The Gift That Keeps Giving

December 9, 2019

The Gift That Keeps Giving

It’s that time of year again. I just love the holidays!!!

Why? Well it’s the season where we express two major “G” terms: GRATITUDE and GIVING.

Can you imagine what the holidays would be like without expressing gratitude or “giving back” being such a major part of it? It isn’t something that some of us jump up for immediately and too many of us are focused on our day to day hustle and bustle to even consider the thought of giving back.

Volunteering and giving back to your community is so much more than just meeting some school or organization requirement(s). It’s an incredibly rewarding, and life-changing experience. Some people believe that you have to be rich or have tons of time to give back. However, that couldn’t be truer. You don’t need to be loaded to help. What you need is a heart of kindness, the sense of caring, and motivation.

PARTYING WITH A PURPOSE

By now you should know it is no secret that I like to help others. Personally, I feel like it’s a part of my responsibility in this world to give back. Giving back is where you give, and then you don’t expect anything back in return. No benefits for you, no recognition, nothing substantial gets sent your way. Your biggest reward is the realization that you’ve made a momentous difference and positive change in someone’s life.

If you know me personally, you should know that I’m a social butterfly and I’m always down for attending a social event especially a themed party (more of a reason to get dressed up :)). A few years back, the holidays were quickly approaching, and I had the idea to host an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. Now anytime I, myself or my sisters host an event, we usually bring out the crowd. So, with the party in mind and being in the spirit of giving, I figured we could turn the Ugly Sweater Party into a “Party with a Purpose” brunch. And that’s exactly what we did. We reached out to several local charities and organizations and from there, we partnered with a local homeless shelter to help fulfill the needs they so desired. Since then, we’ve made an effort to implement this as our way of giving back every year around the holidays by asking our family and friends to donate toiletries, clothes, and shoes, for a Women and Children’s Shelter in the Atlanta metro area.

From this event, we were able to provide the Women and Children’s Shelter with an assortment of toys, clothes, and hygiene products. More importantly, we were able to provide support to someone- something a person needed to get back on their feet, to find a fresh start, and have hope for the future.

The feeling of kindness, humanity, and a sense of appreciation somehow awakens when we give to people. There is nothing greater to center our focus in this world than understanding just how much we have to be grateful for. This comes from being in direct contact with the act of giving to people who are less fortunate than ourselves.

GIVING BACK THROUGH MY BELOVED SORORITY

Another avenue I use as a source to “Give Back” and serve my community is through my beloved sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Since joining the organization in 2005, I’ve participated in a countless number of volunteer and community service projects.

Perfect example: Just this year and alongside with my fellow Chapter sorors, we collected over 1,000 pairs of gently worn shoes for one of our program targets that will be used to donate to children and adults in less developed countries through partnerships with international organizations. Similarly, we collected pillowcases and used them to make dresses for little girls and shirts for little boys. The pillowcase dresses and shirts will be sent to under-served international areas as well to provide clothing for children in need that will enable them to attend school and go about their daily lives with the dignity of the basic necessity of clothing.

So, you see, when you are engaged in philanthropic and humanitarian activities you somehow can’t help but be touched as a human being. Your emotional awareness increases, your care and consideration for others is awakened and you are exposed to new and different people. You will grow ultimately as a person.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT ONE OF ATLANTA’S PREMIERE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Just last month, I was invited as a special guest to be the keynote speaker for Year Up Greater Atlanta annual Women’s’ Conference. The theme was ElevateHER: How to Empower and Elevate Women in the Workplace. Not only was I able to introduce this platform, I was able to tell my story and share my journey, in hopes of inspiring their young budding professionals. In that moment and even now, I want YOU, my readers and followers to know that your dreams aren’t too big. YOU are more than enough. YOU have the POWER to do and be ANYHTING your heart so desires. My heart was so full from this particular event and I felt such gratification afterwards because I know for certain I had touched someone’s life and that I made a difference.

A CHEERFUL GIVER

The attitude behind “Giving Back” really matters. There is a huge difference between buying stuff that you feel (or are) obligated to, and purposefully (and cheerfully) giving something to another person. The bible teaches us that is better to give than to receive. So, if you need a little boost to your giving attitude this year and the year to come, do a little meditating on some of my favorite scriptures below.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-8

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:11

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Proverbs 11:25

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

Do you feel a personal responsibility to help others?

Giving isn’t just about making a donation. It is about making a difference. Giving back to your community through non-profit organizations, volunteer groups, charity or other means does so much to help those in need and contribute to the common good. You can give back in many different ways. No matter how you do it, giving back to your community will touch many people’s lives. Whether it’s making a charitable donation to support a cause, volunteering at a local event, or helping a neighbor. Even the smallest good deed can awaken change and positively impact the community by providing a renewed sense of hope.

Motivational Tip: You have two hands. One to help yourself. The second to help others.

What is Career Fulfillment?

October 20, 2019

How to Attract the Career You Want

We’ve been quite busy here at The Nerdy CEO and lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on how I can help more of you find career fulfillment.

Just within the past few months, I’ve had several discussions with some family members, close friends, and colleagues (including supervisors) and our main topic of discussions were getting promotions, how to ask for more, flexibility in the work place, and even how to start a business.

Recently I asked you on my social feeds what were some personal goals you were currently working on. For me, I’ve been concentrating on “self-care” and strategizing on how to help those of you in the latter of corporate. I believe it is crucial to understand yourself, your goals, and your calling first in your career transition or business start-up process. This is why I’m dedicating this blog post in helping you find a seamless career path whether that be as an employee or as an entrepreneur. I’m creating this specifically with your success in mind. Also, keep in mind I’m sharing tips and advice based on my very own personal experiences that hopefully can help you on your journey to success.

Some of the tips includes:

1. Knowing the Difference between a Resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

2. Tailoring Your Resume to Fit a Particular Job You’re Applying For

3. Cover Letter or not?

4. Interview Tips

5. How to Negotiate a Salary

6. How to Make A Good First Impression

7. How Nice is “Too Nice” in the Workplace

8. Is it a matter of WHO you know vs. WHAT you know

9. Staying Positive & Optimistic When Job Searching

10. How to Dress for Success

For those of you that are employees and seeking career opportunities, let’s talk about resumes and CVs. Many of you may already know but some don’t. There are three major differences between CVs and resumes and they are the length, the purpose and the layout. A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages, a CV is more detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages.

Back in the day some of us were taught to have 1-2 page resumes because employers skim briefly. But let’s be honest, if you have 10+years of professional experience, do you think 1-2 pages is enough to showcase your talents and skillsets? Make sure your resume or CV showcase all of your qualifications.

Tailoring your resume to a job description is a must. And it’s the one piece of advice I can personally give based on my experiences to rule them all. You’re probably wondering- Is it really necessary???YES IT IS. Will it take some time to do especially if you’re applying to multiple positions? Of course. But it really will make a huge difference in the number of companies that call you back and invite you to interview.

By tailoring your resume to the job description, you signal to the hiring manager that your resume is relevant and that you’re the right person for the job. When you create a general resume with the goal of showing all of your impressive experience, what you are doing is not in line with what the company is checking for. There’s a disconnect, and this causes a lack of callbacks. Employers want to see evidence that you can come in and perform well from day 1.

When you a tailor a resume to a specific job, it becomes about THEM. And that’s how you get the interview.

A cover letter is important for 3 things:

1. It explains how you will bring value to the company.

2. It touches on what’s most important to the hiring manager.

3. Cover letters give you the opportunity to add more details about information mentioned on your resume that can help differentiate you from other qualified candidates.

Similar to your resume/CV, each cover letter should be tailored to the individual job ad. You don’t have to start from scratch every time, but you should adjust the content to best reflect what makes you an ideal candidate for the position at hand.

So, should you write a cover letter? YES!!! Ask yourself, what can you do to take yours to the next level?

So you have an interview but you’re pretty nervous about it because it’s the job you’ve been working towards and you want to nail it leaving a lasting impression with the interviewer/employer. There is much to think about when interviewing for your next opportunity. Here are 4 tips to jumpstart your preparation for a successful interview:

1. Selling your Skills and Abilities. Though this point may sound obvious, selling yourself is something that many find an uncomfortable task. Remember, the interview is your chance to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the job. Identify 3 skills/experiences that demonstrate your expertise and value to the organization. You should know your CV and the job description inside out. Use these documents to guide you through the interview, and pick examples of your experience or education that demonstrate why you’d be successful in the role.

2. Ask your interviewer insightful questions. Research the employer prior to your interview. You should have prepared some questions before the interview. Whether it’s about the company or the position itself, asking questions about measuring future success and what’s expected in the new position will show you’re a forward thinker and keen to contribute to the success of the company.

3. Be Yourself. If you are hired based on an interview in which you acted rather than being yourself, your new employer is going to expect that you continue to act that way on the job. Acting like someone you are not is tiring, which can undermine your ability to perform. Be you from the start. The only way you will know it is a good fit is if you are your authentic self. Make sure you can bring your whole self to work to ensure that you can be most effective in your new role.

