

How Financial Coach Dr. Lynn Richardson Helped MC Lyte Triple Her Income
In case no one has told you yet, you are a business. So often, people make the mistake of believing that they can only treat their lives like a business if they are an entrepreneur or a business owner, not realizing that the mere fact that they exist in this world makes them an owned and operated business. And as such, everything you do can be written off as an expense and thus, add to your overall wealth.
At least, that's what Dr. Lynn Richardson will put you on game about.
MC Lyte and Financial Coach Lynn Richardson
The financial expert and life coach took the stage on Saturday afternoon (July 28) during a conversation orchestrated by P&G's My Black Is Beautiful in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists. Famed rapper and humanitarian MC Lyte took the stage as the event's keynote speaker, and revealed her seven-year friendship with Lynn, as well as the fact that they partnered together in their book, Your Man and Your Money: How to Get'em and How to Keep'em. The two met when MC was really lost about how to have her finances together and as her financial advisor, Lynn pulled her through, and even helped her triple her income in the process!
There, the two friends and collaborators talked all things financial literacy, being your own business, and entrepreneurial advancement. And xoNecole was there to collect all of the gems. Read on for more.
Apply the 10-10-30-50 Rule to Your Budget
While many of us out there who have dabbled or are experts in budgeting know the power of a good dose of the 50-20-30 rule, Lynn's modified 10-10-30-50 rule might be the key to unlocking a lot of our financial success. "The first 10 percent you tithe, the next 10 percent you save. Our grandmas taught us to save for a rainy day, but really, we have to save for a come up. That means, when we have the opportunity to invest in something, [we can invest]," Lynn explained. "When the stock market crashed in 2008, everyone was in a recession. Well, one of my sorors, and financial mentors, she had saved and had money that she could use to invest, and she did. When the stocks went down to 20 cents a share, she bought 100,000 shares. And when it went back up to $12 a share, she sold it."
"We have to save for a come up."
She continued, "The next 30 percent is cash. And cash is what we have to understand as entrepreneurs. People on this planet have figured out how they can go into the boardroom, create something that cost $2 that they can sell to us on Black Friday for $250 and make it feel like we have to have it. Having cash prevents you from having a spending addiction… The remaining 50 percent stays in your checking account to go to bills."
Use Only 30% of Your Income as Spending Money
When breaking down the 10-10-30-50 rule for budgeting, the 30 percent allocated to cash plays a very major role in your day to day spending. Unlike the 50 percent for your bills that stays in your checking account, the 30 percent is to act as cash that you carry around and takes care of everything, from your nail appointment to your groceries.
Some of us (especially those of us who have a spending addiction) might think that relying on 30 percent and carrying it around in cash isn't feasible. If you ask Lynn, you're thinking way too small. And those extra unnecessary expenses? You need to cut it.
"What happens is, we forget that we spend mindlessly. And it's not about not having the intelligence, it's us rejecting what the world says that we have to do with our money and make a decision. That's where I say women, especially women of color, we can be billionaires, but we cannot ignore the basic thing we learned in the first grade, and that's mathematics: 1 + 1 equals 2. And if your stuff adds up to 10, it will never get to 2. And we will always be trying to figure out how to make our money work and where is it going."
"Control that number, and we can control our wealth."
Take Advantage of Everyday Expenses During Tax Time
What many of us fail to realize is how much we stand to gain during tax time by writing off expenses and deducting properly. Lynn wants everyone to be empowered by the fact that simply by existing, they are a fully owned and operated business. This does not mean quitting your job, but for all intents and purposes, you are an entrepreneur, whether you realize it or not. Therefore, it's time you start deducting like it.
"If you have a business and your business makes $100,000, here's what happens to all of your income: first, you get to expense everything you use in your business. You get to expense your cell phone. You get to expense your mileage or your gas on your car. You get to expense your trips because when you go on trips - I don't care if it's a family trip or a vacation or a family reunion in Mississippi - you are actually on a business trip so you need to expense that. Once you expense everything, they'll say, 'Those expenses are $65,000, there's $35,000 left over. That's the amount you get taxed on.'"
Lynn also suggested that wealthy people don't necessarily have more money, they just know how to get their money back. As an entrepreneur, it's crucial that we view ourselves as a business and view everything we do as a potential expense to be a tax write off.
Invest in Strategic Multiple Streams of Income
For most people, the secret to acquiring wealth is never allowing one hat to be your only hat and by that I mean, having multiple streams of income. Along with cultivating different avenues where more money can easily travel, it is important to develop strategy when diversifying your income as well, which is also where a strong personal brand comes into play. Whether it's a brick and mortar, selling or doing hair, repurposing vintage clothes, or mixing up your own beauty line, the opportunities are there, you just have to take it. "Multiple streams of income give us the ability to extinguish the fiery darts of an unstable economy. So, if one of your businesses is no longer popular, you got seven more to look at," Lynn added.
