Exclusive Multiplicity: Highlighting the Adventures of a Serial Entrepreneur

The Adventures of Rainbows

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:35:00 PST

The other day I was having a “blah” day, where things just weren’t quite working out as they should, and I became really pensive and started my end-of-the-year ruminating early. I started having those “doubts” that I think every entrepreneur has, wondering if I was making the right choice of continuing to move forward, even in the face of what sometimes seems to be insurmountable adversity. I feel fairly confident in knowing and believing I’m on the right path, but the hardest part of my day is trying to keep getting back up every time I fall down.

I was thinking all these thoughts on a rainy day right before Thanksgiving, and I was dragging myself to get through the list of errands I had to run. Just then, on my way out into the parking lot, at about 25 minutes before sunset, I saw a rainbow. It was breath-taking! I was immediately drawn to a happy place and it was a spectacular phenomenon to witness. Everyone walking in and out of that parking lot took note of it, and some people even came from outside of the building to see it. It managed to put a smile on even the most sour faces that day, and I took that little moment as an opportunity to learn a lesson.

First, for all the unremarkable sunsets I’ve seen in my lifetime due to my propensity for pulling overnighters, I have seen a paucity of real rainbows in my life, so much as, that seeing one definitely rests in my mind as a rare occurrence.

Second, in my haste to get about the errands I had to run for the day, I actually failed to charge my cell phone, and for me, that’s such a rarity, because I keep my phone charged 90% of the time I have it on me. The fact that it wasn’t charged then was a fluke, and sure enough, when I first ventured out, I thought I should start charging my phone during my drive from location to location, but I didn’t. When I saw that rainbow, and it’s beautifully breathtaking display, I immediately wanted to take a picture of it, but when I took out my phone and turned on the camera, the low battery light came on, and I wasn’t able to.

The two things I learned the most from this experience was that:
1) Great things can happen at any moment and take you by surprise and be totally uplifting in the process, and
2) if you aren’t ready when the opportunity hits you, you’ll regret it.

For me, a person who plans to plan with back-up plans just in case, this low-power cell phone debacle surely smarts, but it was a great reiteration of a message I needed to hit home: ALWAYS BE PREPARED!

So my question to you is: When’s the last time you’ve seen a rainbow?
Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Being Thankful in 2011

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:00:04 PST

In this podcast, I talk about how on Tuesday, I was having a rather “blah” day. I had just experienced two setbacks which meant that I wouldn’t be making my sales quota for the month, and as always, I had taken two steps forward, only to experience taking another three steps back. I didn’t revel in my sadness for long, but it sent me out into the rather dreary and rainy day, in a bit of a ho-hum mood.

I often get reflective in times of sadness, especially when it’s two days before Thanksgiving, and once again, I can’t afford to travel home to see my family. It saddens me when I can’t come home as often as I’d like, but I don’t mind spending Thanksgiving by myself. In fact: I PREFER IT! I’ve had too many experiences of being a fifth wheel at people’s family Thanksgivings, that I’ve grown a preference for only being around my own family during that time of year, and if I can’t have that, I’d rather have nothing. Plus, I start to resent people that send me “pity invites” to their Thanksgiving festivities at the last minute, when they find out I’m not traveling home. And how, you may ask, do I know these are “pity invites”, well, I take “last minute invites” to mean, you weren’t really thinking of inviting me, but you’re doing so because some sort of social cues dictate that you should, for everyone FEELS that being “Alone on Thanksgiving” is some sort of terrible circumstance short of death. I can tell you it’s not. Those of us that live through it every year can attest to the fact that it’s certainly a manageable holiday, given the alternative.

One of the reasons I look forward to the day, because it’s a day I know I’ll virtually have on interruptions, short of the few phone calls I’ll make and receive loved ones and friends periodically. I get the opportunity to catch up on work that’s been lacking, and luckily, at least as of this morning, I’m actually caught up on my business blogging! So that’s good news. Other good news is that my new business website is 70% done, and I’m looking forward to unveiling it in a few weeks, so I’m really excited about that too. I imagine that once this week passes, I’ll be breezing through the rest of 2011, and happily welcoming 2012 into the foray! I am really looking forward to the New Year, and while 2011 has had its good and bad, I’m ready for the next one right about now!

I would usually end my post by asking some sort of comment-inspiring question, but I suspect there won’t be a lot of people on the internet this Thanksgiving day, and those that are, probably aren’t checking out blogs or podcasts, so if you’ve made your way here somehow, either on Thanksgiving or some day eons later, leave me a message below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of Fall

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:05:00 PDT

In this week's podcast, I talk about "The Adventures of Fall" and how reflective this time of the season makes me.

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Success

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:05:00 PDT

A few weeks ago, President Obama delivered a Jobs Plan Speech in which he said his plan for america’s success included “A commitment to stay at it. To be persistent. To keep trying every new idea that works. And listen to every good proposal, no matter which party comes up with it”. Though I have a considerable dose of skepticism as to whether this will actually work to get something accomplished in Congress, in my own life, I can say that it’s the exact formula that I’m applying to yield my own success.

And that’s my podcast for this week. I’m pretty busy and don’t really have a lot of time at the moment, but I didn’t want to skip over my commitment to post a regular podcast message.

