The Connections Hub Podcast

Jared Robinson is currently a balancing entrepreneur involved in multiple business initiatives and a college student. He runs both his own business and a non-profit, and he’s seen success for both organizations through successful social media marketing. Jared and Jha discuss the importance of implementing social media into long-term business marketing plans. Generation Z is a unique generation that has grown up with social media in their society, so who better to look to for social media advice? He suggests hiring young people to handle marketing for your business as they are constantly on social media keeping up with trends, exploring interests and tapping into creativity. If you want to get more strategic with your content, hire a young person to do your social media marketing@ Listen to the full episode for more on social media marketing and Gen Z. 00:30 - Let us know who you are and what you do1:07 - What college do you attend?1:13 - What major are you studying?1:40 - Are you originally from Houston?2:40 - Walk us through how you were able to pull off an event that brought together $20 million worth of cars to impact youth.4:27 - How does social media fit into your business marketing plans?6:30 - What do you mean by trendy?8:00 - How can business owners implement trends in their brand?8:10 - What is your demographic for “young people”?10:40 - What if my demographic isn’t someone that is 18-25 years old? Am I just looking for young people to run the marketing or for them to take over in representing a brand?13:50 - What are the best practices on Instagram to best reach your audience with your content?18:30 - Is there anything we can do to combat a short attention span on social media?20:15 - Where can a business owner find good young talent?23:40 - What are 3 things you would tell a business owner they need to be doing on social media to increase their sales?26:00 - How many social platforms should a business be on?Follow Ness Management Official on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nessmanagementofficial/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

JoVonne Walker is a Marketing Strategist and the owner of Think About It. JoVonne helps small businesses, non-profits and some corporations build up their products through strategic marketing and the pushing out of the brand’s message. In this episode. JoVonne shares lots of information about product positioning, how to get products into big box stores and the different processes in marketing a product for big checks. She shares some of the best resources and routes for new business owners who have a product they want to sell but are unsure where to begin. To get your product selling on a larger scale, JoVonne has all of the knowledge, expertise and experience to help guide you through the tedious and sometimes difficult process. Connect with JoVonne today if you are ready to get your products selling on a higher level for bigger checks.00:35 - Please introduce yourself!1:08 - Where are you originally from?1:30 - Have you moved away from Cincinnati before or is this the first time?2:00 - Have you found the opportunities you were looking for in Houston?3:00 - What can a new entrepreneur do when they first have an idea they want to execute?4:50 - Do you help business owners get through the hurdles of executing an idea?7:20 - You said that many minority brands don’t get the exposure they should. Why is that?10:50 - What steps would you recommend to someone who has a product but doesn’t know how to scale their sales?14:10 - Is it hard to get your product into big stores like Target?16:45 - How does a product being in a big box store change the business?19:21 - What type of team do you need to get your product in a big box store?20:59 - Who would be the first person to contact when trying to get unto a big box store?23:10 - What steps did you take to maneuver into your own business?25:51 - When should a business owner call you to help facilitate the marketing process for their products?28:00 - Do people usually sell their product for the same price as when they were manufacturing from home?29:43 - Where can we connect with you?Follow JoVonne on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jovonneswalker/Think About It Website: https://www.thinkaboutitllc.com/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Rosemary is the Founder of Rosemary’s Babies Co, a non-profit organization that supports pregnant teens and teen parents. The non-profit has thrived ever since rosemary’s initial $25,000 investment into the marketing efforts, lawyer protection and launch event. In this episode, Rosemary shares the difference between non and for-profits, advice for anyone looking to build a non-profit and how the ownership status of non-profits work. Rosemary’s Babies Co is on a mission to change lives and generations to come. As a once-teen mother herself, Rosemary understands the struggle and decided to support other young girls and parents throughout the joys and difficulties. Rosemary encourages you to support your local non-profits to help make an impact in your community.00:45 - Please introduce yourself1:50 - How did you get started in your industry?5:16 - Can you talk more about the