Mind of an Entrepreneur
The Need For Acceptance Affecting Black Owned Business
By : Mercedez McIntyre
Transitioning from being managed by a boss to Self- Managing your own business
By : Roosevelt Andlove
Photo Credit- tigerdirect . com via VH Lack Nothing Quote
Photo Credit- Visual Hut
50 Cent Is Talking About Leaving ‘ Power ’ Because It Wasn ’ t Nominated For a Golden Globe- http :// www . complex . com / pop-culture / 2016 / 12 / 50-cent-power-golden-globe-instagram-post
At what point does a person transition from being satisfied providing to their people vs . demanding the accolades of those who have never appreciated their culture in the first place . Recently 50 cent stated he would consider leaving the television show power because it wasn ’ t nominated for a Golden Globe . Taking a look at those who put together the award why would they consider it ? How can they relate to it for it to be a consideration ? It is one thing to consider boycotting those who segregate however why quit your art ?
The frustration felt by the part time rapper and full- time entrepreneur Curtis Jackson is completely understandable . Jackson stated “ I understand Power wasn ’ t meant to be a headline show on Starz , but it was the highest ranked ”. This is true and confirmed by the network Starz . With a response from Starz saying “ We are grateful for the excellent work being done on ‘ Power ’ by the producers , cast and crew . We certainly think this exceptional show has been overlooked by various awards committees , but the fans have made it the second most watched show on premium cable in 2016 … and those are accolades that mean just as much if not more .”
Just as well recently Lupe Fiasco has confirmed via twitter he will have no other upcoming albums due to others feeling his lyrics were Anti-Semitic . How much work had already gone into his current tour ? He already has dates set , times , ticket sales to end his music by his choice due to a misunderstanding . Think about the support of those attending those concerts . Who have already bought tickets supporting his music and art . How far do we take opinions of others in our society ? This is not a problem but an epidemic in the culture we live in from the start up entrepreneurs to those with millions .
Often the goal becomes forgotten but the accolades being the validation entrepreneurs are seeking . If we return back to why we began , how far we have come , and are we affecting our targets then I truly believe we will return to calling our work what it is … “ Art ” and all art is not for everybody to appreciate but for you to be proud of ! I ask all of our entrepreneurs to remember this as we work at it ourselves at Urban Freedom Magazine .
It feels good having money in your pocket , I ’ d like to believe everyone can attest to that . I started working when I was 15 , not because I had to , but because I wanted to . It ’ s something about feeling money in your pocket that brought the allure to seek out a part time job .
The consistent , calculable checks you get are something like a godsend . You know what you ’ re going to make ; they establish your per hour worth right out the gate , you know that as long as you show up and do a passing job you ’ re guaranteed money on payday . But what happens when that consistency is taken away .
Trial and error is the term . Having your own business , being young and black , there is a bit of a learning curve you have to achieve to be successful . Stepping away from the 40 hour work week is the first step . Stepping away from what someone has dictated what you are worth and how long you have to work seems like a clear cut choice for a lot of young budding artists wanting to be the next Basquiat or Marc Zuckerberg . That is , until reality sets in .
Some young entrepreneurs are blessed to have a mentor that has been where you are , and gone on to be where you want . So if you are in the position to have someone to show you the ropes , learn everything you can from them , then apply it for yourself . I ’ ve been able to have several mentor ’ s from the start of my career , and each one has the same underlying theme . Know your worth .
As simple a statement , this is probably the hardest ideal to bring to fruition . It almost transcends the words and becomes a lifestyle . Just ponder that ; you set your hours , your pay , your product , everything . This means total control . Praise when it goes right , and side eyed looks when it doesn ’ t . But this is where another key ideal comes into play . Never stop learning .
Especially for photographers , such as myself , out the gate you either set yourself too high , or too low . It takes time to perfect your craft , and secondly price your craft . I still adjust myself to where I feel comfortable charging , or not . This means that no matter how good , or bad you are at something , it takes time to cement yourself . With that being said , once you have everything down , as far as experience and your knowledge of you craft , this is where the final step must be applied . Never cheat yourself .
This is where you ’ ll catch the most flack , but regardless of what people say , always stay your course , and don ’ t be afraid of losing a client because they don ’ t want to pay you what your worth . Have faith that your work is good enough to bring another willing client your way .
So remember , if you want to work for yourself , Trial and Error is key , know your worth , never stop learning , and never cheat yourself
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