© TM

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.webstarts.com/Perception-And-Co

http://www.fitmoneymag.com

2009 December

13 Down To Business

Where ’ s Your Plan:

Clara Villarosa, author of

“ D own To Business: The

First 10 steps to

Entrepreneurship for

Women ”

17 What have you done for

others lately.

Using acts of kindness to raise

your public relations I.Q.

18 The Power of One

One community takes the

recession head on while

educating a community

6 Contributors

6 Tech Ed

7 My Library

8 F.I.T. Money 2010 Social

Media Trends

Here ’ s your hot list for 2010

for no to low cost advertising

11 Almost Doesn ’ t Count

Stan and Serene talk about

leadership and how to attain it.

19 Twitter Style

Fashion meets social media

and the look fabulous.

Staff

Founder & Editorial Director - M. Natasha Reid

Editor-In-Chief - M. Natasha Reid

Managing Editor - Shirley Reid

Art & Photo Director - M. Natasha Reid

Photo Editor – M. Natasha Reid

Production Director: M. Natasha Reid

Production Manager - Shirley Reid

Office Manager - Shirley S. Reid

Cover Art - Crystal Jings, M. Natasha Reid

Contributing writers: J. Serene Blaque, Rochelle

Hill, Marcia M. Mayne, Mike Street, B.da Oso

Starchild, Fatima Tan ’ ia,

Published by: F.I.T. Money Publishing , LLC

Offices: Wilmington, DE 19801

©2009 - F.I.T. Money Publishing - All rights re-

served

http://www.kitchensofa.com

http://www.kitchensofa.com

http://www.kitchensofa.com

http://www.kitchensofa.com

http://averagejoe.fitmoneymag.com

http://www.kitchensofa.com

2009 December

Being an enterprising individual willing to take a leap of faith and find a different path for yourself can be rewarding, exciting, challeng-ing, enriching and most of all fulfilling. It is the one adventure you can take alone or with others and in the end still be thrilled with your results. Even after all of the positive feelings, there is a hidden truth not always shared or even welcomed when it enters our thoughts, being or space: BEING THE BOSS IS HARD WORK!

From the first day you choose to walk the path so many dream of but never see past the first ant hill to tackle the mountain of challenges. You quickly recognize being in the drivers seat has so many different challenges to face and hats to wear; the regular 9 to 5 almost looks appealing. You begin to recognize your daily end result is a direct corre-lation between your planning and tireless execution. What you do in connection with the decisions you make affects the lives of those working for you, with you and around you. You have moved from second mate to admiral of the fleet in the blink of an eye; and it is scary.

Here’s what I can tell you, a year from now there will be readers opening this magazine fo the first time and you have to ask yourself this question: will they be inspired by my words of wisdom on the relentless pursuit of my passion or will they be reading about someone else? I’ll let you decide.

Our goal is to be your online resource for business information. Is there something you would like to see, drop me a line at editor@fitmoneymag.com.

We believe in you, in your dreams and we’re here to show you the way…

Until next time…stay F.I.T.! m. Natasha Reid

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

Mike Street is a social media

expert based in New York City.

He has headed a mixture of

social media projects for various

Fortune 500 media companies.

Did you know: Mike has a blog

called the Greasy Guide

devoted to all the happenings

in NYC?

Rochelle Hill, president of Pre-

cision Plus Communications

based in New York City, is

also co-chair of Harlem Cares

Mentoring Movement; a

CARES circle of the National

Cares Mentoring Movement©.

Did you know: Rochelle is a

Syracuse alumna?

Fatima Tan ’ ia is the founder

of Perception & Co, an image

consulting and personal

styling company based in

New York.

Did you know: Fatima is a

fashion stylist and you can

follow her on twitter :

@PerceptionAndCo

2009 December

What are you reading? By M. Natasha Reid

“ Any organization can explain what it does; some can

explain how they do it; but very few can clearly articulate

why. WHY is not money or profit-- those are always results.

WHY does your organization exist? WHY does it do the

things it does? ... Those who start with WHY never manipu-

late, they inspire. ”

Do you inspire action? If you have a burning desire to get

your business moving like a shooting star, starting with

WHY works. If you remember anything, “ The Golden

Circle ” is an eye opener and will forever change how you

view business and life. “ E very person who reads The Go-Getter will be

inspired to take charge of their work, their career and

their future. It ’ s a powerful story that illustrates what you

can accomplish when you commit to being gung-ho… ” -

Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager®

and Whale Done!™

I love reading this book. It ’ s a great story with so many

jewels. I get something new every time I read it.

