The BOSS Network Blog

Yvetta  Thompson ,  Founder of Youthful Resources, Inc., Youth Resource Coalition, and Thompson Resources, LLC. Being  a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and confidant.She manages to  balance that time with being a volunteer, life coach, and supervisor. A CEO,  an a lover of life filled with faith and believer in our purpose in life.   TheBOSSSpotlight: What were some obstacles that you faced in the beginning process of  starting your business or career?  Some of the obstacles that presented themselves at the start of  my business were my fear of talking about money and financial  planning, being a full time employee while raising a family, and  not knowing where to go to get the business started and  launched. Self doubt regarding what I could offer to inner city  youth and their parents also plagued me at times. That very  same doubt became my fire and motivation to move forward to  believe that I could...

Jasmene Bowdry , A native of Lansing, MI graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising from Michigan State University and holds a Master of Business Administration from Prairie View A&M University. She's a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The National Black MBA Association. When Jasmene 's not busy forecasting trends, negotiating costs or attending fashion events, she loves to volunteer to feed the homeless, mentor youth, attend Sunday church service and travel internationally. Is a successful retail buyer and fashion stylist with over 10 years experience in the fashion industry.  She has worked as a retail buyer for several fortune 500 companies over the last 10 years including Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, and Sears. During her fashion styling days in NYC, she dressed several top celebrities in which her work can be seen in VIBE, People, XXL and Forbes Magazines. In 2015, her passion for style, black girl magic and b...

Tiffini Holmes ,  A certified Health Coach and Life Coach with more than 12 years of coaching experience. Additionally, she holds both an MBA and MA of Psychology. Her coaching brings life changing results in the areas of leadership, personal development, health improvement, and problem-solving coaching to many. TheBOSSNetwork: What were some obstacles that you faced in the beginning process of starting your business or career? Tiffini Holmes: The two biggest challenges were 1. Leaving the rfrffor my services. BN:  What inspired you to break into your particular industry? TH: While going through my own struggle trying to balance a career, being a full-time student, and lose weight I realized this a problem for many. I have always been a coach and I developed a formula that works so I needed to share it. BN:  How do you balance your personal and professional life or have you   been able to find a balance? TH : I have made my personal li...

1. Poor Follow-Up The number one reason that small businesses fail is due to poor follow-up. How many times have you reached out to a business owner or maybe left a message,but never received a follow-up call? This has happened to me more than once and for that reason, I chose not to do business with those particular companies. This is a simple, but common mistake that cost many business owners valuable clientele. It is very important to follow-up with some for of communication. 2. Poor Customer Service Customer service can make or break a business. The phrase “The customer is always right” was created for a reason. Customer service is what drives businesses. If a person is pleased they are going to tell someone. If they are displeased, they are going to tell “EVERYONE.” Customer service is everyone in the company’s job; therefore, it is everyone’s job to go out of their way to create a positive experience to create repeat customers. 3. Not Following Through The fastest way to lo...

Why do single moms feel as though they aren’t worthy of love just because they aren’t married with children? We place so much blame and guilt on ourselves while the fathers ride off into the sunset with the loves of their lives, who more than likely have children of their own. Stop torturing yourself! Love can be on the horizon for you, but you have to transform your thinking. Here are three of many tips I offer to single moms: First, if you are searching for your Boaz, then please stop! It is not your duty to find anyone, but yourself. It is the man’s duty to find a good thing, so what are you searching for? Now, that doesn’t mean that you cannot flirt if someone interesting captures your attention. But, the keyword is capturing… which means he has done the searching. You are just acknowledging the gesture. Second, know the difference between being along and being lonely. Sure there are occasions in which you’d rather have a companion. However, leverage this time. Instead of sul...

Lawana Harris,  With inspiring passion and courage, LaWana is committed to helping others achieve their best selves. She is a certified energy management coach and author who thrives on seeing others maximize their potential. Active in numerous non-profit organizations, she is a passionate activist with 26 years’ experience in facilitating civic engagement and collective action. TheBOSSNetwork: What were some obstacles that you faced in the beginning process off starting your business or career? LH: I struggled with trust in the beginning process of starting my business. Unfortunately, I allowed a few negative experiences to overshadow the potential for new opportunities. I’ve since come to know and appreciate the value of surrounding myself with people who truly support each other and resist the urge to compete or compare. BN: What inspired you to break into your particular industry? LH: My inspiration for the & "Jaden Israel" & book series is my grandson, ...

Shavannah Moore,  Coming from a World of poverty, Shavannah managed to break free and live out her purpose. To Empower Women Globally, Shavannah was a high school dropout, who was told that she would never amount to anything beyond where she was at the time. Today she is a highly sought after Motivational Speaker, a Successful Entrepreneur, and #1 Best Selling Author. She has officially accomplished everything “they” said she could never be. Now she is on a mission to EMPOWER WOMEN TO LEAD. What were some obstacles that you faced in the beginning process of starting your business  or career? Shavannah Moore :  I would say that not really having a support system from family, or even those who I thought were my friends. Being a single mother (at the time) living in poverty, a high school dropout and living paycheck to paycheck; finances never seemed to be enough. Beyond the FEAR that I had to pursue my BIG dreams, these were just a few ...