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GPS is looking for People Who Prosper OR anyone that is successful, considers themselves successful, or on their way to success!

We are looking to feature and introduce people who are up and coming in their business or already there! PeopleWhoProsper.com is a place that features business owners and shares their stories with someone who just might be able to relate. Believe it or not, sometimes it helps to stay motivated when you hear other people's stories, and this is our goal: Not only to feature successful prosperous people, but to help keep others MOTIVATED.

The other part of this, is that we want you to tell US about YOU. It's easy for anyone to be a fan of your website, blog, Facebook page, or twitter. But PeopleWhoProsper.com is a place for you to challenge yourself and put yourself out there. We give you a chance to brag about yourself! Because let's face it, if you can't talk about you, then who else will? Tell us about your business and services and how long you've been in business. We want to hear your story. Why did you decide to go into business for yourself?

I am challenging you today to step out and tell others about you! Here's all you have to do: Email with subject line PeopleWhoProsper to tamara@garrisonprosperitysolutions.com Include your business name, website and a synopsis of "your story". After getting in touch with you, you will be sent a series of questions about yourself, your business and/or services. After you return the answered questions, you will then be featured on GarrisonProsperitySolutions.com, PeopleWhoProsperTV, and over 16,000 people on youtube!

So, take the first step today and tell us about yourself! You never know who will need to hear your story OR need your services! Deuteronomy 8:18: But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Carlie: I like your idea of weaves and flowers in your hair but I have to say I am disappointed in the execution. This is a modeling competition who takes the best photos and you say this: 
Unfortunately, because of the darkness of my hair, the flower does not show in the pictures.
That doesn’t make sense to me.

I don’t see the creativity of the style in your photos but your steps are clear. The overall style does not do it for me.  Although your lightening is better, the rest of the criticism is the same as last week. Your photos aren’t sharp. In your first photo I can see that your complexion, your skin and your teeth are beautiful and your pose is nice but it’s just not a good enough photo. You have to raise your level. Find either a better camera or a better photographer because it’s not you. I see a beautiful woman in average facebook-like photos. These photos are not representative of a model.

For your next challenge, keep the frames tight but keep the camera still. Look at the Iman photo and try to take a clear shot that show your makeup.

Jalita: Your makeup looks great, your hairstyle certainly shows creativity, your steps are clear and I even like your poses and your overall style but unfortunately there is no good shot where I can see your hairstyle. The goal of the challenge was clearly “a creative hair”.

I think you are very versatile, you show range as a model with your beautiful short hair what not many models can pull off but your shots could be a lot better. Your hair blends in the darkness of your background and you need to put in a little more effort.

The leafs are distracting and miss some good tight headshots where we can just see your face and your hair. Cropped your photos look better and you should be able to take that tight shot. So there is much room for improvement.

For your next challenge, please give us that tight shot with just your face up to your neck and a bit of shoulder but that is all we will need for a makeup shot.

Desyray Your style is certainly creative, your steps are ok but I don’t really get a sense of your overall style. Your are photos are good but and the background is too dark to make your beautiful creative hairstyle pop out. You look beautiful, your makeup is well done, your poses are attractive but the execution is not there yet. You need to crick up your photographer or photographic skills so that you can shine.

For the next challenge, a black dark background may not be a bad choice but you really need to make sure that the light falls perfectly on your face. Also make sure that the photos don’t show the borders of where your makeup starts.

Kala: I like your hairstyle. Very nice, very nice! I like the colors as well. Here I get a clear sense of your overall style and your steps are clear.

Your photos are again an improvement compared to last week. The tree in the background is not bad but you can see you much better with the white background. Some of your shots are too much of a closeup and I like your accessories but I wish there was a photo without the flower so I could clearly see the full style.

For the next challenge, keep improving. Try to be a bit more expressive when you take a shot. Relax your face mussels and make your eyes smile or show more emotion.

Chassity woman: You are clearly in it to win it and I love that! Your steps aren’t really clear, I have no idea how you created that style so that is a minus but your style is creative and I get a good sense of your overall style.

For the rest of the ladies, this is how you take a photo if you have a busy background full of leafs or trees. You make sure it’s blurred. It takes a skilled photographer to take shots like these I know but you have to realize that every bit of distraction in the background, moves the attention away from you the model. And that is not what you want.

Your series is very good because you kept to the instructions. You show your hairstyle and you also pose to show the overall style. I love the shot where you can see your reflexion in the water. Very creative shot and you look lovely.

My only criticism is that I wish there was a shot without the flower so I could get a good view of the hairstyle. Well done though. You show your skills as a model and my compliments to your photographer. You are a good team.

Reshonda - Reshonda! You listened carefully and let the camera capture your beauty, completely. Love your shots! Just beautiful.

