He reported having the sensation of arousal but no sperm was made available for reproduction. Along with his treatments they purchased the male vibrator, took pills 34 and had injections to assist him.

Doctors continued to run tests. They did both semen analysis and kidney tests. After sometime the medication began to work and Alicia and her husband began trying for a baby. What was supposed to be a fun activity became stressful.

When they reported that Alicia was not pregnant yet the doctor ordered that she have an egg count. When they found out that Alicia was still able to carry children Alicia and her husband began talking about their options.

Alicia knew that her husband was one of four children and that his brothers could donate their sperm to them.

That was just a discussion.

Next, Alicia and her husband tried In- Vitro Fertilization, otherwise known as IVF. IVF is an artificial way of merging a woman's egg with a viable sperm outside of the body.

IVF is $1500 which does not include the cost of storing the woman's eggs. I asked if Alicia and her husband ever considered adoption and Alicia said yes, however, her husband said no to that option.

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I asked Alicia if she had any tips for other couples going through fertility treatments and she said, “Constantly talk about options.

It came to a point that I stopped talking about it and I have seen him getting depressed because he sees me giving up so we have to continue talking about it.

I changed the way that I eat. I just eat chicken, turkey and fish. I stopped eating red meat...He’s from Jamaica you know so he took advice from “witch doctors” about chewing on sugarcane...

Excluding store medication. I did the whole body detox.”

I had another opportunity to speak with a woman who has dealt with fertility treatments,

her name is Leah Cameron and like Alicia, I asked her about her dreams of a family.

Cameron shared with me that she also never dreamed of motherhood as a young girl, however, she did assume she would have children one day.

In her 20’s she worked at a daycare and loved the kid there but never felt the biological clock crunch that many others felt.

She intended to have children once she married but did not know when that would occur. Prior to marrying her husband Bruce, she went back and forth about having children.

I inquired about how Cameron and her husband met. She smiled as she began to tell me that they met at a friend’s wedding.

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She explained that he introduced himself, asked her to dance and they dance for 3 songs in a row. She liked his eyes and how he smelled.

She was into his conversation and after 2 weeks they became a couple. They only dated 2 months before they started talking about having a family. In May of 2008 they got engaged and in the Summer of 2008 they were married.

After marrying they did not try to conceive because they did not have the jobs that they wanted before starting a family. Cameron was working a desk job that she felt stuck at and wanted to be a physical therapist assistant at Baker in muskegon.

Went to school and between semesters they would try to conceive. She worked at Butterworth hospital at Spectrum Health. She noticed that nothing was happening as far getting pregnant.

She was training on the neuro floor and it was stressful. A coworker made her job stressful so stressful that she started having 2 periods a month.

Continued on page 41 37

LIFESTYLE OF OVERCOMING By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor SOME PEOPLE START LEARNING MARTIAL ARTS AS A HOBBY AND OTHERS START LEARNING TO GET INTO SHAPE BUT FOR MICHIGAN NATIVE, GRAND MASTER TREY, MARTIAL ARTS HAS BEEN A LIFESTYLE TAUGHT TO HIM FROM THE TINDER AGE OF FOUR.

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He’s practiced martial arts for over 40 years and has become a 5th degree black belt during the process. He credits his Uncle for the introduction to such a transforming lifestyle and Bruce Lee and his Sensei Sam for building upon that foundation.

He says that people have a tendency to believe that martial arts is just for defense but he says it is a means to overcome life’s many obstacles.

Trey expresses that martial arts can be used in everyone’s daily lives because it is not only physical but also mental and spiritual.

He explains that martial arts can enhance a body’s flexibility, provide strength training, increase cardiovascular capacity and assist with overcoming obstacles.

He shares that mentality martial arts gave him confidence and discipline. Spiritually it provided a moral aspect, once aware of his chi, energy, it helped and amplified his daily decisions on whether things were right or wrong.

Trey has mastered 7 forms of martial arts including karate, jiu jitsu and kung fu. He invested in his craft all throughout his life at various martial arts schools with 39 numerous trainers or sensei’s.

Continued on page 51

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When she finally went to see her Obstetrician Gynecologist they said that the way she was having stress and frequent periods were not the best conditions to conceive a child.

Cameron began taking a medication called Clomid which is a fertility treatment that stimulates ovulation to release several eggs at once. She was sensitive to Clomid and produced 5 or 6 ovarian follicles.

The doctor stopped advising them to try to conceive because of the possibility of conceiving multiple babies.

Her Obstetrician got pregnant and she was handed off to another doctor who changed her medication. Cameron and Bruce got discouraged, went for ultrasounds and tried increase chances.

Cameron and her husband, Bruce, went to a fertility center in Grand Rapids, Michigan 1 year after trying to get pregnant and saw a doctor named Dr.Valerie Shavell and did Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) procedure.

Cameron explains, “They basically baste turkey you…”

They gave her a trigger shot to make her ovulate. Go through the cervix and plant the semen.

Cameron conceived twice but did not carry the children to full term.

6 weeks into the pregnancy they lost their babies, that was 2014. She felt that she had lost her mind for a bit.

She expresses, “We were pretty traumatized.” They took a break from trying to conceive and moved in 2016 for her Bruce's work and looked at it as a fresh start.

They wanted to try Intravaginal Insemination 41 (IVI) where sperm in place inside the vagina

and In Vitro fertilization when eggs are extracted, sperm is retrieved, and then manually combed in a laboratory dish.

Later they found Dr.Britain out of Birmingham.

He did workups on Cameron, one being a Hysterosalpingogram, where they flush the uterus with radioactive isotopes to check out the uterus. They also took a biopsy of the uterus to check hormone levels and do tests.