4. End your interview on a positive note. Find out what the next steps are and when you can expect to hear back on the outcome of the interview. Be sure to thank them for taking the time to meet with you and tell them that you look forward to hearing from them soon. If you’d like, you can follow the interview up with a phone call or an email.

Did you know that more than 50 percent of people have never negotiated a salary? If you’re shocked by this statistic and feel you might be part of that majority, it’s time to act.

There’s a fine line between pricing yourself out of the market which can lead to the employer not getting back to you because of it or lowballing yourself unintentionally and not having much leverage to then re-negotiate. Based on my previous experiences, here are 5 key negotiating salary tips that can work for you.

1. Know your worth.

When it comes to negotiating salary, what it really comes down to is understanding that your employer or potential employer is not doing you a favor or giving you a leg up. They are paying you based on your skills and what they believe you will contribute to the company. When you negotiate salary, you’re not just negotiating the number that will appear on your next paycheck, you’re also determining how much you’ll be earning next year, and the year after that.

2. Management

Everyone should negotiate their salary, but if you’re in a managerial position of any kind, this applies to you. Having the responsibility of managing others alone can be excellent leverage for you in a negotiation situation.

3. Know your realistic salary in the job market. The last thing you need to know before you negotiate is your number. You don’t want to go in and ask for too much or regret it later by accepting a low offer. Keep this number in your head as you go into your negotiations and remember that by going into the situation with data instead of emotion, you have the power to negotiate anything. As long as you’re not asking for an unrealistic amount, no reasonable employer will pull an offer.

4. Don’t disclose your current or desired salary.

The most common question recruiters/supervisors will ask a candidate is something like, “So where are you right now in terms of salary, and what are you looking for if you make this move?” Don’t fall for it. Answering this question by disclosing numbers can make it very difficult to negotiate effectively later on because it can box you in. Instead, you can say, you’re not comfortable sharing your current salary and that you would prefer to focus on the value you will add to the company rather than what you’re paid at your current job. You can also state what your desired amount is if you have a specific number in mind. The worst that could happen is they tell you NO. Bottom line is you want your next move to be a big step forward in terms of both responsibility and compensation and don’t forget job fulfillment.

5. How to ask for more.

One of the biggest misconceptions with salary negotiation is that there are things, other than salary, which are negotiable. Things like PTO, 401k, and working from home privileges are all benefits that you have the power to negotiate to your advantage. All you have to do is ask. Thinking about starting a family? Perhaps you should request an extended maternity leave. Live far away with a terrible commute? Ask if you can work from home part of the week.

In the first few seconds of meeting you, an interviewer will make a judgement, so it’s important to make sure it’s a positive first impression.

Arrive on Time, but Not Too Early. Arriving 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled interview is acceptable.
Offer a firm handshake. When you first meet with the interviewer, smile confidently and shake their hand.
Be prepared to talk about the company and yourself. Doing your homework and finding out all there is to know about the company is essential when preparing for an interview.
Project Confidence….Body language as well as appearance speaks much louder than words. Use your body language to project self-assurance. Stand tall and make eye contact. Good manners together with polite, attentive, and enthusiastic behavior help make a good first impression.

Being nice and taking on additional tasks will make you seem more valuable to your company, right? Most people in the workplace want to be as helpful as possible and are willing to go the extra mile to add value to their organizations, especially if they’re a new employee. But know there is a fine line between being friendly and helpful and being to nice and never saying NO to your boss or colleagues.

Being too nice can be a total disadvantage if you don’t set boundaries at work and can even have undesirable consequences for your work life some of which may include you not being compensated for your hard work, you get taken advantage of, you get overlooked, and you can get additional tasks dumped on your plate. Don’t fall victim to the nice role. My advice is to offer help when you can but make sure your employer understands that your time and effort is valuable.

It seems like growing up so much emphasis was placed on building “What We Know,” by our parents and teachers but they rarely touched on the importance of building “Who We Know.” Why did they put so much focus on us learning, rather than building connections and a network?

Don’t get me wrong, “what we know” is still very important. The more we learn in school and through our life experiences, the better. But networking is highly important as well. I’ve heard some say networking can get you into doors your degree(s) can’t. Do you agree?

Even though a person may not have the technical knowledge and experience under his or her belt like yourself, if he or she has the right connections it may not matter. This is a disheartening fact, but also a reality check. Build your network. Introduce yourself to new people. Communicate effectively with others. And when you find yourself in the “Who You Know” vs. “What You Know” situation, the “who you know” just may get you through that door you’ve been waiting on stepping through.

Its so easy to get caught up in the job searching process and become negative towards everything after getting rejected repeatedly. Similarly, when building a business and not getting the traction you want. So you become defeated and frustrated. You’re worried about the future and what you’re going to do, but it is important to remain positive throughout the entire process.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve felt like throwing in the towel. However, I always remind myself that nothing worth having comes easy. When you’re chasing a big goal…the kind that takes months or years to accomplish, some of your biggest enemies will be complacency, self-doubt, and fear.

Set yourself up for daily progress with productive habits. Each week make a list of goals you would like to accomplish and focus on making small goals rather than large ones. Celebrate your small wins….small wins lead to big results.

Being out of work can be stressful and hard to stay positive at times but keep your chin up, head held high, and move forward each day with a positive mindset. You will get through this tough time and when you least expect it, the perfect opportunity will come up.

As I mentioned previously, the first impression you make on a potential employer is incredibly important. The first judgment an employer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That’s why it’s always important to dress appropriately for a job interview. If you know me, you should know that when it comes to personal appearance, I am huge on it.

Now don’t get me wrong every company has a different dress code depending on the type of environment and everyone of us has our on unique, signature style. But regardless of the work environment, it’s important to dress professionally for a job interview because how you dress can either make it or break it. In general, the person dressed in a suit and tie, or suit (dress) and heels, will make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in jeans and sneakers.

Dressing professionally shows respect for yourself, the interviewer, and the company. You may not have to dress like this every day, but you are more likely to be taken seriously when you present yourself in a professional manner.

To be successful in your career, it is very important to set yourself some short-term and long-term goals and career objectives. Trust me, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. But if you have a plan set in place, by setting yourself clear goals, it can highly improve your job satisfaction at work as well as your career progression.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. Think about what your next career move is and where you see yourself in the next five years.

"I've been following your posts and funny thing is it aligns exactly to what I need to do which is write a cover letter. Keep up the great work. Your content is on point and right on time".

"A cover letter is so important. I will skip over a resume if it doesn't have a cover letter with it".

"I've been following your career tips. Just want you to know that I got the job I applied for".

"Thank you for explaining what a CV is. I need to get one done ASAP".

"Your Nerdy CEO career lessons kept me motivated each week. I updated my resume to fit the job description I was applying for as you stated and focused on the prize. I'm happy to announce that I received the job promotion. Thank you soooo much for your weekly motivation".

Mommy Moves & Money Moves: How to Find Balance between “Mommying” and Career.

August 19, 2019

Mommy Moves & Money Moves: How to Find Balance between “Mommying” and Career.

Everyone knows that moms are sheroes. It’s a job where you can’t just clock out at five and yet you’re working every hour under the sun. As a mom, you’re juggling a lot on your plate: being a wife, taking care of the house, taking care of the kids, taking care of yourself, and working a full-time job. You devote yourself to learning everything there is to know about “mommying”.

But for many new moms like myself, we have anxiety and this sense of expectancy to act as though nothing has changed at the office. After being away from work for ten months, I definitely felt like I had to prove to myself and to my colleagues that I had it all together and hadn’t missed a beat. But the reality of getting into the office extra early in the mornings to do some work to meet a deadline or being available in the late evenings to join fellow colleagues for Happy Hour is slim to non-existent.

Being a full-time working mother can lead to feelings of guilt and stress because of divided attention between work and family. I recently spoke with 5 working moms who work full-time, raise children, and maintain their homes, and here’s a synopsis of what they had to say about trying to balance career and home life:

1. “One thing I had to realize while raising two little humans and working full-time is that it is ok to let things fall through the cracks per se. It is perfectly ok if the kids have pizza for dinner because I didn’t have time to cook. It is perfectly ok to not have all of the clothes folded because we spent all Saturday playing outside. We as moms need to stop being so hard on ourselves and just let life happen.”

Nadia Rahaman, MBA , Director of Development at Fort Valley State University.

2. “Working full time and raising a family is extremely challenging. I often find myself trying to balance the two…trying to do my best at work, wanting to shine and climb the career ladder, while also trying to manage home, and more specifically my children. From sick babies at daycare, to routine medical appointments, and any issues at school that require me to miss work.

Then there are the day to day activities that require my attention after work like cooking, cleaning, homework, and extracurricular activities as well as wanting to spend quality time with my husband and children. All of it can be overwhelming and sometimes makes me feel that I’m not excelling at either. When I do feel like I’m excelling at one, I feel I’m “just getting by” or possibly even failing at the other”.