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Blindness

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 03:48:20 PDT

This week's podcast is called "The Adventures of Blindness" and I discuss my recent experience where I woke up last week temporarily blind in one eye. Horrifying ordeal! Everything's fine now, but still a jarring experience. In all, it made me shake my head at the state of healthcare in america.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

What I'm Reading: Outliers - The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:35:00 PDT

This episode of "What I'm Reading" is on Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers: The Story of Success". Someone suggested that I read this book years ago when I was having an exceedingly difficult time trying to find a job, even before the whole “Recession” thing was on everyone’s lips. For years, I had no idea what the book was about nor why it was suggested that I read it. It was just mentioned in passing that I should check it out, so one day, on one of my many trips to the local library, I came across the book, and I decided to check it out.

It’s been a long time since a book has given me this feeling, but I can sum up my opinion of the book in one word: WOW! For much of the book, I felt like I was reading the words that had been in my head for a long time, especially as I’ve had to been introspective in seeking to uncover my own path to success in life, and why success has so deftly eluded me until now (at least in financial terms).

For the most part, the book posits that success is not just a factor of hard work, intelligence, ambition, and “stick-to-itiveness”, but also due to a number of factors that can provide someone with those characteristics with the opportunity to achieve phenomenal success as a result of a series of fortuitous circumstances that then propel them far ahead of their peers. In other words, it’s like saying what I’ve always believed, which is that those stories of people that “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps” are rarely true. Essentially, success isn’t achieved in a box, and it’s not something that can befall someone simply because they’re smart, talented, and able. Though I’m fairly young (all things considered), I know for a fact that you can be smart, intelligent, hard-working AND ambitious and STILL not be successful in life, because I’ve seen people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s with those traits that just haven’t gotten the opportunity afforded to them to turn all those things into profitable endeavors.

Having the opportunity to see early in life that the race isn’t always won by the best racer has helped me get, what I believe, is a realistic expectation of the probability of achieving success. I love the fact that reading this book almost INSTANTLY made me feel like I wasn’t crazy in my belief system!

The second major takeaway in the book is the notion of an “Outlier” and what it truly means to be one. For those that don’t know, an outlier is pretty much a statistical anomaly that severely seems to deviate from the rest of the pack. People like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Oprah Winfrey are surely considered to be outliers given their success in life and how far it has placed them from their peers. I love the way he tells rarely told stories about Bill Gates and Steve Jobs’ success, specifically that each had amazing opportunities to work on computers in the late 1960s and early 1970s at a time when people, even those working in the field of Computer Sciences had rare opportunities to use computers. Knowing how these extraordinary opportunities shaped the later success of Gates and Jobs, in my opinion, sheds a lot of light on exactly how success is obtained.

Yes, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are exceptionally smart and innovative, but they’ve also had some exception opportunities to enhance and capitalize on their skillsets in a way that FEW people ever could have, in their generation, and even still nearly 50 years afterwards. I do have to say, I would have LOVED to hear Oprah’s story of “Outlier Success”. I’m certain there’s so much more to that story than we in the general public now, but I suspect we won’t find out about it until AFTER she’s passed on, or is pretty close to it. LOL.

A running theme throughout the book is the “10,000 Hour Rule”, which pretty much states that most outliers are successful in the fields because they’ve spent a concentrated 10,000 hours of their lifetime perfecting and improving their craft. Bill Gates got his 10,000 Hours between the time he was in grade school until the time he went away to college, having spent years working on computers at his private school as well as through companies that were affiliated with his father. A phenomenal opportunity whose importance of which can’t be overlooked, given that most college campuses didn’t even have active computers in the 1960s.

The Beatles got their 10,000 hours while during a two year “residency” in Hamburg, Germany playing sets for hours at a time and improving their showmanship and musical talent. In Outliers, Gladwell purports that it was these experiences, coupled with individual talents and ingenuity that enabled The Beatles, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and many of the other “trailblazers” in modern history to leave their mark on history. I think the book shows that “luck” really is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, and it shows that receiving that opportunity is critical to success.

For this reason, I’ve decided to write Malcolm Gladwell (or at least attempt to do so), and tell him how monumentally inspiring his book was AND how I’d greatly appreciate anything he could do to help me open up the doors success I so desperately need to propel my own self to success. Over the past several years, as my life has been on a continual downslide, I’ve always held firm to the notion that this is happening to help prepare me for a better day. It’s this belief that is likely the ONLY thing that keeps me getting up out of bed each day, even when I know that getting through another day is likely going to be grueling. Throughout it all, I know that it just takes ONE PERSON (i.e. THE RIGHT PERSON) to catch wind of what I’m doing and that can become the start of everything turning around for the better. I’m tireless in my efforts to continue to do what I can to bring forth the opportunity I need to bring my success to fruition, and I’ll be tireless in trying to access the people that can help me access the network that I need to flourish.

Stay tuned. I’ll let you know how it works out in the upcoming weeks.

So, with that being said, that’s what I’m reading. I would HIGHLY recommend this book, and if you happen to read it, let me know what you think.

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Merging

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:10:00 PDT

I've recently merged my old personal blogs from my website KindraCotton.com, and made this blog, ExclusiveMultiplicity.com, my primary personal blog and I talk about that in my return episode to podcasting this fall.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Revision

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:26:59 PDT

More often than not, I spend my time revising and tweaking plans that were put into place a while ago. This week's podcast is no different and is entitled "The Adventures of Revision", and I talk about some upcoming changes I'm making to the way I do business. Wish me luck!

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Independence

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:21:40 PDT

Celebrating Independence Day in my own way is the topic of today's podcast, entitled "The Adventures of Independence". In it, I tell the story of my "independence" from the dreaded dead-end job and cycle of unemployment and underemployment that kept me chasing my tail for nearly a decade. Rather inspirational, if I do say so myself! LOL.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of Resting

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:14:56 PDT

Today's podcast is entitled "The Adventures of Resting" and I talk about an experience I recently had that helped me see that I need to take more time out and "smell the roses".

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

P.S. Tell me about your experience with the "For Dummies" book series by filling out this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FLVRTJZ

The Adventures of the Unknown

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:05:00 PDT

Today's podcast talks about "The Adventures of the Unknown". As an Entrepreneur, there are many "unknown unknowns" that I find cause great stress over the regular "9-to-5", even in cases where that "9-to-5" requires you to work outside of those hours. Entrepreneurship is definitely not for the faint of heart! LOL.

The Adventures of Catching Up

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:05:00 PDT

If you're familiar with this blog, then you'll know that it's unusual for me to go such a prolonged time without posting a blog or podcast update. I've let the past 8 weeks get away from me, and for that, I apologize. Please consider this most recent podcast my "mea culpa", along with a reassurance that I'll work to do much better in the future.

The Adventures of Inspiration: SmallBizLady’s 11 Bible Verses Small Business Owners Need in 2011

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:30:00 PDT

This week’s podcast episode is entitled “The Adventures of Inspiration: SmallBizLady’s 11 Bible Verses Small Business Owners Need in 2011”.

One of my favorite blogs is that of Melinda Emerson (Twitter’s SmallBizLady and host of #SmallBizChat, Wednesdays at 8PM ET on Twitter). It’s located at succeedasyourownboss.com, and each day of the week it provides an informative blog post for small business owners and solo-entrepreneurs with the goal of ending small business failures.

Last week, Melinda shared her “11 Bible Verses Small Business Owners Need in 2011” (CLICK HERE for the printable copy) and today I’m going to share them with you, because they were very inspirational to me, and spoke to me at a time when I needed inspiration and something more to keep me going.

The post starts with Melinda sharing her theme for the year, which is “Either I win or I learn, but with God’s help I never lose”. Very inspiring sentiment, which was then followed by the following 11 Bible verses of encouragement for those of us at various stages of our entrepreneurial journey:

1. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 I remember this verse from one of my favorite songs “For the Good of Them” by Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers of Chicago. I know that I can state personally that there have been positive things to happen in my life, as close as last week, that pretty much go above and beyond what I could have imagined. I’m continually amazed at the Blessings I’ve had in my life, and I do appreciate God’s favor and pray that it continues, not just for me, but for my family and loved ones, and all those seeking solace from the negatives in life, than can really wear you down.

2. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 Melinda says “If everything in your business is done to glorify God, he will Bless your work”. I think this is something that we as small business owners forget, for many of us, exist in the “worldly sphere”, and I’d define that as anyone not doing business directly within the genre of selling religious works and related artifacts. One of the best ways that I find I can accomplish the requirements of this verse is to always make sure that I keep myself, and my integrity (which is based in my faith) at the forefront of all of my business and personal dealings. Since I’ve been working in the field of Technology and Social Media, I’ve seen ample opportunity to run scams on people and possibly make tons of money, with very little effort. Though this could definitely bring me some money in the short-run, I have to look at the long-term benefits and what’s truly important to me and what I’m trying to build as an entrepreneur. I can tell you that this journey has not been easy. Especially when I see people that are taken the “crooked route” and profiting hand over fist. I try not envy such people, and I’ve continually believed that being square-dealing and honest is going to one day pay off for me. It’s been a long road, but I’m definitely glad to say that I’ve benefited by staying honest, and I probably sleep better at night because of it too.

3. The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 Per Melinda’s advice “A good idea is still a good idea three weeks from now. There are no “get rich quick” schemes. Do not be in a hurry for anything. Learn all you can. Be focused and diligent and your business will succeed”. Definitely one of the hardest lessons for me to learn, because so much about our society now encourages us to seek instant gratification, especially in the technology and social media realm, where it feels like everything is changing so rapidly that you feel that a week missed could be a missed lifetime opportunity. Luckily, that’s not true, and I’m surely finding as I continue on with this entrepreneurial journey that “slow and steady” does in fact win the race!

4. I will find the Lord when I seek him with all my heart and with all my soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 SmallBizLady says: “The best thing you can do for your business is pray daily with an open heart. God speaks to us through vision and dreams. Be open to what God wants you to learn”. You can’t argue with that.

5. The Blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22 This says to me that when God Blesses, it comes with abundance and not sorry and strife.

6. Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? I fix my eyes on God and soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. Psalm 42:5 Here Melinda shares a story about her father and how he used to say “we wouldn’t know God’s day if it weren’t for bad days, so thank God for the bad days too”. This is something I had to learn from experience. Everything needs a point of reference. You can’t truly appreciate the GOOD, until you’ve experienced that bad. Tough as it may be to get through them, I believe the bad times make us better people in the long run.

7. I fear not, for God is with me; I am not dismayed; for He is my God. He will strengthen me, yes, He will help me, He will uphold me with His righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 This is a good verse for those feeling doubtful about their entrepreneurial aspirations, especially in the early stages. I think this is a good verse to refer to during those times of self-doubt.

8. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me. John 5:30 As Melinda says “It’s never about you. It’s about the team around you and your customers”. I can admit, this is a tough lesson for a narcissist to learn, but it’s possible. LOL.

9. I seriously consider what I am doing before taking on new projects. I expand prudently and I do not court neglect of present duties by assuming too many new ones. Proverbs 31:16 Once again, Melinda gives sound advice: “Be a project finisher. Do not be one of these business owners that run from thing to thing with more than one brand message. Make it clear what business you are in by focusing on one niche customer”. I’ve definitely heard this advice several times since I started on my first business venture (what is now) many years ago. And I admit, at the start, I definitely had too many irons on the fire, and they weren’t even "complimentary fires" that worked together. I was trying to do too many things, and was being pulled in too many different directions. Even now, some people feel that I’m managing too many brands, but for me, having found the common thread within them, as well as learning ways to reduce a duplication of effort across the brands I’m seeking to manage, I feel that I’ve got a great handle on what business I’m in, and who my customers are. Of course, I could always fine-tune my niche market, but I think that’s just a natural process of maturation that any good business does as it grows.

10. Pride lands me flat on my face, but humility prepares me for honor. Proverbs 29:23 Melinda says “Do not let your pride keep you from learning a lesson”. I’m trying! Humility is not my strong suit, in fact, though I don’t think I’m too prideful, I can admit that humility is a notion that often passes me. But I think that’s a result of what I’ve gone through and triumphed over to get to where I am. After experiencing so many people telling you that you’re wrong, or that you’re going to fail, or that you can’t do something, once you are able to do it, or triumph over whatever hurdles that were set before you, it’s REAL HARD not to rub others face in it, and by “rub their face in it”, I don’t mean, purposefully taunting the naysayers, but continuing on, doing your thing, and showing them that what they say has no effect on you. It’s that “you can’t tell me nothing” mentality that I think a lot of successful people where I’m from have. I suspect it’s a “Chicago Thing”. LOL. So, if you don’t get it. I understand!

11. I live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Of all the Bible verses that Melinda shared, I think this one struck a chord with me the most. It’s been a LONG TIME since I’ve lived by sight. If I let what I see, or can foresee in the near future dictate what I believe were possible in my life, I’d be nothing! If I didn’t believe, despite all evidence to the contrary that my life was Divinely Orchestrated, and things weren’t happened to me, but for me, and that ultimately, despite all the bad, that things would work out, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can’t tell you how dead-on this verse was for me. But I will share with you one of my favorite quotes on faith from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He said “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase”. People used to say this when I was growing up, and I thought it was the funniest thing, but it was only as an adult, that I truly learned to appreciate it, and what having faith really means.

I should note that this post from SmallBizLady Melinda Emerson was inspired in part by Joyce Meyer’s book, The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word. And once again, here's a PRINTABLE PDF COPY of Melinda's post, and more information about her: Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 Women for Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs, and publishes a resource blog at: www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months: A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

What about you? Is there a Bible verse that inspires you in your business? Please share.

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of Not Worrying

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:29:45 PDT

This week's podcast is entitled "The Adventures of Not Worrying".

I started this week with some bad news. Literally, the rug was pulled right from under me, and all that I have been working for over these past many months was in jeopardy of coming to a grinding halt. I was in jeopardy of literally becoming penniless within a matter of days, as opposed to a few weeks, which was my reality until this past Sunday morning, and I was in despair. I allowed myself to be run ragged with despair and worry for 24 hours, because after bad news, I think it just takes some time to process the information, and deal with it emotionally in whatever manner works best for you. For me, this 24 hour period of “down time” is how I deal.

On Monday, I said there’s nothing I can do about what’s going to happen, since I’m virtually powerless to changing the decision that was made against me, so I decided to move on, and get to dealing with the new set of problems and tasks set before me. Essentially, I found myself worry-free, because after that 24 hour period of lamenting, I found any additional worry to be a waste of my time.

By Tuesday, in less than 72 hours from having my world turned upside down, everything had turned around! And it’s funny, because as of today, I don’t have one more dollar than I did on Sunday, but there’s tons of promise for good days ahead!

So this week’s lesson that I learned: Don’t worry (or at least not that much). I feel like kicking myself for the times that I’ve wasted fretting! I can be honest and say, I probably will worry again, because it’s human nature, but this recent experience has taught me not to worry too much. So, this week’s triumph is realizing that my perseverance is starting to pay off! And this week’s struggles is not getting ahead of myself and “counting my chickens before they’ve hatched”.

At this point, I can say I’ve had some really positive talks and I’m convinced that the fruition of these talks will lead to immense success!

What about you? Got any stories you’d like to share about worrying, or triumphing over those basic fears of worry and fret that we’re all prone too?

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

What I'm Reading: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:55:00 PDT

Here’s a brief overview of What I’m Reading:

Currently, I’m reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. I remember having to read this, along with Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” in undergrad and I honestly don’t remember a thing from either book. My memory recalls fervently reading each of these texts before an exam, and then quickly forgetting anything I’d learn.

So this time, as I read “How to Win Friends…”, it’s almost as if I never read it before. I first started by checking out it’s Wikipedia Entry, but nothing about that helped job my memory, so I ended up getting the audiobook from my local library. As I’ve travelled from place to place this past weekend, I’ve had ample time to listen to the text, and I’m finding it to be quite informative.

I’m sure this book is considered to be “a classic”, and it definitely has some information that I think many of us are glossing over in this day and age of “social media”, where everyone’s interested in “transparency” and “open-ness” to the point where they’ve forgotten some of the basic tenets of civility, respect, and friendliness towards their fellow man.

I think this book is providing a great “refresher course” on being amicable, of course, I’m not quite at the “how to influence people” part yet, but I’m eager to get to that, so that I can see how it compares with Robert Greene’s “48 Laws of Power”.

So, that’s What I’m Reading. If you ever happen to read this book, let me know what you think.

Have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of Good Days

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:55:26 PDT

Today's podcast is entitled "The Adventures of Good Days" in reference to a conversation I was having with someone where they said "Everyone's entitled to a bad day".

That got me to thinking: While everyone is ENTITLED to a bad day, that doesn’t mean everyone has one. A long time ago, I determined that I wouldn’t ever have a “bad day”. Sure, some days are tougher to get through than others, but I wouldn’t call them “bad”.

Maybe it’s because I get overly reflective after having another birthday, but I think of any day alive and breathing above ground as a “Good Day”. I had my fair share of birthday wishes and good natured ribbing about getting older, and it occurred to me: Be happy that you’re allowed to live another day and get older, because getting older is a privilege that is denied to many!

Yes, I tend to get more philosophical as I get older, but that’s just because I’m getting better each day! LOL.

I’m happy to report that I had a great birthday weekend, and the month of March appears to be ending on a high note for me, so I’m excited! I’ve been reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” lately, and that along with a few other books I’ve been perusing like “Think and Grow Rich” and “The 48 Laws of Power” really appear to be shaping my philosophy on life, wealth building, and just plain “being”. My struggles are I’m still trying to make it in this world, because just being “alive” isn’t quite enough for me, and my triumphs are that I’m still winning (though not Charlie Sheen-style. LOL).

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of Celebration

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:45:00 PDT

Today's podcast is entitled "The Adventures of Celebration" in honor of my personal week-long celebration of my birthday this weekend. One day, my goal is for Aretha Franklin, Elton John, and I to celebrate OUR BIRTHDAY together and sing "Happy Birthday" in unison (it could happen).

The Adventures of Selling Out

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:57:14 PDT

This week's podcast episode is entitled "The Adventures of Selling Out".

A few weeks ago, I got an offer to “sell my company”, but the offer wasn’t for money, nor was it even to buy an equity stake in a firm that I could help grow as a capable business professional. It was more so someone who saw (what they thought) was an opportunity to use my current state of “misfortune” for the sake of their own profitability.

Now, to be clear, I certainly believe that I have a skill set that can be merged with the right entity to form a powerhouse organization to take the social media and small business worlds by storm, but it’s not a skill set that can be acquired for pennies on the dollar, or in this case no pennies on the dollar. I walk away from the “opportunity” with a stronger sense of confidence in my abilities, knowing that I am on the right path and going in the right direction, and eventually, that all my hard work, and continued striving will soon pay off.

But this whole thing got me to thinking about the notion of “selling out”. Someone recently told me that the right way to start a business is to design it with the end in mind, and that end, if my goal was to build a successful business, was to create something that someone else would want to buy a few years down the line. Clearly good advice for any serial entrepreneur to follow, so I had to think “what am I (or any particular business entity that I’m involved in) worth, and more importantly, what am I willing to “sell” or “sell out” in order to get what I want out of life?”.

There was a time when I used to say that “I didn’t have a price”, meaning that my integrity and reputation couldn’t be bought. Now that I’m older, having faithfully held on to my principles and integrity, I can now see how it has been a liability in certain circumstances, especially in scenarios where I could have profited, if only I was willing to lie or deceive (even for a short while) to achieve some “greater good”. Additionally, having gotten to my “bottom dollar” point, I now see some things based through “the eyes of poverty” that weren’t quite as clear to me when I had on those rose colored middle class glasses.

That doesn’t mean that I’ve now set a price on my integrity and principles, but it does mean I’m not so naïve as to not put a price on what it would cost for me to waiver or altogether chuck the values I hold most dear. I recently watched “The Inside Job” which is the Academy Award winning documentary about the recent Wall Street meltdown and recession that many of us are still suffering within, despite everyone talking about a “better economy”. What made me see the film, aside from the fact that I LOVE documentaries, is that I happened to turn to the Oscars broadcast this year, right when the creators were receiving their award, and they mentioned that no one person responsible for the meltdown had been criminally prosecuted or even investigated.

This was interesting, though not surprising to me, because I don’t think that anything substantive will ever be done to those that caused all the problems on Wall Street, because many of them are still in the same positions as they were before, even if they’ve moved on to other organizations. They’re still pulling the strings that guide the way that money ebbs and flows between rich people, all at the expense of the poorer ones, and until they BECOME one of the poor ones (which is very unlikely) they won’t ever act in their best interest.

As I watched the documentary, I thought about all the “corporate bigwigs” who sat back and created this overly complicated, yet ridiculously simplistic scheme to earn millions while defrauding the uneducated and uninformed, and I WISH I could be shocked and/or appalled. Yeah, what they did was terrible, but it seems to me so many people, even today, aren’t aware of it (or really don’t care) that it’s almost like a “victimless crime”.

Yes, everyone (including me) has negative commentary about “Wall Street BigWigs” and their greedy corporate malfeasance, but how many of us can actually NAME these bigwigs or know what company they worked for, and what they really did wrong. I admit, until I saw the documentary, I didn’t know many of the executives that worked there, and even in cases where I knew company names like “Merrill Lynch”, “Bear Stearns”, “Lehman Brothers”, and “AIG”, I only knew superficially what each of these entities had done, and if I were quizzed (prior to a few days ago) on the subject, I likely would have failed.

So when I think of my somewhat lackadaisical response to the whole Wall Street debacle, I can only get but so upset that I have no one to talk about this documentary with, because no one I know has seen it. Also, to be honest, as a person seeking to build “something” from “nothing”, I’m actually quite taken by the fact that they were able to make millions buying and selling these imaginary derivatives and playing with imaginary money, essentially creating something (in terms of billions for themselves in compensation and bonuses) from nothing, which is what most of the people effected by their actions ended up with. I’m not saying what they did was right, in any way, just saying that I find it interesting, and it makes me wonder if I’d be able to stick to my own “high falutin principles” if there were millions or even billions at stake. Would I sell out my fellow man, or what I believe in, to make a buck? Sure, I say NO now, but that’s because I haven’t truly been confronted with a similar scenario.

What I can say, is on a regular basis I interact with people that are (or have been) clearly “taken” by someone who’s scruples are questionable and who’s seeking to use their ignorance against them, in the technology and social media realm, and as this field progresses, I can see that it’s ripe picking for anyone who’s willing to “bend the truth” or outright lie to people for short-term financial gain. I also see that on some level, people don’t even WANT the truth, and they’re more than content to believe the lies you tell them, because they want to believe that they can get “something for nothing” or for very little investment, especially in terms of social media which so many people initially gravitate towards because it’s “free”. But before I go off on a tangent, and forget my initial point, let me say this: I’ve thought about selling out, and the long-term implications of it, and as it stands today, my price hasn’t been met yet. In fact, I still can’t quite think of a number that would make me vacate my principles, but I have to be honest and say there probably is one, even if I don’t know what it is.

So, I’ve now committed this statement to text (and podcast) and am sending it out into the “social media space” and I fully expect this to come back and bite me should I later run for public office, or get caught up in some multibillion dollar scheme, and yes, I said BILLION, because let’s be real, millions really aren’t worth selling your soul for! LOL.

What about you? What’s your price to sell out? Have you ever thought about it, or do you have a number?

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

The Adventures of Winning

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:30:12 PST

In this week's podcast lightly touches on the debauchery that is Charlie Sheen and his philosophy on "Winning", or more specifically, it's entitled "The Adventures of Winning" because it's about me talking on the topic, which was spurred (in part) by Charlie's manic rantings.

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Kindra

The Adventures of Dave and Busters

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:05:01 PST

A love of Dave & Busters sparked this week's podcast of "The Adventures of Dave & Busters".

Last week, I sent emails to some key people at “Dave & Busters” the entertainment chain that has 55 U.S. locations that offers family-friendly entertainment, food, and video games throughout the country. The reason I did this is because I LOVE DAVE AND BUSTERS! And I always have. In fact, I have a Gold Rewards Membership to prove it!

As an adult, it’s the equivalent of “Chuck E. Cheese” for me, and you just can’t beat the combination of Skee Ball and Long Island Iced Teas!

This is an understatement

If you recall, I also deemed last week as the start of my “Moving On” campaign, and part of that includes me moving to a new location, where I can start new, being in a place that’s supportive of me, my talents, and the skills that I know I can bring into the right environment.

I’m not 100% sure that my move will mean that I leave Nashville, but after being here for nearly 5 years, I feel like if something were going to happen, it would have happened by now.

So for that reason, I’ve opened myself up to ALL possibilities. Which is how I ended up making Dave & Busters a focal point, as I look for a new locale. When I moved to Nashville in 2006, they had a Dave & Busters location out at Opry Mills. But since the May 2010 flood, Nashville’s Dave & Busters has been shut down, and I’ve hated it. Though I don’t have nearly as much disposable income as I used to, I hate that I can’t go and hang out there. So, I decided, wherever I move to next, needs to be with 25 miles of a Dave and Busters location!

This is something that’s important to me. Just like the local library, and number of movie theaters or stores at the local mall, a Dave & Busters location is something I need for my overall quality of life to be better. This is something I believe in! In fact, I take it so seriously, that I actually wrote several executives at Dave & Busters last week, pretty much telling them the same thing. I thought that someone, particular someone in their marketing department, might find my quest interesting, especially since someone’s gearing their new life plans off of being near their brand!

