Full albums on Facebook. This is one of the many things I love doing!
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Posted in African American, Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Entrepernuers, Event Planning, Public Relations, Small Business, Social Media, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Women
Tagged Amanda Hollowell, Brides, Ceremony, DIY, Entrepreneurs, Event Plainning, Event Planning, JL Events, Reception, Savannah Georgia, The Knot, Visit Savannah, Wedding Planning, Weddings
Amanda Hollowell the founder of JL Events, LLC tells her story.
I was asked to do a small piece about my wedding planning business in Savannah, GA. The who, what, when, where and why. Check it out!
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Posted in African American, Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Entrepernuers, Event Planning, MMA, Public Relation Clients, Public Relations, Savannah, Small Business, Social Media, Urban, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Women
Tagged Amanda Hollowell, Arts, Atlanta, Black Business Women Online, Business, Business and Economy, Dramas, Entrepreneurs, Event Planning, Facebook, Forrest Gump, Free Press Release.com, HARO, Hosting, JL Events, Limited liability company, LLC, Mandarellla, Marketing, New York City, Online Communities, Programs, Public Relations, Relationships, Savannah Georgia, Small Business Owners, Social media, Television, Third Watch, Tom Joyner Morning Show, Twitter, United States, Urban Marketing, Website Design, Weddings, Youtube
Cover via Amazon
I have been in the entrepreneur spirit since January 2011. During that time I have read 7 books from management to emotional stability. All these books have been great in inspiring me and giving me direction. Here is a little recap of these books and what I took from them. Please note; the one major lesson that I am learning during this experience is that it is not about just growing your business, it is about growing you. Emotionally, as a small business owner you go thru just the same amount of ups and downs that your business goes through. What I am finding no ones tells you about this part of the business experience, it is organic to say the least but not for the faint of heart. So entrepreneurs beware! On your shoulders actually does sit the negative you and the positive you and it gets crazy fast. On to my reading list…
(Disclaimer: All books were purchased on sale at Books A Million and Big Lots, remember your budget people)
1. Russell Simmons – Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success
This was a good book where I felt like he was more open and honest about the emotional journey you go through in the hustle game and staying to true to yourself. Not a lot of business resource advice, but definitely got my mojo going.
2. Glinda Bridgforth and Gail Perry-Mason – Girl, Make Your Money Grow!
This book is special to me, I had the pleasure of having dinner with the amazing Gail Perry Mason in Savannah, GA and she signed this book. There is a simple premise in this book, financial empowerment but with a minority voice for the tone of the book. I loved it, clear debt understanding the market and the next thing you know you are on Scott Trade. Not that simple but a great 101 Intro to securing your financial freedom.
3. Rhonda Byrne – The Secret
I read this book when it first came out. What works for me most in my journey is the practice of envisioning your dreams, staying focused and meditating.
4. Jeffery Gitomer – The Sales Bible
The Bible is The Bible; I will never replace that in my life. However, The Sales Bible is a great road map to selling yourself and your business. It is easy to read. It is written in more of a resource style that you can pick up and read a chapter to help you at that moment.
5. Kevin Phillips – Bad Money
Great read! Talks about the rise and fall of the American economic system 2006 – 2008. This gave me great perspective as a business owner in a global economy and shit does roll down hill.
6. Marcus Buckingham – GO Put Your Strengths To Work
Just like the title says it puts you to work on a series steps to achieve success. I am still a work in progress on this book because you have to keep working on it and remembering to do it.
7. Tyler Cowen – Discover Your Inner Economist
There is nothing wrong with thinking like an economist, economy =money hello? This book helped me understanding my motivations and potential consumers or business partners motivations and how you can motivate people to your way.
This is just the beginning of my reading journey. I plan on journaling this process which I think will help with the moments of doubt or concern. I recommend everyone start their own reading adventure in life, you never know what you might learn or the knowledge you might gain. I do not think one person has the one right answer for you. But through research and having a good perspective, I believe we all can find the answers we are look for.
Posted in African American, Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Entrepernuers, Event Planning, Public Relation Clients, Public Relations, Savannah, Small Business, Social Media, Urban, Women
Tagged African American, Amanda Hollowell, Bad Money, Black Business Women Online, Black Enterprise, Book, Business, Coffee Table, Crowdfunding, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurs, Facebook, Gail Perry Mason, Glinda Bridgforth, Inspiration, Investments, Jeffrey Gitomer, Kevin Phillips, Kickstarter, Marcus Buckingham, Marketing, Money, Online Communities, Public Relations, Rhonda Byrne, Russell Simmons, Scott Trade, Shopping, Small business, Small Business Owners, Social media, Social Networking, Start Ups, The Bible, The Sales Bible, The Secret, Triberr, Twitter, Tyler Cowen, Urban Marketing, Zig Ziggler
I love both these artists!