marketing within your non-profit and the relation to your non-profit’s success?7:10 - How did you rally up your community to support what you’re doing?10:17 - What’s the difference between non-profit and for-profit?12:30 - What did you spend your first $25,000 on to build your non-profit?14:30 - Do you feel starting off your business the way that you resulted in immediate success?17:34 - Can you explain the ownership process of non-profits?19:40 - What advice would you give to someone trying to build a non-profit?23:25 - How were you able to discover the benefits of building a non-profit?27:55 - Have you seen any benefits of being a non-profit over being in a for-profit business?Follow Rosemary Babies Co: https://www.instagram.com/rosemarysbabies.co/Rosemary Babies Co Website: https://www.rosemarysbabies.co/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Taylor Dru brings the tea, real talk and humor this week to The Connections Hub Podcast with our host, Jha Allen. Taylor is a Client Process Coach and a Dubsado Set-Up Specialist based in Atlanta, comically giving us the business, straight up.Taylor shares the importance of having a solid customer experience to maintain a status of excellence within your business. After personal experiences receiving terrible customer service and a couple of viral videos later, Taylor committed to helping business owners avoid costly mistakes by helping them find CRMs (Customer Relationship Management) that worked best for their business. Not only does Taylor have a high record of client satisfaction and retention, but she also provides knowledge for anyone looking to expand their knowledge on CRMs, business systems and processes. Tune in for the BUSINESS GEMS Taylor is dropping.00:40 - Hi Taylor. Please introduce yourself!2:24 - So you went to South Beach the same year as Lebron?2:48 - What did you do in South Beach?3:08 - What brought you to Atlanta?4:52 - What was your experience like moving from South Beach, Florida, to Atlanta?12:20 - How important is it to have systems and processes in place?14:55 - What are effective systems to put in place with a small team to move the business forward?26:20 - Is there a main software that most businesses use?27:28 - What is a CRM?26:18 - Can you share your favorite three CRMs?30:10 - Can you help a business owner choose the right CRM?31:52 - How did you land your partnership with T-Mobile?36:18 - How are you finding and acquiring clients?40:45 - Aside from getting clients, What would you suggest to someone looking to get into this industry so that they can become CRM experts and begin helping other business owners?  What would you suggest to someone looking to get into this industry45:55 - Where can we connect with you?Follow Taylor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesystemsguru/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this final episode closing out Pride Month, Jha Allen is interviewed by Connections Hub Team Member, Victoria, to talk all things work-life balance, business and relationship updates.Jha kicked off pride month with a campaign highlighting LGBTQ business owners, clients and resources to reflect the incredible work being done in the local Houston business community. From current business updates to future plans that will grow the business scene in Houston, Jha is giving us all the details on what she and her agency are doing to help community-based businesses grow. She shares her experiences as a masculine woman in business and how she manages different energies.The conversation transitions into relationship talk where Jha shares the importance of dating someone who is on the same page as you. She’s been learning herself how to turn off the “business” mode off when needed to enjoy the journey with people she cares about. And THAT is what’s going down with Jha! Click play for all the details from Jha Allen herself.1:10 - On our first episode, we talked about your business. So let’s start there. What’s going on with your business today?3:40 - Can you tell us about your pride campaign?10:30 - Have you experienced any issues with your identity while working in business?13:10 - Do you anticipate on setting up any LGBTQ events any time soon?19:32 - On an entrepreneurial level, how do you balance work and a relationship?25:21 - Have you ever attended an event where there were mostly more feminine women and had a thought or experience that made you feel like you might not belong?29:13 - What is Jha doing next?32:16 - Let us know where we can connect with youFollow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this interview, Jha Allen interviews the following guest of our Pride campaign series, Chase Sloan. Chase is a Businesswoman and Speaker from Houston empowering high schools, college students, and communities to build wealth via real estate and business ownership.Chase shares her story about getting into the real estate game at a pivotal moment in her career and how she has overcome some of the challenges and hurdles as a well-dressed, Black Lesbian woman. Chase is a real estate expert and gives sound advice for buying a house during this current economical climate. She plays all of her moves like chess, making strategic moves toward a successful career in real estate. Chase wants to empower the people of our local communities to generate and maintain wealth through real estate. If you’ve been looking to either purchase a home or get into the real estate game yourself. 