The doctor thought she had endometriosis when uterine tissue causes pain and grows outside of the uterus, but wasn't sure and Cameron did not want to do unnecessary surgery. They decided to do In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and while he gave them the talk she just burst into tears.

On the way to their home, Bruce asked if they could do In Vitro Fertilization and she felt like she was going crazy .

After some time they began to talk about adoption.

On the way to their home, Bruce asked if they could do In Vitro Fertilization and she felt like she was going crazy .

After some time they began to talk about adoption.

She began to have hormonal migraines and decided to do the Endometriosis surgery in 2017 when it was confirmed she had it. It turns out that her left ovary was attached to her uterus and caused a painful climax during intercourse. 42

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was no longer an option for Cameron. Bruce ended up doing Intravaginal Insemination (IVI). She was done trying and discovered that she gained 30 lbs during the whole thing.

“Some people having successful families are tough and not supportive.

Get the support you need and have discussions with your spouse.

Be on the same page. Join a group if you can. It's helpful to have people who have been in the same place... It takes time.

With all the treatment available I wanted to know how they were being paid for. Cameron shared that the I did what I thought was fertility drugs were covered right for myself.” Cameron but not the procedures. continues, “We’re both in our 40s now and adoption Intrauterine Insemination has a cut off. The whole (IUI) and ultrasounds were process would be...because also covered by her getting pregnant was so insurance. The Intrauterine difficult...there is bitterness Insemination (IUI) procedure there. was $200. IDF depends on the insurance $15,000 I dont think its our path. without guarantee.

Coworker tried IVF and Cameron says to couples then adopted only to find trying to conceive, “I did out that their child had therapy, I highly leukemia.” recommend therapy.

We did a couple therapy sessions.” Have a support group. Join facebook groups.

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Cameron wraps up by saying, “Deal with the what ifs or don't. I had 2 family members offer to be surrogates... I would be bitter watching someone else carry a child...I wanted a child with my DNA and if it was possible I would do it.”

To fill the void Cameron and Bruce are staying busy. “We went through a time where we were really struggling…”

Now they hang out with nieces and nephews and get to be the fun Aunt & Uncle and retire early to see the world.

I was able to talk to Morning Star Adoption Center Director, Mary Jo Wisneski, about the organization that she works in and about adoption. We begin by discussing the organization. I found out that Morning Star Adoption Center was launched in 1987 by people who had invested in adoption themselves.

Their mission was to assist all members in the adoption triad which includes children, parents and adoptive parents. They work with anyone regardless of their age, gender, and sexual orientation.

This center is located throughout Michigan in the United States. I was interested in knowing more about why adoption is something that is needed, more specifically 44 why are children placed in adoption to begin with.

Wisneski explained that children are placed in adoption for many reasons, some included unwanted pregnancy, child limits, financial issues, substance abuse, past protective service issues that give the state control of who has children or not.

She continued to express that some families feel that they do not want to terminate their pregnancies due to religious reasons but also do not want anymore children resulting in terminating their parental rights to the child.

The previous reasons are the same for foster care.

I inquired more about the average parent giving up their children and was told that the ages vary but are usually between 20 and 30 years of age.

Wisneski also spoke of parents being unmarried and of Caucasian and African descent.

We continued to speak on Foster Care as it was expressed that parents who release their children into foster care have a higher chance of reclaiming their children than when they are put up for adoption.

She explained that those who put their children up for voluntary adoption when pregnant or afterbirth have a 21 day appeal period after going before a Judge if parental rights are intact 1 and 10 sometimes 25% of the time reclaim their children.

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Wisneski broke down the adoption process, she said that most of Morning Star’s adoptions are during pregnancy or shortly afterwards so first parents are counseled, hospital plans are made, temporary placement documents, like power of attorney, are created and the hospital is allowed to discharge the infant to adoptive family.

If toddler aged children are being adopted the process is explained to the adoptive parents and the birth parent will pick a family that they feel best for their child.

A transition plan is then created where the birth mom will help her child get used to the idea of being in a new place without her, in a process called “transferring the attachment,” then a petition will be filed to sign over parental rights.

I wanted to know about the adoption process to help potential adoptive parents discover whether or not they would be able to actually adopt.

Wisneski told me that adoptive parents have to go through a process to even be considered to adopt a child.

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Potential parents must be approved in a home study, which is a long process to see if a potential parent’s home is suitable for a child.

Potential parents also have to have a criminal background check, take child development training, impact of adoption training, cultural and transracial training and go through several interviews to see if a potential adoptive parent should have the ability to adopt.

If the interview and training were not enough the adoptive parent still needs to go through more processes to ensure they can financially take care of a child.

Potential parents must also take a physical exam to see if they can physically take care of themselves before they are given the task of taking care of a child.

Lastly, a potential adoptive parent must have references from people who are not related to them to vouch on their behalf that they are decent citizens who are capable of raising children.

Birth parents considering giving away a child(ren) to be adopted and adoptive parents, need to know that there are two types of adoption: closed adoption and open adoption.

Closed adoptions are when the birth mom does not know the family that will be adopting their child(ren).

Open adoptions, which are the healthiest forms of adoption, are when the birth mom chooses the family that will adopt their child(ren) and the family has agreed to send pictures of the child(ren) to the birth parents and possibly even schedule annual meetings with the birth 47 parents.

For open adoptions, adoptive families approved for adoption create scrapbooks, videos and or websites called profiles that tell birth parents about their family in order to persuade the birth parent to choose them to adopt their child.

Additionally, there are two types of placement used to place children: voluntary and involuntary.

A direct placement adoption (voluntary) is private and the adoptive parent pays for all services which includes the birth mom's living expenses and legal work.