Cynthia M. Cain, MPA, Senior Administrative Manager at Georgia State University.

3. “Work-life balance is the Holy Grail for most working women. We put so much pressure on ourselves by trying to take care of everything both at work and at home that we often put ourselves on the back burner. Achieving the perfect work-life balance should not be our end goal because life is not perfect; we are not perfect people and that is okay! I am fortunate enough to be working with an incredible manager that helped me understand this concept. When I am at work, I focus all my efforts on doing a good job but once I am home I switch gears and do my best to be fully engaged with my kids and partner. However, the biggest challenge has been to make time for myself!

It took years but I realized that in order to succeed in my career and at home, I needed time to decompress, reset, and clear my mind. I am learning to make time to go to the gym a few times a week and to schedule time with my friends independent of work and family. This has been challenging especially when my travel schedule is hectic but when I make a point to do these things I notice that I am less stressed and in a better mood. Happy me = better mom, spouse, and professional”!

Brunie Burgos-White, Ph.D, Field Applications Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

4. “It can be difficult to find the right balance with being a mom and working in the corporate world. I often feel guilty that my quality time with my family is so limited during the week due to my busy work schedule so I try to make our interactions count whenever possible. For example with my daughters, I do my best to incorporate girl talks on the way to school and while I’m doing their hair. We have meaningful conversations, I learn what’s going on with them, and it gives us something to look forward to.

Cara Freeman, MS, Provider Collaboration Manager., Sr. at Anthem, Inc.

5. “Working a full time job and raising a child is not an act of balance but integration. The opportunities that we have as adults allow us to be trailblazers for our kids and expose them to the world. Integration allows some of these experiences to be free of cost, educational, impromptu, and also mitigates stereotypes in society of what a “mom” or “woman” looks like.

My son reminds me that I am “real” whether in my white coat or in sweatpants and a cap. I am not defined by one individual title, but have the versatility to wear many hats. I am an asset to many but I find joy in being blessed to have all that I need to care for and enjoy my son. Do I miss him while I’m at work? Heck yeah! Do I get tired? Heck yeah! Do I take breaks? Heck yeah! Do I love it all? Heeeeck yeah! I am a true believer that all things work together in life. Live your life! You only get one shot at it”.

Monique Merritt-Atkins, Family Medicine Physician, M.D.

Women are inspiring. Between having children and handling work, we still manage to hold high-profile positions across different industries, we start our own businesses, and we raise families. As a first time mom to my now one year old daughter, working a fulltime job, and building a business from the ground up, I’m often asked, how do I “do it all”? My answer is simple…. I don’t. I do what I can and simply what needs to be done at that moment.

Prior to having a child, I believed in the idea that modern day women could “have it all” and “do it all”. You know the new age woman who has the career, marriage, health, happiness, and a relationship with her children simultaneously. Doesn’t seem like much right?

From my very own personal experience, I am learning that there is no one right answer on how to balance career and motherhood. I have also realized that I can’t do everything so I make a list of what is most important to me and what is the least important. Sometimes when I hear the word supermom, it gives me a little bit of anxiety because the term puts so much pressure on us women and creates a sense of overwhelm. But I remind myself daily that what doesn’t get done today, it’s perfectly ok. There’s always tomorrow. I no longer beat myself up about not getting the dishes washed after a long’s day work and coming home to cook a full course meal or if the clothes aren’t folded and put up right away once I’ve taken them out of the dryer.

With that disclosure, I share below 5 ways moms can balance work and life. Some of these tips I knew in advance thanks to some other awesome mothers out there (i.e. my sisters, my best girlfriends, and colleagues) for sharing wonderful advice. Now these are my go to ways that works for me. The key is to do what’s best for you and your family and focus on a plan, get organized, and find the right balance between profession and parenthood. How you do it depends on several distinctive factors: your home life, what you want, and the type of job you have.

1. Quit comparing yourself to other moms.

You know you do it. I’m even guilty of doing it from time to time. We compare ourselves to other moms all the time. In fact, it is human nature to compare ourselves to other people period. I don’t know why….we just do.

As moms, there are so many things we have to make decisions about. And we make them based on advice we’ve received, research we’ve done, and based on what we have actually seen that we did or didn’t like. Sometimes we are unsure of how it’s going to turn out.

So we look around us to see other parents in parallel life stages and we think that if they have measurable results, it will give us some perspective and provision for why we choose to do the things that we do. Instead of measuring yourself against other moms, compare the woman you are today to the woman you used to be. Surely you’ve made some huge accomplishments, both then and now. Give yourself credit for all the things you’re great at.

2. Mommy Guilt? Let it go.

The majority of mother’s I know (especially first time moms) have tremendous guilt, “Mommy Guilt” that is. Mom guilt is the feeling of guilt, doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty experienced by mothers when they worry they’re falling short of expectations in some way.

We work so hard to be good parents and we come down so hard on ourselves when we fall short of the expectations we set. We feel guilty for working, for dropping the kids off, for yelling, for not doing enough, or for pushing too hard.

Every time you start to feel guilty about something, take a pause and then name 5 things in your head or on paper that you are good at as a mom. Focusing on these 5 things will help you see the good things that you do and will help you shift your perspective and enjoy motherhood a whole lot more.

3. Time Management

For some, time management can be a challenging ability to master. In fact, many working mothers agree that there simply isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. Even the most organized working mom can become stressed out when short on time. I have learned some of the best time management secrets and they are to create an efficient morning routine, leave parental responsibilities at home when you’re at work, and when you walk in the door after work, put on your “mommy hat” and “wife hat” and leave your job responsibilities at the office.

If you want to start your day without being frazzled, try getting organized the night before. I wrote about this in one of my previous blogs “My Super-Efficient Morning Routine” and preparing the night before. If you can pack lunches, laptop bags, lay out clothes, car keys, etc. the night before, it will save you so much time in the morning and can get you out of the house on time.
When at your workplace, try to avoid wasting time as much as possible. That includes spontaneous Internet surfing, office gossiping, and long lunch breaks. These are deviations that will make you less productive. I know. I know. It’s hard sometimes to not get caught up in the moment but you have to focus on your tasks at work so that you can check off that to-do list.
Similarly, when you walk in the door from work, put on that mommy/wife hat and give your undivided attention to your family. If your job requires you to take home work, complete these tasks AFTER the children are in bed. If you have the capability to work from home, make sure there is an end to your day, which means closing your home office door and leave work. It’s all about being present, engaged, and attentive in whatever role you are currently in.

4. Spend Time with Your Partner and Children

,After a long’s day at work, picking up the kids from school, you may have to go to the grocery store and run errands, then when you get home there’s the cooking, the clean-up, the preparation for the next day, the never ending attempt to make your home look somewhat spotless (if you have a toddler you will completely understand). So where in all of this do you get to spend time with your partner? Often times, if you’re busy with work and home, your partner is the first to get neglected. You have to remember to nurture your relationship with your partner, who’s often the number one person by your side.

If you can, start by having monthly date nights to get closer, feel rejuvenated, and enjoy each other’s company. Make time for conversations before bed whether it’s about what happened that day or if you’re making plans. The key thing is to communicate with one another. I promise, just by making the effort to talk to your partner on a daily basis, you will feel more connected with each other and less frustrated with your day-to-day routines. You will be able to keep up with what’s happening and both be on the same page when it comes to your family and each other. Fostering your relationship with your partner will bring back some excitement to the marriage or partnership and help you to “check in” with each other.

There is such a stereotype that working women don’t prioritize their children or relationships above their working commitments. Between work and life responsibilities, the days pass us by in the blink of an eye. That’s when mommy guilt comes in to play. Many career moms feel worried that they don’t spend enough time with their child(ren). Take Career Mom Cara Freeman, for example…..she says being a working mom of two girls with distinctly different personalities is very tricky and she’s learned to not try to parent them both the same but to learn their personalities and parent according to their needs. “One child may need more affection whereas the other may just need more patience to figure things out for herself”, she says.

As working moms, you have to put the needs of your partner and children first, then make time to build your dreams.

5. Self Care

The concept of self care is one that we hear about more and more these days. Finding “Me Time” is a necessity and can very well fit into your schedule if you manage your time wisely. A refreshing break will help you revitalize while taking care of personal needs. Because your time is divided between your home and career, be sure to manage your energy well.

You can’t be an effective spouse or parent if you’re always tired and cranky, so take some time to care for yourself to feel relaxed and effective. Run yourself a nice bubble bath at least once a week, do some recreational reading before bed, or treat yourself to a mani/pedi or spa day. Try to squeeze in time for some physical activity or concentrate on a hobby that interest you. The idea is to make time for yourself. Remember to eat well and get plenty of rest. These are simple things that even the smartest moms neglect.

Knowing when to say NO is a self-care tip that I’m personally learning and most moms tend to have a hard time with. Between your personal life and work, it feels like you’re always saying yes when people ask you for something. If you feel like you’re spread to thin, grant yourself the ultimate luxury by saying NO.