These e-readers are two hot ticket items for the holi-

day season. Amazon ’ s Kindle was introduce in 2007

to an audience that was craving ease with books as

they have with music. Surprisingly, it took two years to

get close, but enter the Barnes and Noble Nook.

At first glance booth readers have a streamline look ,

but upon further inspection, The Nook does seem

more streamline and sleek. As with all first generation

devices, I expect some software glitches. If you ’ re a

“ t echy ” , it wouldn ’ t really matter.

No time to read? Don ’ t sweat it! We have ways that

can help you get the word in!

Width 7.7 in Depth 0.75in Height 4.9in Weight 11.2oz Supported Digital Audio Formats MP3 Price: $259

Width 5.3 in Depth 0.7 in Height 7.5 in Weight 10.4 oz Supported Digital Audio Formats MP3 Price: $259

If you don ’ t have time for to sit and read, put it in your

ear. Many books are available for download but most

books are in an audio format. Listen while you run, walk

or just lay back.

It ’ s not just your Daddy ’ s iPhone.

iPhone: $199, approximately.

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

Social media has now become mainstream media. While many

thought social networking and social media would quickly disappear, an audience for the medium quickly emerged. Power to the consumer, as consumers now present the main online voice for many brands. But now is not the time to fear that you have lost control of your brand. Instead, it’s time to learn from the trends in media and see how they can work for you to save time and money in a hard economy. The following is a list of social media trends to watch out for in 2010. These are trends you need to look at and see how they can apply to your marketing plans, cost savings and customer service. Here are your F.I.T. Money 2010 Social Media Trends: 1. Login Everywhere via Social Many online users do not want to add their name, address and all types of other information when they visit a brand/marketing website. Many see a registration form and will just close their browser window. But social media and your brand now work together in a new way as Facebook and Twitter allow consumers the ability to login to a site with one to two clicks. This is great for any business as you can instantly create a social connection with your potential client right when they land on your site. Online consumers want ease of use at all points. So make it EASY for your consumer to login and get what they need without going through to many hoops. F.I.T. Tip: Get started today! Visit the developers sections of Twitter or Facebook to find out more info on how to add social media login to your site. 2. Mobile is a MUST If you’re in business and you have not thought about how you can deliver a mobile experience or application for your clients or consumers then you are missing out on money. Mobile applica-tions and the app economy is a goldmine if you figure out the right mix of social media, social sharing, and usefulness/fun fac-tor for your application. Think about who you and your business are trying to reach. Also, think about creating a mobile tool application that can be of use for your target demographic. In 2010, you will see even more mobile applications and platforms.

We will all be able to do just about anything with our mobile phone. So the time is now to get started. F.I.T. Tip: Creating a mobile site is EASY! Just think of it as a tiny web page for your phone. Check out Mofuse.com for simple and easy tools to get your mobile site up and running.

3. Love Location FourSquare and Twitter have ushered in the age of location. And now more than ever, local businesses have the opportunity to target their consumers locally. You can now be a small mom and pop store but have a large presence online and connect directly with those who live only a few blocks away from you. If you’re a local business you need to see how FourSquare and Twitter can work for you. F.I.T. Tip: Give your customers offers for checking in on FourSquare or tweeting from your store. Create local ambassadors who will spread the word about your store or business to their friend circles.

2009 December

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

B.da Oso StarChild is the Founder and CEO of StarChild

Enterprises; a conglomerate of businesses that seeks to bring

about the new age urban renaissance. Beginning humbly with

StarChild Magazine, a lifestyle publication geared toward

healing and bridging the gap between men and women, the

movement has taken off and taken over. It includes StarChild

Publishing, StarChild Marketing Group, SC Fashions Division,

and last but certainly not least, The StarChild Foundation.

B.da (real name Brandee Cartwright-Jones) is a mother, a

winner and a savvy business-woman who understands the times

and has been purposed for such a time as this. She is a minister,

a lover of laughter and most importantly dedicated to winning

souls to Christ and enlightening the world with TRUTH as her

mission. She has finished her first book, Flowers on the Grave

and is currently working on a book of short stories to be released

in 2011.

Visit her on the web at www.starchildmagazine.com. For more information on her other enterprises contact bda@starchildmagazine.com.

