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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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3 Summer Business Building Tips

3 Summer Business Building Tips (graphic) Summer is almost over, but it's not too late to implement these 3 summer business building tips. Dequiana Brooks, of Inspired Graphics Media, offers tips to keep your sales high during the hottest months of the year.

For many small business owners, summer represents a slump in sales. Many of our potential customers are more interested in vacations and outdoor activities than in office meetings and store visits. Rather than let your sales suffer, follow these 3 business building tips to give your company a boost this summer:

  1. Head outside with your products or services. Many communities offer festivals, fairs and other outdoor vending opportunities for reasonable prices. Locate your city's event calendar and choose the events your target market will frequent. For example, if you sell one-of-a-kind jewelry, then your target may expect you at a cultural fair over a low-priced crafts event.

  2. Run a summer-only special or contest. Rhonda B. Reece, owner of handcrafted copper craft store Phoenix's Inspirations, suggests a refer-a-friend promotion to increase your mailing list. Give current customers a special referral link to your mailing list subscription form or include a "how did you learn about this list" question to track referrals. Once customers reach a certain referral level, they receive a high value coupon for your products or services. As Rhonda states, "who would not want to get a coupon for just having their friends sign-up for alerts from your company." Your customers will be happy, and you will have gained a solid list of new mailing list subscribers.

  3. Strengthen your strategic alliances. If your business is suffering a summer slump, then it's likely that other businesses have the same problem. Partner with a similar business to offer referrals and run promotions. For example, if your business offers massage and another business has a manicure and pedicure service, partner up for a summer pampering event. If you have a business that caters to other entrepreneurs, such as consulting or design, partner up with similar businesses to give in-person or web-based workshops. Not only will you establish yourself as an expert in your field, but you may also get new clients from the audience.

These tips are sure to get your small business headed in the right direction this summer.

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Dequiana Brooks has been an entrepreneur for as long as she can remember. She focuses her energy on helping other businesses succeed through her marketing strategy & design company, Inspired Graphics Media, where we turn inspiration into action. Visit http://www.inspiredmedia.net and schedule your FREE 30-minute consultation today!