00:40 - Please introduce yourself3:58 - How did you feel when you had to leave your job after your boss didn’t accept the take-back of your resignation?5:48 - When did you take the full leap into focusing solely on real estate?8:04 - How did you come to that point of making real estate a priority over the rest of the jobs and work you did?8:52 - What’s the difference between being entrepreneurial and purposeful?10:56 - At what point did you become stricter with sticking to your calendar?13:31 - Were you already full-time at the point where you were recovering from health and lifestyle management?15:36 - What are the mistakes you see first-timers in real estate do that they can avoid?16:38 - What do you learn after you get your real estate license?18:15 - What’s the real value in being number 2 if we’ve always known being number 1 as being the best?20:31 - What environments are open for people in the real estate industry to hang out and connect with role models?23:55 - When it comes to being in the LGBTQ community, how was it getting into real estate and being in the community?30:16 - How can someone lean into and become confident in who you are?37:15 - What should we be doing when it comes to real estate in this current climate?40:30 - How does real estate help build wealth?41:18 - Equity: What’s that?46:50 - Can you break down the debt-to-income ratio?49:20 - Are there any particular areas we should be looking to buy in?49:40 - What are the top 3 things we should look for when buying a house?Follow Chase on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chase_sloan/Follow The Chasing Real Estate Group: https://www.instagram.com/thechasingrealestategroup/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, Jha interviews our second LGBTQ+ guest for our Pride campaign, J. Albert Nicklos. J has an extremely dynamic background experience having been a top salesman at Bath & Body Works to an engineering career building rockets to now running a business development agency. J has been building and managing multiple businesses for over 20 years. When he is interested in a job, topic or experience, J goes ALL in. He is full of passion, excellent at everything he does and hilarious all the while. From his experiences counterbalancing his business journeys, identity and even relationship with his mother, J has finally found himself in a place where he doesn’t have a problem allowing his queerness to come out in whatever capacity it needs to. Happy Pride Month to all. 00:45-  Please introduce yourself3:49 - What led you to focus on the Black community15: 20 - So putting lower ticket items in the front of a store baits people into the store?25:50 - So you’re really close to your mom?36:22 - How have you been able to build your brand and be who you are without hindering your identity as queer?37:24 - What do you mean by cist?45:20 -Where can we connect with you?Follow J on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalbertnicklos/?hl=enFollow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, Jha interviews our first LGBTQ+ guest to kick off our Pride campaign, Ian L. Haddock. Ian is the Founder of The Normal Anamoly, and he shares his incredible journey to where he is today. The Normal Anomaly Initiative began in 2016 in Houston as a blog to tell the stories of people at the margins. Throughout the span of 3 years, Ian and his team have worked with Huffington Post, Unites States Conference on HIV/ AIDS (USCHA) and Prime Video. As the platform grew, Ian had amassed a team of nontraditional activists that began to expand the trajectory in which the group was going. In 2020, after the pandemic, the group shifted its lens from telling the story of Black, queer plus persons to changing their story through advocacy, direct services and technical assistance.Ian shares his personal story of how he struggled as a troubled young man after being kicked out of his home at 16 for being queer. After being taken under the wing of new mentors who supported Ian, his life changed forever. Ian is now on the mission to support and transform the lives of Black LGBTQ+ peoples. Tune in and Happy Pride Month!1:04 - Ian, take it over! Introduce yourself.2:15 - What does normanality mean?3:37 - Who wrote your first blogs?3:44 - How did you write your blogs?6:35 - What are some of the tangible things that you are doing and how can we get involved?9:10 - What got you into the work you do? How did you start?11:46 - Which organization did you start with?14:44 - What are all the ways to bring in money for a non-profit?15:40 - Do you get paid from your non-profit?19:40 - Tell us about some of your past events21:00 - How were you able to raise so much money from sponsors?23:10 - What do you mean when you say “de-stigmatizing certain stigmas” and what types of stigmas did you have to overcome?23:45 - Please clarify what trans-identifying is29:15 - Where can we connect with you?Follow The Normal Anamoly on Instagram: ​​https://www.instagram.com/thenormalanomaly/The Normal anomaly Website: https://www.normalanomaly.org/ Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, Jha interviews  Javonne Steward-Wallace,  Speaker, Author & Entrepreneur and is passionate about training and developing others. Javonne shares how she has always been strong-headed and how she helps other people figure out their personality types to best guide her clients. No Excuse Today LLC is a Consulting company that provides Consulting, Professional Development & Life Skills Training for individuals. The company's sole mission is to EMPOWER, EQUIP and INSPIRE individuals to make their dreams a reality in the face of adversity. Listen to the episode now!00:39 - Please introduce yourself00:57 - How did your brand name come about?2:19 - Tell us What No Excuses Today is about2:36 - What’s DISC?3:46 - How does DISC work?4:53 - Is there a scoreboard for DISC?7:55 - How did you transition from corporate America?9:22 - How was your corporate job financing your dream?10:38 - How did you come to the realization that you were going to start  No Excuse Today?12:55 - How does your apparel lead to your business?14:52 - How do you make a business transition from getting an apparel-buying customer to booking your services?16:04 - Do you have a marketing budget?17:00 - How are you getting influential people involved with your brand?17:47 - Breakdown of DISC test22:54 - Where can we connect with you?Follow Javonne on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/javonne.steward/Follow No Excuse Today on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noexcusetodaybrand/No Excuse Today website: https://www.noexcusetoday.com/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, Jha interviews KeAndre’, a Food Marketer and Founder of My Southern Brand. KeAndre’ comes from an engineering background but casually transitioned to food marketing after realizing the gap in food marketing for black-owned businesses.KeAndre’ covers the importance of focusing specifically on Black-owned businesses to serve the community and support Black-owned restaurants. He grew his following rather quickly to over 100k followers and has even landed a major deal with Pepsi. My Southern Brand focuses on brand campaigns for Black-owned businesses in the food world, and KeAndre’ is on a mission to promote those businesses for Black economic growth and prosperity.00:40 - Please introduce yourself01:12 - How did you get involved in food marketing?3:10 - How has the switch been from being an engineer to an entrepreneur6:12 - How did you get over your entrepreneurial struggles?7:13 - Why did you choose to specifically serve Black businesses?11:06 - What does food marketing entail for The Southern Brand?13:09 - What’s your follower count?13:34 - How did you build it up that many followers?15:56 - When did you officially quit your 9-5 to jump into entrepreneurship?17:55 - How did you manage to grow your account so much during COVID?20:12 - How did you end up going viral?21:15 - Did you have someone on the backend helping you manage your account?21:58 - When did your idea transition into an actual brand?25:43 - How did you end up closing big deals with companies like Pepsi?27:19 - How have the partnerships benefited your brand?28:10 - What are some tips you would give someone who wants to build their brand?30:30 - Where can we connect with you?Follow My Southern Brand on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysouthernbrand/My Southern Brand Website: https://www.mysouthernbrand.com/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Our host, Jha Allen, interviewed the legendary Ronda Prince, CFO of Rap-A-Lot Records and President of Pretty Girls Rock. From working in the criminal justice system to starting her own limousine company to helping her brother run Rap-A-Lot Records, Ronda Prince has gracefully reigned in male-dominated industries. Although Ronda was almost always the top woman within her companies, that fact didn’t concern her. She was always focused on getting straight to business and providing royal experiences for her clientele and customers. Ronda is a woman of many talents managing multiple aspects of Rap-A-Lot Records and building a community of women that inspires and uplifts women. In this episode, Ronda shares her experiences in top positions in male-dominated industries and advice on how women can do the same. Tune in to listen to a true power-house woman.00:43 - Please introduce yourself2:04 - What did you do in corporate America?3:45 - Was there any reason you started on the good side of the system?6:55 - What made you start your limousine company?10:45 - Do you feel like the companies seen you as a threat?12:00 - How did you come out with the rolling carpet with your car business?14:05 - After working for the city and then starting your limousine company, what caused you to get into Rap-a-Lot?18:17 - When did you decide to totally focus on the label?20:29 - What exactly do you do at Rap-a-Lot?26:34 - What advice would you give someone growing a business that wants to separate business and personal branding?28:34 - How is it being in the male-dominated music industry?34:14 - Have you ever felt that people painted you as “that woman” that people shouldn’t mess with or is feisty?37:34 - What advice would you give a