Fearless Reloaded Conference

 

Fearless Reloaded

The Fearless Reloaded conference was an awesome and engaging experience. The 3-day conference consisted of a series of panels and networking opportunities. The conference presented many opportunities to engage with Black-Women owned businesses.

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Day 1 – Cocktail Reception

  • The cocktail reception was an awesome kick-off to the conference to engage with panelist and business owners in a relaxed setting.

Day 2 – Fearless Conference – This was a fulfilling 12-hour day!

Personal Note: What an awesome way to wake up on a Saturday. Excellent view (conference held on 27th floor), bomb music (DJ was poppin), and being in a room filled with #BlackGirlMagic!

Keynote Speaker – Pat Smith (Author/Actress)

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    • Theme: Second Chances & Transparency
    • For many years, Pat felt like she had to fake her brokenness and hide her imperfections to be accepted and respected.
    • Use your setbacks, rejections, and down falls as opportunities to re-direct your journey.
    • Losing in the Miss USA pageant altered her perspective and she saw 1st runner up as a failure. She tried to find things to fill the void she developed from losing.
    • She was hurting on the inside, and felt like she had to fake it to make it.
  • Use your test as a testimony and sharing how you encountered and overcame adversity.
    • In order to be fearless, you have to be transparent.
    • “When you’re broken, God can use you.” – Pat
  • Jealousy: She found herself being jealous of her husband for continuing to pursue his interest after football.
    • She had to check herself, and realized she felt this way because she was not walking in her purpose.
    • We can admire, but shouldn’t be envious. When you walk in your own purpose, you can genuinely clap for others success.
    • “If he’s called you for it, he’ll make provisions for it.” Pat

Finance – (Nicole Collette, Dominique Broadway, Erika Blair, Ngum Sue)

    • Theme: How to build wealth and financially invest for the present and future
    • Investment Portfolio should consist of stock, crypto-currency, and real-estate.
      • Stocks
        • Look at what products you use on a regular basis and look for investment opportunities there.
      • Cyrpto-currency
        • Put 5% of your investment portfolio in cryto-currency.
      • Real Estate
        • Buy Tax Lein Properties.
        • Look into Detroit and Baltimore for investment property.
    • Invest in yourself first:
      • Developing a good relationship with your finances
      • Financial Education
      • Monetize on things you enjoy
    • Multiple Streams of income
      • When evaluating multiple streams of income, perfect the first, before moving on to the second.
      • Making your streams of income relatable
        • I.e. Public speaking engagements, books, consulting.

Faith

Faith

  • Daily Spiritual Practices
    • Set aside time daily for personal devotion.
    • Set aside time daily for family devotion.
    • Time Management:
      • Set Priorities
      • Create to-do list
      • Set a strict schedule
  • Pivot in moments of failure and self-doubt.
    • Recognize that you are your biggest critc.
    • Speak positive affirmations to combat the self-doubt.
    • Realize that success is defined by how you fulfill your purpose.
    • “It takes a tribe to launch a successful business” – Christina
    • Surround yourself with people who are ahead of you in business and/or faith to pour into your life.
    • Allow every situation to grow your faith.
  • Refill your cup – Self Care
    • Taking daily & weekly time for self to quiet the noise, shut-down, and unplug.
    • Therapy is an important part of self-care
    • God can’t use you if you’re empty
    • Be careful not to become addicted to busy!
      • You can’t be everything to everybody.
      • Analyze life and lean-in to what needs your attention and what can wait.
      • Evaluate if it’s the time or season for this endeavor.
      • Say yes to important
    • “If you’re always doing, we’re not growing.” – Aventar Gray

Hustlers – (Karen Civil, Karleen Roy, Angel White, Necole Kane, Tahirah Joy, Cesily)

Hustle

  • Handling Rejection:
    • Why did we receive this no? Is this an opportunity to re-direct or go harder?
    • When you start feeling uncomfortable in business, it’s time to evaluate your presence in this space.
  • Monetize without overshadowing passion
    • Creating goals for every networking event
    • “Don’t chase the check, chase the relationship!” – Karleen Roy
  • Success
    • In your 20’s, success is doing what brings you a check.
    • In your 30’s success is doing what brings you peace.
  • Strengths / Weaknesses
    • Doing an accurate evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses. Get a clear understanding of things that bring you joy and move forward in that space.
    • Outsource things that are not a strength and focus your energy on things that make you happy.

Family Business – (McBride Sisters)

  • Theme: Dreaming and Driving
  • Have Unapologetic tenacity: Never apologize for your passion or intelligence
  • Biggest Challenges:
    • No Money
    • No Experience
  • The Journey
    • Started as a wine import company
    • Hit the grown running and went from a wine import company to a wine company in 4 years.
    • Key – Created strategic relationships with large wine companies as mentors and partners and realigned once partnerships were no longer viable.
    • Mentorship
      • It’s important to have mentors and experts around to guide you.

Health & Wellness

  • Heart Disease is killing women
    • 80% of heart disease cases are preventable or reversible.
  • Fibroids
    • 8 out of 10 women suffer from fibroids
    • Fibroids are treatable and a hysterectomy should NOT be the option to treat fibroids.
  • Therapy is IMPORTANT
    • Therapy helps you learn yourself.
    • Vulnerability is a strength.
    • Sharing your highlight wheel is not the most important thing when sharing your journey, being vulnerable and sharing the obstacles are what help other people overcome their obstacles.

