A few months ago I decided to read a book I had for well over 5 years. One day while on Facebook someone posted a quote from the book that resonated so I decided it’s time to actually blow the dust off the book and read it. The book was “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz.

The book goes over each of The Four Agreements we should model our daily living after. The Four Agreements when your read them are relatively simple when you look at them but my mind was having a hard time even remembering just four simple agreements. After reading the chapters sometimes more than once I began to fall in alignment with The Four Agreements.

The Four Agreements are:

Be Impeccable with Your Words: Sounds pretty easy eh? Well it isn’t. It is so easy to think or say something negative about others, situations and even about ourselves. Words are powerful. The Bible says “as a man thinketh so is he”. My goal for 2012 is to think and speak more impeccably. At least better than I did last year. There will be more positive thoughts and words spoken about my life and the world around me.

Don’t Take Things Personally: WHAT! How in the world do you expect me not to take things personally when someone has offended me.  Wow this is a hard one. But think about it. If you allow whatever someone did to you resonate with you it will begin to fester and it will be a weight that you are carrying around.  The other person is probably running around with no worries and you are still carrying around what that other person did to me 20 years ago or even last week.  My goal in 2012 is to not things bother me like they used to.  Now I am human so I may have a moment but I will try better to release things that others do to me.

Don’t Make Assumptions: Woo Hoo…now that is a doozy.  Our minds will take us through scenario after scenario of who, what, when, why and where.  If you need to know something just ask the person.  That way you won’t have to assume and most of the times when we assume we are making the wrong assumptions anyway.  Our minds will mess with us and that will continue to allow things that others do to us weight us down.  It is time to move forward and not get stuck and lost in the land of assumptions.

Always do Your Best! : Now this is easy right? Of course it is. When it comes to trying to implement the agreements into your lifestyle it will be hard. It won’t happen overnight.  You will make mistakes.  Just dust yourself off and say I will do better next time.  Purpose in your heart that you will always do your best in 2012! I am!

The Four Agreements can be applied to everything you do. How you treat your family, your friends and even your customers. It is not always easy to recondition our minds especially when we live in a negative imagery society. But what it has done for me even after I have thought or said something I begin to catch myself and say that is not impeccable or don’t you take that personally. It’s a process and I am going to embrace the journey as I know 2012 is the year of new beginnings and great things are going to happen!

Happy New Year! What are your plans for the New Year?

Soapmaking Classes Make a Great Date Night!

This past Tuesday I taught part two of my basic soapmaking class at Ridgewood Community School.  I have been teaching at Ridgewood Community School for over 6 years.  In fact, they were the first place that I started teaching soapmaking classes.

Well this week while the students were customizing their individual batches of cold process soap I heard the married couple (the two in the front of the picture) that attended state that this was their date night.  The wife goes to school all the other nights of the week and Tuesday’s were the only night they have together and the wife signed them up for soapmaking classes.

Now I know what you are thinking that the husband was dragged into this but low and behold he commented that this sure beat going to the gym for date night.  So there you have it! If you are looking for something fun, unique and practical to do with your spouse or mate and want to keep the spark in your relationship then why not try a soapmaking class for date night? It sure beats the gym!!

This month is breast cancer awareness month.  All around the focus has been on the pink ribbon and supporting those who have breast cancer and educating those who don’t about awareness.   I am sure we all know someone who has been affected by breast cancer whether they are a survivor, their family member is a survivor or they loss someone to breast cancer.  This disease not only affect women it also affects men; so men, don’t think you are in the clear.  If you are a woman 40 years old and up you should have an annual mammogram unless your family has a history of breast cancer your physician may advise you to be screened earlier.  I encourage all women to have a breast cancer screening.

Some of the things that hindered me for a couple of years and may be hindering you are:

No Health Insurance – this is a biggie (especially if you are self employed) but don’t let this stop you from being screened.  There are many free screenings that are available.  Just keep you eye out and you will find where free screenings are being made available.  Not only will they screen you with a mammography they may also offer you a pelvic exam, colorectal and pap smear.  Don’t forget cervical cancer can be helped if detected early.  Also know that many hospitals have care programs that you may be eligible for if further care is needed.

