Ladies of Virtue (LOVChicago)’s Post

The official first day of summer is June 20th but it's never too early to start planning your summer marketing strategy. Here are five tips to boost profits for your black owned business this summer: 1. Launch a summer promotion around holidays with special summer themed products or services 2. Participate in local events and festivals to reach a new audience 3. Create summer themed blog posts, videos, and content 4. Collaborate with black owned businesses that have a product or service that compliment yours 5. Offer summer perks like free samples and summer only exclusive products that will only be available for a limited time Don't get complacent in the summer, start planning now. #blackbusinessboom #businesstips #summer2024

We are co-founders and we’ve only met in person 3 times, twice before we incorporated. What’s your co-founder's story? The First Time: Adi had just joined Beckon Ice Cream as a remote employee, and after a few months on Google Meet, we had a big shoot in Minnesota. We shared a room at a Best Western and spent a lot of time in the sun together. Happy to confirm: neither one of us snores. The Second Time: For National Ice Cream Day, we hosted a tailgate popup in at the Greenway in Boston. Since Karli was living there at the time, Adi stayed there for almost two weeks. The best part? Karli’s roommate had just moved out and took all her furniture. All we had was a couch and a blow-up mattress.   The Third Time: AFTER incorporating our business and becoming legally and financially bound to each other, Adi flew to New York and we spent a week together working, doing our photoshoot, and simply spending quality time together. #cofounders #storytelling #brandstory #founderjourney #cofounder #missiondriven #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinessmarketing #smallbusinessstrategy #smallbusiness #femalefounders #femaleentrepreneurs #femaleempowerment #womenownedbusiness #womeninbusiness #womenempowerment #womenentrepreneurs #marketingagency #smallbusinessowners #remotework #remoteworking #remoteteam https://lnkd.in/gfTxgRbZ

"The two hands we carry are not independent" in simple terms, let's support each other in our own small way. We are part of groups that sent us invite on LinkedIn,Facebook,WhatsApp and others to join their groups. Most of these people knew us not however, they invited us to join their groups in an attempt to build numbers to grow whatever businesses they had to build. Some would later come with a business package, courses, projects... for your endorsement with same aim of growing their businesses. Moreover, a few come with recommendations to enroll onto thier courses @ a fee though may not be directly linked to our field of work. Interestingly, it's at this point that they sell themselves with their achievements and accolades for you to ascribe to their courses and even invite other colleagues to come on board. More often than not you help these people by accepting their invites though you did not know them in person. Fast forward, you write to them for assistance to be an #intern and out of the blue their best response responses are: ^I am very busy ^I don't know you that much to recommend you to others ^we need people from a certain background ^You're too old or young.... though you gave them the necessary support by adding up to their numbers,enrolling onto their courses, advertising them to friends and family and across the globe on various social media platforms. Now! you sold yourself with all the #bigTitles and businesses to us, we found value for money so we enrolled. We need help to learn(practice) eventually as an #intern in your Organisation,company,Institution.... and your feedback is, you don't have records of me when in actual sense you can help but you refused by dint of not being the son of a CEO,Friend,Minister,MP,Governor etc. So I ask these individuals or groups: #How do you continuously grow your business if you can't assist the people you train theoretically to build a practical foundation if you can? #How do you grow your business if the business can only assist family & friends to progress when you did not limit your invite to your friendsand family? #How do you also grow the business when we're likely to decline all subsequent invites that appears on our timeline? #How do you also grow your business when you boycotted a great talent because he/she is not related to the CEO,Minister,Dr,Governor, MD etc? #lesson: Ranging from football talents to extremely high IQ talents, Black talents are wasting away due to the so called "who you know syndrome" this is becoming a becoming a Canker! Some personalities here can relate😇

Being a young founder can be dayuuuum lonely 🎻 (a tiny violin yes but a violin none the less) No big company socials or clear ladder or people above or around you to talk to.... So been trying to combat that the only way I know how 🤝 COMMUNITY 🤝 Once a month I’ve hosted events with incredible young founders to try and recreate that after work drinks feel - under two community names TBC Tech and Shef's Table (Female Founder specific) all incredibly sponsored by Entrepreneur First. This one last night was in collab with one the most inspiringly ambitious people I've got to know recently Ama O.. DM if you're interested to join or just want to chat :) #founder #startup #femalefounders

On the topic of milestones… Celebrating milestones and sharing words of inspiration with the next generation is a humbling experience. Recently, I had the honor of addressing the 8th grade graduating class at my grammar school on the South Side of Chicago. The pressure was intense, but if my words could inspire even one student, I knew I was carrying the torch of my mentors. During my speech, I emphasized a few key points: -The work starts now: Everyone you meet from now on is a potential resource for your future. Networking isn’t just a corporate behavior. -It’s OK to want more: I was raised to challenge norms but ironically also raised as a Latina to just be grateful and happy with what I have. I was discouraged to study abroad, move to NY, leave my ‘great job at X company’ and move to Paris. Whew! Just imagine what my life would be like if I actually listened.  -The walls are made of paper: Through the many times it felt like I hit a wall, I eventually learned that those walls are a facade. They’re made of paper and they’re meant to be torn down.  -Own your identity and take up space: Fitting in is hard when you don’t share common ground with the majority. Eventually I realized my differences are my superpower. I’d love to have known and felt that way earlier in life.  -And finally, your world is bigger than Chicago: Oh man what a city! With all my friends and family there, it was so hard to leave but I have no regrets. I’ve grown and thrived in my two other cities of residence Paris and NYC. If you yearn for an exit GO GO GO. Reflecting on my journey was timely as I mark FOUR YEARS at TikTok today. The experience has been a whirlwind, equivalent to eight years of work in just four. Collaborating with incredible individuals to build this groundbreaking business has been an experience of a lifetime. There are WAY too many people to share gratitude with. So to all of you who have challenged me, encouraged me and have partnered with me I am grateful for the support and inspiration. Cheers to continuous growth and progress!