I hope that you’ve gained some insight on how to make mommy moves and money moves. Again, it’s about integration and what your ultimate goal is and what you’re trying to achieve at home and at the office. But don’t be too hard on yourself mom. You’ve got this! Pat yourself on the back!

P.S. This blog post is dedicated to my sweet little Maisyn who is my reason behind this new endeavor.

How To Start a Successful Blog & Make Money From It

July 12, 2019

HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL BLOG and MAKE MONEY FROM IT

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission on purchases and/or clicks. Rest assured, I only recommend products that I have personally tried and loved. Thanks for supporting The Nerdy CEO :).

Do you want to learn how to start a blog and actually get paid for it? If so, then you’re in the right place. In current times, blogging has been seen as a very relevant and sometimes lucrative means of sharing all sort of news and information including topics such as sports, politics, technology, entertainment, science, fashion, pets, lifestyle, etc. Some people even create blogs simply to share details about their personal life experiences for readers to learn from.

I personally believe that anyone can create a successful, inspiring, and profitable blog if they’re willing to put in the work, remain dedicated and consistent, and always keep learning how to do things better. Starting a blog isn’t as difficult as it may seem. However, there are still a lot of people that do not know how to get started. Most of them end up spending a lot of money without achieving the desired result they need.

My decision to starting my online business and learning how to blog and begin making money from it (on the side of my full-time job), is what led me to building this platform and eventually helping others do the same. And in this post, I’m going to walk you through my easy to follow step-by-step instructions to starting an attractive and professional looking blog and getting readers to love your content. It will take a little work on your part and a very small amount of money, but if you dedicate the time now, you will be set on a path that can lead you in the direction you never thought was possible.

By creating an eye-catching blog right from the start, you’re setting yourself up for success. It will help you grow your traffic much faster, build trust with your audience, and ultimately create a thriving online business with a healthy income.

I’m here to help guide you through this. In this guide for beginners, I’m going to show you everything you need to know when it comes to learning how to start a blog and eventually profit from it. So, if you’re ready to take a leap and learn how to start a blog, let’s get into this simple, step-by-step guide.

1. Pick Your Niche and Choose a Good Blog Topic

Yes! This is one of the important things you need to do when you are starting your blog. Really think about why you want to start a blog and what you want to achieve. You need to be clear on your vision for your blog and have a solid idea of what you want to write about.

While figuring out the name you want to choose, ensure that the name is in line with your passions, the niche you aim to write about in your blog, and the very brand you aim to represent. Your blog topic has to be unique, and if possible, specific. A lot of readers may not get easily attracted to your blog if you have so many topics or details in one blog. Most people create blogs about fashion, technology, science, sports, etc. It is very important to identify which one works well for you and excel at it. In summary, write about the things you love.

For starters, try to brainstorm 10-20 post ideas before you get started to make sure that you’re going in the right direction and have enough to talk about on your chosen topic.

2. Choose a domain name.

Now that you have your niche picked out…….great work. Let’s move on to the fun stuff. It’s time to choose your domain (site) name. This is very important. In order for people to know about your blog and read it, it has to be online. It should be something you like and something that relates to your niche, if possible. Mine is https://thenerdyceo.com. I love my domain name because it resonates with me as a person, my business brand, and my purpose for establishing this platform.

If you are sure that you are going to write about only one subject, then by all means pick a domain name that is very specific to your niche. However, if there’s a chance you would like to add more topics, it might be best to use a broader url. That way, it leaves it open for you to spread your wings without having to start a whole new blog. I do want to note that your url can be changed if you decide to change your mind.

Action Step: Write out a list of domain names you like and then do a search to see if it’s available. If the name is currently taken, there is really nothing you can do except to get a little creative. Try looking for synonyms of the word you were hoping to use. Trust me, after you start using a domain name for a while, it will start to feel like it was the name you were meant to have all along.

It is important to note that your domain name is not supposed to contain characters except a dash (-). If your desired extension (.com) has been taken, there are several other extensions that you can choose from. They are: .org, .co, .io, .co.uk, .co.us, etc. You can even choose a custom extension if you pay more.

Keep a short list of domain names and toss around which one you like best. Put some thought into this, but don’t let it paralyze you. Make a decision and move on to the next step which brings us to Web Hosting.

3. Host your Blog with Bluehost.

After choosing your domain name, the next thing you need to do in order to get your blog online is hosting. Hosting is the process of uploading your website or blog to a server. For those who intend to make money from their blog, it is very important that you pay for hosting.

I recommend using Bluehost for your hosting (that’s what I use with the Nerdy CEO). It’s very easy to launch your blog with their 1-click WordPress installation, and their customer service via phone or chat is excellent too.

BlueHost also has great plans that will help you get started in your hosting. If you intend to use WordPress.org (which we will discuss in the coming points), BlueHost comes in very highly recommended. It is simply the best hosting, and the beautiful thing about it is that it comes at an affordable price for beginners. Like we stated earlier, BlueHost gives you a free domain (.com) for the first year.

A Note about Costs: Having your site self-hosted will cost you a little bit of money. Sort of think of it as an investment for your business. This is a small price to pay to get your own business started. It’s an investment that can pay off over and over again if you put in the work.

Bluehost is the largest WordPress hosting company and are trusted by millions of bloggers (including myself). This current deal is as low as $3.95/mo depending on the plan you choose.

Select the “Get Started” GREEN button. There are 3 Choices for packages: Basic, Plus, and Choice Plus. If you are just starting out and you have limited resources, the basic plan will suit your needs just fine. But if you plan to have multiple sites in the future I would recommend you go with either “plus” or “choice plus”.

Click SELECT on your preferred plan to move to the next step.

As you can see on the screenshot below, there are 2 options:

Create a new domain – If you do not already own a domain for your blog yet, enter in your preferred domain name in the box and click NEXT:

I have a domain name – If you already own a domain (probably registered somewhere else), then enter your domain name in the box and click NEXT:

If you don’t have your domain name figured out yet, you can just select “Choose Free Domain Later” and proceed with the next steps.

Once you decide on your domain and confirm that it is available, you will need to create your Bluehost Account. Enter your details by filling in your order information.

After you create your Bluehost account, you will need to select your account plan and any package extras. You can choose your account plan based on how far in advance you want to pay for your hosting. When I first purchased hosting for The Nerdy CEO, I selected the 36 month account plan. The longer the length of time you pay for upfront, the cheaper the monthly price will be.

You don’t have to worry about selecting any of the package extras at this stage unless your plan doesn’t include Domain Privacy Protection. If your plan did not include this, I highly recommend that you purchase it as an add-on (so your name and contact information is not visible in the public domain registry).

The next section is Payment Information. Enter your credit/debit card information to pay for your web hosting. Remember that this is the total amount that you will pay for hosting for the time period that you selected for your Account Plan.

Fill in your payment details, agree to the terms of service, and click “Submit”.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did it! You are now officially a blog owner. But you’re not quite done yet! The next step is to create a password for your new Bluehost account.

Enter your password in both boxes, then agree to the terms of service, and click “Next”.

Once you create your password, you’re ready to log in to your new Bluehost account and get started installing and setting up WordPress.

Click the blue “Log In” button and enter your account details and password to log in to your Bluehost Account.

4. Getting Started with WordPress.

By now you have already decided on a niche for your blog, picked a domain name, and setup hosting for your site. Now, it’s time to get started with WordPress.

Like any other software program, it takes a little time to become an expert at WordPress. But, have no fear, WordPress is a very straightforward software program that will start making sense to you in no time.

WordPress is a widely used Content Management System (CMS). It is basically the software that will allow you to create and manage your digital content. It is very popular, and it is used by a lot of websites and blogs on the internet. One of the best things about getting started with Bluehost is that it will automatically install WordPress for you. This makes it super easy to get your blog started.

When you first log into WordPress, the dashboard may first appear to be daunting and confusing and you might find yourself getting overwhelmed with all of the options in the side bar. Spend some time clicking around to see the different sections. In reality, the layout is very simple and it will begin to make sense to you as you start playing around with it.

Here are some of the really important sections which can be found along the left hand menu:

Posts: This is how and where you will write your posts
Pages: These would be main categories of your site. Home page, About Me, Contact, etc.
Appearance: This is how you customize the appearance of your site by choosing a theme in which we will discuss in the next step.
Settings: A good place to start so you can begin filling in personalized information about your site.

Look through all the sections first before you start making any changes. When you have a level of knowledge and understanding, begin customizing your blog….start in Settings, then move on to Appearance.

Important Note: Do NOT I repeat, do NOT go ahead and click the button to launch your site at this stage. You’re not quite ready yet and I recommend getting your blog more established and looking the way you want it to before launching. Launch only when you feel like your website is up to par.

5. Choose a very good theme that suits your niche.

The next important thing I am going to cover is choosing a Theme. A theme is a template used to make your WordPress site look a certain way. The kind of theme you choose for your blog is part of what makes your blog stand out. A lot of readers will be first attracted to beautiful and eye catchy themes as well as pictures on your website. The theme you choose defines your blog in several ways.