Fearless Reunion – (Michelle Williams, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Meagan Good)

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  • Consistent Self-Care Practice
    • Meditation
    • Prayer
    • Affirmation
    • Be Present
    • “Keep your power and not taking ownership of others opinions of you.” – KKP
  • Enjoy the Journey
    • Be aware that you’re in the process
    • Be Patient
    • Work hard until you manifest your dreams into reality.
    • Work to combat imposter syndrome
    • Everything we go through is a vessel to get to the present.
    • Share your journey with others.
  • What would you tell your younger self?
    • It’s ok to have standards. – MW
    • You teach people how to treat you by the way you treat yourself. – KKP
    • You’re AMAZING and UNSTOPPABLE. There is nothing you can’t accomplish. – KKP
    • You’re worthy. – MG
    • Relinquish the vision of how you thought things were supposed to go and embrace the way things are.

Guest Speaker/ Keynote – Devon Franklin

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  • Key Takeaways from this Talk
    • Success = Peace
    • God is the only one who can direct your story.
    • Make your fears your to-do list.
    • Keep your intentions pure.
    • Problems are an opportunity for reward.
    • Always serve others.
    • Owning your differences and be you you’re supposed to be.
    • We’re all given talent and time:
      • Disengage with people who waste your time
      • Time is like good seed, it produces something.

Day 3 – Fearless Brunch

Mother/Wife/Entrepreneur

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  • Key Takeaways from this Talk
    • You can have it all!!
    • You need to define what having it all is for you.
    • Success is not defined by money, but freedom and flexibility. -Monique Rodriquez (Mielle Organics)
    • Don’t think of trying to balance everything in your life, but how do you integrate everything in your life!
    • Parenthood: your presence is not important, you being present in their life is important.
    • Ruthless prioritization is important and designating time for certain things.
    • Surround yourself with people who are strong where you’re weak. To give you support where you need it.
    • Speak words of encouragement and appreciation to your partner.
    • Communicate with your partner what you’re thinking and how you feel.
    • Success is not Owned it’s rented, and rent is due every day. – quote Monique Rodriquez
    • Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone’s chapter 300. – Monique Rodriquez
    • In our lack, God is more than enough.
    • Stop serving from your fumes, serve from your over flow. – Nikki
    • Peace is the new success.

 

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HerFancy30thBDAY

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On December 17, 2016, I turned 30 years old. I have never felt so fulfilled in all of my life. I am a woman who experienced pain, embarrassment, love, loss, death, life, excitement, and accomplishment in my 20’s. I’m excited to close the door to the 20th chapter of my life, and open the door to Chapter 30!

I look forward to seeing my hard work pay off in my 30’s. I’m seeing it now in the first week! I look forward to being more carefree and enjoying every single moment.

I look forward to saying F the stretch marks, and so what if I’m squeezing into my size 6 jeans. Knowing next week, they may be an 8.

I look forward to traveling and seeing the world with my beautiful baby girl!

My 20’s taught me:

1. Strive for Greatness.
2. Stay humble.
3. Give Back.
4. Love yourself.
5. Be relentless about making your dreams a reality.
6. Knowing that what is meant to be will be.
7. Hard work pays off.
8. Be confident.
9. Know your worth.
10. F* your pride.
11. Do what makes you happy.
12. Self-Care is a must.
13. Work-Out.
14. Be kind to others.
15. Allow people to be who they are.
16. Your circle reflects you.
17. Eliminate toxic people from your life.
18. If you focus on you, you won’t see where others are lacking.
19. Have integrity.
20. TRAVEL! – See the world.
21. Use spellcheck.
22. Show appreciation.
23. Be Grateful.
24. Think before you speak.
25. Help heal and not tear down.
26. Write your goals on paper.
27. Be honest and have tact.
28. Privacy is important.
29. Be organized.
30. Slay.

The Power of Excellence!

The Power of Excellence

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Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending #AACHAC’s Women’s Health Conference! Can I tell you, it was one of my favorite moments of 2015! It started with a great energizing welcome, which led to a series of workshops! I attended a cooking workshop and a financial literacy workshop! In between my workshops, I received a massage and a manicure! It was GREAT! The highlight of my day came when I heard the Amazing Amy Hilliard as the Keynote!

She is the President of Fashion Fair Cosmetics and the Founder of ComfortCakes! She is a Howard University Graduate and a HARVARD MBA! Can you say -AWESOME! She spoke about the principals of Success and her new book TAP Into Your Juice: Find Your Gifts, Lose Your Fears, and Build Your Dreams! What a powerful message!

As I sat and Listened to Amy, I felt empowered to continue to move forward, one thing that she said that really stuck with me and that was that as long as you can look up, you can get up! It is never too late to follow your dreams, it’s never too early to follow your dreams. We have to learn how to walk in our greatness and our purpose in every moment of our life!

2 years ago at this same conference, I felt inspired by Amy’s sister Gloria! Gloria Mayfield Banks, MARY KAY extraordinaire! She was so uplifting, motivating, inspiring, empowering, and EXCELLENT! These are two blood sisters, who both went to Howard University for Undergrad, and Harvard Business School for professional degrees! One sister became a Marketing Expert, and the Other a Sales Expert, and the both are examples of Excellence! I admire them for being my career inspiration, my mentors in my head, and everything that I hope to be! #BlackGirlMagic

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