Category: Careers

Careers, Featured

Women to Know Wednesday: Chef Ai

Sandré

Any food enthusiasts or those interested in entering the hospitality industry? Today’s woman to know spotlight is Ashley Dalrymple, a.k.a Chef  Ai. She is an 8-year Culinarian and proud owner of the restaurant Main Course Tampa. It is a restaurant based out of Tampa and known for its variety of entrees and flavors. The main entrée served is dependent on the day of the week. All items are freshly made to order and exceptionally delicious! Chef Ai is a Tampa native, was a chef for 8 years in the army, and became a restaurant owner less than 7 month of being out of the Army! Definitely a woman to know, we wish you nothing but success!

 

Check her online platform for more info!

MainCourseTampa- IG

 

 

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Fall Back and Spring Forward

shaniselene

As the mark to make a month slowly approaches since I’ve been on a social media hiatus, I’m sad to say that it’s coming to an end. I’d be lying if I said that waking up carefree and not having to check notifications, direct messages or insights hasn’t been refreshing to say the least. I’ve gained so much clarity on specific situations pertaining to business endeavors, business relationships, friendships, school and I’ve learned so much about myself.

Even though my desire to return to social media has dwindled, it’s imperative to my growth as an entrepreneur. I’ve been blessed to obtain additional clients from sharing my content online. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet like minded individuals in the same field.

The most challenging part about my break was accepting the fact that even though I confirmed my perception on this virtual world that we’re so engulfed in, which I already knew, I must admit that it has played an important part in allowing myself to see all of the positive aspects that people see in me. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing that you can not only encourage, but influence others to be the best they can be, solely by being yourself.

Self awareness is one thing, but when you come to a sudden realization and everything starts coming together, it all makes sense. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, pressured, confused and what to find out the people who are truly in your corner, unplug from everyone and everything. When it’s time for you to make your return, you’ll come back recharged, refreshed and ready to conquer!

About, Careers, Community, Faith, Health, Lifestyle, Opinions, Thoughts of a Black Girl, Uncategorized, Urban Issues

Unplugged

shaniselene

As you mature, life forces you to make tough decisions and if you’re anything like me, that isn’t necessarily your favorite thing to do. The year 2018 has advanced technology like no other, especially social media. While most enjoy snapping selfies, fulfilling their self esteem based on the number of views and likes they receive, I take pleasure in the moments that aren’t captured.

Earlier in the week, I experienced a mental breakdown, that I’m ashamed to admit that was linked to my social media platform that had me considering to delete my page. About (2) years ago, my instagram had 600 followers; fast forwarding to today, I’m at 6,000. The irony in this is that I had no intentions on growing my page, let alone indulging in blogging. Due to my oblivion of what was taking place, I hadn’t realized the type of community I was creating solely by being myself. Whether it was posting a picture with an inspiring caption, displaying ways to be proactive in achieving your goals, offering workouts to remain fit or sharing words of encouragement to my story, I related to my followers in some form or fashion.

Regardless of Instagram’s new algorithm, supplying your audience with what they want to see is critical to your success (based on society’s standards). About a month ago, 54% of my audience were men and 46% were women varying from the ages of 18-35. Since I’ve started my medical school journey, I’ve been touching base on the meetings I attend within my medical organization, clinical rotations at the hospital, shadowing sessions with various physicians, as well as my skincare services that I offer as an esthetician on my platform. Most have taken well to it, but some have been requesting more workout videos, makeup tips and stories where I demonstrate how I meal prep. Although I haven’t disregarded these requests, I’m aware of the importance of having a niche and being consistent.

What was the point of the backstory of my mini meltdown you may ask? Although I’m a firm believer of putting yourself first when it comes to your mental health, I’m a softy when it comes to those who seek advise and look for direction. That’s been my biggest battle thus far. Although I experience so much bliss when I’m not utilizing social media and enjoying the moment rather than capturing it, in the back of my mind, I think about those who look for my opinion. Yes, I believe in doing things for me, but I genuinely have a love for helping others. I’ve spent so much more time with God and have obtained the ability to hear him more clearly. On the contrary, I’ve received calls, texts and notifications of people checking on me and inquiring where I’ve gone. Keep in mind that it hasn’t been a full week, yet people have noticed. While that is a positive aspect and this decision has shown me who my true friends are, I still have to maneuver in a fashion conducive to my health. I encourage anyone experiencing similar emotions to take a break, unplug and refrain from feeling pressured to continue to do what you think you should be doing because the majority is doing it. I am so thankful that I have a fulfilling life outside of my platforms and don’t seek for validation from others compared to those who do. I haven’t made a final decision as far as when or if I’ll make a return. I’ve prayed and plan on fasting for an answer, but until then, you’ll just have to stay tuned.

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Sacrificing Your Friends For Your Future

shaniselene

It’s important to monitor your inner circle when it comes to pursuing your goals in life. One of the hardest realities I’ve faced has been learning to let go of individuals that have exceeded their expiration date. I used to be one of those people who held onto relationships (both platonic and romantic) based on the amount of time the person has been in my life.

After various events that took place within a friendship of mine, I realized that outgrowing people is a part of life and accepted the fact that everyone isn’t meant to come along during certain parts of my journey. If you care for your loved ones as much as I do, then you’ll understand why this decision wasn’t an easy one. There will be some people that take offense to your choice because they either don’t understand or don’t want to put in the effort to understand that you all may be growing apart and going separate paths.

One of my biggest mistakes were allowing some of those people to make me feel guilty for growing, for becoming the woman I am and wanting more for myself. Rather than encouraging me, I was ignored, called conceited and selfish. They were wrong about every description except classifying me as, “selfish”.  Even though I’m not a self absorbed person, for the past (6) months I’ve been extremely selfish with my funds, time and things I put my energy into. They say that your 20’s are the perfect time to think about yourself.  This is the time to make decisions for yourself and highly consider what’s best for you; it isn’t the time to settle. 

After having an epiphany and grasping what that concept really meant, I no longer felt the need to apologize for the decisions I’ve been making. I quickly learned that my true friends who genuinely supported me resided in different parts of the world. Sometimes we get so caught up on accessibility and fail to realize that just because something is available and tangible doesn’t always mean it’s in our best interest.

You want to ensure that those around you call you to the carpet when you’re slacking. Your friends must be able to hold you accountable for your actions even when they aren’t the best. They need to have the ability to feed your spirit and pour into you when you don’t have the energy to do it for yourself. 

In no way, shape or form am I telling you to drop your, “day 1’s”. However, I do encourage you to decipher who your are keeping in your life, why you are keeping them in your life and if they deserve to stay.

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For the Love of Medicine

shaniselene

I recently began my clinical rotations at Florida Hospital this past week and although shadowing is not a requirement, it makes your medical school resume more competitive. This experience not only has altered my perception of life, but I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for my well being. Seeing numerous people with a variety of chronic illnesses and diseases opened my eyes to the lack of knowledge surrounding health. 

One patient in particular has been battling sickle cell disease for their entire life; she’s forty years old and a mother of two. Along with excruciating joint pain and body aches, she was also in need of an oxygen mask due to having difficulty breathing. Thankfully, she has the support of her parents to assist with her illness and children, but I can only imagine her daily stressors.

It’s sometimes hard to fathom why bad things happen to good people, but unfortunately, that is life. There is no easy way to accept these circumstances, but this is what makes the job of a physician special because they have the ability to either find cures or assist with prolonging the life of the patient. This experience has further much confirmed my reasoning to pursue my specialty of interest because it breaks my heart to see those in pain. Dermatology not only allows me to educate others about skin care and assist with clearing their skin, but empower them and build their self confidence.

I highly advise those of you who are premed students or anyone interested in pursuing a career in the medical field to not only shadow at a private practice, but at an actual hospital. It will allow you to see what you’re interested in, as well as what you can and can’t handle. Being a medical professional includes having to keep your composure even during high stress situations. If you have a genuine passion to help those and love medicine, then go for it. Yes it will be a challenging journey, but the outcome will be rewarding.

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Likes for your Soul?

shaniselene

Social media platforms such as, Instagram, are not only updating constantly, but evolving on a tremendous level. As a blogger, it is important to consistently post quality content in order to maintain your brand, however, Instagram’s recent changes has made it extremely difficult to reach new accounts and engage with others on the platform; even your current followers have become more difficult to connect with due to the algorithm. 

Most of us would agree that the order in which your feed is displayed is one of the worst attributes of Instagram, but I believe the affect it has on the psyche and our self esteem takes the cake. Rather than utilizing this social media outlet to connect with family and friends whom you may not be able to engage with on a daily basis, it is now used to obtain followers, likes and views. To make matters worse, people are willing to do anything for attention; anything to get them seen. This includes paying ridiculous sums of money for advertisements and promotions to compromising their morals and values. 

For those of us like myself, who’s accustomed to being in the spotlight or characterized as the popular kid in school, attention isn’t something you crave when it’s always been handed to you. Please be advised that I am not excluding myself from experiencing a time of self doubt due to social media, however, the confidence and self assurance that I have both internally and externally play a major role in preventing me from falling victim to the psychological plague of Instagram.

Although I’ve received from flack from friends, outsiders and individuals with cyber courage that stated I wouldn’t be able to relate to certain struggles on Instagram because I meet a majority of the standards of beauty or been trendy before Instagram existed, my main goal is to educate and inspire others through my medical school journey, new ventures throughout my career and levels in which God has brought me to and places He intends to take me. I want others to know that He can do the same for them and not to allow the perception of society limit them to what they can do. 

No shade to the accounts that have reached large pinnacles of success, but most of them eat, live and sleep Instagram and have nothing else going on for themselves outside of it. When you begin collaborating with other bloggers or influencers, receive deals from major companies and network with successful individuals in the industry, you learn that IG is not all it’s cracked up to be. It isn’t REAL. The more you begin to focus on all of the positives in your life, what you currently have and cultivating the things in your world, the hype of Instagram will begin to fade and eventually, you won’t even notice it. Remember to water your own grass rather than sprinting in a never ending rat race chasing something unobtainable.

Business, Careers, Community

Women to know Wednesday: Meet Michelle Welch

Sandré

What a time to be a fearless black woman! Meet Michelle Welch. A boss lady out of central Florida executing multiple ambitions as a single mom of two. She is the President and CEO of Queen Concept Group LLC. Owner and operator of her cleaning business “Queen Cleaning Concepts” and Founder of her Non- profit  “The Momtreprenuer network.” She was born in Trenton, New Jersey, but moved to Orlando at the age of 6. Michelle’s decision to walk away from Seminole State Community College after 2 years was intentional. However, this in no way, shape, or form meant that she was walking away from what she wanted for herself. For Ms. Welch, this decision was actually her walking towards her goals.

There’s a lot of pressure to get a degree, in order to get a job, in order to live a financially stable life. Why would you call it quits?

“School wasn’t for me. I was miserable in school. I grew up in an entrepreneur household. Mom is a hustle queen and father is encouraging. My parents owned their own cleaning company and a day care. They showed me you can get what you want, just work for it”

What role did having a supportive household play in your current success?

“This influenced me largely. It gave me a heart for business. I ran my mom’s business at 16. I Had my son at 19. My mom sold her daycare to be a stay at home grandma. That’s when I knew I didn’t want to work for people and wanted to build my own legacy.”

What was your journey leading up to starting your own cleaning business? What jobs or experiences did you gain that led up to this?

“I worked a lot of startup jobs. My first job was at a smoothie dessert shop. From there I worked a lot of hospitality- like jobs. I was a former project manager for a store and helped open one of its locations. They basically handed me $500,000 to get everything together. They had me doing a lot of things on a corporate level. I then worked for a lawyer who taught me how to form connections.These experiences made me further realize I want to run my own business.”

What made you specifically want to start a cleaning business?

“I wanted to start a business with minimal start up cost and something I could duplicate in other cities. I always knew how to clean. I told myself it’s super easy and you can make good money from it, but I then realized how hard it was. I don’t think people in this industry or janitors get enough respect or recognition. It’s hard work.”

Michelle is the mother of two adorable boys, Landon who is 5 and one-year old Trevor who just recently started walking! She proudly identifies with the term Momtrepenuer, a mom who is an entrepreneur. One of the things that make her story stand out and make it more inspiring is that she balances accomplishing entrepreneurial goals while being a single mom of two. Michelle was very transparent with the events leading up to motherhood. She shared that although her first born’s father was her high school sweetheart, the relationship became very toxic after the birth of their son.

image1

As you can imagine, we as women tend to think the worst about being a single mom. It’s usually not an intentional decision. What gave you the strength to end things despite not wanting to become a “statistic?”

“You can not be an effective mother if you are not in positive state of mind. I had to learn that the hard way. I said no, I’m going to fight for my family because my parents had a good relationship, but I was dying inside. I was depressed, had anxiety, and finally I was like I can’t do this anymore. It took 5 years, but now we can co-parent without an issue.”

What impact did having children have on you becoming a momtrepenuer?

“When I had my second son is when I had to re-evaluate and took everything more seriously. That’s when I realized I wanted complete freedom., to be able to say I don’t want to work today but still have money coming in. I had my son April 4, 2017 and on May 11 got my LLC, May 17 I booked my first residential cleaning. July 11 I walked away from my corporate job.”

Tell me about your momentrepuener network.

“It’s an interactive hub for teen moms, millennials, and entrepreneurial women looking to start their own business and find support. I’m currently doing paperwork to attain the non profit status and get funding to create programs and work closely with schools.”

What is the mission behind The Momtrepenuer Network?

“The mission is to significantly improve the support, resources and growth of the girls and women of the community. I want to show these girls a man or your circumstances don’t define you. As long as you really want it, work for it, you will get it.”

You’ve briefly shared the importance of a mentor; can you share how you found yours?

“He found me through hashtags, he dmd me, and told me i’m killing it. I thought it was a fake account. I did my research on him then reached out to him, expressed interest in mentorship and guidance. Any questions I have anything I need he helps.”

Advice on those of us currently seeking mentorship.

“Start searching through hastags, following business owners, and network. You need to have a presence online, remain relevant. Networking is going to be key to meeting the person who is right for you.

Also, if you don’t have a mentor, there is power in friendships. Having successful and supportive  friends. You can reach out to them because who you surround yourself with is super important.”

What are things to look out for, mentor wise?

“In all honesty, make sure they have their stuff together. Someone who isn’t developed can not lead a person. You need someone that has a clear head because they are pouring into you, all their energy. Don’t be too quick to pick one just because their ig looks nice. Success is betting everything.”

“STOP BEING SCARED, Just do it. What’s the worst that could happen? There’s no time to say ‘Im ready now.’ Have confidence in yourself.” 

Words of encouragement for those looking to start their own business, but hesitant?

“STOP BEING SCARED, Just do it. What’s the worst that could happen? There’s no time to say “Im ready now.” Have confidence in yourself. You have to know what you’re made of, it’s not for the weak hearted because people will come for you, try to tear you down, but it’s all up to you how you respond. You don’t need to fight for everybody. Hold yourself at a higher standard. Even what you post on social media. Especially when you influence people you have to operate at a higher frequency.”

Words of wisdom for those in motion but having doubts?

“Comparison kills. Don’t compare yourself, because it can be really discouraging. Don’t give up. Trying times will always happen, being an entrepreneur means your’e in control. By being in control your level of responsibility is different than those who have chosen a corporate route. Always remember you chose this path, why would you give up on yourself?” 

Michelle has mentored two woman in the cleaning industry and one went on to start their very own cleaning business. She stresses the importance of entrepreneurs remembering that you are your brand! Three skills she deems essential for entering this field are being mindful of the people you bring onboard to your brand,  not letting people dictate how to run your business, and being open to constructive criticism. Ms.Welch is an open book and offers business savy information, motivation and so much more on her social media platform.

IG: themichellewelch

http://www.QueenCleaningConcepts.com

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Blessings In Disguise

shaniselene

The most gut wrenching aspect about life is the simple fact that regardless of the choices you make for yourself, you will never be in complete control of your circumstances. If you’re a perfectionist like myself, the activities that take place in your daily routine are predominately scheduled. Whether it be event and work meetings or the day, time and amount of funds that are to be removed in order to contribute to bills, everything is done in a timely manner. Unfortunately, you come to the realization that although you make your best efforts to ensure that you’ve dotted all of your, “I’s” and crossed all of your, “T’s”, unforeseen events still take place. 

A perfect example of this was when I originally moved into my condo. I was about (3) months in and the 1st week of the month quickly approached and I noticed a notification from my real estate company stating that the confirmation number for this month’s rent reflected an incomplete payment. To my surprise, I called my bank to find out that I was a victim of card theft and due to suspicious activity taking place on my account, they decided to freeze it. I was grateful that the institution whom I bank with was able to locate the discrepancy before any further damage took place on my account, but frustrated because due to their inability to notify me in a timely manner, my rent was late and an additional late fee was added to my overall payment. Had I foreseen this in the future, I would’ve transferred my funds into my second account.

I provided this past experience because it served as a teaching moment. There have been so many unexpected things taking place in my life in which I lack understanding. Typically when I endure these kind of events, God is up to something; something in which I prayed for. Storms always come before your shower of blessings, but it’s important to handle them in manner that reflects your trust for Him. Everything I’ve been asking Him is coming to fruition, but not in the way I thought it would. Usually, it happens this way; we ask for things, but then begin to question our desires because it doesn’t happen how or when we want it to. I ask that you be encouraged, stay focused and endure the storm because your time is coming.

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Racism In Medicine

shaniselene

As a recent undergraduate pursuing a career in Dermatology, I’ve learned that there are numerous unspoken rules that aren’t taught in college. One of those rules included minorities having to work twice as hard to prove they are qualified to become a physician regardless if they exceed their medical school requirements. I came across an article stating that there were fewer black medical students in 2014 than in 1978. This small excerpt of information baffled me because the year of 1978 was closer to the days when racial prejudice was at its peak, but after shadowing various doctors, I grasped the concept as to why.

I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to experience the daily routines of medical professionals both within and outside my area of interests, but I’ve noticed that although my resume surpassed the requirements of that office, there were certain occasions where I was, “handled differently”.  I remember visiting a local practice after emailing my resume, all forms of required documentation and my liability certificate and when we finally met in person, I was further interrogated; some of these questions had absolutely nothing to do with medicine or shadowing. The physician was quite bold and upfront, and even stated that they were surprised someone who looked like me didn’t consider a career in modeling or something of that nature. While most would be flattered by this suggestion, I was offended. I took the physician’s statement to heart because the doctor completely disregarded my qualifications due to my appearance and their preconceived notions. My second experience was during an event that I attended discussing women overcoming adversity and bias in medicine. Although I met the characteristics of being a women with a future in medicine, I was still judged because I was a minority; as if black students shouldn’t pursue careers in this field and should be overly applauded if they make the decision to do so.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but I’ve accepted the reality. I understand that the individuals hosting most of the medical school interviews will be from the majority and a large number would agree that I do not meet the, “typical” physician standard; male and caucasian. I understand the importance of abiding by the rules until I get through the door, but I’ve made the conscious decision not to allow the prejudice stereotypes in medicine stop me from being myself (dolled up/possessing cosmetic interests) because I am intelligent, ambitious, professional and know that I have what it takes to be a physician. As long as I ensure that I am studying, putting in the work, remaining humble and grounded, and keeping my faith first, I cannot lose. Indeed, it will be a challenge, but inevitably worth it in the end. I not only want to improve the overall health of my patient’s skin, but provide them with knowledge on how to live a healthier lifestyle, provide the tools they need to sustain it as well as alternative options that do not require prescription medication. It’s unfortunate, but we lack doctors who know how to treat ethnic skin and it’s an underserved community that need fair and honest assistance and practice in the field of Dermatology. Whatever your passion may be, please do not allow the odds to come against you. Things may be challenging, but nothing worth having comes easy. Remember that it’s ok to bend, but never break sis…ever.

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Self Love

shaniselene

There comes a point in time where life events take place that affect our self esteem. Whether it’s being laid off from your job, you’re experiencing a random breakout or grieving a traumatizing breakup, it all has an impact on our self esteem. Based on my experiences, if it wasn’t for the love and value I possess for myself, I would not have survived certain situations.

Being confident in who you are gives you the freedom to refrain from subjecting yourself to what others think. I stumbled across a suggested page on one of my social media handles and the young lady posted a video responding to negative comments about her weight. She politely stated that she is aware that she is, “skinny” and is satisfied with her size. The young lady also rejected any suggestions that have been made to gain weight similar to her sister’s. My favorite portion of the video was when she made it a point to elaborate regardless of the number of hate comments she acquired, the bottom line is, “I love me”.

Most of us have a difficult time admitting this, but only a portion of us can actually agree with her statement; some of us actually aren’t satisfied with who we are. The minute our skin is compromised, we start to wonder if our significant other would still view us in the same light or if our peers would respect us in the same manner if we decrease our weekend outings due to a job loss. We all have insecurities, as we should because it keeps us humble and we are human, but we should not allow the things that we aren’t pleased with to dictate our overall perception of ourselves. 

It may be hard to stomach, but self love doesn’t happen when everything is going well; it takes place during hard times. The stages that take place before obtaining true self love can be perceived as boot camp; it’s there to strip away remnants that no longer serve a purpose and mold you into the person who you are within. If you are reading this, love yourself on your good days and even more on your bad days, reward yourself for all of your accomplishments regardless of how minor they be, stop looking for validation from others because you are your biggest competition and always remember that no one will love you like YOU.