International adoption and fostcare is paid by the state according to the services needed. I asked Wisneski about surrogacy adoptions and there was not much to explain being that it is not legal in the state of Michigan (in the United States) where the Morning Star Adoption Center is located.

Wisneski recommended potential adoptive parents listen to podcasts and read from adoption websites to learn more about adoptions. She recommended checking out CreatingAfamily.org for infertility and paid training inquiries.

She lastly mentioned specifically to adoptive parents that there are always risks and unknowns when adopting children. Some records are not available and that the process can be difficult, however, it can be a “positive experience and a good way to build a family.”

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Wisneski summarizes our conversation: When children are placed in foster care for abuse/neglect or risk of harm, the state enters into a treatment plan with the birth family to resolve the issues that brought the children into foster care.

They typically have at least 365 days to work on this plan to have their children returned to their care.

If they are not able to resolve the issues that brought the children into care, the court will then terminate the parental rights and place the child in the permanent custody of the state for adoption.

Parents don't release their children into foster care, as it is an involuntary act that is forced by the court/CPS. Birth parents don't always have to go before a judge; it would be more accurate to say there is a 21 day appeal period after a court has entered an order terminating parental rights.

There is usually a period of time that passes between when the baby is born and the court enters the order (usually anywhere between 6 and 12 weeks depending on the county court).

The 21 day appeal period is notchange of mind time, it is time for the birth parents to appeal the termination of parental rights order but they must have a legal reason to appeal, and 49 again, change of mind is not a legal reason.

Short of legal rights being violated, the 21 day period is not generally a time frame for birth parent's to have the child returned to their care. That time is before the judge signs the court order terminating parental rights.

A birth parent can pick a family they feel is best for their child regardless of if the baby is not yet born, a newborn, or a toddler.

The transition planning only comes into play when the child is older and has been in the primary care of someone other than the adoptive parents.

There are actually many types of adoption.

Open/closed/semi-open/semi-closed etc... Birth parents making an adoption plan should consider what kind of adoption plan they are interested in making. Closed adoptions, which are very rare now, can mean the birth parents didn't choose the family and know nothing about them. But a closed adoption can also mean that the birth parent chose the family from profiles, and then chose to not have ongoing contact with the family after placement of the child in adoption.

Open adoption is more of a spectrum, with lots of different labels, rather than something that can be defined in black and white. Openness can include any one or all of these typical open adoption elements: sharing their names, address, and phone numbers, sending pictures and letters, texting, emailing, speaking on the phone, or having inperson meetings. It really is more about what feels right for each member of the adoption triad (adoptee, adoptive 50 parent and birth parent) and what works for that specific situation.

Continuation of page 39

Before he became a master of martial arts and business, he was inspired by Master Marvis Cofield and Richard Plowden, who taught him not only how to be a master but also how to run a successful business.

While thinking about his next steps after learning and shadowing those before him, he found his own groove in how he taught.

He also saw how some schools would water down their teaching and test people who are not ready in order to extend lessons and earn more money which would give students a false sense of security.

He also did not want to be restricted by another school's ideology and doctrine. As he was creating his company he kept in mind that his business was a way of giving back to the community at prices they could afford.

He strongly believes that martial arts, “Should be available for those willing to do it.” In 2008, after earning a bachelor’s degree in business management he began teaching others the discipline of martial arts.

Trey’s goal was to teach close combat, fitness, leadership and conflict resolution.

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He started in his basement and as his classes grew his location changed. After some time he created his training facility, My Tactical Advantage.

When Trey initially created his business he said that he did not have setbacks in the way that someone would consider a setback but rather “a few lateral movements,” around unforeseen obstacles.

Some of his plans had to be postponed, some locations were not available and some prices were not within budget.

He mentioned not wanting to, “bite off more than you can chew.”

He had been teaching people here and there before college but it was not until he started college that he developed a business plan. He kind of wrote it as he worked.

As far as supporters of his business, Trey says that he was his own biggest motivator. He explains, “It's easier to have a team when working together but they may not always work well together. The heart of the organization is most important... Start with self.”

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He recalls not having a team helping him out initially saying, “it was just me. Later on in his career he built a team.

Trey is grateful for everyone who has influenced him over the years including Master Franklin, who helped him when training as well as dozens of other instructors.

He says that, “You never stop collecting knowledge from people in your circle.”

When questioned about initial funding for his business he says that he never secured funding prior to creating his business, he just saved money as he went along.

As his clientele increased as did his membership, which allowed for larger locations. As far as acquiring grants, he heard about people applying for them but never acquired any for his business.

Trey advises others to not be scared to start off small, make small growth and understand that large places have more of a risk factor.

He continues to say that business owners need to be sure to explore things, access their leaps and take a leap of faith.

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He stresses to plan for success as well as hardships. Both sides need to be evaluated. During the process of growing his business he has been honored by his members and seeing their growth. He gets the most joy out of it because it enhances the quality of their life and health.

Trey has learned that there is always room for improvement and better options. He says that, “you just have to be patient and evaluate options... Don't accept failure. There is always a silver lining.”

He concludes the interview by saying that entrepreneurship is an adventure and that being an entrepreneur you need an end game. He says, “It can become a rocky road, you must always have an exit strategy.

Don't limit your commitment and know your ultimate objective. Especially if you're doing what you enjoy and the benefits. You'll have to eventually retire and you need a plan. Don't get lost in the enjoyment and fulfillment. Plan to move onto the next big ventures.”

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How To Write An Ebook By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

When searching for ways to create additional sources of income ebooks can be a great and relatively easy thing to create. These are a few general steps to completing your ebook.

Choose A Topic

Find a topic to write about. This topic should be something that you are knowledgeable about or something that you have created (if a fictional story).