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Posted in African American, Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Event Planning, Public Relations, Urban, Women
Tagged Amanda Hollowell, Atlanta, Black Business Women Online, Black Enterprise, Hip Hop, Just Wright, Mandarellla, Mixtape, Music, National Basketball Association, New Jersey Nets, Queen Latifah, Romantic comedy film, Urban Marketing
Amazing MMA Fighter Muhsin Corbbrey! Check him out at http://savannahnow.com/accent/2011-06-20/savannahs-own-mixed-martial-arts-fighter-seeks-knockout-offers-ways-out#.Tf7Lx6N5mSM
Mixed martial arts champ uses fame to help others better their lives
Some take up baseball, soccer, football or basketball.
Muhsin Corbbrey chose mixed martial arts.
At age 8, his father enrolled him in classes. He stuck with it, and now he has a prestigious professional fighting career.
Things were not always so good for Corbbrey, though.
“Knucklehead” was the term he used to describe the lifestyle he had as a teen. He admits he was lucky not to have ended up in jail or worse.
He credits mixed martial arts for turning it all around.
Today, Corbbrey fights and teaches lessons out of Champions Training Center, located in Savannah.
The gym, which offers lessons starting with little kids all the way through adults, allows Corbbrey a refuge to pass his knowledge onto others.
“Mixed martial arts allows you to focus and set goals for yourself; it’s probably had the biggest impact on my life,” he said. “It’s given me the opportunity to travel the world and to get out of my bubble.”
While Corbbrey is deathly dangerous in the octagon and ring, outside of it he is a proud husband and father.
Corbbrey seeks to pass on his love for MMA to not only his students, but also his kin.
His wife Angie is actually a Golden Gloves boxing champion, and his 4-year-old son, Zafir, is a daily fixture at the gym.
“It (was) really surreal,” Angie Corbbrey said when asked what it was like dating a professional fighter.
“It used to be stressful, but I’m used to it now.”
Unfortunately though, many naysayers out there still view MMA to be a violent sport instead of one that requires incredible discipline. Because of this, some may worry about the impact such a violent sport could have on a young child; Angie Corbbrey is not among them.
“I’d rather our son do this than anything else,” she said.
You may think being a husband, father and fighter would complete a person, But there is still more to Corbbrey; he’s an activist.
While he seeks to build champions, he also seeks to build lives. As a professional MMA fighter, Corbbrey has been given a platform to get his views on how to better our world out in the open.
“Some people still lack basic freedoms and equal opportunities. They need our attention. We have to get out of our own bubbles and realize that we’re all human.”
Because of this, by training at Champions Training Center, one will not only become highly skilled in whatever MMA discipline they chose, but more importantly, they will become a better human being.
“People wish for better things, man. I want to show them there’s a way out.”
Posted in Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Entrepernuers, MMA, Public Relation Clients, Savannah, Small Business
Tagged Affliction, Amanda Hollowell, Cage Fighting, CFC, Children, Dana White, ESPN, Events, Everlast, Golden Gloves, JL Events, Marketing, Martial Arts, Mentor, Mixed martial arts, MMA, Muhsin Corbbrey, Online Communities, People, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Small Business Owners, Social Networking, Sports, Submission Fighting and MMA, Tapout, UFC, Urban Marketing, WFC
The Plunge Project
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| Outdoor Wedding Trend: Self-Serve S’mores StationPosted: 14 Jun 2011 07:00AM PDT
If you’re one of the many brides tying the knot outdoors this summer or fall, I have an exciting trend to share — the self-serve s’mores station! A couple months ago, I actually attended a wedding with this delicious after-dinner treat, so I was very excited when Amanda Hollowell of JL Events in Savannah, GA reached out to me to share her tips and tricks for setting up a self-serve s’mores station at your wedding or event. To start, you’ll of course need fire. Amanda explained that people tend do this one of two ways: with a campfire or as more of a personal flame station. The campfire station works well at outdoor facilities — if your venue doesn’t already have a fire pit, check to see if you can bring a portable fire pit. This station is a no stress setup. Amanda recommends a table wrapped in burlap or with burlap runners, ivory accents and floral that has greenery or small centerpieces placed in mason jars (mason jars + outdoor weddings = amazingness). You can use an existing table next to the campfire or a six foot banquet style table — all depending on the size of your guest count. Presentation is everything with this station. Amanda uses large glass vases with lids, in all different shapes and sizes (HomeGoods is a great place to find these). The glass enables guests to see the graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. Amanda recommends using lids because if the event is outside, there is chance you will be faced with some flying pests, so lids help protect those yummy treats. To help guests toast their marshmallows, you can use either extra long bamboo sticks (kabob skewers) or the long metal two prong stick (used mostly for barbequing). To entice the guests, JL Events puts a platter out with marshmallows already attached to bamboo sticks. One warning: if it’s a warm day and you are going to take the chocolate out of its wrappers and place it in jars, wait until the sun down goes down. Otherwise, the chocolate will melt. Amanda also recommends freezing the chocolate the night before and not putting it out until it is truly time for dessert. Now you’re ready to include a self-serve s’mores station at your next outdoor event! [Photos by Teresa Earnest of Memories n More] |
Posted in Atlanta, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Entrepernuers, Event Planning, Savannah, Small Business, Wedding Planning
Tagged Amanda Hollowell, Campfire, Chocolate, Event Planning, Gmail, Graham cracker, Home, HomeGoods, JL Events, Kabobs, Mandarellla, Marshmallow, Mores, Party Ideas, Savannah, Skewers, Smores, The Plunge Project, Toaster, Walmart, Wedding Blogs, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Planning
Image via CrunchBase
I recently had a birthday and this birthday I decided to look at my Facebook Birthday wishes in a different context. We can view this as a Facebook Birthday Case Study. According to Mr. Zuckerberg’s playground (Facebook) I have around 660 some odd friends on Facebook throughout the country. That is pretty impressive considering I only talk to 10 people daily, usually. That 10 almost stays in constant rotation due to my OCD personality to network and meet new people. That was a tangent, the focus of this “case study” is to track how many people would say Happy Birthday on my birthday, what this means to me as a person or a Facebook user and as a small business owner.