"We've got to have multiple streams of income, but we also gotta have strategy."
It is important to diversify your income in order to maximize your wealth potential, but it is also important to know that while more money is great to have, having the financial literacy to navigate your finances adeptly and strategically is ultimately the golden rule in acquiring wealth and breaking ground for more black women business owners, entrepreneurs, and millionaires. "Black women, we are the most educated people on the planet. There is no group of people who have more degrees than black women," Lynn noted. "We have PhD's, Master's degrees, and MBA's. But one of the things that sits with me a lot, is why are we not as wealthy as our education says? We are last on the totem pole when it comes to wealth."
And it's time that changes.
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Masturdating: A TikTok Dating Trend That We Should Totally Get Behind
Imma tell y’all what — it seems like not one week goes by when I don’t see some sort of so-called term that has me like, “What in the world?” For instance, when I first stumbled upon “self-partnering,” honestly, I laughed. Then shared it with some other single people as well as married folks I know. And I kid you not, every individual was like, “What the heck does that mean?” When I told them that it was yet, one more way to seemingly define single living, basically everyone’s follow-up was, “Oh, brother.”
Why can’t (more) singles just be single and be okay with that? Good Lord. Why does there need to be some sort of relational play-on-words to make it sound like we’re with someone — even if we’re not?
Now masturdating? Even though it’s not even close to being a “real” word, it’s something that also brought a laugh outta me — although it was then followed by a genuine smile. The laugh because I almost immediately caught the play-on-words. The smile was due to the intention behind it all.
If you’re not familiar with what masturdating is and you’re curious about why you should even care, take a few moments to at least skim through what it’s about and why I think participating, as a single person, is a pretty cool (and effective) concept.
@knotlukas Masturdate: a date w oneself
What’s Masturdating All About?
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Masturdating. Okay, so let the word marinate for just a moment. What does it sound like? Yeah…exactly. And since a huge part of masturbation centers around self-pleasure, it’s cool to explore how “self-dating” could produce similar (as far as pleasure is concerned in a broader sense) results. Because masturdating is all about spending quality time with yourself, pampering yourself, treating yourself— and yes, taking yourself out on dates.
Any of you who may think that masturdating is a consolation prize — and a pitiful one at that — for not being able to go out with another human being or get that dream $200 first date that social media was all in a tizzy about last year (bookmark that) — personally, I think that you’re the demographic who needs to try out masturdating first and the most. Why? Off top, I’ll share my three good reasons.
3 Reasons To Strongly Consider Masturdating
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1. It’s an intimate way to get to know yourself better. I’ve been working with couples for a pretty long time at this point and if there’s a pattern that I see arise, OFTEN, it’s that two people are oftentimes so busy trying to “find their person” that they didn’t even know who they were. As a direct result, they found themselves in a relationship with someone who only complemented the “kiddie pool version” of who they were.
That’s why it can be so beneficial to spend time getting to know yourself on the “deep end” of things: what makes you tick, what your passions are, what you want most out of life, what are your interests beyond obvious things — and masturdating can help you to discover all of this. Whether it’s traveling alone or taking out a weekend to drink some wine and journal, the more you get to know yourself, the clearer you’ll be about who complements you on a romantic and friendship level.
2. It will definitely help to boost your confidence levels. I guess since I’m an ambivert, I don’t really get why people freak out at the mere thought of going to a restaurant or movie alone. Personally, I think it requires a helluva lot more energy and gumption to wait around and plan stuff with other people (#Elmoshrug). However, whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, there’s no way around the fact that the more comfortable you get with doing things alone, the more your confidence levels will increase — no, soar — because of it.
One article that I read on the topic said that doing things alone can make you more creative, improve your mental health, and help you to be totally okay with being alone (so that you’re not “needy” for other people’s attention). A psychotherapist from a New York Times article on the benefits of spending time alone said, “Getting better at identifying moments when we need solitude to recharge and reflect can help us better handle negative emotions and experiences, like stress and burnout.” And when you’re able to stare negativity in its face without flinching, how could that not make you bolder, more self-secure, and hopeful about your life?
3. It will teach you to value your time more effectively. In every facet of your world, you’re gonna operate from a healthier place if you’re operating from a “full cup” rather than an empty one. When it comes to this topic, think about it — if you’re constantly waiting on someone to call you to go out or wishing for a dream date with some guy, all you’re doing is wasting precious time that you could be spending taking a cooking class or hell, hiring a chef to make you dinner at your own home.
Indeed, waiting has two sides to it: when it’s in the form of patience, it is indeed a virtue, yet when it’s wrapped up in the notion that you’re not really living life unless you have an audience…it is totally working against you. Choose wisely.