When I was in Junior Achievement's Company Program as a teenager we would often pack up all our products and pop up at a local business for the day to see if we could pitch and sell what we had created. It was terrifying! And also, I learned that most businesses want to help other businesses succeed. You just have to ask. Well, I'm almost 40, and have lost my "cute" and "kids are our future" essence but... when we were brainstorming on what weekday opportunities we could create to meet new customers, I remembered my younger days and wondered: Would businesses be just as open to supporting adult-run product-based businesses through pop-up opportunities? Thoughts? Experiences? Are you a business who offers these opportunities? Would you be open to it? If this isn't something you'd be open to, why not? And, as younger Jenna learned; The Ask: "Would you be open to our company popping up at your workplace to do a demo with our wellness coffee and to sell products to your team?" (With the zest and humbleness of a high school student of course ;))

Embarking on my quirky professional journey back in high school as a freshman felt like stepping into a comedy-drama film with a hint of adventure. While my buddies were deep into textbooks and tests, I was out there, a wide-eyed teen with a knack for orchestrating events that ranged from slightly chaotic to downright memorable. And here's the kicker: I wasn't making a dime from any of it. That's right – from organizing lunchathons and fashion shows to coordinating company employee events, conferences, and festivals, I did it all purely for the love of the game. Who needs a paycheck when you've got a passion for bringing people together and making magic happen? Sure, there were moments when I felt like I was in over my head, like trying to wrangle a group of high schoolers and my family and friends into a cohesive event-planning team. Speaking with company CEO’s and VP’s seeing if they’ll give me a shot to host an event with them. And let's not forget the times when things went hilariously wrong – from mistaking the venue's loading dock for the main entrance to accidentally ordering enough balloons to float away to the moon and can’t forget accidentally destroying a ice sculpture by falling on it. But amidst the chaos and laughter, there was something magical about the experience. Each event taught me valuable lessons about resilience, creativity, and the power of community. And as I navigated my way through high school and beyond, those early experiences laid the groundwork for what would become my passion and my livelihood. Fast forward to today, and I'm proud to say that I've turned my love for event planning into a bona fide business. As one of the cofounders behind Atuiqe, I've honed my skills and built a team that shares my quirky sense of humor attention to detail and unwavering dedication to making every event unforgettable. So here's to the highs, the lows, and all the hilariously awkward moments in between. Because in the end, it's not just about the events we plan – it's about the journey that got us there, complete with its fair share of plot twists and punchlines.

A very happy 2024 kickoff to all fellow entrepreneurs out there! This is that time of year where we really get to think about how we want to review, revamp, and revitalize our businesses for the coming year. I am here to help. Let's dive into those stressors, those problems you've been searching for a solution to and get them done. Let's talk about not only how I can and WILL help you succeed, but how we can do so with some awesome January promotions! https://lnkd.in/ghwJYpvi

Summer’s Here! Hoping the only sparks we see in NYC are creative ones. Here’s to: 🌞 Igniting Your Creativity 🌆Tapping New Possibilities! 🌿Unleashing Fresh Marketing Magic 🌟 Transforming Sunshine into Creative Brilliance 🌺 Crafting Unforgettable Campaigns in NYC's Heat 🌞 I see summer as a catalyst for creativity and innovation. It’s about infusing our work with the vibrancy and spontaneity that this season brings. Summer’s state of mind," propels us in the advertising world, to elevate our strategies. Embrace the longer days to fuel our creative processes, Drawing inspiration from the city's vibrant pulse and the natural beauty around us. Heres to creating marketing magic that resonates with the joy and freedom of summer. Here's to a summer filled with innovation, passion, and a touch of that vacation spirit. Let's lead with enthusiasm and make this season our most creative yet. How will you infuse your work with the essence of summer? Share your thoughts and let's inspire each other! #SummerInNYC #CreativeMarketing #Innovation #Leadership #MarketingStrategy #SummerVibes #Inspiration #StoriedWork

Shoutout to everyone who came to our first webinar with speakers Osh Iddawela and Mitchell Hughes and host Ikya Thearam! ICYMI, here’s some key takeaways 1. Be Curious 🧐 VCs value interns that are hungry to learn rather than focusing on experience. So ask lots of questions and try to contextualise terminology as soon as you can to help you join into those conversations in the future! 2. Find the balance 🏗️ While backing yourself and maintaining conviction is very important, make sure that you really listen to feedback and the sentiments of your team 3. Find how you are uniquely qualified ✨If you have a unique background or experience you can bring to the table then make sure to fully lean into that perspective to have a real impact And shoutout to our friends Textbook Ventures for collaborating with us for this event! Don’t worry if you missed this one - we’re planning some awesome things for October 👀 In other news, we are recruiting for marketing officers and designers -- Reach out on our socials if you are interested in joining! 🌱