Fear – Oh boy! Who wants to find out if they have any type of disease! No one! But living in fear is not going to help you live.  Do like I did, take a friend.  There is nothing more comforting to have someone you can talk to while you wait so that the seconds don’t feel like hours.

I have to say it feels liberating.  Take control of your life and live it to the max.  Know who you are….all of you! Here’s to good health! Cheers!

Back in February of this year I had an amazing opportunity to be apart of a book with 98 other contributors who were just like me, a women in business.  It was a New Year and I was ready for new things so even though I had some fears I took the leap of faith and submitted my submission to SheEO Rock’s owner, Saideh Browne.  Within a few months the book was compiled and published!

I am so supped that I can now add author to my resume.  My contribution is “Don’t be Afraid to Shift” on page 77 to be exact and yes, you can get a copy of this awesome book featuring some awesome business women available on my website.

Though, I can now add author to my credentials what I am most excited about is that a women who may be ready to start of business or already in business purchases this book will read my contribution and one day if her situation presents to her what it presented to me she will able to better handle that situation because of my story.

I never had author on my list of to-do’s for the New Year but I was ready for new opportunities and I’m glad I didn’t hesitate to move forward (well actually I did hesitate but it was a short one.)  I hope as we are in the 4th quarter of this year and as we begin to start planning for the great things the 2012 will hold, that you be ready to move and take action if you have to.

Things don’t’ always happen to you the way you think they should.  You don’t want to say I wish I had done that.  Once it is over that particular opportunity is gone.  But the great thing about life is that we should learn from each of our experiences and the next time you will be able to recognize an opportunity and not hesitate.

Did you have something this year that you almost hesitated on and you are so glad you didn’t but acted on it instead? Please share.

We are all familiar with the organization Goodwill.  We all know them for their thrift stores in which they are able to help the community helping them eliminate barriers so they can reach their fullest potential.  But did you know they also have a division called Goodwill Works in which they help displaced homemakers for whatever reason re-enter the workplace.

I had the opportunity along with my graphic design mentor and friend to speak to three women who are planning to start a business.  To be totally honest I wanted to do this but it came so fast that it was hard to add to my work week.  Instead of putting it off we decided to go with the date requested and talk to the ladies about branding their business.

Each person had to present to us their business plan pitch so we could be acquainted with their business.  After hearing each pitch (felt like I was Barbara Corcoran with out the venture capital of Shark Tank), we both shared with the women how we felt about their business ideas and things to think about in terms of branding and marketing their business.

For me there was one lady who had lost her drive to start her business. She couldn’t even complete her presentation.  Someone came in to speak with the women and burst her spirit about her vision.  Now I am down with telling people the truth but I had to tell her when you are an entrepreneur things are not all going to go as you have planned them.  Everyone is not going to see your dream or vision as you see it.  There will be moments in which you will want to throw in the towel and give up on your dream.  But when those things happen look to those who are in your corner.  I know I have a few people who are just a phone call away who will hear me out and will help me iron out or “talk me off the ledge” until the next crisis appears.

I know I have wanted to throw in the towel with my businesses and go back to ‘ole reliable corporate America but there are those things about corporate America I just don’t like.  Plus I have had the drive and desire to be an entrepreneur since the early 1990′s.

Being an entrepreneur is in no way easy.  It definitely has it challenges but they are far outweighed by the rewards.  I am glad that we ended up going to speak to the women who will be graduating from the program on Oct. 7th.  I hope that we were able to make a difference in their lives and offer them some guidance to make their dreams come true.

Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel with your business?  What helped you not give up?

Star of ABC's Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran and I

To set the stage for the 2011 Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Conference, the keynote speaker was real estate guru, Barbara Corcoran.  I have seen Barbara Corcoran on local television as she is the contributing real estate expert on NBC’s Today Show in NYC.  She also is the only female venture capitalist on one of my favorite television shows on ABC “Shark Tank”, in which she is currently nurturing eight businesses.  To add to her resume she is also a bestselling author of “If You Don’t Have Big Breast, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails”, “Shark Tales”, in which she autographed for me and told me I am a giggler (so, so true) and “Nextville, Amazing Places to Live the Rest of Your Life”.

Short and Sweet!