woman entering a male-dominated industry?40:05 - What are some things you’re working on and what can we expect now from you?46:16 - Where can we find out more about you?Follow Ronda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rondaprince1/Connect with Ronda on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronda.princePretty Girls Rock Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/920883488562947Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Our host, Jha Allen, interviewed the Founder of Let’s Do This Houston LLC, Alan Moore. Let’s Do This Houston is a special events agency with the purpose of engaging the community through unique and fun activities. Alan’s business sort of happened by accident! As Alan was working a 9-5, he stumbled on the idea of hosting bike tours and events, and that’s when the idea clicked. In this episode, Alan shares his journey from juggling his career in social services to diving fully into entrepreneurship and expanding his business. Let’s Do This Houston continues to evolve as a Houston-based gem introducing leisurely fun while both exercising and connecting with the local community. 00:40 - Hi Alan! Please tell us who you are and what you do1:27 - What got you into your industry?2:50 - What inspired you to get a bike?3:43 - Was your business just an idea or always a business idea?5:10 - How can someone participate in your biking event?6:10 - What year did you start your business?6:27 - Is Eventbrite the only system you use?7:00 - Did eliminating Eventbrite eliminate a way for people to find you?8:39 - How has it been growing your community online?14:35 - How did you juggle your 9-5 and growing your business?15:22 - Is it possible to juggle both a 9-5 and running a business?16:06 - Was your business income replacing your 9-5 salary?17:00 - How often do you have bike tours?19:17 - How did you fine-tune your tours to fit what your audience was looking for?20:29 - Did you have a system set up to help you define your tours?21:33 - Do you have a staff now?21:40 - What does your staff do?25:10 - Can you tell us about the addition of products to your brand?26:12 - Who has been helping you throughout this process?28:39 - What do you have planned for Let’s Do This Houston?29:49 - How does it work partnering with restaurants?32:20 - Where can we connect with you and your business?Let's Do This Houston Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsdothishouston/Let's Do This Houston Website: https://www.letsdothishouston.com/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Our host, Jha Allen, interviewed Cecil Ivey, Founder of Cindy’s List LLC. Cecil, who is also known as “The Funeral Guy,” is brilliantly seasoned in the insurance and funeral services industries. In this episode, Cecil hilariously talks about financially preparing for death with much knowledge and clarification about finding the right plan for you and your family. He clarifies the differences between annuities, preneeds, life insurance and a variety of other policies; and he shares the simple secrets of the wealthy who financially set up their children’s financial futures the moment they are born with just a very small commitment. The conversation ultimately comes down to one point– “It’s not a matter of if, but when,” as Cecil says. That’s the reality, and there are ways to financially protect your family, plan for your legacy departure and keep generational wealth alive, even while you’re dead. Click play ▶️00:30 - Please introduce yourself1:00 - What is preneed insurance?1:28 - How long ago did you start your business?2:10 - Did the bill for your Granny’s funeral inspire your business?3:09 - What was the total cost for your Granny’s funeral?3:52 - What’s the most expensive funeral you’ve ever seen?4:20 - What’s the name of your company?4:29 - Do you help me plan the funeral? How can you help me with planning?5:31 - Do you get more money on your policy after you pass?6:50 - How do I make sure that everything goes as I planned after I pass?7:40 - How do the payments work?8:57 - So do I pay interest on my funeral plans?9:28 - Does my credit score matter?10:23 - What’s the difference between annuity, trusts and insurance policies?11:28 - Is there a certain time frame that someone should start thinking about this?12:30 - What’s the difference between having life insurance and a preneed?13:20 - Can I have a preneed and life insurance policy?13:35 - Do people usually get both?14:40 - For someone under 40 thinking of getting a policy, where should they start?17:32 - How are you able to be so humorous while talking about death?18:10 - What are 5 ways to get over the fear of death?18:43 - Tell us about a time when you’ve spoken to someone about getting a preneed policybut then they were too late on making a decision.21:03 - What’s an emergency funeral plan?22:20 - What’s insurance stacking?24:26 - What does IUL mean?25:50 - Do I need to have the whole life-long term to borrow against it?26:11 - Can I set that up with you?26:29 - Is there one particular policy that includes everything?27:43 - Is there a certain amount I pay every month?28:36 - How can someone with a lower income afford to pay a policy?30:54 - What happens if you outlive your policy term?31:54 - Does that work for all policies or just term?34:19 - What’s the youngest age you can be to get a life insurance policy?37:00 - Is opening up a black-owned insurance policy company your goal?38:15 - What’s a Gerber plan?39:36 - Where can we connect with you?Follow Cecil on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealfuneralguy/Cindy’s List LLC Links: https://linktr.ee/thefuneralguyFollow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