Themes can be found on your site by going to the dashboard and clicking on Appearance, and then select Themes. There you will find a number of “Free” themes that are included with all WordPress installations. Some of the themes listed are pretty good, and may be good for getting your website started.

However, the disadvantage to free themes is that everyone that installs WordPress has access to these same themes. There may be many other sites out there that look like yours if you go this route. But, if you want your blog to stand out, I recommend purchasing a premium theme from a reliable source that offers ongoing support and updates to make sure that your theme remains up to date.

I purchased my very own theme with The Nerdy CEO from SparrowandSnow and I absolutely love it. I found their themes to be very unique, modern, and professionalthanks to its customizable settings: colors, fonts, layouts, and page configurations.

Installing your theme

Now, this part should be fairly simple; but it may vary depending on which theme you choose. If you’ve selected a theme from a reputable provider, it should come with step by step instructions (some will even provide a video tutorial) to complete the installation as well as how to customize the design once it is installed.

To install your theme, all you need to do is:

Download the .zip file for the theme you purchased
Open your WordPress dashboard
Select“Appearance” on the left sidebar
Select“Themes” from the drop down menu
When the Themes page opens, click“Add New”
On the next page, click“Upload Theme”
Choose the .zip file that you previously downloaded and then click“Install Now”
Once your theme is installed, click the“Activate” button to do so.

Note: If you feel this task to be overwhelming, your theme supplier will also offer installation services for an additional fee.

You have to carefully select either a free theme or purchase a paid theme that will be very good for your blog. After you have done this, you are free to start building your blog by getting a logo and creating your main pages.

Get a Logo

Once you’ve finished customizing your theme design, I recommend that you get a professional looking logo for your new blog. There are many places to go to get a great logo on the internet and there are many logo providers that will create you a logo for $5-$25. The fee varies depending on if you want a text based logo or a logo with a graphic image.

Look around and read the feedback. If you do have a bit of money left in your blog budget, you can find some lovely, reasonably priced logos from Fiverr, LogoScopic, or Ripl.

Or if you want to create your logo for free, there’s a free design website called Canva that is great for simple designs. I highly recommend it.

6. Start Creating Your Content.

Yes! You have reached the final stage of your blog creation. After you have customized your blog to suit your taste, you can now go ahead and start creating content. This is where you get to start really digging into your chosen blog topic.

There are two main questions that usually come up here and they are:

What do I want to write about?
How many posts do I need to create in order to launch?

Your first blog post should be something you will remember. Give it some thought. When you have a concept, just go with it. Make sure to tell a story in your post. You will build your audience by letting your personality shine through. Facts can be found anywhere, but presenting information in an informative and entertaining way will likely grow your following.

As with any content on your site, it doesn’t have to be perfect the first time it is published. It is very easy in WordPress to go back and revise posts or pages when you come up with new ideas. In fact, making changes and updates is looked upon favorably by Google and most readers.

Create and Publish Your Main Pages

Before you launch your blog, I recommend that you have some basic pages written and published. Some of these are necessary, while some are just nice to have. Your About Me page should be an easy one. Everyone loves talking about themselves. Tell everyone who you are and why you are starting this blog. If you have a particular background which qualifies you to be an expert on a subject, the place to toot your own horn is here J. Make sure you explain why you are doing this blog and also what makes you and it unique.

You should get started with the following pages:

Home
About
Blog (I have my home and blog pages separate)
Contact
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer

It is good to have at least a couple of really great posts ready before you launch so that your potential readers don’t just find an empty site if they happen to stumble upon your blog.

Don’t get too stuck on everything being perfect and complete before you launch. While it’s important to look polished and eye-catching, you really don’t need a ton of content to launch.

7. Prepare For Launch

As you are preparing to launch your brand new website, there are some additional tasks you should complete to make sure you’re fully operational and getting the traffic you need.

Sign Up For Google Analytics

This step is very important for new sites. Before you launch, you should definitely sign up for Google Analytics and make sure it is correctly set up on your site.

Google analytics will allow you to monitor your traffic right from the start and will provide valuable insights into all aspects of your blog traffic. You definitely want to be paying attention to this once you launch so that you can find your audience quicker and start increasing your page views.

Set Up Your Domain Email Address

Another important step that you should do before launching your blog is to set up an email account for your domain name.

This will allow you to have a specific email address for your domain, should subscribers want to contact you. For example, mine is hello@thenerdyceo.com.

I actually set my domain email address up through Bluehost. There are lots of good tutorials available to help you get set up. I recommend taking a look at this tutorial over at: https://my.bluehost.com/hosting/help/newemail.

Set Up Your Email Lists

Above I mentioned that you should set-up your domain email address and once you have that, you should set up your email list. One of the most important things you can do as a blogger is to establish an email list right from the start using an email service provider. Most established bloggers always talk about how they wish they had done it sooner.

This is where you will create all your emails that you send to your subscribers. For example, automated welcome and thank you emails and newsletters. You’ll use your email list to build the know, trust and like factor with your audience and nurture them into becoming buyers if you are selling your own products on your blog. Email marketing will play a big role in being profitable with your blog.

Set-up Your Social Media Accounts

Social media accounts play an important role in creating exposure for you and your blog content. In fact, some sponsors will pay for posts on your social media accounts if you can get a good following.

Do keep in mind that not all social media platforms will be applicable to your blog. A smart approach is to focus on growth of just 1-2 social media channels at a time. Pick whichever platform you feel like is the best fit for your message and your audience, as well as for your personality.

When you are setting up social media accounts, try using the same name as your site name. If it’s not available, pick something as close as possible. When that account is set up, share it in your personal profile(s) and invite your family and friends to like your page. Again tell everyone about your new blog and many will be interested in following you over there. For most of your social profiles, you will need to upload some cover graphics and/or a cover picture. If you have a logo, you can certainly use that.

Install a Few Basic Plugins

One last thing that I recommend you do before launching your blog is to install and set up some basic plugins. There are tons of plugins available, both paid and free.

To find the plugins page, go back to your WordPress dashboard again and find “Plugins” on your left sidebar. Then select “Add New”. Once you’re here you can search for your desired plugins. You’ll have to download the plugins you want and then activate them before you will be able to change the settings or use them.

For new bloggers just getting started, I recommend the following free plugins:

√Yoast SEO – This plugin is essential for helping you improve your post readability and ensure that your posts and pages are search engine optimized. This will mean that your posts have a better chance of ranking well in the Google search results in the future.

√Akismet – Helps block spam comments on your blog.

√MonsterInsights – This is a great plugin for Google Analytics. It will allow you to easily view your site stats once you get started.

8. Launch Your Blog

Are you overloaded yet? Whooooo!!!! You should give yourself a pat on the back, if you’ve made this far. Because this is the moment you’ve been waiting for……..You’re ready to LAUNCH!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

If you’ve followed all of the steps up to this point, you should have an eye catching blog set up the correct way.

The last thing you need to do to “go live” is to actually launch your blog.

To launch your blog, just follow these simple steps:

Log into your WordPress dashboard, click on the “Bluehost”menu item on your left sidebar.
Then click “Home”from the drop-down menu.
Once you’re on the home page, the first thing you should see is a box that says “Launch Your Site”. Simply click the blue “Launch”button and enter the required details.
Your site is now live!

Now that you’ve successfully created and launched your new blog, there are so many different things you can do to continue improving and growing your audience. Make sure that you continue to post great content and be consistent about it. Consistency is key. You may not start earning from your blog right away, but the most important thing is to never give up. I will later write a post about different ways to help monetize your blog so be on the lookout for that.

There you have it. I have given you 8 different step you can use to start and own a successful blog in 2019. As I mentioned earlier, it will require some work on your end, but the most important thing is to get started. So, grab your laptop, or any gadget you intend using to start your blog, go over to BlueHost, sign up, and get started.

If you found this guide helpful, I’d love it if you would spread the word. Share on social media to help others get started too. 🙂

Xo!

Is The College Route Worth It?

June 27, 2019

Is The College Route Worth It?

Is college worth it? This debatable topic sparks a lot of conversation, yet still there’s no universal fix-all answer. For many, a college education is a worthy investment; they believe it is worth the costs of taking out student loans because pursuing a higher education will further the chances of getting a better job, which equates to making more money.

Then, there are others who argue that college is too expensive and isn’t worth the amount of money you have to pay back in loans after you graduate. Furthermore, after graduation, it is sometimes difficult to find a job within your degree field.

I have to be honest with you…..I am a huge fan of college. In fact, I highly recommend it. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to making this major life decision. And it’s wise to look at them carefully. For some, school may have been a challenge. But there are many paths that can lead to a cheerful and independent life.

Below, is a personally compiled list of some alternatives to pursuing the college route for those who may be in limbo.

Alternatives to Pursuing the College Route

Trade and Certificate Programs

Learning a trade profession is a better option than college for many young adults. Trade professions are necessary for society to function, require less than four years of training, and often pay above average wages.

Trade or vocational programs offer a straight path toward specific jobs. This route is more of hands-on learning for students who struggle in school. There are programs in a wide range of areas, including web design, HVAC (heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), beauty & cosmetology, massage therapy and medical assistance. Many colleges also offer certificate programs. More importantly, these programs tend to provide more supervision to help students keep up with their work. Many also offer internships that help students transition into the workforce.

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Have you heard of a “gap year” but unsure about what they are? I wasn’t too familiar with this term while I was preparing for college, but it has become quite popular and more common among American students. And many colleges will now allow students to defer enrollment for a year. People who take a gap year can get work experience, travel the world, do volunteer work, or explore other personal interests through internships or class.

The Military

The military may be an appealing option for those who thrive on structure and physical activity. The training involves a lot of practice and repetition. There are multiple branches to choose from including the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard. These branches also have part-time reserve components where you work your civilian job, yet go to drill a weekend a month and two full-weeks a year. You must meet an age requirement, which varies by branch and pass a health screening and vocational aptitude (ASVAB) test.

There are numerous careers in the military and some even transfer to civilian employment much better than others once you leave the service. If that military career does not align perfectly with a civilian occupation, you can always take college classes while serving. Many universities cater to a military clientele and on top of that, the military pays for it. Talk about a win-win situation.

Every year, thousands of Americans consider serving in the military. You can make the military a very rewarding growth experience if you prepare yourself before joining.

Start Your Own Business

No business degree? No problem. You don’t need a degree in business to actually be in business. Today, entrepreneurs starting up businesses don’t necessarily need a business degree. After all, an entrepreneur makes his or her own destiny. While having a business degree could make some things easier, having a business degree does not guarantee business success. However, if you want to become successful in business, then you must become an expert and be good at what you do.

Are you ready to be the CEO of your own company? Start your own business? You can embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and start your own business in just a few minutes, thanks to websites like eBay, Etsy, Fiverr, and Amazon.

Work

If more schooling isn’t right for you, going straight to work can be a rewarding path. But in a tough job market you may have trouble getting a job, especially if you have no experience. If that’s the case, consider volunteering for a while to build skills. Try seeking out internships and volunteer work that interest you.

Many jobs require a college degree.

You can choose from plenty of exciting careers without a degree. But certain jobs like teaching, nursing, engineering and law all require at least a two-year degree. Graduating college can open doors to career paths that would be closed to you otherwise. Not to mention having a degree might put you ahead of your competition during the job hunt, even for jobs where a degree isn’t required.

You learn a lot inside and outside the classroom.

In college, you’re not just learning concepts, theories, or and taking exams. Your classes help you build skills you’ll need in the workforce, like critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, teamwork and organization. Sure, you could gain this experience in other ways, but it’s a part of what makes the college experience a good investment for a lot of people.

I can’t forget to mention you meet some of the most amazing people and develop lifelong friendships. College is also a great opportunity to branch out and meet people from all walks of life. You never know what you might learn from someone with a different background than yours. Colleges and universities are usually melting pots of cultures, religions, political views, and other beliefs. While your core values will probably remain the same, you’ll hopefully gain a better understanding of where others are coming from.

You’ll have access to more opportunities.

Internships are one of the best ways to gain on-the-job experience and maybe even a job offer. But many internships are only available to current college students.

A typical college campus should also have guidance counselors, career centers, job fairs, clubs, and volunteer opportunities to help you gain the experience you’ll need to make yourself stand out in the job market. Many colleges work hard to make sure that a high percentage of graduates move directly into the workforce in their fields of study. That’s a win for you and for them.

I say this all the time: College is not for everyone. And just like there are plenty of pros to getting a college degree, there are some cons too. Let’s talk about them.

You might not need a degree to do the job you want.

A college degree can open doors, but what keeps those doors open? Hard work, determination, and perseverance. Some of the world’s wealthiest business people and entertainers didn’t even finish college let alone attend at all.

The following successful people either never enrolled in college or never completed their college degrees: Bill Gates-Microsoft founder; Steve Jobs-co-founder of Apple; Wolfgang Puck- chef and restauranteur; Beyonce Knowles Carter- singer, actress, and one of the greatest entertainers of all time; Michael Dell- founder of Dell, Inc.; Walt Disney- Disney Corporation founder; and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook.

They are proof that the traditional college route isn’t the only path to success.

Your degree might not land you a high-paying job.

Sure, having a college degree will help you bring home a paycheck—but not all degrees are created equal. A history degree might earn a starting salary averaging around $40K while an engineering degree, for instance, might earn twice that. You have to consider whether what you’d be making is worth what you’ll be paying for school. Seriously—graduating college with $100,000 in student loan debt to take a job making $40,000 just doesn’t make sense. And it doesn’t take a college degree to figure that out.

So, Is College Really Worth It?

I get it. Going to college is a societal norm for many. Generations of parents and grandparents that came before us, tells us to go, or friends and family members outline our collegiate paths to match the ones which they have traveled. After polling around, I’ve determined that many people go to college with the hope that it will help them have a better future. This can be true, as long as that hope is combined with hard work.

There are a lot of careers where a college education is required, or where having a college education will improve your chances for promotion. If you do decide that college is or isn’t for you, remember that it isn’t a debate about what’s “better.” It’s about doing what’s right for you; no matter what, you’ll be happier when you choose your path, and forge your way.

Remember, it is your life! Don’t be afraid to live it with purpose!

How Establishing an Effective Morning Routine Can Set Your Tone for the Day

April 4, 2019

Are you a morning person? Bright eyed and bushy tailed when daylight peeps through the crack of your windows? Or do you hit the snooze button after the alarm goes off yearning to get those few extra minutes in before actually stepping foot out of bed? The first thing that comes to mind when I wake up in the morning (aside from giving thanks to the almighty), I ask myself…..what is on my list of To-Dos? There’s just something about checking items off of my “To Do” list which leads to a great start of my day.

A productive morning leads to a productive day, and the best way to start your productive day is with a super-efficient morning routine. Now many people decline routines because they would rather be spontaneous and sort of go with the flow (i.e. my husbandJ). But over the years, I have learned that creating and adhering to a personal daily routine is the pathway to freedom, happiness, productivity, and fulfilling our true potential. Take a look below at 4 reasons why you would benefit from a set routine: 1. Makes You More Efficient When we have a daily routine that we follow, it decreases the need to make decisions each day. It enables us to know exactly what tasks we need to do each day without having to contemplate, decide or think too much. When we are finished with one task, we know what comes next without much thought. Our day to day activities become consistent and as a result, we become more efficient. 2. Reduces Your Need to Plan When we carefully design a set routine to follow, it eliminates the need to plan our activities every morning. It takes the presumption out of our day and allows us to wake up and ‘do’ instead of wake up and ‘plan’. 3. Teaches Good Habits The secret to creating good habits is repetition. When we come up with a personal routine that works for us, the development of good habits are formed and it encourages us to repeat the same tasks over and over again. Similar to washing our face and brushing our teeth every morning, following a routine allows us to adopt habits that match our goals and aspirations. 4. Prioritization The beauty of creating a set routine is that it forces us to prioritize and decide what is important to us. Rather than make these decisions on a daily basis, we already know what we need to do and in what order because we have carefully planned it. For example, I sometimes like to start my morning in gratitude by giving thanks to our creator and writing out or reading my goals, so I decided to incorporate meditation into my daily routine. Over the years, I have developed an effective morning routine that helps me start the day right. I have to admit before I became a wife and a mom, I was a little relaxed with my morning routine mainly because I only had to prepare for myself. Still efficient but my morning checklist was slightly different compared to now. Now I have OUR breakfast and lunches to prepare. As you continue to read, I share with you an example of my routine including my top tips for improving your efficiency and making it work for you. There are many ways to get into a routine, but the number one rule is to make it work for you. I like many others have a super busy schedule. I work a full time job that requires me to sit in traffic 1 hour 20 minutes each way on top of working 8 full hours (yikes). I’m also a wife and a first time mom so trying to find balance and time to get everything done in a day’s work definitely requires a routine so that I’m more efficient. I’ll admit it – balancing everything that is important to me can sometimes be challenging. But finding an efficient morning routine has helped me increase my productivity and fit more into my day. Below I will share 3 tips to get the most out of your morning and how I make it work for me.

3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Morning

Preparation is Key! As a wise man once said, “Today’s preparation determines tomorrow’s achievements”. I try my very best to prepare for the next day the night before. I cannot tell you the amount of time it saves me when I wake up the next morning and certain things are already taken care of and checked off of my list before the day even starts. I know my moms can attest to this. I promise you, if you can carve out some time to prepare the night before, it will do wonders for your morning routine. There are a few key things that I like to prepare for the night before to make sure that I’m ready to hit the ground running the next morning. These include:

Pack your lunch for work or school.Packing your own lunch saves you money. On average, fast food lunch costs between $6-$12; but packing your lunch at home can save you half of that or more. Not only that, packing and bringing your lunch from home saves you time because you don’t have to leave work or school to get your meal. Besides, a lunch from home can be more nutritious. For my moms who are wanting to be more efficient in the morning, try preparing your food and the kids’ food the night before as it will save so much time in the am.