I love the fullness of your style. Your close ups make African hair look desirable, your instructions are very clear and you clearly show an overall style.

All I can say is not just keep it up, make us proud and take it to the next level.

Natasha
I like your style. Very creative and I love your approach to the idea that short hair is not as versatile. Your makeup is also very creative and I love how colorful your shots are but the photos are too busy.

In your first two photos you get lost in the leafs. That is a pity, you should be the center, miss model. I do love your 3rd shot though. It’s very creative as if you are one with nature. Somehow it makes me think of Avatar. Your 4th and 5th shots are also good. I can see your creative hairstyle and I get a sense of your overall style but still feel that the leafs take away from you being the total center.

For the next challenge, keep doing your close-ups. You pose well. Your camera feel is very good. Just make sure there is nothing distracting in the back.

Justyce - I do get a good sense of your overall tropical natural style and your steps that include your clarification of your simple style are good. I am sorry about your finger. I hope the food was good.

I have to say that I am not convinced by your shoot though. Your first shot is just ok and I don’t know what to make of your expression in your next 2 shots. As a model you have to find a way to look more "modelequesk." Your poses are not bad but your facial expressions don’t say model to me yet.

Please practice for the next challenge, learn to relax your eyes or smile with them. Then take the camera and shoot.

Nefertiti - Love your creative French Roll with a Twist but I miss your instructions on how to do it. I do get an overall sense of your style but my criticism is the same as the other models: the background is distracting and I miss one good clear shot of your hairstyle. 

I think photo 4 is your best shot. I like how the light falls on your face. Shot 2 is nice because of your expression. It shows your skills as a model but you are lost in the picture. You should be center.

So for the next challenge, take your modeling skills to the next level, try to choose a single color background that compliments you and your makeup so that you can be the center of every shot.
This week I have to choose between Reshonda and Chassity. Your shots top the rest but it’s not easy. Overall I like Reshonda’s shoot better because it looks more natural and the two last headshots that clearly show your style are absolutely gorgeous. So congrats, I know you worked hard for it, you are my winner this week. Chassity you are really not far behind. 

The two with the least attractive shoots for me are Justyce and Carlie. When I compare the shoots picture by picture I have to say that Carlie has better shots then you Justyce so I am sorry to say, you are the one I choose to let go.

THE GODDESS WITHIN 

L.O.V.E (Leaning On Various Experiences)

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Did you catch the last two BBWO Broadcasts (one and two)? There are some BIG changes happening on our network and I want to fill you in on the latest developments.

• INTRODUCING BBWO RADIO
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  Have you watched the latest videos on BBWO? Be sure to add your videos too! Current Featured Videos include:
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More to come! Have a great weekend.

LaShanda Henry
p.s. Be sure to grab your free copy of the Blogs,Brands, Better Business- SistaSense InPrint Magazine issue #6. This issue will no longer be available as a free download after this weekend.

Over the past few years, I have taken the liberty to research several direct sales (home party planning) businesses…from companies who were start-up to companies in business for years. I must say it was fun trying new products and testing the market’s wants and needs. Most importantly, it was fun learning about myself and what I want in my business and any company that I represent.

Since The Body Shop At Home closed in 2009, I felt very lost. You see, that was the very first company and experience that I had with direct sales. I loved everything from the products, parties, people I met, and everything the company stood for. I loved the women I had became really great friends with and the joy of conference each year. I was with TBSAH for a little over 3 years and there was nothing I would have changed about my experience.

Their closing the US Division came as a sudden shock to me and I found myself at a lost on what company I would devote my time to. And let’s not forget the income I had grown to enjoy and need to support my family. For more than 3 years, I had built a prosperous business and team!

Unsure of what to do, I jumped on the first opportunity that came my way.   It was a chance to experience and grow in the Romance Industry. I did a little research about the specific industry and learned that it was lucrative to be a romance specialist, but quickly learned the late night parties and “fun” entertainment was not going to work for my family. Although I was in the top 10 (in the company) for sales and recruiting, I had begun the search for another direct sales company that was more suitable for my family’s lifestyle and needs.

So I began my search again. I thought if I embarked on the journey of a newly launched direct sales company, I would have longevity and guaranteed success with the company and in the industry of direct sales. I had received a call from my previous director at TBSAH and she had fell upon a skincare and baked mineral makeup (of italian artistry) company that was ground floor. I became consultant #45.  Although I said to myself after TBSAH, that I would never go back into skincare and cosmetics, I found myself on the same road. And it was rough. I tried building a business for about a year before I called it quits. I called it quits because I realized that I wasn’t a makeup person and I found myself trying to be something that I truly was not. I hardly wear makeup and don’t have a clue as to what colors blend with what or how to even apply professional makeup.