Our host, Jha Allen, interviewed Christina & Courtney, Co-owners of The Beauty Boost Houston.Christina and Courtney have one mission in mind that drives the purpose of The Beauty Boost Houston: To empower women to feel healthy and beautiful. Both women understand the importance of surrounding themselves around other women who consider self-care, self-love, mental clarity and health while trying to balance a work and home life. That need for a like-minded community birthed The Beauty Boost Houston. They decided to create a space themselves where women who were in need of their tribe could support one another and become friends.With a range of events that The Beauty Boost Houston hosts, such as yoga events to panels and spa meet-ups, there’s an opportunity for women of all sorts of interests to connect and bond. If you’re looking to connect with a group of like-minded women in the Houston area, connect with The Beauty Boost Bar in the link below. 00:40 - Hi! Please introduce yourselves1:07 - Tell us about The Beauty Boost Houston1:40 - How are Beauty Boost chapters set up?2:00 - How is the business model of Beauty Boost Houston set up?2:30 - How can someone become a co-owner of the organization?2:50 - What are you looking to do for the Houston area through Beauty Boost?3:30 - How did you two meet?4:07 - How are you bringing women together from the Houston area?4:44 - Is this membership-based?5:38 - When it comes to hosting all of the different events, is there a certain type of woman you look to attend your events? What should attendees expect to take away from attending your events?6:16 - How should women feel after attending one of your events?7:00 - What type of events do you host?7:45 - If a woman wants to become a member, how can they become one?9:20 - When it comes to hosting and marketing these different events, how are you able to stay competitive?10:30 - Being in business for just under one year, how was it starting up an event-based business after the pandemic?12:03 - How was it making the decision to go full force with opening up your business right after the pandemic?14:20 - How are you able to balance both a 9-5 and running a business?16:26 - For anyone listening who may be interested in opening up a Beauty Boost in their city, how would they be compensated for it?18:20 - What is the Beauty Boost mission?19:55 - What are your personal passions?21:45 - Where are you finding women who are new to the city and are looking for a community?24:00 - How do you plan to impact people’s lives through Beauty Boost?25:35 - Would you say that attending one of Beauty Boost Houston’s events is considered “carving out time” for yourself?26:00 - What can we expect from Beauty Boost Houston in 2022?26:47 - What is your Instagram?26:50 - Please tell us the dates of your next 3 upcoming eventsFollow The Beauty Boost Houston: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautyboosthouston/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, the host, Jha Allen, interviews Tierra Smith, Founder of Wins for Black Girls.We’re getting all the Black Girl Magic on this episode! Jha and Tierra discuss different aspects of business from the perspective of black women FOR black women. Tierra is an award-winning journalist, editor, speaker, and world traveler. She has a passion for storytelling and uplifting the voices of women and marginalized communities. In 2019, Tierra launched Wins For Black Girls, a media platform that prioritizes spreading the good news about Black women. The brand sponsors The Black Women Marketplace, a monthly pop-up shopping experience that features over 20 Black women-owned businesses. Their goal is to connect with women who want to know and celebrate Black women.00:35 - Please introduce yourself!2:59 - How did you start building your community?5:23 - What’s an example of good news you send out to your community?6:10 - How do you stay informed on good news to share with your community?7:44 - How was entering the market during the pandemic?8:54 - What are the qualifications to enter your market?10:25 - What is street marketing?12:52 - What got you into supporting Black women so passionately?15:06 - Besides offering vendor opportunities, what more do you offer for Black women who want to be involved with you and your business?18:52 - How has the process been in transitioning into doing what you love to the things that aren’t as much fun to produce a sustainable income to your business?20:17 - What advice would you give someone who is trying to build up a community?21:57 - Are you planning to expand the marketplace to different cities around the U.S.?26:33 - How do you feel about the stigmas on buying from black owners?32:45 - What type of tools do you have in place to keep your community going?33:55 - How can someone write and publish a