(continued page8)

4. Connections = Impressions While many online measurements think in terms of “impressions” this as a measure is outdated and doesn’t really work for social media. Companies will now have to think in terms of connections, in addition, they also have to think about how these impressions are beneficial to their business. Start thinking about what it means to have 1000 Facebook friends or 10,000 followers on Twit-ter. Then think about how you can collect data from those people and how you can engage them with calls to action and ambassador programs. F.I.T. Tip: Community building is going to be very impor-tant to your bottom line. Think about this: your consumer community is living online. Therefore you need to develop a strategy to communicate with them in a non-intrusive and organic way. Get Social Follow Me: Join me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/mikestreet Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/streetforce1 Join the Harlem NY Community: http://www.facebook.com/harlemny and at http://HarlemSocial.com

Each issue we highlight a business in your community to

share who they are, information on their service and

why they are in it to win it.

2009 December

On an extraordinarily warm and sunny Sunday evening,

my phone rings and I vaguely recognize the number.

While sitting at my desk, basking in the warmth of the

October sun, admiring the fiery reds and golden yellows of

fall, I’m at a loss for the ID of this call. I’m in the midst

of finding the topic of this article and this call is breaking

my concentration. I answer.

Still mesmerized by the parade of colors outside of my

window, the voice on the other end speaks softly but with

great intent, the customary greeting “Good afternoon, Ms.

Blaque.” I’m brought back to my reality from the

authoritativeness of the voice. “Yes this is Ms. Blaque but

with whom am I speaking?” I’m rarely this proper but the

occasion called for it. To my delight, and in short order, all

of the pomp and circumstance came to a halt when my

unidentified party said “It’s me, Stan!” (Ah, breathe)

Stan Embers, my long lost new found friend of six

months, is Harlem’s own self proclaimed one man net-

working/marketing/public relations guru who has garnered

much attention in the entertainment industry as well as

several known retail establishments. To put it meekly,

Stan is a living, breathing, walking and talking music

encyclopedia of the independent and underground music

scene in NYC. His wealth of knowledge on the history of

the culture we call Hip-Hop is surpassed by only a few,

while his passion for the business side is unmatched.

There is not a main stream artist, who started off

underground, that doesn’t owe a portion of their success

and fame to Stan Embers.

I met Stan in early spring of 2009 and we clicked right

away. But Stan had been missing in action for the last

month of summer and I know this conversation is going to

be a long one.

“What is going on, Mr. Embers? What’s been up? Where

have you been? What are you up to? Is everything ok?

How’s your dad? You have a lot of explaining to do.” I

blurted. Stan just laughed at my excitement and said

calmly “All is well. The family is fine. My dad is as

fathers are and I must apologize for the absence but I had

to retreat to the deep woods of Mississippi for some quiet

and relaxation.” I had totally forgotten his family was from

Mississippi. “So tell me, why the apologies? Why the great

escape from New York?” What Stan tells me next blows me

away and I begin to see my own struggles for individuality

in his story. ”Well, Serene; I realized for many years I have

seen how great some ideas are and have worked tirelessly at

building other people‟s business that I have never taken the

reigns of my own vision. And it‟s just that time.”

“What made you come to this very clear conclusion? How

has this vision shaped your future plans?” (Writer mode

kicks in. This is my story.)

Stan elaborates, “Several recent events accelerated this

thought but it has long been over due. Every time I run in to

someone who knows what I envision for myself they ask

„Have you started yet? Where can I get more information on

what you‟re doing now?‟ and I hand them a business card

that‟s not mine, the look of disappointment is too much to

bear. I realized for myself that I have made so many people

and small businesses rich but I have never capitalized on the

connections I made, for myself. Have you ever heard of

„Rock Star Snacks‟?"

“No I haven‟t? Is that new?” I respond being touched by his

openness while still in writer mode.

“And you won‟t. It is another product I worked on with

someone else. I saw the value in what they developed and

tried to show them how it can get to the next level just by

putting it in the hands of the right people at the right time. I

work with a gentleman who at the time had a great studio

Almost Doesn’t Count A man discovers himself for the first time

by J. Serene Blaque

Ph

oto

s c

ou

rte

sy o

f g

etfre

eim

ag

e.c

om

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

Get any 2 ads and get 1 free upgrade!

Contact us for our current rates

Email: advertise@fitmoneymag.com

Call: ( 212 ) 662-1288

www.fitmoneymagazine.com

band that played for just about everybody in the business.

He told me he was thinking about leaving the business to

start his own. He had this recipe his grandmother gave him

for pies and he could make them smaller like the small

snack cakes in sweet potato, lemon or anything. He said

people at his church loved them. I asked him to give me a

couple of samples and I would pass them around. So said,

so done. Every single person I gave it to; from the guy in

the mail room to the heads of some of the hottest labels

out; all asked the same question „Is this what you‟re doing

now?‟ and „How do I get some more?‟ From that point on

I was in the snack business.

The problem with that is I knew nothing about the industry

but I knew if I got a solid endorsement these snacks would

take off. For a year I went door to door selling the pies. I

even had people placing advance orders for the following

week and paying upfront. Things were going well. We had

a small commercial oven and space. I would pick up

orders every morning and make deliveries all day while

taking in new orders. Everything was going so smoothly.

Then it happened. I felt we were ready to move to the next

level and the owner of the recipe, and everything else, did

not. I put myself in the employee seat and never asked for

my stake hold in the business. At the end of the day, if the

business flopped I had nothing to lose. I was scared to take

the risk of being the leader.”

Entrepreneurship has many pitfalls, some of which you

can‟t avoid because the biggest pitfall is you. The

question is, now what do you do? Let‟s start at the

beginning:

Take an assessment of your skills and deter-

mine what yours are. You are holding a mirror

up to your true self and making an honest

assessment of your ability to inspire and lead

others. SCORE the “Counselors of America‟s

Small Business Owners” is a national association

dedicated to helping small business owners form

and grow their businesses. Through the website,

www.score.org, you‟ll find valuable resources as

well as the “Are you ready to be your own boss”

quiz which give you valuable insight on your

leadership style and skills.

You say you’re ready, what’s your idea?

You‟ve done your self assessment and now you

have to determine if your idea is a money maker

or pocket breaker. Many states and cites offer ser-

vices, usually low to no cost, to help you figure

that out. NYC Business Solutions helps busi-

nesses start, operate and expand in New York

City. Their services are provided at no cost, re-

gardless of the size or stage of your business;

www.nyc.gov for information. Don‟t live in

NYC, no problem. The Small Business Admini-

stration can send you in the right direction and

even provide a similar service in your area. Go to

www.sba.gov for more information

Put the vision on paper to get the paper. Your

business plan is not only mandatory but a neces-

sary part of you getting the funding you need for

your venture. Whether you plan on bootstrapping

(borrowing from yourself) or seeking investors

( bank loans (good luck), venture capital or angel

investments) your business plan is the key to de-

termine how much you need, when you need it

and the key steps you need to take to move your

business along. If you don‟t know where to start,

don‟t worry. There are many services available

and even templates you can use as reference for

your own business. Check with your local public

library and use online search engines for free sam-

ples, in your industry, to give you the foundation

for your own plan. (continued on page 22)

Join the conversation :

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fitmoney

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fit-money

Web: http://www.fitmoneymagazine.com

2009 December

My first introduction to Clara Villarosa was before the

Mount Morris Talks series in September 2009. My

neighbor told me she was going to be the guest for the

series that month and asked if I would like to interview

her. I did a little research on my cell phone and imme-

diately said “ YES! ”

After an in depth search of this powerhouse in the

bibliothèque industry, I was definitely fascinated by

her relentless will and determination to create a life

she desired by meeting challenges in a creative and

festive way. This is only the beginning. Clara built an

illustrious corporate career but was thrust into entre-

preneurship via pink slip, the corporation ’ s way of

saying “ we are through with you ” . And at a time

when most people are preparing for retirement on the

horizon, Clara begins to a new journey. What she

started turned into a enterprise that

none could have imagined at the time.

I could give you back story but we

want to get Down To Business,

hence the title of her new book. In

brief, Down To Business is a step by

step guide, written for women but

it is not a girly book. Ladies, if you

are looking for hand holding in this

process, this is not where you ’ l l find

it. One promise by the author is

“ s hould you follow the steps and

complete the exercises, you will

have the bare bones of your

business plan completed.” Now, how

is that for teaching? Not only is it a

friendly read but it does leave you

wanting to know and learn more about the author,

which is not a characteristic of most business books.

But then again we are not talking to or about your

typical business owner. When most people look to

give up, Clara has dug deep and found the reserve in

herself to find the resources around her to get the an-

swer she needs to find a solution to this puzzle..

I had an opportunity to sit down with her in a one on

one setting. We spoke at her home in Harlem. Light,

spacious and filled with energy; upon entering

Clara ’ s home, if you didn ’ t own a business or want

to own one, you would leave filled with enough energy

to light the tree at Rockefeller Center.

There is so much to tell. So many insights I gathered

for you and for myself, I am literally excited to share

with you.

FIT: In 2010, we usher into the first

decade of the 21st century. What

should entrepreneurs do to

establish and maintain communi-

cation between them and their

clientele?

CLARA: Ok, that ’ s marketing.

The book discusses how you han-

dle the various aspects of market-

ing. But for me depending on the

product or service, if it ’ s a service

my expectation is a relationship.

So it ’ s relationship marketing.

The whole business of doing

By M. Natasha Reid

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

CLARA: ( con ’ t ) : business is different because

there is a new norm. The old norm was based on

something that was not sustainable. As a society,

we acted as if we had an endless supply of money.

That money could have come from a job we thought

was guaranteed. We felt we could use our house

because the value would always go up and we can

draw money from it and we didn ’ t have to worry

about debt. The trajectory was going straight up and

it seemed so easy for it to do that and we never

worried about if it would end. If we wanted it, we got

it today with no worries about tomorrow. Now , we

see there is an end and we found it. This will be the

new norm, wherever that is for your business.

Growth expectations are moderate and slow.

FIT: If a new business owner is expecting to ex-

plode right out of the gate, you say what?

CLARA: It ’ s not going to happen. This new norm

permeates through everything. If we are not growing

as much and we are not spending as much where is

it coming from? The consumer has to want to

spend and want to spend with you consistently and

regularly. As for yourself, what is it about you, your

business, your service that is so unique that people

can ’ t get it somewhere else and they are willing to

pay you a premium for it.?

FIT: I see. For the person that has been in business

for five to ten years, do you suggest they take a look

at what they are doing now to formulate a new strat-

egy?

CLARA: Definitely! I have clients now, I have sug-

gested they look at where their money is generated

and how they can increase the revenue. Not neces-

sarily though their current customers or new custom-

ers but do you have other products you can sell? Do

you have other markets you can go into? Can you

expand and create more value for your services?

That is how you can expand your revenue base in

addition you have to look at how you can reduce ex-

penses.

FIT: That second portion is a little loaded because

most small business owners believe that reducing

expenses means reducing personnel. Can you get to

the bear bones with out adding to the unemployment

line?

CLARA: That ’ s a good point but everything in your

business is not a necessity. Go down the list and

take stock of what you need. If cutting personnel

means you have to do more work, does that help or

hurt your bottom line? Personnel my be your greatest

expense but it is also your greatest earner as well.

Look at your other monthly bills. Take an assessment

of what your business needs to run smoothly and

efficiently. It ’ s not what you like, it ’ s what you

Learning from the wise: I (r.)

sat with Clara Villarosa (l.),

author of Down to Business,

and literally try to pick her

brain for more information.

Clara is a wealth of knowledge

and a joy to converse with.

I was very honored Patricia

Eaton, (c.), president emeritus,

of Mount Morris Park

Community Improvement

Association; invited me to

interview Ms. Villarosa. It was

definitely a treat.

2009 December

need.

FIT: Speaking of need, customers are what we all

need. And you being a bibliophile ( a lover and

reader of books. The real deal not the Kindle. ) ,

I ’ m sure you know Amazon has a list of customers

they know what to do with. How should businesses

handle their new and repeat customers? How impor-

tant is the list?

CLARA: The list is very important but more impor-

tantly is building the relationship and asking those

on your list to get you new customers. If you have a

website, you should be asking your customers to

refer customers to you. By doing so what can you

offer them as a reward? Reward the loyalty with a

discount or product that will benefit them and not

hurt your bottom line. If you are drawing people to

your website, what do they do once they get there?

What is going to make them hang around? You

have to draw in the thousands through the ones you

have. Ask you customers what they would like to

see and if you can, give it to them.

FIT: I guess it all falls back to building the relation-

ship?

CLARA: That ’ s where it all begins. The relation-

ship is key to every aspect of your business. The

customer has to see a value in what you do for them

selves and then they will pass it on to others they

feel will benefit from it.

FIT: Since we briefly touched on it, who needs a web-

site.?

CLARA: Everybody needs a website. The question to

ask yourself is what type of website do you need? If

you ’ re a consultant, you website can be small and

modest to meet the needs of those referring you and

those who are in need of your service. If your cus-

tomer has come in and asked you if you have a web-

site, even if you don ’ t , you answer should be yes. If

it ’ s not up, simply state it ’ s under construction. Your

on line presence is at work even when you ’ re not.