Create An Outline

Write out an outline for what you plan to write.

(This step is optional but helps the process).

Create A Title

Choose a title that best summarizes the topic of your book in less than 8 words if possible.

Start Writing

Pick a time out of your day to write and hen the time comes along begin to write.

Create Chapters or Parts Depending on the length of the book you may need to section your book into parts to finish thoughts and start new ones.

Proofread

Once you have said what you want to say in your book, readi it over a few times and have others do the same to insure it reads how you want it.

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Proof read Again

Sometimes it is beneficial to proof read again.

Add A Copyright Notice

Though there is a natural copyright to any publication it is wise to apply the copyright notice to your publication and then proceed to file a copyright form and pay the fee to insure that your publication is protected.

Choose A Platform

You can create your own website to publish your written work or you can choose a platform that is already setup to host your work. Technically an outside platform will be publishing your work and is considered the publisher not yourself. A platform can be a website like KDP Amazon, Book baby, Blurb, Createspace or LuLu.

Format & Upload

Prior to uploading your content to choose to save your file as a PDF or ePub file. It all depends on where you will be uploading that determines what file type you should upload it.

Promote Your Ebook You can utilize social media, word of mouth or any means of advertising to get your book known.

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Entrepreneurship

The Harris-Oguzor Magazine 58

Savoring Success By: Sonya N . Harris-Oguzor

You may have heard of Gretta Jackson, the woman who purchased an Outback restaurant but perhaps you have not heard of how she accomplished such a feat. I was given the pleasure of interviewing Jackson a few months after investing in her restaurant.

I wanted to know how and why she chose to invest in a restaurant during a pandemic and what led her to making such a decision. She reveals not making the decision to be a managing partner until last year.

A managing partner is like a franchise owner, they have to invest money into the company and use a set standard for all restaurants but they make the final decisions in the restaurant. 59

Jackson is a Detroit native who grew up on the east side of the city with her grandparents.

As a child she did not witness too many business owners but one woman would stand out in her mind when she thought of business owners.

She recalls a woman who owned a candy and record store named Miss Simpson as her earliest influence of entrepreneurship.

Jackson recalls graduating highschool in 1993 and in September of 1993 starting college. In her first college semester she got pregnant and her daughter was born in 1994. She was only 18 when she got pregnant and she worked in fast food.

Fortunately for her she attended school locally so she did not have to pay room and board fees to live on campus.

She initially enrolled to do 12 credit hours in the first semester but her pregnancy 60 was a reality check.

She says that she thought she was grown but she did not know too much of anything and said, “If you want to be introduced to the real world, have a baby.”

After her daughter was born, Jackson moved into a one bedroom apartment in Detroit. She gave birth to her daughter two weeks before she turned 19 years old.

Her grandparents supported her Monday through Thursday allowing Jackson to work and attend school.

Jackson was still in school when she took on an internship in Downtown Detroit at an architect firm. She completed 2 ½ years in school and before taking off a semester.

She explained, “I took off a semester but then I started working more and making a little money and my goals got pushed further back.”

She did not have reliable transportation at the time so she was attending school and going to work using public transportation.

She mentions taking the bus smart bus to the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak and having to go to Downtown Detroit to do her internship.

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When Jackson’s daughter was 3 years old, her God mother helped her get a car to get her around easier and prevent her from having to wait outside in the snow and rain.

Later, she moved to a house with her Aunt to assist in paying bills. She was able to put her daughter in a daycare and relieve her Grandparents of babysitting duty, which she thought would spoil her daughter.

I asked about how Jackson was able to work so hard and she said, “I do it for my kids...I’m not high maintenance.”

Her daughter Ashley is 26 and her son Ashton is 12.She continued to say, “Everything I did was so that they didn't have to. I figured if I work a little bit harder now maybe they can work less hard later.”

Jackson continued to say that she originally went to college for Business and Marketing before taking her internship at an architecture firm so she knew a little about business prior to leaving school.

After leaving school she found work at a temp staffing agency where she would work for several years.

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Jackson, looked at her life one day and wanted more for herself and family so she took another job to help cover her needs; her second job was at an Outback Steakhouse restaurant.

Jackson initially only worked weekends at the restaurant but her temp job had begun to bore her more and more.

She often enjoyed going to work at the restaurant and she believed that she was good with customers there and decided to leave her temp staffing job altogether.

Jackson recalls starting her restaurant career as a waitress then she trained to become a bartender and then lastly a manager over the years that she worked at Outback Steakhouse.

She humbly stated that she became a manager in 16 months from the time she began working at the restaurant.

That allowed her to go from making hourly wages to salary wages which greatly changed the way her family would be living. She says that, “You budget money differently when you are being paid a salary versus being paid hourly...and that prepared me for ownership.”

Jackson mentions that each time she was promoted within the restaurant she would have some people who encouraged her and were proud of her while others were not so supportive. She says that, “You are going to always have some people who do not want you to do good. Sometimes people don't want you to be better than them...they were stuck in a spot and I was moving up...they would talk down and try to discourage 63 me.”

I asked her to explain a bit more about what she experienced as she became promoted. She expressed that, “They used open racism and I had to find a way to deal with that where it wouldn't affect my career. I made some noise and got higher ups involved and they listened.”

As Jackson continued to work for the restaurant, those above her would remove her from the stores that would give her problems and move her around while they figured out their next move, oftentimes she would be given paid leave until they could find a store to place her.

A woman in a higher management position reached out to Jackson’s boss and took her under her wings. Jackson was surprised to meet a woman so friendly because she was caucasian and many of her caucasian counterparts were not supportive of her moving up in ranks.

