Seeking Funding to Improve Communities

There are different opportunities for low-income communities to receive financial assistance through programs geared toward community innovation. This is very important because most low-income communities have not been properly educated on economics.  There are different resources that will not only finance, but also provide education to help sustain and grow wealth in certain communities.  For instance, a company called Oweesta, which is a subsidiary of First Nations, has a program that helps Native Americans become more financially aware.  The curriculum teaches Native Americans to understand credit and checking/savings accounts and also helps develop a spending plan for communities.

The EDA or Economic Development Association funds different community projects in low-income areas that will help the community improve while creating employment.  The EDA has different grants that target areas such as: PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE (EAA),and TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRMS.  These are only a few programs that EDA funds for community economic growth.

Although there are many helpful programs, there are rules and stipulations to gain access to these funds.  For instance EDA has a Competitive Selection Framework, which states that "all projects will be assessed against EDA's strategic priorities and evaluated by an investment review committee where EDA professionals will analyze and recommend proposals to the EDA Regional Director for that quarter's available funding".  When applying for these grants there are priorities pre-existing, which means not all projects, will be funded.

Oweesta only helps build Native American economics and is not for all ethnic groups.  This a disadvantage for other groups in need of the same assistance.    However there are programs that are not so exclusive, for instance the Opportunity Finance Network helps financial institutions operating in low-income areas.  This type of alternative funding can help the community as a whole.  It makes it easier for low-income individuals get loans, especially those affected by predatory loans, which can improve the state of communities.  Although these are great programs there are advantages and disadvantages to each one and applying for funding for them has to be strategic.

There is a lot of information on these various programs that will educate individuals on economics.  There are books that can be ordered and links for more evaluation of economic development.  There is also information about different trainings and workshops at different locations.  Each website gives background, history and policies for their company.  They also provide testimonies and articles from those who benefitted from the programs. These websites provides many resources for research, which helps with the process of funding.

~Gigi

http://www.eda.gov/


http://www.oweesta.org/


My Business Plan Expert Review pt.2

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Business Plan Lesson from expert William A. Cohen

Business Plan Lesson from expert Willam A. Cohen

My class this month is Business Plan Development and for my blog this week, I will concentrate on building the best business plan.  The video I want to focus on is from VideoJug.com, with expert William A. Cohen breaking down the business plan and the major key components of the plan.  I can admit that the term "business plan" initially can be intimidating.  What I am starting to see is that its just liking learning how to do anything else, it takes practice.  Writing your business plan is just like writing an amazing book biography of your business, it takes research and dedication.  This is a map to your business vision, so it has to be clear, exciting and really demonstrates why your business is the best choice to invest in.  These are some of the helpful tips I am learning along my journey of building “the best business plan”.

#1 Just Get Started

Most of the issues with not having a business plan is that you never start it.  You can read the blogs and buy the books that teach you how to build your plan but until you actually start doing it, you’re just wasting your time.

#2 Allow Yourself Mistakes

The great thing about creating your business plan is that you get a chance to see your issues on paper before you get the business up and going.  It’s better to loose $20,000 on the planning paper than doing operating hours.

#3 Research and Draft, Research and Draft

The more you know about the industry you’re trying to building a business within, the better off your company will be.  Once you compile your research, draft this information into your plan to the pros and cons before venturing into that business.  You can never have too much research.  You can never have too many planning drafts.  Create as many as it takes, until you are certain all areas of concern have been covered.

#4 Give it some time

Great business plans are not created overnight.  It will take time to research the competition and even more time to study the habits of the industry itself.  Creating a quick plan, can lead to costly mistakes and even cause you to loose out on potential investors.  Taking your time will pay off in the end, because you will have a plan that you really believe it.

