March 2012

Content DirectoryIssue 3

March 2012

Content Directory

A Word from Rhonda

I CriedBy Michelle D. Bradshaw

80/20By Rhonda Nails

Motivating MomentsThe Unique Strengths of Women Entrepreneurs

By Gazelle Simmons-MooreCommunity Response

Will you live the retirement dream or accept the retirement nightmare? The choice is yours!

By Wayne Bland

Students N2 Success

The Underdog Platform

A Word from Rhonda…

Are you still waiting?

Waiting for just enough money, waiting till the kids are grown, waiting till the weekend, waiting till you feel better, waiting till you have enough experience?If you continue to wait IT will pass you by and not look back.Truth is, there may never be enough money, the kids may never leave the house, you may never feel better and you may never have enough experience UNTIL you stop waiting and PUSH! I truly believe that you should behave AND believe as if IT has already happened! Otherwise you rely on your own strength and that is NEVER enough!

I pray you PUSH pass the waiting, the excuses and the pain into RIGHT NOW or…… you can keep waiting.

I Dare You to P.U.S.H.P.ursue U.ntil S.uccess H.appens

I CriedBy Michelle D. Bradshaw

I Cried 

Last nite I cried.. I cried when I thought of you.

I cried when I was all alone in my room and

there was no one around for me to lie to.

 I was caught in a moment that

forced me to Be honest with myself and

admit that I still loveYou. I guess I always will and

there’s nothing I Can do, but live with that fact

and hurt becausewe couldn’t work and knowing

how much I reallywanted us to.

  I had to let you go, I felt like

you forcedme to. You just couldn’t give me

what I needed from youmaybe I didn’t know how to ask.

I just know that we’ve hurteach other so much in the past and I’m so sorry for my part in

thatcause last night I cried.

Download more stimulating Expression at

www.cdbaby.com/cd/mbradshaw

Sponsors

Customized Invitations and Stationary

www.TheTotalDecor.com

High End Confections, Without the High Price

www.TheTotalDecor.com/bakery

80/20By Rhonda Nails

Is the grass really greener on the other side? When I look at the marriage statistics today and over 60% of marriages end in divorce, I often wonder what was the nail that sealed the coffin in that relationship?Most of the time it’s 80/20. What in the world is 80/20? Originally the 80/20 rule was founded by an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto who observed that 80% of the income in Italy was received by 20% of the Italian population. The assumption is that most of the results in any situation are determined by a small number of causes. Bishop T.D. Jakes has another idea about 80/20:"Nothing in life is 100%...If what you have gives you 80%, thank God for it...Many people are not thankful for the 80, so the 20 begins to look bigger than the 80.  They will leave the 80 for the 20.  They will change jobs for the 20.  They will leave their wives or husbands for the 20. They will leave their church for the 20.  They will do this when its the 80 that God wants them to have.“For the longest time I battled with what was wrong with the “other” person, when in actuality I was looking at the “20”. If we could stop for a moment and take inventory in our lives, I’m sure the “80” would look a lot bigger. Look at your children, your job, your home, even the clothes you wear. There are times when we get caught up in growing up and getting ahead that we do not slow down and pay gratitude for what is placed before us.

80/20By Rhonda Nails

So your mate didn’t buy you the right gift for Christmas, so what your child didn’t bring home straight A’s, so what your boss didn’t acknowledge the awesome job you did on that strenuous project….Turn it around and look at the 80!Think of the widow who doesn’t have a mate to celebrate Christmas with. Think of the mother whose child just dropped out of school. And think about someone who was just laid off and now cannot find an equivalent job. Do I need to stress the 80!!Do I dare say that not looking at the “20” is an easy task? No! It is difficult, but you have to want to see the “80” versus the “20”. It all starts in your mind. It’s unfortunate that society gloats and prospers on the “20”. Turn on any news program and you will find more bad stories than good. Change your routine. Start today and re-program your mind to see the entire picture. See the “80” and know that you are blessed and favored.Now when looking at situations that arise, I tend to feel the 80/20 rule tugging at the conscious of my mind.This is not because I have it down to a science or formula, but because I remember that I would rather be at 80 than 0. Rhonda Nails is Founder of Project PUSH, an organization dedicated to promoting your Purpose on Purpose! Our challenge is to Dare You to P.U.S.H…Pursue Until Success Happens!