Side note: Now, I haven’t gotten into meal prepping yet but for those that do, it definitely prepares you for the week ahead by saving time and money. I totally recommend doing it.

Pick out your clothes. One thing that can actually make your life easier and your mornings far less nerve-racking is planning your outfit(s) for the day the night before. Sounds simple enough, right? But how many of us actually do this? I know I can be extremely indecisive when it comes to picking out an outfit to wear to work. Sometimes, depending on my mood or the weather, I will have a fashion show with multiple wardrobe changes before I decide on what to wear and realize I have lost 30 minutes in the process with a pile of clothes on the floor. There’s a reason our moms taught us this when we were young. The funny thing is I practice this not only with myself but with my daughter. Her clothes are laid out the night before as well. It just makes sense and it saves a ton of time. So before you go to bed, choose your entire outfit for the next day, right down to your shoes, bag, and other accessories. Not only will you know ahead of time how your outfit will look, but it will leave you extra time to sleep longer or to get other things done in the morning if you plan accordingly.

Have your necessities ready to go.If you’re running late in the morning, looking for your keys, wallet, cell phone, laptop bag, etc. is the last thing you should be doing to get out of the door. Any and everything that is needed should be rounded up and put in the same place, ready to go when the morning comes. A few years ago, I received a pretty cool gadget from my mother in law as a Christmas gift called a Tile Mate. A Tile is a tiny Bluetooth enabled tracker and companion app that allows you to locate your items fast. You can attach Tile to anything you’d hate to lose and can always find it much quicker. I have mine attached on my key ring and I use the free Tile app to make my devices ring when I’m in Bluetooth range so that I can easily find it by sound. Let’s say you’re out of Bluetooth range…..one cool thing is that the app remembers the last place you had your things and even shows you where they are on a map.

By preparing, my morning routine takes about 45 minutes to get up, get dressed, get the baby dressed, get our (myself, husband, and child) breakfast and lunches packed and ready to go, grab my workbag and I’m out the door. I can’t stress enough to you the importance of a great morning routine, as it will set you up for a successful day…..and life. Remember, this is your life and you have to do it the way that works best for you. Do you have a morning routine?

Thinking of Starting Your Own Business?

March 28, 2019

Ever Dreamt of Starting Your Own Business?

Ever dreamt of starting your own business but you might be wondering where do I start? What should I focus on? or……….What is the next step for me? How can I turn this into a full-time, profitable career that I absolutely love? Yep. That was me. I’ve been there.

When I first had the idea of launching my own business, I was terrified out of my mind. I thought to myself what would I even do? What could I possibly sell? I knew what I was good at but at the time, I didn’t know how to package it in such a way for me to start selling to potential clients. All I knew was I had to put everything into it in order for it to work. And that’s exactly what I did. I spent hours, days, week, and months educating myself on EVERYTHING there was to know about online businesses.

What I have learned is that starting your own business can seem really scary at first. However, if you’re ready to say goodbye to that 9-5 job and become your own boss, then there’s no time like the present to actually go for it. At the same time, you do need to make sure that you’re ready. Like myself, you’ll want to do your research and really work to ensure that you have all the right tools and resources around you that you need.

Now a days, there are plenty of tools you can use to build an online business that makes the technical work a lot easier than it was in the past. No business or marketing experience is needed and best of all, you don’t need thousands and thousands of dollars to get started. In fact, you can get many internet businesses up and running with no money at all because so many free services enable the possibility. Whether you’re planning on launching an entirely online business or not, it is very important that you utilize the right resources that are available online.

Here, I list five things to get your business up and running that you may find really useful to you.

ONLINE ESSENTIALS EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS

1. Your Website

First things first, there’s your website. If you are selling online, then this is going to be your most important asset anyway. If you’re not, you will still find that having a website allows you to be able to provide information on your business, products, or services to your customers that are online.

For this, you’re going to want to get some web SEO in place and a great design that works with your branding. When you work with professionals for this, you will find that you have a great website in place that can become the basis of your business activity online.

2. Email Lists

Considering building an email list, but have some doubts about why it is needed? Many business owners and bloggers don’t realize the importance of building an email list when they’re first starting out. With the predominance of social media, and several other forms of messaging, the traditional email format feels relatively old. However, it still remains one of the most powerful and thoroughly understood modern forms of communication. For business owners, email lists can yield dramatic rewards. And although it can be scary to start, having an email list is a vital component when it comes to email marketing.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing sees a 4300 percent return on investment (ROI) for businesses in the USA. Because email subscribers join your email list from your website and will verify their identity by clicking on a link (double-opt-in), they are extremely interested in what you have to offer. This is why they are more likely to convert into paying customers.

One of the great things about having an email list is that you own it. That’s right. You own your email list. You do not have ownership of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. And when those platforms crash or have technical difficulties, you will have your email list to fall back on. Some people can go for a few days without checking social media but most people check their email several times a day.

3. Social Media Profiles

Here’s one simple fact……your business will need a social media presence. To help you increase awareness of both your business and your website, you need to have social media profiles. Social media offers many benefits to business owners, as it allows them to reach out to their customers and to gain the attention of more people/potential clients.With social media, you have endless opportunities to connect with your audience, increase awareness about your brand, engage loyal followers, and drive sales.

If people don’t know about your business, they can’t become your customers. With more than three billion people around the world using social media every month, it’s no fly-by-night trend. The keynote is to make sure that you use the correct platforms your target audience are interacting on so that you can prioritize your presence in the right places. Best of all, it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.

4. Advertising

The sole purpose of a business is to sell products and services to earn profits. Advertising helps a business to gross profits by enabling more people to know about the products and services and thus resulting in more sales. The consumers on the other hand will never get to know about the products and services if they are not advertised.

Social media advertising has become very popular and more businesses are leaning more towards it. Why is that? Because social platforms achieve immediate results. If you want to get more email subscribers or more loyal social followers, then social media advertising may be useful to accomplish these and other marketing objectives. From advertisements on Facebook to working with Google Adwords, there are a lot of different ways that you can really get your business name out there and get your products or services in front of a lot more people.

5. Create a Blog

Do you need to start a blog for your online business? In one word. YES! It is questionable as to whether blogging is still appropriate in today’s social media marketing environment. Nonetheless if you are a small business, or a worldwide corporation, blogging is essential to your online content marketing strategy. Blogging gives you an opportunity to showcase the many ways you are an expert in your field. It provides more reasons for your audience to visit your website when they may not necessarily be in a mood to buy a product.

Furthermore, it helps to build trust and will do a good deal of your marketing. Your blog will be a great asset to your business, but only if you use it on a consistent basis.

4 Reasons You Need to Blog:

Drive traffic to your website
Develop better customer relationships
Position your brand as an industry leader
Boost your SEO

If you’re always trying to think of catchy things to share on your social profiles, then a blog can be great for you. Write posts on things related to your business and industry, and then you have content ready to share. This is going to help you to not only promote your business but engage your audience too.

Whether you’re in the early stages of your start-up or looking for some inspiration to keep going, just remember when starting your own company, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Are you ready to start your own business? Now is the time to do it. What are you waiting for?

Motivational Tip: “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs” – Farrah Gray.

Why Having a Mentor is a Vital Component for Establishing a Successful Career

March 9, 2019

Why Having a Mentor is a Vital Component for Establishing a Successful Career

Can you think back to someone in your life who you admire and look up to? Maybe it is someone who is very successful in their career, their family life, or even their social life? During life’s journey we come across many people who have managed to be very successful at what they do. That is why it’s very important to find someone that you can learn from…..a mentor.

Mentoring is a powerful personal and career development tool that can enable the mentee to achieve or exceed their life’s goals and aspirations. A mentor according to Merriam-Webster is ‘a trusted counselor or guide’. Depending upon the mentee’s needs, a mentor shares knowledge and life experiences. A good mentor will help you stay accountable to your goals, they will help you pay attention and stay on track. When you get frustrated and want to give up they will push you harder and keep you going.

I’ve had many mentors throughout the course of my career and still do as of this day. In fact, I’ve been both a mentor and a mentee. Throughout my journey, I’ve relied on my mentors based on where I was in my career. In selecting a mentor, I always wanted someone to work with me who had done the things I’m striving to achieve and can challenge me. I recently wanted to switch roles in my profession because I wanted to do something different that would allow me to grow professionally while having a little more flexibility in my day to day schedule. Only problem was I didn’t have any experience in that particular field. I was just starting out so there was a lot I didn’t know. What did I do? I joined the Mentoring Circle Program that was offered at work. The program was designed to help professionals learn and grow in the workplace and accomplish their career goals. By doing that, each mentee was assigned a mentor (someone who has been operating in your field of work for most of their life and can help guide you towards success). I enjoyed the relationship my mentor and I developed. She was well versed in this particular field of work and she provided me with helpful tips, job leads, as well as inspiration and motivation.