After a brief description of her upbringing and that she was one of ten children (her parents were devote Catholics).  Her mother is the most influential person in her life.  With each of her children she spoke positive words to them as they were growing up tell them they would be something specific.  With Barbara Corcoran it was her imagination.

She experience many things in life and she shared the following life lessons:

1) Perception Creates Reality – even if your company is not a billion dollar business, act like one!  Set in motion the reality of the business you want to create through how others perceive your business now.

2) All the Good Ideas are on the Outside – spend some time out of the work environment.  You will be surprised how much your best ideas will come to you when you are not in your office trying to work things out.

3) Don’t Underestimate the Power of Recognition – reward those who work for you.  Not all rewards have to be monetary. You will be surprised at how many people are more motivated just by being recognized.  Give it a try and see that you business will increase.

4) Shoot the Dogs Early – not a literal statement but if someone is not a fit for you organization after you have given them adequate time to perform release them.  Don’t do it like Donald Trump and tell them “You’re Fired”.  Most often if they are not performing it is because they are not in the right job or position.  Often when you release them they are free to be whom they really are.

5) Fun is Good for Business – Have fun with the people you work with.  People can be trained to have fun.  Get your staff to like one another by getting them to play together.

6) Only Two Kinds of People: Expanders and Containers – Businesses need both to properly function.  There has to be a balance.  Containers are people who love systems and like order whereas expanders are people who think out of the box and like to see how far they can go with something.  Both are equally important to the success of a business.

7) You Have to Right to be There – Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you don’t have a right to do and be in the business you are or desire to be.  You are somebody and have a right to success just like anyone else.  Constantly speak self assurance even when you hear voices of negativity coming from others and even yourself.  You deserve it!

She definitely has lived a rags to riches life and was not exempt from having moments of self doubt.  It is reassuring that we can do whatever we put our minds to.  Everyone won’t pat you on the back so you will often have to give your own self a pep talk. Allow the creativity to flow and get out there and make it happen!

What are some life lessons you have learned along the way? Please share so we can learn from them too.

Erin and her husband Dan

Did I ever tell you how much I love my students.  I really mean it.  I am not saying it to be mushy but I so love how they have taken what they have learned and made it their own.  This student of mine has been hiding from me. Not in the sense that she didn’t want me to find her but that I didn’t know she was doing such great things with what she has learned.  I am at awe at her website “Soap Smiths” and how creative she is with the product descriptions and did you see the commercials she has on her site about her products? Like they said in the 80′s “Way Cool!”

I introduce to you Erin Calig – owner of Soap Smiths of Brooklyn, NY!

What made you decide to register for the handmade soap and lotion class a NY Open Center? I am a very hands-on person, I read a lot of books on soap and product making but wanted to see it in person. This class was perfect for me, I learned so much and got to experiment with scents and colorants right in class which I really enjoyed.

What did you like most about the class? You are very knowledgable and willing to share what you know with others.  We made many different items (which was neat) and we had a lot of time to experiment and create our own products.

How did you first start making soapmaking? I wanted to try something new.  I have always been into health and nutrition, I also love to cook, so I thought it would be interesting to make my own products. It started out as something I would do just for myself, but then as the formulation addiction grew, I had to share with others and they loved my items too.

Now she is gonna have to teach me how to make those awesome soaps with the spheres inside!

Were you making soaps, lotions or beauty products before taking my class? Dabbling, I made one batch before I took your class along with some very sad looking lotions (I had not yet learned about emulsifiers) lol.

If so, how did the class enhance what you already were doing? The class moved me light-years forward and filled in a lot of information gaps that I had and did not even realize existed at the time.  It gave me the confidence to really jump in and make soaps and other products on my own.

I see you’re a member of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild.  Why did you decide to join this trade association? My husband got my soaps into a couple of neighborhood stores, once that happened, we knew it would be best to have insurance so I went through HSMG for that.  From there I found a wonderful and very supportive community.

You were already making body products what new products did you make after taking the class? I was making BETTER products after class.  Soaps that were not brittle or overpowered with scent and color, lotions that were thick and luxurious.  Also after your class, I became more experimental and really got into the chemistry behind product formulation.

Look at the nice packaging! Sushi Soap?

You have been making soaps for several years.  Why did you wait some time to start your business? Originally I was just making the products for myself, family and friends, then I began to get requests from co-workers and my husband was able to get my items into a couple of neighborhood shops so I thought, hey let’s set up a web site and see where that takes us.  From there it just grew to where we are now.

Why did you decide to start a body care product business? We believe in creating high quality products without the high price tag.  We think everyone should be able to have nice body care products and be able to pamper themselves even if it is something as simple as a bar of soap.

What inspired the name of your business “Soapsmiths”? The name came from my husband, I am terrible at naming things, he just kind of said it one day and I really liked the sound, I was trying to play around with the word Serendipity and add that to Soapsmiths, but it was just too much of a mouthful, so we went with Soapsmiths, it has sort of an old tyme feel and I like that.

I see you make more than just soaps, what do you enjoy about making your own body products? I have control over what is going into my products and the ability to educate others on the benefits of sed ingredients.  As a small business owner, I have the time to listen to my customers and tailor my products to what they’re asking. To me, it’s just the best.

Of all the beauty products you make which one is your personal favorite and why? Oh dear, that’s a tough one.  Probably the whipped shea and cocoa butters.  I use them everyday and my skin is baby soft. I also love selecting a new bar of soap for our bathroom, each time it’s a new adventure that I really enjoy.

Soapsmiths also make wonderful moisturizers!

Do you have any plans or goals with Soapsmiths? We have plans to contact smaller grocery stores and smaller chains to see if they would like to have our products available for sale.  My feeling is that once someone sees, touches and smells our great products, they will come back for more.

How can people purchase your products? Right now they can visit our web site, we also just made a delivery of beer soaps to the one and only Brooklyn Brewery.  It was a really fun collaboration in which we used their beer to create a “flight” of soaps.  Now available at their giftshop.

What is your current professional career? I took a year off to go to Esthetician school here in NYC, before that I was a Property Manager in Manhattan.

Do you have any recommendations for others who may thinking about taking a soap and lotionmaking class? Do it, the class is super fun, you will meet some great people and get to take home the products that you made. But the real fun starts when you are able to make products at home.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking about starting their own soap and/or bath and body beauty biz? Never underestimate the power of social media.  As with all new businesses, it will take time to become established and perfect your recipes, so don’t rush things, be patient and make as many friends along the way as you can.

Stay in touch with Erin and what she is doing with Soapsmiths. You can read and subscribe to her blog at http://www.soapsmithnotes.blogspot.com or follow her via her Twitter handle SoapSmiths.

If you are a past student and have taken your knowledge to start your own business please let me know I would love to share what you are doing with the world (okay maybe not the whole world but I sure will try).  Or perhaps you have taken what you have learned and have used it somehow I would love to hear your story too!

Marjorie Joyner

Our previous black history blog post was about Madame CJ Walker.  Her name is forefront when we think about African American inventors and millionaires in the personal care industry.  But there are other African Americans whose inventions impacted the personal care industry.

This week we will focus on Marjorie Joyner.  Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in 1896 she later moved to Chicago to study cosmetology.  Ms. Joyner became employed by Madame CJ Walker where she eventually became the Director of Madame Walker’s Beauty Schools.

During her employment with the Walker Company she designed the “Permanent Wave Machine” which was able to straighten black woman hair and wave white women hair for a long period of time.  Her invention was patented but she never profited from it for it was the property of the Walker Company.

Drawings of the Permanent Wave Machine

She later organized the United Beauty School Owners and Teachers Association with Mary Bethune Mcloud in 1945.  She lived to be 98 years old when she passed in 1994.

Here’s to you Marjorie Joyner for being innovative to look at hot pins in a pot roast and try to use those rods to straighten hair.  Daring to try, she later designed something that could benefit all women.

What are you willing to take a chance at?

Angela Carillo, Owner of Alegna Soap!

I have had the pleasure of having Angela take my soap and lotion making class not once but twice.  I count it an honor that she felt that she enjoyed the first class so much which was a full day workshop that she would enroll in the 5 session workshop as well.  Angela was one of the first students that brought me a sample of the soaps she had been working on between the first and second workshop.  I was really impressed with her technique.  I am excited to see what she has accomplished with her love of handcrafted soap and body care products in a little less than two years.  So much so that I wanted to you to get to know this up and coming soapmaker, Angela Carillo, owner of Alegna Soap.