Connect with us on: Facebook: projectpushTwitter: projectpushVisit our website: www.Project-Push.org

Visit www.Signature-Notaries.com

to get your copy!

Motivating Moments…

That nagging, never satisfied , That nagging, never satisfied , bothersome feeling is your PURPOSE bothersome feeling is your PURPOSE

calling…pick up the phone.calling…pick up the phone. ~Rhonda Nails~Rhonda Nails

The ONLY purpose of a Hater is to PROVE,

JUSTIFY AND VALIDATE who you really are!

~Rhonda Nails

The just shall live by Faith…not facts.

~UnknownIt’s not who is going to let me, It’s who It’s not who is going to let me, It’s who

is going to stop me. is going to stop me. ~Ayn Rand~Ayn Rand

Jump and Build your wings on the way down.

~Unknown

The Unique Strengths of Women EntrepreneursBy Gazelle Simmons-Moore

Only someone who has done it can truly ever state just how important what they are doing is, not just for their family, but for their own well being. There is something so rewarding in seeing that you can do things well despite the many challenges to do so. Overcoming challenges that others would simply throw up their hands and give up on yet you keep going anyway. The definitions of strength are listed as the necessary qualities required to deal with stressful or painful situations, a source of strength or support, the ability to withstand force, pressure, or stress, a valuable or useful ability, asset, or quality and the number of people required to make something such as an army, team, or work force complete and enable it to function effectively. As any woman entrepreneur can tell you, the ability to deal with stressful or painful situations is definitely a minimum requirement to be successful in business. I know that stress rears its ugly head on a regular basis in my business and I’m glad I can help to try to alleviate it for my clients. It’s one of the ways that I can be a source of strength and support that I love doing. There’s nothing like using your strength to help someone else to be stronger. Thus it’s possible to have strength and be a source of strength for others. Ask any parent helping a child just how much they can pass their strength on.

No matter how long I’ve been working with a particular woman entrepreneur, I will never cease to be amazed at how they can move from one area of their business to the next, while caring for a sick child yet they never think that what they are doing is remarkable.

I love the part of the definition addressing the ability to withstand force, pressure or stress. That for me is the best definition and shows the most uniqueness of women entrepreneurs. We can take the pressure of being a woman, being a wife, being a mom, being a friend, being a family member, being a business owner and make it look so easy to people looking in. That is where women entrepreneurs really shine. We show people that we can take it! Or we hire others to make it look that way then let them shine as well. Most women entrepreneurs have started out in Corporate America where we learned how to be a valuable, useful asset and to produce quality as well as showcase our abilities. That kind of training is very helpful when we bring it to work for our own endeavors. We take the training of being able to work with others on a team or in the work force and focus it on our businesses, in our families and through everything we set our hands to do. There’s nothing like a woman entrepreneur who has found her passion and funnels that into her business. There’s nothing that can keep her from moving forward not even lack of sleep, support or funds. She is unstoppable and makes the necessary steps to grow her business. That’s the blessing in it all that we have taken our strengths and made them into a force to be reckoned with. We are each a unique woman entrepreneur and bring our own spirit, drive, ambitions, dreams, hopes and goals into our businesses. That is the uniqueness of women entrepreneurs and we can make our businesses grow by coming together that is our greatest strength. Author’s Bio: Since 1998, Gazelle Simmons-Moore has been a Virtual Assistant helping other business owners to grow their businesses. Her business exists to make your business grow. Please feel free to call her at 912-225-3068, email her at help@admnsrvcs.com or view her website at http://www.admnsrvcs.com for more information.

The Unique Strengths of Women Entrepreneurs

By Gazelle Simmons-Moore

Sponsors

Connect and Shop online:www.facebook.com/Naturally-Passionate

Find a Mobile Notary in YOUR city!www.Signature-Notaries.com

Community Response

What's the best thing about being an ENTREPRENEUR?

T. Wider Flexible Work Schedule

G. Moore The freedom to work with who you want, when you want and how you want. The freedom to put family first. The freedom to look forward to each new day

with the excitement of knowing it will be different from the day

before.

M. Bradshaw I can take time for

school days off, sick days

or just attending

school functions.

O. PrinceThe freedom to create amazing opportunities,

create job opportunities, contribute to community enrichment, and to change lives either directly or

indirectly through products and services for a huge human return as well as pleasing profits. In summary, the ability to create and contribute to

enriching our consumers/clients, communities and employees.

S.W. ZonyeBarjeanHaving the ability to

Stimulate the Economy and

Employee others.

Will you live the retirement dream or accept the

retirement nightmare? The choice is yours!

By Wayne Bland 

In my practice we work with people from all walks of life. We work with many business owners and professionals. We work with new as well as established families. Some were educated at the best private educational institutions and enjoy well positioned places of social status. Many are common folk just like you and me. However, despite the vast spectrum of diversity we often share a very common challenge. What is this challenge? It's the lack of financial planning! The underlying factor that is going to determine if you reach or fail to reach your goals boils down to how effectively you plan, manage and allocate the money you have today. The choices we make today will directly influence our future. Let's consider just one aspect today: Retirement. We all look forward to the day when will can hang up the business phone for the last time and live out our retirement dreams. For some, that dream may be charter fishing in the Bahamas. For others it may mean buying a large track of land and building your dream home. Perhaps you want to use that time by volunteering. Whatever your dream is, it requires careful planning. What's your dream and are you on track to achieving it?  We are in trouble! Please understand, we are in trouble! For decades we were warned that when the Baby Boomers started to retire this country would be facing a retirement crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Well, that day has arrived. The Baby Boomers began to retire and more than 10,000 of them will be retiring every single day for years to come. In fact, in 2010 & 2011 Social Security paid out more in benefits than taken. Many believe that social security will collapse and disappear within the next 20 years! A record 33% of Americans now plan on working past the age of 70. 43% of American workers actually have less than $10,000 in retirement savings. 31% of workers have saved NOTHING for retirement.   

Will you live the retirement dream or accept the retirement

nightmare? The choice is yours!

By Wayne Bland

A record 51% doubt they can pay for medical expenses in retirement. 20% of respondents in a recent study indicated that a part time job would be required during retirement. We all know or should know that we simply cannot depend on social security as our main source of income doing retirement. The truth is that those checks are just not that large. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,177 at the beginning of 2011. Keep in mind that the $1,177 monthly figure is just an average. Many receive a lot less than that. Could you live on less than 300 dollars a week? How are you doing?I can't afford to save?

One of the biggest excuses we hear is "I can't afford to save." The truth is you can't afford not to! Life expectancies are now averaging around 90 years old. You cannot afford to outlive your retirement savings. Just imagine that the government imposed a $75 a month mandatory payroll tax in addition to what you are already paying in taxes. I'm sure that you would be up in arms about it. However it's the government and if that tax was law you would pay it even if it's begrudgingly. Why? Because you have no choice. You'd make adjustments and you'd keep going. You have to view your retirement the same way. Usually we help our client make a few small adjustments to their spending habits and then we can get you on track. Example: Let's take Jayson who loves premium coffee. I won't mention any brands, but you know! He spends $6.00 for his favorite Latte. What's the impact? 1 cup per day at $6.00 x 5 days per week = 120 per month or $1,440 per year $28,800 over 20 years $120 per month If saved or invested - 6% interest would grow to around $56,119.39 over 20 years 2 Cups per day at $6.00 x 20 Years = $57,600$240 per month if saved or invested - 6% interest would grow to around $ 112,238.61 over 20 years! 

Will you live the retirement dream or accept the retirement

nightmare? The choice is yours!

By Wayne Bland

That's some expensive coffee isn't it? Now, I'm not suggesting that Jayson stop drinking his coffee. However, he could cut back to perhaps two times per week and put the difference in his retirement savings plan. When you start looking at everyday expenses you will be surprised how these expenses add up over time. It's time to ReThink money. We need to change the way we view, save and spend money! You can have a wonderful retirement if you take action now!

If you are interested in a free Cash Flow Analysis sheet please email me at wayne@blandfsg.com and I will e-mail it to you. Next month we will share ten tips for creating a winning financial strategy! Please also visit, like and comment on our Facebook page which features priceless, personal financial tips! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bland-Financial-Services-Group 

Students N2 Success

Name: Krystal Braswell

Grade/Classification: Graduate Student, Strayer University

Favorite Subject: History

Favorite Dessert:Dutch Apple Pie

Extracurricular Activities/Volunteer Services: 

Sports, Computers, Politics, Reading, Researching, Volunteer

with Meals on Wheels

Future Career:To start a non-profit organization

for brain cancer survivors

In 10 years, my name will look like:

Krystal Braswell, M.P.A.

What does Success look like?

Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish and why, having a list of clear action steps, and having a solid

plan for putting those steps into action.

Connect with us!

Students N2 Success

Name: Travis Brooks

Grade/Classification: Sophmore

Favorite Subject:Science

Favorite Dessert:Zebra Cakes

Extracurricular Activities/

Volunteer Services: Marching Band, Theatre

Productions, Usher Board

Future Career:Environmental Science

In 10 years, my name will look like:

Travis Brooks, M.S.

What does Success look like?

Success looks like goals that were set and

achieved. Success is when you get to do what

you love.

TheThe Underdog Platform Underdog Platform

Society told them they couldn’t….The Underdog proved they could

This Month’s Underdog:Willie J. Combs, Capt. USMC,

RetiredBorn and raised in the Houston ghettos, the

eldest of 10 children, Willie J. Combs was NOT suppose to make it. At the tender age of

18, he enlisted in the military.

If being raised in the ghetto wasn’t enough, he also endured the ridicule of being an

“Uncle Tom” to one set of peers and a “Less Than” to his other peers.

Despite the trials, troubles and hardship, Capt. Combs climbed the ranks of one of the toughest military branches, the United States Marine Corps. He not only honorably retired but went from an Enlisted Drill Sargent to a

respected Intelligence Captain in 20 years.

He is a true living replica of the USMC’s motto:

“The Few, The Proud, The Marines.” We Salute this Underdog!

TheThe Underdog Platform Underdog Platform

Society told them they couldn’t….The Underdog proved they could

 Favorite DessertVanilla Ice cream Biggest ObstacleAnger One word Self-DescriptionMarine! What is an Underdog to you? When the world says, "He/She will never do it". Why didn't you give up or quit?I got a command from God almighty, "DON'T QUIT."

What does success look like?A man displays honor to God, Country, and Corps.

Name: Captain Willie J. Combs, Retired Year Entered the Marine Corps10 June, 1971

When you were younger, what was your dream career? Being a SSgt in the Marine Corps

The P.U.S.H. Platform

The PUSH Platform provides a FREE 20 sec YouTube video

 to promote your Name, Business, Group or Organization. 

  The PUSH Platform is for:

 -Entrepreneurs-Authors 

-Business Owners-Organizations

The Youtube video is yours to link to your website, blog, social media sites....forever!!

Visit www.Project-Push.org/thepushplatform

Our Next Issue…

If you are interested in submitting an Article, Expression, or Response for

our next issue, please email : Info@Project-Push.org

Advertising Interest? Email : Info@Project-Push.org