One key point that I took away from William A. Cohen is the most important part of the business plan is the executive summary.  I understand this concept more now after formulating the draft for my business plan this week.  The executive summary is the first page potential investors will see so this has to be the place where creativity, facts and sales pitch put on a good show.  I’m starting to see the big picture and by the end of this class, I will have one of the best business plan investors have ever seen.  Good luck to you as well.

http://www.videojug.com/interview/business-plans

Video Jug. (2011). Business Plans with William A. Cohen. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from http://www.videojug.com/interview/business-plans

~Gigi

Critique my blog ~ Digital or Traditional Networking and Why you need it

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Digital or Traditional Networking and Why you need it

This month, my graphics company, MD Studios and Productions, had the pleasure of creating several promo videos for the upcoming stage play “Stripped”.  My group Mahogany Dust, are also the musical features for the play as well, so we have been networking, both traditionally and digitally or the last 3 weeks.  So for this blog post, I decided to really dive into the concept of traditional and digital networking. I read this article Networking: Traditional vs. Digital by dotcomweavers.com, that also gave some very interesting points on this topic.

Networking: Traditional vs. Digital

Regardless of what you do or what you aspire to become, you will have to engage in some form of networking. Whether it’s the traditional networking, meaning you attend a meet and greet and you exchange business cards or through the popular streams of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Traditional Networking
Traditional networking has it advantages because you actually get to match a face with a name and business and you get a chance to really display your passions and your intentions on your business or business idea. In this form of networking, it helps people to remember you when you really need to contact someone to help you along your journey to being established in whatever field you decided to venture into. The disadvantages are that you spend time and some times lots of money attending networking events just to establish your contacts and you may or may not meet someone that is within your industry.

Digital Networking
Digital Networking also has it advantages because first, you are not limited by time. Using the networking tools of Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn allows you to view profiles and interest to narrow down the people you actually want to network with. These services are free, which is a win-win in any business and you can reach millions in a short period of time. You can create like-minded groups within these sites as well, to share information and inside secrets. One disadvantage is that you have to post constantly and participate within these sites in order to maintain your contacts. Another disadvantage is the lack of face-to-face interaction, which can make some feel uncomfortable when engaging in online sharing. Because these sites are free, it’s possible to network with individuals that are attempting to steal personal and private information. There are individuals that run scams and will post untrue information within their profiles for malicious intent.

Why you must Network
Traditional and digital networking has advantages and disadvantages; however, it is something you must do in order to see your business thrive. Both are necessary and having a healthy balance of the two can improve your overall agenda. Attend networking events that are specifically in your industry and join online groups that meet regularly to share ideas within the business. Whichever method you choose, stay connected to your contacts by sending emails or connection messages monthly.

http://www.dotcomweavers.com/blog/2011/03/03/networking-traditional-vs-digital/

"The Voice" is BIG Competition for "American Idol"

The Voice & American Idol
This weekend, I discovered an interesting article focusing on the stats from the new reality music series called “The Voice” versus the popular series “American Idol”. The Voice is similar to American Idol, but the show focuses more on the contestant’s voice rather than their appearance. In the beginning of the series the four judges, Cee-Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, and Blake Sheldon were in competition to get the best singers on their team and have the teams compete in a series of “sing offs”. The judges’ chairs were turned away from the stage while the contestants sang. If one of the judges liked the contestant’s voice, they hit a button and the chair turned around meaning that the judge wants them on their team. If more than one judge turned around then the contestant had to choose what judge they wanted to work with.

Who Won the Billboard Chart Battle?
In my opinion this was a very nice twist on the traditional music reality shows and in this article, 'American Idol' Vs. 'The Voice': Who Won the Billboard Chart Battle, the numbers prove that many others feel the same. American Idol is running it’s 10th season and the winner this year was, Scott McCreery whose first week download sales were 171,00 for the song entitled, “I Love You This Big”. The runner up was Lauren Alaina and her song “Like My Mother Does”, had 121,000 downloads in the first week. Both of them combined had a total of 292,000 downloads. The winners of “The Voice”, was Javier Colon who had 145,000 downloads in the first week for the song, “Stitch by Stitch”. The runner up was Dia Frampton and her single, “Inventing Shadows”, was downloaded 137,000 times in the first week. So the combined total of downloads was 282,000. There was only a 10,000 difference between the two and this is amazing because this is only the first season the “The Show”. The judges on, “The Voice” outsold the judges on “Idol” when it came their released singles. Christina Aguilera and Blake Sheldon outsold Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler 352,000 to 277,000 with sales increases of (100+)%.