One of the things on my “Bucket List” or things I’d like to do before I die, is to visit EVERY Dave & Busters location. They now have 55 in the U.S., and I’ve been to the one in Nashville, the two in the Chicagoland area, the one in Michigan (outside of Detroit), the one in St. Louis, the one in Indianapolis, and the THREE in the Atlanta area. So that’s 10 down, only 45 more to go. I’ve either visited or lived in each of the locations that I’ve mentioned, so all of those locales, with the exception maybe of Atlanta and Indianapolis, are off the list of potential future relocation destinations. But I’m open to the possibilities!

What about you? Ever been to a Dave and Busters location? Am I alone in my love of the brand? Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

What I'm Reading: Scott Gerber's "Never Get a 'Real' Job"

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:00:01 PST

Here’s a brief overview of What I’m Reading:

Currently, I’m reading “Never Get a "Real" Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business and Not Go Broke” by Scott Gerber. The title in and of itself got my attention, because that’s really my mantra these days, and while I can appreciate the effort that the author makes, I don’t appreciate his tone throughout the book.

I get that he feels the need “slap” Generation Yers into "doing the right thing", and getting out of their alleged “entitlement funk”, but the book is filled with language I would consider to be “unnecessarily rough”. If it weren’t for the overall curt tone of the book, this would be an otherwise great read.

After the first chapter, I grew tired of Gerber trying to be all “in your face and tell it like it is”. Yes, I appreciate a frank, honest, and forthright “tell it like it is” take on just about anything, but something about this one just rubs me the wrong way. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about this author and the way he presents himself, just makes me think of him as a twerp as he makes these admonishing and chastising statements every other page.

If it weren’t for these underlying factors, the book itself might be very helpful. Plus, I’m sure there are some people who won’t take issue with the way that he speaks, so they may find the book wholeheartedly useful.

For me, Scott Gerber seems to talk a lot about how “old business books” and “old business experts” do things the “old way” based on some “1985 conception of business”, but at the same time, he makes it seem as if the new way of doing things is to be rude and a jerk!

Even if he’s got some great message towards the latter end of the book, I probably won’t get to it. After a while, something about what he was saying just got annoying.

Finally, I find it funny that I had not heard about this book before, and I just happened to come across it, judged a book by its cover, and found it to not be what I expected. I couldn’t help but point out the irony of that, given how often I hear “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, and how faithfully I believe that usually isn’t true!

If you ever happen to read this book, let me know what you think.

Have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of Moving On

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:54:11 PST

This week's podcast is entitled "The Adventures of Moving On", and while it's a bit lengthy, it details what I've gone through that's taken me to the point where I'm ready to move upward and onward with my professional career as I continue to grow my business. And the fun part is, if you listen, you'll find out what "Leisure Studies" is! LOL.

If you happen to be one of the good people out there that listen to this podcast, and would like to help in my never-ending quest for personal and professional fulfillment, please feel free to leave comments below or get in touch with me directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

What I'm Reading: Dante Lee's "Black Business Secrets"

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:27:51 PST

Here's a brief overview of What I'm Reading:

Currently, I’m reading “Black Business Secrets: 500 Tips, Strategies, and Resources for the African American Entrepreneur” by Dante Lee. The title itself would normally turn me off, because anything that’s present as a “secret” or letting you in on something you don’t know, just reeks of a scam to me. But this book actually came highly recommended from a colleague, so for that reason, I grabbed a copy of it. So far, I like it. I’ve only gotten through the first chapter, but it’s a good read, though I admit the discussions about the hindrance of progress of Black businesses is angering to read, especially during Black History Month! I haven’t quite gotten to “the secrets”, just yet, but I’m going to continue reading it. Because it was highly recommended to me, I’d highly recommend to others. I’m eager to finish it, and am even thinking about looking into a book club to talk about it with.

If you ever happen to read this book, let me know what you think.

Have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

The Adventures of The Grammys

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:21:07 PST

Noted correction for this week, the Winner of Best New Artist was: Esperanza Spalding, not "Esmeralda". My apologies for the mix up. I hate when people mess up my name, so I certainly want to clear this up as soon as possible! :)

This week's podcast is "The Adventures of the Grammys".

This past Sunday, I watched “The Grammys” for the first time in nearly a decade. I didn’t really enjoy it, and the show itself was pretty much a letdown for me, since I’m no longer a big fan of popular music. I think Lady Gaga is overrated, and I do think her new song is just an old take on Madonna’s “Express Yourself”. It even sounds the same. Plus, I couldn’t believe when she won that she actually thanked Whitney Houston instead of Madonna. Yes, we’ve all been inspired by pre-crack Whitney, but really? Given the monumental influence that Madonna and Grace Jones appears to have on Lady Gaga, you’d think she’d be more generous with spreading her “thanks” around.

Aside from that, Lady Antebellum’s big win with “Need You Now” actually rubbed me the wrong way for a few reasons. One, I actually liked the song. Living in Nashville, I was actually exposed to the song, ad nausem, for months, without having any idea who the artist was. I initially hated the song. But after hearing it time and time again everytime I walked into a Target or Kroger, it actually stuck. So, on the one hand, I am fond of the song and do like it. But then, on Grammy night, to find out that the group behind the song is called “Lady Antebellum”, it first gave me pause, then immediately upset me. Whereas I was almost ready to give into the “pop culture pressure” and purchase the song that’s still stuck in my head to this day, I opted not to because I simply cannot support any group or person who romanticizing the pre-Civil War South. When I hear the term “Antebellum”, I think of slavery and The South. I was slightly curious if there was a story behind their chosen name, then it hit me: “I don’t care!”. It’s an insensitive moniker, and if they didn’t think about the name and its implications, they’re careless, and if they thought about the name, and stuck with it, then they’re thoughtless. Either way, as a Black woman, I cannot support something that’s an homage to the South and its wicked history of subjugation and oppression of Black people, and shame on “Lady Antebellum” for choosing such a divisive name.

Of course, I make that last statement somewhat tongue-in-cheek, because I know that given the American school system, many people have no idea what the term “antebellum” means anyway, so they probably don’t understand what the hubbub would be in the first place. Needless to say, nothing about the Grammys was overly impressive to me.

It’s been strange that within the last 5 years that I’ve resided in “Music City”, music has been all but “dead” inside of me. Just doesn’t move me the way that it used to, and by that, I generally mean NEW music. There just aren’t a lot of new artists that are able to hold my attention, plus I don’t find myself as "wired" into the music industry and all that it entails anymore.

So, at this point, you may be asking yourself “What does this have to do with the struggles and triumphs of a serial entrepreneur?”. Well, for starters, it’s something that occurred to me, thus I find it interesting on just that premise alone! LOL. But seriously, I share this because despite the lackluster entertainment showcase that The Grammys provided, it was still nonetheless inspiring to me. Especially when Esperanza Spalding won. I loved how she beat out Justin Beiber and the seemingly more “popular” artists, and actually won on what appears to be true talent and artistry. Esperanza’s win reminds me that there is actually a place for good music, even outside of the heavily commercial influence, and it’s that kind of music, and that kind of environment that I’d like to be involved in one day.

Part of the reason I work so hard now as an entrepreneur trying aggressively to make something happens is because I need money. And not just money to pay bills (though that would be nice), but money to open up opportunities for me that have been denied due to my lack of capital and inability to do many of the things I’d like to personally and professionally, as a result. My long-term goal is to have a “music business university” that works to promote artistry and education among people who, despite all good counsel, just can’t not make music! I want to help those people, who would make the music that they make for free, try to make some money, and not die broke when it’s all said and done. This has been something that I’ve wanted to do since I was about 13. I like to think of myself now as preparing myself for the day when the opportunity comes where I can make this dream a reality.

So, while The Grammys themselves were disappointing this year, what I walked away with from them wasn’t. I still have that renewed vigor to get out and make my dreams happen! I’m at the point where I love what I do, and I’m doing my best to hold on so that I can get to the point where I love what I do AND am getting paid handsomely for it. I’ve had so many terrible jobs and bad experiences over the past few years, especially while in Nashville, that I’m convinced that a better day has to be right around the corner. Though I know it’s not impossible to think that someone can continually be on a downward spiral for 5 years straight, I’m going to be positive and HOPE that that’s not what’s happening!

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.

Click media player below to listen to this podcast.

If the player above isn't displaying, or working properly, you can also download the podcast from iTunes for free (it may take a few days for it to appear at this link, but you can subscribe directly to the podcast feed via iTunes if you want to always get new podcast episodes when they're first uploaded)!

By the way, Transcripts are now available upon request. If you want one, please email me at "transcripts[at]exclusivemultiplicity.com".

Come back next week, and have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

What I'm Reading: Melinda Emerson’s “Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months

podcasts@kindracotton.com (Kindra Cotton) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:12:12 PST

Here’s a brief overview of one of the books I’m reading this week.

Currently, I’m reading Melinda Emerson’s “Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business that Works”. The best way I can describe this book is by sharing my review of it from Amazon.com: I wish I had this book back when I had a regular job! My life surely would have been easier and I could have avoided many of the entrepreneurial pitfalls that littered my path along my journey to business success! What I love about this book is its ability to get you thinking about you and your business, and it provides the kind of "plain-language know-how" that cuts to the nitty gritty and helps you get things done.

On an annual basis, I probably read or skim roughly 50-60 books geared towards small business owners, or those who are thinking about starting one. Each one has advice on what you should and shouldn't do, and generally offers some generic prescription for how you should improve your entrepreneurial acumen. "Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months" differs from these texts because Melinda Emerson not only tells you what you need to do, but also why it's important and why it should be included in your thought processes as you move forward with your business.

This book could have transformed my life had I gotten it when I first had the "entrepreneurial itch" years ago. I highly recommend it for anyone considering leaving their traditional job to be their own boss. I would also recommend it as a much-needed resource for existing entrepreneurs seeking to grow their enterprises.

If you ever happen to read this book, let me know what you think.

Have a Blessed Day!
Kindra

Please feel free to leave comments below or give me your feedback directly, either by email “podcasts @ exclusivemultiplicity.com”, or by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@KindraCotton), or LinkedIn. You can also contact me via Skype at my name Kindra.Cotton, and you can now call me on my Google Voice line at: (201) 870-0234. If you leave a message on my Google Voicemail line, please be sure to mention which podcast you listened to.