On the flip side, I have served as a mentor to others along my journey as well. Some of the most important lessons I teach my mentees are to take the next step, to push themselves in achieving success, and to never ever give up. I am their biggest cheerleader. I encourage them when things are going well and also when things are not going so well.

When I think of people that have achieved success in life whether they’re in the entertainment industry, public service, or corporate realm, I know they’ve had good mentors along the way. In fact, most senior associates will tell you they have/have had a mentor, too. The benefits of mentoring doesn’t stop when you get that corner office. You’re never too experienced or high up to learn from others. You must allow yourself to be open and vulnerable so that you’re able to recognize your weaknesses and see where you’re falling short.

It’s important to find a mentor who is willing and able to take you on. Mentors are instrumental for so many reasons, but essential for providing knowledge, motivation, advice and counsel, encouragement when you need it most, help with personal development and so much more. If you are lucky enough to find a personal mentor who can be all of these things to you, you will have an advantage over many others, because you have a secret weapon that can take you to the top.

Do you have a mentor? If not, what are you waiting for? People enjoy helping others more than you realize. So reach out to someone who have similar interests as you and see if they’d be interested in helping you shape out your own path.

Motivational Tip: True leaders don’t create followers. They create more leaders.

Just a Girl That Decided to Go For It

March 5, 2019

When we’re young we all have dreams of what we can accomplish in life. Having a dream is easy. Making it come true is hard. As a child growing up, I like many others had a dream. Going to a good school and obtaining a college degree was the only way to fulfill long term goals and to make money. So I thought. Follow your dreams. Follow your passion. They say. So I did.

A few degrees later and more than 10 years of experience in my profession as a Scientist, I established a career that I became very passionate about. One of my long term goals early on as a student was to one day work at the CDC. Working in Public Health was (still is) a passion of mine. I loved the idea of solving problems, identifying solutions, and helping others. Not only being intrigued by infectious diseases and outbreaks, I felt it was a good way to contribute and give back to the community by working in public service.

Employed as a government contractor, I joined thousands of other colleagues in the quest of Saving Lives and Protecting People 24/7. Throughout my tenure of working as a scientist, I’ve dealt with multiple government shutdowns and more recently the loss of my contract due to lack of government funding while on maternity leave. I felt compelled to share my story because I felt that someone else could relate or it just may inspire someone else.

After spending years chasing my dreams and establishing myself as a career driven woman, I shifted my focus to concentrate more on my personal life. Fast forward to present day. I’m a wife and first time mom to an adorable baby girl. With all of the anxiety and excitement that comes along with these roles, my life literally changed forever. It is said that motherhood is the toughest job you’ll ever love. I have to say I completely agree 100%. In fact, it was the birth of my daughter that kicked off this whole “I want to do something greater, have a bigger impact, while building my brand and leaving a legacy” side of me.

I have always been the type of girl that likes to strategically plan out everything that I want to see manifest in my life. Now for the most part, it does happen. However, not always in my timing.

Self-Disclosure: I initially thought I would return to work after my 12 weeks of maternity leave. At least I thought so. This mama was ready to get back to business. But life had a way of slowing me down and keeping me ‘still’ at home just a little while longer….and longer than I expected. The loss of my contract and becoming unemployed after having a baby was totally unexpected and I was completely caught off guard. Truth is I didn’t know what to do in that moment. I was inundated with soooo many questions such as….”How much time are you taking off?” Or “When are you going back to work?” My response was very generic but in my mind, all I could think about was how am I going to care for my brand new baby and still live comfortably? Of course my husband was still working full time and providing for us (so thankful for him); however I am a millennial woman and most millennial women now a days are described as “Miss Independent” and like to make their own money.

Talk about a life lesson. I think God knew exactly what he was doing. Want to know another self disclosure? While out on maternity leave and being unemployed, I did what any other normal person would do…..I began applying for jobs. Applying for jobs became my full-time job. How many of you can relate to that? The job market at the time was slow to hiring but I managed to have gotten a few interviews in the process. Out of all the interviews I had gotten, I did NOT receive one call back. But I did not let that stop nor discourage me from pushing forward. Almost a year later, I was finally able to go back to work full-time at the CDC.

From this experience I gained the time and mental space needed to collect and gather my inner thoughts and figure out what my next moves were. Furthermore, it allowed me the time I so desired and needed to nurture my baby and embrace this new hat that I’m wearing as a mommy and I’m so thankful for it. With that, I was allowed to press the reset button and honestly, it has been the most humbling and transformational experience for me. Not only was I able to stay at home for a while longer with my daughter, but I also had a chance to rediscover myself. Who was I? What was my purpose? In that moment, I knew I needed to identify with the new person I had become.

Having said that, I’ve spent the last few months brainstorming, networking, and educating myself on what’s next. So I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business. Now who doesn’t love a girl boss? Shout out to all of my girl bosses out there making moves, inspiring others, and empowering other women. I put my head down and got straight to work. I learned the skills I needed to grow. Now of course I am still working as a scientist. But what gets me is that I know there are other women out there in this world who have dreams and GOALS…..but there are some who just don’t know how to reach them. That’s why I’m writing this post today.

# GIRL BOSS

I have been established in my career for some time and have been extremely successful with it. I have always had the passion to mentor others who are just as passionate about fulfilling their goals and dreams. What I have learned throughout this experience is that life will definitely throw you some curve balls but it is up to us to take that curve ball and make it a grand slam. Sometimes in life we have to shift our priorities and focus on what’s important at hand. I had to remind myself that its ok to be still.

Life’s lesson….Don’t ever give up on your dreams. When one door closes, several more will open. Now I don’t want you to think that I have it all figured out because I don’t. Just like you and everyone else, I’m still learning. And learning A LOT. The greatest and hardest part about sharing my story is that isn’t quite over yet because it is still being written. I have learned so much in life. Still learning actually. I’m hoping you will join me for the ride and I pray you find some encouragement and inspiration from my posts. As I return to the workforce, I am beyond excited to embark upon this new journey not only as a career woman but as a working mom, and now a GIRL BOSS. I share in the hope that something I’ve learned along the way may help you on your path and journey.

Xo!!!

Motivational Tip: The best way to predict your future is to create it.

Filter by Category : Tag : Date

Filter by Category : Tag : Date

Filter by Category : Tag : Date

The Gift That Keeps Giving

It’s that time of year again. I just love the holidays!!!

PARTYING WITH A PURPOSE

GIVING BACK THROUGH MY BELOVED SORORITY

KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT ONE OF ATLANTA’S PREMIERE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

A CHEERFUL GIVER

2 Corinthians 9: 6-8

2 Corinthians 9:11

Proverbs 11:25

Do you feel a personal responsibility to help others?

How to Attract the Career You Want

Some of the tips includes:

1. Knowing the Difference between a Resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

2. Tailoring Your Resume to Fit a Particular Job You’re Applying For

3. Cover Letter or not?

4. Interview Tips

5. How to Negotiate a Salary

6. How to Make A Good First Impression

7. How Nice is “Too Nice” in the Workplace

8. Is it a matter of WHO you know vs. WHAT you know

9. Staying Positive & Optimistic When Job Searching

10. How to Dress for Success

Mommy Moves & Money Moves: How to Find Balance between “Mommying” and Career.

1. Quit comparing yourself to other moms.

2. Mommy Guilt? Let it go.

3. Time Management

4. Spend Time with Your Partner and Children

5. Self Care

HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL BLOG and MAKE MONEY FROM IT

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission on purchases and/or clicks. Rest assured, I only recommend products that I have personally tried and loved. Thanks for supporting The Nerdy CEO :).

1. Pick Your Niche and Choose a Good Blog Topic

2. Choose a domain name.

3. Host your Blog with Bluehost.

4. Getting Started with WordPress.

5. Choose a very good theme that suits your niche.

Installing your theme

Get a Logo

6. Start Creating Your Content.

Create and Publish Your Main Pages

7. Prepare For Launch

Sign Up For Google Analytics

Set Up Your Domain Email Address

Set Up Your Email Lists

Set-up Your Social Media Accounts

Install a Few Basic Plugins

8. Launch Your Blog

Is The College Route Worth It?

Alternatives to Pursuing the College Route

Trade and Certificate Programs

Should I Take a Gap Year?

The Military

Start Your Own Business

Work

Many jobs require a college degree.

You learn a lot inside and outside the classroom.

You’ll have access to more opportunities.

You might not need a degree to do the job you want.

Your degree might not land you a high-paying job.

So, Is College Really Worth It?

3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Morning

Ever Dreamt of Starting Your Own Business?

ONLINE ESSENTIALS EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS

1. Your Website

2. Email Lists

3. Social Media Profiles

4. Advertising

5. Create a Blog

4 Reasons You Need to Blog:

Motivational Tip: “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs” – Farrah Gray.

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