Her new mentor was from Clarkston, Michigan, not too far from Detroit and Jackson had to make a decision to travel to learn or stay where she was and be stagnant.

She decided to learn as much as she could with her new mentor.

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Jackson dedicated two and a half years to training for an owner-management role. She credits her mentor with providing the best knowledge and skill set that she needed in order to run her own restaurant.

Jackson was given tips to help thicken her skin so that she would not be as sensitive as she had been before.

She was told that someone might be against her because she’s female, black, and or educated.

She recalled her mentor telling her that “Some things will never change,” you, “have to deal with it.” Jackson had obtained lessons that she would keep with her and use to motivate her everyday at the store.

She was on a mission to prove people wrong and find out all she could about the business. She knew she was doing something right when other stores started requesting her services.

She held her management for 14-15 years at various locations before taking her next steps.

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I asked about Jackson’s motivators and she shared with me that she had a failed marriage before and her husband at the time did not want to see her succeed.

She always knew what she was capable of doing but when she had someone at home telling her that she could not succeed and eventually it took a toll.

Her ex-husband asked her to step down from management. He became possessive and she was struggling to balance work and home life. She thought her husband would want to see her excel.

Jackson felt that after marrying her ex-husband he became less supportive of her dreams and wanted to quiet her.

She says that “We were married over one year at the time. I decided that I rather struggle on my own than be with my husband,” and fight him on her progress.

She was scared but she walked away from her marriage and started her struggles in uncertainty. Her divorce made her work even harder. Jackson stated thinking that, “Now I gotta prove that I could do it by myself and I did. It was hard but I did it.” Now she has a man who supports her on every level and it makes a difference.

I wanted to know more about the process of becoming a managing partner and she explained that there is an application that must be filled out prior to taking a few interviews. The application testing and interviewing process was stressful for Jackson.

She doubted herself. She mentions telling her husband that she did not want to disappoint her team by possibly taking on more than she could handle. Her mentor encouraged her to continue to pursue being a managing partner despite her doubt and 66 insecurities.

I asked about the pandemic and how the business was running with all that was happening.

Jackson said that the pandemic put a strain on people's energy and that a lot of young people were afraid. She has to ease their fears and motivate them to work. She explained that they were the essential workers.

To conclude our interview I asked Jackson about what she learned about herself now that she is running her own restaurant and she says that she learned that she has more patience than she ever thought she had.

She says, “I have inner strength.” She became a little teary-eyed as she explained that she bought her restaurant right when she was grieving more than she has ever before because her 91-year-old Grandmother passed away.

Jackson continued to express, “Life goes on, you have to continue living.” She was indeed stronger than she thought because she stated that her oldest cousin also passed away from Covid-19.

Jackson says that she suffered to the point that she didn't know if she was coming or going and, “I had to find a reason to get up everyday, I needed a real reason to keep going. I was so hurt and deep in grief that I needed to find a reason.” Becoming a managing partner was her reason.

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Kishanna is proud that her daughter has been a part of her journey and can always have her book to keep 68 her in mind.

Credit is Queen, Charlene.

By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

Kishanna Heyward is a Fayetteville North Carolina native who began her journey of financial education when her daughter inquired about credit.

She believes that it is important to have a financial foundation to ensure a better future with freedoms not allotted to those with poor credit.

A resource to look back During Heyward’s upon whenever a fresher is childhood her family freely warranted. Heyward is in discussed finances and she the real estate profession took pleasure in continuing but also has a background the tradition. in education.

She wanted to also provide her daughter with something that she could physically hold that revealed the many answers to her questions.

She taught in Washington DC and North Carolina for a little under a decade but writing to share information never crossed her mind.

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Perhaps a book would be a better teacher, she thought.

She created two books to speak on FICO scores called Credit is King, Kareem and Credit is Queen, Charlene.

The books are coloring books for kids to better understand credit and to assist parents in conversing about financial topics with young learners.

The books break down credit, then explain the main credit bureaus, real estate and managing debt.

It teaches the reader the importance of paying bills on time, diversifying credit and they are able to learn about their FICO credit score.

The books also provide engaging activities that include a: multiplication search, credit maze and reflection questions about credit.

Heyward created Credit is King, Kareem and Credit is Queen, Charlene for a younger audience because she used to teach 5th grade students and felt her toddler could also learn from the book.

She credits her husband, parents and immediate family for their support of her book. She’s honored to see her vision come to life.

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Built For Freedom By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

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For some people entrepreneurship is the natural way of life. For Kamose Muhammad, business came to him as naturally as walking.

From a young age he recalls asking his mother about running a business and when questioned further he declared that he wanted to be a businessman.

One might call him a serial entrepreneur because he was always looking for new ways to make money.

Through his many experiences in small business Muhammad also became a true people person.

Without going to a formal College or University, Muhammad mastered business.

He mentioned that he has made more money working for himself from humble beginnings than most people with a Master’s in Business Administrations (MBA).

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He says that all of his companies made money with the knowledge he learned running them.

He thinks from a hunter’s perspective that he, “only eats what,” he, “can kill.”

He explains that business owners understand that if money is not made they do not eat so they have to be innovative and learn quickly in order to not starve.

Muhammad believes that there is a number of characteristics that all entrepreneurs share, one of them is education.

He explains that the western world sees business as a matter of domination and control.

He continued saying that dominance equates power and a business owner must be well rounded in order to not be dominated.

Good entrepreneurs are good students, therefore, they are constantly learning.

I asked Muhammad about why he decided to create a toilet tissue company and he told me that he had a few businesses but he mainly worked in real estate.

When the housing market bottomed out he was just becoming a developer, so he sought a business that could overcome a recession.

