Branson Centre Mentorship

Hi All!

After going through and completing their selection process, I was selected as a (Sir Richard) Branson Centre Mentor. Today's the big day when I meet the entrepreneur that I'm to work with. I was initially told I was in, then the Centre was flooded with mentor applications. The process was reopened and I had to interview in addition to filing an application. Not happy, hadn't had to interview in many years. Apparently, I did okay. I will met my entrepreneur this morning. Here's a short video in the Centre in Jamaica.

 Looking back to when I started my business I wish I had better information on all the costs of starting up . You know those times when you don't know what you don't know. Smile. What are some of the things you would like to have known when you were just starting on your journey as an entrepreneur?

Leave a comment sharing your wisdom.

Michelle 
 
 
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UPDATE Shopinterest

Hi All!

I previous posted about Shopinterest here http://wirequeen.blogspot.com/2012/07/pinterest-tools-shopinterestco-beta.html. I thought this was the greatest thing since popcorn, to be able to turn your boards into mini shopping carts.

.http://signup.shopinterest.co/?lrRef=7Xivs

Sad to say this is one of those ventures that didn't get traction. There is nothing displaying but the name when you search for it. Based on the number of views, interest in the application was not the problem. My personal opinion is that the agreement between Etsy and Pinterest to track Etsy items spelled the death knell for Shopinterest.com


What are your thoughts? Were you looking forward to Shopinterest.com going live? Looking forward to your comments.


Michelle

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Doing Business in Cameroon

I visited Cameroon in the late 1980's while on Congressman William H. Gray's Philadelphia Trade Mission. Both Yaounde, the business capital, and Douala, the commerce and port city, were on our agenda.

Cameroon has gone through many changes in the twenty plus years since my visit.
Basic Facts

Capital:

Yaounde

Population:

19,711,291

Conventional Name:

Republic of Cameroon

Local Name:

Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Chief of State:

Prime Minister Philemon Yang

Head of State:

President Paul Biya

Main Resources

 Electric power capacity 905000 kW

• Fish catch per year: 111,081 tonnes
• Oil production and reserves: 68,000 b/d (200m barrels)
• Estimated livestock resources: 5.9m cattle, 4.4m goats, 3.8m sheep, 31m chickens
• Main mineral resources: Oil, coal, tin, natural gas, bauxite, iron, uranium, gold

Some basic facts about reaching Sub-Sharan Africans


1. Smartphones are on the rise. One in five mobile phone users in Sub-Saharan Africa now have a smartphone, with one in three in South Africa and one in four in Nigeria.
2. The mobile phone is the main electronic device used, and hence needs to perform multiple functions. The main other electronic device owned by mobile phone users is a DVD player with 72% of Sub-Saharan Africans having one.
3. There is strong desire to access the internet. The three main reasons to want a smartphone is to surf the internet (38%), to upgrade to a better phone (30%) and to access the latest features and services (26%)
4. Mobile phone users want mobility when accessing the internet, hence a laptop or smartphone are most desired. The device most users are most likely to buy next is a laptop computer (39% of mobile phone users claim they want to do this), followed by a smartphone at 20%. Intention to get a smartphone (most likely) is highest in South Africa (30%), Kenya (27%) and Nigeria (25%).
5. The mobile phone is the preferred device in Sub-Saharan Africa for just about all digital activities, with 43% saying it is their preferred device for browsing the internet. Exceptions are online shopping, viewing and editing documents, reading e-books and downloading or streaming video. For these activities, a laptop is preferred.
6. Nokia still reigns supreme on the African sub-continent. A little over half of all mobile phone users owning a Nokia as their main phone. Samsung is a distant second at 11% and Blackberry 3rd at just under 6%.
7. People stick with the brands they love. When buying a next phone, brand of handset is the most important choice criteria (20%), followed by battery life (15%) and then making voice calls (11%).
8. Battery life is a key need for mobility. The most important accessories mobile phone users are looking for are; a spare battery (64%), an additional memory card (46%) and a stereo Bluetooth headset (35%).
Data used in this article is sourced from TNS Mobile Life survey
http://memeburn.com/2012/05/8-facts-about-mobile-life-in-sub-saharan-africa/


As you can see and I think this holds true for all of Africa that they are accessible through their smartphones.