So, it ’ s important to be visible, inviting and valuable

to all those that use your site.

FIT: Wow! I know we have more to talk about. What do

you do for pleasure?

CLARA: Read the New York Times for information but

it also challenges me and my writing. I read the New

Yorker. I am a member of a book study group and we

explore literary works, not the pop stuff. But remember

I am a bibliophile. I have been reading for years.

FIT: So do you have a library card?

CLARA: Oh yeah! I have to have that. I used it in the

beginning as the main source for my business plan

research. And guess what? It didn ’ t cost me a thing.

FIT: Now that is a recession buster!

Mount Morris Talks

and we all listen:

Clara Villarosa (l.),

Founder of the Hue-

man Bookstore in

Harlem; shares her

experience on life,

love and business.

Patricia Eaton (r.),

President Emeritus of

MMPCIA.org hosts

the evening

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

2009 December

Have you given your time or services to charity? Are you

donating your product to a youth group in need? Do you

assist senior citizens with their taxes? If not, these are

some of the ways you can get a story in your local

newspaper thereby enhancing your brand image among

your target audience. In short, what is your public

relations I.Q.?

Budgets are tight all around, but moving into 2010, you

need to work smarter to navigate through the messaging

noise that people are hit with everyday. Working smarter

means learning how to be PR savvy and creating

human-interest stories that are important to the readers of

publications and blogs. In essence, you and your business

are getting some exposure.

Do you have a great office space you can offer up to a

local community organization? This allots you an oppor-

tunity to offer remarks or a product demonstration as the

host of the event. Perhaps the recession has forced you to

cut the hours of your PR staff or consultant. If so, have

the consultant focus on long-term strategies for product

launches or partnerships coming up in your next fiscal

year. Then you pitch in, roll up your sleeves and call your

local newspaper or TV station with information on

something that is missing in the community. Explain

how you are filling that need by offering free services.

You will be surprised how one free service can turn into

leads that pay dividends and increase your bottom line.

This is what PR looks like in 2010; smart, real, true and

relevant. Host a consumer/client competition offering

your product or service as part of the prize package. For

instance, a free seminar; a discount on a product or

service; will get people visiting your web site, calling

your phone or emailing you to learn more.

Create opportunities that make you relevant to your target

audience, TV viewers, blog and community newspaper

readers. Smaller budgets are not a reason to stop your

creativity. When it comes to drumming up positive pub-

licity for you or your brand, ask “what have you done for

others, lately?”

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

A press conference was recently held to discuss the eco-

nomic future of a community that has been know as the

home of vibrancy, culture, arts, music, food, community

activism and most of all, the unofficial capital of African-

America, Harlem.

In many years, after much neglect and deterioration, Har-

lem‟s second Renaissance brought the history of this cul-

tural epicenter of New York City back to the forefront. An

infusion of passionate community “pioneers” with ener-

getic “newcomers” has made Harlem the destination spot

of visitors as well as those looking to relocate. But like all

communities in the United States, Harlem, as well as the

majority of minority communities, has been hardest hit by

this recession. The 125th Street corridor, undoubtedly the

main artery of this rich community, has seen more small

business close due to landlords pricing them out in hopes

of finding larger, more stable, national chains to take up

residence.

This turn of events has left many residents who were em-

ployed by or once patronized the smaller business, without

the service they so readily enjoyed and in need of finding

other sources outside of the community, hence diluting the

economic power of the community. But it is on the brink

of devastation, ideas evolve into action and the declaration

of The Power of One was made.

So, what is The Power of One? The Power of One is a

bold, innovative economic action plan spear-headed by

like-minded independent Harlem business owners who

have come together to promote and support each other

and their community. Based on the popular rewards card

model, The Power of One is a community reward card.

When anyone who lives in or visits Harlem uses the card,

the community receives the benefit of the economic

growth of businesses in the area. “A University of

Michigan study of urban areas shows that spending just

10% of your income in your community increases money

circulation exponentially, in some cases by as much as

$140 million. Imagine what that could mean for Harlem!

More jobs, more businesses and a strong vibrant

community,” explains Marva Allen, owner of the Hue-

Man Bookstore and the brainchild behind The Power of

One.

Harlem is the largest African American consumer base in

the city of New York. This economic power is greater

than the gross national product of Canada, yet, in the last

year, 40% of local Harlem businesses have closed. By

area residents‟ spending money at a chain store, commu-

nity money leaves the neighborhood. But when it is spent

with a local business, the money is reinvested in the

community--where you work, live, go to school--creating

economic strength, building community resilience and

.

By M. Natasha Reid & Marcia M. Mayne

2009 December

independence.

How does it work? Unlike most reward programs

that offer their cards for free, participants are asked

to invest $1 into to the economic resurgence of their

community. That $1 buys access to discounts, VIP

access, and other perks when you spend, invest and

play in Harlem. The goal is to teach one of the

foundations of financial literacy, invest in assets,

things that put money in your pocket and not

liabilities, things that take money out of your

pocket. One of the goals of The Power of One is to

encourage people to think about where their money

is going, and commit to spending a proportion of it

locally.

The program is not without challenges. The first

being to reeducate a community, which has been

trained to shop with major retailers, to shop locally.

The second is to raise $1,000,000 over the next six

months, selling one Power of One card at a time. It is

considered to be Harlem's own bailout plan.

This plan has garnered much attention from prominent

Harlem residents such as Actress, Director, Producer

Tamara Tunie. Tunie was so impressed she sings the

title song composed specifically for The Power of

One, by uber-pianist, Georges Francois. Other high

profile individuals such as, Lisa Cortes, Executive

Producer of the movie Precious, Black Enterprise

Host of Our World Ed Gordon; Professor of

Philosophy at Princeton, Cornell West; Director,

Writer, Producer, Melvin Van Peebles; Director

Warrington Hudlin and others have expressed and

shown support.

According to Marva Allen, owner of the Hue-Man

Bookstore, "It is about how one person acting in

concert with like-minded individuals can create

positive, powerful and exponential change in one's

neighborhood, community and maybe even the world. I

can't begin to tell you how many people have

volunteered their time and effort to see this program

come to light. People want to be part of something

positive and progressive."

It is definitely an idea whose time has come. The idea

of pooling resources to create and build wealth is a

strategy that has been successfully used in financially

stable communities around the world. The business

owners involved in The Power of One program see

their roles not only as value driven but also as

community gatekeepers helping to solve social and

economic problems that improve the quality of life for

their customers, their employees and their community.

Leah Abraham, owner of Settipani Restaurant states

“We have all stood here on someone else‟s shoulders

and for that I‟m thankful.”

Among the businesses that have signed on as

community pioneers are The Amsterdam News, The

World Famous Apollo Theater, The Brownstone, Cafe

One, Caranda Fine Foods, City Electric and

Communications, Charisma Speakers, Experience-

Harlem, Faison Fire House, Harlem Underground,

Harlem Lanes, Harlem Vintage, (continued on page 22)

The Power of

One summit: Harlem

business own-

ers (Tonni‟s

Minis & The

Brownstone)

share their

excitement

about The

Power of One

program and

their expecta-

tions .

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenberg, Rachel

Roy, Melody Ehsani and Jazmin Whitley are a few

of the fashion designers who have openly embraced

the social media marketing phenomenon. For years,

companies used business to consumer or business to

business approaches to promote their services or

products. But, time has evolved and many fashion

gurus have reinvented their way of thinking to mimic

the mindset of shoppers. In the past people who

wanted to know the radically changing trends would

pick up the latest magazine. Social media has

allowed fashion brands to engage with customers

using online communities and websites. Traditional

approaches and means of communication are

continuously being reconstructed allowing an

increase for customer interaction. Now there‟s the

ability to directly connect with an audience on a

real-time basis.

In previous years retailers and the press decided what

was most prevalent to consumers. Now designers

have the luxury and opportunity to launch an entire

collection directly to existing buyers potentially

engaging a new audience, building brand equity.

Fashion designers and boutiques are adapting to the

changing needs of the consumer. Many designers

are utilizing social media and virtual runways to

show their collections. Whether you are a well

known designer or a newcomer developing a social

media presence is très chic!

Working with social media networks offers access to

a wider range of consumers by making it possible for

retailers and designers to generate a buzz about a

brand. By starting discussions online, you influence

the consumer market; the drive behind fashion.

Social networking sites grant access to a broad

spectrum of consumers looking for front row access

to fresh looks, unedited versions of designers and

their work. Take a look at these numbers:

MySpace has 126 million users worldwide.

(Source: TechCrunch)

Facebook has 175 million active users and 95%

have used at least one application. (Source:

Facebook Press Information)

Social network ad spending will reach $2.6b by

2012. (Source: eMarketer) 61% of influencers turn to Word Of Mouth for

making shopping and retail purchase decisions

(Source: Keller Fay Group)

By using social media, it becomes possible for a

fashion house or designer to generate new business

with minimal cost. Social media networks allow a

designer to overcome barriers and obstacles while

breaking down boundaries to reach out to different

demographics. Many fashion companies have

targeted bloggers and other social media users as a

means to create a dedicated community of buyers.

Word of mouth is a chain reaction of social media

sites. Blogging is also incredibly powerful.

Ph

oto

s c

ou

rte

sy o

f P

erc

ep

tio

n &

Co

2009 December

Do you know Joe Zee, Creative Director of ELLE

Magazine? He tweeted about the infamous "light up"

Jimmy Choos. Within seconds the information was

re-routed to millions of people who began to RT (re-tweet)

about the product. That is what you call social media at its

best; instant marketing . Word of mouth and online

engagement is very fashionable for apparel brands. When

consumers shop online fashion companies are able to

communicate within the same space they are purchasing.

Twitter has become a very important social media platform

for fashion companies and designers. It provides the

consumer with an outlet to speak out and affords the

designer the tools to listen closely. Facebook, Blogging

and MySpace are also social networking media which

contribute to the sensation of instant feedback. All the

information is at the tips of your fingers by the click of a

mouse. Here are some fashion industry social media

marketing sites to get you started:

Shopflick.com USTrendy.com

StyleCaster.com SenseofFashion.com EstToday.com Stylehop.com

We look to designers to always stay a step ahead of the

trend. We look for their cues on what‟s hot and definitely

what‟s not. When it comes to social media, take a page

from Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappo.com. Tony is a “Twitter”

superstar not because he has the hot shoes. He‟s a superstar

because he connects with his base. Follow everyone that is

following you. Engage your followers in dialogue. Be

open and honest. Most importantly stay connected with

who your customers are and what they‟re doing. Social

media is your runway. You better work it.

Ph

oto

s c

ou

rte

sy o

f P

erc

ep

tio

n &

Co

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

(continued from page 12) Almost Doesn’t Count: The

conversation with Stan left me with so many pearls of

wisdom that it could easily take up a book. And since I

don‟t have that much real estate in this magazine, I have

to leave you with this small staple; your life is determined

by the actions you take. You can easily slip into obscurity

by simply moving along the line of mediocrity, always

riding someone else‟s coattails. Or if you dare to be

amongst the approximately 46500 business that start every

year, you‟ll be in a class of brave souls that dare to dream

in color and soar amongst the stars.

Happy Holidays!

The holiday season has always been a

time of reflection for me.

I would like to take this time to thank

you for reading and giving us an

opportunity to share with you.

To all F.I.T. Money contributors,

thank you for providing all of us with

your great content and useful tips.

Enjoy the holiday season. Get revved

up and let’s start 2010 with a bang!

Look for more details soon on

F.I.T. Money Education and our first

mixer in January 2010.

From our family to yours,

Happy Holidays and we’ll see

you in the New Year!

Until next time...stay F.I.T.!

(continued from pg 18) The Power of One: H & M Art

Gallery of Harlem, Hue-Man Bookstore,

Imagenation, Katrina Parris Flowers, MoBay, Marcia

Mayne Publicity, Nectar, On this Rock Jewelry NYC,

Settipani Restaurant, Tonnie's Minis, Smalls & Co.,

independently owned Subway and Two Fifth Lounge.

The community at large also benefits from the Power

of One as the program donates 15% of the money

raised to charitable organizations that serve and

enrich the Harlem community, such as Opus 118, The

Melvin van Peebles Foundation, The Theater of the

Oppressed and Cool Culture and has slated another

5% to a fund concerned with the beautification of

Harlem.

Taking a problem and creating a business enterprise

is what entrepreneurs do. The Power of One is a pilot

program that can be expanded into depressed

communities across the country to support the

creation of and sustain the small business. Learn

more about The Power of One program at

www.the-powerofone.com.

Join the conversation :

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fitmoney

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fit-money

Web: http://www.fitmoneymagazine.com

December 2009 F.I.T. Money Magazine

http://www.bda-oso-starchild.com

http://www.bda-oso-starchild.com

http://averagejoe.fitmoneymag.com

http://www.bda-oso-starchild.com