10 Solo Date Ideas To Help You To “Master” Masturdating
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So, what if you’re someone who has either never considered actually masturdating before or you don’t really know what to do beyond dinner and the movies? Here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Attend a workshop or masterclass that you’re interested in. If there’s something that you’ve always wanted to learn, sign up for a workshop or masterclass. The cool thing about this option is there are probably some in your city, as well as some that you can find online (like here) that are convenient and affordable.
2. Binge-read at a local coffee shop. Aside from their coziness and oftentimes inviting scents, I once read that a lot of us gravitate to coffee shops because we can be around people without having to actually socialize with them. So, if you want to “hang out” while still being able to enjoy a bit of solitude, take a book that you’ve been trying to finish to a local coffee shop, order your favorite latte, and sit in a big-ass comfy chair. Usually, you can sit there for hours, and the staff will be just fine with it (another bonus).
3. Have a spa day in the next town. You can never go wrong with a spa day. And while going with a friend can be fun, sometimes there’s too much talking transpiring to be able to fully chill out and relax. So, go off of the grid, get a change of scenery, and hit up a spa in the next city (or town). There are lots of studies out here supporting that day trips or “daycations” can actually be really good for your long-term health and well-being.
4. See a community play. Some of the best solo dates that I’ve ever been on consisted of taking in some of the local arts in my city. What’s really cool about this particular option is, oftentimes, they are extremely inexpensive, if not totally free of charge (in exchange for making a donation or putting money into a tip jar).
5. Plan a trip. Whenever people say something along the lines of, “If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed,” I know that they low-key have some (additional) healing to do from past disappointments. There’s simply too much intel out here to support that anticipation (of good stuff) makes us more motivated and optimistic, keeps our dopamine levels up, and makes life more exciting overall.
Since traveling alone is more cost-effective, gives you the freedom to do whatever you want (when you want), and increases the possibility of meeting new people and having new experiences on your journey — why not devote a day this weekend to planning a solo trip? All the way around, it’s good for you.
6. Try your hand at your own “$200 date.” Uh-huh. Roll your eyes if you want to, but it’s real easy to talk left about how a man should be able to just drop $200 like it’s nothing…until you actually try to do it. So yes, while taking yourself out on this type of date could serve as a bit of a reality check, it can also “scratch the itch” of waiting on some dude to do it for you. It’s also way less emotionally draining because, at least when you’re taking your own self out, it’s guaranteed that you’ll enjoy the company…right?
7. DIY some pampering. When you get a chance, check out “5 Reasons You Should Unapologetically Pamper Yourself,” “Want To Love On Yourself? Try These 10 Things At Home.,” “I’ve Got Some Ways For You To Start Pampering Your Soul,” and “When's The Last Time You Actually Pampered Your Vagina?” The bottom line here is pampering is all about, not mere self-maintenance; it’s all about treating yourself to levels of EXTREME SELF-INDULGENCE. So, if nothing else tickles your fancy on this list, at least consider doing that, chile.
8. Feed your creativity. Something that I used to be really good at is art. That said, one of my goddaughters is insanely talented, so she has reminded me to tap back into it. Also, a big part of what got me into the writing world is poetry; I actually used to be a house poet at a local spot. Sometimes, my best quality time moments with myself have been revisiting these creative sides of me — and this is definitely easier to do (and enjoy) alone.
9. Try some stargazing. When’s the last time you took a blanket into your backyard, laid down on it, and just stared at the stars for hours on end? While some say that stargazing can teach you to be mindful, others say that being in that form of nature reduces stress, while others believe that looking up at the universe at night can increase your attention span. All solid reasons to give it a shot, if you ask me.
10. DO. ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING. Let me tell you something that nobody will ever be able to make me feel bad about: doing absolutely nothing. I’ve got data to back me up. Good Housekeeping shares that doing nothing can help you decide how you want to respond or react to certain things. I like howThe Guardian says that taking this approach helps you to regain control of what you give your attention to.
TIME magazine says that it can ultimately make you more productive.BBC offers up that it can help you tap into your ingenuity.Henry Ford Health says that it can make you kinder and a better problem-solver. So, if you want to invest in yourself, do nothing sometimes.
Closing Thoughts from the Lovely Javicia Leslie
While some of y'all may know Javicia Leslie from being the former Batwoman, I discovered her back in the day from the indie series Chef Julian (and yes, "Julian" was right to say that "Mo" looks like Tatyana Ali...the real ones know). Sometimes I'll hop on her IG to see what she's got going on and this story popped up within a few hours of me penning this...so, I took it as hella confirmation.
TREAT YO SELF. WAIT FOR NO ONE.
WAIT FOR NO ONE. TREAT YO SELF.
RINSE AND REPEAT.
_____
Sooo…what kind of masturdating plans do you have for this coming weekend? While going out with others has its perks, hanging out with yourself has a ton of ‘em too. Enjoy!
No…for real. ENJOY!
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