Money & Success : Ambition

Hi Love!

You can never have too much ambition. If you want to be successful, you need to have ambition. Being lazy gets you nowhere. Put in the work no matter how hard it can become. If you don't  put in the work your dreams will never come true and your projects will never see completion.

When owning a business or simply working for an employer, ambition is your best friend. Finding new ways to use your work experience for your own ventures should be your main goal. Never discredit any of your ideas or sweep them under the rug. Build upon your ideas and projects.

Ambition comes from inspiration so if you are looking for new ways to empower yourself check out a few of the solutions below:

1. Travel - go into your city, check out the area, go to monuments and go to events. 
2. Look at your project - compare your ideal goal to where you currently are. Seeing the amount of work you still need to do will give you more inspiration than you ever need. 
3. Talk to others who have the same goals as you - keep yourself in good company that will support you and provide positive energy.
4. Create a list of goals - break down every step you need in order to achieve your goal. 
5. Do something fun - have fun with creating and spend less time procrastinating. 

My philosophy - Ambition is your best friend make sure to treat it as such!

-- Love Rae

Announcing Hilda Lunderstedt As CEO of Global Operations

Hi Love!

" Build a business that is scalable without YOU having to work harder " - Hilda Lunderstedt

Wealth Migrate Announces New CEO of Global Operations

Hilda Lunderstedt to oversee strategic international growth for leading global real estate crowdfunding platform

 Wealth Migrate, the tenth-largest global real estate crowdfunding platform as reported by Massolution, today announces Hilda Lunderstedt as its new CEO of global operations. A long-time adviser to the board and an investor in the company, Lunderstedt compliments the current executive team, which specializes in real estate by providing oversight of business growth strategy and international operations. Lunderstedt will work alongside current Wealth Migrate CEO and Co-Founder Scott Picken in order to support the continued demand for high-quality real estate investments from investors throughout the globe.

“Hilda has founded several businesses that have experienced accelerated growth,” Picken said. “With the demand from investors increasing daily, the launch of our second-generation real estate technology platform, the opening of several new global offices and an influx of new high-quality developers and operators adding their projects to our platform, 2016 is going to be a year of incredible growth for us. Adding a co-CEO of Hilda’s caliber will allow us to scale quickly.”

A seasoned business veteran, Lunderstedt started and grew her own company, NutriLida Healthcare, to a nine-figure business in less than a decade. She has raised capital and pursued investments on various continents, establishing herself as an international entrepreneur, investor and savvy businesswoman. She is passionate about how technology is opening up opportunities for underserved populations to have access real estate opportunities that allow for currency stabilization and wealth creation.

“As a longstanding investor turned board member, I have continually been impressed by the caliber of people and the strength of the technology behind Wealth Migrate,” Lunderstedt said. “As the company continues to grow, I am excited to move into a more active role managing day-to-day operations.”  

Lunderstedt has received international recognition for her talent, leadership and excellence in marketing, having been named as a Top Entrepreneur in the USA in 2013 by the JT Foxx Organization, and being selected by the Worldwide Who’s Who organization as a VIP of the Year for 2014-2015. Hilda has also received the award for 2015 Featured Global Expert of the Year from South Africa for her contribution in global entrepreneurship and Investments.

“One of our main objectives is to ensure that access to wealth through real estate as well as education regarding real estate investing is equally available to all populations in all corners of the world,” said Hennie Bezuidenhout, co-founder and chairman of Wealth Migrate. “Hilda’s passion for educating investors, specifically female investors, is one more reason we are thrilled for her to take a larger role within the company.”

With research indicating that women are underrepresented in financial market participation, Lunderstedt believes the emergence of real estate crowdfunding technology provides women a new avenue for investment in an asset class many understand and find appealing, and could revolutionize female investment behavior.

“As Wealth Migrate’s first female executive, one of my goals is to ensure we empower women with the knowledge and confidence to invest by providing the proper education and outreach female investors,” Lunderstedt said.

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About Wealth Migrate

Wealth Migrate is a leading international real estate crowdfunding platform that offers global investors direct access to exclusive real estate investment opportunities in premier markets around the world, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia. Investors benefit from the extensive experience of the Wealth Migrate executive team, which has collectively invested more than $1.34 billion for clients in international real estate transactions. For more information, visit www.wealthmigrate.com.