We will start with my feelings as a person. Not to be too personal but I am on my second year into my third decade of life. It has been pretty nerve wracking this past year. Change of job, meaning loss of job and entering into the world of entrepreneurship. “Danger Will Robinson, Danger!” is the best way to describe my feelings about this endeavor.
This birthday I was going to change, this year I was going to be present in every moment of my life. This year I was going to engage every Facebook friend, well only those who engage me first, kidding. This year on my birthday I was going to launch my blog and take my event planning business to the next level. This birthday I was going to be a present to myself. After reading this last paragraph, there is plenty on my plate. LOL
My birthday rolls around and I turn on my Facebook alerts to my phone and I am ready, 660 or so emails here we go. The first 30 I was pumped, I was like oh yeah, you like me, you like me, you like me, then I was like who are you, but who cares you like me. At the end of my birthday evening exactly at midnight, I think I ended with 160 or so Happy Birthday comments on my wall. Now we do the math. Out of my 660 friends 160 of them posted Happy Birthday on my wall. Give or take that is 24% of friends said Happy Birthday, yeah! I felt good about this. It was a great feeling, but my mind wonders what is the average? I mean do I send a Facebook message to the 500 others who did not post and say, what the h…, I thought we were friends? Or do I take it for what it is worth, and say Facebook is a medium to track people at a distance and feel like you are still kept abreast of their lives through picture updates and sending them gifts through games. I mean is there Facebook etiquette? Should there be a disclaimer that says if you add me as a friend you better say Happy Birthday darnit or I will not help you build a darn thing in Cityville. You know, I do not know. I am just observing.
Once the Birthday posts all came in and it was time for the Thank You. I had said Thank You several times throughout that day. There was one Thank You I posted that got a fairly decent response. I posted something to the effect, “now only if I could get everyone one to send a dollar with that comment, I would be rich.” Well not rich, but I would have some money in my pocket. A few agreed with the comment, liked it and someone offered to mail a dollar, when in reality it would totally cost them more to mail that dollar instead of sending it through Paypal. I digress. What if we could do that? Let’s be honest, my 660 friends and I are a component of what makes Facebook worth billions. We all know now that plenty of our information is being sold, track, and used for marketing purposes. I mean come on Facebook is the Matrix, except we are not babies feeding on liquid humans with holes throughout our bodies connecting us to a main frame. Instead we are connected to Smart Phones, Panera Wifi (Loves me some Panera Wifi), Xfinity by Comcast, and however you are getting connected. Back to the point, the point is this would it be wrong to say for my birthday, can you Paypal me a dollar, will you like my business, could follow me on twitter, will you subscribe to my blog? Is that wrong?
The end result of my Case Study, is that not to maximize your Facebook friends for no reason, but maximize to change your world or others. I am always humbled when I read someone’s post on my wall, especially when I know we have not talked. It is always touching to know that you like something I am doing. Now, more than ever we should all take our Facebook Birthdays to the next level, ask for that help you need, spread some good news, or just follow through and try to wish all your friends Happy Birthday. It truly does make a difference.
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Posted in Atlanta, Black Enterprise, Deep Thoughts by Amanda Hollowell, Entrepernuers, Public Relation Clients, Savannah, Small Business
Tagged Amanda Hollowell, Birthday, Black Business Women Online, Cityville, Comcast, Entrepreneurs, Event Plainning, Facebook, Free Wifi, Friends, Georgia, Holidays, JL Events, Mandarellla, Online Communities, Panera, Paypal, Public Relations, Savannah, Smart Phones, Smartphone, Social Networking, The Matrix, Twitter, Urban Marketing, Xfinity
Project Entertainment and Events 