Many do not realize that Cameroon has oilfields almost as vast as Nigeria. Businesses that supply to the oil industries and those who purchase from the same would do well to look to Cameroon. Cameroon also is a great place for wood handicrafts. Carving is still valued as an art form here. 


Cameroon is not a country we hear a lot about. Which is a good thing, since whenever main stream media reports on an African country it is rarely anything positive. Cameroon realizes it has a image problem regarding corruption. The President has taken steps to reduce corruption at all levels. Time will tell how effective his actions are. Yet the Cameroonian people seem full in support of carrying out and enforcement of the President's actions.


One of my favorite performers is Cameroonian. Emmanuel 'Manu' N'Djoké Dibango (born 12 December 1933) is a Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphone player. He developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music. He is a member of the Yabassi ethnic group, though his mother was a Duala. He is best known for his 1972 afrobeat single "Soul Makossa".

New finds in Cameroon
Diamonds have now been discovered in Eastern Cameroon. Oil and now additional new discoveries of hydrocarbon pay have been discovered in quantities sufficient to make exploration profitable.


Cameroon has been described as a "Miniature Africa " because of its diversity in climate, culture and geography.  Those who are into eco-tourism should explore how to tap this growing international movement using Cameroon's ecological riches.

Ndole the National dish of Cameroon

I am only skimming the surface regarding doing business in Cameroon, but I wanted to put it on your radar as a country in Africa to consider when you are deciding where you want to expand internationally.


Only you know what your needs are.  With a well educated population, a young growing middle class and a stable government, Cameroon deserves a look . If you decide to explore Cameroon further, even as a tourist, come back and share your experience.

Michelle

Has attending Conferences/Training/Progams Helped Your Business

Hi All


I'm scheduled for a program today entitled, " Raising Capital for your Technology Venture". The presenters reads like a who's who of Arizona movers and shakers. 


So my question to you is, "How have conferences, training, and seminars added value to your business?" If they didn't add value was it because the training was not a good fit, was the information over your head (yes I know that happens a lot with social media). Smile

 WireQueen II I'm a jeweler remember.

So this inquiring mind whats to know what has worked for your whether its webinars, in person training or conferences whats worked or not worked? Why did it work or fall short? 

Leave comments to the above questions and I'll post again telling you what I learned at the conference. Fair enough.

Michelle

 

Will the Presidential Election Affect Your Business?

Hi All!

As I started preparing for this week, I saw that Romney had won Puerto Rico's primary, my mind wandered off on what the presidential election would mean to me as a businessperson. I am not sure as none of the candidates in the republican primary have stated anything of substance that I could wrap my mind around. The process so far has been totally negative and of very little substance as to what the candidates would hope to accomplish if elected. I think many like me have just buzzed out of the whole election process  until we have the final Democratic and Republican challengers to review.

I have always been a politically active person, my father demanded it of us when we were growing up. Yet this year I am already sick of the candidates, the negativity and the auto dialer's with their stupid campaign messages that say NOTHING.

Tis a sad and sorry state that our politics have degenerated to. I used to love to watch the debates as they gave you an inkling as to how the candidate handled pressure, his thought process and many times his intellect. (Remember George W. Bush. You had to work pretty hard to lose a debate to him. )

Folks wonder why the young folks are so turned off by the process. The young look at the process and consider it a joke and it has truly become a joke. Silent American has to reclaim its clout and bring our country back to her glory and stop letting this travesty of our country continue.

What are your feeling during this election season? Have you buzzed out? Are you working for a candidate? I would like to hear from you whether you're in or outside the US.


Enjoy the week

Michelle

For the Internationalists The African Network (TAN) Conference 2012

Hi All!

For the internationalists in the audience, especially the Africanists. There is going to be a very interesting  conference on Africa in May 2012. Here's the promo.

Announcement from The African Network, TAN

TANCON 2012 EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION

(SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA.): Early Bird registration has commenced for the 6th Annual entrepreneurship conference hosted by The African Network (TAN). The conference will be held Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel, San Jose, California.

Visit the website to see list of recently confirmed keynote and panel speakers and REGISTER today at www.tanconf.org.