-- Love Rae

When A “Rogue Wave” Hits, How Will You Respond?

Hi Love!

You are a leader. 
 
The urgency of this question is no surprise. A Rogue Wave, defined as “a massive organizational crisis that is spontaneous, sudden and significant,” is a challenge that every leader these days can expect to face.
 
Harry Hutson and Martha Johnson are leadership coaches with decades of experience as executives in the public and private sectors. Drawing from a variety of social science research, interviews, and personal experience, they explore the humanistic and personal challenges of crisis leadership in their new book, NAVIGATING AN ORGANIZATIONAL CRISIS: When Leadership Matter Most (Praeger, January 31, 2016).
 
“Crisis demands much from a leader but not necessarily from one’s known bank account of skills and competences. It is a very humbling thing to be, in a very public way, in charge but unable to be in control, and when logistic, operational, and reactive muscles cannot pull the weight,” state Hutson and Johnson. 
 
NAVIGATING AN ORGANIZATIONAL CRISIS details how leaders under intense pressure reach deep down into themselves in order to find a way forward. The book shares stories and case studies ranging from small non-profits directors dealing with tragedy to corporate executives suddenly in the spotlight (Entergy Louisiana post-Hurricane Katrina, for example). The authors cull revelations and identify patterns of how leaders can recognize and best apply their internal strengths.
 
NAVIGATING AN ORGANIZATIONAL CRISIS offers insights such as the following:

• Faced with a Rogue Wave, leaders must promptly name it and face it. Any stalling undermines their leadership.
• Resilience can be improved, but it is leaders' pre-resilience that truly buttresses their effectiveness.
• Helpful help is hard for leaders who are focused on self-control to grasp, but it is essential in recovery and support.
• A leader’s skills and willingness to create meaning through storytelling is crucial in setting the organization up for the future.
• The journey from organizational crisis to leadership maturity follows a pattern: Respond, Reflect, Reach, Restore, Renew.

A common thread emerged during the interviews and research for NAVIGATING AN ORGANIZATIONAL CRISIS—such events remain sharply immediate to leaders, yielding lessons well into the future.
 
“Leaders we interviewed told organizational disaster stories as if they happened yesterday. No one needed a calendar to puzzle together the details of the events. They became self-reflective.... Organizational crisis had intensified their awareness, shifted their assumptions about themselves, and uncovered deeper questions. It concentrated and crystallized leadership lessons,” comment the authors.
 
“In light of current crisis events, even experienced, practiced leaders can easily get in their own way. When they override their values and higher selves in urgency or even panic they make things worse. That's where we can help. Our book is more likely to be read in prospect or retrospect, but we can help leaders and teams in real time when we interact in person. That's our purpose in doing this work,” says Hutson.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
A 25-year veteran in senior human resources and leadership and development roles in four multinational companies, HARRY HUTSON is now an independent consultant. He has passion for talent development, change management, organizational integration, and—most of all—finding a way when people feel lost or confused and tough choices need to be made. He lives in Chapel Hill, NC and teaches classes in Executive Education and the MBA Program at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina.  
 
MARTHA JOHNSON is a leadership expert who draws on the lessons she learned as an executive with a more than 35-year career in business and government. Johnson is former Administrator of the General Services Administration under President Obama and also served for eight years in the Clinton Administration. Her private sector career has spanned the information technology, architecture, strategic consulting, and automotive industries.


-- Love Rae

Money & Success : Avoid Small Thinkers

Hi Love!

If you want a ton of money and success you have to avoid small thinkers. People that get comfortable when you start speaking about your dreams or begin to speak negatively about your goals are called small thinkers. They are the worst kind of people on the planet.

I've had the pleasure of working with the smallest thinkers on the planet. These people are usually fearful of change and unable to adapt to new things. For most people it is imperative to keep your ideas to yourself and I'm sure if you're reading this you will feel the way.

Well there's actually a better way of handling these type of people. Instead of completing avoiding conversation with these people, try to learn from their mistakes. Pay close attention to how their ideas may be successful however it doesn't make an impact. As a female entrepreneur your goal should always be to create an impact in a positive way.

Take all of your ideas and apply them to your ventures. Avoid following the traditional rules when you are working on your projects. Make sure that your contribution is the best version that you can possibly create. If you know your idea is great don't avoid it, keep it and apply it. Avoid sharing your ideas with small thinkers but pay close attention to theirs.