So here I thought the best way to go was with newly launched companies…it was just that I picked one that I had no expertise or interest in.

I was approached by a friend about Vault Denim – a designer jean home party planning company. I remember the conversation very well…”Kat, did you ever hear about this new jean company? OMG! Our friends will go crazy over designer jeans for less!”. I looked in to the company and it was only $99 to join, so we really had nothing to lose or did we. The thing about this company is that you carry no inventory and it was totally new to our area. The closest regional coordinator (who checked the jeans in and out between the local reps) was about an hour away. And she had just gotten the inventory a day or two after we signed up. So at that time, we had not seen the actual product we would be selling. Boy, was that a bad choice. When we did get a chance to see the inventory for my very first party, it was not what we had imagined. The brands that we thought and were told by our recruiter would be included, were not a part of the inventory or company stock.

Newly launched company sign up gone bad.

I stayed low and decided to do some soul searching about what I really wanted and desired in a company and business venture. I knew that I enjoyed helping women build businesses, incomes, themselves and their lives. So direct sales was something that I couldn’t stay away from. As I was still in search for the RIGHT company, I was approached by AnyArt – a newly launched direct sales company who desired to build a nationwide salesforce. They wanted to sign me up to help them grow a nationwide team. I had to check out their products first and make sure it was something I could attach my name to. Of course, I’ve learned from the past that it was important tosee the product first. So I ordered a custom oil painting and fell in love! The products are superb and a quality of no other. I loved the fact that I now owned a custom painting and could offer the same choice to someone just like me.

So why did I call it quits with AnyArt? I learned that when you are with a newly launched company, it costs a lot to brand the company name and get people to trust you and the products/company. They are also in what I call the “discovery” phase. They are trying to figure out what hostess programs work and whether they should focus on sales or recruiting. You’re also more by yourself than on a team. And it was a struggle for me. I knew what I finally wanted and was missing from my direct sales business!

I was looking for the same “team” network, values, and structure that I missed from TBSAH.

I’m approached by people almost every day about their business opportunity. They always want me to join their team and of course, they tell you all the great benefits of their company. And trust me, every company is great, but the most important question is, is it great for you!

How did I get with Thirty-One Gifts? Well, whenever I did a craft show or vending event, I would always find myself near the Thirty-One table. I began to notice that everyone was carrying a Thirty-One product. I, myself, LOVE the tote bags and started to tally up and mark the catalog on what products I wanted. I told myself, if the total was over the price of the starter kit, I would just join for the discount. Well, my total was WAY OVER the kit price of $99 and I decided to join. I would have never deeply looked at the business opportunity if it wasn’t for who I would call mysister. She just so happened to call me when I was about to sign up and told me what an amazing culture Thirty-One had. I switched gears and started to look at Thirty-One as a business opportunity.

Thirty-One reminds me so much of what I had with TBSAH. It is all about celebrating, encouraging, and rewarding women. It fosters a culture of a team whose helpful and dedicated to see you succeed. It was the values of helping the community and others (Thirty-One Gives Foundation) and all the systems, policies, and procedures in place that attracted me. Thirty-One is about 8 years old, so it’s not a new company, but it can very much be new to your area. What I love most is that it is a faith based company named after Proverbs 31 – verse on the virtuous woman.

My search has ended and I have found a new home…a more stable, encouraging, and more me.

Has this ever happened to you (because it has to me)? You come up with a great business idea, research it online and find either someone is already doing it or you start to think of ways to be "different". This extends your launch date and eventually the idea just fades away. Here's another scenario, You subscribe to the blogs and publications of business persons you admire and every time they send an email blast you change your direction, operation, or business idea completely, putting you back in a stagnant position, unable to get any business idea off the ground. Not you? Well, good for you. But for those that this applies to, I feel your pain. We've all been there before, in a place of bewilderment about what you should do and how to actually begin. Furthermore, the problem with the scenarios above is that you never get around to building a brand, hence why your business hasn't gotten off the ground yet. Once you F.O.C.U.S. things will start to fall in place:

 Figure it out- What do you want to actually do? Why are you going into business? Why would someone want to work with you as opposed to a competitor? Answer those questions first. They will help you develop a foundation.

Omit distractions -As demonstrated in the scenarios above; it is easy to become distracted. Stop reading every email blast and changing your business direction, stop google-ing people to see what they are doing and changing your website format, stop youtube-ing people to see what they're up to and changing your programming. GET RID OF THE DISTRACTIONS.

Create your Motivation Board- This concept is explained further in The Motivator, but you should have a board with a visual representation of your dreams and goals for your life and for your business. If you don't know where you are going, how will you get there?

Understand your competition- But don't follow their every move. Of course you should know what your competition is doing and make sure you're staying ahead of them. But you cannot be consumed with every aspect of THEIR business and expect every aspect of YOUR business to run smoothly. Learn to balance and have faith in your brand.

Set deadlines- If you have been sitting on an idea for too long because of fear of what others will say or whether people with work with you, STOP! You will never know until you actually launch it. So set deadlines for everything and tell someone you trust so they can hold you accountable. Set a deadline for your website to be done, for your next program, for your next book, for your next business launch! Just do it!

F.O.C.U.S. on what you need to do so you will actually do it. Without F.O.C.U.S.ing on your business needs you will undoubtedly have the same results in 2012 as you did in 2011, nothing. Make it a year for…GREATER! Need help staying focused and motivated in your business?

Get your copy of The Motivator for FREE for a limited time! Tamara Garrison-Thomas http://www.garrisonprosperitysolutions.com

Creating your short and long-term goals will provide you with a roadmap to success. Keep these tips in mind when creating your goals.

1. Visualize your goal and success of the long-term ultimate goals – plant it firmly in your mind as you begin creation of the actions required.

2. Evaluate and consider your resources, skills, and abilities. Determine where there may be a lack of ability or skills and determine how to compensate for this deficit.

3. Make sure the actions are clear and concise. Break them down into smaller steps for greater success.

4. Use positive words in your actions and steps. Positive-thinking has a powerful impact on our ability to succeed. A “self-fulfilling” prophecy, which means we become what we think we can become, is important to remember when creating a goal setting worksheet.

5. Use affirmative words in action plans. Don’t say “I think I will complete the research by April 15”, or “I want to…..”. Instead, use affirmative statements such as “Complete the market research on potential niche products by April 15.”

6. Create relevant actions that will help you achieve your goals.

7. Monitor your actions and deliverables frequently.

8. Create ticklers or calendar alerts to remind you of pending due dates. Don’t wait until the action is due to evaluate progress.

9. Set reminders on your calendar or email to remind you to accomplish certain actions or steps along the way. It’s impossible to keep track of everything in your head and this can sabotage your efforts if you don’t have an organized plan to manage actions towards goals.

10. Plan the necessary steps towards your ultimate goals and monitor them frequently!

Creating a goal setting worksheet is a tremendous asset to you in your professional goal setting strategy and creating your online or offline business.

It gives you the tools, steps, and actions needed to succeed. Once you have a clearly defined goal setting worksheet with achievable, challenging action steps, you’ll be on your way to entrepreneurial success!

Download your FREE guide

Pinterest.com is proving to be a great way to put your brand out before the public in a non-BUY ME! BUY ME! way. People are gravitating more towards visuals than ever before. Pinterest picks up on this trend magnificiently. You post boards on whatever interests you have and then post pictures on those boards. Others and repin your items or share you boards.

here is an interesting article on using pinterest for your brand. http://wirequeen.blogspot.com/2012/01/using-pinterest-for-business.html

Check it out and see how pinterest.com can be used for your benefit. I would love to hear how you are using it.

Sharing

Michelle S. Hawkins

wirequeen Jewelry Art and home Decor

Amazon Trading Company International trade services.

The New York Times has published President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address and indexed it according to topic.

The President has emphasised the importance of building an economy that will be robust in the long-term.

Personally, I think this is one of his drawbacks. People today are looking for a quick fix. Nobody wants to plan for the long-term.

Anyway, that's an aside.

He spoke about:

- Supporting small business and entrepreneurs.

- Creating new jobs.

- Developing sustainable energy resources.

Is "equal work for equal pay" really something for people to get so excited about in 2012? 

Click here to read more and watch the State of the Union Address

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Over the course of two years, my television habits have changed a lot. I found myself craving more and more scripted drama over Reality TV. It seems like it just one show with a ton of spin offs – the Kardashian Clan and their many shows, Housewives of X (pick a location/sport) and so on. Yes I am going to admit that I watch a few and was obsessed with them for a while but after figuring out their formula they got boring. For example I used to be a huge fan of MTV’s The Real World (the 1st reality show) but after a couple of seasons you figure that every cast is going to have at least one minority – whether its race, sexual orientation or religion. Just the right ingredients to stir up fights and lots of drama, then add alcohol to the mix and the main course is ready to serve.

There were a few shows that capture my attention and I am sad that most of them don’t last very long. This past weekend Centric (sister channel to BET) aired a marathon of Daddy Girl’s a spin off of Run’s House, which followed the lives of Vanessa and Angela Simmons (oldest daughters of Rev Run). I liked the show especially when we got to see how they grown their business Pastry from just a sneaker line but to include fashion as well. Why can’t see more reality shows that depict small business and entrepreneurship... [read entire post]