Soulafrodisiac Consulting

The Importance of a Mentor

A few months ago I was in a rut of sorts.

I could not write. I could not focus, and I certainly lost inspiration for creative projects that were within my reach.

It`s exasperating when you know that you`re capable, but just can`t reach the potential that you know is simmering beneath. As I sat and questioned myself, I wondered what I could do to reignite the passion, so to speak. What did I do? I turned to my mentor to vent and let it all out so that I could get to the root of the problem.

Having a mentor is one of the key elements to a great support system and such a valuable tool that all entrepreneurs should have readily available in their arsenal. Knowing that you have someone who you can turn to for feedback in times of need is always comforting. But mentors are more than just another person on the receiving end of your rants and panic attacks. They are the extra lift you need when you`re down; your objective sounding board; an encyclopedic source of information; and last but not least, your proverbial kick in the you-know-what when needed. While your mentor`s role is an important one, you have to also be ready to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and prepare for war. It`s really a 50/50 split in order for you to feel any resemblance of what you know or where you need to be. When I started my business years ago, I made sure to seek out someone who I knew would be a breadth of information for what I was trying to accomplish, and a well-respected pillar in the community. Thankfully, the person that I have chosen to be my mentor has become a trusted adviser, and amazing friend who revitalized me and brought me back to reality. From start-up entrepreneurs to CEO`s – believe me when I say that a mentor is never too far away.

Do you have a mentor? Have you thought about finding one? Check out Ten Thousand Coffees to connect with a mentor today.

SAOC Recap: Dream, Launch, Hustle event

A few weeks ago I attended a fantastic event designed for those armed with a side hustle. The week of September 13th to 19th marked one of the first Side Hustle Week events to take place in Toronto. It was attended by over 200 attendees and consisted of panels, Twitter discussions and networking events for everyone to partake in. Side Hustle Week is an extension of The Secrets of a Side Hustler which is the brainchild of Chivon John, who decided she was going to fill in a niche for those of us who balance a day job alongside a side gig (usually a passion that we end up fulfilling). I had given away tickets to and attended the Dream, Launch, Hustle soireé sponsored by Futurpreneur, and it was well inspiring, informative and so amazingly engaging.

The ladies who spoke were captivating. More than anything, that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a panel or with speakers. People who will keep your attendees engaged and awake! It’s a formidable task, but when the right panelists are chosen, the rest of your evening is a breeze. This surely reflected in Chivon’s choice of speakers.

Devon Brooks (Blō Beauty Bar), LC Johnson (Colored Girl Confidential), Katie Zeppieri (Girl Talk Empowerment Day) Regina Anaejionu (For inforprenuers + independents) and Shannon Lee Simmons (New School of Finance) each delivered an informative yet highly energetic segment about their respective strengths and weaknesses in the game of side hustling. It was an eye opener, and allowed for a series of truth-telling all evening. As attendees, we were reminded that everyone has their hard times, but as cliché as it sounds, Drake did say it best (started from the bottom, now we’re here). We learned how to take care of our finances, how to deal with truth-isms, stumbles, downfalls, and how to step forward in our own light. It was truly a night of inspiration, support and most of all – motivation. The ladies came through and left their mark on the eager audience. Everyone left the event with a takeaway of some sort that can be used in their side hustle or side hustle to be. I look forward to Side Hustle Week becoming an annual event for the masses to attend.

What are you waiting for? You have attended, you’re now armed, so let’s get started.

Mirror Images Ticket Giveaway!

Bee Quammie is an event host (Curls, Coils & Cocktails; Relationships & Bullshit), international writer (Huffington Post Canada, Uptown Magazine) and social media maven who is an outspoken voice to reckon with. No stranger to using social media, Bee is always ready to offer her perspective on social matters using social media as a networking tool, as well as a business tool. You can also find Bee sharing her perspective about various personal topics on Periscope, while engaging on Twitter and Facebook on the daily. As you can see, she dabbles in many social media platforms effectively. With that being said, Bee is about to host her second Mirror Images event aptly entitled The Culture of Digital Content Creation.

The panelists include Emily Mills, Nehal El-Hadi, Sajae Elder and Rochelle Brown – individuals who are all approaching digital content creation from different angles. I’m sure there will be an abundance of tips and guidance to assist you with getting started or growing your social media platforms. You can purchase your tickets here, but you also have a chance to win a pair of tickets below!

Here are the contest rules and regs:

Enter your info in the form below and I will draw a random winner and make the announcement on Friday September 25th, 2015.

– Please enter your full name, email, and phone number.

– The contest starts now, as of this post! The deadline for entries will be on Thursday September 24th at midnight.

– You MUST live in the Toronto area to enter and must be able to attend the show. Tickets CANNOT be transferred or passed on to anyone.

– The winner will be notified by email and text message on Friday September 25th, 2015.

Good luck!

Secrets of a Side Hustler Ticket Giveaway!

Do you have a day job that you love, yet your entrepreneurial vixen just won’t let you be? I have an amazing day job that I adore, however, being an entrepreneur was always a passion of mine. My company and all of my other media ventures are all seen as my side hustles. Chivon John has built a very well-known venture called The Secrets of a Side Hustler. She has been featured on Breakfast Television and in the Toronto Star Business section for an amazing event coming your way from Sunday September 13th – Friday September 19th called Side Hustle Week.

It will be a week of informative workshops, networking, mentorship and more! This an event that everyone armed with a side hustle or those in the midst of creating one – should be attending. And guess what? I have a pair of tickets to giveaway for the workshop Dream, Launch, Hustle. taking place on Wednesday September 16th at Daniels Spectrum! Presented in part with Futurpreneur, the evening will consist of a panel featuring LC Johnson, Regina Anaejionu, Shannon Lee Simmons and Katie Zeppieri who will be sharing their inspirational tidbits of wisdom. Also, there will be a special chat with Entrepreneur and Business Mentor Devon Brooks! So much to hear and learn, and a pair of tickets could be yours.

Here are the contest rules and regs:

Enter your info in the form below and I will draw a random winner and make the announcement on Monday September 14th, 2015.

– Please enter your full name, email, and phone number.

– The contest starts now, as of this post! The deadline for entries will be on Sunday September 13th at midnight.

– You MUST live in the Toronto area to enter and must be able to attend the show. Tickets CANNOT be transferred or passed on to anyone.

– The winner will be notified by email and text message on Monday September 14th, 2015.

Good luck!