==================================
ABOUT TAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE 2012

TANCon 2012 will showcase leading African and US investment experts, entrepreneurs, global innovators and policymakers such as keynote Speakers
Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA;
Teresa Clarke, former MD of Goldman Sachs and now Chairman and Founder of Africa.com;
Kofi Dadzie, Managing Director, Rancard Solutions, Ghana; notable panel speakers such as Nozomi MizunoWitherspoon of the World Bank Group Private Sector Development Unit; Arjuna Costa, Portfolio Director at Omidyar Network; Niall O'Cathasaigh, Partner, Manocap Private Equity Company based in Sierra Leone; biotech entrepreneur Daniel Laser, CEO of Wave 80 Biosciences; Fred Jordan of African Opportunity Fund and Chairman of FE Jordan and Associates; Bridgette Sexton, Manager of the Google Global Entrepreneurship group; Social Entrepreneur Chid Liberty of Liberty and Justice, Liberia; Teresa Cox of the USA Department of Trade and Commerce; Myles Stevens of Stevens and Associates and host of others.

There will be several panel discussions, including an "Investment Policy in Africa" panel, where information, experiences & opportunities will be shared with attendees.

In addition to the panel sessions, TANCon 2012 will include two
Entrepreneurship Workshops. These workshops, which are described on the conference website (www.tanconf.org), will aim to provide tangible benefits to conference attendees, particularly start-up and existing entrepreneurs. These workshops are: Evaluation of 1-page business plans towards attracting funding AND Professional mentorship for start-up and existing entrepreneurs. TANCon 2012 has confirmed notable venture capitalists, angel investors and social entrepreneurs (incubators) who will be judges as well as mentors at these workshops.

Some companies and corporate organizations that will be present at TANCon 2012 include The World Bank Group; Fenwick and West; Omidyar Network; Imprint Capital; Manocap; Africa.com; Fair Trade USA; Stevens and Associates; Draper Richards Foundation; Google; Silicon Valley Bank (SVB); Xpert Financial, etc. The workshops and discussion panels are aimed at providing more value to the conference attendees during the conference.
================================
Sincerely,

TANCon 2012 Organizing Committee

The African Network (TAN), Inc
Corporate Global Headquarters
PMB 221, 3567 Benton St
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Website: www.tanconf.org
Email: tancon@theafricannetwork.org or events@theafricannetwork.org

Click http://www.tanconf.org to visit the website. 

This may be an event you want to attend. Sharing

As always you can click on  the shop button or the title to purchase from my shop.

Michelle

Being Hospitalized Is No Fun

Yeah Yeah I know you're supposed to take care of yourself, but I like most Mothers and small business owners end up putting self last. Not wise. I put off going to the dentist and a tooth abscessed. The jaw started swelling Thursday evening. Friday morning I started calling dentist offices, of course on Veteran's Day everything was closed. Saturday morning 7:30 a.m. I went to emergency. Think Eddie Murphy in the Nutty Professor Makeup with a whole chew of tobacco in one jaw. They gave me antibiotics and sent me home with the admonishment if it was getting better to come back. Monday I was swollen even larger now add in the throat. I walked into emergency at 7:30 am and was admitted, they immediately went to work. Strangely , I really didn't have much pain.


I also have hyper thyroid ism, which can be tricky to treat, that they were equally concerned about. A normal function thyroid reading is between 1-5. Mine was 23 so they were very concerned. Which explains why I have had no energy. The oral surgeon came and saw me and wanted to wait a day before making a decision. He came back the next day and because the antibiotics seemed to be doing the job decided not to operate. (Thank you Allah). I was released Wednesday. I have to take these huge pills which are the antibiotics. I have a 7:30 appointment at the dentist this morning to have the tooth pulled per the oral surgeon's recommendation. I'm still hoping it doesn't have to be pulled now that the antibiotics are doing their job. I still haven't had any pain that's why I keep hoping the tooth can be saved.

So , the moral of the stories kiddies is you have to make the time to take care of you. Yes, I know its costs time and money to do preventive care but aren't we worth it?

This goes out especially to the Mommies, you can't put you last. As Mommy goes so goes the family, you got to take care of you.

Take care.

The Amazon
Michelle