My philosophy: Use your great ideas for your projects and never feel bad for having them!

-- Love Rae

Roll Out The Red Carpet for Your Customers

Hi Love!

Donna Cutting is the Founder & CEO of Red Carpet Learning Systems, Inc., which provides tools and training for engaging staff to improve the customer experience. She is an in-demand keynote speaker, and the author of the new book, 501Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers: Easy to Implement Ideas to Inspire Loyalty, Get New Customers and Leave a Lasting Impression (Career Press).
 
How do you get an employee, who may never have received world-class service, to roll out the red-carpet for your customers? You must model it for them. You can start by being more intentional about showing appreciation for their work.
 
It’s so easy to forget to say thank you on a regular basis. We rely on things like “Employee of the Month” or the annual “Employee Appreciation” picnic to do the job for us, even though daily expressions of appreciation make a bigger impact.
Why do we do this? The answer is simple: we think don’t have the time.
 
Try practicing saying thank you for seven consecutive days in seven different ways. Here are some ideas to get you started.
 
Day 1: Purposely walk the floor of your workplace and give spontaneous praise to someone you see doing something right.
This is perhaps the easiest way of showing appreciation for your employees or co-workers. Just taking five minutes out of every hour to walk the floor and give someone a compliment on their work can make a huge difference. Spontaneous praise is often more genuine than a carefully thought-out emails because of their personal face-to-face nature. Furthermore, spontaneous positivity leaves a distinct impression of purpose in their workday. Often times we get so caught up in the menial tasks of our day, that we begin to feel as if our efforts are fruitless. Spontaneous praise can help ease that feeling and improve overall moral in the workplace.
 
Day 2: Thank an employee or co-worker face-to-face, telling him specifically how he makes a difference to your company and/or workday. 
This is slightly different than Day 1 in that your praise is intentional. In other words, you’re making a conscious effort to intentionally seek out one person and specifically appreciate something they do. Not only does this show that you’re taking a personal interest in their work, but that you’re also taking a personal interest in who they are. This helps foster a sense of community and purpose within the workplace.
 
Day 3: Divide a piece of paper into two columns. In the first column, list the names of all your direct reports. In the second column, write something positive that each person contributes to the team. Leave no one out, even if you really have to work to find the positive. Carry that list with you for a week. When you have the opportunity, privately share the appropriate praise with each person on the list. Try to get through the entire list within a week.
This method is great for any work environment for several reasons. First of all, it’s intentional, which as we already discussed is a great way to show personal appreciation. Secondly, it’s long-term appreciation. Instead of simply showing appreciation for one day, this method of spreading positivity and kindness lasts all week. It helps you form a habit of not only remembering to show appreciation, but also to notice the kind of things that deserve it. Carrying around a list of positives for an entire week can open up the doors for you to notice the positive in everyone, which can help improve overall work moral tremendously. Not only that, but when people receive a positive comment, they’re likely to pay it forward, increasing the spread of positivity and appreciation throughout the workplace. And lastly, this method is inclusive. Making sure to include everyone in the list is extremely important in order for this method of appreciation to be successful. If you only express your thanks to a select few, then it will create a sort of clique-tension between groups of people in the workplace. It can also make those who are left out feel as though the work that they do is not enough, which is the complete opposite of how you want your work environment to be. Making an inclusive list of positives about everyone helps foster the idea that you are all a team, and everyone is both needed and appreciated.
 
Day 4: Go on WOW patrol.
Choose one employee/co-worker who really went the extra mile recently. Gather a group of department heads or other co-workers, and write positive messages on sticky notes. Plaster those sticky notes all over that person’s work area. Or put together a balloon bouquet, a special certificate, and maybe even a few special treats. Gather that person’s co-workers to help you surprise her with celebration of her contributions to the workplace. Or if you’d rather have less fuss, a simple standing ovation of applause for a chosen employee/co-worker can have an equally wonderful impact. Even taking them out to lunch, or letting them leave half an hour early with pay, is a great way to visibly show your appreciation. The purpose of this day is to give someone a big and visible WOW to make their day, and show them how much you appreciate their hard work. Visual displays of thanks not only show that you recognize the difference they have made, but also leave a lasting impression of appreciation.
 
Day 5: Start a “travelling trophy.” Find something fun to use a trophy. It could be a rubber chicken, a stuffed animal, or something humorous that goes along with your mission or brand. Give it to one of your team member and tell him specifically why he is the recipient of this award. When an hour is up, the recipient needs to find someone else who makes a difference, and then pay it forward. Keep going all day long and see who ends up with the trophy at the end of the day.
This one is great of obvious reasons. First of all, it provides a visual display of appreciation. That creates a positive message within the workplace. Secondly, by allowing the trophy to travel, you create an inclusive atmosphere among your employees/co-workers. And additionally, if you choose the make the traveling trophy a daily activity, rather than an hourly one, you can make the expression of appreciation long-term.
 
Day 6: Have lunch with one or two of your direct reports. Talk to them about their career goals, and where they see themselves in five years. Consider where you might be able to encourage them and help them. If possible, delegate something challenging to them that would help them along their desired path. Then ask for their opinions, no holds barred, about how things are going at work. What are their specific concerns? What are their specific suggestions for improvement? Thank them for their input and try to either appease their concerns, or implement at least one of their ideas. Be sure to give them credit. 
Above all else, your employees need to like their opinions matter, and that their voices are heard. Taking the time to take them out to lunch, away from the workplace, shows that you’re making an effort to be approachable. You want to your employees to feel comfortable coming to you with problems, so you can help foster a sense of teamwork and community. Additionally, giving them a chance to be heard in a neutral space will help them feel both appreciated and seen. In a team, every person matters and every person is important, so giving them credit for their ideas is just as important as hearing them.
 
Day 7: Bring in treats to say thank you to the entire team. 
There’s no better way to say “thank you” like four boxes of pizza and a giant cake. It’s a classic show of appreciation for everyone. It fosters positive socialization among your employees and celebrates everything you’ve all achieved as a team. It allows your employees to rest from their work and encourages everyone to take the time and opportunity to say “thank you” to everyone. Go team!


-- Love Rae

Registration Has Begun for the MORE Business Bootcamp!

Hi Love!

MORE MAGAZINE LAUNCHES REGISTRATION FOR THE INAUGURAL MORE BUSINESS BOOTCAMP POWERED BY MICROSOFT

Melinda Gates to Deliver the Keynote Address at the Second-Annual MORE Impact Awards on June 24 in Seattle

MORE, the magazine for women of style and substance, today announced that it has launched registration for the inaugural MORE Business Bootcamp (mb²), powered by Microsoft.

From June 23 to June 26, MORE and Microsoft will welcome 150 MORE readers looking to start a new business or grow an existing one to Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash. campus, near Seattle. The multi-day event will include panel discussions with successful female entrepreneurs, industry leaders and experts, and cocktail-hour networking events with local business owners and venture capitalists.

Confirmed speakers include Jane Park, Founder and CEO of Julep; Rebecca Lovell, Director of Entrepreneurship and Industry for the City of Seattle; and Connie Bourassa-Shaw, Director of the University of Washington Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship.

“One of MORE’s core themes is the power of reinvention,” says MORE Editor-in-Chief Lesley Jane Seymour. “Now we are bringing reinvention to life by partnering with Microsoft on this unique bootcamp. We hope that one-on-one time with experts, MORE editors and celebrated entrepreneurs will inspire attendees to reinvent themselves, and give them the tools to succeed in the business of their dreams.”

The programming features training workshops offering valuable takeaway skills, including how to turn your great idea into reality; find funding; build your personal brand; market your business on social media; use technology to grow your business faster; create an ethical and sustainable business model; bounce back from failure; and more. Additional activities include a pitch competition, where select early-stage entrepreneurs will receive feedback on their business pitch from a panel of expert judges, and lunch with Microsoft Ventures, where attendees will learn what it takes to join Microsoft’s startup accelerator program.

“At Microsoft, we are committed to enabling entrepreneurs with access to the technology, training, programs and connections they need to be successful, regardless of whether they sit in an aspiring startup or an established Fortune 500 company,” said Victoria Grady, General Manager of Developer Experiences at Microsoft. “This event with MORE Magazine embodies that commitment.”

As part of mb², MORE will also host its second-annual MORE Impact Awards on Friday, June 24, in Seattle. Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will deliver a keynote address at the dinner and awards ceremony recognizing women who are making a difference. The first-annual MORE Impact Awards featured keynote speaker First Lady Michelle Obama.

The early registration fee is $1,295, which includes a gift bag with more than $1,000 worth of Microsoft products. The regular registration fee of $1,550 goes into effect after April 1. For more information and to register, visithttp://www.more.com/mb2.

ABOUT MORE 

Launched in September 1998, critically acclaimed MORE is the only lifestyle publication that celebrates women of style and substance. MORE is the smart, stylish guide for women of influence, sharing the latest on beauty, fashion, health, career, finance, home, travel and culture. MORE serves a community of professional women interested in reinventing themselves and their world. MORE is published 10 times a year by Meredith Corporation with a rate base of 750,000 and readership of 1.5 million. The award-winning publication was named Advertising Age’s 2006 Magazine of the Year, named multiple times to the prestigiousAdvertising Age “A List,” as well as to the Adweek “Hot List,” and received the 2014 Clarion Award for Best Overall External Magazine and a 2015 Deadline Club Award for Magazine Personal Service.

Additional information may be found online: www.more.com | Facebook:Facebook.com/moremagazine | Twitter: @moremag | Pinterest: Pinterest.com/moremagazine| Instagram: Instagram.com/moremag.

-- Love Rae

Helping Women-owned Businesses Secure the Loans They Need

Hi Love!

The Credit Junction Pledges $100 Million in Loan Availability to Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Small Businesses in Landmark Partnership

New York, NY  - The Credit Junction, an online lending platform for small and mid-size businesses (SMBs), announced today that it has pledged $100 million in loan availability to the small businesses belonging to the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC), a non-profit organization for minority-owned businesses in the Houston Metropolitan area. This strategic alliance will help provide much needed support to the growing number of small businesses in the United States’ fourth largest city.

HMSDC’s membership, which includes more than 700 minority-owned small businesses, now has access to working capital that would otherwise be difficult to obtain by traditional financing sources. Access to capital remains a significant obstacle to the growth of small businesses, and as traditional financial institutions face increasing regulations and compliance costs, business owners will continue to seek alternative financing sources.

“This collaborative, multi-faceted strategic partnership will benefit both local businesses as well as the region at large, furthering The Credit Junction’s commitment to offering SMBs a financing alternative,” commented Sergio Rodriguera, Chief Strategy Officer of The Credit Junction. “As part of that mission, we will continue to build even more regional relationships to further facilitate the flow of credit to the small businesses that fuel our nation’s economy.”

“Houston is a growing, thriving city, thanks in many ways to a diverse number of industrial, oil and gas and healthcare businesses to name a few,” said Robert Gonzalez, Director of Development and Consulting Services of HMSDC. “Traditional sources of capital have often fallen short in supplying the needs of small businesses, particularly when it comes to minority-owned businesses. Our partnership with The Credit Junction helps to ensure that our small business community receives the opportunity to access the capital essential to develop and thrive as leaders.”

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About The Credit Junction
The Credit Junction is an online lending platform focused on providing working capital and supply chain financing solutions to small and mid-size businesses. The company employs an asset-based lending credit evaluation model, and offers businesses up to $5 million in capital availability, both in term loans and lines of credit. Using technology and data intelligence in conjunction with traditional asset-based lending metrics, The Credit Junction can better assess the health of a small business, and provide a more transparent and user-friendly experience. Our fast, flexible and efficient access to capital provides small business owners with the resources they need to grow their business, which ultimately supports job creation and local community development. For more information, please visit:www.thecreditjunction.com.

About Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC)
Established in 1973, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council is a non-profit organization for minority business enterprises (MBEs) and major corporations interested in establishing relationships with minority entrepreneurs and assisting in the growth of their company. Included in the membership of HMSDC are more than 125 major corporations and more than 700 minority businesses. HMSDC services the needs of both MBEs and major corporations in the Houston Metropolitan area that are committed to the expansion of procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes. HMSDC is the certifying agent for minority businesses interested in doing business with major corporations. The council provides programs and services that are directed to the deliberate growth of minority businesses. Based on the results of an economic impact study conducted in 2015 HMSDC certified MBEs have a total economic impact of $22.8 billion which is composed of over $17.1 billion dollars in output that results in the creation and/or preservation of more than 67 thousand jobs. HMSDC is one of 24 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. For more information, please visit: www.HMSDC.org.


-- Love Rae