press release?37:35 - With all of your marketing efforts, how much do you spend on marketing per month?39:35 - Do you have a team?42:47 - Where can we connect with you and sign up to receive text messages for Wins for Black Girls?Follow Tierra Smith: https://www.instagram.com/bytierrasmith/Follow Wins for Black Girls: https://www.instagram.com/winsforblackgirls/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, the host, Jha Allen, interviews Cole Cutz, a skilled Houston-based barber, business owner and influencer.Cole Cutz is a reputable businessman and barber who has served over 1,100 satisfied customers throughout his career. Using his life experiences, especially the painful ones, Cole Cutz learned how to merge the major occurrences of his life with his profession to serve, help and inspire both his clients and fellow barbers who aspire to be successful. Cole Cutz is passionate about his work and clients, always providing them with value that can positively impact their life. In this episode, Cole Cutz is sharing his best advice on how to run and operate a strong business based on customer value, structured policy, and the discovery of merging your story with your profession.1:32 - Introduce yourself, please!2:08 - How long have you been in the industry?2:13 - What kept you in the industry for so long?3:14 - How is it possible that you have over 1,100 satisfied clients?4:52 - How can a business owner bring value to their clients?6:50 - When did you realize that your life story and profession together would be the key factor in changing your business and life?8:45 - For someone in the beauty industry (barber, cosmetologist,, esthetician, etc), how should you prepare to begin your business and run it properly?11:55 - How can a business owner structure themself to operate with organized business manners and policies to really show the core and life of the business with a secured business setup?14:40 - How have you been able to get away from sitting behind the chair but still satisfy 1100 clients?18:22 - Is there a certain price bracket before you start investing?20:14 - How did you learn everything you know now?24:06 - What’s a common mistake to avoid when a business owner is getting out from behind the chair and starting their business?25:06 - Did you create your own e-books or did someone help you create it?26:01 - Where can we connect with you?Follow Cole Cutz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colecutzbrand/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, the host, Jha Allen, interviews Kaylon Beck, Owner of Beck & Call Hospitality. Kaylon’s vision is to redefine the hospitality industry through a cultural lens. Her goal is to open a bed & breakfast in Houston after she noticed that there wasn’t a boutique hotel in the community where she grew up in. On Kaylon’s journey, she has learned how to apply for grants and find investors to help bring her vision to life, and Kaylon shares how you can do the same for your business.  She dives into the changes of the hospitality industry since COVID hit, and what the future of the industry looks like. From applying to grants, to crowdfunding and investing into a grant coach, Kaylon is looking to change the hospitality industry of Houston for its communities and people. 1:32 - Hi Kaylon. Please introduce yourself.1:56 - How are you redefining hospitality through a cultural lens?2:35 - What is your main motivation for starting your bed and breakfast?4:09 - How have you seen the hospitality industry change since you graduated in 2014?5:48 - Do you feel that all these businesses popping up in the city affect how you look for investors?6:29 - Tell us more about what you’re trying to do with your bed and breakfast7:00 - Where are you looking to purchase your bed and breakfast?7:40 - Can people call you to be an investor in the business?9:09 - What role does Beck & Call play in hosting events?11:28 - Is there anything that someone who is interested in the hospitality industry should be looking at or doing to get into the field?13:10 - What has changed in the hospitality industry since COVID hit?15:14 - How did people adapt to the changes from COVID?16:30 - Do you think these COVID changes are permanent or temporary?17:28 - While we’re getting back to normal, are investors still willing to invest into the hospitality industry?19:15 - Have you found the best practices for finding investors?22:15 - How has your grants coach helped you and your business?23:20 - Can you tell us which grant it was that you applied for?24:18 - Where do you go to find grants?26:20 - How are you able to juggle all of your work?27:27 - Tell us a little about your team28:50 - If you had to seek an investor, what kind of investor are you looking for?30:03 - What’s a crowdfunding campaign?31:18 - How much are you looking for people to invest in Beck & Call?33:43 - As an investor, after I invest 5k or more to Beck & Call, what happens after that?33:58 - So is each investor different in what they want from the investment?35:05 - Where can we go to find more information about investing?35:54 - Where can we follow and connect with you?Follow Kaylon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylonbenai/Follow Beck & Call on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckandcallhospitality/Invest in Beck & Call Hospitality: https://forms.gle/2V6HJQvDsuX3H2bs9Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/ 