What made you decide to register for the handmade soap and lotion class a NY Open Center? I was VERY excited when I saw the Open Center was having a soap making class.  I had been looking to take one for a very long time. In fact, I took your same class twice! I am self-taught and I never knew anyone else who made soap.

What did you like most about the class? I like the fact that you were very accessible and approachable. You answered questions and looked like you were having fun teaching us.  I was pretty much in awe of you.

A Sampling of Alegna Soap Products!

You were already making body products what new products did you make after taking the class? Before I took your class I had only made soap. I make body lotion for myself and friends, but don’t sell it because I don’t use an preservative.   I make and sell a sugar scrub, body balm and lip balm.  I only make/sell things I use personally.

Why did you decide to start a body care product business? My daughter once told me there was enough soap in my house to clean the state of NY. I needed to do something with it if I wanted to keep making it.

You have been making soaps for several years.  Why did you wait some time to start your business?  My children graduated from college, moved out of the house and I had time to finally do what I wanted to do.  That is actually when I saw the Open Center class you gave. A business wasn’t really on my mind then, but the more soap I made the more I liked it and the more friends kept telling me to sell.

What inspired the name of your business “Alegna Soap”? Alegna is Angela backwards.  My favorite ex-sister-in-law suggested the name. I thought if it was good enough for Oprah it was good enough for me.

What do you enjoy about making your own body products? I like the chemistry of soap making, the history of it and I Love working with essential oils.

Of all the soaps you make which one is your personal favorite and why?  My personal favorite is my lavender lemongrass soap because I Love the scent.

Do you have any plans or goals with Alegna Soap?  My husband says I have very low goals because all I want to do is cover my expenses so I can keep playing in my soap lab!

How can people purchase your products? I sell at craft fairs that I post on my website, or my products can purchase through the website.

What is your current professional career? I am still working in that same school as a Science Materials Coordinator. We have a strong science presence on an elementary level which leads to strong science students on the high school level.  I am responsible for the materials in 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school.

Do you have any recommendations for others who may thinking about taking a soap and lotionmaking class?  Absolutely, take a class with LaShonda!!

You can find Alegna Soap on the web at http://www.alegnasoap.com.  She confessed to me that she doesn’t have a blog nor a twitter account because she doesn’t like to write but probably needs to learn to like it though.  I have a good feeling she will have them added to her business marketing plan soon.

Much success to your Angela! You make your teacher proud!

Madame CJ Walker

Before there was Dudley Hair Care Products or for that matter Afro Sheen there was Sarah Breedlove McWilliams Walker better known as Madame CJ Walker.

In an effort to help a personal hair care problem of her own (hair loss) Madame CJ Walker took matters into her own hands.  As we all would probably do in her situation she searched for a solution.  She began trying out some homemade remedies and hair care products from another African American entrepreneur, Ann Malone whom Madame CJ Walker became a sale agent for.

Eventually Madame CJ Walker developed her own hair care remedy named Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower.  She primarily marketed her products by selling them door to door and doing demonstrations.  Later she was able to help employ other African Americans as sales agents which lead to the need for the creation of a school in Pittsburgh.

Within 15 years of business she became the first African American Woman millionaire. Over the years she employed thousands of African American woman helping them with personal growth and development.

Wonderful Hair Grower

Madama CJ Walker was able to create an empire even during times (the early 1900′s) that were hard for African American in the US due to racial disparity.

She has been quoted to say that “her prescription for success was perseverance, hard work, faith in herself and in God, honest business dealings and of course, quality products. There is no royal flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it – for if I have accomplished anything in life it is because I have been willing to work hard.”

It goes to show that we are not our circumstances.  We can be if we allow them to overtake us but not in Madame CJ Walker’s eyes.  Thank you Madame CJ Walker for being a shining example and leaving a legacy for all to see that we too can accomplish anything!

What’s your excuse for not reaching your fullest potential?  How can you learn from Madam CJ Walker that anything is possible?