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In 2011, Muhammad created a team that he would later refer to as his think tank. His team would think of business opportunities and weigh the pros and cons of each.

They pondered for about nine months before deciding to create a toilet paper company. He had never heard of a Black owned toilet paper company and his team had weighed their options and it seemed like a good investment.

He said, “Paper was vibrant and grew despite the economy...The presence of African distributors were slim” and, “ it was tough and competitive.”

When Muhammad created the Freedom Paper Company he had the Million Man March in his mind. He viewed his company as a move towards true freedom.

He specifically called the company freedom because initially that was what the United States of America was supposed to represent. In creating the company he gave customers more options for tissue paper.

Another reason for the tissue paper company was to reduce the amount of exposure to toxic tissue paper as 74 possible.

Muhammad explained that many toilet tissue papers are made with toxic chemicals and with frequent use of them it can be harmful to people.

I asked Muhammad why he never wanted to be an employee with all the risks involved with being an entrepreneur and he said that employees are content and see themselves at a certain comfort level.

Over time, Muhammad and his team wanted to expand their reach to continue to help customers make better more healthy choices.

Their job provides a certain amount of security to them.

Muhammad says that the Freedom Paper Company has products in five main categories: paper products both residential and commercial, cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), restaurant supplies, and personal care.

Whereas entrepreneurs like himself want something more than that. He does not want someone to determine for him what the ceiling is.

He continues, “It’s risky being in business for yourself... You do not know how much money you’re going to make. With hard work and self determination the sky could be the limit.”

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There have been times that he made more money in one month than some employees made in a year while other times when he became broke. Muhammad continued to explain that entrepreneurship, “opens you up for infinite possibilities.”

Muhammad expressed that when creating companies there are always unexpected things to come up. In the business world, there are private and publicly traded companies. Publicly traded companies have more money while privately owned companies may not make profits.

He continued explaining that having enough capital is a challenge for many businesses to overcome. Some things work, some do not. Marketing doesn't always work like it should.

Even with a business plan, he needed to adapt and change his business in the beginning. As mentioned before he added products to his inventory along with the tissue paper because his customers wanted it.

Muhammad told that, being adaptable means you change to make it work and that you have to be ready to make the necessary changes in order for the business to thrive.

I asked about the helpfulness of his team throughout the business processes. He believes that having a team is good and that an entrepreneur needs a helpful, productive team. Muhammad says, “You need people who can give you honest input.

The wrong people will drive you out of business.” I asked 76 about his thoughts on having mentors.

He said that mentors would help cut down on the suffering that entrepreneurs go through but people are not willing to always listen.

I began to wonder about the funding he may have received to start his company so I asked about it, he answered that it was “extremely hard,” to get funding.

He explained that for most private companies it will be at least moderately difficult securing capital and the difficulty is determined by multiple factors.

Muhammad expressed, “One could go to a venture capitalist firm but what will you lose? Go fund me options?

All businesses need more capital. Many businesses made millions of dollars,” in the past and “are not here today.

Continuing to raise capital is a strategy. Making relationships with people and entities who become your sources is extremely important.

You need a relationship with your bank as a business owner.

Even if you are a private person you need to a relationship to get things like loans.”

I questioned Muhammad about the advice he would give to aspiring entrepreneurs with no prior experience in business.

Muhammad spoke that they understand their own passion, have their own drive for what they are doing and why. They must also see the big picture.

Get what they need because they need it and consider what they may lose in the process. He stressed, “They must consider all outcomes and make an ultimate goal.”

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Muhammad concluded the interview with his final advice saying, “You should have something or someone bigger than yourself to turn to.”

He seeks the spirit of God to help him through those dark hours.

He continues to say, “Knowing yourself and having your intent well understood will carry you through it.” His drive carried him through the rough times.

He also said that entrepreneurs should,“Know that what you're experiencing others have experienced it...and you too can be successful...Business people in the Black community are the unsung heros/leaders.

Business people create communities and it's a blessing that one can share with others.”

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This mompreneur's Reason To Escape CorporateLife By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor Ayva & Avery is a clothing company created by Shanel Kenney, a Point Pleasant, New Jersey native and Fashion Institute of Technology graduate.

Growing up she did not have entrepreneurs to look up to so she made it her goal to learn as much as she could from observation.

Her education in merchandising and management added to what she already knew and it became a part of the knowledge drawn upon to run her business.

Kenney also networks with entrepreneurs with more experience, took a chance on herself and invested in what she calls YouTube University, where she learned a little more about business ownership.

Kenney created Ayva & Avery as an ecommerce business.

It is accessible online and sells apparel and accessories.

Customers often notice their pre designed products from a collection inspired by the love of Black culture and plants initially but they allow customers to purchase blank products as well and custom designed products retail & 80 wholesale.

The pandemic was the push needed to make Ayva & Avery come alive.

Kenney says, “I had my second child in January, right before the whole thing started, and was due to return back from my maternity leave around the same time everything started to shut down.

I worked from home for about two months and decided it wasn’t right for me and my family. So I decided to branch out on my own.”

Kenney shown above. Source Kenney was inspired by her Kenney. growing family to no longer She looked deep into herself be just an employee. and knew what she had to do.

She wanted to enjoy motherhood and see her She said, “I also started to children as they grew. She realize that as a black also was getting tired of her woman, corporate America work battles. How many may not be the best fit for more times would she have me. to prove her worth and knowledge?

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I noticed a trend where I would have to constantly “prove” myself and my abilities. That happened from company to company, and after a while something like that just gets old.”

Kenney turned toward something familiar, something she knew since she was a child, fashion. She had over a decade of experience working in retail stores and an education in Merchandising and Management all that she needed she had.

Despite being deeply passionate for fashion there was a hesitation in her. She recalls thinking that she was, “making big changes and decisions,” and that put fear into her, however, Kenney’s slight impulsive nature took over and gave her the confidence to take that leap of faith into business. She was glad that it worked out.

Kenney initially had issues obtaining inventory because of the pandemic and her suppliers were overseas. Delays were a constant hassle and planning around them was difficult.

She mentioned that the prices of goods rose and kept rising making things more expensive than they were originally thought to be and causing her to delay her business launch date.

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She also made the decision to not have a business plan. She plans as she goes which is a good thing because she is her own team and can easily change things if needed.

I actually took the step and started. I may still have some kinks to work out and a lot of room to grow, but at least I started! … I have learned that patience is a virtue, and that it’s She believes in the future she definitely not my strong will outsource jobs more but suit lol. for the time being she runs most of the tasks, that being Being an entrepreneur is said she also knows when to not easy, and it will ask family members for help. definitely test you frequently. ” Kenney concludes our interview by admitting that her greatest support has been strangers that she met virtually in business groups on social media. She says, “I am most proud that I actually did it.

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A Day With Tunji By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

In a time where selfie’s attempt to replace professional headshots and vlogs mimic documentaries, Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, Victor Adetunji Johnson, is challenging the trends and bringing a refreshing look to show what documentary and lifestyle photography is Victor T. Johnson above. made of.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for photography Johnson began his pursuit to change the world, one film at a time.

Before diving into Johnson’s photography business I wanted to know how he became so bold in his attempts to shake up the way people consume information digitally. I wanted to go back to review his childhood.

I asked about his influences and he proudly credited his Father for inspiring his entrepreneurial spirit. He recalls his Father having owned a healthcare transportation business for over 20 years. He was given the opportunity to watch his Father over the years and wonder about creating his own venture.

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Johnson mentions that his Mother also did her part by inspiring self determination in him from watching her struggle as a receptionist to becoming the executive vice president of the company.

Though his parents were his closest motivators, he says that he had plenty of other relatives and family friends who also planted seeds of business ownership into his life over the years, which made creating his own business seem like a very attainable feat.

Even with seeds of financial independence sown into Johnson, he still looked for experience as an employee.

He says, “I’ve been an employee for my entire work history and I’ve seen how much time and energy I’ve put into someone else’s dream…” and, “I wonder how successful I can be putting that time and energy into myself.”

When questioned about having a business plan when he first launched his business Johnson said that he did not initially have one but now with his business up and running he plans to create one.

Speaking of things learned during the business process Johnson reflects on the importance of a team or support system.

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He recalls not having a team when he first began. He has been constantly supported and encouraged by his wife.

He says that her reassurance has gone a long way.

He mentions her helping him strategize about his next business moves, marketing and other important aspects needed to push his business forward.

Though Johnson has had no official team to assist in running his business, he is thankful for his friends and family members who have allowed him comfort and freedom to practice his craft.

They have also influenced him to expand his business in areas of retail and network more with people in his industry.

Johnson has not been in business for too long but is proud that he started it. He plans to shake up communities with his visual arts and wants to motivate others to take that leap.

He concludes the article saying that aspiring entrepreneurs should go for their dreams no matter how big or small they may be. He recommends just going for your dreams.

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Explore Your Wild Side By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

The Erotic Toy Chest is an online adult store that becomes mobile to host parties and sell retail. When Jen, the owner, was a preteen she began selling retail from a company called Olympia.

She found the company in a newspaper that she would read from a local corner store. Olympia was a mail order company that sold it’s merchandise like that of the ones sold at schools for fundraisers.

The owner grew up in a rough neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan at a time where there were a lot of hustlers around and not so many business owners.

She recalls living on the westside of the city around the Dexter street where she can remember the original gangsters making things happen in the neighborhood without having legitimate jobs or handouts.

Jen went to school for Business and Healthcare and earned two degrees but she says that she was always self educated. She says “I’m natural to this,” and advises everyone to stay up to date on things involving their business.

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Though Jen owns her own business she is also an employee. She says that she wears many hats. I asked about her reasons for getting into the adult toy industry and she said simply that, “I am the adult toy industry!”

When it came to her getting the business off the ground she said that, “as many times as you hit a bump, you also bounce back.

Never give up.”

Jen started with a business plan and over time it bloomed into something that she did not expect. I asked about the importance of having a team as one is starting a business and she responded, “ It is very important to have a team, however, when you have a business, that business is yours.

Just like any business!

Everyone can walk out of the Pepsi Co. right now, literally every person that keeps that business going.

Those “higher powered” directors and ceo’s wouldn’t know the first thing to do within to keep the production fulfilled.

They are probably more likely to spend big money to fix issues.

They’ll hire all new people, and those people won’t be trained properly, etc.

A whole nationally known company could fall below ground for the big mistakes made due to this issue. So as a business owner, I make sure I can do any and everything I can for myself. One day I will have a team.

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I appreciate all who help me because there were would be no ETC without their support.” To conclude our interview Jen gave advice to entrepreneurs, “Play smart, and play your cards right. If you go right about things, it will all fall into place. Have patience.

Everyone should do their research. Educate yourself. KEEP THE BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES COMING!! We support everyone, but as a Black American, I love seeing my own kind overcome our struggles and rise and be great. To make a difference for our communities, it’s an awesome thing.”

Erotic Toy Chest sells lingerie & apparel, vibrators & toys, lubricants, edible merchandise, games and more. You can find them online at EroticToyChest.com. If you are in Detroit Michigan or metro Detroit they deliver.

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Mompreneur Inspiring The Next Generation By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzior Hair color can say a lot without a single word being spoken, like a hairstyle it can also evoke feelings.