Planning your content strategy can be complex-- but it's actually pretty easy once you put together a profitable strategy.Our 3-Saturday Content Creation Workshop goes over how to create a profitable content strategy to increase your influence and sales online.Our first event went over the best ways to identify and market your business with the proper social media setup with guest speaker, Coach Shaniqua.The workshop covered:✅ How to properly operate your social media business account✅ The best software to help you easily create, plan and distribute your content✅ The foundational settings that you need to set up on your profile for strong branding and analytical tracking✅ How to create content that attracts your target audience to convert them into leads and paying customersHaving your Instagram operate as a business and not just a user is essential! Join us for the next 2 upcoming workshops and enjoy this replay.Content Creation Workshop Series here.Follow Coach Shaniqua: https://www.instagram.com/thecoachshaniqua/Follow Jha Allen: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/

In this episode, the host, Jha Allen, interviews Ed Hoffman, a Business Consultant and Owner of a few businesses.Ed shares his interesting journey from rags to riches. From nothing to owning and selling his first multi-million dollar company, Ed has figured out how to help other business owners increase their income and efficiency from his own experiences and strong work ethic.In this episode, he shares advice on planning an exit strategy for business owners who eventually want to have their business run themselves. Jha and Ed talk about trust amongst employees, teaching your team how to think like you and how to come out of boot-strapping on the ground.1:35 - Tell us who you are6:52 - Why is it the hardest to make that first million dollars?8:40 - What was your journey like from back then to who you are today?13:29 - How important is work ethic to operate a business?19:23 - What is an exit strategy?23:21 - When in business should I start thinking about an exit strategy?27:47 - when someone is building an exit strategy, is it a strategy to sell my business?29:46 - When I start planning my exit strategy and add people to my team, do I teach a manager that teaches my employees? How does that work?34:58 - How can I create a trust factor with my employees but still make sure my exit strategy will work?41:46 - Where can we connect with you?Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irresistible/Learn more about Ed: https://innovatingwithed.com/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn more about Jha: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow the Connections Hub on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/Follow Beck&Call on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckandcallhospitality/Learn More about Beck & Call: https://www.yourbeckandcall.co/

In this episode, the host, Jha Allen, interviews Alula Zeryihun, a Digital Asset Technology Consultant.Alula is an experienced Tax Technology consultant and Blockchain Fellow. He has a proven track record and domain knowledge in advanced data analytics, visualization, public speaking, project management, sales, and business development. Alula has been involved with blockchain-based research since 2017 and holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from California State University, Northridge.In this episode, he shares advice on how you can begin learning about crypto so that you can begin investing in it. Alula shares how crypto even helps during time of war, such as is currently happening in Ukraine. Jha and Alula also tap into NFTs-- They discuss what NFTs are, how you can create your own and how the crypto and NFT worlds work together  💎1:37 - Tell us about yourself2:18 - What is crypto?4:24 - How did your little brother introduce you to crypto?5:47 - What is White paper?10:15 - What is the easiest way for someone to learn about the crypto world?10:45 - How can verify credible sources on the internet that share information about crypto?13:11 - What happens after the $21 million dollar cap is reached in Bitcoin?15:24 - How do you feel about the current changes such as the Staples Center being renamed or the Mayor of New York being paid in Bitcoin?15:50 - Let's say I have 50,000 Bitcoin. How much do I really have in dollar amounts?16:40 - With the volatility of Bitcoin, is it really a safe market to get in?Q - 19:53 Difference between Web 1, 2 ,321:25 - What is an NFT?23:45 - What is the value in me buying an NFT?27:21 - What would you say to someone who wants to get into the crypto/Bitcoin world?29:15-29:50 - Low barrier to entry - How much do I need to start investing in crypto29:57 - Where can we get connected with youFollow Alula on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycrypt0world/Follow Jha Allen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jha.allen/Learn More About Jha Allen: https://workwithjha.com/contentFollow The Connections Hub Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionshub/