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Before You Quit Your Day Job, Check Out This Advice From Six-Figure Entrepreneur Pauleanna Reid
"Pauleanna, you don't just drop gems. You throw them at people's heads."
This statement from Tanisha, (an xoTribe member and one of Pauleanna's mentees) clearly explains the awe-inspiring experience that was had during the recent xoTribe Mentor Monday fireside chat with Pauleanna Reid.
On August 18, with more than 100 women in attendance, Pauleanna Reid engaged in, what felt like to me, an intimate, one-on-one conversation. Not only was it transparent and authentic, but there were also real-life actionable items and takeaways shared. Personally, my confidence and courage increased significantly as a result of the experience with college dropout turned six-figure entrepreneur, Pauleanna Reid.
As a Senior Contributor at Forbes, Pauleanna captivates readers by interviewing and sharing stories about phenomenal and successful entrepreneurs. Additionally, she lends her abilities as a ghostwriter to help celebrities and CEOs bring their books to life…and all while mentoring hundreds of career-driven women through her mentor program, New Girl On The Block.
Pauleanna may have dropped out of college, but she definitely dropped major gems about navigating life as an entrepreneur:
1.Before you transition as a full-time entrepreneur, make sure you have a plan.
You don't want to start a business out of desperation versus passion. For Pauleanna, it was imperative that she paid down debt and saw a proven track record of sales for at least a year before she fully transitioned. Once her side hustle revenue surpassed her corporate salary, it was one of the first signs that helped her realize it was time. Soon after, she "hired smart and hired fast" (e.g., executive assistant, videographer, graphic designer, and writers), having learned that it's the "responsibility of the CEO to grow the business, but the responsibility of the team to maintain it."
2.Practice getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Pauleanna constantly practices this each day by trying something new that scares her. Not to mention, she repeatedly reminds herself, just as she reminded us, that "we come from a lineage of excellence." By remembering and practicing this, it helps build confidence and courage so you can push through fear and self-doubt, as well as help conquer imposter syndrome.
3.Be strategic about networking.
Instead of going to multiple events, Pauleanna is very strategic about the types of, as well as the number of, events that she attends. She prefers more one-on-one connections, and each month, she sets a goal for the number of strangers she wants to meet. Making the best use of your time means being more strategic about how you use it, as well as how you allow others to use your time.
4.Craft and practice your elevator pitch.
Even though you may have more than one elevator pitch depending on your audience or the ask, your elevator pitch should communicate: who you are, what you do, who you help, and the benefit of working with you. Most importantly, it should provide some insight as to what you and your business will do to help them.
5.Don’t be intimidated by or get caught up in titles.
This applies whether it's your title or the title of the person that you're pitching to. In other words, don't be afraid to shoot your shot. Even if there isn't opportunity for you and that person to work together, they may know of someone else in their network.
Also, as Pauleanna put it, "there's a difference between your title and your purpose." Understand that your purpose isn't always tied to a paycheck. Hence, you may have to do things outside of your work or business to help live out your purpose.
6.“Everyone else is concerned with leveling up, but I’m dedicated to maintaining excellence where I am.”
As Pauleanna stated "a lot of people are good at 8 different things and phenomenal at nothing," but it's better to learn how to master and give 100% to one thing at a time. As she explained, "pursue the path that has the least resistance by doing what comes the most natural and easiest to you." Don't be that person who "does a little bit of everything, but really does nothing at all.
7.Keep telling your story because “every single day you’re going to have new attention.”
Regardless of the number of followers or customers you may have today, think of the hundreds, thousands, and millions who have yet to hear your story. "There's always something new to reveal," Pauleanna mentioned, "And you can always penetrate the same story from different angles." Whether you know it or not, someone is waiting and needs to hear your story. Ultimately, it comes down to being transparent and connecting the dots of your life to the lives of those you speak to.
8.Remember your why.
When fear and self-doubt start to creep in, ask yourself: why am I here, what am I fighting for, and why am I doing this? Pauleanna actually reads her goals aloud each and every morning as a way to help set the tone and energy for that day.
9. “Crawling is OK,” but comparison is not.
If you're not careful, social media can easily trick you into thinking that success happens instantly or overnight. However, the reality is that everyone has to start somewhere, and you can't always see the story behind the success. I love when Pauleanna said, "The only way I know how to climb out of a hole is gradually. If you can't run, then walk, if you can't walk, then crawl." You have to be patient with yourself and believe that "what's for you, won't miss you."
To watch the playback of this Mentor Monday's session and other exclusive workshops, join our xoTribe membership community today!
Featured image courtesy of Pauleanna Reid
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Shonda Brown White is a bestselling author, blogger, life coach, and brand strategist. When she's not jumping out of a plane or zip lining, she's living the married life with her husband in Atlanta, GA. Connect with her on social @ShondaBWhite and her empowering real talk on her blog.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."