People use color to express themselves but for Electra Davis she just wanted a new look.

What she got was hair breakage. Davis is a German native who grew up in Buffalo, New York. All she wanted to do was change her look up with color and her hair did not take too kindly to the chemicals in the hair dying products.

She chose to do her own research to come up with a way to change her hair in a way that would not make it fall out.

Once she found a recipe that worked for her others began to request it and thus Mysteek Naturals was born.

Davis says that she was always good at chemistry in school but did not pursue it or business because she did not see many entrepreneurs around.

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She felt that she was creative and sort of a rebel but did not know that it would be the foundation needed to create and run a business.

Her hair products are sold online and in big box stores.

She began with hair color changing products but continues to expand into other hair care products.

I asked Davis her feelings when she first began the business and wanted to know if she had any hesitations.

She said, “I'm pretty dogmatic. Once I decide to do anything I just do it...I was hesitant to leave my job. In the middle of a pandemic in April 2020.”

Davis believes because she is a first generation entrepreneur that she had to teach herself things other business owners probably already knew and had to rely on others to help her.She used her quick wits formed by her military career and sought reinforcements.

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She admits to having joined mastermind groups and reading as much as she could in order to not waste time and save money. She found people to help her do what she could not do.

Davis never planned to have a business so a business plan was not created. She says, “Things are constantly changing.”

She didn't start with structure. “I was one of those entrepreneurs that did not have a parachute and just jumped out of the plane.”

She created teams of people to catch her and help her do the things needed to be done.

She explains why she chose to create a team of people to assist, “Delegation is key. Work on your business not in it.

If you try to learn everything in the business you cannot scale.

You need some people smarter than you to get to where you need to be. You need to gain more people to gain more skill.”

She thanks her mentor forteaching her to work smarter and not harder.

A man based out of India, Salman Mohammad, “saw in me what I did not see in me initially from ideas and helped build all of the back end ideas, branding and marketing and different apps to make the business better. He is chief tech officer.

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Been working with him since 2012.” For some business owners funding is an issue, Davis explains overcoming that, “The product paid for itself over and over again. It was difficult understanding the cost of things.”

She had a website and used data from her website to see what colors sold best and which product sold best.

She expressed again,“The money to create a product was not difficult.”

For business owners with financial struggles Davis recommends giving yourself a try first. She says, “See how far you can get with strategizing and marketing.

Learn that first before getting an investor who can take it away. Knowledge is power.”

I shifted the conversation and asked about what made Davis proud. She expressed the fact that her children are so involved in the start up made her proud. She explained,“They are being taught financial literacy and being freed.”

Them seeing her leaving a government job, a good paying job to do something that fulfills her. Creating fulfillment in herself makes her proud. Davis continued, “They cannot ever say that they can't do something because they’ve seen their mother do it.”

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She created the business as a single mother and they have no excuse. She did it as a single mother.

Lastly, Davis expresses, “You have 15 min a day you have time for your dreams.”

I questioned Davis about the lessons she learned while running her business and she answered, “I learned that I can be all the way up and things going right, making thousands of dollars by making dang near nothing in the winter.”

How dare you go home and tell yourself that you don't have time? If you have children you have to balance. If you can watch tv you can work on your business.

If you feel your business is taking up She shares thatin 5 years time with your she intends to expand hair children include them color products to transfer into your business so color better and add a that they learn and shampoo to her haircare have time with you. line.

Don’t use excuses, find a way. “Don't say I Mysteek Naturals should be can't, say how can I?” a household name then as Mysteek Naturals can well. Davis also wants to be found on social teach employees how to media. They give out transition from the nine to samples of products. five job.

Cruelty free, she didn't want her hair falling out with chemicals.

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Technology

The Harris Oguzor Magazine

Exploring Education A New Way By: Sonya N. Harris-Oguzor

With kids being out of school due to the pandemic virtual schools are becoming the new normal.

America High School is one of the schools that is held online for highschoolers and has expanded to enroll k-12 and beyond.

This school began as a project by Delane Williams who happens to be a Louisiana native. Before jumping into how the school began I want to tell you about Williams and her craft.

Williams attended Georgia State in 1988 where she would earn her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. She would marry in 1992 and continue her education to earn a Master’s degree in Aviation from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in 1995.

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Once married, Williams became pregnant and moved to Kentucky where her husband was from. She was out of a job but found one that was practically made for her.

It was a teaching job in the computer systems field created for a minority to fill. Being that she was the only minority in her field in Tennessee she was a perfect candidate for the job.

She accepted the job teaching computer information classes at the University of Kentucky. As luck would have it Williams water broke on her first day of teaching and she was immediately put on paid maternity leave.

A few years later Williams’s husband was deployed overseas which left Williams to take care of her 3 and 5 year old solo. Later she would move to Florida where she would have the opportunity to work with the Chamber of Commerce. She began working on a project for a client online and later it inspired her to create a school online.

The school was in the planning stages from 2001 until June 2010 when it was finally launched. Williams thanks her Father for being a big supporter. She says that her Father was the one who helped fund her business and if not for him the school would not be what it has become.

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Most of the people that I have spoken with have doubts about running businesses so I asked Williams if that applied to her and she said, “No, I had a vast knowledge of the process” plus the online college she was working with helped her form a blueprint of sorts, however, she was anxious about whether or not people would call once the school was opened.

She later was relieved when students began enrolling.

She recalled having a great sense of pride regarding the school, the curriculum and being able to mold the students. She says that teachers have to be passionate about what they do. She concluded the interview by saying that school creators should create strong partnerships and the teachers should be passionate about learning and enjoy what they're doing.

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