The Voice versus American Idol on TV Views
These numbers prove that people are definitely tuning into, “The Voice” but “American Idol” still dominates the new show with 26.2 million viewers vs. 13.3 million for “The Voice”. These statistics shows a shift in the way music is being sold today and reality music shows are gaining the numbers much faster than traditional trends.


http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/tv-film/american-idol-vs-the-voice-who-won-the-1005268192.story

Using Social Networking Sites as Marketing Tools

Using Social Networking Sites As Marketing Tools
"How to Utilize Social Media Tools for Your Company
Curtesy of YouTube & Mahalo.com
Jena Andres interviews Kate Gardiner


The Internet today has become the number one way consumer’s access new music, read the latest news and purchase the latest gadgets. For this reason, it is very important to have a presence on branded social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc., so that consumers see your brand frequently. When establishing a social presence, it is important that the content you share is of high quality and reflects the image and message that the brand wants to represent. If you are a small business owner who has yet to embrace social networking, now is definitely the time to put that vehicle in motion.

When it comes to the best networking tools for startup companies, business professionals favor Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as the top sites. In the video I attached below, Jena Andres of Mahalo.com interviewed web strategist Kate Gardiner, who stated, “In my opinion, you must have an aggressive appearance on Facebook and Twitter as well as LinkedIn”(Youtube, 2011). Joining these media streams and using them can be the edge your business needs to stand out among competitors.

Social networking platforms set the stage for building relationships with people who share the same interests, activities and personal contacts. This also means social networking also enable business, both big and small, to invite audiences to get to know their brands in non-traditional ways of marketing or advertising.

It is important to research, study and decided what sites are best for your particular type of business. Before opening any accounts and becoming an active member, consider how your business can profit from the sites resources. It is also important to have a strategic marketing plan and analyze the marketing vehicle of the major companies within your industry. Analyze your current social media strategy, your targeted audience and how it can possibly be improved. Without this plan, you could find yourself wasting time and joining sites that are not meeting the needs of your business.



YouTube. (2011). How to Utilize Social Media Tools for Your Company. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgm7HX4gS7A

The Basics of Self-Releasing your Music Album

The Basics of Self-Releasing your Music Album

You’ve finished the album and now you’re ready to release it. But before you start, it is important to know how independent musicians sell their music, how it works, and what are the pros and cons of choosing each option. By researching, you can develop your own opinion and choose which one is best for the direction you are seeking with your music. These are some of the helpful tips I learn along my journey of self-releasing two independent albums.

Tip number #1 is to be accessible. You have to look at your product just as you would any other major product. If you sell ketchup you should want your brand of ketchup to be in every store that sells ketchup. Your ultimate goal is to make it possible for people to find, whenever they are searching for your type of music, especially at their preferred store, but also at a specific location for your fans. There are several digital stores being created monthly. A select few will succeed, while others will be force to shut down. Stay alert for the best ones and stay true to those that best suit your music and audience.

Tip number #2 is to have an impressive website. Your website should be just as unique and intriguing as your music. Providing great content such as new music snippets, live video performances and a personal blog will ensure that your fans will spend time on your site learning more about you and becoming a bigger fan. Also provide access for your fans to purchase your music directly from your site or sites where they can download your music.

Tip number #3 is to be interactive. The rise of the computer age has brought fourth a new way of socialization. Because of the type of technology we have today, it is very easy to build a fan base by building a strong presence on the top social networking sites. According to eBizmba.com the top three sites are listed as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which are all great resources for building fan base and great business connections. After setting up accounts on these sites, it is very important that you stay connected and post frequently. The more you post and share with your fans, the more involved they become in being apart of your journey.

My last and final tip, number #4, is to research and read. Technology changes daily and it is important to grow within the industry and grow with your fan-base. As we discover these new technologies, research them and become apart of the movement. As I mentioned above, being accessible is very important. The only way to truly be accessible is to know all the avenues possible for maximum exposure.

eBIZMBA. (2011) Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Websites. Retrieved June 18, 2011 http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites